the ziegner family + a few canines • lubbock, tx

Growing up, our family had 2 Scottie dogs and 2 litters. Now, Shawn and I have 2 Scottie dogs and we have had 2 litters. ​

The Ziegners have 2 Vislas, and 10 puppies! (Or rather, they did- they are all at their new homes now.) ​

I love, love, love this family! I have been photographing them for a few years now, and each time I get to see them is even more fun. This time, they had some adorable Visla puppies, and so we had to include them in the family photos. 

We shot this session at their home and let me tell you- shooting at someone's home is one of my favorite settings, because it is so personal and sentimental. Now that my parents have moved from my childhood home, I cherish the images I have of us in and around that house. 5 of their puppies had already gone home, and so I got to photograph the remaining 5. 

home study done! • ethiopian adoption

**NOTE** I wrote this blog post a couple of weeks ago, but am just now getting to post it because it's taken that long for me to get some photos to go with it! There's a little update since then at the end. :)​

I am excited to say our home study is finally DONE! It took waaaay longer to get here than I'd originally thought, but...it's done. ​

When I originally read that the paperwork process should take 4-6 months, of course I thought, "Pssshhh....but that's not our timeline!"​ Haha- little did I know- it would most definitely take at least 4 months. Getting the paperwork ready that was necessary for our home study proved to be a bit more difficult than we expected- and thankfully with the help of several helpful people and our social worker, we were able to get it all ready. (Just FYI- when we applied with America World, we were given a family coordinator, who is our connection point to the agency during the entire process, and a social worker, who coordinates the home study and follow-up visits- so there are two people we have been constantly in contact with during the paperchase.) 

Our social worker was (and is) amazing. Because AWAA is a larger agency, they have social workers in every state they work in- and ours lives in Dallas. ​Initially we inquired about having someone local do our home study, so as to save the travel fees (we were quoted 500.00- Lubbock is about 5 hours away from Dallas). Our social worker assured us that she would do her best to keep travel costs down- in fact, her sister lives in Lubbock and she would stay with her to save us the hotel costs. She also ended up allowing us to pick her up for interviews so as to save money for a rental car. In total, we were invoiced 169.00 for her flight. It was an incredible blessing- and after visiting with her, just the tip of the blessing iceberg!

​I had stressed over the cleanliness of my home, taken on several "extra" house projects in the midst, and had to compress my normal work week into a few intense work days. Let's also just say that my family didn't get gourmet meals last week. :) I refinished and painted our old dining room table, and during those late-night hours of working on it (and realizing how in-over-my-head I was with this very detailed project), I imagined Shawn and I talking peacefully with our social worker over coffee around it.

​Well, there was peaceful talk and coffee, but we never sat at that table. :) In fact, it was much more a shoes-off-feet-on-the-couch kind of thing. Throughout our discussions, our social worker was accepting of our weaknesses and doubts, and so encouraging about every little thing. She was a wealth of knowledge, and Shawn and I both left with the feeling we'd been affirmed and aided with new, helpful information. 

​One of the first questions she asked us was, "Why international adoption?". This was something I partially answered in a blog post a while back- but she gave us some info that will change our answer the next time we are asked. Our simple answer initially was that we'd always felt we would adopt internationally, because we'd seen orphanages with our own eyes. 

She validated our answer and then gave us some information that really encouraged us. She told us that for every 1 infant that is available for adoption domestically, there are 40 waiting couples. ​Because we have 1 biological son and have the possibility to have more biological children, we are not as likely to be chosen by a birthmother over a couple who is infertile and has no children. It made sense to me- and I can totally see why a birthmother would choose a couple with no children over the couple with 1 and the possibility for more. 

She also shed some light on the Ethiopian orphan crisis. Currently, there are over 5 million orphans in Ethiopia. According to the U.S. Inter-Country Adoption site, there were only 1732 adoptions in 2011. This is such a tiny dent in a huge need. Most if not all of the orphans in Ethiopia are at the orphanage because someone recognized that their lives were in danger for lack of food, shelter, clothing, or other BASIC needs. 

We have a home. We can provide food and clothing. ​Why would we NOT go half a world away to get the best gift ever?

