Hello All! This Halloween we had two beautiful Cats, Captain America, a Dragon and a Michigan State University Cheerleader (Go Spartans!) in our home for the holiday. We had a great time and all have had enough candy for quite awhile. Tonight was the Harvest festival at the Christian school the three oldest Briden kids attend. It was a fun time to dress up again and see friends from school. We hope you had a great weekend! Welcome November : ) Love the Bunch

Enough Said in that video for this "Right Wing Wacko". It's all about "fairness" isn't it. Let's "spread the wealth around." Doesn't sound fair to this mom of five!! Their is no "fair" in life, parenting, or politics. Let's just watch and see where the tax increase hits bottom, $100,000, $75,000, or maybe $50,000.

I look at the presidency now as similar to becoming a parent. First time parents, while the baby is in the womb, have all these thoughts and dreams of how their children will behave and how they will shape this little mind. Then the bundle turns 18 months and the precious little sinner freaks out in the checkout lane at Wal-Mart because they missed their much needed nap. Presidential candidates can have all these grand ideas, just like untested parents, but actually getting the job done can be harder than the idealized dreams we have in our minds.

Let's be real the President doesn't create jobs. This is Econ. 101, people!! Business and especially small business creates jobs. Tax hikes for anyone at this time when our economy is in the tank will only make it worse.

I will always teach my children to work hard and realize their will always be someone who makes more than you and someone who makes less. Don't steal from others and don't covet. This sounds familiar, did Moses bring those commandments down from Mt. Sinai many years ago? It always comes back to God and parenting for me. I guess because that is my life, I chose to stay at home and "bake cookies" (Hillary quote), I am raising the next generation to be educated and succeed. I don't have to much time to dwell on taxes all day, but it is one thing that burns me up!!! Let's just call it a hobby of mine : ) That and watching Bill O'Reilly at 8:00pm. Speaking of that, look at the time, I gotta run. Remember to vote on Tuesday, it is a honor and a privilege!!!!!!!! Dear Lord, thank you that by your grace I am an American!! Have a good night~ Crystal

Hello All! Today Timmy had his first taste of Pumpkin pie with cool whip, an American classic : ) He loved it and kept asking for "more". This past weekend we had all the kids in their "footie" pajamas after bath night. Everyone was relatively happy and calm. Here is our "Bunch"!! Praise God together at last!!! Have a great day and thanks for praying for us~Crystal

Hello All! I didn't want to get political, but who was I kidding. Check out this video here. I wouldn't be being true to me if I didn't include this video clip from my favorite " right wing" morning show : ) I love the line that some women feel their voices are not being heard. Those women disagree with a majority of East and West coast women on issues including education, recreation and procreation!!! You go Jeri Thompson and Sarah Palin!!!!! From one mom of five to another, keep fighting, take a stand for us all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now you definitely know where I stand, God bless America : )

Hello All! They made it safe and sound, PRAISE GOD!!!!! Timmy is fitting so well in our family and we Praise God for adding him!!! God is so good to us, all the time. We thank Him for never leaving us even when we, at times, questioned if this could ever get done. Timothy is from Uganda and that is where he and Daddy have spent the past seven weeks together. Timmy is very strongly bonded to Daddy, but is already reaching for Mommy and giving Mommy kisses : ) He has beautiful eyes and eyelashes most women would die for. He is a handsome little guy and we are so glad to have him home!!!! Enjoy the family photos. Thanks again for praying for us!!!!!! God did indeed work a miracle where we thought there was no hope. Indeed there is NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE FOR OUR GOD!! With excitement and awe~ Crystal

Hello All!!! Thanks for the prayers and support!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kelly and Timmy are on a plane right now over the Atlantic ocean : ) We will have an exciting homecoming this afternoon!! I will update the blog with the new family picture in a day or so : ) Thanks again~ In Awe of our Great God~ Crystal

Hello All! For many reasons I am considering making this blog only available to people I know or want reading our blog. Many factors have contributed to this decision. Please email me at thebridenbunch@yahoo.com , if you would like to continue to view our blog. Include your email address in the email and I will add you to our list of readers. You don't have to be a person who comments on the blog or checks it that often, I want a majority of people to read it : ) I just want us to have more privacy and protect against people who would wish us ill. Thanks and I will leave this up for a week or so. God Bless you all~ Crystal

Hello All, please keep praying!!!!!!!!!!!! God can move mountains and he has!!!!! We are praising him for that. I should know more next week and will update the blog than. Thanks for praying, God is answering and he alone is to be praised in all this, God Bless your weekend~ Crystal and The Stateside Bunch

Hello All! God is working miracles on our behalf, we praise him because he is so amazing!! Only he could have pulled together this paperwork in such a short time. Where in the world can you have a court hearing and get that in writing the same day? God is working and he alone is to be praised!!!! He is moving mountains, thank you Jesus!!! Kelly has a very important meeting tomorrow morning in Africa. We need this meeting covered in prayer. Please pray for our son to get out of the country of his birth and be added to our family!!! Please pray for the God to move in this meeting tomorrow and for all to go in the favor of Timothy getting his Visa!!! Thank you, we so appreciate the prayers of you all, I can feel that you are lifting us up. I am humbled by all the people praying for us! People are telling me God woke them up to pray or they had a dream about Timothy's adoption and our family. Please don't stop we need your prayers and we know God alone will glorified in all this. I feel we are in a spiritual battle for this little guy and Satan would like nothing more than to crush our heart for orphans and Timothy in this process. Please pray for us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

