Week of Blessing, New Pics, and Some Prayers

This has been a good week, hard and HOT HOT HOT, but good.

We feel like we've been in for the long haul with these mini trials.

I think endurance is a trait we are having to learn....more than endurance really. It's more like holding on to a tight rope with both hands saying, "I'm NOT going to let go."

We know our Heavenly Father is faithful (and AWESOME by the way). Following Him has no guarantees of being easy, just right. We've faced trials and criticism for adopting as a large family....less criticism and more just not understanding. Yet we've also had swarms of support, love, encouragement, and blessing, blessing, and more blessing. If I were to list the people that have brought God's amazing love right into our laps, the list would take you all day to read.

Just this week we've had a ton of good things happen.

*We had one vehicle and the air conditioning recently ceased to work (one of the mini storms). This one vehicle also didn't fit our entire family. We were juggling with the aid of my mom and bro who live nearby. We now have a nice used twelve seater van.

*We found our air conditionless car MAY just be out of freon as the air conditioning is working again. Thanks to our friend Bryan!!!!

*Our adoption is almost completely (if not all the way) paid for (just as of this week). God provided an amount in a way we couldn't have foreseen.

*We received our Log in Date (the LID is what you will usually see it referred to as) for our adoption of Jael! This means our paperwork has been logged in and registered in China.

*Finally (*sigh*happy mommmy*)...we received pictures from Jael's 3rd birthday in China. She looks scared and my heart just ACHES for the other children in the pictures. I pray each one finds a family. Many age out at 14 in China. Sigh...but Jael looks so beautiful and so much older.

You can see one of my favorite previous pictures on the sidebar to the right. But the new ones....I couldn't resist sharing at least one below.



The pictures bring up a lot of feelings, but I will share those at a later date.

Now we strive, pray, and pray some more to bring Jael home.

The next prayer request has to do with the timeline. The average wait in this next step is 2-4 months. Friends of ours (almost 2 years ago) received theirs in weeks. We are praying we receive ours under the two month time frame (prayerfully within weeks). To have Jael in our arms by Christmas, this would be a massive step in the right direction. We are trying to focus only on what's immediately ahead and this is it. We cherish any and all prayers. Thank you again for blessing our family in this way!

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If you have a prayer request, I will be trying to list them at the end of many of my posts. Just comment or email me and I will list them. If you have a private one, just let me know and I will hold it up to God in prayer, but not place it on our blog.

Please let me know any updates or how God answers. God is just so AMAZINGLY cool and a privilege to watch answer!!!

July's/August's Immanent Adoption Prayer Requests:

*The immediate prayer request (as stated above) is to do with the timeline. The average wait in this next step is 2-4 months. Friends of ours (almost 2 years ago) received theirs in weeks. We are praying we receive ours under the two month time frame (prayerfully within weeks). To have Jael in our arms by Christmas, this would be a massive step in the right direction.

Our Personal Prayer Requests

*For God to bring peace (and glory to HIM) in my husbands professional life.

*For all "hiccups" to be banished and a hedge of protection (no shrubbery, purely cement :)) be surrounding this journey.

*For all decision to be positive and to FLY on wings bringing Jael home quickly...prayerfully before Christmas.

*That all paperwork may be quick and without flaw (in only a way the God can do).

*Please pray for our daughter across the world who faces each night alone. Please pray that she feels GOD's presence, GOD's hedge of protection around her...physical, spiritual, and emotional.... that her heart is prepared and ready for family, and that Jesus fills her heart and helps her to be ready to attach to her family. Also for her biological family and their peace and knowledge of a God that loves them so very much.

*Please pray that GOD protects us from satan's attacks. When you follow GOD, satan always attacks.

*Please pray for the drama surrounding a situation not directly effecting us or in our immediate family, but none the less...drama.

*Please pray for peace for our family and for hope to reign.

*Most importantly, that GOD be brought glory and His will be done in all of this.

Prayers for Our Brothers and Sisters


*Please pray for Eden, a little blessing from Ethiopia, who has a life threatening disorder.

