in awe

The blessings of the Lord. I am overwhelmed. Totally amazed. At a loss for words.

I know I shouldn't be--He's my Daddy--the ONE who has never, not once, ever let me down. He's the Almighty God, the creator of the heavens and the earth. Why should I be surprised by His great love and faithfulness?

Maybe it's just something my heart and my human mind will never fully comprehend...this side of heaven.



Our yard sale was simply ginormous! The two weeks leading up to the sale were just crazy--my phone rang day and night with people offering to donate their unwanted goods. And boy did they. The foyer of our church was filled to capacity with stuff. It was really a sight to behold.

Most of the people who donated things we had never met. They had heard--heard the story of a little girl desperately needing to come home--and they wanted help. They wanted to play a part in Hailee's story. Strangers have now become friends. They are precious people praying and waiting to hear how they can help out next. Perhaps they don't even realize that they are warriors in the battle--fighting right alongside us to bring another orphan home.



Saturday was busy. So very busy. We had a constant flow of people through the parking lot. Many of these new friends arrived just to help out in whatever way they could. They put on a Hailee's helper sticker we had made...and they served.

Our church family was beyond incredible. They were ambassadors for Christ--never once letting a smile disappear from their faces. How blessed we are to serve God with all our hearts with such a amazing group of people.

The thing that stands out the most for me once again? How much our God LOVES orphans! How passionate He is to see each and every one of them come home. It's nothing new to me--every time we adopt a child we see His amazing faithfulness. But, as many of you know, when you step out and begin the paperwork to bring a child home, in the back of your mind is always the "how in the world are we going to afford to do this again."

Our family loves to read stories of missionaries together. It strengthens our faith and it teaches our children that nothing is impossible for the Lord. One of our all-time favorites is the story of George Mueller. A man of such incredible faith--and a man with a huge heart for the orphans in England.

George Mueller has taught us many things. His faith in the God of the universe is truly inspiring. His biography speaks of times when He had nothing. No food in the pantry and no money in the bank. Yet, he never asked anyone for anything. Ever. He only trusted His God, whom he knew to be faithful, to provide. He prayed...and then he waited for God to answer His prayer.

Of course God never let him down. He always provided for every need (and then some) in a timely manner for George Mueller.

As we journey to bring Hailee home, the Lord has challenged us to trust Him more than we ever have before. He's taking our faith to a whole new level of trust. In a bad economy where most are struggling, He's calling us to live a life of reckless abandon. He's instilling in us a quiet confidence, being absolutely certain that even if the world economy fell apart completely...we know that our God never changes. He stays the same yesterday, today and forever.

As He provided for George Mueller and the journey He took the man on--He is faithful to provide for every need we have to bring Hailee home.

And He sure is doing it!

blown away

Oh my--we are exhausted! It has been 48 hours of nothing but YARD SALE.

We worked our tails off.

Our church--well, there simply are no words to describe how they served with excellence. So many volunteers from our small church turned out just to play a part in Hailee's homecoming. They know how to love.

The Spirit of the Living God was tangible in the parking lot all day today.

The community opened their hearts to Hailee.

They asked questions--and their eyes were opened to the desperate plight of orphans.

We were so deeply touched as they gave...generously.

Want to know what God did?

Want to know just how much He loves to open the floodgates of heaven and provide for His precious orphans to come home?















Oh my goodness......

$6254.72!!!!

In just six hours.

Speechless!

I promise to post some pics soon. Right now, sleep sounds like a fabulous idea.

Going to bed with a heart of absolute gratitude...for a God who loves Hailee more than my heart can fathom, for a church family who have embraced her as their own, and for a community of people who heard and saw today that our God is a good God!

bringing home Hailee article

There really are no words to describe what an amazing community we live in. They opened their hearts (and their wallets) when we brought Haven home last year. And this time with Hailee, well, they are going above and beyond.

This morning's newspaper has a little story on our family--and our mission to bring Hailee home. You can read it here.

There is no picture in the online article--but this is the one in the newspaper.



(I had to laugh--fancy picture for the newspaper and my dear children are, as usual, without shoes. So very posh we are!)

We feel so blessed. Not just that we are getting some much-needed publicity for our yard sale and silent auction this Saturday--but that the heart of adoption is spreading in our community. That, to us, is worth far more than any money can buy. More and more people are hearing that adoption IS possible. That though the financial barrier is huge--it IS possible. They are seeing that God can use ordinary, plain old people [who never put shoes on their beloved children], just like us, to rescue these children from desperate situations.