31What, then, can we say about all of this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32The one who did not spare his own Son, but offered him as a sacrifice for all of us, surely will give us all things, along with his son, won't he? 33Who shall accuse God's Elect? It is God who justifies! 34Who is the one to condemn? It is the Messiah Jesus who is interceding on our behalf. He died, and more importantly, has been raised and is seated at the right hand of God.
35Who shall separate us from the Messiah's love? Can trouble, distress, persecution, hunger, nakedness, danger, or a violent death do this? 36As it is written,
“For your sake we are being put to death all day long.
We are thought of as sheep headed for slaughter.”
37In all these things we are triumphantly victorious due to the one who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor anything above, nor anything below, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is ours in the Messiah Jesus, our Lord.

ROMANS 8 31-39

PLEASE DEAR LORD BRING TIMOTHY HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE WILL GIVE YOU ALL THE PRAISE AND GLORY!!! DEAR LORD SHOW ALL WATCHING AND PRAYING THAT YOU ARE AWESOME AND POWERFUL, THE FATHER TO THE FATHERLESS! IN JESUS NAME~AMEN

Hello All! God is working in a mighty way and for that we praise him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kelly, Timothy, and our friend Matt and his baby daughter, Gracia will be appearing in court tomorrow in the morning ( in Africa). That would be the middle of the night our time : ) Please pray for a miracle in that they could have the needed paperwork in their hands top apply for the Visa and be granted the visa Friday. God is moving mountains and he has reveled to me that he alone will be glorified in all this! Now we are asking him to move his mighty hand to work in a situation that is impossible for man alone. "For with God nothing shall be impossible" Luke 1 :37 . God has revealed to me Psalm 10 and 2 Chronicles 20 in this process. God has spoke to me through his word and Christian brothers and sisters. Read them if you have time. He hears the plight of the fatherless and he holds them in his hand. Please pray for God to be glorified and to bring Timothy and Gracia home to their families!!!!!

We miss you Daddy and Timmy, come home soon!!!

Love, the Stateside BUNCH

Hello All! We are still waiting for some good news in terms of our adoption. We should have news soon, but right now that feels like an eternity. Please continue to pray for Kelly and Timothy as they are so ready to complete this process. I see now why God doesn't give you all the facts before you acting obedience. If we had known we definitely wouldn't have done it. Like Joseph and his dreams, we believe we know the end ( he knew his brothers would bow to him). We are hopeful Timothy will make is to us, but God has used this to stretch our patience, Faith and reliance on him. Joseph was sold into slavery, falsely accused and wrongly imprisoned. I am trying to be positive, we are all safe and healthy, just waiting!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please pray for God to move a mountain as far as our adoption of Timothy. Thank you in advance for your prayers we really appreciate it : ) Trusting in Him~ Crystal

Hello All! If you are in Michigan please watch this video about Proposal 2. We do not need to fund human embryonic stem cell research. Our economy in Michigan is already a mess, please no tax increases!!!!

"HOPE IS THE THING WITH FEATHERS THAT PERCHES IN THE SOUL" Emily Dickinson

Tonight I have hope, that Timothy will come home, that we will get more news tomorrow and that my hope is in GOD alone!!! God is so good not to tell us what we will go through in the process of being obedient to him. If we had known this adoption would have these twists and turns we most likely wouldn't have done it. Please continue to pray for our family. Kelly has been gone since the 5th of September and to say he is missed is a HUGE understatement. I think separation is good for a marriage now and then. I have realized how much Kelly does around this house to make my job easier. He is an excellent father and husband!!!!!! I am glad though that God has taught me through this to rely on him. He alone has gotten me through some hard days without my "better half". I keep asking myself, "What is one persons life worth to God?" The response I here from my creator "Alot, I died for you. Each life means that much to me." So for now our family is separated by many miles. But Timothy's life is worth that and so much more to our family. More importantly his life is precious to God!!!! I will post news as soon as I here more. For now please pray for Timmy and Kelly to be on a plane ASAP!!!! Love ~ Crystal

Hello All! Please pray for our adoption. We had a dark day yesterday, but God is good!!! God opened my eyes to the story of Lazarus in John 11:1-44. Even on the darkest days God is still working and he alone will be glorified!!! We are trusting in him and encouraged with some news from Kelly today. I believe God is hearing and answering our prayers for our son, Timothy. Please also pray for Me and the kids at home as we want both of them home soon. We praise God for all he has done, is doing and will do in our adoption of Timothy. I also believe during separation you really truly appreciate what a awesome spouse you have and how much they are missed!!!!!!!!! Kelly you are 1 in a million : ) You will always have my love and my deepest respect~ Trusting HIM~ Crystal

PS~ I will blog more when I have more solid information : )