My Overthinking

Philly Area mom, Life forever changed by adoption

Onions may not be the only vegetable to make me cry {Giveaway}

I can do my best to try to shield my kids from the messages I hear around us. 

You know, the commercials that “work” because they breed discontentment and the “if only”s. The verbiage that it only matters that we try our best, but the obvious glory assigned to winning and being the best. Be stronger. Do more. Say different things. Wear different things. Live somewhere different. Be someone different. 
But, I can’t keep them from hearing it. But, I can speak truth to them and make sure they hear some other messages. 
We watched the new Veggie Tales movie this week–The Penniless Princess, their take on the old Shirley Temple classic, a story of riches to rags, of knowing who you really are, of sacrificial giving, of loving the least of these, of knowing the Truth and living it out even when it seems impossible, of great loss and redemption, of an earthly adoption. A story chock full of the messages I want them to hear…
“You’re never alone” 
“You’re a child of the King.” 
“In good times and bad times, He’s right by your side.” 
“Even if we look like servants on the outside, we’re princesses on the inside.” 
“Kindness is contagious; when others see our kindness, they realize how much they have to give.” 
and my favorite…
“No matter what, I am loved; so I will love, no matter what.”
And, as I sat there to watch it with them, I realized these are messages I need to hear too. 
Yup, God can speak through animated celery stalks, asparagus spears, and bunches of broccoli.
We all liked it so much around here that we want you to have your own copy. Watch it with your kids. Or, watch it alone and be fed through some organic greens. 
Just leave a comment before the end of the day Thursday with a message you’ve heard recently that was just what you needed to hear. Maybe it was from something you read online, an encouraging or challenging word from your child or a friend, the message sent just to you through a song you heard in the car…share whatever it was (and a way to contact you).
On Friday, we’ll randomly pick one of ya’ll to get your own copy of The Penniless Princess. 
Looking forward to reading some comments here.

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The funnest part of a giveaway

is always clicking “choose” on random.org, seeing that number, and then counting down the entries to reveal the winner.

And, my last giveaways had an added “fun” component. I’ve never done a giveaway as a fundraiser. And, I have to say that it was pretty darn fun this morning to count up all the donations that have come in over the last 2 weeks—a total of $500.

Sa-weet.

Stop writing and start sharing winners…I know, I know. You all are just looking for names, I know.

The winner of the book A Cord of Three Strands is the amazing adoptive mama, sweet friend, and soon-to-be missionary to Albania, Cydil Waggoner.

The winner of the package from The Sparrow Fund including a beautiful word art print of Luke 12:6-7, a sweet Kenyan bracelet of her choice from The Nest, and a kickin’ tee inspired by 1 Thessalonians 1:3 (see them for sale here and go ahead and buy one…seriously) is adoptive mama Shelley from Finishing our Family from China.

And, the winner of the big ole Chinese giveaway including three children’s books signed by the authors Geoff the Green Hippo: A Children’s Book about Adoption, Lily, and China; a Mei Mei Niu Niu doll, a smaller version of the Niu Niu doll; a handmade Chinese rabbit; a children’s bracelet featuring a bead for every animal of the Chinese zodiac; a Chinese headband from Beijing and the amazing pink twirl skirt donated by a seamstress for the Atlantic City Ballet Company; AND a custom name charm from Jiayin Designs….is….Maureen Osborne from Charlotte, North Carolina, ya’ll. Email me, Mystery Mama Maureen! (update–she just did AND she just started an adoption from China. How cool is that?)

Thank you to all 27 people who donated. Each and every one of you not only helped fund the way for Mark to go to China this May but also gave us so much encouragement. We’d see that email come into our inbox saying a donation was received, and we’d do a little cartwheel (in our hearts, mind you. My cartwheel days are long gone). Each dollar that came in gave us a little hug and said, “We support you. We are behind you.”

And, that’s pretty fun. 
So fun that you all (or all ya’ll for my Southern friends…you know who you are) are going to receive a little something special in the mail this week. 

Fun, fun, fun.  

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A Cord of Three Strands {Review and Giveaway}

I’m watching my daughter run around with her cousins, laughing so hard she’s throwing her head back.

She’s three. No cares in the world. No questions yet about her story. But, I tell her anyhow. I want her to know her story is much bigger than just us.

In A Cord of Three Strands, Sara Berry and Tricia Robbins do just that—remind us all that our stories are part of a much larger story. The true story of a prodigal child who becomes pregnant and makes the decision to place her child with another family. The true story of a faithful couple whose hearts and arms ache to be filled with a child. And, the true story of a young girl raised by parents who love her deeply, honor the mother who gave her life, and teach her that her story is part of a bigger story—ultimately, one laid out before time began.

