December Update

What a GIFT and A LOT of work, considering how many kids are at GLA!!!  I am so grateful!  Love seeing my little guy over the past 2 years with this wonderful song by Audio Adrenaline made for little Haitian kings and Queens! I will cherish this video and he will too some day!

MOMMY will see you SOON!!!!!

I am OUT OF IBESR!!!!!

Expecting!  A couple of weeks ago a colleague asked me where I was in the process and I was explaining how ANY DAY I was waiting, hoping and praying to hear news of EXITING IBESR.  She said, "This is a long 'pregnancy' and you truly are expecting!"  Yes, I am expecting! There's just way more than 3 trimesters!!!

So, I have exited IBESR.  The next thing will be to go to HAITI!  My little guy will not be coming home just yet.  But I will meet him. Hug him. Play with him. I really just can't wait to LOOK at him!  To see him!  Thank you Lord!  I know I was getting impatient!  All I wanted for Christmas is this!  I know, I wanted it weeks ago, but as YOU and I talked this morning, this is in YOUR hands, in YOUR time and in YOUR will!  

Oh how I cannot wait to share a picture of my little guy and me together!!!!

Stay tuned, that will be January's post!!!!!

Merry Christmas!

Can you give at the end of this year?

As probably everyone knows, international adoption is a big expense!  At this point I am starting the round of renewing many things!  My home study expired last month and so I had to renew this which added big costs that were not in my initial costs.  Other unexpected expenses as well as the current needs are here or coming up!

If you look for places to give at the end of the year, please consider giving to my adoption from Haiti.  On the upper left hand side of my blog, there is a paypal option.  When you click that you will be brought to my Lifesong for Orphans account where giving is tax deductible.  I will also include the link below.  No gift is too small.  Please prayerfully consider.  I will also include the address for Lifesong if you would prefer to send a gift through the mail.

I pray with all my heart that I will be posting again SOON to announce that I am out of IBESR!  I awoke this morning after having a dream where I did get the news!  :-)  Even though it was a dream, I was filled with peace and joy and thankful to the Lord for such a dream!

Thank you all for your prayers, care and support!!!!

https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=lhomUlBLKbHbgOrZB6oeNUI3IZPipr4d5SqKEGyju41UsfhDpnGfdk1ygYW&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8d0b7e678a25d883d0fa72c947f193f8fd


Lifesong for Orphans
Kraft Adoption 2438
PO Box 40
202 N. Ford Street
Gridley, IL  61744

THR33

Well as I know there are things weighing HEAVY on everyone's hearts and minds tonight...I think of M.  I hoped, prayed, expected to hear by today that I would be out of IBESR.  It has been 3 months.  I will keep hoping, praying and expecting.  I pray HIS will and HIS timing reign over this process.  Thank-you for praying and please continue to do so!

All I want for Christmas....Take 2!

YIKES!  As I was looking at my post, I realized some of the text was hard to see and as I was editing it was deleted!  :-(  So, as I had just reread it, here goes the post again :-)

Ok, so now as I am writing this again, I am getting choked up...yep, tears coming, my heart is being squeezed as I look at those eyes and that smile....

So, CHRISTMAS....yes, I can't wait for it.  But I will wait!  And I will decorate, play music and of course put these FABULOUS pictures of my little boy around my house and share one with everyone else who loves him!  M will NOT be here this Christmas!  He will happily play in Haiti with all of his friends and wonderful GLA staff. He will be getting some gifts...and I can't wait to see him in a MINNESOTA Twins shirt (maybe sooner than that as I am going to send one with my friend who is going SOON to meet her daughter.)

Right now my paperwork and M's paperwork is in IBESR and I pray, hope and feel certain that it will be out of IBESR very soon, and this is "ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS!"  To be done with this step, even though there are so many more to come would keep me smiling and floating on Cloud 9 ALL MONTH LONG!

After this step comes a TRIP TO HAITI!!!!  A good friend of mine is going on her trip in just over a week and I believe this will be the last week for trips of 2012....as offices and such close and people go on vacation for Christmas and New Years.  So I am not at all anticipating going to HAITI in 2012 (yes, that is what I had hoped for...but NO that is not what I am expecting now).

