2012 Photography Mini Session Fundraiser

Thanks to ALL who participated with the Mini Sessions last week! We raised $215 (after costs of props and help) to go toward the costs of our adoption! Thanks for my faithful photography clients! More sneak peeks on my facebook page.

STILL WAITING...

Behind. So, behind.

We had to postpone our home study update for NEXT weekend. ARgh! I put it off when our SW from CHI said to begin it 3 months before your USCIS paperwork expires. Well, I was so hoping for a referral and we wouldn't need to do it. Wanted to avoid spending lots more money. Well, our USCIS expires on 8/10/12, and no, I don't have the required paperwork our agency requires still!!! UGH!!! Gotta get TB tests and doctor appts...and more fingerprints... dislike, dislike, dislike!!!!

Statistics Accding to Colombian Mommy Blog

The Director of the Protective Custody division of ICBF, Adriana Gonzalez Maxcyclak, recent held a conference for the Family Advocates from 9 departments and Bogota. In her address, she revealed the following statistics:

1 - There are currently more that 60,000 children in protective custody.

2 - 15,054 of them are in protective custody because of abuse

3 - 7,594 are victims of sexual violence

4 - 3,859 are in custody because of substance abuse

5 - 3,031 were homeless
6 - 1,562 were malnourished

SO.... Where is my daughter? Which number represents her? Praying for the 60,000+ children in care!

CHI Called...

Nichole from CHI called to check in. I haven't gotten a phone call from CHI in some time. I had called her a few weeks back just asking if it was confirmed that we were sent back to Bogota. She did confirm that we were sent back to Bogota, and wasn't able to offer much more than the info that most of us have already heard in the adoption circles regarding the bad publicity ICBF received from a disgruntled adoptee who may have been taken away from his family. I totally think that's wrong, and am glad they are checking things twice and making sure things are LEGIT, but really??? Is it really taking this LONG??? We are supposedly on top of the list. I am hoping for a referral before the second week in July. If not, then we will schedule our next home study update. ANOTHER $740! I'm guessing you see my hesitance in putting it off. But, I will have to have it before the end of August when our USCIS paperwork expires. (translates - more money!)

Pray with us the adoptions in Colombia begin moving. Not just for us, but the hundreds of other families that are waiting with their dossiers in Colombia associated with different agencies abroad. ty.

ADVOCARE: 24 Day Challenge-Cleanse Portion

So, I thought I would do the 24 day Challenge with Advocare. Ben has been real successful with the Advocare program using the nutritional supplements and losing over 60 pounds!!! It's HARD people! You don't realize how addicted to food you really are until you begin to deprive yourself of the sweet little treats you often subconsciously salivate for!

I'm on DAY FOUR; and today, I was tempted for the first time. I called Ben and he talked me away from falling into the temptation, haha! I want to do it right this time. I want to lose poundage and inches if it's possible. I'm averaging 1000 calories per day and drinking lots of the agua! We will weigh and measure again on Day 10 after the "Cleanse" portion of the challenge.

It is interesting that as I begin to purge myself of these bad nutritional toxins, other things begin to the surface as well. Hmm... I am not sure I want to disclose this as of yet, but I know at some point I will reveal it to the www as it is part of so many other peoples' stories... that for some reason we don't share... and because we don't share we walk around with these gaping, bloody emotional/spiritual wounds pretending everything's okay... I have a friend who has a blog entitled "All Glory Be To God" and I pray that one day I'll be able to share my testimony to help bring Him glory...

With that said, I would like to thank those of you out there who have been faithful in supporting my family, who have prayed, text, or called with kind words. "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." -Proverbs 16.24

Thank you, my dear friends...

I am excited to hear and see what the Father has in store for our family. I know since we left the church it has been a difficult journey, but I can confidently say something's happening in the spirit and around us... and maybe, just maybe the purpose of this wait and the things happening around me right now are part of the "greater cleansing" that is needed before that complete restoration is possible. I rest in the hope of this song. My Father in Heaven does not see me as an Orphan, but as his daughter... despite the things I've done in the past... despite me pulling away from Him... He still pursues me! Wow! He pursues me... I just dream that I could sing like Avalon... what a powerful song! Hope you enjoy as well... 

