One of the Days My Life was Changed Forever

My friends sent this video to me today.... 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGbRKadBRZE&sns=em

This was the day my life changed forever. You can see me for a brief moment holding a little boys hand trying to get him to play. It was my mission to make him have fun! 

Well my attempts didn't work... I then asked someone to ask him what was wrong. 

He wasn't shy.... He was hungry! He just needed food. He had not eaten in 3 days. The only meals he got were the ones at the care point. 

               I will never forget this face

I cried when they told me this. I I held him tight, gave him my water. He was so weak he could barely hold the bottle. 

The food was being prepared, but not ready yet. Our group was suppose to leave but I told them I could not until I saw him eat. 

               He finally got to eat.

I'm even crying as I write this. 

I will never understand why many kids in this world go hungry. Why so many kids don't know what it is to be loved. 

Aboss' teacher told me yesterday that they were telling things they were thankful for.  He said "eat"-food. My little 4 year old knows that food is a blessing.It's the first thing he thanks God for we when pray at night.  

When I came home from this trip I cried for a month. I have not been the same person I was when I left on that October day in 2011.

Most days It is hard to me to live in America. I often wonder why I have been so blessed to not know what it truly means to be hungry or to not be loved.

 It makes me sad to see people obsess over worldly things.  I know God says " For I know the plan I have for you declares The Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you,plans to give you hope and a future" -Jeremiah 29:11

I'm pretty sure this does not mean plans to "live in a big house, drive a nice car, go to Disney Land, get that boat you always wanted... Etc..." 

I use to be that person... I use to want bigger and better "things". I'm not saying I have mastered this, but for sure have a different mind set than 2 years ago. 

I want my kids to be blessed and feel loved, but not from giving them all their "wants". I want my kids to have amazing life experiences and not the kind Disney World can bring. The kind that only come from Jesus! We pray every night that God use us for HIS glory. I love to listen to my kids prayers and hear their heart.. 

Following God is NOT easy! When God called us to adopt we thought of every excuse as to why we shouldn't. All selfish reasons ...how it would disrupt our little world, the $ it would cost( at the time we were thinking about buying a new car which would cost the same amount as adopting. As you can see I didn't buy the new car... I actually even drove it for a month), what would people think, the time it would take away for ourselves, would it mess up "our" dreams for our family....

But we knew we had to obey. God's disruptions in our lives are divine interventions. 

There is nothing better than looking  back at a situation you thought was horrible and seeing God's work through it all. 

The last 3 months have been hard for my family. Hard in a good way. I have learned a lot about myself. Our family is stronger than it ever has been. We rely on God to get us through each day. I thought I knew how to love. I shamefully say I didn't. Adoption makes you think truly about the love our Heavenly Father has for us.  (Another blog to come about this)

One of the moments that God revealed to me that this is all for HIS glory was when Jaxon had to answer some questions for an interview that another student would use to write a story at school. 

Two of the questions were "do you want to get married" an "Do you want to have Kids"

He answered that he did want to get married and that he wants to have two kids then adopt from Africa:)

I honestly was shocked and taken back. I could believe that he would still want to adopt after the hardest 3 months of our lives. Yet again another lesson learned... God is so much bigger than the hard times in your life. 

The last three months have been an amazing beautiful messy journey. I wouldn't change it for the world.. Yet again I am a different person than I was 3 months ago. I pray I keep growing and changing all for the Glory of God! 

I have a feeling God's about to call us to "do something"... 

Everytime I have had this "feeling" God had plans for a Divine Interruption  in my life.. 

Justin is going to be thrilled when I tell him! He sometimes thinks God is crazy!! 

Yet I didn't sit down to write this... It just happened. 

What is God calling you to do?

So Humbled

Update: had someone that knew raffle was over but still wanted to donate.

$5600 raised! 

We need $6,000 in a week..$5500 was raised! Wow!!!  