When all was said and done, we were so appreciative of our social worker and her wise advice and encouragement in all the different aspects of inter-country, trans-racial adoption. She reminded us why, despite the difficulties, it all makes sense: we ourselves have been adopted by Christ. Completely and lovingly accepted, regardless of our unwillingness to love back, our struggle-stained past, and finicky nature. He chose us and continues to choose us every day, even though we might feel half a world away.

"Even before he made the world,

God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes." Ephesians 1:4

​And to end this post, I thought I'd share a few of those "house projects" with you! As we wait, I am learning to REALLY appreciate all the little things that I already have and that make me smile as I pass by them day to day. So I made a point to go around yesterday and photograph some of those things. 

Lola made a cameo in this image. I finally hung some new art- including an old letter A a family friend scavenged for us, this Texas artwork by Molly Mattin, some old photographs from my college photography class, and of course, some of our babe.

This table was a labor of love! It took waaay longer than I thought it would but I love it so much! Now to work on those chairs...

Ever since I first saw this "decorative object" chain-thing at Target, I wanted it. Lucky me, they put it on clearance! Whatever it is, I love it. 

This crazy table was a Craigslist find and I spray painted it. It was so unusual I just had to have it (and at $30 it was worth it)!

Shawn hung a door I'd painted in college on the wall behind our dining room table. My Mom bought me these fiestaware canisters and I have loved seeing the color on my countertops! This bicycle print hung in my Dad's room growing up, then in our laundry room at my parent's house. I'm so glad they let me take it!

This mid-century desk was another Craigslist find, as was the chair. I have 3 more, I just haven't found a place for them yet. Washi tape. And a friend found this mason jar and sent it to me- it's hard to see, but it says "Knox" on it!

My Mom found this awesome paint-by-number at a garage sale for me. The framed quote came from Promise Tangeman.

Our guest bedroom, soon to be baby girl's room! I found a bunch of quilt squares at a thrift store and pieced together this quilt. Haha- it's definitely not perfect, but we like it! And I fished out the floral prints from the Goodwill pound store- where you literally pay for things by the pound. So, for 5 pieces of paper I paid about 30 cents. :)

Mason jar + buttons. These are some of the books we've been reading. The Connected Child is super amazing, and I recommend it for all parents, not just adoptive or foster ones! God Found Us You was given to us by a sweet friend, and is hopefully the first of many adoption-related kids books that will go into our library.

​**UPDATE  Yesterday was a bit discouraging. We found out that the list of requests for a toddler or infant girl (which is what we're requesting) for our agency is 104 families long- longer than it's ever been! While this is wonderful, it's hard knowing that there are children waiting...and families waiting...with a lot of paperwork and protocol in between. 

​Will you pray with us for referrals? Referrals are when a family is matched with a child. The families at the top of the list right now have been waiting since February of 2011. That is a long wait. Please pray with us! God can make this list much shorter!

samaritan ministries review • a year later

UPDATE! I've written a more recent review here, though this post will touch on a few things not mentioned there: 

http://lissa-anglin.squarespace.com/blog/2014/12/3/having-a-baby-with-samaritan-ministries-updated-real-person-review

Over the past week I have had 4 different people contact me to ask about Samaritan Ministries- so I guess it's time for an update!

You can check out my first post about Samaritan, written almost exactly a year ago, HERE. At that time, Shawn and I were just 3 months into our "non-insurance" plan with Samaritan Ministries.  Basically, Samaritan is what you would call a bill-sharing service. At its core, it is a collective of Christians who have committed to help meet each others' medical needs. If you want to get a good general overview of it all, there's a great video at the end of this post. 

Each month, we receive the name and address of another member who has shared a medical need with the group. We get a short description of the need (i.e. Tom fell and broke his arm), which helps us pray more specifically for that person. We send our set amount (ours is currently 355.00) directly to the person, along with a note of encouragement. 

So, how do we feel about it a year later?​

Great. Really great. I've never actually heard someone say they felt affection toward their medical insurance provider, so I count it as a real blessing to talk about mine in a positive manner. :)

As I did before, I'll go through a few pros and cons we've experienced over the past year.​

CONS:​

• The rates went up a bit. One of the biggest things that interested us in Samaritan was the fact that the monthly rate for a family of 3+ was simple and straightforward- 320.00. About mid-year, Samaritan sent out a letter stating that the current rates were not completely meeting the increasing number of shares, and we ​needed to vote on a rate increase. After the vote, our rate changed to 355.00- still well under what we'd be paying with traditional insurance as 2 self-employed people with a child. I could consider this a pro in a sense, though, because I actually got some input on whether or not the rate should increase. That definitely does not happen with traditional insurance.

