26...and counting :)

So while resting today it all of a sudden occurred to me that I AM 26!!! Wow where have my 20's gone? Most of my friends I have watched finish college, have nice cars, travel, "enjoy life"...I have spent my 20's at home. While pondering that thought I was amazed at all the things God has allowed me to experience so far in my 20's and I became every more excited about what is next to come!!!

My 20's started out with a bang when I married my high school sweetheart and began staying at home (watching 6 kids to make extra $$)...we very quickly said a big fat YES to God when He asked us to allow Him to use the spare bedroom in our home...At the age of 21 we were official foster parents and very soon after approval GRAHAM MOVED IN (total highlight :) and we began the process of learning what it meant to be "parents". Quickly we realised that Graham would require some "extra parenting" and required services for some delays. We believed that we were "super busy" with PT every other week!...At the age of 22 we had a precious daughter "Addie" for 4 short weeks and loved having a daughter! She returned home to her father and we hope that they are doing well! Having her leave left a huge hole that I begged God to fill (be careful what you ask for!!!!) God answered and EVERETT MOVED IN. We redefined what being a "parent" looked like and adding in things like "falling in love with your child's bio family", "getting to know more therapists", "signs and symptoms of drug and alcohol abuse"...things we had never thought about. With Everett came a more involved relationship in the "extra parenting" community when he not only required PT but OT as well. Nearing the end of year 22 we were shocked when ISRAEL MOVED IN!! two weeks before we said our goodbyes to Everett as he moved back with his mother. On to year 23, what a wondrous year!!! On my Birthday we re-took custody of Everett and began a long journey to his adoption. During this year we would learn that drugs and alcohol have more control than we could ever imagine as we watch Israels parents loose him and Everett's mother with her struggles. This is the year that I threw out all of my "what to expect" parenting books...and FULLY EMBRACED the idea that my children not only needed "extra parenting" but that they truly did have "special needs", little Israel was the cement in my relationship with the therapeutic community...and speciality doctors as well. We explored PT, OT, ST, MT, BSC's, and others :). This is the year that we knocked the socks off my OBGYN with a positive pregnancy test and AURORA WAS BORN INto our family!!! Year 24 is a whirlwind of final visits, breastfeeding, staying up all night (with Everett), and trying to get a grasp on my children's needs...WHILE GOD SCREAMED AT ME TO JUST LET GO :)...why is it that I was soooo trusting in God to build my family but was not trusting in Him to guide my steps to becoming their parent? Year 25 started out with EVERETT"S ADOPTION!!! That summer there was the baby who was conceived and then lost. Early fall was ISRAEL"S ADOPTION!!! and I finally gave up trying to parent and allowed God to fully take over. It is because of Him that Israel is all but cured of his Autism...and because of Him that I allowed Everett to be placed on medicine...and because of Him that my children are more successful now then they ever where under just my control!!! This is also the year that God asked us to "Go get our daughter from Africa" WE SAID YES and began the process. Nearing the end of age 25 WE RECEIVED THE CALL!!!! We have a daughter in Ethiopia!!!!!!

Wow at 26 I was thinking that I hadn't accomplished much...lol...I think my children are an amazing accomplishment and if all I have to show at they end of my life is the proof that I said YES to my God...that is good enough for me!!!!

What is God asking of you?? How exciting to say YES and see where He is leading!! "Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest" Ecclesiastes 11:4

My Mother's Day Prayer...

My Mother's Day prayer...

As I sit here in front of my computer I have some bold words that I wish to say. I have a fierce and unyielding passion to completely and totally change the world as we know it. I find it unacceptable that we as Christians can still sit in our comfy homes, drive our new cars, eat our filling meals, and buy our children the next new thing...WHEN THERE ARE CHILDREN WHO NEED US!!!!!! So here it goes...

Lord I come before you know as a humble woman, I am constantly amazed by all the good you do and all the beauty that you are always showing me. I come to you today to ask that you would make the undying passion you have given me contagious to anyone who may come in contact with my family. I pray that you plow through their walls and excuses...and use them to care for your children! I know, as I say often, that you do not call everyone to adopt a child as you have called me...though I know that you ask all of us to let you use us! I pray that everyone that I know is open to your voice and are willing to scream YES, YES Lord I am ready and willing, use me. Lord I know that through you all things are possible and I am asking for something that my "human side" has a hard time believing. Please Lord change the hearts of those around me, I pray that they can learn to follow you closely and be willing to give it ALL for the Glory of you...Give up some of the material things, the food, the comforts so that we can help others. Please Lord let me share my fire and help it BURN I ask that you rid the world of orphans and challenge your people to be the difference that this world so desperately needs. I thank you for all the blessing I have been able to see. The changed hearts, some of my close friends and family being your hands and feet. Those are amazing things to witness and I ask that I get to see more. All my love belongs to you to use where you see fit...Amen!!!

