I have found a new danger in our world. Shopping. Even Bryan has fallen victim to this danger. OshKosh B'Gosh, Carter's, Baby Gap... Beware! It will suck you in! On Friday, the remaining documents we have been waiting for arrived so Bryan and I spent Saturday finishing up the last of the paperwork. After such a long day behind computers and filling in information for the 30th time, it was time for some retail therapy, that and Bryan needed some shoes. We walked past Carter's, then paced back until I submitted to Bryan's leadership and followed him in for a "Just quick walk through" that lasted 45 minutes. We just sat their holding clothes and thinking about the little head(s) of curls that would be bebopping around, whether in a fluffy pink skirt or rouch and tough soccer jersey. Also, we have been attending the Legacy 685 Adoption Camp which has classes for 6 weeks on development of the adopted child. There is another couple in our class who have just received their referral for two Ugandan children. We are excited to meet up and walk through the process with them. Our friends, our families, our blog-followers, our Sunday school class and even some people at our work, have been verbally supportive. It is good to know that our kiddo(s) will be coming home into a welcoming environment. Thank you all for your continued interest and support. Every call, email, message, text, or comment means something special to us. Sunday, September 11, 2011
The Danger of Outlet Shopping
Hello all!
I have found a new danger in our world. Shopping. Even Bryan has fallen victim to this danger. OshKosh B'Gosh, Carter's, Baby Gap... Beware! It will suck you in! On Friday, the remaining documents we have been waiting for arrived so Bryan and I spent Saturday finishing up the last of the paperwork. After such a long day behind computers and filling in information for the 30th time, it was time for some retail therapy, that and Bryan needed some shoes. We walked past Carter's, then paced back until I submitted to Bryan's leadership and followed him in for a "Just quick walk through" that lasted 45 minutes. We just sat their holding clothes and thinking about the little head(s) of curls that would be bebopping around, whether in a fluffy pink skirt or rouch and tough soccer jersey. Also, we have been attending the Legacy 685 Adoption Camp which has classes for 6 weeks on development of the adopted child. There is another couple in our class who have just received their referral for two Ugandan children. We are excited to meet up and walk through the process with them. Our friends, our families, our blog-followers, our Sunday school class and even some people at our work, have been verbally supportive. It is good to know that our kiddo(s) will be coming home into a welcoming environment. Thank you all for your continued interest and support. Every call, email, message, text, or comment means something special to us.
I have found a new danger in our world. Shopping. Even Bryan has fallen victim to this danger. OshKosh B'Gosh, Carter's, Baby Gap... Beware! It will suck you in! On Friday, the remaining documents we have been waiting for arrived so Bryan and I spent Saturday finishing up the last of the paperwork. After such a long day behind computers and filling in information for the 30th time, it was time for some retail therapy, that and Bryan needed some shoes. We walked past Carter's, then paced back until I submitted to Bryan's leadership and followed him in for a "Just quick walk through" that lasted 45 minutes. We just sat their holding clothes and thinking about the little head(s) of curls that would be bebopping around, whether in a fluffy pink skirt or rouch and tough soccer jersey. Also, we have been attending the Legacy 685 Adoption Camp which has classes for 6 weeks on development of the adopted child. There is another couple in our class who have just received their referral for two Ugandan children. We are excited to meet up and walk through the process with them. Our friends, our families, our blog-followers, our Sunday school class and even some people at our work, have been verbally supportive. It is good to know that our kiddo(s) will be coming home into a welcoming environment. Thank you all for your continued interest and support. Every call, email, message, text, or comment means something special to us. 
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Gideon's Lessons
This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!
There are times in my life, perhaps even this last season that it has been difficult to feel God’s presence. You are guided by Him but the intimacy with Him is just distant. Regardless, God and I have been sticking to each other like bees on honey. God, however, decided to make His presence astoundingly clear to both, Bryan and me. I would love to tell you the story as the plot deepened even this Monday morning.
Saturday, August 13th, Bryan was studying and I was filling pages in Kid Kamp’s book but we took breaks to talk about concerns and hopes with “Kid” Kamp.