Justin and I are so humbled. When we started this journey money was one of our big concerns.. I mean $30k sounded like a lot of money.. That is more than I make in a year. How in the world were we going to come up with that kind of money right?!?! Well we thought.... who are we to put God in a box... we knew that God had called us to adopt and called us to adopt from Africa. So who were we to tell him no becasue of the fear of money. So we stepped out of our comfort zone and put  all our Faith and trust in him..

God has carried is the whole way... It's been a long journey. I had adopting moms tell me that this will be a journey where my Faith would be tested! At that time,in the beginning, I thought I knew what  they were talking about.... I had NO CLUE..

I'm telling you the devil was out to Kill,steal, and destroy our family. He put so many obstacles  in our way. We had friendships vanish, my health decline for a long period of time, we moved, lots of unexpected Financial burdens and the list goes on and on. 

My brothers and sisters, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure. Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. But if any of you lack wisdom, you should pray to God, who will give it to you; because God gives generously and graciously to all. But when you pray, you must believe and not doubt at all. Whoever doubts is like a wave in the sea that is driven and blown about by the wind. People like that, unable to make up their minds and undecided in all they do, must not think that they will receive anything from the Lord. (James 1:2-8 GNB)

Man did We pray for wisdom! 

"for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure. (James 1:3)

Our endurance has gotten much stronger.. We feel/know that with God all things are possible.....

Jesus looked straight at them and said, “There are some things that people cannot do, but God can do anything.” (Matthew 19:26)

            

Now that  I talked about all the trails.... I do not want to leave out the blessings.... Our faith is stronger than it has ever been, we love the challenge of getting out of our comfort zone and seeking God... We sometimes tell him he is crazy.. But we follow him anyways.. 

We have been blessed with amazing friends and family(you know who you are)that have been by our sides this whole journey encouraging us and never discouraging us . 

We have meet so many people that share our hearts and passions. 

There are people that we have never meet that have showed us amazing 

Support and love.. It's surprising to find out that sometimes the people you thought would be by your side aren't and   That people you never meet come to the rescue. 

Our children have got to see God in action.. Now talk about a child like faith... I pray my faith be as strong as theirs.... I love that God is in their everyday language. If a problem arises they know to pray about it. Their prayers and trust in Jesus blow me away! 

We want to thank each and everyone of you for all that you have blessed us with! Thank you for your prayers(keep them coming), emotional support, financial support, and the love you have poured out for us. 

Love,

Justin, Autumn, 

Jaxon, Aubrey, and Aboss

It's Time!! We need your help!!

Update:07/24/2013

$1000 left to raise! God is so good!! 2 hours left!! 

Update: 07/22/2013

$3780 left to raise!! Ends tomorrow at midnight!! Nothing like having to rely on FAITH and FAITH alone, because HE is the only one that can make this happen! 

  We are still waiting for a visa interview. We are still requesting July 29th but not sure they will grant us that. It could be August 4th. Depending on when they set our Visa appoint will determine if we will be in attendance. Booking last minute flights is way out of our budget. We have faith the God will work out all these details. 

Right now we need prayer for a visa interview! Please pray that one is set ASAP. 

Then once it is set... Pray for an approval!!!! I am claiming in Jesus' name that it is already done. He WILL get approved! 

Here is a new pic I got yesterday! 

Ready for his cuteness to come enjoy the summer with us before school starts. 

Hey guys! Well I have some awesome news and some overwhelming news!
Awesome  news first!!
Its time to pick up Aboss! 

overwhelming news... we still need $5954 in order to do that! 

We are picking up his visa Packet today! Asking for Visa interview for July 29th.

Normally you wait until visa interview is given an approval and visa is printed to go pick them up.. So this  would mean if all goes well we would be picking him up around August 4th.

Well right now there has been a lot of cases go into "review" at the visa stage... Which then in turn is taking about another 60-90 days to complete. 

Our agency called me yesterday and said that it seems that the reason these cases are going into review is because the families are not there at the Visa interview! No one knows for sure. We have to make a decision  wether or not to go to the Visa interview which would mean that we will need to fly out July 27th. Only a week and half away!!