Yes, God uses every adoption and journey a family takes to bring their child home as seed to stir the hearts of another family to do the same.

That excites me!

More, more and more children coming home.

Hallelujah!

can you help?

I don't often do this--but my heart feels like I HAVE to post this.

Last night I read a post written by a precious blog friend.

Lynsay and her amazing family heard the call of God when He said GO...and they went to Ch*na. They are running a baby house for special needs orphans. Has it been easy? No way! They live by faith and trust God for everything they need.

An amazing thing is happening. The local people they are working with are starting to get the heart of God for adoption! In a nation where adoption is not really an option to grow your family--this is HUGE.

Lynsay just posted about a local family who are going to an orphanage on Thursday to adopt a six year old GIRL--not even a boy (who is of great value to a family). Oh my, this is so big for their community. This stepping out in faith could have a humongous ripple effect in their church. So many more children could be adopted by the local community.

The problem is that this local family needs $1300 by this Thursday for the adoption. Heavens, in the world of adoptions--not much money at all. But for a Ch*nese family...a ridiculous amount of money.

Please prayerfully consider helping out. Even if it is just $10--it will ALL add up.

This is Kingdom stuff. This is the humongous Body of Christ around the world meeting a need. This is us sowing seed into something that could be so big, so God.

Just go to Lynsay's blog and read her post.

Thank you bloggy friends. American's simply cannot bring every single orphan in the world home. The orphans crisis is out of control. Encouraging and equipping the local Christian people in different nations is key. Not all of us are called to pack our bags and head for foreign lands--but we absolutely can play such a significant role in helping those who do go!

Thank you for helping out, dear bloggy friends.

the last days of summer

Where in the world has summer gone?

What a blessed weekend we have had.

A very special friend surprised us with a visit. Anthony has known her and her sweet family since she was just a little girl. Now she's spending time with our children. So precious.

We took some time off from sorting out, collecting and dropping off yard sale stuff to show her a bit of beautiful Colorado...and to enjoy the last of these warm summer days.

A picnic and soccer in the park.



Koala bear hugs. Haven definitely has a new friend



Walking the dog--and inspecting boo-boo's.



Bonding and savoring God's creation.



Pondering the narrow road!



Remembering ALL the reasons I love this man.



"Come on, Haven, it's not high--you can climb up."



So thankful for our firstborn. If only I could keep him little.



A smile just as sweet as her personality.



Two peas in a pod.



Nothing but an angel.



-----------------------------------

Our community continues to bless us more than we could ever have dreamed of for our upcoming yard sale this Saturday. Our church foyer is filled to overflowing with the most amazing things to sell. We have so much stuff that we will have to begin setting up on Friday night--even with all the volunteers there is no way we can wait until Saturday morning to do it. There is that much.

Not only do we have an incredible yard sale, but also a silent auction bigger than we ever imagined.

I stand in awe at what an incredible Father we serve.

Faithful Jesus!

----------------------------------

In the midst of everything we have going on--my heart is aching. I miss my mom.

Two and a half years ago I lost my mom to cancer. She was just 58 years old. She absolutely adored her grandchildren. Since she passed away, we have added Haven to our family, and now Hailee is coming home. With every adoption my heart longs to have her here--I long to share the journey with my mom.

But she's not here anymore. And that just totally stinks.

I was wondering today--does God allow those who have gone before us to see what is happening in our lives? Does He allow them to witness the things that we do here on earth?

I wonder.

I pray that God would give my mom a little window in heaven to see what is happening in my life. That though she is no longer here with me, He would allow her to catch glimpses into the amazing things happening.

There is such a void in my life. Mom. I really miss having a mother. It just doesn't feel right. But, I know that many things in this life are just not fair.

Some day every tear will be washed away--I can hardly wait for that glorious day.

But for now, for today, it just hurts.

blessed in the waiting

Things are seriously crazy at the moment. So much happening all at once. All good though.

The extra step in Hailee's adoption, with me having to become a US citizen, certainly has added to the whole adoption journey. Not too much work--just more waiting [on more government people].

Those of you who have adopted fully understand all the waiting--somehow it always feels like you are in a constant state of waiting.

Waiting for the next person to sign the required document.

Waiting for the right person to send you the forms you are needing.

Or just waiting for someone to get a blooming move on with whatever they need to do, so that you can proceed with the next step in the process.

So it is with my citizenship.

Waiting, waiting and a wee bit more waiting.

I'm trying to be patient. But man alive, it's hard. My little girl is lying in a crib somewhere not so very nice, and here we are waiting, waiting, waiting for everyone to get a move on.