*Please pray for a young man (Karl) who was just in an accident and is suffering from VERY serious head injuries. He is the boyfriend of Linny's daughter (A Place Called Simplicity)

*Please pray for Wes, a new little blessing from Ethiopia, who just had surgery on his skull. He is home now, but please pray the surgery was successful and he remains free from infection and injury.

*Please pray for little Selah, Lorraine's daughter, who has hydrocephalus and issues cropping up regarding this.

*Please pray for Judah, a little one from Ethiopia that is on a medical visa here in the United States. He has hydrocephalus and the doctors are evaluating him for treatment that is not available there. GOD is working miracles, can we pray for some more?

*Please pray for my friend Michelle and her father who is struggling with cancer. Michelle also has an Uncle fighting cancer as well. Please also pray for my friend Amber whose mother just passed away after a long battle with cancer...please pray for peace and comfort for them all.

*Please pray for Donna and her family as they are in the adoption process at the same time we are and have their preliminary approval for their two boys as well.

*Rolando and Julia (Guatemala-It has been over five years.), AND Junior and Diamoh (Liberia) to be able to finally come home to their families and that these countries open to legitimate adoptions.

*Renae-For the continued transition of their sweet family. Their daughter joined their family this year and they are starting the process of another amazing journey to Ethiopia! Their dossier has just been completed!

*Daniel (Liberia) and Jeremiah (Taiwan)- for their continued health issues. GOD's blessings and Hand on them and their families.

*My friend (unnamed, GOD knows)...NEWLY adopted son (just finalized through foster care)and his family. That God guides them as they raise their children to glorify God. (This one is also a praise! WOO HOO!)

*For Eliz and their family as they bring home five beautiful blessings with Down Syndrome. They travel to bring home the first two of their blessings this next month.

*Please pray for Gena (and family) and their teen son. Please pray for him to come to know CHRIST.

*Please pray for our friend whose daughter Kennedy is having seizures. Please pray that they cease and whatever is causing them never returns.

*Please pray for the Young family~That God would grow them to be the parents their son needs, and that their fears would be relieved.

Defeated, Discouraged, & satan's Lies About Adoption

I just read another post of a sweet bloggy mom that said she was feeling defeated. It struck a cord with me today. That's how I feel. Logically I know different. I soak in God's word and I know different, but emotionally...not so much.

I feel a little like a deer in the headlights, frozen. So much has happened to us in the last few months that I think it has caught up to me.

*I've been waiting today to hear about my grandmother who is still having very serious issues.
*I've been waiting to hear from a friend whose mom doesn't have much time left on this earth.
*I've been struggling with the lies that satan tells us every time we adopt (see "The Lies satan Tells Us About Adoption").
*I've been reading about special needs children in the Ukraine who are institutionalized at 5 and there hope dwindles unless Christians stand up and bring them home.

I'm discouraged. I'm bummed (sorry, the Californian in me coming out). I'm frozen.

I've especially been getting hit hard this week with some of the lies satan tells about adoption. This being our fifth adopted blessing, you'd think I'd stop buying into them. Here I am again, with a pit in the center of my stomach. The lie today?

*You won't be able to raise that kind of money.

We've been hit with a few financial issues lately...not huge, but for some reason they've sent me into the "lie" spiral.

Have we completed four adoptions successfully? Yes
Did we even have to take one loan or use one credit card last time? No, totally by God's miracles.

BUT...this is what I'm currently having run through my head...

*Fees just increased due to increased number of post placement visits now required by country (not agencies fault, just the way it is).~$2000 due before travel (up from $600)

*We have to change post placement agencies since laws have changed in China (for those not getting their TA by August 1st). The post placement agencies have to be Hague Accredited. We will now have to pay (most likely) all the post placement fees before we travel. Usually we are able to pay this out in increments before the home visits since we have used our normal agency so many times.~$1800?

*Dental bill is $900 more than expected.

*$500 bill came in for medical that insurance should've covered, but may not now.

