Finally an Update on Operation Christmas Child and our Adoption
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 พ.ย. 2024
- Hi Firend, this is just a little update on our life.
The Minimal Mom - a wonderful channel that helped me gain control of my out of control home.
/ @theminimalmom
I totally get it, Robynn. It’s why I discontinued my public OCC wish list. The response to it in 2022 was joyously overwhelming. I couldn’t get over how many generous people wanted to help pack OCC boxes through the wishlist. Plus, I also got so much that was not on my wish list that I couldn’t even use in 2022, but tried my best to use up in 2023. It also became just too hard to keep up with who sent what and feeling that I needed to pack it on camera and credit them for their awesome gift and selfless generosity. It just became too much. It took me all of 2023 to use up all of what was gifted me in 2022. Actually, I still have a few dolls left that I would like to get packed this year, but they may have to be sent as filler. So, yes, I understand what you are saying. Matt is right, give yourself permission to take a break. Best wishes and big blessings for you in your continuing adoption journey 💞
Oh Trish! This makes me feel so much more normal! I thought I was just being silly and felt so selfish. But what you typed is exactly what I experienced. Everyone is just too generous. Thank you for your kind words!
Yes. THe OCC Wishlists were a lot of fun. I loved being able to purchase items for a shoebox that I may not have been able to send from AU (anonomously). I was also amazed at the generosity of the OCC community, and the dedication to ensuring all donors were acknowledged. However, I also respect the decision not to video and acknowledge each item / each item packed into its shoebox. I doubt if any members of this OCC community would complain if items were sent as filler - these will still bless a child in the same way as if you packed them yourself! 💖🎁💖
@@fedwards2023 thanks Fiona 😘
Glad to see this video and hear you are doing well. Bless you for opening your home. I can relate to your adoption journey! Wise choice to not foster to adopt. My husband and I did that rout about 6 years ago and it did not end well. Unfortunately, we were so traumatized by our 1st attempt that we didn’t try again. Thank you for your transparency. I have only been sharing my videos for a few months but I can clearly see how it can get overwhelming. God Bless Robyn
Sorry the Foster 2 Adopt journey was difficult. We know that even though we are doing straight adoption it could still be a very bumpy road.
I’m so proud of you, and what amazing parents you both will be!
Awe! I sure hope you’re right. It’s all a little scary. 🫣
I was so excited to see this pop into my feed. Missed seeing your smiling happy face. Thank you for being transparent during this journey and kiddo...you have our permission to slow down and just simply do what you need to do. I of course love seeing your OCC videos and hope to see more from you but only when you have the time and energy to do them. I too was feeling a bit overwhelmed with all of the OCC fillers I worked on and after much prayer I have decided to not feel bad if I can't live up to my expectations of what I need to do. Again, it was lovely hearing from you, and I am wishing you two a glorious new year. Blessings
Thank you so much, you are sooo gracious! This makes me so happy.
I was so excited to see you again -- it was like checking on a good friend. I love you too and so does God! I pray God will send you the kiddos that you need and that need you. Bless you and never feel pressure to do a video. I too watch the minimal Mom and I am not a minimalist. I feel free to get rid of useful clothes that have been given to my child that he just does not like due to sensory issues -- he has Autism. I always donate them to people in need. So the less guilt factor is awesome! Also, I was feeling bad because I only did 9 boxes last year. Then, my husband said we did 9 boxes plus shipping for those boxes. That is what we had and God will bless it to those kiddos who need it.
Nine shoeboxes is awesome! I pray you will be blessed with the resources to pack 10 boxes in 2024. 🎁💖
9 is an amazing amount of boxes!!! I’m glad you watch the minimal mom. Her videos are sooo calming.
I have missed seeing you on here. You do what is best for your mental health and wellbeing. I look forward to whatever you share with us either OCC, adoption, or other things. It will be fun to watch regardless of what it is. Even if you only upload occasionally I don’t mind. Do not feel pressured to accomplish packing many boxes and uploading regularly. At the end of the day you are still blessing kiddos with a box no matter how many you fulfill. Good luck on your adoption journey. Have a blessed 2024🎉❤😊!!!
Awe thanks!!!! It’s nice to hear from you.
Thank you so much for the updates! Glad everything is going well for you and Mattman. Hang in there. You guys are going to be amazing parents. ❤🙏
Thank you so much! We are getting so close to being licensed.
Thank you for this update! ❤ You so deserve an opportunity to nest and prepare to grow your family. And I’m sure you’ve heard from other expecting adoptive mamas, but so many of the emotions and fatigue and need to nest that comes with pregnancy also happens with adoption. Your body knows you’re “ expecting” and you need the space to feel all the things. You need the rest. God is pleased with you! The OCC community supports YOU no matter how much content you do or do not make.
I have enjoyed all your content so much, but I also love the idea of minimalism. A great gift doesn’t require a theme. 💛💛💛
Praying for you all as you grow your family!
Thanks soo much! Ive been sooo tired but can't sleep.... It's the weirdest sensation.
