A year later

One year ago on February 13 we said YES to two little boys in Ghana.  We said YES, we love you, we adore you and we know God has placed you in our family.  

Everyone thought we were crazy. They accused us of being addicted to adoption since Samuel and Helen had only been home almost 3 months.  But they were wrong. We were just following Jesus. Following Him down the path He laid before us.  Obeying Him at all costs.  Looking foolish to the world, but knowing in our hearts we were doing what He asked.

So last night I found out our power of attorney in Ghana was preparing for our visa exit interview on February 23.  WHAT??  I was shocked. I sat in disbelief because my boys were to arrive at the US Embassy in less than 12 hours.  I panicked, then trusted.  I cried, then prayed.  I gave it to God and our POA got everything together and they made it.

Imagine my delight when I was woken at 6 am by our in country volunteer with the words:  YOUR VISAS WILL BE PRINTED THIS FRIDAY!!!

What does that mean? It means our boys are coming home!

  The baby in the dream from two years ago is coming home! 

The little boy God spoke so clearly about in Genesis 30:24 is coming home!!

All praise, glory, and honor be to our Lord Jesus Christ! He is faithful and He has done what He promised when it hasn't made sense to anyone!

Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have laid out for you; declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Quick update

 Wow, what a week!!!  Bless' malaria became quickly better with many thanks to each of you for praying for our little guy.

Then, on Friday we read the words we had been waiting for:  Your petition for Bless and Joseph has been approved!!!!  We have I600 approval for our sweet sons.  Now we wait for a visa packet pick up appointment.  This can only be done on Wednesdays so our prayer is we can do that this week.  Another HUGE step closer to our boys and bringing them home!!!

Lastly, as I was reading Jonah to the three little kids last night they were enthralled.  Afterwards, Helen wanted to pray.  Now, everyone knows she LOVES to pray and her prayers are MOVING!!! As she spoke these words, my eyes opened and the tears came. What a precious, sweet prayer and so, so true.  Thank you, God, for the constant reminders you have placed in my life!

Helen:  "Please, God, help the orphans.  Please give them food and water.  please give them what they need, God.  And please bring the orphans into our home so we can love them." - from a 4 year old who lived it and remembers 

Laughs and trust

Today was full of basketball games for Keenan and Samuel and lots of laughs in the middle.  

Our baby girl who is constantly "posing".  She brightens each day and I cannot imagine a time when she wasn't here.  Her girliness shines through and she LOVES to have Sissy (Sydney) paint her nails, which she does at least 5 times a week.  Now that is a good sister!!  Seriously, though, she is a ball of fire, but worth every second!

Samuel, who had never played basketball until he came home, has become quite the little player.  Of course, he has a huge advantage because he plays with Keenan ALL THE TIME.  How do you get better FAST???  Play against an older brother who shows NO MERCY!!!  He is loving his season and can always be found dancing on the court.  :-)

(BTW, this is his cool look as he waits for Keenan's game to start.)

Now, Aiden is a character in himself.  As everyone took their turn for a pic, this is what I get.  "Wait, Momma, take it like this," all while giggling so hard I thought he would fall flat on his face.  That kid makes us all laugh so hard!!  And to think how hard we fought just to get him here when I was pregnant with him!!

This morning as I woke I found two missed calls from our Feeding the Orphans volunteer in Ghana.  My baby is sick.  He has malaria, but thank God he is receiving the treatment he needs.  Where did my heart go when she told me?  To God.  To how He loves him so much more than I do.  To the spiritual warfare raging in our home as we follow Jesus. To prayer and to ask for healing over his little body.  To the rest of the family that was gathered at the table eating breakfast this morning so we could all pray together.  To a hug from Keenan as he told me how surprised he was that I wasn't crying.  It is so hard to be away from sick little ones, but the greatest thing I have learned over the last two years and the adoption of these four precious, African children is they are not mine.  They are His and I have been given the gift of being their mother.  I have prayed over them, laid them in my hands and then laid them at my Father's feet.  They are His and I trust Him at all costs.  So tonight I pray for my youngest son, the caretakers as they provide what he needs and for my I600 approval that will get us one day closer to our two boys.  

Sledding and lots of other fun

What an amazing day with my kiddos!!  Today was the refreshment and laughter we all needed so much.  The kids went outside sledding for hours (and no, we didn't have tons of snow, but if the ground is frozen they are out there!!), they laughed, loved one another and just had fun.  Their smiles were back. Their fear was gone.  Thank you, Jesus!!  And thank you, everyone, who has been praying for their hearts!

Tomorrow might be different, but either way we are going to see Jesus' face in all of it!! We are going to see His joy and praise Him through the attacks!!  

For now, my babies are all sleeping and I'm going to bed, too.  

The joy of the Lord is my strength. - Nehemiah 8:10

Bigger Picture

The last few days have been difficult.  Hard.  Our family is under heavy spiritual attack. God has asked us to step out in faith.  Again.  What option do we have?  None because we love Him so intensely.   We are excited about the journey in front of us.  At times like this, though, the enemy decides to go into overtime.  He is working nonstop to deter us.  And the hardest part?  Watching my babies be under attack.  We are speaking truth and love into their hearts, encouraging them to lean upon HIM as He will never leave them nor forsake them.  He will stand beside them no matter what. What a beautiful adventure awaits us all!!!

On adoption news, we are still waiting for our I600 approval from the US Embassy in Ghana.  We are reminded God has perfect, incredible timing. This precious face reminds me daily.

