Happy Birthday Junior

Nine years ago today, God chose to bring Junior into this World and for it to be Junior's most special day!!  We are honoring him today with extra prayer!!  We hope you will join us!!

Support Junior on his birthday!

"Wait" - Oh, Yay!!!

Saturday we had a little meltdown.  Yes, we have a very tender hearted one in the house who thinks about what Monique, Junior and Frantz are going through on a daily basis.  "I just can't imagine not having my mom or dad with me."  "I mean I love kids, people and what goes on in their hearts and I just want my brothers and sister home so they can have what I have and they won't have to wonder or worry anymore." "We don't have a lot of material things but what we have as a family can't be measured."  As parents we cried with our son because at 13 to love so compassionately 3 children he has never met who live an ocean away is not only amazing but unfathomable for most kids his age.  God gifted Joshua with a heart that beats to His rhythm and it is a true gift. 

So this has everything to with Church and why it is important to go and hear the Word God has just for you.  The message at church yesterday was more for us than anyone we think based on our previous day.  Do you ever feel that way?  Like God could send everyone else home because He was barking up your tree today?  As if He gave the pastor a home video of your family over the past few days or weeks?  Well, yesterday was Colson day at Fellowship Bible Church!

"Wait" was the message.  Josh just sighed in his seat but as the message went on he started to see just what God had for us.  Most who know me know I love to surprise my family with special gifts, moments, things they would least expect.  I anticipate the very moment of the unveiling with such excitement I most often times can hardly contain myself - waiting.  I ponder if they figured it out already, what will they think, how will they react, and I am so built up by the time the moment arrives  nothing will ruin it and it is always so much better than I ever could have imagined.  I love surprising my family and the people I love!  Josh has seen this in me over and over.  What does this have to with church and God?  Everything!

God is asking us to "wait", anticipate, dream, look forward to, prepare, ponder, build up and expect something so great we will surely not be disappointed.  So we will wait with great anticipation of what God is teaching us in this process, what wonders He has for us (all 7 of us) and we will not be disappointed.  God has been preparing us for this adoption, these three beautiful kids for years!  We know He is excited waiting for that unveiling moment and we are certain He won't be disappointed and He won't disappoint us!

God is so good!!

We were able to swallow this "wait". The four of us decided we would wait as long as God has determined. We swallowed hard but agreed. We did this while we did a little errand running after church and guess what was in the email when we got home?  "I have completed your home study and it is in the mail".  Whoooo  Hoooooo!!!  Yes, our home study is on the way!!  Yes, we can "wait", no we do not really want to.  We want the thrill, the excitement, the joy of having our kids home right now today but God has a bigger better plan and we will do our best to keep our eyes on it.

It is all still a matter of time...  Certification (to be completed by Friday), translation, fingerprints, etc...  We choose to look at it as just one step closer to bringing our kids home!!  The process should start to go a little faster now.

Thank you for supporting us in which ever way you have committed to.  We feel your prayers and we see the adoption fund is growing.  We appreciate you walking with us, you all are ALL amazing and we are honored to share this journey with you.

In Faith,
the Colson's

Please see our "Support Us" page for items you can purchase to help support our adoption.  We add things so keep checking back!

Butterflies

We all have butterflies in our stomachs.  There is no real explanation.  We are excited about whatever it is God has for us next, we guess.  That is the only explanation we can come up with.  I think it is awesome God has the four of us on the same level of excitedness and we can't help but wonder... are Monique, Junior and Frantzy excited too?  We hope so!  

There is not a day that goes by we haven't thought about, prayed, ponder on and wonder what about our Heaven Sent Haitians.  Somehow Lord we hope and pray you are giving and showing them your perfect love.  We can't help but hope that will sustain them until we can physically hold them in our arms and give them the earthly physical love and bonding every child needs.

We day dream about future Holidays together...  What we will do next Thanksgiving together - ALL 7 of us!  What will Christmas be like?  I can see us standing around a piano singing Christmas carols in English and Creole while Amanda rocks them out on the keys with the fire flickering in the background and the tree lights dancing to the joy of our hearts! (I hope we can find a nice used piano sometime between now and then!)

