Lorie Newman

Forever Family Needed for a Little Boy ASAP

This little orphaned boy needs a family.  He deserves the love of a mom and dad. 

He was born in Haiti with a rare skin condition called XP- Xeroderma pigmentosum.  Click here to read more about XP.  It is a skin condition that can cause malignancies and can even affect the eyes, which is the case with this little boy.  Cancer has already taken one of his eyes.

He was born in Haiti but adopted by a family in TX.  That situation didn't work out due to his XP.  For about six months advocates have been trying to find him a forever family and they thought this past weekend they had found a family in TN to take him... that situation didn't work out either. 

This little boy needs a family who can love him right where he is- even with his medical and developmental issues.

My heart breaks over situations like this one when an orphaned child with special needs desperately needs a family, but no family can be found.  I can hardly wait for the day when the Ancient of Days makes all the wrongs of this world right... when every orphaned child has a family... when no child experiences abandonment.

Everything within me wants to scoop this precious child up in my arms and tell him how much Jesus loves him.  I wish I could look at him and say, "Your mommy and daddy are on the way!  And they will love you forever!"  But the reality is, through no fault of his own, this little boy was born into a body that isn't "perfect" and because of that, he's considered 'hard to place.'

I have many, many friends who have special needs children.  And each one of them is a blessing- special needs and all!

If you know anyone who might be willing to give this little boy a forever home and love him- special needs and all- please send me a private message and I will put you in contact with his care-giver/advocate.  His adoption costs will be very minimal- if there are any costs at all.

And also, please take a moment right now to pray for this little one.  Pray that we will find a forever family for him and that he will grasp the unconditional love of the Father to the Fatherless despite his developmental delays.

Please help me spread the word by reposting this to your blog or FB page.  You can also freely use the picture on this blog to help find a family for him.

He's Left Me for the Last Time

If you frequent my blog, then you know that my husband took a new job in GA 8 months ago and I've been here with the kids in NC just waiting for the house to sell.

It has been very hard being apart.  I'm honestly not sure how we've done it- just one day at a time, I guess.  I try not to think about how much I miss Duane or it just hangs over my head like a dark dreary cloud.  Instead, I've kept myself busy with the kids and the household management and somehow we've made it through.

For Duane however, it's been much more difficult.  He only sees us about every third weekend and he misses all of us terribly.  I know it hurts him so much when he comes home and the baby doesn't want to even go to him because she's not used to seeing him everyday.  It breaks Duane's heart.  And all the while, our home just won't rent or sell.  It's such a horrible time to sell a house right now.

A few weeks ago we decided we were done.  Just done.  We are so tired of telling each other good-bye and living apart from one another.  So we've decided enough is enough.  We are moving!  We are closing soon on a foreclosure home in GA this week, (a wonderful 'God-sent' house I will blog about later), and are FINALLY moving in two weeks so we can all be together again.

As we have walked this long 8 month time of separation, several good things have come from it.  For starters, we are so thankful for each other.  We know time is precious and just spending time together doing "whatever" is so sacred for all of us.  Also, we don't care what kind of house we live in.  Seriously.  For so long, we thought we had to have a house that was "just so" to make us happy.  That's a thing of the past.  At this point, we could care less about a fancy house.  We just want to be together in a home- whether it's a large home, a small home, a house trailer, an apartment, or a shack- we don't care anymore.  It's about being together as a family- that's what's important. 

So it's with a very grateful heart that I share that my husband came home this past weekend... when he left for GA on Sunday he kissed me and told me good-bye-- for the LAST time.  The next time we see each other, we will finally ALL be together!  At LAST!  No more good-byes!

I absolutely cannot wait for that moving truck to load our things and take them to GA where we can all finally be a family again!  I will desperately miss Asheville.  We have such incredible friends here that we will miss terribly, and the memories of our time here are precious to us.  But it's time for us all to be together.  We are weary and can't wait to finally have our family together in one place again!     

A Mohawk? Why Not!

Many of you know my little 8 yr old Liberian son, Daniel.  He's such a cutie and his imagination just cracks me up on a daily basis! 

It's not uncommon for him to change clothes several times a day to fit the "character" he's playing at the moment.  Seeing him come down the stairs in a Spiderman outfit or a black ninja cape is nothing out of the ordinary for him!  And I love that about him!  He's always role playing as some super hero or movie character who saves the day from the bad guys.  He's my little hero!

Well, keep that in mind as I explain his latest request...

I cut my own family's hair and have for over 10 years.  Yesterday morning, as I was setting out the clippers and scissors to get started on Daniel's hair, he asked me for a mohawk!  It's not the first time he's asked me this question, but I've always told him 'no.'  This time he said, "Please Mom- just for ONE day!  I could be a Super Ninja! Then you could cut it off after I play!  Pluuuuease, Mom!  A mohawk for just ONE day!?"

You know, I have to say 'no' so much as a mom... this time I smiled and said, "A mohawk? Why not!"  And yes, I told him he could have a mohawk for one day only.  Except it's already been one full day and I've not shaved the mohawk yet... I'll let him have a couple more days as a Super Ninja!

Sometimes as moms, we have to choose our 'no's' wisely.  After all, Daniel's only going to be a little 8yr old once!  Why not let him be a Super Ninja with a cool mohawk for a few days?! 