While we wait, we have been so blessed. Oh my goodness. We have a huge yard sale coming up on August 29. A few e-mails to friends and acquaintances, an appeal to our church...that was all it took for donations to start pouring in. Daily things are arriving--stunning things. We're trusting the Father for a profitable day. This is our first major fundraiser.

I have been so deeply touched by the hearts of people. There is so much negativity every which way we turn these days. I cannot even stand to watch the news. Bad news everywhere. In a struggling economy, good news is hard to find. Yet, God's people are letting their light shine in the darkness--continuously reflecting the heart of the Father in these tough times. We are seeing it before our very eyes, and it is such a beautiful thing to behold.

As we have been collecting things for our yard sale, and as word has spread about us bringing Hailee home, so many people (most whom I have never met before) have gathered little girl clothes and baby items for me. We have never had a 15 pound girl before (both our girls were older child adoptions), so this is all so new. Oh, and we never thought we would ever go back to the 'baby stage' anyway. So we never kept any baby stuff. Obviously God had other plans...and He's providing everything we need every step of the way, even down to clothes and a crib for our angel girl.

Doesn't God just care so deeply about the teeny, tiny details in our lives?

Just to make sure that my days are filled to maximum capacity, and I am never bored or at a loss for things to do--the kids and I are back in full swing with school again. Oh my, it took me a few days to get myself motivated, but we're pretty much back in our normal routine again. In many ways it feels like we never even had summer...it just flew by.

Thank you to everyone who shared their homeschooling advice with me here. Honestly--I seriously stink at Math. Horribly. I needed something that was pretty much self study for my fifth grader. Many of you recommended Teaching Textbooks. I decided to give it a try. Boy am I thrilled I did. It has to be God's gift to seriously-math-challenged-mommy's like me. Worth every dollar! Thanks for the recommendation.

Be blessed in all you do, treasured friends.

boys

Every summer Anthony takes our boys on a boys only camping weekend. It is something they look forward to all year long.

Bonding time with Daddy.

Not a toilet in sight.

Eating as much bad food as we want to.

Making humongous camp fires.

Hiking and rock climbing.

Learning about God, and His creation.

Conversations about all things boy.

No mom to remind us to wash our hands and brush our teeth.

Heaven on earth!

Just being boys.



This was Cade's first camping trip with the big boys. Now that he's just a little older. He had a blast.



My African boys. These guys hate, and I mean hate, shoes!



Could God's creation be any more beautiful?



The freedom to just be...a boy!



Brother's bonding. Melts my heart.



How blessed I am....



to be exceedingly, abundantly blessed....



with these treasures.

clarification

Even as I write this, I am totally chuckling.

Sometimes I just do the dorkiest things.

Yesterday we spent a wonderful evening with our dear friends Steve and Shonni. They are such an amazing couple with the biggest hearts ever. If you don't know Shonni, do yourself a favor and go and meet her on her blog. You'll be so glad you did.

So, soon after we arrived at their gorgeous country home, Shonni and I have this little conversation...

Shonni: "Hey, say your name for me."

Me: "Adeye"

Now she is totally laughing...and I have no idea why.

Me: "Why?"

Shonni: "I read your blog this morning and I was wondering who U-Day-U is? When Americans read that they are going to think it is the u sound (as is use--the long u sound)."

Okay so at this point we are almost dying laughing. Dang it, in my wonderful effort to explain how to pronounce my name to all of you, well, I have confused the dickens out of you...and still nobody knows how to pronounce it correctly.

Shonni: "For us Americans you should put an 'h' after the 'u'--that way we know to read it as the uh sound. Well, I guess Yooooo-Day-Yooooo could be a great African Name."

So there you have it. It should have read "Uh-Day-Uh". Duh!

Thanks for the little English lesson, dear friend.

Oh my word--can somebody please tell me why I homeschool my children? Am I going to turn them into complete idiots?

Help!

Q and A

I get e-mails (and sometimes comments too) where friends, both old and new, ask me questions about my life and the choices we make for our family. I try to answer them all. But, well, somehow I just don't find enough hours in the day to do all the things I would love to do.

So, I thought I would answer some of the more frequent questions I get here.

Please know that the choices we make are because that is what we feel God has called us to do--not because we are legalistic in believing there is no other way. This is just the journey the Lord has us on.

How do you pronounce my name?

I get this one A LOT.

