We're Moving!

No we aren't moving physically. We are however moving our website to http://amicarr.com/
The new blog will serve to keep you updated on our adoption along with encouraging you in your walk as mothers, wives, single women etc.
So go on over to our new site now and become a "follower" or simply leave a nice comment and you will be entered into a drawing for a beautiful necklace, handmade by my daughter and I.

A Goat

We sponsor a little girl in Haiti. Her name is Westerlineda. We bought her family a goat a couple years ago and it died recently. She wrote us a letter about it. We would love to buy her another one. Would you be willing to help us buy that goat? I (Ami) made a necklace out of the entire Compassion International magazine on Haiti. One of the beads has a picture of a little boy on it and one has the founder of Compassion International on it. It's pretty cool, being that it is made out of the WHOLE magazine about Haiti.
Purchase this necklace for yourself or as a gift for someone else---help us buy a goat to help a family in need in Haiti. 100% of the profits from this necklace go to buying a goat. Suggested price $40.
Here are some pictures of it:

A Little Boy

My friend is in the process of adopting a precious little boy. He is sick and they are feeling an urgency to bring him home as soon as possible.
Would you consider helping us help them? My daughter and I make beautiful beads out of upcycled magazines and newspaper--using the same process they do in Africa. Would you consider buying one to help support their adoption? Both mine and my daughters birthdays are in September. We would like to raise as much money as possible this month. It is our way of giving back. This is our B'day present to ourselves---to help bring this little one home.
Please help.
75% of the sale will go to the adoption 25% will go toward supporting our children in Liberia.
Blessings to all!
Ami and Rachel
ps you can read about my friends journey here:
http://beebebits.blogspot.com/2010/09/photographs.html

International Adoption

While most of you know we have a heart for our countries orphaned and unparented we also have a heart for the world orphan crisis. You may not know how sick I am of hearing about this great divide---meaning the conversation that goes something like this:
Why would anyone adopt from Africa? Do you know what you're getting yourself into? Why not adopt locally? Etc etc etc.
I am here to tell you no matter what you believe. Where you think you should or shouldn't adopt from there are no WRONG answers except the one that says "I will not care for children" If you are a Christian, you are commanded to care for the orphaned and widowed. That care may look different for everyone. Some are called to pray. Some are called to sponsor a child. Some are called to bring a meal to a family that is fostering. Some are even called to adopt domestically or YES,even, from a foreign land.
Guess what folks? They are ALL children. You turn your back on a child you turn your back on the very God who made them in His image.
I hope this challenges some of you. I know some of us have our quiver full already. Could I encourage you mom's out there of more than a couple children? Hang in there. God will sustain you. There is much Joy in mothering your biological children. There is some sorrow too. I just experienced the "moving out" of my oldest back in May. Boy, I wasn't expecting it to be so hard! My daughter, a sophomore in High-school is still home. We have also added three foster children. Our quiver is full so to speak.
Now for those of you who need or want more information on international adoption from a personal perspective. Check out this amazing article here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/26/AR2010082605232.html
Many Blessings my friends. Keep up the good fight. We win in the end.
p.s.
If you would like to buy a necklace you can post a comment and let me know. We are currently trying to help a family bring home their little boy.

A Tragedy

Last week in the town we live in a tragedy struck. While I do not know all the details I do know that I read a snapshot of the beginning and ending of a life that ended too soon. Here is the article:
http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=12983312
My husband and I have four precious gifts living with us. One biological, the other three foster children. We are fully aware that at any given time our children could make a bad choice or a series of bad choices. We hope and pray they do not, however; as I read one of the first articles that came out about this tragedy I read that this particular 15 year old "Child" had been in and out of state custody since he was 4 months old. I was sick. What happened to a permanency plan for him? What happened to getting him into a "forever" family? Why did his parents choose not to make wise choices? Did they make wise choices? I don't know any of these answers. Perhaps someone out there was called to care for this child and ignored that call. As hard as it may be, and trust me, I know it's hard---YOU can make a difference. First of all pray and then pray some more. Prayer causes things to happen, then act. Don't just act because you have compassion act because it is the right thing to do. We NEED each other. What if you had taken one hour, just one, to talk with this boy, to draw him out, to let him know he wasn't alone, that he didn't have to make bad choices to be accepted?
Now, I don't want to pretend to know all the details of this case. I know only what I read. I read about a family that loved him and tried to help him. Now they are grieving his loss. I did not know him at all but I am grieving his loss. I am grieving because I know my savior is grieving. Where is the body of believers that are called by Jesus name to serve the poorest of the poor? Where?
Oh Lord forgive us for we know not what we do or "not" do. Forgive us for being comfortable in our worlds, our lives. Forgive us for our complacency. Please let this tragedy spur us on to good works. We want to glorify you. We do not seek to add to the finished work of Christ we seek to honor Him who sent us by being his hands and His feet in a lonely forgotten world.

My biological daughter and I make jewelry. 50% of the profits we make this month will go toward a foster organization to promote fostering and to get the word out about the need and the need is great.
The other 50% will go to a dear friend who is trying to bring home her son through adoption.
Will you heed the call to care for orphans? Will you make the difference in someones life today?