Why is it that I buy into this? It's time I stop. Yet here I am today in battle.

So here I sit in fear telling myself a quote from our earlier post...a quote that's hitting me hard today...

"You then need to ask yourself, do you really think you provided OR did God?"

This is ricocheting around my brain. I know God provides, but...

There is no BUT.....

Just so you know, those that have commented on "The Lies satan Tells Us About Adoption", I'm right there with you...fighting the battle with sword drawn. Tired of the lies and even tireder (maybe not a word, but it fits) of the times where I start to buy into them.

Until I can get my act together I will remind myself logically that I am not defeated. That God provides and brings our children home, not us. Finally, that my discouragement helps no one.

Ok, and I might complain a little (not perfect after all).

It doesn't help that I'm about to start my monthly performance of psycho mom (smile).

China, Fraud, and OUCH!!!!

Yep, I seem to disappear a lot lately. You know us, our life has been...well...interesting (smile). We've had a few...ummm...hiccups along the way to our newest blessing.

We did receive some AWESOME news today. Our dossier went to China yesterday afternoon. We now will wait the 2-3 weeks (average from when our dossier gets there) to receive a Log in Date (LID). Totally smooth and flawless...

So, of course, that ticked somebody off. This somebody doesn't like that children will have families that love them, cherish them, and teach them about our AMAZING Heavenly Father.

This someone really seemed to want to go to Korea today.

WHAT?!

Ok, so he wanted to use someone who wanted to go to Korea today.

Checking out at the grocery store, my debit card is declined. I run it again, knowing we are fine and it will go through...declined. I call my bank and they transfer me immediately to Fraud Prevention. They ask, "Did you spend $80 at Frontier Airlines last night and then try to purchase a $1,700 ticket on Korean Airlines?" Hmmmm...let me think...

"NO!!!"

Thankfully, our bank has an awesome fraud unit and caught it with only $80 actually clearing.

I realize someone really wants to go to Korea, but instead I think I'll let them cover my grocery bill that was declined. I think that's fair. Is it bad praying for their fingers to itch all night due to "sticky fingers syndrome"?

Anyway, that taken care of, I found out I'm old. Who knew?!

Apparently my back (surgery in '98, but not much of a problem since) decided to finally feel the body stress that I've been pretty good at handling THIS WEEK (insert applause here). I bent down to check the status of my computer, started to stand up while turning, and felt something give...pop. Let's just say it was no weasel and it wasn't musically beneficial.

Yup, OLD!

This is one way to lay me out for a few days! I'm forcing myself to sit up and type since I will be disappearing for a bit, but had to share our fab news (sound so trendy saying that...lol) and also let you all know about our fun fun fun (maybe just a touch of sarcasm).

Have an awesome night and know God is way bigger than this junk that "what's his name" throws at us.

P.S. Did I mention that our kitten decided the middle of our bed was the litter box today?

"He replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm." Matthew 8:26

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If you have a prayer request, I will be trying to list them at the end of many of my posts. Just comment or email me and I will list them. If you have a private one, just let me know and I will hold it up to God in prayer, but not place it on our blog.

Please let me know any updates or how God answers. God is just so AMAZINGLY cool and a privilege to watch answer!!!

July's Immanent Adoption Prayer Requests:
*Please pray for our Log in Date and official approval (LOA which usually takes 2-4 months) to come quicker than anyone could imagine.


Our Personal Prayer Requests

*For the waves at my husband's place of business to smooth and calm. For GOD to show him where he can bring GOD the most glory.

*That all paperwork may be quick and without flaw (in only a way the God can do).

*For all "hiccups" to be banished and a hedge of protection (no shrubbery, purely cement :)) be surrounding this journey.

*For our tax return and finances to fly that we may get started on our journey at a greater speed and that all finances come together with smoothness and speed. Even with the above blessing, we still need the tax return to come through. We have received partial, but are still waiting for the remainder.