I know, I know, my dear mother had a weird idea when she named me. It is pronounced U-day-U. There is actually an accent on the first 'e' to make the 'a' sound. But I have no idea how to do an accent on the computer. If you've ever wondered how in the world to pronounce my name, you are not alone! I get it ALL the time.

While recently filling in some of the paperwork to become a citizen, there was a little space where they gave me the opportunity to change my name. Mmmmm, the thought did cross my mind. Mary or Sue seems so much easier. Somehow I just don't feel like a Sue or a Mary--so I guess I'm stuck with the name I got.

How is Haven doing?

Thank you to all you kind and caring friends who ask me this. I have a lot to say about sweet little Haven--but I'm going to wait just a few more weeks before I give you a detailed rundown. Her gotcha day anniversary (the day we adopted her) is coming up soon--the perfect time to fill you in.

Do I miss the mission field?

Oh my gosh, YES! I really do. I miss living in a third world country. But, the Lord has done an amazing thing in my heart. After struggling for years to find contentment in where God has us--I have finally found it. As much as I miss the life that we lived on the mission field, I know God has us right here. Why are we here? I have no idea. But there are many things in life we just don't need to understand...trusting and being obedient is the only thing that really matters to me. He has done great things in my heart.

Where were our children born?

Our two oldest sons were born in South Africa. They were 2 and 10 months old when we moved to Australia. Our third son was born in America. And obviously the girls were adopted from China.

You mentioned eating healthy food, what do you feed your family?

Phew, I had better save that for a post of it's own. I will tell you that I have been a vegetarian for over twenty years now. Not because I am against eating meat (I do cook it for my family), just because I'm a bunny hugger who chooses not to eat an animal. I do cook a lot of veggie meals. My kids have been raised that way and will happily eat salad for dinner. We keep sugar and dairy to an absolute minimum. For the most part, we watch what we put into our bodies. Our kids do have treats, but that's what they are--occasional treats.

I can share lots of recipes with you. Also some of the excellent healthy products we have found to substitute the not-so-good things available. For me, it is all about making healthy choices--and teaching my children to do the same.

How did Anthony and I meet?

You can read our journey in the Lord here. I posted some pictures from our past in that post and wrote about how God brought Anthony and I together.

How many children do we want to have?

I always thought I had that question all figured out. I always thought I would have 2--that was all I could handle. Then God got a hold of my heart and changed me from the inside out. A few years ago He asked me to surrender this one thing to Him--the thing that I had such control of...our family size. I did (very reluctantly at first). I gave the size of our family to the Father--completely. He knows that our hearts are so yielded to Him in this. How many? I have no idea. I only know that our hearts are open to what God wants. He knows we will never turn His blessings away--ever!

Are we nervous about adopting a Down Syndrome child?

Yes and no. Special needs adoptions are not new to us. But this one is different. Something new, something we know nothing about. I do get a little fearful when I sit and think about how hard it could be. But, God always brings me back to Him, to the One who has called us and equipped us with everything we need to parent this little girl. Will the road be easy? Probably not. But sometimes the most challenging things I go through in my life are also the most rewarding. I know God will give us everything we need to be good parents to Hailee--with Him we know we can do all things.

Why did we choose to home school?

Simply because I love being with my children every day. I have nothing against public school, obviously other than the fact that God is not welcome there.

I do love teaching my children, and learning right along with them. Our days together are so much fun. I love that they get to learn about the birds and the bees from us, not on the playground. I love that the Word of God comes first--everything else is second.

Home schooling is not for everyone. God has every family on their own journey. We just have to seek Him on what that looks like for our families.


Okay--enough for now. Hope you're having a very blessed weekend, friends. It's just me and my girls this weekend. Anthony has taken the boys on their annual boy camping trip. Boys only stuff. I bet they're making the most wonderful memories together. I can hardly wait to hear all about their adventures on Sunday. God is just so good to us.

pour down like rain

Ever felt like you're standing under an open sky, arms outstretched, feeling like heaven is literally being poured out upon you? That feeling of being showered with heavenly rain.

Anthony and I are overwhelmed. We're pretty wordy people. Never really at a loss for words. But even as I type, I can't find the words to adequately express what is in my heart.

The outpouring of love that we are receiving as we journey to bring Hailee home has been incredible. Remember the naysayers? The ones who so openly told us we were absolutely nuts to bring this child home? Well, the God of the universe has taken every word of doubt, concern or lack of support that was shared and turned it all into something far more glorious. More glorious than we could ever have dreamed of.