I dream about our Heaven Sent Haitians at night too!  Monique and Junior are always together but they always have Frantz on their mind.  Like last night when for some reason Frantz was not with us but they brought me a picture of all three of them with a worried expression trying to ask that we were adopting him too.  The dream of course ended with all 7 of us boarding the plane to come home!  Tears of joy streaming down all our faces. 

Will life be this perfect?  Absolutely!!  Now we are not saying we will not have bumps and bruises, we were foster parents for a few years, we have two teenagers, we know about bumps and bruises. The bumps and bruises will bring us closer together, that's our choice. Think about it, without the bumps and bruises of life how will we know how perfect life really is? Much less to celebrate a holiday together - all 7 of us?

Lord, please expedite all pending adoptions, not just ours - every single one.  Open the hearts of the judges, the paper pushers in immigration, the IBESR, the consolate, the social workers, whomever might be slowing the process. We ask Lord that you soften their hearts towards the needs of the children to have a home, a mom and a dad and in some cases siblings.  A bed to call their own, clothes and toys to call their own.  A home Lord, please open the doors and allow your children to come home to the homes you chose for them!

I can't stop thinking of all the orphans...  Thank you Lord for breaking my heart for what breaks yours and continue to break it until my heart is yours!

Amazed, Awed and Breathless

First of all thank you will never be enough!  We cannot thank Puffy Muffin, our volunteers or  our contributors enough!  God blew our socks off Sunday at the Puffy Muffin and we just do not have the words to describe it!

There were moments our breath was literally taken away!  The tables were full and at times there was a line out the door!  I kept thinking God loves our kids this much!!  Then God reminded me "No, they are my kids just like you are and I love each of you this much!"  This took my breath away.  I know God loves me, we all know He love us - right?  No, every now and then we need to be reminded (shown) of not just the depth of His love but the breadth.

Please enjoy these pictures of what our family deems as one of the best days of our lives! Be sure to scroll all the way down, there is a very nice surprise there too!!  Then check out the photo section of our blog where all the photos from the day will be posted very soon!

Whitney our young cook with Mr. Burns

Our average volunteer age was 16, yes 16!  Our teens worked from 9am until 4pm without skipping a beat, taking a break or even hinting they wanted to quit!!  We could not have pulled this off without ALL our volunteers!! 

Enjoy the pictures and be sure to scroll to the end...

Josh our dishwasher (13)

MacKenzie one of our star waitresses (15)

Erin and Sarah (16 and 14)

(And the 14th was someone's sweet 16!)

 Shannon and Amanda (both 16)

Scott and Steve (adults...)

 

Remember to check out the donate section of our blog for ways you can help support our adoption!

Our Progress is below in the graphs.

This graph represents our total earnings to date.

This graph represents our first payment to the orphanage.

We are ALMOST there!!

It is never too late to volunteer or to donate.  For volunteer opportunities contact the Colson's at heavensenthaitians@gmail.com and/or to donate just click on the donate button or scroll up and to the right you should see how to make a tax deductible donation.

THANK YOU!!!

Walking in abundant faith with Christ who is our strength, shield, healer, redeemer, friend and OH so much more!!

Adoption Fundraiser - Puffy Muffin

We hope to see you today!

If you can't make it by please take the time to donate. 


You can either use the "easy donate button" or send a check to Fellowship Bible Church 1210 Franklin Rd Brentwood, TN 37027 with "I Choose You - Colson Family" in the memo section.  Sending a check to the church is 100% tax deductible.

We will be posting pictures of this fun filled event very soon!

Blessings,
the Colson's

Gearing Up!

We are so excited about this Sunday at the Puffy Muffin!

Remember we will have 147 Million Orphan gear on site! 

Scentsy wickless candles will be on site with some new scents and a "Buddy" for the precious little one in your life, they will love it forever! 