It is SO good to see your smiling face again, Robynn! We missed you! Good Luck with the adoption -- can't wait for another update!
Thank you so much!
Robynn, awesome of you to give us this update. It is so good to know that you guys are making healthy choices for this phase of your lives. You were greatly missed but I know you needed to focus on the Adoption journey. 50 to 60 boxes is amazing and those children will be so blessed to learn about Gods love for them because you sent those gospel opportunities. If you're not able to post videos, of course you have a pass. We would love updates whenever it fits into your super busy schedule but if not no worries. Take care of yourselves so you both can enjoy this amazing journey God has put you on. You'll both be great,loving kind and fun parents. Much love to you both❤❤ P.S. what brand are those pencils. You were so excited that the packs were hard to see. Thanks
You know what…. I never even looked at the brand. Hahaha. I just went and checked. They are called Staedtler. I’ve never heard of that brand.
@@mattmanandrobynn ,I've just recently bought that brand at Wal-Mart. It a pack with 50 pencils, 50 white cap erasers and 1 pencil sharpener for about 6 dollars. I know some people reported getting this from 1 to 3 dollars but mine are full price
Thank you for the update. I’m praying for you and Matt in your adoption journey
Thank you so much!
So happy to see you, Robynn! ❤
Thank you!!
Love Dawn, the Minimal Mom! My goal is just to do fillers this year. Just send what you have! Don't worry about making full boxes!.
I’m telling myself it’s totally fine to do that. 😉 I know I’ll end up making a few boxes and might even do a packing party again. But yes I think everything else will go in as filler. ☺️
@@mattmanandrobynn Take all your filler to the drop off point. They should put it in a big box clearly labeled filler.
I was thinking about you today and had to seek you out on here as I hadn’t seen a video pop up in a while. I’m so happy for an update! Talk about full circle!!! The minimal mom is the TH-camr that introduced me to OCC! It was like one video… but still! And then minimalism of course! I’ve watched and incorporated her ideas since the beginning of her channel! Dawn is just amazing and I’m so glad you found her when you needed her!
I always thought it would be near impossible to keep track of who got what and what went in what box. I can’t imagine how hard that would be. I say no worries at all! I didn’t send anything, but I have to assume that these things are given with love knowing they can trust you to get them in the hands of these kids. If anyone sent you these items just for the praise or mention on your channel they need to check their heart for sure. 😢
Glad to see a video from you Robin!! Keep up the good heart work and know there are zero expectations from a majority of us and we love you!!
I love watching Dawn. If I feel overwhelmed I can turn on one of her videos and do a little 5 min declutter and I feel so much better.
Glad to see you and hear the update.
Thanks!
OMG so glad to see you back on please take time and care fot your self gid bless you and Matt glad you're adoption journey is going well
Thanks that means a ton.
So glad to hear from you! Praying for you, your family and your adoption. I know God will give you the right child, for them and you! Take care and God loves you!!!!
You are so kind. Thanks so much.
This year -- I sent all my extra OCC stuff beyond boxes as "filler" so that I was not so overwhelmed with extras.
What a great plan. I’ll probably do that this year.
@@mattmanandrobynn BONUS: Gets it out of your house. Though hopefully you'll need to find a place to store it because you have kiddos needing the space earlier!
Hi Robyn. Happy New Year. It is great to hear from you and know that you are well. Yes. I missed your Vids but I figured you were busy with life and preparing for adoption. It is thus reassuring to know you have adoption agency that is supporting your adoption choices and preparing you to become the best parents you can be. As for OCC, I agree it can be overwhelming. Like, you I have a stockpile of items that I have purchased over the last two-three years. My goal is to get these items into shoeboxes this year - either I pack them myself or I send them as filler. My other goal is to not start any purchases for "new" shoeboxes (e.g., Wow items). These "new items" can wait until a start a fresh in 2025.
SAME. I have the same goals.
Giiiirl the feeling is mutual! And you so have permission. There were videos that I filmed that I didn’t even get around to editing. And this year I, too, am trying not to go shopping for OCC because of the amount of things I still have in my stash. Over the last month I’ve just been out shopping for essentials that I was lacking and that should be it for me. Whatever I have left this at the end of the year I’ll probably just send as filler so that I can have a “fresh start” in 2025.
So glad we were at least able to do our little collab in the summer ❤. But I’m thinking now, should you also count all of those kits that you gave me? ‘Cause that would bring your total up to 60~ 😆
So excited for you and Mattman in your family journey. Looking forward to that update of when you guys are matched! And don’t feel bad about not posting the training video, that can always be posted down the road ❤
I think the fresh start 2025 is most people’s goal this year. We can all do it together.
I did my first shoebox gift last year for another organization called Cross Catholic Outreaches Box of Joy. I have nearly 2 OCC shoeboxes complete. I must say I was a bit emotional when i dropped my first ever box just because of the amount of love that went into it.
Right! It gets sooo emotional for me.
