Harder Family Adventures

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Christmas Letter: 2016

Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

Merry Christmas from the Harder family!! We pray that each of you have had a wonderful year. God has continued to be faithful and true to us. He is never changing and is truly all the things that Isaiah 9:6 says. He is our everlasting Father and our Prince of Peace!!

Wayne continues to do well after his cancer treatments in 2015. His recent MRI scan came back clear and the doctors are amazed at how well he is doing. We continue to trust God with our future and Wayne's health.

We have continued our adventure of homeschooling the girls. Abigail is in 8th grade (crazy how fast time goes), Grace 7th, Naomi 6th, Sophia 3rd, Micaela 1st, and Joella preschool. We have a blast as a family and are so thankful for the times that we get to spend with the girls.

This summer we took an epic adventure trip out west. We flew into San Francisco and visited family and friends in California. I took the girls to Yosemite, Mammoth Lakes, Lake Tahoe, and other fun places from my childhood. We went fishing, hiking, swimming at Oma's house, and had a ton of fun. After some time in California, I drove the girls 655 miles north to Washington to spend some time with Wayne's family. We had a blast hanging out with all of the family. If you missed them, you can see all the pictures from our trip here: Trip Part #1, Trip Part #2, Trip Part #3, Trip Part #4, Trip Part #5.

After a week, we drove north and visited Mt. Rainier and Olympic National Park. From there we took a ferry to Vancouver Island, Canada and spent the day at Butchart Botanical Gardens (absolutely beautiful). We then drove north and met up with a group from church. We all then loaded onto a boat and traveled to a remote island. We were privileged to help prepare the grounds for campers. We did a ton of manual labor. It was such an amazing experience, one that changed the girl's and our lives forever!!

We then made the trip south all way south to San Francisco. Along the way we visited Redwood National Park, the beach, Santa Rosa, and then San Francisco.

After we returned from our epic summer trip out west, we celebrated Wayne's 40th birthday by throwing him a surprise party (and we got him)!!

Two days after Wayne's party, we prepared for our next adventure. This summer we hosted a 9 year old boy from China. This experience was life changing. As we opened our home and hearts to this young boy, he forever changed our family. God opened the door for us to pursue Shan Chen as our son. (You can read all about it on this older post). We also decided to pursue adopting another young boy (10) named DJ. He was hosted in the United States at the same time as Shan Chen. These boys will no longer be orphans, but will be sons and brothers. I love how adoption is a beautiful picture of what God has done for us adopting us into His family!

Shan Chen

We received amazing news this week from China that we have been officially approved to be Shan Chen and DJ's parents!! We signed the letter today and mailed our paperwork off to the US government. Lord willing, in late February, early March, Rebecca will be traveling to China to pick up our boys! Wayne is going to stay home and hold the fort down with the kids. Please pray for us as we embark on this new adventure!

We are excited to see what 2017 holds for our family!! We pray that 2017 is a great year for you as well. May we each continue to strive to honor and serve our Savior as long as He gives us breath here on this earth.

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Exciting News!!

We have some exciting news in the Harder household. On Monday, Wayne had another follow up MRI. Everything came back clear and the doctor said he is looking amazing.

Today we got even more exciting news. Our official acceptance letter from China is in the mail. We should get it on Monday/Tuesday!! What does this mean? It means that we can let the boys know that we are coming (just in time for Shan Chen's 10th birthday in 2 days!!!), we can file paperwork for their visas (more paperwork and waiting - but this step is HUGE), and it means that in 8-12 weeks we will be in China!!!

God is so good!!! His timing is perfect. I had surrendered my timing once again to Him (I'm a slow learner). I had been following charts and people's notifications all week, hoping ours would come on Monday. Finally this morning, I said, "Okay Lord, I know you have the best timing in mind." I didn't look at charts or anything and just started teaching the girls. I was reading and the phone rang and I saw it was our agency. I tried not to get my hopes up, but it was the good news I had been hoping for all week. God is so good! How many times do I have to learn to just surrender and trust Him?? Remind me of this when you hear me starting to worry about things okay?

We can't wait to go get our boys!!

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Christmas Adventures

Proverbs 16:9 "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Many of you know that I have been praying some specific prayer requests regarding the adoption of our two boys. One prayer I was praying was that we would be in China on December 10th (Shan Chen's birthday). I knew that anything was possible with God, even though I was told by people that it wouldn't happen. Although I was praying for this crazy miracle, I also trusted that God's timing would be best.

