Dave and I have been beyond blessed with our children. Our three little boys Jackson (7) Sawyer (5) and Ford (1.5) are kind and funny and so loving. And in time, hopefully within this year, they’ll share their love with a new little sister. The Hollis family, all five of us, are in the process of adopting a little girl from Ethiopia. Adoption was something we’d talked about doing for years and when we found out Ford was a boy, the part of my heart that had dreamed of a daughter for as long as I can remember, made up my mind for me.
If you’ve adopted, or know anyone who has, I’m sure they’d agree with this fact… it takes a long time. We’re a year into the process and we hope that we’ll meet our daughter in 2014 but there’s no guarantee. The waiting is tough because part of me wants to dream about her and buy clothes and dolls and make homemade bows for her hair but if I do any of that I worry that it will make the wait seem longer. So I don’t go shopping, or buy her patent leather Mary Janes or start designing her room yet I wait patiently and I pray. I don’t know her age or her name, when I’ll see her or what she’ll be like, but she’s there tugging on my heart. And so I pray for her safety and her comfort, that the Lord will bless her and keep her and that she’ll be home to share Friday night pizza with us soon.
In the meantime, I thought of these sweet little coffee mugs. It’s a simple idea really, something you’d make for yourself or another adoptive parent you know. It’s the outline of Africa with a heart over Ethiopia, a reminder to say a prayer for your little one while you have your morning coffee. The craft is simple, but for parents who wait every day for the phone call, it’s a sweet reminder to hold until they get to hold their baby. ~Rachel
This craft is incredibly simple. Simply Google Image the country or continent where you adoption will take place. Print it out on card stock (you may have to print it out in a few sizes until you find the one that fits best on the mug) and cut out the shape. When you’re cutting it out, really try and get into every groove, nook and cranny in the outline… that’s what makes the country/continent really evident.
Use a little glue or tape to attach the center of your template to your mug. Next use a Sharpie to outline the shape. I went over mine twice. Add a red heart over the area you’re adopting from and allow the mug to dry completely (a full 24 hours). Bake in the oven at 200 degrees F for 2 hrs.
Once baked you can use it like any other mug but for best results I’d hand wash instead of using the dishwasher.
[photos by Maryanne Cabrera]