Truth be told, he's so stinkin' adorable- mohawk or not! 

Mothers, Someone's Watching You

When I think about my decision to be a homemaker and a stay-at-home mom, I have to say there were women who influenced that decision long before I ever had children of my own. In fact, I was just in elementary school when I first remember wanting to be a full-time homemaker.

First, of course was my own mother. She put away the nurse's hat and stayed at home with my brother and me during our pre-school years. She returned to work when we both started school. But she didn't go back to 'hospital nursing.' Instead, she got a job as a school nurse so she could be off of work when we were home from school in the summer and holidays. Her school nursing schedule actually was a major contributor in my choice of an education degree in college. I saw how my mom was able to be at home with us so much, and I also wanted a job where I could be home with my children in the summers.

The second woman who influenced me, did so without even knowing it at all. She was the mother of one of my friends in elementary school. This friend and I went to school together until we graduated from high school. But it was when we were in just the 4th grade that she had such an impact on my life. Let me explain....

In elementary school, I waited each day on my brother, who was 3 years older than me, to be dismissed from school. His grade got out 30 minutes after mine, so I would sit everyday in the school office and do my homework while I waited on my brother.

One day while I sat there, my friend's mother came into the office to get his school work. He had been sick for several days and she didn't want him to get behind. Now, my friend had several brothers and sisters and most of them were little and not even in school yet. As my friend's mom entered the office I just watched her as she carried her small toddler on her hip. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She seemed so strong as she carried that baby on one hip and a HUGE stack of books on the other hip. I knew she stayed at home with her children and I found myself daydreaming about my future family as I watched her.

As the years went by, my friend's mom was always the mother who helped with school trips, school parties, school bake sales, field day, and later even the school prom. I admired her so much, and I knew that one day I wanted to be just like her.

The third woman who influenced me to be a full-time stay-at-home mom was a mother I only met very briefly, but who had a big influence on me. I don't even know her name. I was a teenager at the time and helping teach a 3 year old class at my church's Vacation Bible School. This precious mother had a child in my class as well as an older child and a baby.

Each day as this mom picked up her 3 year old from VBS, she would say things like, "I packed a picnic today! Let's go to the park," or "I put your swimsuits in car. We're going swimming!" Of course at these fun announcements all of her children would squeal with glee! I saw in her a "fun mom" who loved being with her kids and thoroughly enjoyed being their mom. I knew one day I wanted to be just like her.

Isn't it strange that 2 of the 3 major influences on my homemaking and my decision to be a stay-at-home mom were women who never even knew I was watching?

Who is watching you as you mother your kids? Your little daughter? The little girl next door? The teenager at church? You just never know who you are being a light to.

Remember moms, young girls ARE watching you whether you realize it or not. Live each day to the fullest with your kids! Homemaking is a very high calling no matter what this "world" says!

A Living Tapestry

It was May 3, 2011- 9:00pm. 

One year ago today, at this very time, I was on my way to be with my dearest friend Leah.  Her husband, Chris, didn't come home from work that afternoon and she was gravely worried.  The next 24 hours would turn into the most intense hours of my life thus far.

Leah's husband's body was found the next day in a wooded area a few miles from their home.  He had taken his own life.  I've never experienced such tragedy... such sadness... such intense raw emotion as I did during those 24 hours.  During that time I watched the Body of Christ rise up and literally support my precious friend as she walked through the darkest day of her life.  I posted a blog about the living tapestry of care from the family of God that I witnessed that day. 

In light of the one year anniversary of losing our precious friend, Chris, I felt it was appropriate to remember that day by reposting my blog from one year ago. Even in the midst of horrific tragedy, God is always there.  So many times, He is there through us, His children.

May 5, 2011

The Family of God is a powerful force. I've seen that first hand in the past two days as I've walked through a deep valley with my dear friend and prayer partner, Leah. Her husband died tragically on Tuesday. As the events of that day and the following day unfolded, I witnessed a flood of Christian brothers and sisters wrap themselves around my sweet friend with a deep penetrating love that transcends the natural realm.

Hundreds, if not thousands of messages flooded Leah through texts, phone calls, Twitter, and Facebook. Leah felt the prayers of people all over the world within moments of this tragedy.

At one point during the day on Wednesday, I was awestruck at the way God's family comes together with their different, God-given gifts. I was a silent witness to a beautiful scene that played out like a God- directed symphony...

At the darkest hour of the day, I saw Angela quietly praying in a kitchen chair.

I saw Maria gently holding Leah's hand.

I saw Carl and Bruce whispering precious words in Leah's ear.

I saw Leslie unpacking a meal she cooked and brought for the mourners who had gathered.

I saw Cody and Scott on the front porch offering a kind word to those who passed through the door.

I saw John Mark speaking hope into Leah's distraught and confused daughter.

And the list could go on and on... the Body of Christ in motion. The family of God at work.

It was beautiful.... like a master tapestry woven into place by God Himself and wrapped around a precious one whose grief was and still is, unfathomable. Everyone had a different gift, given by God, used in glorious worship to engulf this precious sister with a love that passes all understanding.

God stopped me in the midst of such suffering to show me for just a brief moment what He saw among the suffering- a glorious living tapestry of His love.