Mini Created For Care Retreat- with Loving God's Children

 This past weekend we had a mini Created For Care Retreat in Ruskin, FL (just south of where I live).  For those of you who know Created For Care is a specific retreat that is for foster and adoptive moms along with those women in our lives who support us. 

It was put on by Loving God's Children which is a non-profit group here in Brandon, FL area that helps to educate about adoption, sponsor and encourage those in the process, and help those once we have brought little ones into our lives through foster care or adoption. 

 Now we have been doing fostering and adopting for almost 13 years and the first "event" I have attended was the Empowered To Connect Conference in February!  Talk about a LOT of information all at once.  That was specified toward helping parents with parenting their children especially children from hard places.  AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL!  It has changed our lives and since then we have gone to Dallas, TX so that we can teach this class to families here in the Brandon Area. 

If you haven't gone to Empowered To Connect and you are a foster or adoptive parent - YOU SHOULD! 

 Then this past May I got to attend Summit 9- National Christian Alliance for Orphans with a couple of friends from the area.  It was AMAZING!  This conference is mean to help teach anyone in the church, church leaders, those wanting an in depth look at what orphan care looks like including adoption, sponsorship, helping people adopt, creating valuable resources in your church to help educate about adoption, s*x trafficking, helping those age out of foster care, what it looks like from the adoptees point of view, and hear AMAZING hearts and stories about foster care and adoption- this is the place to find it! 

It started off 9 years ago with 25 attendees, and this year there were 2,500 and they had to send people away.  Next year it will be in Chicago because it has outgrown the venues!!!  :) 

 Ahhhh........but Created for Care retreats (this was a mini retreat as in not the usual 450 attendees and local).  They are done so the women who are foster care or adoptive moms or those special women in their lives that support them can be refreshed!  ALL I CAN SAY IS WOW!!! 

 This is how we were treated all weekend......like we were special. 

 This is how we ate all weekend! 

 This is how we snacked all weekend!

 This is what we did all weekend- chat, encourage, lift each other up in prayer.........

 This is how it felt all weekend!  AMAZING!

 Like we got to spend our weekend in a separate space just us :).  It was refreshing!!!

 We enjoyed the beauty of God's Creation! 

 We had a movie night, complete with popcorn and candy. 

 We had sessions where we learned more about racism, connecting while correcting - check out the link above and Empowered To Connect, how we can support one another,

 how to care for the special needs of our children, and what are some resources we can use.

 We learned more about the ladies in our area that we can lean on! 

 Well hello Melissa ;).  Exactly because when you are a mom- you need support!  When you parent children from hard places......you need more support with women who get it. 

 We even had a PJ party where we could ask specific questions about what adoption looks like, the process of foster care, how do you handle as a mom this or that, how do you protect your marriage through the emotional process of adoption......and sooo much more! 

 We had Worship, preaching, and free time.

 We enjoyed the beach and the pools, or simply go back and veg in your room, or chat with your friends!

 We had time with God! 

 Time to reflect on our relationship with HIM!

 Time to listen to His specific vision for you and your family. 

 Time to just sit and soak up HIS GOODNESS!!!  AMEN!  WE ALL NEED THAT!!!!

 Time to ask for prayers for whatever we needed. 

 Oh and more of this! 

 You know because every retreat should include a sunset dinner on the beach! 

 And you know just HULA HOOP! 

 relax......

 Learn some new moves! 

 Go Irene!  Now this special lady founded 4Kids of Tampa!  A non-profit organization that specifically helps educate about the need for foster care, supports families that foster, and helps specifically to get the church involved in caring for those in foster care! 

 So there you have it! 

 In a nutshell.......

 It was sooo NEEDED! 

A place to relax, learn, support, and let loose!  Thank you to all who made this weekend possible!!  THANK YOU LOVING GOD'S CHILDREN for all you do!  Thank you to all who donated things to give us an extra special time!  IT WAS AMAZING!!!!

Live in the Tampa area- next year we will be doing this again same weekend, and can't wait to expand so that more moms and those ladies who support us can be refreshed!  :)
**Contact Gretchen Sloan the founder of Loving God's Children, and personal friend of mine for more information.  Just tell her you saw how awesome this was and I sent you her way ;). 
gsloan@lovinggodschildren.org​ or call her at 813-716-5508 :) 

CONGRATULATIONS TARA AND KYLE!

 

 What a sweet angel Tara and Kyle and big brother welcomed home August 19th! 

 They started with Christian Adoption Consultants in February and within a month had completed the homestudy and profile.  They just knew God had a baby girl for their family.  After much prayer and saying yes they were matched with an expectant mother on July 8th. 

It is a wonderful story only God could create and when they were able to speak with the birth mother everything fell into place.  My favorite part of this story is this is a local family and I was privileged enough to get to do their homestudy and now their post placement reports as well. 

 

 

Which means I got to hold this precious life that God planted into this family!  Ahhh.....will not complain about that!  One day I think we will get to travel the U.S. and hold all those babes that we got to see placed in families!  A dream of mine.

A special memory Tara described just took a hold of my heart when we were visiting this week.  She described how when they were in the hospital room with the birth mother that she had placed their sweet angel in Kyle's arms.  It was a moment that they all just knew and looked and saw that this sweet child had daddy's whole heart wrapped around her little finger.  A beautiful memory and just shows what beautiful hearts this family have! 

We are thrilled that we get to be a part of the blessing of adoption with families from all over the United States and if you are interested in more information please email wrights@christianadoptionconsultants.com or give me a call @ 813-360-7368. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Campfires and Connections

 Today's post pictures brought to you by Uskichitto Retreat Center vacation time! 

 As a former camper, counselor, and Christian Camp Director there is just something to be said about the uniqueness of a campfire.  It is just different than any other activity.  I remember when I was a camper and we would share about our faith, our walks, our stumbles, our praises to God around a campfire.  Then as a counselor/camp staff there is just something special that comes out around a camp fire that doesn't happen any other place. 

 I think God designed it - He must have because it is so very special.  Being in the great outdoors, fresh air, smoke in your eyes, the warmth of the fire, cooking smells of hotdogs, not to mention the yumminess of smores right?  The peace of being in the dark and yet the clarity of that very reality it is just you and God.......

 The fun of friends/family with you at this very special moment. 

 The relaxing environment.......

 Just makes you feel invited to connect. 

 No electronics anywhere!  (Just marshmallows right Joanna?)

 No distractions! 

 Just fun and smiles. 

 Those you love sharing food and crazy fun. 

 There is just something special about it. 

 Being able to share that time with our children was priceless! 

 We had a great time just relaxing and getting that focus time with them! 

 We loved it! 

If you have the means to somehow do a campfire- DO IT!  Put away the electronics!  Nothing usually works well in the woods anyway, or if it is in your backyard- leave the phones inside!  Disconnect for a bit, and reconnect to what is the most important- God, your family, your friends.....ahhhh.....it's refreshing!