UPDATE: the ONE:27 Project

To All:

We are uncertain what happened to the site where we hosted the Change 4 Change Fundraiser, but think it was hacked. All the awesome encouragement and comments shared from those who contributed and our support letter was lost. We are ambivalent about restarting it at this point.

After paypal fees, we raised $992.94!!! Nearly 10% of our ultimate goal! If we didn't have the Paypal fees, we certainly would have reached that! We are so very appreciative of those who donated and those who passed on the word. I am sure we will have more fundraisers here in the future. Not sure what direction we will take... but please continue to pray for us.

(Luisa, Erika, Tatiana, & Nataly)

I got fingerprinted last week. Ben will get his this week. We will begin to compile the needed info for our home study update including physician appointments, fingerprints and more releases. Oh, and MORE MONEY! I hate that part! Just wished our referral were here already! BUT I KNOW God's timing is best, and while we could always wait to get "something else" in order, will everything ever be in the right place at the right time? Or is any time a good time...? You see how my mind races, lol!

So, fundraising and earning extra dough... I'm still taking pictures. It is more time intensive than one may think. I've collected and bought lots of fun props to use. I seem to give more away than keep, but I'm learning to be more business minded as I spend more time with other photogs (even if it's learning from them virtually!). I love it. I love seeing my photographs on print! I've sold my first canvas, and TWO more have been ordered! Outside of pictures, I'm out of fundraising ideas. =( so, help! help me generate some ideas, friends! Please leave me comments below.

<3 to all my Bloggin' Family!

Cookbooks - $10

We have 24 cookbooks remaining! They were given to us by an adoptive family who adopted domestically. They raised money for their adoption and didn't sell all of the cookbooks so they offered us about 70 books to sell. We have sold over 40 with the help of a friend who got her mom to help (Heather W!) and sold about 15!

THIS WEEKEND ONLY: IF YOU WILL BUY 2 OR MORE BOOKS, FREE SHIPPING IN THE 48 STATES! THEY MAKE GREAT GIFTS & SUPPORT A GREAT CAUSE!

EMAIL ME @ wendiacklen@hotmail.com or post a comment with your email or contact info if you are interested in buying some cookbooks! Thanks so much!

Wendi

Change 4 Change Fundraiser! Join the $6 Club Today!

We are looking for 1505 more people to join the $6 club! Will YOU be one of those people? For only $6, you can help us bring our daughter home! We've raised over $950 dollars in THREE days!!!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you to those who have contributed. We appreciate you so much!

For those who can contribute, you can go to this link and make a paypal donation.  Why? Adoption is expensive. To put it bluntly! We have agreed to answer the call and make room for another child who does not have a home, a family, or love, shelter and all that good stuff that every child deserves. We just need to get past the adoption costs and get her home! We NEED YOUr help!

So how can we make this fun for everyone? I thought about presenting it as a "State Challenge?" I am looking for 153 people to find 10 people in their networks to donate $6 each! I think it would be cool if we could get representation from every state in the union to sponsor or make a donation to help unite an orphan to her Forever Family!

I also think it would be cool to see how many contributors from each state are represented in the $6 Club as part of the ONE:27 Project (caring for the orphan). So, I have compiled a list of those who have contributed thus far:

TEXAS - 5 donors            Total raised:  $65
In the lead! Thanks to my cousin, Brandy, who forwarded email to co-workers! Thanks Brandy! 
MISSISSIPPI - 4              $80
MISSOURI - 3                  $18
ARIZONA - 2                   $550
KANSAS - 2                      $120
LOUISIANA - 2                $30
FLORIDA - 2                    $26
NEW YORK - 1                $50
PENNSYLVANIA -1        $6
COLORADO -1                 $6   (SINCE INITIAL POSTING OF THIS BLOG ENTRY!)
WISCONSIN - 1                $12  (SINCE INITIAL POSTING OF THIS BLOG ENTRY!)