Bringing a Family Together

We have been give the awesome privilege of helping bring together a family.
Our friends, Robin and Reid Beebe, are in the process of bringing home their son from Ghana, Africa. We are helping them to raise money for all the expenses associated with adopting. Having been through this process we know it can be a daunting task---but we also know that GOD IS FAITHFUL to provide even more than we can imagine or hope for.
50% of the sale of all jewelry through September will go toward their adoption. The other 50% will go toward helping children in the foster care system in America.
Will you help us help this family bring home their son?
You can order online and we will custom make your necklace. Each bead is rolled by hand by us.
For more information please contact us.
You can Read about our friends journey to adopt here: http://www.beebebits.blogspot.com/
Not to us but to God's name be the Glory!
Ami and Rachel Carr
A mother-daughter team.

PICTURES

Finally, Rachel and I were able to take some much better pictures. Whatever we sell through the month of July will go to help two orphans in Liberia.
All beads are hand cut and rolled by myself and my daughter. This particular set is made of scrap book paper. Each bead is shellacked to a beautiful gloss.
This particular necklace can be wrapped around your neck three times for a layered look or worn double or single. I love the earrings to go with them. My daughter designed and made them.
This set is $25 plus $2.50 for shipping. We can also deliver w/in our area.
We will have more pics up soon.
Thank you for helping us help them.

No Camera- Lots of Jewelry

Okay, So I am looking for a camera that will capture the beauty of the jewelry we have been making. No such luck. I have many different colors, styles, shapes etc.
I am so excited that we have raised $20 to give to a single mom about to give birth! HOORAY!
We now have bracelets and my daughter figured out how to make beautiful earrings.
We want to host a girls night for those of you who are local. We'll have you over and teach you how to make the necklaces and you can help us help the less fortunate, have fun, and learn a new skill? Fun? You Bet!
More details to come as we work out "the plan"

Pro-Life?

Okay so I really want a Camera that actually works and gets good detail. Until then you have to trust us with the description.
The sale of this necklace will go to help support a single mom getting ready to give birth. She could have chosen death for this child. She has so many obstacles in her way. She is a wonderful mom to her other three children. She has no support and no help. If you believe in the sanctity of LIFE and want to help this mom buy this necklace. We made it out of round pink and off white round beads. The beads are made of scrap book paper and shellacked to a glossy finish. I have posted some pictures but they do not show the beauty of the necklace very well.
This particular mom is having a girl. I wasn't planning on selling it to support her. I was just stringing beads and I thought the Lord may have spoken to me about her tiny baby girl due in only a few short weeks.

Will you help us help her?

Minimum donation $20.oo plus $2.50 for shipping/handling.

Ami and Rachel

More Photos coming soon!

Thank you for your patience! More necklaces and Pictures coming REAL soon! We are so EXCITED about helping families! The first necklace found a nice home.
Stay tuned!
Ami and Rachel.

Your First Chance!

Here it is folks! Your first chance to help us help them. Our family is going to West Africa in June. One of the many projects we will be doing is planting Moringa Trees from seed. We need to buy the Moringa seeds Before we can plant them, they are costly.
Why Moringa Seeds? Once the trees are full grown the leaves offer superior nutritional value to both pregnant women and children. You can read about Moringa here: http://www.treesforlife.org/our-work/our-initiatives/moringa
Rachel and I are auctioning off a necklace we made of recycled magazines. If you are interested please email us at servingfamiliesandchildren@gmail.com
We will keep the bidders up to date via email. All bidding will Stop Midnight Friday. Payment musy be made within 24 hours via paypal.
Thank you for helping us help them!
Ami and Rachel

An excerpt from a letter

I picked up a book I had been carrying around in my vehicle for a while to read while my husband ran into my favorite local coffee shop.
It's called "Live Like a Jesus Freak"--Spend Today as if it were your LAST. By dc Talk
Page 50, there is a letter written by a communist soldier named Ivan to his parents. It was his last letter.
"...I listen to Him (Jesus), though my body does not wish to go through everything. I do this because I do not value my life as much as I value Him. And I will not await my own will, but I will follow as the Lord leads. He says, 'Go,' and I Go."
There is a popular song right now, You may have heard it it's called "It's Your Life" by Francesca Battestelli. Here is part of that song----
It’s your life
What you gonna do?
The world is watching you
Every day the choices you make
Say what you are and who
Your heart beats for
It’s an open door
It’s your life
While Rachel and I do not agree with the title I think the message is pretty clear. It isn't OUR life. We live for our Risen Savior. What choices are you making today to help others? Go meet your neighbor. Babysit a weary mom's child. You know what God's calling you too. NOW GO DO IT!

Most People

I, Ami, was given some very excellent wisdom today. I was told 95% of people want to do the RIGHT thing. Will you help us do the RIGHT thing?
My daughter and I have a heart for helping the children and families of our community, both locally and abroad. One way we figured we could do this is by making and selling jewelry.
I have two local organizations in mind and one overseas. Stay tuned for pictures of the jewelry and how you can help us save families and help children
Thank you for reading and stay tuned...