Finished in only a few hours, somehow, I found myself able to identify in that short time with every woman in the story—the prodigal child, the parents who struggle to accept her failings, the counselor who mentors the young woman and pours into her, the couple who struggle through infertility together and ultimately adopt a baby girl, and even the girl herself who by grace is able to love and have relationships with both of her mothers.

I’m keeping this one in arm’s reach and looking forward to reading it and talking through it with my oldest daughter soon—the one who was not adopted. Written using quite easy language with not too many words on a page, it won’t be long and I know she’ll be able to handle it and the issues it introduces–peer pressure, discovering our true identity, dealing with our failure, forgiveness, living out grace to people God puts in our path, and the feelings of a birthmother, adoptive mother, and adoptee.

Take a sneak peek here

Want your own copy?

Before you buy it, you may want to try to win one for free here, ‘cause I’m giving one away (that’s always sorta fun). Or, better yet, buy a copy and still try to win so you and your daughter or friend have your own copies to read together.

Just leave a comment sharing why you want to read the book, how you’d use it, what you’d hope to get out of it, or something along those lines. You can enter once here and once on We Are Grafted In if you’d like to double your chances.

I’ll choose a winner Sunday, April 15th when I also choose the winners for my other big ole giveaway. It’ll be a giveaway fest that day.

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A Giveaway to Fund the Way

We are getting geared up in this house for some training, team building, lecture writing, and clever packing.

No, we’re not headed to college.

One of us is headed to China in about 6 weeks. And, he may not be coming home with a little one this time, but we’re still expecting some great things.

Days will be filled with teaching English and leadership at a university in Baoding, a city northeast of Beijing in Hebei Province, and connecting with students there on a deeper level. Good work will be done, no doubt. And, my husband gets to be a part of that.

What a privilege. For him and for our family.

I’m thrilled–and looking beyond the parenting-4-kids-by-myself-bit–because Kingdom work is a-happening here.

Vacation time is being used. Arrangements are being made. And the cost–a plane ticket (round trip, mind you, thank you very much) for $1,900 (egads!), visa, staying in China for nearly 2 weeks–needs to be paid.

And, since we have asked for funds from every Tom, Dick, and Harriet (Hello? Have we met yet? Let me tell you about what we do…) for The Sparrow Fund, we’re just sorta running with this China trip thing.

So, we thought we’d do something sorta fun to hopefully help out with that a bit. At least, we’re hoping ya’ll (in honor of my Southern friends) think it’s fun and jump right on in.

A big ole Chinese themed giveaway

See all that? 

Three children’s books signed by the authors
a Mei Mei Niu Niu doll, a smaller version of the Niu Niu doll from Jiayin Designs
a handmade Chinese rabbit also from Jiayin Designs
a children’s bracelet featuring a bead for every animal of the Chinese zodiac (also from Jiayin Designs…yes, there’s a theme here)
a Chinese headband from Beijing ready for any princess that will go perfectly with…
the amazing pink twirl skirt
which was donated by a mother of 9 (no typo there) soon to be 10 (she’s got a 13 year old girl in China who will be joining their family soon) who actually sews for the Atlantic City Ballet Company. 
Wow. 
The skirt is 13″ long, and Diane will customize the waist size for whatever little princess will be wearing it.

And, on top of all that, the winner will also receive a custom charm of their choice from Jiayin Designs. Get your child’s name, a special word, mother, grandmother, love, whatever your little heart desires.

Altogether, this giveaway’s value is…oh…about $250. 
(anyone else thinking this is fun?)
To enter, just click on that GIVE button over there on the right.
Giving $10 will get 1 entry for the giveaway;
$20 gets 3 entries;
$30 gets 6 entries;
$50 gets 10 entries.
AND, we’ve got another giveaway too.
A beautiful word art print of Luke 12:6-7 designed specifically for The Sparrow Fund by the warmest hearted Aussie ever.
A sweet Kenyan bracelet of your choice from The Nest
And, a kickin’ tee inspired by 1 Thessalonians 1:3 (read about the inspiration here and see them for sale here)
Enter to win those goodies just by sharing this link. 
Just that simple. Seriously.
Tweet it for an entry. Share it on Facebook for an entry. Blog about it for an entry.
And, leave a separate comment here for each way you share the link so I’ve got a record of it, k?
(note–you can do each of those twice if you’d like as long as they are a few days apart – it’s about getting the word out after all.)
Both giveaways will close up April 15th.
And, feel free to contact me if you want to learn more about Mark’s trip–the organization he’s going with, what all the team is doing, etc. We’re happy to share privately.
Xie Xie, folks. 
Mean it.

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