We have 2 free passes to Franklin Athletic Club.  Every adult who eats gets to enter to win one!

We will of course also have our own Heaven Sent Haitian T's, totes and a new hot off the presses coloring/activity book about our heaven Sent Haitians and adoption.

You can come shop even if you do not plan on eating.

Can't make the event but want to be a part of the blessing?  Donate now! Just hit the that was easy to "donate" button.   


You all are a blessing and we are honored to have each of you on our team!!
 
In Him,
the Colson's

For a LIMITED Time 147 Million Orphans Gear

Get yours now!!

We have several styles in stock, hoodies, beanies, toddler sizes....

 

AND many more!!

visit 147 Million Orphans and then email us with the style and size!!

email us at: Heaven Sent Haitians

Remember to visit the Puffy Muffin in Brentwood Sunday between 10 and 3pm for brunch!!

Puffy Muffin Partners with the Colson Family

147 Million Orphans

Exclusive Heaven Sent Haitian Designs

by Stepanie Hagen

Scentsy Raffle items

Something Yummy!!

 Please RSVP to

 Heaven Sent Haitians

don't forget to invite your friends!

Times and menu to be announced soon!

More Paperwork!!

We are so close yet so far away!!  We have just two more little pieces of paper to get turned in and then we were told only TWO weeks for a completed home study!  WHOOOOHOOOOO!!!

We checked on our donations status through our church and we have received some love, THANK YOU!!  Your love will be paying for the translator and will get us started on the actual costs in Haiti.

We know the economy is tight and we understand that your wallet might be being tugged at from different directions.  We simply ask that if your heart is tugging towards Haiti and adoption that you would consider giving to our adoption fund.  We have T-Shirts you can actually purchase for your donation, you can give a tax deductible donation trough our church or you can send checks directly to us.

Our kids are so excited to come home!!  We are diligently fund raising and working on paperwork!!  Please consider helping in bringing these Heaven Sent Haitians home.

In Him,
The Colson's

Happy Birthday Monique!

Our beautiful Monique turns 11 today!  We are so sad to not be with her but so blessed there is a team in Haiti who can celebrate with her!

Please take a moment if you will and donate to bringing her home.




In Him,
The Colson's

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1.03.01

Let's Make it Rise!

Monique turns 11 tomorrow!!! We are hoping for some birthday donations...

Here is our thermometer...  Let's make it rise!!






You can always check back at http://www.colsonjams.blogspot.com/ to see the progress of our donations, to donate and to just keep up with the Colson's.  You can also become a fan of our facebook page Heaven Sent Haitians.

Please let us know if you would like a t-shirt with your donation of $18 or more.

Thank you in advance your continues support!

The Colson's

T-Shirt Wars - Let's Celebrate!!

 The T-Shirt wars have begun...  Pink is winning by a stretch but Amanda is winning by a mile!!

Yes, Amanda's friends are putting mine, Steve and Joshua's friends to shame!!!  

Neither here nor there...  Monique is about to have a  birthday and we are hoping to have sold ALL the t-shirts by then.  Can you help out so we can celebrate BIG for her birthday? 

Our goal is to sell the remaining T-shirts by October 15th - Monique will turn 11 that day and we would love to reach a financial goal on that day too!

T-Shirts are only $15, you can pay in person, by check or through our paypal link right here on our blog!! Please include a little extra for shipping.  ;o)

Thank you in advance for supporting our Heaven Sent Haitian adoption fund!!

In Him,
The Colson's

It has been a while...   First we want to remind everyone we still have plenty of T-Shirts!! 

We have had two more AWESOME phone calls with the kids.  The most amazing thing I found in the last call was I immediately recognized who I was talking to!  It was like the kids were on vacation with Uncle Brent and gave Mom a call!  I love it!  Opening night of our football season, it was perfect timing!

