Our Big News: The Beginning

We are adopting!

Big news, isn't it!  Biggest news since we bought a house ten years ago!  I know not everyone knows all this yet, so here is what's been going on...

We decided a couple years ago that we were going to adopt.  But the process seemed overwhelming to think about and begin to work on, so we kept putting it off.  Through the help of a great friend who did some research for us and pushed us just enough to get us started, we began working with Bethany Christian Services.  Bethany has offices around the country and helps with both international and domestic adoptions.  We got our first email full of information on Feb.2, 2012.

The process was A LOT of work, a lot of paperwork, a lot of interviews, a lot of money!  And it's not over. We got all the paperwork done, clearances approved, first set of payments made, and our home study totally completed the beginning of June.  Our local Bethany office has a very long list of waiting families.  They actually have two lists- a list of prospective adoptive parents that are actively being shown to potential birth parents and a list of people just waiting to get on that list!  We were the very last couple allowed on the list before they stopped allowing new people to even apply.  We were seventeenth and last on the list.  They told us the wait time to get our baby would be 2-3 years.  WOW!  That's forever.  We aren't young, spring chicks anymore! =)

We got news on Feb.7, 2013 that we had moved to the real list!  Our profile will now be considered for matching with birth parents!  So we continue waiting.  We could be picked quickly, we could wait another year or more.  Suddenly finding ourselves on the list is exciting and a bit scary.  Are we ready?  YES!  Are we prepared?  Not a bit!  We quickly started collecting baby things from friends who had things to share. It's so odd to not have a clue when we will get to welcome a baby into our home.  It's hard to prepare.  Sometimes we feel a sense of urgency, sometimes we feel like waiting.  Many people suggest that baby showers should happen 30 days after receiving our baby because in Pennsylvania a birth mother has 30 days to change her mind.  (Don't worry, it doesn't happen all that often because the Bethany counselors really take extra care to help birth mothers make sure they are fully ready and in support of their adoption decision.)  Most people have 9 months to get ready and have a date they can look forward to and be ready for their baby to come.  We don't.  How do you prepare for that?!  Your prayers would be much appreciated!

So we wait... we try to get ready... we wait... we wait... we wait.

"Brown" Ice cream

We just made the Gimple recipe of homemade ice cream with Grandma Shaffer.  Man, this stuff bring back good memories!  I love the "brown" (maple) ice cream so much more than vanilla!  You should seriously try this stuff!!!

HOMEMADE ICE CREAM
For 2 qts. Ice cream               For 4 qts. (1 gal.)                   
½ c. Eggbeaters                     1 c. Eggbeaters                      
1 c. sugar                                   2 c. sugar                                      
1 T. + 1 t. vanilla*                  2 T. + 2 t. vanilla*                      
1 1/3 c. whipping cream** 2 c. whipping cream (1 pint)**    
2 2/3 c. whole milk                 6 c. whole milk
                       
For 6 qts.
1 ½ c. Eggbeaters
3 c. sugar
¼ c. vanilla*
4 c. whipping cream (1 qt.)**
8 c. whole milk (1/2 gal.)

Mix Eggbeaters (or equivalent), sugar, and vanilla together with mixer.  Stir in cream and milk until well blended.  Freeze according to freezer directions.  (If not freezing immediately, simply stir well when you’re ready to begin freezing to make sure the ingredients are well-blended.)

*For “brown” (maple) ice cream, use –
1 T. maple flavoring + 1 t. vanilla
2 T. maple flavoring + 2 t. vanilla – be generous with the maple
3 T. maple flavoring + 1 T. vanilla
(according to the quantity being made.)

**For less-fat version of ice cream, use half-and-half instead of whipping cream.

One gallon of this recipe makes 12 large servings.

Miss me yet?  It's been a while.  Here are a few fun pics off my phone from the past few months.  

Nice day on the back porch.

Some of my kiddos hanging out in the office over lunch.

You have all seen it by now, I got a new style and color!  I've never dyed my hair before at all, so this was a big change.  I love the cut, I love the color, I love the stylist.  I just felt like being different, stepping out of my comfort zone, making a statement.  I look a little crazy in this picture, it was the day I got it done, I felt a little crazy!

Saying goodbye to Nathanael when they visited us in Erie.  They left soon after for Vienna, it was our last big time together.  Love this little guy, I guess he's not so little anymore though!

When Drew takes the Bronco places, he can't tow the pop-up camper also.  So we found a great deal on an in-the-bed tent!  It's perfect for him and his trips!

I recently was looking through a photo album of Grandpa Shaffer pictures.  This is one of my favorites of him and Grandma!

CCDS has chicks!  We tried to hatch some from eggs, but they didn't work.  So we bought 6 chicks, they are much bigger now.  This one cracks me up!

Our cook was given dough balls, a lot of dough balls.  She let the rise and baked them for sub rolls today.  The whole school smelled heavenly!

"Be A Number" Fundraiser

I need your help.  

Yes, you... my family, my friends, my former students, CCDS former staff.  I started a fundraiser at the Old Zuck location of CCDS to raise money to have the best summer camp we have ever had!   I am very excited about it, and it has the potential to be huge!  My school has never had enough extra funds to do really neat things for our students.  We don't take many field trips, we don't have enough sports equipment, we don't give many rewards for good behavior or perfect attendance.  There usually isn't enough to buy the extra things.  There is just enough to keep going.  So I need your help!

Will you be a number?