The only risk is that there is a chance it could still go into "review".. Things have been so shaking there lately. 

We are talking to our agency today about what to do!

Please pray for guidance and peace about what Justin and I should do. The risk being we could get there. Get denied or put into review and having to take Aboss back to the orphanage and leave Africa with out him. I'm not sure my heart can take that.

Also please pray for the Financial burden we need to come up with in less than a week if God is telling us we need to be there. 

I am going to throw together yet another fundraiser. Like I mention we still need $5459 to make this all happen. Flights are crazy expensive and with is moving to Texas fees have gone up:( 

We will have a raffle for your choice or either a mini IPad or electric scooter..
Your choice.. We will ship it to your house. 

Details below. 

Fundraising has been the biggest downer for me. It's something that I struggle with.. I hate asking for $. With that said I have to trust that God will provide. 

I'll keep you updated! Thanks you guys for your support! I'm beyond ready for this all to be over and Aboss to be here!! With out you guys and The Lord there is NO way we could get through this. This journey has been so hard... Yet such a blessing!! 

God bless each and every one of you,
Love, The Deason's 
Miss this little guy!

 

                    Raffle Details

Raffle will be for your choice of a Mini IPad or electric scooter. 

Entries:

1--$10

3-$25

6-$50

9-$75

12-$100

15-$125

We only have a week.. I will keep everyone updated!

Raffle will end July 24th at midnight! Winner will be drawn July 25th at 10am I will use random.org to pick winner. 

You may purchase tickets by using PayPal

At autumnLj@yahoo.com 

*There is a link on our blog where you can purchase tickets... Click on donate button..  You will have to click web version at the bottom of your screen to see it if you are on your phone.*

Or send check to 

1317 Edna Street

Commerce, Tx 75428

I will post daily the amount still needed! 

Love you All! 

Electric scooter 

      Or 

Your choice! Item will be mailed to your house. 

New item added:

Custom made Rag rug by LeAnne Penny

Jaxon's Child like Faith

My son Jaxon has been wanting to go to Africa ever since we started our adoption process. Justin and I chose not to take our kids with us on the first trip to meet Aboss for a couple of different reasons. One being that flights are so expensive we just could not afford it.. Second being  we wanted to give Aboss extra love while we were there and him be our main focus at this time.

We skyped with the kids several times while there and they got to "meet" their new brother. They were always all smiles!! Not really sure what to say to each other :) but you could see the excitement. Before our trip I let the kids record A video for Aboss to watch! They practiced saying "I love you " in Twi( his language). Aboss watched those videos over and over and over! His eyes would get so big and a smile from ear to ear when they said "mendo".."I love you"

They can Not wait to meet their brother.. Jaxon has been begging me to go back with me to get him... Aubrey not so much just because she can barely make it on a 30 min car ride.. She would never make it.. Plus she told me if Jaxon goes she will get to have lots of Daddy time all to her self :)

Justin and I kept telling Jaxon that we can't afford for him to go.. I am just going because we can't afford for Justin and I to go...

Well Jaxon came to me the other day and said that he wanted to earn money to go to Africa and he would put all his savings toward it. He has started chores and does them happily... I told him I would give him $10 a week.. Which will not come anywhere close to what he needs to go. So he told me he wanted  ask our neighbors if he could mow their lawn. He has been think of every way to earn money. 

He said mom I have been praying that I can go! He really believes that God will provide a way. 

Well buddy mommy is going to pray for that too! So we are stepping out of Faith that God will provide. Tomorrow we have an appointment in Dallas to gets his passport. 

We are stepping out on faith that not only will God provide financially HE will also allow all the "paperwork"....passport...visa..and a yellow fever )which is another story in its self as when he found out he had to get shot he didn't think he could go ... He spent a day struggling with that fact butthen  came to me and said that he could do it!!) to be completed before we have to leave.  We are looking at going probably in 3-5 weeks. So not much time to raise $2000

If you feel it in your heart to give to "Jaxon's Africa Fund" let me know. He will be so thankful! 