OH how I cannot wait to be holding this little dude in a picture to show you!!!!  I have suitcases packed already!  And last Christmas I had a suitcase packed too (upon putting summer clothes away, I packed a suitcase for Haiti...I was "new" and "young" to the adoption process and thought I would be traveling to HAITI soon!)  Now 12 months later, I trust and know it will be soon!  :-)

Here are some things that the WONDERFUL person who takes these pictures each month had to say about M (It get's overwhelming to keep records for all of my students at school, and there are WAY more kids at GLA than in my classroom....HATS off to the staff for making these pictures and updates possible....and yes, if you ask my students at school, on November 15 began to the countdown to new pics!  I received the update after school hours on Friday, so they will see his new pics Monday!)

This month we took hand and foot prints of all the kids at the Main House.  I do my best to have this done about every three months so you have an extra treasure to take home with you when you come and pick up M.   Each child reacts a differently to having their hands and feet painted and then pressed against the paper. The entire process intrigued M.  He enjoyed getting his hands and feet painted and stamping them on the paper.  He wanted to touch everything when his hands had paint on them as soon as he realized it would make marks on whatever he touched.  He was then allowed to just finger paint on paper for a little while.

M really does seem to be most happy and content when he is moving.  We had a volunteer who played guitar for the kids on the nursery balcony for a little while one morning and M just could not help himself from dancing.  The kids were suppose to be sitting nicely to listen but M could only sit for a few moments at a time and would pop up to move to the beat.  It was really sweet and fun to watch.  His nannies had a great time watching him groove as well. 

M weighs 22 pounds and is 31 inches tall (hmmmm that is 2'7")  :-)

I thank this Lord for this SEASON!  I thank HIM for this journey he has me on.  I cannot wait to hold this little boy....to tell him I LOVE HIM....to tickle, kiss, and watch him laugh and dance!

Have a BLESSED 1st of December!  I know you will be hearing from me soon with a post "I AM OUT OF IBESR!"  Pray with me!!!!!

JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THIS SEASON!!!!!!

Proverbs 25:25

 Finally hearing good news from a distant land is like a drink of cold water when you are dry and thirsty.

This verse was shared with me by a fellow adoptive parent.  I have read the verse before but it did not mean what it means to me now!  Each month I receive news from Haiti with new pictures of my little M.  I cannot tell you how good that news is!  I look forward to it ALL month!!!!

M got some news from a distant land last month.  Pictures were taken of him as he opened the gift I sent :-)

I sent him a book of pictures.  He sees himself on the cover :-)

I LOVE THIS ONE! <3

He enjoyed the crayons and made a picture.

Oh how I cannot wait to sit and color with him!

Last week my mom and I put together Christmas gifts for M.  My heart's desire and prayer all day is that I will exit IBESR soon, that I will get this good news from Haiti and then be able to travel before Christmas!  We shall see!  Pray with me!!!!!

It wasn't easy deciding what to send him.  We picked out a MN Twins shirt...a couple books, cars, and candy canes!  I send a package and grandma and grandpa sent one too.   They will all arrive together and M will have good and super fun news from a cold and snowy land very far away.  I can't wait to see him with his new little things to play with when he has volunteer.

 Gifts from Mommy :-)

Please pray that I hear news soon.  I have been in IBESR just over 8 weeks.  It is time!  I pray for news this week!  Of course I pray HIS will be done.  I pray that HE, the way-maker, would make a way.  That my documents would be moved to the hands that would complete this step!!!  I will wait and be patient until then!

What's Happening Now?

Well, it has been 39 days since my dossier and M's dossier entered IBESR (Haitian Social Services).  Remember, the next step is the first visit to Haiti!  Last night the prospect of that being soon kept a BIG grin on my face....I know I was glowing!  To hold him, hug him, tickle him, read to him, kiss him, take pictures with him.....I CANNOT WAIT!

There have been some families that exited this step in 7 weeks....so that is 10 days from today!  PRAY WITH ME THAT THIS HAPPENS!

I am already packing :-)  Packing things to bring to M.  Packing things to bring for the orphanage.  Thinking about what to bring to wear....Oh, I cannot wait!!!!

SO, I hope in November I give you news that I am out of IBESR and before year's end I announce that I am going!!!!!

The building all my precious paperwork sits in!  Let it move to the desk that signs it and announces that I am out of IBESR!!!!

Screen shot of my proposal video!  

I love this face!

PLEASE PRAY FOR M AND ME that in HIS timing things move along!!!!

Thanks!!!!

Brothers!!!!