The stories of the kids are great!  They seem to poor in and then slow down...  We are in a drought and are feeling it deeply.  The conversations are constant about how we can speed up "red tape"!  We put pressure on ourselves and then Amanda and Joshua are just as eager as we are!  We can say that our home study should finally be in the final stages!  Hopefully we will have it back in about 2 weeks and then off to the translator!  We will be able to resubmit our A600 which now requires the home study be submitted with the application.  Then it is waiting for our finger print date and...  There were a few forms you could run simultaneously but it seems times have changed a bit and well we get to wait.

There is a new law going up for vote in Haiti to allow children to go straight to passport and then home once their paperwork has successfully been through IBESR.  This is several weeks if not months off the waiting period!  We are on our knees praying for this to be passed quickly!!

We have met a few new friends along this adoption process.  Some are adopting from various countries, some from Haiti and a couple who are adopting from the orphanage.  We are asking for prayer for all these families.  All are slated to bring their children home before us so we ask that you pray for us as we wait patiently for ours!  God is always on time, He is never late nor is He early.  Help us see this clearly.  When I say us, that is all of us.  We are not sure ow much of this adoption process Monique, Junior and Frantz understand.  As children are going home and they are staying are praying they know their turn will come too.

We do thank you for your support in prayer, those who have purchased t-shirts and those who have just generously donated.  So far God as provided 50/50 for our adoption and we are so grateful.  We will continue to covet your prayers in our journey.

You are God's best!
Blessings,
The Colson's

Our Kids in Video

Our kids sent us a video!!! 

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/video/video.php?v=515630377497&ref=notif&notif_t=video_tag

Thank you Katie Erie for such a blessing!!!

Missing Haiti

Yes, another team has had the pleasure of spending a week with our kids!  Oh, how we miss them! We miss Haiti!! We love the pictures and the wonderful stories!!  We are being blessed with three awesome Heaven Sent Haitians from what we hear!

There are not words describe how we long to snuggle on the couch and watch what becomes their favorite movies.  We are just curious what lunch box they might pick out or what their favorite colors are.  There comes a point that the wonder becomes a longing, an ache in your heart.  When we go shopping we wonder...  Not just the girls either!!  Steve and Josh are even finding themselves saying "hey look, I wonder if ______ will like this?"  We have been pretty good at NOT buying anything.  Well, there is the shirt we got Monique and the cool hoodie we just found for Frantz.  Hey they were on clearance...  I am sure over te next several months we will no longer be able to control our wants for their needs.  They need clothes, toys, lunch boxes, etc...  Right?

Lord, we pray we don't have to wait longer than what feels like forever!

Amanda, Josh and I were able to talk with Junior on the phone last Thursday.  He has such an excitement in his voice.  He wants us to come visit but doesn't understand we have to pay for the adoption 1st then if there is money leftover we will visit.  We don't want to have to tell him that, we just want to go!!  He is a special young man!

Nous remen Monique, Junior and Frantz!

Quiet

Everything is too quiet.  The forms are filled out, we are waiting...  And by forms I mean FORMS!!

Josh is going back to public school this year!  This was a family decision for many reasons.  I am not sure I am ready for this but he is and he will be fine.  This I think is responsible for at least the loss of 1/4 acre of forest...

Amanda is dual enrolling...  I am not sure I am ready for this either!  Yes, this means my highly intelligent, independent, strong willed beauty will be attending both High School and College.  This I am sure is responsible for at least the loss of an additional 1/2 acre of forest...

Adoption anyone?  Yes, we have filled out the home study paperwork, the I600A, I600, 864, the request forms for birth certificates, and ALL the other forms for the "certified" copies of our past.  This is surely responsible for at least another acre of lost forest...

To the Colson family it is ALL worth it!  We do apologize to the folks who fear our World is coming to an end due to carelessness.  We would have preferred WAAAYYYY less paperwork but this was out of our control.  We did plant 3 new trees on our property...