*Please pray for our daughter across the world who faces each night alone, not knowing a family awaits her. Please pray that she feels GOD's presence, GOD's hedge of protection around her, that her heart is prepared and ready for family, and that Jesus fills her heart and helps her to be ready to attach to her family. Also for her biological family and their peace and knowledge of a God that loves them so very much.

*Please pray that GOD protects us from satan's attacks. When you follow GOD, satan always attacks. We have had constant life "storms", thus the verse above.

*Please pray for the drama surrounding a situation not directly effecting us or in our immediate family, but none the less...drama. Please pray for peace surrounding this situation.

*Most importantly, that GOD be brought glory and His will be done in all of this.

Prayers for Our Brothers and Sisters

If you have a prayer request, I will be trying to place them at the end of EVERY blog. Just comment or email me and I will list them. If you have a private one, just let me know and I will hold it up to GOD in prayer, but not place it on our blog.

*Please pray for Eden, a little blessing from Ethiopia, who has a life threatening disorder.

*Please pray for Carrington who just arrived in March from Eastern Europe. She came home at 11lbs and three years old. Update: She is home from the hospital now and doing SO much better, but could still use prayers!

*Please pray for little Selah, Lorraine's daughter, who has hydrocephalus and issues cropping up regarding this.

*Please pray for Judah, a little one from Ethiopia that is on a medical visa here in the United States. He has hydrocephalus and the doctors are evaluating him for treatment that is not available there. GOD is working miracles, can we pray for some more?

*Please pray for my friends Michelle and Amber who both have parents struggling with cancer. Michelle also has an Uncle fighting cancer as well. Amber's mom has VERY little time left on this earth (the doctor's feel).

*Please pray for Donna and her family as they are in the adoption process at the same time we are and have their preliminary approval for their two boys as well.

*Rolando and Julia (Guatemala-It has been over five years.), AND Junior and Diamoh (Liberia) to be able to finally come home to their families and that these countries open to legitimate adoptions.

*Renae-For the continued transition of their sweet family. Their daughter joined their family this year and they are starting the process of another amazing journey to Ethiopia!

*Daniel (Liberia) and Jeremiah (Taiwan)- for their continued health issues. GOD's blessings and Hand on them and their families.

*My friend (unnamed, GOD knows)... foster son, his family, and all who will make or influence decisions on his behalf that GOD's will be done in every aspect of his life. Also, currently, for his serious health issues. They are finalizing his adoption in just a few days.

*For Eliz and their family as they bring home five beautiful blessings with Down Syndrome.

*Please pray for Gena (and family) and their teen son. Please pray for him to come to know CHRIST.

*Please pray for our friend whose daughter Kennedy is having seizures. Please pray that they cease and whatever is causing them never returns.

*Please pray for the Young family~That God would grow them to be the parents their son needs, and that their fears would be relieved.

A Post for Adoptive Parents...All Parents

I love this blog, I truly do. I love her insight.

This last post, I told my husband he needed to read...it's that good.

"Intimacy and Forgiveness" found on "The Porcupine Dance...Learning to Love"

Fourth of July Coolness (Actually, Extreme Hotness)

100 degree weather and BBQ....HOTNESS.


Hello from our blessed and crazy zoo!



I love the "reality" shots! Smile



Our seriously awesome girls (minus our sweet Jael)!



Even they like a good dose of reality!



A little more sweet reality....



Too much sun + Stupendous boys = Lots of reality (laughing)


May God bless your Fourth of July as He has blessed ours!!!!!

Why We Are Fighting...(Journey to Jael)

This is why we are fighting through the storms.

This sweet smile...

These sweet hands...

These sweet little legs...

This is why we will continue to fight.

Happy 3rd Birthday our amazing princess, God's daughter!

Happy 3rd Birthday our sweet Jael!

Mommy and Daddy will be there as soon as we can!

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Our Prayer Today:
May God hold you and whisper you are loved.
May God show you His comfort and His love.
May you dream of us, knowing we are coming for you.
May you feel loved, cherished, and the blessing that you are.