States NOT represented include:

Arkansas

Oklahoma

Virginia

Maryland

Rhode Island

Oregon

California

Nevada

Utah

Georgia

Hawaii

Tennessee

North Carolina

South Carolina

Michigan

Minnesota

Delaware

North Dakota

South Dakota

Alabama - I have someone who pledged $200 on 6/15!

Illinois

New Hampshire

Vermont 

Wisconsin

West Virginia

Idaho

Iowa

Ohio

Wyoming

New Jersey

Colorado

Indiana

Montana

Connecticut

Washington

Nebraska

Maine

Alaska

Kentucky

Massachusetts

New Mexico

Please spread the word! Send to your friends FAR and WIDE! Raise the banner of Adoption and please help us bring our daughter home! Your support and encouragement are appreciated more than you know. Please pray for us as we pursue an updated home study as our USCIS paperwork is expiring. We also pray for a referral sooner than that! Thanks for waiting with us! 


Wendi

the ONE:27 Project

Please take a minute to go to our newest fundraiser, the ONE:27 Project. We are looking for 1667 people to make a small one time contribution of $6 to help us bring home our daughter. We hope to raise the last remaining $10,000 by August 31st which is our 12th year wedding anniversary! Will you be one of our 1667? You can make the pledge through Paypal. You can also leave a challenge or word of encouragement for others who peruse the site. Any donation amount is appreciated! 

We are excited to see how this is going to work and are very hopeful we get the referral soon! 

Thank you as always for your support!

Our Story...

Our story began nearly 12 years ago when Ben and I met in Pascagoula, MS. Ben was a Pastor, and I was on an internship with Youth For Christ completing part of my internship requirements for post graduate school. Ben and I married at the end of that summer. Ben has worked in a Pastor/Leadership Role for over 16 years. He has worked with many churches and the community helping and encouraging others while assisting them in meeting their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. In the past year and a half, Ben has resigned and returned back to school to complete his degree at this time pursuing a degree in Family & Marriage Therapy. I have been a Counselor for over ten years and am currently working at our local hospital as a Licensed Professional Counselor. We both believe God is using our lives on a daily basis to encounter others and give them hope.

Adoption has been part of my heart since a young age when my cousin brought home his daughter from Romania. I remember my Aunt and Uncle doting over their new grandchild. It was something beautiful. I hold that memory in my heart today. After dealing with infertility for over 5 years and being moved by God's Word, Ben and I made a life altering decision to adopt in 2006. We brought home a sibling group of three beautiful children from Colombia, South America in June 2007. Our life has been forever changed.

It's been nearly three years that we've been on this second journey to adopt a fourth child. Please join us on this adventure... Dios te Bendiga!

Goals

Our attempt of taking a family portrait using the self timer! Andrew bent down and fell into his Father's shadow, and that's interesting, because he usually is in Ben's shadow! =)

It's rare to get all THREE to look the same direction and smile! Close. 2/3. 

My goal this weekend is to launch our next fundraiser. I needed a place to add photos. So uploading to the blog to attempt to be able to utilize on the site. Check back tomorrow, because WE NEED YOU! Thanks for following us along the journey. I am hoping soon we will have more news to share! 

another day.

emailed children's hope. program person out this week. will start initiating contact with local adoption agency to begin a home study update to reapply for the uscis approval. im thinking i have to do our fbi fingerprints also. the word on the street is colombia is moving slow everywhere and with all age groups.

we are planning on doing another fundraiser soon. we will need the help of your social networks, and it may be an idea for those of you who are reading who are adopting. i will post soon. my weekend goal is to complete that project. thanks for your continued support for those who are reading and lurking about.

thank you also for the kind words in the previous post. many people dont understand that with adoption it is much like a pregnancy in the emotional realm. there are emotional highs and lows, and the unpredictability of what could trigger it! thx to wes. those scriptures were so right on! ive got them posted at my workplace and highlighted in my bible! and ange... girl, i think of you often. so often. u have a powerful story. thank u for sharing it.

so, this friday has began slow and im drudging going to work, but i will choose to put on my rose-colored spectacles and my smile to try to uplift the depressed and confused placed before me. right? its about seeing god's mission in each day... his agenda, not mine... or finding the something beautifuls he places before us along our daily journey. please help me remember that lord, when im sitting in that 4 hour computer training class at the end of the workday today.

peace.

bummed. disappointed. depressed.