Back in October, when our dossier got logged into China's system, another family with our agency had their dossier logged in as well. Two weeks after we were both logged in, she emailed me and told me that she had already received her approval letter (which is unheard of unless you have a medical expedite). I was excited for her and hopeful that maybe ours would come as well. Two weeks turned to a month, which turned to 5 weeks, which is now at day 50...still no LOA for us (and many others). Tuesday morning of last week, I heard from the same lady that they will be most likely going to China 12-10!! I had to just laugh because she had received answers to both of my prayer requests (a quick turn around on our acceptance letter and travel to China by 12-10). Although I was super excited for her, I was trying not let disappointment cloud my view of what God had planned for us.

That same evening (Tuesday of last week), I was reading a Facebook post from a family who was supposed to host a 12 year old boy during the winter. They were sharing that they were no longer able to host him and they needed to find another family (all the expenses had been paid). As soon as I read it out loud to Wayne, the girls all said, "WE need to host him!!" They then went on to explain all the reasons why: "We have a bed, we have a room, we have clothes, we've been taking Chinese - this will be a great way to practice, we are just waiting for the boys, we loved hosting Shan Chen...". It was amazing to see their hearts just ready to embrace another child in our home. We sat down as a family that night and prayed about the possibility of hosting again. Wayne and I prayed together later that night. The next morning (Wednesday), after praying, we decided to contact our agency and tell them that we were willing to host. We figured it would be up to God to either open or close the door from there. Within five minutes of emailing, we received and email back saying that they were excited that we were willing to help out and it seemed like the perfect answer. We had to wait until Monday to talk to Shannon to find out for sure if this was possible. The girls were sitting on egg shells waiting to hear the answer. As of yesterday afternoon (Monday), it was official, we will be hosting another boy.

Our crazy Christmas adventure starts December 15th when we pick him up at O'Hare airport! He will stay with us until January 13th.

The best part about this whole story is seeing God's hand in it all. He showed me that if He wanted me in China on 12-10, it would have been possible. Instead of answering the way I thought He should, He is allowing this other sweet couple to go pick up their very first child in China. And instead of us being in China in December, He is having us open our home to another boy. We can't wait to see what God has in store for this precious boy. God has orchestrated so many things in such a short time to get us to this point. 7 days ago we found about him, and in only 16 days we get to meet him! We will be posting a ton of pictures and information about him over the next few weeks, so make sure you come follow our next family adventure!!

"The Skater" - 12 years old: winner of a gold medal in skating (I see rollerblades and many trips to a roller rink while he is here).

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In light of this new development, I am taking fudge and cinnamon roll orders only until 12-13 (so that we can focus our energy and attention on him while he is here). All fudge and cinnamon rolls will need to be picked up (or arrange delivery) by 12-14. The cinnamon rolls freeze well, so you can always order your Christmas rolls, freeze them, and have them Christmas morning.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Fabulous Fudge!!

Proverbs 16:24 "Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."

We are selling fabulous homemade chocolate fudge. This fudge is made from scratch and melts in your mouth! It is great to bring to holiday parties or as a holidays gift. The fudge is $15/lb and we can ship up to two pounds anywhere in the United States for $6.80. The fudge comes individually wrapped and decorated (see picture below). We can also include a personal note in your package if you are sending it as a gift.

*** Just in time for Christmas stockings!! We are now offering the fudge in a 1/2 pound size...perfect as a stocking stuffer or for a place setting at Christmas! $8 per package. They come individually wrapped and decorated (like the picture below).

*** Note: The fudge is nut free!

See the "Buy it Now" button below to place your order.

All the proceeds from the fudge is going toward our adoption. We are adopting two boys from China (ages 10 & 11). You can read our first announcement about adopting and updates.

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

National Adoption Awareness Month: Question 1

Galatians 4:5-7 "To redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."