Believing 

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (James 1:6 NIV)

He can receive donations by my pay pal at autumnlj@yahoo.com   ...  comment Jaxon's Africa Fund

Or by check to 

1317 Edna Street

Commerce, Tx 75428

Answered prayers

Since my last update prayers have been answered... We closed on our house in Ada today!!!! Man I'm not sure if I could go through that again.... We sold it the first week we put the sign out, but it took 100 days to close!! It is over now Praise GOD!

We can now close on our Texas house on Thursday!! We are sooo beyond ready to be a family again. 5 months is way to long to be apart.... We will still not be 100% a family until Aboss is home.

We are having movement with the Adoption... We have our updated home-study  scheduled for July 14th. Since moving states we have to do MORE paperwork and send more money!

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel though. Our Case worker thinks that we will have our I-600 approval within the next week... If this happens we have to have our updated home-study done by the time we file for his visa which would be about a week after approval... So we are cutting it close. I do not want this to cause a delay in bringing him home. 

I want to thank everyone who has been praying for us! I can feel it! Please keep it up and help us get our little boy home with out delay.:) 

We did get pictures our little guy today!! Pictures help a little but until he is I'm our arms my heart will be longing for him. 

Check out the cuteness❤

Here's that thumbs up!

What a cutie 

Wonder if that tooth will ever come in?!? Him and Aubrey look a lot alike right now:)

Praying my next update is the news of him coming home!!

Adoption Update

I am horrible at updating my blog! I guess it's a combination of wanting it to sound "perfect"and not having enough time to make it sound "perfect". I'm just going to kick "perfect" aside and just type.

In February we got to meet our son!

 Man was it amazing...wonderful....glorious...emotional...scary....crazy..so may feelings rolled together! The biggest feeling was love! He has the biggest personality! Such a sweet little boy and strong willed all at the same time. He attached to us right off.We could not get out of his sight with out him having a melt down.. If Justin walked out of the room to go get water... He would sit at the door and cry until he came back....we had to be all together all the time. 

Here are a few pics to recap our trip:

Our first time to meet him.

He feel asleep in my lap on the way to the hotel after picking him up from the orphanage.

He LOVED is moto and carried it everywhere.....

Along with these 3 cars... He is cleaning them. He did not like to get his toys dirty... It was kinda hard to play soccer in the sand.. Lol.

Daddy being a pongo"horse" in the water!

Us being silly... He will fit right into our family!:)

He always picked me flowers.. He is such a sweetheart. 

There's that thumb again.. In about 99% of his pictures he has his thumb up.. 

He loves the swings.

Us enjoying the ocean.. Man was it a beautiful place... It was like we weren't in Africa.... Outside those hotel doors was another world....

 These are a few of the pictures where Aboss was from. I went up and down these streets with tears streaming down my face... I have no idea what his life was like there. I wonder what happened to his mom and dad... Are they still alive? How could they abandon him and leave him on the streets at only 3 years old?!? 

I heart hurts as one day I know he will be asking me those same questions...

We passed court.. His first day to be a Deason!:)

Justin and I on a canopy walk or should I say hike!! Aboss was going to go with us, but he just woke up from a nap and was cranky.. And refused to go with us.So he stayed with our attorney,Boat.Thank goodness because there is no way he could of hikes up the hills to get there.. As we reach the top we get a phone call from Boat. Aboss was having a fit because he wanted us.. So I get on the phone with him... I tell h I will be back soon.. He just kept saying "mommy come back.. Mommy come back" over and over again" make me happy that his missed us..we get back and he is in the front of the taxi pretending to drive. Boat said to get him to stop crying he told him he could "drive" the taxi! He was smiling from ear to ear!

Aboss washed his socked in the pool then laid them out to dry all by himself..

I have so many other stories I will share one day.. It was amazing. I miss him so much.. 