Well, FINALLY I can share some news that I know readers want to hear!  I have not had much to tell anyone over the past 9 months, but MUCH has been going on.  Last September the Lord laid a little boy on my heart and I began to faithfully pray for him.  As the months went on I wondered, "Who is adopting him?"  I googled his name and a blog in Haiti came up.  One from God's Littlest Angel's.  My purpose in googling his name was to possibly find a blog where parents were writing about him.  That I did not find.  Some time in January the Lord brought to my heart the fact that this child may actually be my child.  Well, we'll see!  When paperwork arrives in Haiti the director and others at the orphanage spend much time praying over the families and children, I the adoptive parent do not call them up and say, "Hey, I want this kid!"  That's not how it works.

Eventually though, my paperwork was matched with a child and the child was in fact the boy I had been praying for all of these months!  I was in complete AWE!  Many road blocks were placed in the way over the months to come.  Now it is September and I am no further along in the process with this little guy than I was months ago.  I was asked if I would like to consider being matched with another child, as it seems the issues surrounding my child I love and have prayed for for nearly a year will not be resolved anytime soon.  I said no, that I would wait for as long as I needed to wait.  I prayed and prayed.  I asked God to make it clear to me what to do.  If he wanted me to go with a new child and not this one I had been praying for for so many months, then I would be obedient.  This is not what happened though.  I just continued to feel more confirmation that I was to wait for him.

Now, when I began this process over a year ago, I intended to adopt 2 children.  After reading books, going to a conference and praying I realized that as a single mother, bringing 2 children home at the same would be extremely difficult/overwhelming.

What the Lord did begin to bring to me is, "You are going to adopt 2."  Hmmmm...all of that paperwork again!?!!?  All of that money!?!?!  Yep!  And when HE is in it and in control then I can trust and have the faith to know it will all work out.

SOOOOOO.....#1 I will be waiting to adopt my little guy that may not be able to be adopted for some time! God nows.  But this little one will have a little brother!!!!  And his little brother will most definitely make it home before he does.  And I pray even now that these two begin to form a special bond with each other.

So, I would like to introduce to you Mr. M!  He just turned 2.  He is about 10 months younger than his older "brother."  Continue to pray!  Continue to consider helping me in this process financially (I have paypal on the page and all giving is tax deductible!)  Here is my baby boy.......Sorry M that you are just in your diaper but this is my favorite picture of you!!!!  You already have so many people praying for you and your big "brother!"  You are going to lead the way home for him!  You will come home first and when he comes home you will be such a big help in helping him adjust!  Oh what fun the two of you will have!!!!

Update

Hey, I know it has been a long time since I have been on here.  The reason being is that there is no news about my adoption that I can publicly share.  So if you are reading this, PLEASE keep praying!  For those of you who continue to send in support, I am GRATEFUL!!!!!

What I can tell you is that a lot is changing in Haiti when it comes to adoption.  Haiti ratified the Hague Convention which the best way I can explain it to non-adoption people is Hague is something like the United Nations for adoption.  A common set of rules/laws/policies to protect children.

Ratifying Hague does not mean that Haiti suddenly a Hague nation.  But pray please that Haiti takes her time.  Once a document is deposited in the Netherlands, that is the last step and then within 90 days things are checked to make sure a country is in full compliance.  It took the the USA something like 16 years (that's a figure I remember, may be less, but for sure longer than a decade) to come into full compliance.  A nation does not want to deposit the document prematurely or adoptions can be shut down all together if full compliance is not found.  I pray the people in charge listen to the right people trying to advise them.

Once of the first policies Haiti will implement VERY soon is that all families adopting from Haiti have to be working with a select Agency of Haiti's choosing that is a Hague accredited agency.  My agency is not Hague.  So if something doesn't happen in the next week or two, I will not make the mid-September deadline and will need to look for anew agency.

To say the least, I have bee overwhelmed, upset, angry, sad....but also I have surrounded all of this to HIM daily and HE gives me peace that passes what I can understand!  So, keep PRAYING!  Please!  HE can, is able, and will make a way where there seems to be no way!!!!

PRAYER!

Please pray with me over adoptions and HAITI!  I will not go into all of the details here...you can probably google it and find lots of information.  BUT, I ask that you pray!  Pray for all of the children in Haiti! Pray for the Haitian government and those making decisions concerning adoptions!  And please also pray over the little one the Lord intends to be my child.  I pray against the enemy having his way in any way, in Jesus' name!  I pray over every family that is currently in the process of adopting from Haiti!  We shall not worry, instead we will pray and trust the LORD!

Praying over my adoption

Father, in Jesus’ name, I come boldly before Your throne of grace, that I may receive mercy and find grace in my time of need.  I am trusting in You and seek to do good, so that I may dwell in the land of feed surely on Your faithfulness.