=( i know i need to update the blog, but i have nothing to say. still waiting. still wishing. still hoping. still need money. still praying.

no word yet, and soon we will have to update our paperwork again. that's nearly 2 grande! that get's depressing... it was supposed to be quick. real quick. what happened?

on top of that... my uncle's cancer has come back. he's not doing well. i so wanted him to get to see our second daughter... so he could rejoice with us, even if it were just on a paper... the referral picture! he really loves our kids.

i hate death. i hate pain. i hate suffering... though, i know you must feel these things to experience the life, the joys and excitement of life... doesn't make it easier.

oh. god. when. will this dark journey end? where is the light at the end of the tunnel? who am i to whine about a referral, betrayal of friends/family, death and sickness, when i have it so good? when i see a growing epidemic of starving children on tv... who am i? are my cries so petty? am i so spoiled? is it wrong to desire such things when you know there are people in a much more desperate situation?

where does this desire and pain come from? help me, father. make way with our paperwork... with our daughter... and don't take his spirit... just yet. i know that is selfish of me. don't let him be in pain, either. make haste, father. for your daughter. send me child... "the child" "the one you have set aside for this family" --send me that picture, that information so that i can share with my uncle and we can make preparations to bring this daughter of ours home...

help me to reframe these negative thoughts and set my heart on you. you are the prize. you are the one in whom i should seek. restore me father. take away my pains, my tears, and heartbreak. heal me. show me how to forgive those who've pained me. forgive me for the pain ive caused you and others. help me to be slow to speak. help me to be the best wife and mother i can be. show me how.

for so long, i was one who stood beside others and cheered them along their adoptions. send me girls, wives, moms that will inspire and encourage me in this hour. i am shamed to say my light has grown dim with this long wait. there are two people i've yet to call that have inquired about adoption. what happened to the passion? the excitement? how crazy how depression and despair set in, take root...

help me lord.

It's been a while...

It's been awhile since we talked... what are you up too? Comment below!

Please VOTE for my photo! #21

Please take a minute... just ONE minute to go to this link: http://theprospercommunity.com/contest.html and scroll to bottom of page, and vote for my picture! #21 Wendi Wood. I need YOUR vote! Contest ends Wednesday. Help me win the contest! Thanks in advance for your time and vote! Please pass to friends. You can vote from computer or phone!

AND-- I do believe you are beautiful!

-Wendi

Work & PTO time

Ok, so, as I wait, I ask are we ready? I'm at work and I look through my PTO time. I only have about 60 hours. If we are gone only a month, I will need 160 hours to cover my time away from work. Because my salary basically covers our bills while Ben has been in school and since he resigned. So, how long will it take to earn 100 hours? SEVEN MONTHS!!!! Can you believe that???? I'm really hoping we can travel by this summer so the kids can go and Ben won't have to take off work. And if we left in July that's FIVE months... I'm gonna be short about a week's worth of paid time off. I need to find away to now work extra in addition to what I'm doing now, or we need to do more fundraising! UGH.... this seems MUCH harder this time around!

Does anyone else feel that way? Those who have gone a second time around in adoptions? I mean the paperwork didn't seem hard this time. I was much more familiar. The wait and the saving money/raising money parts seem to be the hardest for me this time around.

After looking at the details, I'm okay with waiting for now, but I think I will probably get a little anxious if we don't receive a referral by early April...

Grandparents visit!