Since then our journey to get him home has been well not so easy! We have hit lots of road bumps.. Well just a few but they are taking forever to get corrected! We received his birth certificate but Justin and I's names were spelled wrong. :( just a simple typo and it has been 3 months and we still don't have it corrected!
This whole waiting thing is wearing on me. There is nothing we can do, but wait..
I told Justin it might be easier to change our names!
I know God has everything under control and his timing is perfect. Honestly if he were to be home now life could be crazy as We are still trying to get moved down to Texas... Another paper work mess up! Could be up to 6 weeks before we move. We are praying for God to work a miracle and for it to be this week! Justin has been gone since February.. Everyday gets harder not to be together as a family! We are stronger as individuals when we are together. I often wonder what Gods reasoning is behind all this wait time. I guess I need to get rid of my bad attitude about it all and let him reveal it to me. Just so ready for the 5 of us to be together and under one roof. I do count my blessings as we are all healthy and alive. With the devastation from the Tornados this past week... It really puts thing into perspective. My heart aches for the families that will not get to see their loved ones again..

As we sit here and wait for things to fall into place...I will be counting my blessings and praying hard for my sweet boy to be home soon. 

I read this quote the other day: " Our attempts to rush God's timing can spoil the beauty of His plans for our lives"

I can't wait until I can look back and see God's perfect provision and plan. My Trust is in The Lord.

Psalms 37:7-

I can't wait for everyone to meet Aboss. 

Please be in prayer for our family:

1. That we get settled into our house SOON!!!! It's been a toll on us. We really want to be settled before Aboss gets here. 

2. That the paper work gets corrected and we can move to the final step to get him home.

3. For 1 to work out fast so it doesn't slow 2 down!! 

Thanks everyone!

Love The Deason's

Another update:

Since I wrote this. Aboss's birth certificate has been corrected!!yay! 

Now we need to get into our house! We have moves down to Texas, because we could be away from Justin any longer!! We are not living in a condition to where we could bring Aboss home too. As it is not stable( and here and there) 

Please please pray Hard that our housing situation will be resolved "like yesterday"

I will be crushed if they tell us we can go get him, but we can't because we are not in a house right now. We have to have an updated home study since we won't be living in the same house our home study in.. As of right now we are pretty much homeless:( 

THE WINNERS ARE.......

From: Joely O'Neal

Thank you to everyone who helped us in raising the funds for the Deason family. Whether you have been praying for them, bought tickets, or helped spread the word, they have been truly blessed by you all! We needed to raise $2,500 for them to get them to Ghana next month to meet their little boy and have their court date and did we do it?????????

No, we didn't...we raised $2,720!!!!! God knew the amount this family really needed and that is what was provided because they just had to spend $200 on their visas so they now still have that $2,500 to go towards getting to Ghana!

You can read all about this sweet family and where they are in their journey at the Deason Family Blog.

And now for the winners..........
all entries were entered into Excel and numbers assigned...there were 346 entries and 13 prizes to be won. Then all numbers were entered into Random.org and going down the list in order we got the winners.....see below each picture to find out who won.

5th Generation iPod Touch 32 GB in lime green!!!! Given to the fundraiser by a very sweet anonymous donor. ($299 value) Ilena Varner

Kindle Fire HD 16 GB ($199 value) Charity Teal


2 OKC Thunder vs Dallas Mavericks tickets for Feb. 4th (over $180 Value) The Denson Family

Cuisinart Pure Indulgence™ 2 Qt. Frozen Yogurt-Sorbet & Ice Cream Maker ($90 value). Kami Weems


Thirty-One Making Memories Thermal (14.25"H x 13.75"W x 15"D) Collapsible telescoping handle, wheels for easy transportation in Minty Chip and Jersey Blankey in Oatmeal (60"L x 55"W). ($189 value) Courtney Folsom


Handmade Rag Rug by Leanne to place in front of your kitchen sink and keep your feet very comfy. Kirsten Priest