One Year Ago Today~Journey to Gabe and Rachel

At this time, one year ago, we were on our last leg of travel. The trip back from Ethiopia was rough. I still haven't been able to write the whole story. Maybe by the twins birthday in August...

It's unbelievable that it's been a year since G'Dawg and Her Sweetness came home. One year...




They've changed a lot, haven't they? They came home, both very sick little ones. Gabe had a fairly uncommon allergy to both milk and soy and had bumps over his entire body. Rachel couldn't keep anything down. It was a little scary.

They've come a LONG way. If you would like to read about just how far our little ones have come, you can click on the link below. You will have to scroll down and read from the last post to the one on the top of the page in order to read them sequentially.
Traveling to Bring Home Our Blessings

This day will forever be etched in our hearts as the day we became a family.

On July 3rd, 2010...Rachel, Gabe, Daddy, Mommy,Tom, and Sarah walked (or were carried...smile) off a plane from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia...and joined at home Anna, Max, Bekah, Grandma, and Uncle Steve....and became a family.

"I will sing the LORD’s praise, for He has been good to me." Psalm 13:6

Very Special Day...Two Posts

As I fight off an allergy migraine, I do it with a smile (and a little tear in my eye).

Today is a very special day for us. I'm in the process of writing two posts. One introducing a very special member of our family.

CanNOT wait!

The Spotlight, The Storms, and The Chosen (Spiritual Walk/Adoption)

"These things only happen in soap operas," a friend said.

"I don't want the cup your drinking," said another friend with a smile.

Yet, here we are, another week gone and celebrating God's victory.

Are we weary? Yes

Are we down right tired? Oh ya...

Is our life a little messy right now? Yup!

But we are here and we are surviving.

If you read this blog, you know we've had a inordinate amount of storms throughout this adoption. You also know that, well, we knew they were going to happen. In God's infinite mercy, He shared this with us before we ever committed to adopting Jael.

In other words, we chose it.

Please don't take offense at those words, but it is true. We knew following God to our daughter would bring waves to rock us. We knew...and we chose it. We would choose this journey again and again...and again.

How often in our lives do we have the privilege of choosing our storms? Seriously, I look back on my life and look at how much I didn't choose, but how I was grown through them. God grew me. This time is different though.

This time we got to choose.

This time we chose the fire, our house uninhabitable for three weeks, air conditioning in our only car (the Suburban) going out, lice, Thomas' step father passing away, and issues in my husband's professional life.

We chose drama from an outside situation, my brother losing his job, my grandmother in the hospital, and planned money falling through for the adoption three times.

We chose termites, my spiritual sister's father fighting cancer, holes in our roof, our refrigerator dying, and our tax return being held up.

We chose the diamond in my wedding ring getting knocked out, one of my closest friend's mom fighting for her life, a bobble head taking a swim in our one working toilet (other being fixed from the fire), and liquid laundry detergent being poured in our dryer.

We chose illness after illness, allergy migraines, delayed home school, mini strokes of my mother-in-law, and our microwave door deciding to pop open mid cooking cycle.

We chose emergencies, friend's hurting, etc. etc. etc.

We chose this.

Would some of these things have happened had we chose to ignore God's truth for our lives? Yes, I'm sure some of these things would have, but I'm equally sure not all of them would have.

It's all because we chose...
We chose to follow God, ignoring the critics.
We chose to praise God for showing us our daughter.
We chose salvation through Christ Jesus our Lord.

We chose...and let me tell you friends, we chose right.

Because a long time ago, I was chosen. Many years ago, you were chosen as well.

We were chosen to die for.
We were chosen for eternal life.
We were chosen despite the storms we create with our sin

We were chosen...
by God.

Don't give up my friends, God has chosen you. If He has honored you by allowing these storms, praise Him. He loves you. He chose you. He has honored you and trusts you to take this spotlight given you by the storm, and turn it right back to Him.

The critics can be put aside. The exhaustion or frustration can be dealt with. All because of one simple fact...

We are the chosen ones.

"We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."'
I Thessalonians 1:3