We look forward to the next few months.  They will be too quiet for me.  Amanda will be all too busy with skating, school and working.  Joshua will be at school all day and I will miss him on my days off.  With the paperwork done for all 5 kids and their "stuff" I will just have to fill my silence with rearranging and reorganizing.  These two things Steve, Amanda and Joshua hate for me to do if they are not here to guard "their things".  What else is a Mom in waiting to do?  Just what I thought, clean, re-organize, donate to goodwill and the cycle starts over and over and over.  I am not sure a Moms job is ever done.  I know that this will help my time speed by and it will help us to be ready!!

Monique, Jinyò and Frantzy Frantz will hopefully be "home" by next spring and they will surely help to fill my rearranging and reorganizing time!

We think of the kids every day and we just can't wait to bring them HOME!  When the kids get home, we will plant more trees!

Blessings!
p.s. don't forget to buy a t-shirt!

Paperwork Plunger

We are sitting waiting on paperwork.  We are helpless, at the mercy of New Mexico's Bernalillo county court clerk. BIG sigh...  We would have a complete home study if they would just work.  I called yesterday to check on the progress and they said they had been behind 8-10 weeks and because my request was only 6 weeks ago I had to wait another 2 weeks before they would even check to see if they  received our request.  Really??
Does anybody know how to get a lazy government to move?
URGHHHHHH!!
We have children waiting in Haiti for this paperwork so they can come home!!
I think we need a paperwork plunger so we can get the clog out!
Just a thought...

A Hope That Stares

Yesterday marked the six month anniversary of the Earthquake that devastated an already devastated and impoverished country.  A team just returned from Bethel house and the pictures from Port-au-Prince as you can see are no different than the pictures we took three months ago.  The devastation is still there.  There is a difference;  there are less volunteers and less money coming in to help.  People have forgotten, CNN has moved on and so has the World. Well all except Haiti and it's people.  They are still there sorting through the pain and devastation that shook not only the foundation of their Nation but the roots of their families. The devastation goes beyond what can be described in a simple blog post.

Our hearts break as we hear the hopelessness and apathy towards Haiti and her people.  Our family can't look at pictures from Haiti and not long to be there or at least do something to help.  Amanda and I can remember the men hard at work making "anything" they could to sell in order to put a meal on the table.  The children carrying water buckets on their heads for miles.  You do not see this in America, not even in the poorest area.  We are a "me" mentality in America.  We wait for the government issued unemployment check. There are help wanted signs all over this city yet there is an unemployment rate at it's peak?  "I don't want to work at Wendy's"  and there is a man in Haiti right now widdling the handle of a machete hopeful a tourist will buy it just so his family can have rice for dinner two or three times this week. He is hopeful if he sells two he can buy a chicken too.  Really.  I am fairly certain he would prefer a 9-5 job in the air conditioning making a solid salary but he is hopeful what he is doing will at least provide a little. 

Yes, there is a hope.  There is a hope that stares back at you which causes my heart to break for a people who have fallen victim to first a corrupt government and then a natural disaster.  How far does a people have to fall before their brothers and sisters will lend a hand without expectation of a return?

Please if you would like to help in anyway we know two solid ministries who have been sending teams to Haiti for years and we would gladly put you in contact with them.  You may not be able to take time off to serve in Haiti but you could donate supplies, sponsor a child, donate to an adoption fund or donate towards the sponsorship of someone who does want to serve but doesn't have the financial resources to go.

A Little Haiti

Dr. Bernard was here in Franklin speaking at the People's Church!  It was really great to see him and hear him speak.  He gave a great message from Acts.  We hope the people God is calling to Haiti will hear God's voice and obey.  Maybe it is to serve on a missions trip, maybe it is to to donate money, or maybe it is to adopt? 
There is so much work to be done in Haiti.  The country was 3rd world before the Earth quake and with only 6 months of work the country has not yet been restored to it's condition prior to the quake.

God bless America and God bless Haiti!

A Special Gift

OMgg... I received one of the greatest gifts in the World today! No it is not my birthday just a day God knew I needed to hear my children's voices!! Thank you Missy!!! Yes, I spoke with Monique, Junior and Frantz today - AMAZING!!! I am still teary eyed savoring the moment with each of them!

Here is the picture I received via text message after we hung up!