My Kennedy

Is she not a doll baby?! Not only is she cute, smart and sweet, the girl is funny! She loves to say bootie! She thinks that is the funniest word in the world. She can be in a bad mood and if you say bootie she cracks up! I look at her and I am amazed that she has only been here a year. Even family and friends will say " only a year?" It seems like she has been with us forever.
This is what happens when God ask you to do something and you step out in faith and do it. She is such a blessing.

Birthday Week at the Bayers

This is birthday week at the Bayer househould. On Tuesday Jordan turns 13 and on Thursday Cameron turns 9. I can not beleive it. 13? 9? Are you kidding me?
Beautiful Jordan. When your dad placed you in my arms 13 years ago it was surreal. It was the day before Fathers Day and you were the big story. The T.V. news people followed us around at the airport and then the next day before we went to church there they were. Here you were home less than 24 hours and you sat there in all your ruffles just smiling at everyone and looking around like "whats the big deal?" It was at that moment I realized just how special you were. And I was right. You are beautiful, kind, humble and so smart. You are a faithful servant to our Lord and you have lifted me up with scripture when I have been down. I love you so much. I think about your birthmother. I know it is hard for her. I hope somehow, someway she knows how very much you are loved. made. You are a dream come true and I thank God every day for you.
Cutie Cameron. What can I say about a girl who when asked if she could change anything about herself she said " NOTHING!" I'll tell you what I can say, You are so awesome! Don't you ever change. You came off the plane with attitude and you still have it! You make me laugh and you make life interesting. What a precious gift you are. I think about the miraclous way God brought you into our lives and to this day it still makes my heart leap and puts a smile on my face. It reminds me that when God has a plan for your life and you let Him do what He needs to do He will suprise you with the most precious gift. YOU! I love you Cami and I know your birthmother will be remembering you also. I hope somehow she knows how very much we love you.

Happy Birthday to my sweet Korean angels.

When God knocks you in your head!

"I truly beleive God is getting ready to pour buckets of blessings on Hug Away." I wrote this in my journal a few days ago. It was an overwhelming sense of peace. I was not wrong! Our website will be up and running very soon and we have some great ideas for fundraisers and we are getting ready to send a grant to a great family! So you ask" when did God knock you in the head?" Well.....
There is this house next door to us that some guys were working on to sell. Ends up they are also friends of a family who adopted through Vietnam (she reads my blog, Hi N!). My husband had spoke to them once in a while but all I ever did was wave. They finished the house and my husband said "babe you need to come look at what they have done!" I did and I was so impressed. You could tell a lot of love went into it. My husband and I look at each other like...you think? Our house needs lots of repair and this house has everything we want and need. The next day I talked to one of the guys and we just clicked. I told him my husband and I were interested in the house. He said he would talk to the broker.....He tells me he has been off work for 4 months but has to fly to I think it was Atlanta the next day. I am thinking what does this guy do? He says he has a band and they are getting ready to release there Cd the end of February. Ok. I am thinking just a band from Broken Arrow. He hands be a copy of thier newest Cd, it says on it due for release February 26th. hmm.... It is freezing and I go in and make him and his partner some hot chocolate. A couple of days laters I am walking my dog and I feel compeled to walk over this house and pray over it. A few days later I see this guy Rob working on some touch ups. I told him we were definatly interested in the house and that I had prayed over it. He tells me that him and his partner had been praying over this house since they began working on it. wow. We talk some more and he tells me that he had been hanging out with Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith while he was gone....that thier band had been nominated for a Dove award. What? Who is this guy? A few days later he calls me on my cell and told me he really wants me and Mike to have the house. YEAH! So we are working on that part. In the mean time I am trying to think of some big name Christian bands who might do a fundrasing concert for Hug Away in September. I think of Rob and the CD he gave me and I look at it and it says "Pillar" I do some research. This isn't some little backyard band. They are a very well known Christian Rock band! Every teenager and young adult who listens to Christian music knows and loves this band. The more I read the more impressed I am. I listen to the Cd and true some of it is a little edgy for me but I like it! My favorites are track 1&5. Here is where the thump comes in, God speaking to Elaine " your answer has been right in front of you the whole time." Duh. Now to speak to Rob is to know him. He is kind, very humble and just has a great heart. He loves his wife, his son and most of all God. Before I knew about Pillar I was already impressed with Rob.
So I email him about doing a concert for Hug Away and he emailed me back and said "Elaine, let me look at our schedule and I will get back with you next week, I am heading to LA to the Grammys." Sure Rob. He is so matter of fact. No bragging, just the facts. The crazy thing is I had tried to contact Mercy Me and Third Day (adoption connections) and if you pull up Pillars tour schedule that is some of the bands they are touring with! Even if Pillar can not do a concert for us I am blessed to know Rob. He is a great guy.
Oh and Shoahannahs Hope asked if they could do a story on Hug Away. Yes I think the blessings are indeed beginning to flow!