It's called the Body of Christ. No, actually, it's called the Body of Christ in action! We stand amazed at how our teeny, tiny (Spirit filled, people loving, Word of God teaching, non-compromising, small mountain town dwelling, God fearing) church has embraced our Hailee. Not just as an orphan. No. Their child. To say that our hearts are deeply touched is such an understatement. It has been so humbling. So amazing.

I have such an excitement as we journey this road with our beloved church--adoption is new to them. The seed is being planted in the hearts of many--I can hardly wait to see the beautiful harvest that will come forth. Oh my gosh--this stuff seriously excites me. What can God do through a tiny little girl who is not even home yet?

And then there's sweet Kelly. A very gifted woman of a mighty God. My word. Thank you to all of you who supported her fundraiser by buying her stunning creations. Kelly raised over $400.00 for our Hailee's adoption. Is that amazing? I have never even met Kelly. She happens to live where we used to live before we moved to Colorado--I am so sorry we never met while we lived there. This is a woman with a huge servants heart--I am so blessed to know her. PLEASE support her and her little business. I am confident of one thing--that we can never out give the Almighty God. I know Kelly will be exceedingly, abundantly blessed as she has given. Thanks, friend.



Yes, indeed--standing under an open heaven and watching in amazement as the Everlasting Father once again shows us how deeply He cares for the children who wait. And at a complete loss for words as to how to thank those who have come alongside us and are running this race with us. As my precious pastor and beloved friend said, "A little girl is lying in a crib in Eastern Europe and she has no idea how people are fighting for her."

Some day she will know that it was all because HE LOVES HER--that He reached down and rescued her from certain death. And He used His Glorious Body (not just one family, but an army of people) to do it. Hallelujah!

victory!

God!

Isn't He just amazing? I wonder how people ever get by without a relationship with the Almighty. How in the world do they do it? But that's a whole new story for another day.

Oh my, this journey to adopt Hailee has certainly been a tested one. Not in any bad way. Just a time of standing firm and not giving up--even when things seem impossible. It has been emotional. Some of you know how it feels to fall in love with a face--one tiny little picture. That's all you have. But deep in your heart you just know that she's (or he's) the one.

So we sorted out my citizenship. No, we're sorting out my citizenship. Our Congressman's office has been fabulous. Absolutely amazing. They call us all the time to let us know how things are progressing. What an answer to prayer they have been.

Then we had the smaller issues of our marriage license and our finances. Flip, if I thought China was strict with their paperwork requirements, I think I may have changed my mind. This country that Hailee is in is seriously OTT. I guess it's all part of adoption, no matter where you adopt from. Crazy.

Today we got the news we had been waiting for. Again we've found little loopholes that will allow us to adopt Hailee. The country will accept our paperwork, even with our issues that usually are not allowed.

Hallelujah!

Coincidence? Nope.

God? Absolutely.

Sometimes we have to dig deep. Sometimes when it feels like everything is against us and there is no possible way to make something work out, we have to stand firm! So it is with adoptions. The rules these countries have are, quite honestly, insane. With Haven's adoption, we did not meet the requirements. And now with Hailee, we definitely do not meet the requirements.

But, we serve a Mighty God. An amazing Father. A God who loves orphans more than our hearts can ever comprehend. All He needs are those who will stand up and fight for His precious children. Those who will NOT give up when doors start shutting in their faces. God needs those who will dig deep and press in--all for the sake of saving one child at a time.

Do Anthony and I have some supernatural gift of faith, an ability to trust God for the extra-ordinary? Absolutely not. Like everyone else, we have days when we feel we can take on the world, and days when we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders. We're just passionate about God's orphans.

We've traveled and we've seen with our own eyes how these children live. But even closer to home, we've adopted one of the 'least of these'--a little girl abandoned in China after her first family wrote her off as being "seriously mentally ill." We've seen, before our very eyes, how a child, written off as being the lowest of the low, can blossom in a family. The transformation has been breathtaking. EVERY child deserves a chance, an opportunity to grow and experience the love of a family. No child deserves to be labeled 'orphan.' No child.

Of course the enemy hates seeing children placed in CHRISTIAN homes. Of course he will throw obstacle after obstacle across our path as we journey along the adoption road. The fight for a child's life can become so intense, so very fierce. But that's exactly what we have to do sometimes--fight for their very lives. It's time to put on the full armor of God (which is so freely ours) and fight with a passion for these children. Let's not give up, lie belly up or give the enemy the victory time and again when we don't meet the 'requirements.' God is alive and well and more than able to fight on our behalf. How He adores orphans.

The fight for an orphan, one at a time, is so worth it.