November is National Adoption Awareness Month. Adoption is a beautiful picture of our adoption as God's children. Adoption has impacted our family in many ways. Two of my nephews are adopted from Korea. I have seen and learned so much watching my sister and her husband raise these two amazing boys. I have also watched friends raise their adopted kids. Some of these children were adopted internationally and some were adopted domestically (foster care and from birth). As people shared their stories, God used them to work on me and Wayne. Is adoption always easy? No. Can there be difficult days, weeks, or even years? Yes. But, I also see God use those difficult moments to transform lives (both the parents and the children). God never promised that life would be easy, in fact, He actually said the opposite. We shouldn't be trying to surround ourselves with comfort and ease, but find ways to surrender "our things" and even people to God.

As we have been on this adoption journey for a few months, we have run across some interesting questions, and even some pointed opinions. It's amazing how people think they can have an opinion, and should state that opinion, about growing your family through adoption. Some concerns stem out of sincere concern, while others are rooted in fear, unbelief that we would want to have so many children, and I think sometimes our of misunderstanding of adoption.

As mentioned, there have been some good questions that have arisen in conversations. As part of National Adoption Awareness Month, I'm going to address some of these questions during the month. If you have any additional questions, feel free to email me (rebeccaharder35@gmail.com) and I will try to answer them for you. The first question is listed below. I found a great article on Holt's webpage (see the reference below)

Question #1: You are adopting boys? I thought China only had girls to adopt.

Answer #1: The deep-rooted perception that only girls need adoptive families is, however, probably the most commonly cited reason for the gender gap. And for a period of time, this was true. In the early 1990s, when China first opened to international adoption, a disproportionate number of girls in China were abandoned as an unintended consequence of the country’s one-child policy. Recognizing the need, adoptive parents from around the world stepped up to welcome these girls into their families.
But today, for a number of reasons, this is no longer the case. The perception that girls are in greater need of families is in fact now a myth.
“China used to be all about girls,” says Kris Bales, Holt’s China adoption counselor and intake manager. “Ten to 20 years ago, we rarely saw boys being released for adoption. But now we are seeing more boys than girls, and we are placing equal numbers.”
Today, the greater need for families has shifted from girls to boys in China. Although just as many boys are abandoned every year, because most adoptive families request a girl, boys wait far longer to join a family.
There is nothing at all wrong with wanting to adopt a girl — girls still need adoptive families and the joy they can bring to families is priceless. But there is an imbalance, one that leaves boys waiting longer for adoptive families.
“We want families to know that they can still wait for a girl, if that’s what they truly want,” says Kris. “But we’re hoping they make a more conscious decision, based not only on what they want, but on what the need is.”
So few families request to adopt a boy that today, being a boy is considered a special need. (http://holtinternational.org/blog/2016/02/blessed-with-a-boy/)

I also found this article, which articulates this answer so well, I'm not going to even attempt to answer it on my own. It is worth 5 minutes of your time to read the article, I promise.

Another host family put this amazing video together about adoption and hosting. I thought that I would share it here.

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Finishing the Race Strong

Hebrews 12:1-3 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

Philippians 3:14-21 "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus...But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing."

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Running a race is never easy, regardless if you are a seasoned runner or are just starting to run for the first time. You begin your race strong and you run as hard as you can to keep up with the "fast" runners. Unless you've learned to hold your own tempo, you can quickly run out of steam those first few minutes. Part of running a race is endurance. When you start to get tired, you set little goals (I can make it to the next block). At times you need the crowd around you to keep you moving your feet toward that goal. Once you see the goal, that finish line ahead of you, you start to run faster. You run with more purpose. The end is in sight!

I find it very interesting that God tells us to keep our eyes on the finish line. I think that God wants us to remember every day that we are running a race. He doesn't want us to be stuck in the middle of the race where we are having a hard time staying motivated. He wants us to fix our eyes on Jesus and push forward strong to the end. There is an elation at the end of the race to push harder those last few yards to make it across the finish line strong. That is how I want to run the race of my life...strong and with my eyes fixed on the finish line.

Through our journey last year with cancer, we were blessed to meet different people along the way. Some people we have met were diagnosed before Wayne and some were diagnosed after Wayne. Those who were diagnosed before us were able to give us some insight on what to expect. Early in the journey, I wanted God to be able to use me to help encourage and help others who were diagnosed after us. There is a common bond in sharing our experiences and understanding how to pray for people in the same circumstances. God was entwining our lives and our stories with many different people around the country. One couple that God introduced us to was Terry and Jan Kent. We discovered that we had many mutual friends, but God had never crossed our paths until Terry was diagnosed with brain cancer two months after Wayne.

