older children

When I would dream of adopting I would dream about adopting an infant. I would think in my mind I really want to adopt but I will just stay to adopting infants, it will be easier that way. I can still do this but play it safe. Those were my thoughts. Now we are adopting three older children. As we really got into it the Lord really moved in our hearts to not plan but to let Him move and to let Him choose our children. When we got the call that the boys had an older sister, I was excited but scared at the same time. Could I be the mother she needed?? I felt the Lord telling me, when I adopted you into my family you were not an infant. You were older and very set in your ways. Sanctification has been hard work. So if you are going to answer the call to adoption do not put limits on it. With that said the fear was not completely gone but I new what we must do, we must answer this call. I am so glad we did. What a time of growth!!!!!!! With that said I feel liberated to not fear the unknown. Knowing that God will fully equip us for what is ahead. It will be hard, harder then we could imagine. I am standing on the promise that He will never leave us or forsake us. I will call on His name and He will hear me. I will beg Him for wisdom each day and draw strength from the Word. I am just so thankful that Lord takes time to change a heart like mine. How exciting that He will change our fleshly desires if we ask Him to. God is not meant to be put in a box.

The Road

*Around 10 years old, finding out there were millions of children that needed homes. To me it was just easy. There are orphaned children, of course I will adopt some day.

*17 years old. Before Jake and I got married I asked him if he wanted to adopt. He kindly said, I am not sure and then I said there is no reason for us to continue in this relationship because I will adopt some day. Jake says, can I pray about it. I say, sure. We talk a week later and he is up for adoption. We continue in our relationship.

*20 years old, married and we are wanting to adopt. I am still too young. I needed to be 25. I spent a lot of time dreaming of adopting. Thinking about it when I would run and my heart would ache. I had no idea what was ahead for us.

*24 we start the process and we now have Marya and she is one. We want to adopt one baby and we have chosen Vietnam. We look at the waiting list and decide to be matched with a two year old little boy with mild special needs. After all of our paperwork I get pregnant and they stop the adoption. You cannot be pregnant and adopt at the same time. We praise God for Ezra, but it was hard to let our other little boy go. Another family stepped in and adopted him right away.

*Move to Alabama at 26 and start the process again. We decide to try to adopt two at once, toddler and baby. AS we are doing our homestudy we feel God urging us to put the age of the children and the sex of the children in His hands.

*We decide on Ethiopia, Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork!!

*We are matched with two boys Abreham was 3 and Petros was 1 AWESOME!!!!

*The next day we get a call that they have a sister that is 6 and we have to decide to do all three or none. We prayed, sought counsel and were matched with all three. Never dreamed of adopting three at once, or adopting older children at this point. There had been so much prayer leading up to this point. We knew it was God!

*One year to the date of getting matched with all three we are legally their parents. They are all one year older and it has been an amazing journey to get here. Preparation for what is ahead.

*147,000,000 orphans world wide. Pray about it. I do believe it is the heart of God. If you want to read about adoption I believe that Adopted for Life by Russell Moore is by far the best book on adoption.

*I am now 28. Through this journey I have seen so much of my sin and so much of my self motives for adoption. I have learned that the main driving force for this must be the glory of God. If it is for any other reason you will not make it.

Approved

Today we were approved at court. The Lord heard our prayers and everything fell into place. Thank you Yosi who has done so much work. Today is exactly one year since we were matched with these children.

The Lord has taught us to trust Him, to wait, to have self-control, to live day by day, that suffering is a gift, His timing is perfect, and to pray constantly. Now when I say that I know we will continue to learn these things as long as we live. He gave us a gift this last year and I am beyond thankful.

Now the work really begins. Preparing to bring three children into our home. The Lord has brought us here and I am confident that He will continue to carry us. I am so thankful to all that have prayed and supported us.

Court Date December 11th

We have a court date of Dec. 11th. The Lord has been so faithful and done miracles to get us to this point. This will be our third time to court. THe first two were not approved because of lack of paperwork. Dec. 11th marks one year exactly since we got matched with them.

We are trusting God to finish this. If He does finish this, it will be just the beginning. When we told the kids about the court date Marya started screaming with joy. She has been praying for use to get a court date for some time. It was so fun to see the excitement. She kept saying, Mom God answered our prayers. Then I had to spend time trying to explain to her that just because we got a court date does not mean that we will get the kids.

May the Lord lead us and may the Lord prepare us.

No Satisfaction

Why does this world not satisfy? Why does a new shirt not bring joy? Why does marriage and children not fill my loneliest times? Why when all my needs are more then met, I am left feeling empty? Why does the dream of living in the country close to family not feel quite right?

I can only come up with one answer. I am not meant for this world. This is not my home. My heart aches to live out the passions of the bible. To let go of this world and all it has to grab on to greater things. To rejoice in suffering and see beyond my own selfish thoughts. You better count the cost, this road is full of loss (wow I better write a song).

How can I learn to depend on God when every need of mine is met. I want to know the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The God of Noah, Joseph, Moses. The God of Ruth, Ester and Mary. He is the same God today as He was then. Why do I not experience HIm that way. I get glimpses of Him when I pray and sing at the piano. I feel satisfied when I am in the word, but I want more of Him!!

It is a real war. My flesh desires the comfort of this world, yet my soul cries out to leave it all behind for the sake of the greatest treasure. I fear one day sitting on my front porch, old in age, and realizing that I never really lived at all. There is only one way to live as a Christian, fully for Christ. When I was adopted into Christ's family I get the privilege of calling God father. Out of love for my father I will obey Him. Not out of duty, but great love. I am confident that His word will light my path.

Fake trees busted

If you trim an artificial tree, here are three myth busters from the National Christmas tree Association. I hope you make the switch.

MYTH#1 Real Christmas trees are cut down from forests.

BUSTED: Only a tiny percentage of trees come from forests. Most come from a farm where growers plant one to three seedlings for each tree harvested.

MYTH#2 You save a tree by using an artificial tree.

BUSTED: Trees are a crop. They're planted by farmers to be used specifically as Christmas trees. ARtificial trees come in a cardboard box. Does that save a tree?

MYTH#3 It's better to use an artificial tree because you can reuse it each year.

BUSTED: Research shows that most of artificial trees are only used six to nine years before they end up in a landfill. Real trees are biodegradable and recyclable. They can be used for mulch and erosion control.

Jake meets the kids

WOW, that is all I can say. Jake's time in Ethiopia has been greatly blessed. Each day he spends with the kids they get closer. Of course the first day they were all nervous and each day gets better. The kids run to him and hug him. Abreham even started to cry one day when Jake left. It does my heart so much good to see Jake holding them and loving on them.

Also Jake has gotten a lot of clarity on our case. Since he has been there a lot has gotten done and hopefully this Monday the last bit of paperwork will be completed. God has really blessed Jake's time there. HE has provided just the right people to help. I ask for prayer for Jake. He is sick with a fever and congestion. It is always hard to be sick away from home.l

There is a possibility that Jake will be staying longer then planned if he thinks it will do good for the case so we will wait and see what happens.