The Hug Away Foundation

Ok I am going to get off my whinny box and use this blog to promote
"THE HUG AWAY FOUNDATION"
Before I forget all my family, friends & lurkers who read my blog PLEASE pass this on to as many people as you can think of and ask them to pass it on. My prayer is if we do this we can make a huge impact and be a voice for the orphans of this world.
The Hug Away Foundation is a ministry that educates the community on adoption, offers adoption grants and in the future will be helping the orphans in N. Korea and Vietnam.
A huge undertaking? Without a doubt! But we serve a Big God and as long as we put Him first, it will happen.
We are just starting out, but we have helped 3 families with grants and have one request pending. And we need more money!
So if you would like to help here are some things you can do:

• PRAY!
• Spread the word about us.
• We will come speak at your church, company, small group...it doesnt' matter we want to let people know about this wonderful opportunity to make a difference.
• For a donation of $5 or more you will receive our
• "I SUPPORT ADOPTION/THE HUG AWAY FOUNDATION ribbon magnet
• You can also send a tax deductible donation to:
• The Hug Away Foundation, P.O. Box 1241 Broken Arrow, OK 74013

We are in the process of planning some big fund raisers for this year. I am trying to get a big name christian artist/band to do a benfiet concert for us! We are also looking at a KC BBQ cook off and of course we plan on getting the word out for adoption month. We are working on a website also. Please, please spread the word and keep us in your prayers.

Getting real & doing what is right

Its not always fun. In the bible it says "love your neighbor", like isn't it the second biggest commandment? I try really hard to practice that, but there are two people in this world I am finding a hard time "loving." My sisters ex husband and his 3rd wife, Cruella. What they are putting my youngest sister through is mean, cruel, heartless and pointless. It is mostly Cruella, but because of their "personalities" my sister lost her job, her home and the kids had to go live with them. "Cruella" threatens, harasses and demeans my sister constantly. She messes with her head and loves doing it. Tonight she went way over the line,if that is even possible. My first reaction? Go to her house, call her outside and CLOBBER her! Give her a dose of her own medicine. But once I asked myself what Jesus would want me to do, I knew that fantasy wasn't going to happen. So tonight, no I am not feeling the love, but I do feel I should pray for everyone involved in this situation. It is very, very sad and like most divorces (this is the longest in history) the kids pay. So I am asking all my friends in "blog nation" to please pray for this situation. Pray for ice hearts to warm, blind eyes to see, and deaf ears to listen. Pray that I can set an example.

Now for some more getting real. Remember my last blog? Well, as always God takes care of me.

Why do I have those moments of doubts? I mean everytime I turn it over to God and actually let go, it always works out, even when it may not be the way I planned, it is always good.

I put the picture in because it is cute and it makes me happy. That cute puppy with Kennedy is my birthday present to me, Brody. I call him a bagel. He is part Border collie/ Beagle. Kennedy asked me if he was her "udder bruder." hmm.....

One year ago today

We landed in Tulsa and Kennedy Grace walked right up to her daddy and that was all she wrote!

She had him...hook, line & sinker. And it took about another minute to hook her sisters and brothers. I look at her and my cup runneth over.

I can't believe that God would make me a mom again at this time in my life. I am so happy I will never be an empty nester.

Thank you Michael, Cody, Dustin, Jordan, Cameron and Kennedy for making my life so blessed, fun and never having a dull moment.

Kennedy with her sisters & cousins.

What to do

What do you do when you have to choose and any choice you make could be the wrong one? This is one of those times I need God to sit down with me and just tell me what to do.
When I left Dillon to start The Hug Away Foundation I knew I would need to find another job because bills needed to be paid. What I didn't know is that it would take me almost 4 months to find another job. Needless to say bills piled up. I had days when I thought I couldn't take it anymore, but I knew Gods plan is always bigger than mine and much better!
Here is the deal, after being so excited about my new job (which is so great) the facts are it is going to cost me more to work there (gas, day care). Sooo... this is the point where I wish God would just tell me what to do. My priorities? God, my family, Hug Away then job.
So what do I do? Hope some bling bling drops from the sky? Or maybe the little money fairy will leave a big huge wad of cash under my pillow.
It was also suggested when I started the foundation, not to work at all and focus only on getting the foundation going. No pressure there. I just have to believe that God will reveal to me and provide. He hasn't let me down yet. I let Him down a lot. Man these faith test are hard!
If it seems to you like I am a little ADHD I am! Thank goodness I have God watching out for me.