I was privileged to meet with Terry and Jan early last summer. It was the beginning of a friendship that I know was ordained by God. Jan has been a constant encouragement to our family, a prayer warrior, and someone I am blessed to call my friend. I am always amazed how God is weaving together a beautiful story in each of our lives.

This week Terry finished his race here on earth. Although I didn't have the privilege of knowing Terry long, the impact of his life can be seen all around. He lived a life fully surrendered to God. God used his life to impact many lives around him. His passion was in glorifying God, in both his life and in his suffering. Terry had a passion for the lost and loved to share the HOPE of Jesus with everyone. He opened his home to strangers, he shared the love of Jesus with friends, he discipled and trained up younger believers, and even up until his final breath, he prayed for his neighbors and those who didn't know Jesus as their Savior and Lord. This man leaves behind an amazing legacy of faith to his family and a challenge to all of us to live fully for God, to live lives fully surrendered for the glory of God! Terry is no longer suffering and is rejoicing with his Heavenly Father up in heaven. Terry ran his race well and he finished his race strong.

The challenge for us left behind is this: run your race full speed ahead keeping your eyes on the finish line. When God asks you to do something, even if it is crazy, don't be afraid to say YES! We never know how God is going to use our lives to impact those around us. Let's all finish running our races strong for the glory of God's name!! My prayer is to hear these words, "Well done my good and faithful servant."

Regardless of what we face in life, we know that God is with us and we can say "It Is Well With My Soul"

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Family Traditions

Psalm 17:8 "Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings."

When we started having kids, we wanted to make sure that we made fun memories with them. As a child, some of my favorite memories revolved around family traditions and camping trips. We enjoy spending time with our kids and we have discovered that having these family traditions means a lot to the kids. One of our favorite family traditions is to go apple picking each year. Years ago we found a great place in Michigan called Tree-Mendus. The girls love this orchard! Last year we went somewhere else that is closer, and they weren't happy. They begged us to take them to the original orchard that we've always gone each year. The only downside about family traditions is sometimes you can't change things and you have to keep things exactly the same...year after year. So, this year we decided to drive the extra hour north to our kid's favorite orchard. One of the reasons they love this orchard is because they always have a horse or pony available for the kids to ride. The girls, especially Sophia, love to ride horses! They also enjoy riding on the tractor out to the orchard. The girls were disappointed this year because we didn't take the tractor. We still had a blast picking apples, riding the horse, and eating caramel apples! After I uploaded the pictures, I realized that I never got a close shot of Naomi. She was off on her own picking apples and I missed getting a picture of her.

Update on adoption: Our dossier went to China 10/7 and arrived and was logged in 10/10. Now we wait 1-3 months (I think the average right now is about 40 days) to have our dossier translated, approved, and an approval sent to us. Once we receive that approval, we can let the boys know that we are pursuing them!! Based on averages, we are about 4-6 months from traveling to China to get our boys.

While we are waiting, we are doing a few more fundraisers to raise the last funds needed for the adoption.

1) We are selling sheets ($35 for one or $65 for two plus $10 shipping, if you aren't local - see picture below);

2) We are selling homemade chocolate fudge ($15/lb and $6.80 for shipping - priority flat rate box);

3) For local friends, we are selling pans of homemade cinnamon rolls ($25 for a large pan or $14 for a small pan);

4) We have a few custom towels available to sell. A friend donated them to us to sell. They are $20 each plus shipping (see picture below). We have the following still available: monkey, Snoopy, Woodstock, My little Pony, Fear from Inside Out, and Wyldstyle from Lego Movie.

5) I-Pad Custom Covers for Ipad 2,3,4: $40 (includes shipping). The cases come in two colors: pink and grey. You pick the color of the case, the state you are from, the country you are adopting from, red hearts or pink hearts. If you are adopting more then one child, we can also color more hearts in the country. You can also select whether you want "we are connected" (1st example) or just "connected" (see 2nd example).

For example: we are adopting two boys from China, so we have 2 hearts in China and we are from IL. $40 includes shipping. All proceeds will go to help us bring our two boys home from China!! If you are interested, please PM me.

Thank you for continuing to pray for our family as we take this step of faith. We appreciate all of your love, support, and prayers!!