• Change of mindset/attitude when visiting a doctor.​ Before we were with Samaritan, I'd typically wait as long as I could before taking myself to the doctor- which usually meant I was completely beside myself when I finally made it into the exam room. This isn't true for when I need to take Knox- but regardless, I would just hand over my insurance card and not think much more about it. Since joining, I've had to change my mindset a bit. I have had to do a little research on what "self-pay" rates are at various clinics/doctors. I can't just stumble into the clinic without remembering that I need to ask for some samples if there are any (I've found that most doctors are pretty generous with this)- and also remind them that we are "self-pay" when they are writing prescriptions. I know what pharmacies give free amoxicillin and have focused more on preventative care than ever before. It is a bit humbling to state that we do not have insurance, but after experiencing the completely different pricing schedule most providers have for self-pay patients, it is totally worth it to me.

​• The need process takes a while. When you have a need to submit (and boy did we have some major needs last year- 2 miscarriages which included one visit to the ER, bronchitis for Shawn and I, multiple ear infections for Knox), Samaritan asks that you wait until you receive your bills in the mail, and they send you a Need Packet. You'll list your bills out, including any self-pay discounts given (this is a wonderful thing, because they will count it against your deductible of 300.00. If the total discounts are over 300.00, you will get a full refund of your bills. We have never paid the deductible with any need we've submitted.) The next month, they distribute your name and address to other members, and you wait for checks to arrive. You then send them a checklist to update them on the checks you received and from whom. One of the questions I have been asked most is "What if someone doesn't pay?". This has happened to us once, and it is really a non-issue. You call Samaritan and they take care of it. Most of the time they just re-distribute the amount to another member. All in all, it is around a 3 month process for one need. Which brings me to my next point...

• Cashflow.​ ​Because Samaritan will not accept needs 300.00 or less, cashflow can be an issue. Knox has had an ear infection at least 6 of the 12 past months, and let me tell you- that wears on a bank account. His pediatrician visits are 50.00 at the self-pay rate, and unless he can get the free antibiotics, we are stuck paying for 75.00 antibiotics. So, 125.00 in addition to our normal Samaritan rate was tough at times. Thankfully, we have a separate Health Savings Account that allows us to cashflow small doctor's visits like this more easily. And the truth is, God has provided each and every time- with a healthy child, and with the means to care for him.

​• What they don't cover. One big downside to Samaritan (or any other provider, for that matter) is that they don't cover pre-existing conditions. Thankfully, Shawn and I are generally healthy people, and before last year, never really got sick or had big medical needs. One caveat is when we had to get physicals and several tests done for our adoption paperwork. Ethiopia requires several tests to be run and the physical exam cost us each 275.00. When I called Samaritan about it, they said that because the need was not related to a sickness, it was not eligible to be published. They did say, however, that we could submit it as a Special Prayer Need. I haven't done this yet, but I'm sure I will, as we have given an extra 5 or 10 dollars to the Special Prayer Needs listed on our letters before. For more info on what they do and do not cover, check out the straightforward guidelines HERE.

PROS:​

• We understand it.​ This may sound silly, but after spending hours going back and forth on the phone with our old insurance and the doctor's office, I really appreciate the clear-cut and simply stated literature and customer service reps. In reference to investing, Dave Ramsey always says something to the effect of, "Don't do anything you don't understand". It is such a relief (and gives me such a sense of ownership) to really understand what's going on.

​• Compassion. Twice last year, when I had to call Samaritan to let them know we'd experienced a miscarriage and would need a Need Packet sent, I was responded to with compassion. This was a really big deal for me. They didn't have to care.

​• The Karis Group. With the 30+ bills we've submitted, there have only been 2 providers that did not give us a self-pay discount. In one instance, Samaritan contacted me to say they felt that it was a bill that could be reduced. They asked if I would be ok working with The Karis Group to reduce the bill (free of charge to us). A few days later I spoke with a very nice representative from Karis, who just asked me a few questions about the bill, and a week later- he called me back to say he'd negotiated a reduction! He gave me the amount, address, and protocol to pay it off. It was a great experience to have such an advocate.