Hang in there, sweet baby girl--your mommy and daddy are coming. You are worth fighting for!

s-i-m-p-l-i-c-i-t-y

For the last few years my heart has been longing for simplicity. I watch old pioneer-type movies and think that life just seemed so much simpler back then. I know that's probably not the truth--they had so many different issues to deal with. In many ways, with all our modern conveniences today, I'm sure we have life so much easier.

Still, the lifestyle people had all those years ago just makes me long for the good ol' days. There were no televisions or video games to draw families away from each other. Family time was so precious and treasured. Reading God's Word as a family was the highlight of the day. Families worshiped together, played together, cooked together, built their homes together. Everything revolved around family.

I long to have that for my family. But truthfully, I feel pulled. Pulled in all different directions.

I'm struggling to find the balance. Today has been one of those days when I just feel pulled. My circle of friends get their children involved in everything imaginable. The competition among their children is fierce. Who can play the most, do the most, be the best and beat the rest kind of mentality. Even in the small town that we live in, there are many things to get our kids involved in.

The idea of rushing our many little children from one activity to another has no appeal whatsoever. Ferrying them from one place to another for the sake of having them involved in different things means one thing to me--less family time. But, I know there has to be a balance--and I'm struggling to find it.

Things are so different now even from when I was a child--which was not even that long ago. I loved sports and was a competitive swimmer in my day, swimming at State level. In my younger years, training was fun and the joy of the sport was encouraged. It was not until I got into high school that things started getting more intense. How different things are now. My children played football last year. Oh my word--we were on the football field (two separate fields as we had two sons in different teams, so we alternated) four nights a week PLUS Saturday games. Family time became virtually non-existent. We lived on quick and easy (and not healthy) meals. We were constantly on the run. We never read at night and our times of reading God's Word as a family fell by the wayside. We were just too tired when we got home late after practices. Not my idea of fun at all.

I figured that if we allowed all five of our children to play a different sport each season, heck, we'd never be at home. Things are so different these days. There are a million and one things calling our names to get involved in. They're all great, I'm sure. But are they the best? Or, are they just things that rob us of precious family time?

So I'm struggling to find the balance. I want my children to use every gift and ability that God has blessed them with. I really do. But, family time is crucial to us. It is one of the reasons we love homeschooling our children--we get to be with them more. We get to sow into their lives and be their primary teachers in all things.

I love the idea of living a simple life. I long for it with all my heart. But, yes, I'm feeling pulled. The word simplicity seems so unattainable in a crazy, busy world.

How do you find the balance? How do you know when to let your children get involved in different things, and when to pull back? I never want to fall into the patterns of this world--and we all know that one of the things satan steals from families is time--time together, time in God's house, time with church family. Busyness takes us away from all those things.

Learning and growing each new day--right along with my children.

my heart

My heart is full to overflowing.

Overflowing with His goodness, His love and his abundant blessings.

I look at ALL He has blessed me with--and there are no words. No words to express my gratitude. "Thank you" seems to fall so short. It seems too inadequate to express what is in my heart.

How do I find the words to thank my Savior?

Today I look at my blessings, my treasure on this earth--and my heart is full. So very satisfied. What did I ever do to deserve five, almost six of His BEST GIFTS? I will never fully understand.

I am so thankful that He found me, just an ordinary girl with no special gifts or abilities, worthy of caring for His beautiful gifts. He has truly bestowed on me the ultimate gift, the one and only talent or ability I could ever ask for--the blessing of being called Mommy.

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Matthew 6:21

From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise.
Psalm 8:2



Gladness and joy will overtake them.
Isaiah 51:11



Blessed are the pure in heart.
Mark 5:8



Let the little children come to me.
Matthew 19:14



Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.
Matthew 18:20



I will walk among you, and be your God, and you shall be my people.
Lev 26:12



If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.
Isaiah 1:19



Her children arise and call her blessed.
Proverbs 31:28



Love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Deut 6:5



For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Psalm 57:10

injustice

Why?

Why do innocent orphans get dealt such an unfair hand?

Why?

I just don't get it--and never will.

This morning I read a story about a little girl in China who has been given the worst news imaginable, "Sorry, Honey, you will have to go back and live in your orphanage. Your mommy and daddy cannot take you to America."

Oh my heart, I just don't get it.

My friend Lori posted about this family, in China now. After the routine medical test that every adopted child has to go through in China, it was discovered that she has TB. Not active TB. She is just a carrier of the disease. She is NOT contagious. It seems the decision has been made by those who make decisions in Immigration, and she is not allowed in the USA! Oh my heart.