Friends on a daily basis I am saddened by your selfishness. Though I may never say it I pray for you often that your hearts may be changed and that you would forget the worldly things that tempt you so. I feel hurt for you when I see you hurting and I wish you could understand why I hurt for the children that Jesus love so much. I really am wishing my pain upon you because I believe that God has burdened me with the responsibility of caring for His children. Please wont some of my close friends and family stand beside me and help as well??

Think about it this way...if your child were lost somewhere and you came to me crying don't you think that I would do EVERYTHING possible to help you find your child and insure that they were safe? The orphans of this world are God's children and he is hurting for them...He has asked us to help Him find them and insure their safety, and too many of us say "no", or "I need to think of my family", or "I only want _ kids", what are you saying in response to God's asking us to care for the widows and the orphans (James 1:27)????

I challenge everyone who reads this to really look at what God has allowed you to have, the things, the money, even your children. Are you using Gods money in a way that gives Him joy? If he has blessed you with a large house are you filling it to the max with whoever He asks you to? What about your gifts are you using them as God has asked? Please ask yourself "why did God give me these things, resources, abilities" and then move forward with doing God's work.
PLEASE DON'T ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE BLINDED BY YOUR OWN FRONT DOOR!!!!!

God has blessed me by sharing His heart with me. I am confident that God will share this same passion with anyone willing to be lead!!!!

Love to all and Happy Mother's Day!!!

HIV Educations...

Taken from www.projecthopeful.com What you need to know: `HIV is considered a chronic but manageable disease with proper treatment.`Children who receive treatment are expected to live a normal lifespan. `HIV has never been transmitted in normal family living conditions. `You NEVER have to fear contracting HIV through casual contact with an HIV+ person. `HIV is spread in three main ways: sexual contact, IV drug use through the sharing of dirty needles, mother to infant (pregnancy, birth or breast feeding.) `All around the world orphans are overlooked for adoption because of their HIV+ status. `Medications called ARVs can mean the difference between life and death. `The combination of three or more ARVs is called HAART. (Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy) `With medications HIV can be effectively managed to the point that the virus is undetectable in laboratory tests. `There is a term for the miraculous transformation HIV+ people undergo when they begin receiving the medications they need. The Lazarus Effect is a term commonly used to describe people who were once on the brink of death who have been restored again to health through medication. Questions?? Ask away!!!!

Dear Family and Friends...

Dear Family and Friends, April 12, 2011 We want to thank everyone for their prayers and support for our ever growing family. We are excited to announce that we have been matched with a lovely little lady in Ethiopia. We will call this smiley energetic nine year old Truth. She has lost both of her parents due to HIV/AIDS and her community is unable to care for her. She is diagnosed with HIV stage three and has an extreme hearing impairment. We are confident that Jesus has asked us to adopt her and care for any needs that she brings. We are sure that a few of you will have concerns for our family and community with the introduction of a child with HIV. We want to educate anyone who may have these feelings, please feel free to ask any questions that you may have. We want to be as transparent as possible to insure that when Truth comes home our friends and family welcome her as you have with our other children. We invite you to visit the following sites to help educate yourself… www.cdc.gov www.projecthopeful.org www.truthpandemic.com www.positivelyorphaned.org www.fasnachtgang.blogspot.com We are sure of only one thing and that is the Love of our God. Without His love, this life is just one cruel act after another. We are confident in God’s timing and feel honored that He has asked us to adopt another one of His children. We are asking that you would partner with us in insuring that Truth is home soon. Please pray for her and our family. Pray boldly and in faith that prayers are heard and will be answered, James 1: 5-8. We ask that if you are able to share your financial resources that you would sponsor our adoption. Any gift, no matter how small, will help bring our daughter home!! Our God is so amazing…only He could have known that Truth was to be born to parents infected with HIV. Only He could know that she would lose those parents and need a family who would claim her as their own. Only God could have knit our family together in such a way that we would be open and willing to consider an older child with HIV. It is only through God’s perfect timing that Truth will become a Fasnacht! If God cares this much about a little girl half way around the world…how much does he care about you? “If our God is with us, then who could ever stop us?” (Chris Tomlin song) Those words are so true. We believe that every child who is longing for a home just breaks Gods heart. Our prayer for you is that your heart would break for what breaks His and that you would be open and willing to do anything that God asks of you, no matter how “crazy” it may seem to everyone around you. We pray that you remember the words of James 1:27 “Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.” We pray that in some way you are doing just that! Yours truly, The Fasnacht Family

Only in HIS timing!!!

I continue to be blown away by how perfect Gods timing is. I could not have planned a more perfect adoption journey!!! Friday we receive "the call" Monday 4/4/11 we received our fingerprinting appointments in the mail for April 21 2011, thanks to everyone who will be watching my kids that day!! AND RYAN RECEIVED A RAISE 4/4/11...perfect timing...God added a family member and the income to provide for her!!!! I feel that Gods peace is such a great place to be! I don't need to worry about my family make up because God know who my family in now!! I feel sorry for fellow Christians who refuse to follow Gods leading...or who cannot feel His presence. I pray for all you that you would be open to allowing God to take full control of your life, family, finances, future!! Remember God make everything work for good...I have found that the words of James are really powerful when living this way!!! I also was to make sure that everyone is aware that my daughter has HIV, we are not intimidated by this fact. If you would like further information on what it means to live with HIV please let me know and I would be more then happy to help educate you :) I would like to get the "education" done with my family and friends before Truth comes home so that at no time among my family and friends will she feel bad for having HIV. Truth: We are chugging away doing everything we can to get to home as soon as God would like! We found your intake photos and wept...We are so thankful to the mommies who have been caring for you! They have done as amazing job. We cannot wait to see you, Peka wants to paint your nails :) Love ya, Mommy(2) and Daddy(2)

WE WERE MATCHED!!!!!