Sunday, August 14th, Bryan woke up early. He sat there dreaming about our African child, hopes for them, concerns for them and all the things we want for them. I woke up about an hour later and listened to Bryan and his thoughts about our child. The radio alarm went off to wake us up for church but left it playing in the background, engrossed in thinking about “Kid” Kamp. When he finished sharing his thoughts, he looked at me, the practical side setting in and said” This is going to be long and hard journey with lots of setbacks.” I gave him an incredulous look and said in typical Meg-fashion, “God always gives me favor. I am one of His favorites! I expect extraordinary things from an extraordinary God.” Before he could respond, the voice on the radio said, “God is extraordinary. He wants us to have faith in Him and expect extraordinary things. If you do expect great things from God, He will not disappoint, He will do great things.” We just started laughing! Of course, we know that it will be difficult but God just wanted us to know that He is listening and very involved here. Funny, I always thought that God’s voice would sound like Earl Jones or Morgan Freeman but really, it sounded a lot like Tim McDermott at KSBJ radio. We thanked God for making us aware that He is the one guiding us and we asked Him to show His power and to do extraordinary things in our lives and specifically, in the adoption.
Monday, August 15th, my car has a cracked coil in the compressor so the Freon keeps leaking and on the 15th day in row of temperatures 100+, air conditioning is... well, nice. Over brushing teeth and prepping for the day, we decided that we were going to have to bite the bullet and take the car in. It runs well and has never had another problem, except for the A/C. Bryan was going to drive me to work after we dropped off the car this morning at Christian Brother’s Automotive. I started the car… well, I tried to start the car. Dead, no lights on, nothing plugged into the outlet, just a very dead battery. We tried to jump the car but it didn’t work before we reach the point of no return and had to go to work. On the road, Bryan’s 3 year old car decided to pull severely to the right and shake the entire way to the office! We started laughing – belly-rolling laughing in the car. When you pray for God to show His power and to Him be the glory, evidentially, He wants all the glory! He took Gideon down to the water and sent back his 30,000+ soldiers, leaving only 300 so that the nations would know that it wasn’t by Gideon (or the Kamps) power but by the Almighty God’s power and to Him alone be all glory and praise. I don’t know what we are going to do but that doesn’t really matter because God does and He evidentially knew this was going to happen. He promised us on Sunday that He was going to great things and on this Monday, we choose to trust the Almighty and trust that He will fulfill His promises to us. I can’t wait to see what He is going to do!
There are times in my life, perhaps even this last season that it has been difficult to feel God’s presence. You are guided by Him but the intimacy with Him is just distant. Regardless, God and I have been sticking to each other like bees on honey. God, however, decided to make His presence astoundingly clear to both, Bryan and me. I would love to tell you the story as the plot deepened even this Monday morning.
Saturday, August 13th, Bryan was studying and I was filling pages in Kid Kamp’s book but we took breaks to talk about concerns and hopes with “Kid” Kamp.
Sunday, August 14th, Bryan woke up early. He sat there dreaming about our African child, hopes for them, concerns for them and all the things we want for them. I woke up about an hour later and listened to Bryan and his thoughts about our child. The radio alarm went off to wake us up for church but left it playing in the background, engrossed in thinking about “Kid” Kamp. When he finished sharing his thoughts, he looked at me, the practical side setting in and said” This is going to be long and hard journey with lots of setbacks.” I gave him an incredulous look and said in typical Meg-fashion, “God always gives me favor. I am one of His favorites! I expect extraordinary things from an extraordinary God.” Before he could respond, the voice on the radio said, “God is extraordinary. He wants us to have faith in Him and expect extraordinary things. If you do expect great things from God, He will not disappoint, He will do great things.” We just started laughing! Of course, we know that it will be difficult but God just wanted us to know that He is listening and very involved here. Funny, I always thought that God’s voice would sound like Earl Jones or Morgan Freeman but really, it sounded a lot like Tim McDermott at KSBJ radio. We thanked God for making us aware that He is the one guiding us and we asked Him to show His power and to do extraordinary things in our lives and specifically, in the adoption.