Why is it that HIV children and even HEP B children (like our girls),both 'infectious' diseases, are allowed into the USA, but this little girl is being denied her family because the CDC says NO? She has been with her family for several weeks, has bonded with them, loves them--and now she must go back to the orphanage. How come?

We know first hand how devastating and detrimental it is to a child when they are sent back to an orphanage, even after being in a family just a few days. Just ask Haven!

Injustice is alive and well. It absolutely breaks my heart when a small, innocent child is involved. The reality of her future is that she will remain in China, 'labeled' with this disease with little hope or future. Oh God in heaven.

It seems the family has no choice...at this stage. The little girl would have to be on drugs for a couple more months, and then retested for TB. She is apparently responding well to the medication.

I wonder what I would do?

I am so heartbroken for this little girl. Best case scenario, the drugs will take effect and she may be available for adoption again. God in heaven, let it be so!

Injustice. What is the world coming to? Has compassion run out?

ain't no mountain high enough

Hailee. Sweet, teeny, tiny little one.

I confess--there have been so many times over the last three weeks when I have doubted. I have questioned my God. I have questioned my ability to hear His voice. I have seen the humongous mountains that tower before us and thought, "There is no way this is ever going to work. No way!"

Those of you who have journeyed with me know that there has been obstacle after obstacle. It has felt as if we have faced opposition since the day we said we'd go and get her. Not just minuscule little bumps in the road. I'm talking about Mount Everest-sized mountains. There is no way over them--way around them. They're just there--standing in the way of all that lies beyond.

But our God. He is so amazing. In our twelve years as a married couple we have seen God perform miracle after miracle. Living by faith on the mission field, we have learned to expect the impossible from the Almighty. There have been countless times in our lives when we have had no food in the pantry and no money in the bank. The only thing we have had to cling to is that still, small voice telling us, "Trust Me." Every single time He came through for us. Every time.

So it has been on this adoption journey. When all the stuff started surfacing and we were left wondering how this could ever work--again those two little words rang loud and clear in our hearts...

"Trust Me!"

"But Father this all seems so impossible--there are too many obstacles preventing us from bringing Hailee home."

"Trust Me!"

So we did. All things taken into consideration, and if we did not walk by faith (which we do), we probably should have thrown in the towel and admitted that it could never work. That it was just an impossible mission. But we know this to be true...when God sends us on a mission, it truly does not matter what stands before us, He WILL make a way. He WILL move every single mountain that stands before us. Heck--He's GOD--the creator of the heavens and the earth. NOTHING is impossible for Him. NOTHING. That being said though, there are times He takes us through the fire in order to get us to the other side. Sometimes He calls us to press into Him and cling to every promise He has spoken to our hearts...even if we're barely hanging on by our fingertips.

As you know, the main issue we were facing was that I was not a US citizen. You can read about it here and here. We were told over and over again that the only way to gain my citizenship was the regular old way, which could take anything from 6-12 months. Not an option! Hailee may not have that amount of time without medical intervention (she is desperately in need of heart surgery as she was born with a hole in her heart). Any possible humanitarian grounds for expedited citizenship quickly got shut in our faces.

"Trust Me!"

After three weeks of phone calls, internet searches, and asking for advice--I am here to tell you all that the Father has made a way. In His faithfulness He led us to the right person to help us. We eventually found an attorney in Virginia who was not interested in how much money they could make off us (the process of using an attorney to gain citizenship runs into thousands of dollars). Finally someone was interested in helping Hailee. In addition to helping file the necessary paperwork, they gave us the key--the answer we were so desperately looking for in who would help us expedite my citizenship quickly! No attorney could do it--it just is not possible. The stamp of approval can only come from one person. Our Congressman.

But there was a catch--the Congressman had to feel that the case was worthy of being expedited. The need had to be legitimate and worthy of them getting involved. Can you imagine how many times they come across ordinary people, just like us, needing help? Anthony took our story to our local Congressman. They approved! They are more than happy to help us gain my citizenship just as quickly as possible. Hallelujah!

We have already filed some paperwork with our Congressman. They are ready to move just as soon as we get our paperwork filed with Immigration. We're busy--filling in heaps and heaps of official papers. We're standing and trusting. I could be a US citizen within a matter of weeks. Wow.

Throughout this entire journey [so far] the Lord has reminded me time and again about the persistent widow--the woman who never gave up, but kept coming back with her plea.

And the Lord said, "And will not God bring justice to His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night?" Luke 18:7

Never give up!