2 kids size large adoption t-shirts ($30 value) Tiffany Anderson


Uganda package (1 necklace, 1 scarf and 1 bracelet) ($40 value) Julia Leinen


2, ITWorks Body Wraps ($60 value) Corie Perry


Jack Black, 6 grooming essentials/travel dopp kit ($65 value) Shannon Rowe


Baby Gift Set, book, burp cloth, bath and body skin care ($78 Value) Mandy Waters


2 handmade scarves ($30 value) Ashley Barrett


3 handmade necklaces ($60 value) Megan Hackbarth

Adoption update... Raffle update with a crazy twist

Just finished reading through our Travel Packet!! Everything is so surreal right now!!! I can’t believe that we will soon(hopefully in February) be on a plane to meet our son!!! Someone pinch me please!! Ok, Thanks! I am so excited to meet him....pass court then finally show off his cuteness to everyone.

Now on to the not so fun part…. MONEY! I hate that word. I hate the hold that money can have on people.. the control it can have… It honestly almost stopped us from following God’s plans for us… his adoption plans… I said “There is no way we could raise/save $30,000 to adopt from Africa God are you crazy? *If you want a break down of why it cost so much I would gladly share* It took a lot of praying and talking to God for him to finely tell me that “No WE can’t.. but that HE would provide.” I was then ashamed of me putting God in a box…He is way bigger than $30,000.. He has actually blown our socks off and had blessed us with over $15,000 plus so far. Can you say “wow”! . I am in awe of the people that have given, But better than that, the story behind their “Why” they felt lead to help us with our adoption. I have also loved the people we have met along the way..the “I have adopted…”, “I have always want to adopt”, “We are praying about adoption”, “I was adopted..”, “Tell me more about your adoption” kind of people!! I also know that none of this could have been possible without all the prayer warriors I have on our side! Prayer is a powerful tool! The most powerful one I know.

For our next step to happen, which is getting on a plane to meet our son we need to raise/save $2,500

This journey has been a roller coaster with lots of up and a lot of downs, but I know when I hold our little one(s) my arms it will all be worth it! Here is a little song… It brings tears to my eyes, happy and sad. For I know that there so many Kings and Queens out there needing a forever family…but happy tears because I have got to witness some of those Kings and Queens get their forever Family! Listen if you want to...


Kings & Queens by Audio Adrenaline


So since Money is the last thing I really want to be talking about and raising…. We are going to have a little fun with it! So how about an online Raffle with lots of prizes to win!?!?!?!?

And here is the twist....... My crazy friend, Joely O'Neal, who I love so much has thought that this would be fun take upon herself to take over this fundraiser and help us!? Which I am soooo thankful for... But she is not going to let us in on how much money we have raised until the Raffle is over!! I hesitantly agreed :)... I'll going to give this to God and trust he will supply our need.It's going to be fun.... Or I'll be a crazy person by the end... Whichever, Let the fun begin!

Here are the details:

Its an online raffle. We have a few items so far and are looking for some more so if you would like to donate something for this, please let me or Joely O'Neal know every little bit helps and will be MUCH appreciated!
So here's how it all works....
*You can buy raffle tickets for $10 each or discounted for multiple tickets:
3 tickets = $25
6 tickets = $50
9 tickets = $75
12 tickets = $100
....and so on.....
*We will give each buyer a number for their ticket and at the end we will place all numbers into Random.org to pick the winners. Yes there will be multiple winners because each prize will have its own recipient.

*Tickets can be purchased through Januray 25th at midnight and the winners will be announced on January 26th

* If you have purchased at least ONE ticket, you can also get additional tickets by helping us get the word out. You can do this by Facebook, Twitter or post about it on your own blog and then let us know that you did and we'll get you your numbers. So please share, share, share!

*Tickets can be purchased via PayPal using the "Buy Now" button on our blog at www.hisdefender.blogspot.com. I do not have any info/passwords to this account.... so it will be a surprise! You may also do so by mailing us a check (e-mail me for our address) or in person(I won't peak and give it to Joely) :)

Here is our email addresses- autumnlj@yahoo.com or joelymelissa@yahoo.com

Now for the Prizes……..We will update as new prizes are added.