Thankful

We got this in the mail today...

 It is our Part 1 of citizen and immigration. The anticipated timeline for this piece of paper was 6-9 months and we received in 3 months...another step towards bringing our child home!

And randomly, our beautiful girl has grown so much and is the BEST big sister; she is so excited to welcome our next child into our family! We love her to pieces and are so proud of her!!

Tonight, I am thanking God for all He has done and is doing in our family...

have a fantastic evening!!!

Blessings,

Candra

Exciting!!

As I was pondering on how to gain more awareness for RUN143, I sent an email to an online adoption magazine that is based in Canada to see if they would willing to assist us.  They just so happened to be spotlighting fundraising ideas and offered to print an article and links to RUN 143!! Check it out HERE! Super excited and honored to be able to write & advocate for the run...
Blessings,
Candra

Always something to learn!

What a weekend it has been! RUN 143 officially wrapped up yesterday, with a great number of people coming out to celebrate the BBQ finish at the end. I am filled with gratitude to those of you who happily and sacrificially supported the run through running/biking, running support vehicles, preparing for the BBQ, and supporting financially! And a big shout out to our our church community who got behind this event in prayers and practically! We are truly excited about what can be done/accomplished at a grassroots level when there is a desire and a passion to get something done! Please considering visiting www.run143.blogspot.com  for pictures and updates from the run!

 finishing 143 km!

And people are already talking about next year so that is super exciting!!!! This weekend, as was mentioned in my last post was not as I thought it would be. I was able to get out and run 10k and then I thought it was done for me. The kids, feeling much better today, had the chicken pox and so I was needed here. Friday was a hard day, and I was fighting hard against self-pity. I had to remind myself that it IS NOT ABOUT ME. This is hard sometimes as life seems to move so much easier when we can control our own life. But God had other plans for me this weekend and it was this- to remind me that sacrificial love and selflessness and celebrating what others are doing is far more lifegiving than wallowing in my own frustrations. That my life is far more about how I function in the kingdom than it is about me. That loving and serving as part of Christ's body of believers is AMAZING. And as this lesson was learned and I asked forgiveness of those whom I had wronged, God showed me His love for me. I was able to get out and do 21 more km on the road and then get to the celebration BBQ as a good friend of our offered to come stay with the 2 older kids. God is good. Friends are good!

I was blown away by the many people who showed up excited each day to be a part of the RUN and to help out. I strongly believe that RUN 143 will grow beyond what Riley and I and our friends first thought possible. Because orphan care and adoption are not only a passion of ours - each of these children is loved by God and he wants what is best for them. To be loved. To be cared for. To have a family. To have joy!!

"Love as He first loved us"

Blessings,
Candra

discouragement & encouragement

If I am being honest, this has been a difficult end of the week. As you know from my previous posts it isRUN 143 which is continuing to go so well! The runners and support vehicles have been amazing. WE met a couple about 2 weeks ago, who are beginning the adoption process through little man's birth country and they wanted to help out with the run. So they are part of the support vehicle team and are biking tomorrow. They have done some incredibly created things on the road and even decorated their vehicle today! It has been so good getting to know them.
So, you may ask, why am I here typing on the computer? Well, WEdnesday afternoon my oldest started to get bumps on her and by Wednesday night, I knew she had the chicken pox. And then, even with the vaccine, my oldest son got them too! Although, much milder, likely thanks to the needle! So, with babysitters cancelled, I get to be the parent at home this weekend. I can't say that I was ecstatic about being the one to stay home as my plans were a lot different. However, it is where I am most needed and need to be. And life does not always go according to my plans.
Also on Wednesday, we received an update about the processes that are happening with our next adoption.   As it stands right now, the country is closed and will continue to remain closed for the next 3 months as Canadian Immigration continues its investigation. I have not shared much online, but suffice to say, this announcement of further time has been hard.  There is positive steps being taken with our agency, whom I am incredibly grateful for. Our first experience with them was incredible and they have an amazing staff both here and abroad. We know that this adoption could not be in better hands as we have so much trust in them and their knowledge of the system. As a parent, I will continue to pray for our child as we wait. It amazing the love we have for him/her already!
And then to hear the news of the SEVERE drought in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia..I just started crying. it is not fair. I don't know why it continues to happen and why parents must lose their children and why children lose their parents. It is unfathomable and so so sad....
So (not surprising...considering the RUN was about to happen!)  the chicken pox combined with the news of our adoption and the world combined with my change in roles for the weekend left me a bit frazzled.
I am reminded of Proverbs 3:5 & 6 "Trust in the Lord with all of you heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all you ways acknowledge Him and he will make your paths straight." Trust is easy when things are going well...more difficult when things are not turning out the way I would like. But I know that He has all things in His hand and His timing is perfect!

I did get out to run 10k and was overwhelmed with gratitude that I am able and get to do something about the orphan & adoption awareness . So let's keep on talking about it, keep on supporting at the grassroots level and LIVES WILL BE CHANGED!!!!