It is still hard and my heart aches to have them here.

And this sweet boy is having a birthday in February.  By only a miracle from our God, he could be home for his 8th birthday.  Pray with us, will you?

One more favor.  Please join us in praying for our dear sweet friends who have been waiting so long that my heart hurts for them.  They are waiting for a court date, for court decrees, for I600 approvals (with us).  Please, please pray with us for these precious children who long to be with their forever families.  Pray for mommies and daddies whose arms are empty and aching.  Pray for brothers and sisters to understand God's perfect love in their wait.

Remind Me Who I Am - Jason Gray

We were given free tickets to Andrew Peterson's  BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD concert last night.  What an amazing blessing!!!  So Sydney, Keenan and I went while Dad kept the three little kids at home.

The first half of the concert was everyone playing two of their own songs.  As the 2nd guy stood up and started playing, I recognized one of my favorite songs.  (I am horrible at remembering who plays what and the names of songs.)

Sitting there listening to Jason Gray singing "Remind Me Who I Am", my mind went to the fatherless, to the orphan, to my sons who are orphans  NO MORE, to my Heavenly Father who adores me and I was reminded of His great love for ME.  And YOU.  And each person on this Earth.

He sang the words, "I belong to you," and I saw my precious son running to me with the brightest smile on his face knowing in his heart he belongs to me.

 I saw the empty, sad eyes of children just waiting for someone to say YOU BELONG TO ME.  I was reminded of the millions of children sitting around the world waiting to belong, to be loved, to be held, to be cherished, to be told the name of JESUS!!!

My heart was overflowing and broken all at the same time.  Thankful for a God who moves mountains, who changes hearts, who places the lonely in families, who gives me grace each and every day.  Broken for the children who need someone to come, someone to be His hands and feet, someone to remind them who they are and that they belong to a Heavenly Father.  Are you the one someone is waiting on?

Shooting Stars and Children

When my wife came to me and told me she heard from God that we were to adopt two more orphans from Ghana, I thought she had completely lost her mind.  (You can read her story here.)  When she told me she knew exactly who they were, I was sure she had.  She asked me to pray and seek the Lord on His will and I reluctantly agreed to do just that (as we had JUST brought home Samuel and Helen two months before).  On a daily basis she would ask what God was telling me about the boys and on a daily basis I told her “I don’t know yet.”  I was seeking and wanting to be obedient to what God wanted me to do, but I had to know for sure.  This was not, “God, should I take this job?” or “God, should we sell our house?” both very critical things to seek the Lord on.  But this was a HUGE decision and I had to be sure Kristie and I were on the same page and that page was ONLY God’s will.

I am a constellation man.  Since a child I have thoroughly enjoyed the stars and spent countless nights staring up into God’s vast greatness in awe and wonder.  

So one night as I found myself looking up into His heavens, I saw Orion the Hunter, and I heard the Lord say to me

 “Happy is he whose quiver is full.”  

And I replied, “Yes, Lord, but my quiver fills pretty full with 5 kiddos right now.”  Then I started to bargain with God.  I told Him if he really wanted us to adopt these two brothers, it would be great if He would send a shooting star across the bow of this constellation, Orion the Hunter.  I waited in expectation, but nothing happened.  Then I started to walk back inside and I heard the Lord tell me to come back and look up again.  I obeyed, and as I looked back at Orion, a shooting star shot straight across his bow!  I sat there in bewilderment for a moment, then started to rationalize what I had just seen.  

“God, that sure was a small shooting star; and it sure did go fast.  I was hoping for something a bit more substantial in the way of shooting stars.” 

But no more came that day.  As I told my family what had happened, they were ecstatic and confident in the Lord’s will, but Dad needed yet more confirmation from the Lord that this was indeed His will.

A week went by and I was again outside one clear cold night.  I was talking with the Lord and telling Him that I was sorry I am like Gideon throwing out my fleece again and again, but I know He is a God of love and mercy and grace and forgiveness.  I told my King that if He would just send another large shooting star right now, then I would quit trying to rationalize and understand everything and simply would obey Him and ADOPT the boys.  As I said “amen” and looked right in front of me, a HUGE BRIGHT shooting star fell straight down exactly where my eyes were looking.  And I could visualize the Lord flinging this star from His fingertip. 

I hit my knees and wept.  Wept at the confirmation of what I had just received after seeking so long.  Wept over two orphans that would no longer be orphans.  Wept over my God who is SO loving and faithful and powerful.  Wept over my God who answers. - Righ

You can imagine my delight when the Lord connected our hearts, when He answered our prayers.  And the excitement as my arms are even more full of joy in the form of 7 beautiful treasures that God chose ME to be a mother to.  So if you are out there and you have a heart to adopt and your husband doesn't, it is ok.  A little over two years ago, my hubby was adamant we would not adopt.  4 children that are orphans no more later and he knows we are not finished.  So pray. Just pray. Pray for our God to intervene and to unite hearts.  If you feel like you cannot be a good mother to the children in your home, it is ok.  Our God will give you enough strength each day IF you just ask Him, if you lean on Him, if you fully depend on Him.  So for Christmas this year all I want is for my boys to come HOME and a Memorial Box.  The first thing to go in it?  A star. An incredible reminder of how God spoke to my husband about our beautiful Ghanaian sons. - Kristie

This story is such a reminder of God's love for the fatherless and I have been waiting to make it a Memorial Box Monday.