April 1 2011 is a day that has left a forever print on my soul! I need to back up two days through to start this amazing news! Wednesday March 29 2011 we had our "introduction" phone call with our WACAP caseworker, Patty, who was great. She told us all the Ethiopia program information and talked some with us about our "request" for a child. Parts of the conversation went like this Patty: "So, I see here that you are open to a child with HIV, what does that look like for you?" Danielle:"Umm, the truth is we will not accept a child with out HIV, God has told us she will have HIV." Ryan:"I agree" Patty:"Well that makes things easier, we will be looking for a HIV pos girl, and age you are open to age 7?" Danielle:"We we don't excatly have a cap on that top age, we are open, and willing to parent any child, we are even open to a boy :)" She went on to tell us that the WACAP orphanages do not have children with HIV (MY HEART SANK)...and then she went on to say that they will need to resource other homes. She finished by saying that she would need to talk with Meghan (the program director) to see what time line look like for a girl with HIV and what the process looks like...She told us that she would be calling sometime in the next week to give us details. I recieved an e-mail 3/30/11 asking if she could call that day or 4/1 and I e-mail back and let her know that Friday afternoon I would be able to chat. April 1, 2011 1:55 pm Patty calls...I am expecting information on adoptioning a child with HIV...She goes into detail that a child with HIV most likly will be over age 5 because younger children usually die. A child with HIV is not allowed into most orphanages until all living family has pass away and then usually the children are found taking care of themselves bearly holding onto life. Patty also said that the wait time looks like 0 days to 16 months...and then Patty:"and now that I have given you all that information, I have a girl I would like you to consider" TEARS ARE STREAMING DOWN MY FACE>>> Patty:"she was found fall 2009 very ill, She has HIV level 3 and a hearing impairment...and she is 9ish (I could hear her holding her breath with the news that she was nine) I responded with excitement and she was thrilled. She let me know that on Wed when she was talking with us she already has this little girl in mind but could not say anything on that phone call!!! I really don't think that I will ever stop being amazed at Gods plan and His perfect timing!! Only God knew that "Truth" would be born in 2000-2001 and that her parent would die from HIV...He knew this and planned a family for her...I feel like He hand picked Ryan and I to marry and then hand picked all 4 of our children because only HE knew that Truth would need us...and need us now! Only God could have made this process move as quickly as it has! I only have God to thank for this amazing life that I have with my busy, wonderful, crazy, joyful, frustrating, family :) Just take a minute to think about this...If God cares this much for one child in Ethiopia then how much does He care for you? To Truth: WE LOVE YOU, You are CRAZY Beautiful!!!! We cannot wait for the very near future when we can tell you that we are you mom and dad and that you have 3 little brothers and a little sister!!!! Jesus has been loving on you!!!

This Past Week...

Wow does God ever have me on an exciting journey!!! For those of you know do not know this week we were asked to consider adopting a child from close to home born with HIV. His Mommy has to serve life in prison and was looking for an adoptive home, due to his HIV not many people were willing. Long story short we were not the lucky parents in the end but he did go to a wonderful christian couple!!!!!!!! I feel that I know with out a doubt why we were asked about this baby boy! This has opened up an opportunity for me to start an "out reach" or "ministry" group at the Lebanon Prison!! The counselor at the prison asked me herself if I would be willing to come in and talk with woman who are in prison, especially ones with children. She also said that she would like to be able to contact me when she was a mom is crisis who needs to place her child/ren. This could mean short term (days or weeks), long term (months or years), or forever (adoption). I believe that God has shaped this to fit me super perfect and already feel His energy through the preparations I have been making! I am hoping to gather a LARGE group of God Fearing Woman who will band with me to share Gods Grace and Love in the prison.

I would love to share more details at a later time :)

Ethiopia...The country has cut adoptions by 90% as of March 10Th. We are not sure what this means, obviously it means a much longer wait...Ryan and I are praying and waiting on Gods answer to continue or not.

Wouldn't it be just like God to Lead me to Ethiopia to start a prison ministry in my own back yard!!! I mean seriously...if God had asked me to go talk to woman in a prison last November I may have thought he was talking to the wrong woman...GODS TIMING IS EVERYTHING!!!

We still believe there is a Daughter in Ethiopia who we continue to call Truth...We are just now questioning the timing in which she may enter our family...If she is a baby now maybe she needs a couple years with her family before needing to be adopted. We are completely in support of Ethiopia trying to insure ethical adoptions!!