Blessings,

Candra

And today we run...

1 year ago three people set out to run for our family.

More specifically a little boy who had just come home. Planning of this epic run between regina and saskatoon had started long before we met this beautiful little boy. It started when he was just in our hearts and with much hope and anticipation we awaited him joining our family. His amazing auntie (my sister), my son's incredible godparents and his committed and compassionate dad (my husband...he is awesome) ran for him. But not only for him.

They ran because there are over 143 more million orphans in our world today. Most who have little hope for a future...no one to love them and care for them. No one to call family.

So in TODAY we run for them....1 km for every 1 million. We are incredibly blessed and humbled to have first-hand seen what God is doing amidst 2 baby homes in our son's birth country. They are committed and passionate about caring for orphans. And in some small way, we hope that this run not only brings awareness to the almost unfathomable number of orphans but also come concrete support for these amazing places of love, joy and family that they are welcomed into. 

And TODAY we run for (ONE) that is waiting to be brought home to this family. We met Ian and Heidi about a year and half ago, as we were both preparing all of our paperwork for our adoptions. We have been praying daily that they will soon hear the best news ever...and we wait with excited anticipation. They have been an incredible support and encouragement to us and we are so thankful that we have met them and have now begun this friendship. We are excited that we can run to support them in this small way, as international adoptions to have significant costs associated with them. 

We are blessed to be on this adventure as part of a growing group of people committed to raising awareness about orphans and doing something practical to help. Whether it be running, sponsoring a child, foster care or adoption, we can all be a part of this adventure. 

check out www.run143.com for details and to support the runners and www.run143.blogspot.com for a daily blog & videos of RUN(one)43

Thank you for your interest, your support and encouragement!

Blessings,

Candra

RUN (one)43!!!!!!!!

designed by Ian Klassen

The run that we are organizing to raise awareness for the global orphan crisis and funds for adoption is just over 3 DAYS AWAY!  Along with being an organizer, I'm a part of a team of amazing women that will be completing 143 km in 3 days.  I myself will likely be running about 50 km...We're going to have a lot of fun- and my daughter is even running 5km to raise money!! So proud of her!

Check it out!
www.run143.com

If you are interested, you can make donations on the website or mail to us (address in the website) - it all goes to orphan care!  


All the funds are going to:
**a recent baby home start in SA
**an expanding baby home in SA
** An incredible family adopting from SA
** our local Adoption Support Centre
There is a lot more information on the website about these fantastic people and organizations!
Donations of $20 & higher will receive a charitable tax receipt - so if you feel like sponsoring me for a few km's or donating a lump sum, that would be awesome!  


And if you would be willing to spread the word, feel free to post this blog post on your blog or link the website!! Thanks so much for you support...we are excited for what God has in store and the impact that this will make for orphans worldwide and to bring one home to their family!!! 


Blessings,
Candra

A day in the life of us...

A day that was the last day of school! I now have a grade 1 and a grade 3 kid living under my roof!

ready for the last day of school!

It seems crazy as I still can picture them as brand new babies...But oh do I love the young lady she is becoming. And my son - he loves school. He didn't want to go the last day because then it would really be done. He learned all about arachnids and exoskeletons and dinosaurs...does love his science!
 I remembered to grab my camera for this epic last day of school but in all honesty...this one stole the show in front of the camera~

At the playpark...

Out for ice cream...

just adorable...

but then again -  so is he...

My kids are awesome...

last day of school tradition...blizzards!

my kids & me at DQ...good times.

 ...and I am so proud of my older 2. They were loved by their teachers and friends and will dearly miss their school. But I know that God has a plan for them...in the moment it is hard to comprehend making new friends, developing new routines...but the moments in time that God is and will be at work in their lives are exciting to think about. And I am praying for some great friends at their new school for my kids!
Just a couple other things that happened that day.

My oldest has been growing her hair for a while now...

and on the last day of Grade 2, she finally was able to cut off..

10 inches of it!!

Now to mail it to Lock of love, which makes wigs for kids that are going through chemotherapy! So proud of her. 

And my last-day-of-school kindegartener came home, having done an interview about random things...what he would like to be when he grows up (monster truck driver) what grade 1 will be like ("lots of work"!) and this quote...

 Melt. My. Heart.  So proud of him.

Now it is all about summer holidays! Wish I had more time off but the kids are lovin it..and some prayers have been answered with some great people to watch our kids!

Have a great evening (hopefully bug free!)
Blessings,
Candra

ps. we are getting closer to the time when we will know if our wait for our next child will continue to be unresolved or if the program will reopen and begin processing adoptions again! Pray for the latter!

Check this out...transracial family

Happy Canada everyone!

Here is a great post about being a transracial family - it just happens to be written by my husband!

Have a great day,

Blessings,
Candra