Grandparents from Minnesota came to visit. The kids had a blast! Diego just looks at the picture and whines! =( It kindof stinks to live so far away from family. It makes times like this even more special. We are very grateful to have Ben's mother and Stepdad local and supportive to us and the family. My family is about 7 hours away, and I miss them terribly. We are very fortunate that God has placed other people in our lives to support and encourage us along the way, and we appreciate them! Be sure to enjoy your family and friends today!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Picture from Gorgeous Baby from Louisiana Photo Shoot.

Fundraising Update

Still selling cookbooks! Still collecting from the auction. We have about 17 cookbooks left to sell, while we've commissioned my grandmother with 20 and a friend from the hospital to sell 10. Thanks to those of you who participated in the Auction and the Cookbook Sale.

Not sure what kind of fundraiser is next. I have been taking more and more pics, but that isn't really profiting us much due to the time and energy it takes to find location, edit pics and deliver, and if props are involved, usually there's some expense. I would like to do that more often, but the $50 Mini Session Fundraiser is over unless I find a location where I can set up all day and do multiple sessions, it's not beneficial.

So, suggestions? We do not belong to a church at this time so no spaghetti dinners. (Someone mentioned that in one of the previous posts.) I saw where another family went to a festival and sold cokes and bags of potato chips in a booth with info about Colombia Adoption. Not sure how well they did, but it looked cool.

Babies... Where are the babies??? or REFERRALS?

COLOMBIA......... que pasa? Where are all the referrals?

Why are things so slow?

Has anyone seen the latest statistics?

Time to Renew Fingerprints... AGAIN!

It's time to get our FBI prints again. They have expired. They say the wait is longer for clearance now. So, we are hoping that we get a referral before ANY OTHER paperwork would need to be updated! It is the unknown that makes things difficult. I wish I just knew if it would be before, during or after summer. It's so hard to plan for life knowing we could get a referral any time. However, we are still nearly $9k away from saving all we need to pay for the adoption. I'm out of fundraising ideas! We are still collecting money for the auction and are about $120-130 away from collecting it all! That was a great fundraiser! Thanks again for those who participated and those who donated!

Please leave comments if you stop by! It makes the wait a little easier knowing there are others cheering us along! =) Hoping you have a fabulous week!

Cookbooks! $10+$3 in Shipping

Don't ya want a cookbook?

Please help us bring our sister home!

We need to sell 72 cookbooks! So far, we've sold 18!!! Us kids have a goal of selling 5 cookbooks each! Please comment if you're interested! ONLY $10, plus $3 in shipping (if not local). Makes for a great gift for your favorite cook!!!

Children. Jan 2012.

God is good.

Some Colombian Cuteness for Your Pleasure...

And some sass to go with that cuteness, of course!

=) the wood krew

Photo Shoot- Babies

Hmmm... aren't these two just adorable? Today, I had the opportunity to photograph them and capture a moment in time. As I listened to the mother and grandmother and aunt talk, I wondered about my girl... I can't wait to picture her! I can't wait! In just a little while, we'll all be family... We will be a forever family... in just a little while. Until then, we wait...

Still Waiting... and Wondering...

What in the world could our daughter be doing in Colombia???

Please pray with us that we get everything in order here at the homestead and raise/save all the money we need to complete the adoption! We are almost finished with the January After-Christmas Auction! Our initial goal was $250. I've raised it to $500, hoping to raise enough to pay for two domestic flights in Colombia. The party's not over, there are still items to bid on... so check it out! Look me up on facebook!!!

Also, need prayer that coverage at work will not be an issue, that I will have saved enough time by the time we get the referral for a month leave. (Or that my coworkers are generous and donate some of their time to us!) That I will have a job when I return. Life where I work can be crazy sometimes!!!

We would like to complete the adoption in Colombia and then relocate. So, while we wait, we would like to also prepare for the future. We'd like to get organized and begin making repairs to the house, painting, packing, etc. And we need a certain amount on our house to relocate, as well as a job for me (at a certain wage)... so, is it too early to ask for your prayer concerning such? Please join us in praying...