I delight myself also in You, and You give me the desires and secret petitions of my heart.  I believe my desire to adopt a child is from You, and I am willing to assume the responsibility of rearing this child in the ways of the Master.

Father, I commit my way to You.  My confidence is in You, and You will bring this adoption to pass according to Your purpose and plan.

Lord, your Son, Jesus, demonstrated Your love for children when He said, “Let the children alone, don’t prevent them from coming to me. God’s kingdom is made up of people like these.”  Then He laid hands on them and blessed them.

Use me as your instrument of peace and righteousness to bless this child. I purpose in my heart to train this child in the way that he should go.

Lord, I am embracing this child, Your best gift, as my own, with your love, as Jesus said, “Whoever embraces one of these children as I do embraces me, and far more than me – God who sent me.”

Father, take this child up and be a Father and a Mother to him as I extend my hands and heart to embrace him.  Thank you for the blood of Jesus that gives protection to this one whom I love.

I thank you for that man and woman who conceived this child and pray that You will bless them, cause Your face to shine upon them, and be merciful to them.  If they do not know you, Jesus, I ask you, Lord of the Harvest, to send forth laborers to share truth with them that they may come out of the snare of the devil.

Mercy and truth are written upon the tablet of my heart, and You cause me to find favor and good understanding with You and with man – the adoption agency staff, the judges, the orphanage, IBESR, and all those who are involved in this decision making process! May ALL be careful that they do not despise one of these little ones over whom they have jurisdiction – for they have angels who see Your face continually in Heaven.

I believe that all my words are righteous. By my long forbearing and calmness of spirit those in authority are persuaded, and my soft speech breaks down the most bone-like resistance.

Lord, I am looking to You as my Great Counselor and Mighty Advocate.  I ask for Your wisdom for me and my attorneys.

Father, contend with those who contend with me, and give safety to my child and ease him day by day.  I am calling on You in the name of Jesus, and you will answer me and show me great and mighty things.  No weapon formed against me and this adoption shall prosper, and any tongue that rises against me in judgment I shall show to be in the wrong.  This is my inheritance as Your child.

Father, I believe; therefore, I have spoken.  May it be done unto me according to Your Word.

In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN!

From Prayers that Avail Much by Germaine Copeland

Art to Benefit Adoption

I have a friend who is a painter.  She has set up a website for her artwork.  She is also holding a garage sale this week, beginning on June 7th.  Fifty percent of any artwork purchased will be donated to my adoption.

Here is the link to her website:  http://artbynancy.tripod.com/index.html

The address of the garage sale is:
9742 Annapolis Lane N.
Maple Grove, MN   55369

THANKS!!!

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL '11-'12

The last day of school always brings a mix of emotions for me.  We recognized our 5th graders this morning as they will be heading off to middle school.  Seventeen of my 25 students stayed here at school rather than going home....so what do we do for the rest of the day?!?  Play games, go to the computer lab, watch a movie, have snacks!!!  We'll see if there are any tears come 2 pm.  There usually are!

I started this school year having already begun my home study and journey down the adoption road.  I was frantically collecting items for my dossier and got everything ready to send off to Haiti before Thanksgiving.  Me of course, not knowing how all this would work had big expectations that I would travel to Haiti in January to meet my child (HA!) or at least by March!  Now it is June 5.  My children know a lot about Haiti after this year and I believe the compassion they have developed will stay with them forever.  I wanted to bring them each a little something from Haiti.  Hopefully they will come to visit in the next few years and my child will be home!

Now the summer starts and I so desperately NEED this break!  I'll be back at school August 15 so every day is precious!!!!  Please pray with me that my OFFICIAL referral would be given to me this summer and that my paperwork would be ready to enter IBESR before school starts!!!  I trust HIS timing!  

BOTH HANDS

On Saturday, May 19, this group of people came together to do as we are instructed by the Lord, to care for the orphan and the widow.

Lifesong for Orphans has a special project called "Both Hands," where a widow or widower is chosen.  The woman whose home we worked at was able to have time to think about what kinds of things she would like done.

The adults and youth pictured all gave or sent out letters to friends, family, teachers and coaches asking to be sponsored for this work project.  Any funds raised would go to help bring a child into a forever home from Haiti.