Monday, August 15th, my car has a cracked coil in the compressor so the Freon keeps leaking and on the 15th day in row of temperatures 100+, air conditioning is... well, nice. Over brushing teeth and prepping for the day, we decided that we were going to have to bite the bullet and take the car in. It runs well and has never had another problem, except for the A/C. Bryan was going to drive me to work after we dropped off the car this morning at Christian Brother’s Automotive. I started the car… well, I tried to start the car. Dead, no lights on, nothing plugged into the outlet, just a very dead battery. We tried to jump the car but it didn’t work before we reach the point of no return and had to go to work. On the road, Bryan’s 3 year old car decided to pull severely to the right and shake the entire way to the office! We started laughing – belly-rolling laughing in the car. When you pray for God to show His power and to Him be the glory, evidentially, He wants all the glory! He took Gideon down to the water and sent back his 30,000+ soldiers, leaving only 300 so that the nations would know that it wasn’t by Gideon (or the Kamps) power but by the Almighty God’s power and to Him alone be all glory and praise. I don’t know what we are going to do but that doesn’t really matter because God does and He evidentially knew this was going to happen. He promised us on Sunday that He was going to great things and on this Monday, we choose to trust the Almighty and trust that He will fulfill His promises to us. I can’t wait to see what He is going to do!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
The Definition of "TAP" (The Adoption Process)
Thank you all for all your responses! It touches my heart to know that you care about us. I have been finding myself with a phrase that has grown quite common to my lips, "The Adoption Process." (TAP) A person might ask if we are planning on having children and I say, "Why yes we are! We just started the adoption process." I was thinking about this today as I was prepping some i800a forms and I thought, What am I saying? What does this mean, The Adoption Process? It sounded quite elusive. I've decided that in 12 months from now, I will be much more qualified to give an informed definition but for today, July 27th, here is what it means to me. It means seeing every child under the age of 5 and wondering if our child(ren) are on their way into this world yet or are they perhaps already here? TAP means that while I am reviewing hotel reservations and flight information at work, I am really wondering when I am going to be booking 2 tickets to Africa and 3 tickets to Houston. Starting TAP means that every night, instead of grabbing a coffee with friends, I would rather throw the switch on my laptop and work on our dossier, the paper work that the governments and agencies require to run the background and in-home checks and to match you with your child(ren). TAP means taking typing breaks to relieve your writer's cramp from the past 14 pages of forms you have been filling out. The Adoption Process means laughing and dreaming of your coming family.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Why Kamp Plus One?
Welcome to Kamp Plus One, a link between you and our journey to finding our child. We started our journey long before either of us ever met each other, although we see that this is the journey God laid out since the very beginning. Since I was a little girl, I have wanted to have a family including adopted children. Bryan was a babysitter for his adopted cousins from South Korea whom he adores. When I was 18 years old, my doctor was looking at my knees as I tore my cartilage when she discovered what later would be diagnosed a ovarian cancer. The tumor was taken care of with surgery and while the doctors were optimistic at the time, I would find out that there was a lot of scarring that could present difficulties in conceiving naturally. When Bryan and I met, we discussed this possibility and decided that God has placed so many wonderful children on this earth, that we would want to adopt some of them. We prayed about it and in November of 2010, we started talking about looking into the process and speaking with friends and family about international adoption. Unbeknownst to us, we were already pregnant! Right after the new year, I started feeling sick. A visit to the doctor would reveal that we were having a miscarriage. While it was very difficult, it gave us hope that we might be able to conceive. During the struggle, we realized that all life is a true and beautiful miracle. We took to our knees before God and with the support of Luke and Ashley Cheatham, and family, we grieved the loss of our pregnancy but we also asked God what was His plan for our future. A few months later, during a church service, Bryan leaned over to me to show me something that I had already circled in my bulletin, a discussion panel on adoption. We prayed before going in that God would lead us and help answer some of the questions still lingering in our minds. He answered them all as we sat and listened to both the hardships of being adopted and the joys of being part of a forever family. We were thrilled! We continued to pray and have others pray with us. Finally, Bryan's Aunt Jan went to the Orphan Summit 2011 in Tennessee where she gathered as many resources for us as any one human could. She sent us the contacts of a couple who happen to go to our church and lead an adoption group. We met with this terrific couple and asked some questions specific to Texas and their experience. This conversation was the last green light God gave us to start the process. We chose Bethany Christian Services to help us with our Ethiopian adoption of a boy or girl under the age of 3. Here we are, the first part of the application is in and the mounds of completed paperwork grow by the day. We know this will be a long process but it is our hope that you will pray for us and pray for protection over our child while we keep you updated with developments. Please feel free to comment, call, email, pray and know that we thank you for your part in this journey!
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