The fundraiser is called "Be A Number", I'm asking you to "be a number so our students don't become one."  Too many kids in Erie end up dropping out of school, switching between schools often, falling through the cracks, not being successful.  They have dreams of going to college, getting a good job, they just don't have enough support or love to get themselves there.  Community Country Day School is the place that offers the love and support needed to give the extra push towards becoming successful in life.  Surrounded by Christian staff who love with Christ's love, the students can be the best version of themselves.  I love to see that change, when a student relaxes because they know they are safe, when a student then is able to focus on school work and try their hardest.

Will you be a number?

"Be A Number" is a fundraiser that allows everyone the chance to become a part of this great school!  We are looking for 300 people to each donate a different number between $1 and $300.  Large donors are welcome too, of course, but this fundraiser is looking for lots of smaller donors!  Everyone can find a number- $22, or $7, or $118, or $243.  Somewhere between $1 and $300 each person can find a number that they feel led to give.  Want to give more than $300?  Donate more than one number, pick a few, pick a whole row if you can!  If every number is donated, we will have raised just over $45000!  That's incredible, isn't it!

Will you be a number?

Visit www.ccdsoldzuck.blogspot.com to see the chart of numbers we need and pick a number or to donate online using PayPal or a credit card.  It's so simple.  You can even just donate from my blog clicking on the PayPal button on the right!  All gifts are tax deductible, and I will send you a letter for tax purposes. 

So I ask you...

Will you be a number?

A Pinterest Crafty Christmas

So... I joined the masses in early December and signed up on Pinterest.  I instantly found so many amazing ideas- recipes, outfit combinations, crafts, decor.  I didn't become one of those people who pins tons of awesome things and never tries them.  I've made many new recipes, some we liked and some we totally didn't.  I tried new ideas with my clothes, loved all of those!  Here is the problem though- I liked some of the craft ideas so much that I decided (3 weeks before Christmas) to make some Christmas presents.  Yes, we somehow waited until the last minute to get presents for people, not doing that again.  With working full-time at a crazy (awesome) busy job, an early Gimple Christmas, and trying to finish up the inside remodeling left over from doing siding, it didn't leave much time for my crafty presents.  I made a few trips to Michaels and Walmart, borrowed some stuff from our art teacher at school (Thanks, Jeannie!), and got to work.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE how they turned out and may have to make something for my own home!

The first one, for Greg and Kim, is made from three 5"x7" canvases.  I printed the two pictures of Nathanael on tissue paper on a regular printer, then used mod podge to attach them to the canvas.  The tissue paper allows the canvas texture to show through.  You can learn how to do this at sarasprojects on blogspot.  I'm not the type of blogger who takes great pictures of all the steps and then tells you all how to do it, but she did a great job!  I can't be bothered with all the extra pictures and time it would take to do that!   I hung all three on a ribbon with a suspender at the top as a hanger.  Thanks to my Mom for helping me with this project!

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My second project is a larger wall hanging- I used a 2'x1' canvas that I put fabric over, used my Cricut to make the letters out of contact paper and stuck down, then painted over.  When you pull of the contact paper letters, the fabric comes through.  I thought the gold dots would disappear with the paint, but they still are showing which is a neat surprise.  You can learn how to do this idea at the brassy apple blog.  Except she says to use spray paint- THAT TOTALLY DIDN'T WORK!  So I used craft paint instead, worked like a charm!

I used the same techniques to make this last project for my sister-in-law.  It says "God bless this home" in Romanian.  Again, the fabric shows through the paint a little which is cool.  I did mod podge over the top of all these projects to seal them better.  I put the last layer on this one the very morning we left to drive to Shaffer Christmas, it was still sticky as we drove.  Nice timing, huh.

Sorry for the poor quality of the pictures, they all look much better in person.  I can't wait to start my next Pinterest project, just have to decide which one comes next!

It looks likes a new house!

I've had these pictures on our camera for a couple months now.  Thought you might like to see the finished product!  We did the finishing touches around the end of September.  All we have left now is inside stuff (that you can't see from outside)!!!

 

 

 I guess I didn't even wait for Drew to take down the ladder before I took the pictures, oops.  We are very happy with the results, but we don't recommend to anyone that they do their own siding by themselves- too much work!

Goin' Down Home

Back in the middle of October, while Eric and Alycia were visiting, we all loaded in the truck with Grandma to head down to visit Grandma's old stomping grounds.  We visited many family sites... so all you Shaffers out there- ENJOY!  (I hope I get this all right!)

This is the Kirk Grist Mill, they made pancake flour.  Grandma says that part of the mill must have been taken down because she has a picture of it being bigger.  She also says that a young boy died in the mill when she was young.  Just beyond the mill, you can see a white house, that was Great Grandpa Kirk's childhood home.

Great Grandpa Kirk's home

This is the house in Rockton that Grandma grew up in before moving to Home Camp.

Here is the homestead in Home Camp that the Grandma moved to.  Val, Brad, Nancy, and Eric visited here often as kids.  And Drew's generation came here lots also to visit Great Grandpa and Grandma Kirk.

This was Great Grandpa Shaffer's hunting cabin, up the mountain from the resevoir.  Aunt Nancy says she remembers those pine trees behind the house as little 3 foot trees!

Grandma Shaffer enjoyed visiting with her brother, Norman, that day.

Eric, Alycia, Drew, and I drove out to Parker Dam State Park- the families would camp here sometimes.

And just because boys like guns, we stopped the Grice Gun Shop.  Alycia and I tried on hats while the guys drooled over rows and rows and rows of guns.

We were all so happy to get to see places important to our families and enjoy each other's company while traveling.  Yes, we stopped at Starbucks on the way out of Erie, and no, there are no Starbucks anywhere near Home Camp!!!