​• Baby Makin'. You heard me- they are totally OK with the baby makin'! Shawn and I want a full house. It is a huge relief knowing that we already pay the max amount (rates go from singles, to college students, to couples, and families of 3+), and that we could have 27 more children (haha, ok- that's totally unrealistic), and we'd be more likely to get a high five from Samaritan than a higher rate. And yes, if you're wondering- our adopted child will be covered, too.

• Wise advice. Each month, along with the information we need to send our check, Samaritan publishes a newsletter with lots of articles on everything from the changing healthcare laws, to natural treatments and remedies, to interesting stories of members and their work (missionaries, doctors, etc.). Much to my surprise, I have really enjoyed reading it. It's here I learned about oil pulling and it's nice to hear from a Christian-based perspective about ​things like Obamacare and how it will affect me.

​• Encouragement. It doesn't seem like it would be a big deal, but getting those notes of encouragement along with people's checks is huge. It's a reminder that they've prayed for you, and that you are in this together. When I had my first miscarriage, a lady who'd seen our names in the monthly newsletter (there is a special section for loss) wrote me a long note and sent a special ornament that she herself had received when she'd experienced a miscarriage. I'm glad I'll get to see it every year, even though it will be bittersweet. It's a reminder that God knows how I feel, and He knows the children we didn't get to meet in this life. He also provided others to help us through a tough time. I feel that this is such an authentic picture of what this scripture talks about:

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.​" 1 John 3:16-18

I hope this review has helped shed a bit of light on our experience with Samaritan Ministries! I know there are probably about a million questions I've spurred, and if you do have some- I'd just call them at (888) 268-4377. Or, I'll be happy to go into more detail if you'd like to email me (not that I have all the answers).

​Samaritan does offer credits to its members for referring others, so we would love it if you mentioned us in the referral section of your application should you apply. However, I'd be saying all of this regardless!

jeff + nanci • maternity • lubbock, tx

Jeff + Nanci met me on a windy day in West Texas, and were so completely nice and excited for their baby's arrival- it made me all that much more excited about ours! There is just something about a pregnant woman that is so beautiful- and to see her husband by her side who is eagerly anticipating this little one's arrival...so much fun- it's one of the most beautiful things in life! 

Enjoy these images of Jeff, Nanci, and a baby bump!​

harrison + henry's birthday party • midland, tx

A few months ago I got to photograph brothers Harrison and Henry, who were soon to turn 3 and 1, respectively. Then, just a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of traveling to Midland to document their super special combined birthday party. ​

Harrison loves firetrucks and everything to do with them- so they brought in a vintage firetruck, and an actual working firetruck for the kids to explore. The tables were decorated with firemen memorabilia, and Harrison even got to play in a custom-built, 2-story firehouse. In addition, they created 7 other playhouses (an art studio, doctor's office, and general store, to name a few)- complete with furnishings appropriate for each and roads to make the little city complete.

Henry was dressed in a custom-made vintage inspired onesie, perfectly fitting with his Peter Rabbit theme. As friends perused the rows of planted herbs and cabbage, he got to have some one-on-one at the petting zoo (from Sprayberry Corrals & MiniPals), which featured a miniature pig, ducklings, rabbits, goats, and a minihorse. 

The kids weren't forgotten when it came to the food, either- they were offered a choice of chicken nuggets in chinese take-out boxes, mac and cheese, potato salad, and coleslaw served up in jars, or brisket. Each custom cake perfectly fit the theme, as did each of the favors, right down to the "firemen rope" licorice and "carrots" made out of Goldfish crackers.

