Some of you may have noticed that the Tapestry Newsletter recently took a little vacation.  Ok, so it was actually an extended vacation of several months.  Well, the Tapestry Newsletter is back, although as you read through this new edition it will be clear that Tapestry itself certainly has not been on vacation.  Through the first half of 2010 we've continued to have the privilege of being involved in a great many events, activities and outreach efforts, and we are looking forward to celebrating five years of ministry in September.  As you will see through the stories, resources and activities highlighted in this edition of the Tapestry Newsletter, God continues to allow us to have a 'front row seat' for the adoption and foster care journeys of so many families.

The past several months have been filled with educational events (such as the Sooner Than You Think event led by Mary Flo Ridley), training and mentoring adoptive and foster parents to help them develop strong and lasting connections with their children, helping waiting families to 'make the wait worthwhile' as they get connected with Tapestry's waiting families groups and serving foster families through fun events including distributing hundreds of pairs of flip flops to children in foster care, just to name a few.  Tapestry has also started a new support group that meets each fourth Sunday night for those who have adopted, are fostering or are considering adopting an older child.

We hope you will be encouraged and helped by what we have shared in this newsletter, and that you will join us in giving praise to our Lord for the blessing and privilege He has given us to be involved in this wonderful ministry.

By Carmen Scroggin

As I am typing this, our beautiful daughter is sleeping in her crib just a few feet away. Holding her in my arms as she nestled down for rest, I began to reflect on where we were a little over a year ago.

Spring of 2009 held very different thoughts and emotions than those we are experiencing now. Spring, the time of new life and renewal, had been disappointing. After the initial excitement of deciding to adopt from Ethiopia, completing our paperwork, and beginning our wait, our agency informed us that our wait time would be double what we initially thought. Our Spring looked bleak as we settled in for more waiting. While I am not a sentimental person when it comes to holidays, Mother’s Day hit me with a vengeance. I was shocked by the intensity of my emotions that day as I felt so helpless and sad. We were later to find out that our daughter was born only days before that Mother’s Day. That Spring had brought an amazing life into this world; so far away in Gondar, Ethiopia, our daughter had been born! God’s timing, as always, had been perfect.

Click here to read the entire story of Carmen and Jim's journey to adopt Almaz (pictured above).

By Michael Monroe

I was sitting at my computer on Saturday morning when I heard Grant, my eight year-old, yelling at his little brother – something about “why did you take that . . .” As I rounded the corner to see what was going on, Grant ran into me. I knelt down and asked what was wrong. “He took it from me,” he said – and then let out a short, loud scream of frustration. “I’m just so mad at him. Why did you even have to adopt him anyway?”

Wow! Where did that come from? Gathering my thoughts, I decided to seize the opportunity and have a little adoption chat. After all, that’s a pretty important question. I didn’t want to pass up an opportunity to answer.

“That’s a good question,” I said.

Click here to read the entire story from AdoptiveDads.org.

By Cheryl Macdonald

As my daughter, Sveta, and I sat looking at the precious few photographs we have from her early childhood, we both enjoyed studying the familiar features of her sky-blue eyes and smooth olive skin. We laughed about the many changes in hair color, length and style. And as she remembered the story behind one of her kindergarten portraits, I listened carefully to every detail she could recall.

One photograph, however, captured my heart and held my attention. She was too young when it was taken to remember the slate grey and turquoise sweater she wore, or the occasion of the photo; however, she had many memories of the special person holding her close, their faces almost touching. Her birthmother looked beautiful in her jewel toned sweater and neatly applied lipstick. Her eyes and skin tone looked so much like those of the girl now sitting beside me on the bed. How old was she? How much time had passed? Where is she now? Does she think about …?
 

Click here to read Cheryl's entire story.

We encounter a great many adoptive and foster parents who are sincerely committed to their children and love them dearly.  However, many of these parents readily admit that they do not have the insight, experience or resources they need to love their children in ways that can help them heal from their past traumas and harm.  In essence, these parents acknowledge that they need new tools for their parenting toolbox so that they are equipped with the perspective, understanding and strategies that will allow them and their children to connect and be successful as they move forward in their relationship. 

Dr. Karyn Purvis and Michael & Amy Monroe have created Empowered To Connect to provide precisely these kinds of helpful and insightful tools for adoptive and foster parents.  The Empowered To Connect resource library contains a wide range of video, audio and written resources specifically designed for adoptive and foster parents.  In addition, Dr. Purvis and the Monroes recently wrote Created To Connect: A Christian's Guide to The Connected Child.  This study guide follows chapter-by-chapter Dr. Purvis' best-selling book, The Connected Child , as it highlights the biblical principles that serve as the foundation for the philosophy and interventions detailed in her book.  You can read a recent review of Created To Connect by Jason Weber of Hope for Orphans.

All of the resources on Empowered To Connect, including the Created To Connect study guide, are available free of charge, and new resources are being added weekly.  You can also sign up to receive email updates about future Empowered To Connect resources, or follow ETC on Twitter or Facebook.

Tapestry considers it a tremendous privilege to share the love of God with children in foster care as well as the families that care for and serve them.  Recently we've had several great opportunities to do just that, and the smiles and stories that we have received in return confirm that God is certainly at work and that lives are being blessed.

In April, hundreds of children at Irving Bible Church were given prayer cards so they could pray for kids in the Dallas area who waiting for a forever family.  Read the story of one boy  as he prayed that God would provide a family for a boy named Shawn.  In addition, the IBC children's ministry collected over 350 pairs of flip flops for children in foster care and was able to distribute them at a carnival event for foster families in May hosted by Tapestry.  Here's what the Stotler family (whose feet with flip flops are pictured above) had to say about the experience: "Just wanted to say thanks again for letting our family participate in your event today. Such a blessing to our family. The kids wanted to send this picture to ya’ll to say thanks for the flip flops. Another answered prayer. Who knew? God knew!”

It's not too late to join in with us as we continue to reach out to love and serve children in foster care.  Here are just a few ways you can help:

• Pray for children in foster care
• Donate to the Tapestry Kids Closet
• Learn more about foster care, respite care or adoption from foster care

For more information on these and other ways you can help children in foster care, visit the Tapestry website or contact Amy Monroe at tapestry@irvingbible.org.