Merry Christmas Surprise to us!!!

Ever heard someone announce that they're pregnant with their 10th kid? Well, you just did. Woops. Merry Christmas Surprise to us.

Something to remember...

Stifle your curiosity; respect the child's pain. An adopted child doesn't owe you their story.

T-shirts Shipping Wednesday

For those who ordered t-shirts in the batch that closed on 11/15, they will finally be shipping tomorrow. Sorry for the delay. With the Thanksgiving holiday, our screener took longer than anticipated and, unfortunately, we are at their mercy. If you already received a notice that your order has shipped, do not be alarmed. It is shipping tomorrow, Wednesday 12/9.

Thank you for your patience.

December orders will close out on 12/31.

If you have questions, please feel free to email at heidiandkirk@blessingsfromethiopia.com

One Family Shirts...December orders

Place December orders now.

December orders will close out on December 31st and will ship early/mid-January 2010.

Email us at heidiandkirk@blessingsfromethiopia.com with any questions and we will be happy to help you out.

Merry Christmas in the meantime!

Merry Christmas from the Weimer Eleven

It's a miracle. All 9 kids are looking at the camera and smiling. And, this was the first try. My beloved Nikon must have been surrounded by legions of angels singing Handel's Messiah. There is no other logical explanation for the success of this feat.

Merry Christmas...from our full house to yours.

May we always have room for more love, joy, hope, and peace.

Sometimes being adopted just plain sucks...

Like when your substitute teacher asks the class, "Who in here is from Africa?" and you raise your hand because you don't want to lie but you hesitate because you don't want to be singled out. [Why the bleep would you ask a 1st grade class that in the first place?]

Like when your class is learning about Rosa Parks [let's remind these little white kids who don't know better that blacks are inferior] and a white girl announces to the class, "Let's see...Who in here is BLACK?"

Like when your friends don't know better but ask, "How is THAT your MOM? She's white and YOOOOOU're BLACK."

Like when you love your white parents but really wish your parents had brown skin like yours...if for nothing but to feel like everyone else who has parents the same color as their own skin.

Like when you consider yourself a stepchild and call your mom your stepmom because your classmates make you feel like an illegitimate daughter of hers.

Like when your teachers want you to share with them about life in Africa but you'd rather just share with her about a funny incident that happened over the weekend.

Like when "being born in your mom's heart instead of her tummy" isn't exactly what you want to hear, when your other sister WAS born in your mom's tummy.

Like when you bring home a Thanksgiving project from school that asks for your parents to tell you about the special moment in which you were born and to give you an "Indian name" that fits the moment of your birth.

Like when people treat you as if you're dumb just because you have an accent.

Like when people treat you as some special, exotic person instead of just a plain ole' kid. [Black kids aren't more beautiful or cuter; they're just a different color.]

Like when you don't have a baby photo to share with the class.

So much of it just sucks...And I wish the whole world knew that. Or, at least the people my kids encounter. That would be a nice start.

Orphan Sunday

Click the link below (might take awhile for the video to load) and watch from 27 minutes on to hear me and Kirk speaking on Orphan Sunday. (The whole sermon is fantastic, though, so watch from the beginning if you have time!)

Nothing pumps my blood like speaking about orphans and adoption!!!

Rolling Hills Community Church / Franklin, TN

Now taking orders! T-shirts and Bracelets!

We are now taking orders again for T-shirts and our orange "My life is not my own" bracelets. All proceeds from the sales of the shirts will benefit We Have Room which is our newly established nonprofit orphan advocacy and adoption promotion ministry.

If you would like to place an order, please click on the options to the left and click Add to Cart. Be sure to include your shipping address when placing your order.

We will close out this order on November 15th, so order now! After 11/15, orders will take approximately two weeks be processed, completed, and shipped.

Shirts are brown with either blue or pink image (blue for men/boys; pink for women/girls).


In the future we will be adding other continents to the One Family design.

Please email at heidiandkirk@blessingsfromethiopia.com with any questions.

[NOTE: Shirts are true to size. In the photo above, I am wearing a Small and Kirk is wearing a Large. If needing a youth XL, order an adult small, as they are the same sizes.]

Coming very, very soon...

New batch of T-shirt orders will be ready to be placed soon, as well as orders for our orange "My life is not my own." bracelets. Check back in over the next couple of days.

And note to those who have ordered t-shirts in the last few weeks, your orders have been received and will be included in this next batch. Sorry for the delay, but to make the screening cost-effective for now, we can only order in bulk.

Thanks!!!

I need your stuff!

Blog-followers:

I need you for Christmas gifts this year!

If you are an adoptive family (or know one) who is selling stuff to raise money for your adoption, please post the link!

I'm looking for items specifically that non-adoptive folks would use and wear (such as necklaces, jewelry, scarves, books, decor, etc.)

Thanks!!! We're hoping to support adoptions this year with our Christmas gift purchases!

P.S. We'll post your family's link in a future blog post so that others wishing to shop for Christmas can support your adoption as well!

I can testify to this...

If you haven't adopted, you are missing out BIG TIME.

Just look at this face! PURE JOY!!!


[This is our Joseph, age 5, home with us for 3 months and one of the happiest kids you'll ever meet.]

Also, click HERE.

Yes, please do.

Several commenters on our blog have asked about sharing our blog and/or documentary promo on their own blog sites and web sites.

Our response: YES, please do!!! The ripple effect of adoption brings more orphans into families and more glory to God!

No need to ask. :)