I was so glad to get an update on you. I have missed seeing you and i am c glad that you are doing good. Please cobtinue to update us even if only through a very brief video. I know a little bit about bei n g overwhelmed with OCC items. I buy year round and was trying to turn my shoebox room back into a bedroom and then i was in a bad car accident in July. I was still able to pack this year with the help of my church and family.
I hope you’re feeling better after your accident.
I ended up not packing any boxes this year..but took alllll my stuff and donated the filler items
That might be what I do this year. 🤪
Thank you for sharing Robyn! I have been wondering what has happened to you. I am so glad you are good and still preparing for adoption!❤ I pray that this all goes well.🙏 It is certainly a major undertaking. And I completely understand about taking a break from videos and videoing everything for a shoebox. I do a lot of boxes too but mine are not themed. To see the themed boxes you have done and other people really amazes me. But being organized is so helpful and it can be overwhelming when we get a lot of stuff. I like Dawn the Minimum Mom, and I also like Cass from Clutterbug and Dana from A Slob Comes Clean. These are all very helpful ladies! I know if I put some decluttering steps into practice I'll have more room to organize my shoebox stuff!
YES! Those ladies and vlogs have helped me so much. I'm glad you watch them too!
Thank You for updating us. I was so concerned that something happened to you guys. Please remember that we contribute our time as well as you do and if you need breaks from all the time and work you put into your blogging let us know and respect our feelings and the time as well. Blessing and prayers for the adoption and looking forward to further videos.
Thank you! Will do! Sorry if I hurt your feelings I didn't mean to.
You have been miss. Glad you're back
Thanks. Felt good to sit a chat today.
Glad to see an update . I hope you don’t have to foster lots of kids before adopting. I’ve been on the other end , getting my son out of kinship care. He came home with reactive attachment disorder and adhd. It’s challenging but w medication and a village of people to help him it is manageable. Myself having severe ocd, bipolar, and autism , I had to sign custody over to my dad. I’m so thankful my kids aren’t in foster care and that my family is very well off and can provide for them. I had no business having them and wish I didn’t but they do keep us going . My dad and my daughters dad both wouldn’t let me adopt her out as a newborn .the couple I initially chose never did have any kids. I know I traumatized them but they were not ready to deal with my daughters autism at their old age. Ik you have ocd , too, and are probably already more open than most. Don’t feel the need to over share with us. You’re on the hardest journey there could ever be .
Thank you for sharing your journey! We will be a licensed adoptive home. So our kiddos will come out of the foster system but we will not be a foster home. We are doing our best to prepare for high levels of needs the hardest part has been doing self reflections and self growth.
So I have had to start using insulin as diabetic now. I have a pile or several bags full of stuff to pack box but health issues have taken priority. I have so much energy compared to before. I have borderline personality disorder which is really difficult and hard to deal with especially as it came from abusive parents
Thank you for sharing your life updates with me! I hope packing boxes can be a bright spot in your day.
I hope your adoption works out for you. It's very kind and will surely bless your family. Will you change the kids first names or will you let them keep the names they have? That's one thing about adoption that some people miss out on if they are older.
We can change their names if we want to. However there is a lot to consider. First their safety and second their desire. We will consider both when we consider their names.
Themed boxes are cute but not necessary. The kids that receive the boxes don't care. Here's an idea. This is what I'm doing. I'm making bead bracelets. They are easy, the beads and elastic are cheap, and I can sit here and make a quart bag full in one night just watching TV. I bought some letter beads and I'm putting inspirational things on them like Jesus loves you, Believe etc. I'm also going to make junk journals. I can make a simple one and make inexpensive kits for them to continue to personalize their journals. Those things are small & easy to put in boxes. I'm in a Facebook group of people that make the washable menstrual pads. I don't sew. I don't like it. I'm going to see if any of them would be willing to trade me some bracelets and a journal kit for one set of pads. We'll see what happens. Anyone who donated items to you for the sole purpose of seeing them in a video is not someone you should worry about. Everyone else will be fine with what you're doing. Good decision on the adoption. Foster kids can be difficult in that you get attached and then they leave. I was adopted at 2 weeks old. It was prearranged. I'm 66 now, my parents told me about it, they never lied or kept it a secret. My mom gave me the info I needed for the age I was. I could not have picked better parents. I wouldn't change anything. I found my birth mom in Jan. 2017 & my birth dad's family the next January. My best advice is if you receive a child that doesn't remember their birth family, don't lie to them, and not disclosing they are adopted is lying. My mom presented it as if they chose me, and didn't get stuck with whatever. I was fine with it, never had any mental health issues. I have learned you can't beat yourself up over the 10% that didn't work out or was a fail. You have to celebrate the 90% you succeeded at. God will send you the right child. Watch & see.
Thank you so much for sharing your story! Our kiddos will be old enough to know and remember their bio-family. We will never lie to them about their origin and will celebrate who they are. :)
Found your channel a couple of weeks ago and realized it was 5 months since you had posted and was wondering where you went. 🩷
I just went a little mad... hahaha jk. Just took a little break.