We had a wonderful day!  This day was shown to be full of rain all week until Saturday actually came.  It was warm and sunny.  Bushes and trees were trimmed down, weeds pulled, grass mowed, windows washed and lots of cotton from those beloved cottonwood trees (lol) raked, swept and bagged up.  Organization of materials kept in and around the yard was also done.  We didn't count the number of bundles of bound branches that were carried to the alley but it was A LOT!

No matter how much money comes in to assist with adoption costs, it was an absolute blessing serving and working with every person pictured.  It is a wonderful thing when the body of Christ comes together to get some work done....I have many more pictures but the uploading is taking too long right now, so I'll add them another time!  Thank you to everyone who helped!!!!

Keep praying!!!!

Adoption Timeline

Well, I just wanted to update on a couple of things.  If you look at my post called, "When will your child come home," there is a timeline of each step along the way and tentatively how long it will take.  I am not very far down the road at all when it comes to the Haiti side of things, because first off you have to be referred a child, and I do not yet have a referral.  After I do have a referral my dossier and the child's dossier (all of the paper work about each of us) will enter what is called IBESR, which is Haitian Social Services.

In April, a decision was made that was very wise on the part of the decision maker to close IBESR for a period of time to any new adoptions.  What this means is there are many, many people who are in the IBESR step and many have been there for a LONG time, like over a year!  So over the next month or two, the goal is to work through all of the families that are in IBESR now before accepting new families.  It is a very smart thing!  Although I would love to have been referred a child and to be in IBESR, the stalling right now doesn't really impact where I am in the process....my hope and prayer is that my official referral will come through before new families are being accepted, which is expected to be end of July or early August.  I started the process last August.  My dossier arrived in Haiti last November.  The time since has been a time of waiting and praying.

Keep praying with me!!!  And when I have news I will share! It has been hard on me being asked quite often if there is any news or what is going on?!?!?  Believe me I will joyfully share when I am able about the little person who God will bring home to me in Minnesota!!!!

THANKS!!!!

Bracelets, Bracelets & MORE Bracelets!!!

*Are you having a garage sale this spring?

*Do you have any church events coming up?

*A weekly Bible study?

*Any other get-togethers?!?!?

***Please if you are willing, let me know if I could give you some bracelets to sell!  They sell themselves....I am just in need of a new market as those in my circles have bought over 200!  THANK-YOU!!!!


*Also don't forget MOTHER'S Day and Graduation!  Makes a great tie-on to your gift!!!

Bracelets, Paypal & Both Hands

Three Ways to Help!

I still have no news to share about a child, but I can't wait to let you know once I do know and can share!!!!!

I need PRAYER support above ALL else....

But there are three financial ways you can help me with the astronomical adoption expenses!

1.  On my blog there is now a "Donate" button that will take you to a paypal account.  Your donation will be tax deductible through Lifesong for Orphans.

2.  Within 48 hours my box of bracelets from Haiti was gone, but another box is on its way and you can buy bracelets, or even take 10-20 or more from me and sell them to your co-workers, family and friends. They are AMAZING!  Made out of cereal boxes! $8.....

3.  You can participate in or give to the Both Hands project.  Both Hands is a project where one hand goes to help the orphans and one hand goes to help the widow(er)s as the Bible commands us to do.  If you would like to participate in the project, you would mail out letters that I write asking for supporters to sponsor your day of work on a woman's home (who is a widow) in my neighborhood.  If you can contribute to the project and sponsor my time or possibly one of the kids' who are working time, send me your address!!!! The work day will be on May 19, 2012.

Thank you for caring to read!

Have a blessed day!

Help Me Raise Fund and Help Haitian Artists!

 

Need a gift for Mother's Day?  An upcoming birthday?

Here is the PERFECT gift!  There will be some that are unisex too and perhaps the guys would like them!

A box is soon to arrive on my doorstep!  I will begin selling bracelets made by Haitian men and women that are a part of the Apparent Project.  I hope and pray that the bracelets will sell quickly!  Each bracelet is $8 (unless you need me to ship it to you, then shipping will be added).  $4 from each bracelet will be sent back to Haiti to the person who made it! (there will be a tag on your bracelet with the name and a picture if the artist.) $4 from each bracelet will go towards my adoption expenses!


Let me know if you are interested!!!  You can leave a comment here, on FB or email me:  jlkorange23@yahoo.com!!!!

Bracelets are made from cereal boxes.  The boxes are sliced into thin pieces.  The strips from the box are then formed into beads.  The bracelets are on an elastic fishing line.

Here is the link to the Apparent Project:  http://apparentproject.org/fundraisers.html

Bondye Bon - God is Good

Necklace I purchased as a reminder to pray every day and to have something to touch and hold on to during this LONG, LONG process!