When the ministry that we are using to bring Hailee home told me that there was 'probably' no way this was going to work--even to the point of showing me other children who so desperately need homes--still we heard the same thing so clearly in our spirits...

"Trust Me!"

And so we did.

I had to chuckle--yesterday I got a note from my friend at Reeces Rainbow. She said, "I was truly ready to tell you sorry." I laughed because all my communication with her over the last few weeks flashed before my eyes and I thought how crazy she must have thought I was--always telling her that we would find a way, that we would not give up until every single door was slammed shut and that I was so absolutely positive that Hailee was our child--no other. Yes, persistent.

We're still waiting on answers on two little issues that we need confirmation on. But hey, look what God has done! There absolutely is no mountain too high that He cannot move--just like that!

Oh what a God of the impossible we serve.

Thank you, dear friends, to all of you who have supported us and encouraged us in the last few weeks. Thank you for every prayer that you prayed on Hailee's behalf. Thank you for not wavering in your faith that this child WILL come home!

Oh, and if you read this far--thanks :)

this and that

Ah--thank you for all your very sweet comments about my family, and my new blog look. You guys are way too kind. Really. It seems that I will be keeping the pink after all.

Before I go on, I have to answer some of the questions that a few of you asked.

~~ Nope, the picture was not Photoshopped. The colors just came out so beautifully because we used a great lens and the colors up here in the mountains are simply stunning. We have had so much rain, I mean buckets and buckets. Everything is so lush and green.

~~ Oh for heavens sakes--those close to me will tell you that we are so NOT perfect! No way. Our kids misbehave way more than we would like, you will usually find them wearing clothes with holes in them, we lose our patience, we forget things we probably should not forget, we get tired and irritable, we speak harshly when we should not, most days you'll find my hair in a ponytail--just because I couldn't care less, our house is more often than not a complete dump, we let people down unintentionally, we say the wrong things, some days we feel like we could just stay in bed all day long, we question our parenting, we sometimes lack faith, we stumble and fall...you get the message. So far from perfect--but striving each and every day to be more like Him, who is perfect. We have such a long way to go, friends.

~~How did we get all five children to smile? Simple, really--it's called bribery! A lovely little parenting tool. Did I already tell you that we are so far from perfect parents? Here's my little confession. Cade was crying rivers of tears because he was just being a regular old four year old who did not want to have his picture taken. I tried everything to make him smile--the promise of candy (a rare treat), a movie of his choice...I went through a list. Nothing worked. Until I thought of it--the one and only thing that would make him co-operate for just two blooming minutes. Cream soda! Not just any old soda...cream soda. Soda equals heaven on earth for my children. Poor deprived things. Bingo! We got the smile.

Bribery--it works perfectly every time.

My treasures on this earth.



























Anthony and I are so deeply touched by the outpouring of love and support you have all showered upon us as we journey to bring Hailee home. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you! Your prayers alone mean the absolute world to us. I will tell you that our God has heard every single prayer that has been spoken on our little girls behalf. Before our eyes we have seen Him move mountain, after unmovable mountain.

The last two weeks have been such a stretching time. A time of pressing into God when nothing in the natural made sense. When it seemed we would surely lose Hailee--God called us to persevere and NOT give up. It has been a time of standing on the promises of God and being so sure of our faith. And, it has been a time of not wavering when we doubted if we even heard God's still, small voice saying, "Go!"

Yes, our God--He absolutely does make a way when there seems to be no way. I can stand on the rooftops and testify that with all my heart.

a new look

Change--oh how I love it.

We had such great day out as a family on Saturday. The perfect opportunity to take some pictures. The one on the header came out so nicely--the perfect header picture. How stunning is Colorado in the summer? Blogger won't let me post any other pictures. I'll try again on Monday.

We're thinking that the pink on the side bar may be a little tooooo much--we may change that. I love pink, it's my favorite color--but this may give you sore eyes :)

What a beautiful weekend with my family.

Friday night spent with friends we cherish. Saturday spent with the ones I love. A leisurely drive in the mountains. Fun trying to get five children to smile all at the same time while mom and dad take pictures. Glorious summer weather. Very little rain. Time away from the computer. An amazing time in my Fathers House on Sunday. House cleaning that had to be done. The great feeling of having a clean house (for at least an hour). Healthy, fresh food eaten. With an ice-cream treat just for fun. Time throwing balls in the back yard.

A weekend spent just being.

Monday will be busy. Lots of new developments in bringing Hailee home. But that can wait till Monday.

For now, I am simply full to overflowing with His amazing gifts.