The gorgeous cakes and were put together by Leslie Rabenaldt, of All Occasions Cakes. All the fabulous details and event planning are the product of Shellie Alvarado with You're Invited By Shellie. They pulled everything together so seamlessly. I loved getting to be a part of this special day! Enjoy the photos!​

eduardo + emily • engagement • borger, tx

My sister-in-law, Emily, is engaged! I was excited to get to Borger to photograph an engagement session for her and her fiancé, Eduardo. It was the most beautiful day- hardly any wind and a bright blue sky. When I asked Emily where she wanted to shoot, she already knew- we ended up on a family friend's piece of land- a place she'd visited many times since she was young. I had a great time exploring with them, and it was a great session. Mostly because I was getting to photograph a very happy Emily. :)

​Technical side note: During this session I rediscovered my love for my wide-angle lens! I have had the 14-24 2.8 for a long time but had started using a lighter zoom lens more often. Well, that lens broke, and so I was forced to pick up the 14-24 again- and I'm so glad I did! I feel like I've found a part of my work that had been missing! 

ashley • monterey high school senior • lubbock, tx

Ashley is another awesome girl I've gotten to know through church. This incredible lady is actually graduating early at 16 years old! ​

One of the first things that struck me about Ashley is the way she carried herself- not pridefully, but confidently. She is patient and watchful, and a good friend. Ashley knows that she is God's child and is making decisions based on that knowledge- which is powerful! Getting to watch her live life the past year has been so incredible, and I am so glad she'll be staying in Lubbock next year. 

​I had such a fun time photographing her- we visited some pretty interesting locations and I'm thankful she trusted me to make some beautiful photos there!

Thanks so much for letting me shoot your senior photos, Ashley! You are beautiful!​

bryan + sarah • engagement • borger, tx

Bryan and Sarah are so, so right for each other. It's easy to see. They are both funny and easygoing- and they are both adventurers. A number of times during their engagement session I felt a tinge of jealousy after hearing of the amazing trips they've made and plan to make- including an 18 mile kayak through the island of Kauai on their honeymoon!​

​It's sessions like this that make me so thankful for the fantastic people I get to work with. Can't wait for their wedding next month!

the dietz family • lubbock, tx

I'm not sure I'll forget the conversation I had with Shanna when she said, "...it looks like we may be moving. We're putting our house on the market". At the time, I was in a bit of shock- which turned to anger after I decided to stuff my ugly emotions deep down into my heart instead of dealing with them. These are some of our closest friends. They made the move to Lubbock with us. How could they leave? They'd been praying for God to provide a job at a church for Zach. But really? Did they need to put their house on the market? At the time they didn't even have any serious job prospects. 

I found myself in the middle of a worship set a few weeks later, ​when I had a conversation with God I'll never forget either. I told God how frustrated I was that they would put their house on the market. Sure, they're doing it in faith, but they had just had baby #2 and the last thing they needed was the added stress. It just didn't make sense. 

And God said to me, "Wouldn't you rather have friends who are listening to my voice rather than pursuing their own selfish ambitions?"​

Whoa. Yes, yes I would. ​If they are listening to God, he'll provide everything they need. If they are listening, and they do move, God will take care of everyone- including me. I don't know best. God does. And He's interested in my best- and theirs.

Fast forward to a few Sundays ago, when I found myself in that same place where God and I had our first conversation. Zach and Shanna were missing from their typical spots in the worship center. I missed them. But the word "restoration" came to mind, and it was clear to me that His provision in their lives was just a taste of how He wants to restore all of our lives. God had taken our friends from a frustrating, stressful position and placed them just where they needed to be.  They'd remained faithful to trust His promises for them. It wasn't easy- but I am so thankful I got an up-close view. 

Zach led worship at their new church last week and I wish I could have teleported myself there for it. Thankfully, they didn't land too far away so we will still get to see them! We shot these images just before they left. I was excited to photograph Dax and baby Gus, who is changing so quickly!​

Love you, Dietz family! So thankful to have lived life in the same town with you for so long. Here's to many more memories.​

kaitlyn • frenship high school senior • lubbock, tx

One of the first things you know about Kaitlyn when you meet her is that she isn't afraid of who she is- this girl has always and WILL always have her own fantastic style and personality. I have had the pleasure of knowing Kaitlyn for several years (most recently I have enjoyed being one of her small group leaders at church) and I can't quite describe how amazing it is to get to watch someone grow in Christ. Kaitlyn has continually chosen to give her present and future circumstances to God, knowing that He has His BEST in mind- though it may hurt in the meantime. That, my friends, is what makes this girl special.

We hopped around Lubbock to some of my favorite spots- including our store, Culture Clothing! We've had several photographers come photograph inside our building- and this is the first time I've actually photographed a client here myself. Kaitlyn is a great patron and really exudes the attitude we have at the store- to wear what you like!

​You are beautiful inside and out, Kaitlyn!