God called me to this!  He loves Haiti.  He knows who my child is.  He is in control of the timing.  He is GOOD, ALL THE TIME!  Amen!

No referral yet, thinking of my child

So, as I hear of things happening in Haiti recently, it hits me at a different level.  My paperwork is for a child between the ages of birth to 3, so the child is very young, and maybe these things won't have an effect.....but this week alone:

• A 4.6 earthquake, knocking things off tables and rattling the orphanage.
• Border closing between Haiti and Dominican due to violence towards Dominicans
• Political unrest

I sit here and think how someday I will want my child to know the history of Haiti and events that happened during the short time he/she lived in Haiti......To be Haitian is to be STRONG!  The people of Haiti are over-comers!  God will not give us more than we can handle!  I know I could not handle what the Haitian people have been through!

Just some thoughts tonight....

2 Strand Twist

I know many of you are already familiar with this style, but for those who are not, its a nice change from braids, easy do do, and great for girls and boys' hair.

Once I got the braiding down, my goddaughter wanted the twists.  Can't believe now I actually had to have someone show me what to do, because it really is so easy, but there are some tricks to make it look better and last longer.

Products.....there are a couple products that are cheap and work well....once is called Loc Gel and the other is Twist and Lock.  They don't benefit or hard the hair, as long as you don't keep the twists in for too long.  At about a month the hair can lock when using a locking gel.

The most AMAZING product for African American hair is a line by Miss Jessie.  There is good reading on why it is so good.  Used to be only available online but now you can buy it at Target. The purple Curly Pudding is the product to use for the 2 strand twist.  Very little product is needed and it is good for the hair and scalp, it just runs about $38 per jar.

Do people steal this stuff?!?!  Notice the anti-theft tag on the side!

My lovely model is Keyvee, a former 5th grader and currently we are discipleship pals :-)

After washing her hair, I keep it fairly wet....thus the towel around her shoulders.  I start by making a part along the hair at the neck.  Sections will be squared.  Each section with be separated into two pieces.  Product is worked through the hair and then the two strands are twisted all the way to the end.

Continue to part new rows until hair is fully twisted.  You can blow dry at the end and a hair lotion can be worked through to soften the twists.  If you go with Miss Jessie's, then use the Baby Butter Cream.  

Oh how I wish my hair could do this!  It's amazing to me every time I twist it!  

Genie Locks - Hairstyle for Tweens & Teens

Last year I learned about Genie Locks...I had been braiding weave (synthetic hair) into girls' hair for years.  Lots of fun and LOTS of time! I saw a woman one day with a style that looked like she had grown perfect, girly dred locks overnight!  So I inquired and what I found was still time consuming, but simple to do and gives a hairstyle that last 1-2 months!

What you need:

• A willing head!
• Leave in conditioner
• Red Heart Yarn (this yard does not shrink after being wet and with this style girls can go swimming, get hair wet in the shower, etc)
• Scissors
• Lighter
• Some kind of towel if you don't want to hurt your fingers

I take the yarn and wrap it around the legs of a coffee table or chair so that all strands are the same.  If you have a cat that you find out there is no myth to a cat loving yarn!  Watch out!  After wrapping the yarn you take it off of the chair and then cut it at one end.  

If you have braided single braids from the scalp into your daughter's hair, then you can do this too!  Working with the yarn is much easier than synthetic hair.  The key is the start the braid with hair and yarn as close the the scalp as possible.  Take the THREE strands of yarn and at the scalp, begin to braid with the hair.  

Once you get the hang of braiding the yarn in, you go for it, parting the hair until the whole head is done!  She wanted some color in her hair, so she picked out what she wanted.  I added one strand of color with two strands of black and I only added this to about a dozen braids or so, as not to make her look like Rainbow Bright! When you have braided to the desired length, simply take two of the strands and make a knot.  Later on you will cut the yarn beyond the knot off and then burn the ends.  

She is SLEEPY now and so am I, so we

will burn the ends off tomorrow

and take the finished product pics :-)

So after all braids are in, it is time to get a lighter.  I usually blow the flame out and work on the end with my fingers but I was wise to think of using a wet rag today!  Made it go so fast and didn't cause me pain!  So, I burn the end of each one up to the knot I tied at the end.  I blow out the flame and then press the rag around the end to seal it off.

Finally it is ready to put into a style.....pony tail?  Down?  Braid the braids?!?!