We would like to move to an area that is closer to Ben's University. It is a college town with lots of opportunity. We need a new beginning. Leaving the church has been a BIG deal; we have went through a lot and have a lot more to endure, but now, we both feel released to move on. It is my desire however, to remain here until we go to Colombia, just due to FMLA and to avoid costs of a home study update, etc. So, please just pray with us. Sometime soon, we need our referral... we'd like to travel by Summer 2012. That would actually be perfect. Kids would be out of school, and hopefully, by that time, I'd have accrued 3-4 weeks of PTO.

Will keep you informed... til the next time!

Scarves are Sold! but the Auction Continues!

Scarf sets have been sold! Thanks to Heather Wade for bidding on ALL three, in addition to the cookbook, potholder set! TY TY TY!!!!

But for everyone else out there in the WWW, please check out the fabulous laptop bag donated from designer, Denise Sullivan. Denise is also an adoptive mom, and currently in the process of bringing home another child from Ethiopia (first adoption-China). You might see some of her work in Hallmark or Target! You can find her on FB or on the web at http://www.dsullivandesigns.com/index.html .

PropWiseBabies on FB

Networking with Photogs and Vendors, I found Prop Wise Babies! You can also go to www.propwisebabies.com. Kathy, the owner of PWB, contributed an adorable hat to the After Christmas Auction! I'm so excited! This fun hat can be an awesome gift for a mommy or photographer!

If you are interested in bidding, please know that the money raised will help us bring home our daughter! The hat is valued at $20. Highest current bid is $11. The auction is listed on my FB acct. Add Wendi Acklen Wood as your friend and find Auction Photo Album and bid, or simply comment below with your paypal email and I will make the bid for you!

Thanks for considering! Hope you have a great Friday!

Corn Maze in October 2011

We raced to see who would be the first to find their way out...

The boys won!

First Week of 2012

First week in January has passed... I've fallen behind on my goals already! What about you? Ben is doing great with his weight loss goals! He ran 10 miles this week! I did 0! So very proud of him! Next week, he will go for a crash course in Marriage and Family in Hattiesburg to USM to help get ahead and graduate hopefully, earlier! Then, I am off to Imaging USA in New Orleans for a 5 day photography conference! Can't wait to soak up all that knowledge and put it to use!

Kids are doing well. Their grandparents bought them a trampoline for Christmas... will have to get some jumping pictures! It is a blessing to hear their squeals and laughter as they play.

Hopefully, this first week of January has met you with grace and blessings abundantly... even when we don't understand the reasons for the detours, we have opportunity to enjoy the scenary along the way!

Jackson, MS Photo Session Up for Auction

Starting bid: $45

Over $250 Value!

Auction Items

Check out my facebook profile and look under After Christmas Auction if you are interested in bidding! Or comment and leave a message and I will update on facebook!

Starting bids for hat: $15

Starting bid for cookbook & potholder: $10; currently highest bid is $11

Colorado Photo Shoot (Adoption Auction)

Message me if you're interested! Starting bid is $45!

Great Photographer with Great Skills!

More donations for the online Auction Coming Soon!!!

So far, when items are paid for we will have raised $114 minus paypal fees! Our goal was to make between $250-500 to pay for a few in-country tickets... We have more fabulous items to post throughout the month of January... please add me as friend on FB or if you don't have a FB account, let me know if you're interested in bidding and I will post the bid for you. I will be adding the new items on the blog as well.

We have some awesome service items for the local peeps in Colorado, Louisiana and Mississippi areas to enjoy! All of this is possible only with the wonderful donations given to us by our amazing contributors/vendors! We appreciate your support and encouragement throughout this journey!!!

Mary Kay Gift Sets Auctioned to Support Adoption

We have some fabulous donations by friends and family that have contributed to our After Christmas Auction to help defer the costs of our Adoption! We couldn't have done this without you! Thanks so much to Kelly M, Kelly C, Denise, Jessica, Susan, and Judith!

Our goal is to make at least $250 which would cover at least one plane ticket for in-country travel! This is a Facebook Auction running the month of January. Please consider checking it out by adding me as your friend and then perusing the photo album "After Christmas Auction." Appreciate the support and interest!!!