Dashing....

and not through the snow anymore...but through paperwork. Oh my, it's the biggest paperchase of our lives. I sent our first papers to be apostilled this morning. I had no idea what "apostilled" meant before this and now know way too much about the process to get a big gold sticker on notarized documents. I don't even want to say how much I paid to send 12 papers to a city four hours away....must begin fundraising SOON!

In addition to the paperwork, we have been working on our homestudy assignments and are working on rooms. Paige and little one will be sharing a room and Paige is thrilled at the prospect of this! Paige's former room is now officially a
huge PINK playroom!

The kids original playroom is larger, and will now be the girls room. However it is a lovely shade of BLUE and as soon as we have it re-painted I will post pictures! We are making progress but it still seems like a hurry up and wait process. All the while God is teaching us through this. 

About allowing Him to order our steps and not become wrapped up in our own agendas. Reminding us we love because He first loved us. Showing us how love grows and grows, and there is always enough to give no matter how many children come into our home, hearts and arms. God is leading us to people who have been praying for Sveta for many months and this is a tremendous comfort. So much support...we are so humbled and thankful.

He is covering us with a blanket of LOVE through an incredible network of family, friends - some of which we have never met in person. Amazed every day. 

One sweet mama who spent time in little one's orphanage sent us these messages "She is adorable, very smart and just so sweet. She was fun and has a giggle that makes you smile! I cannot wait to see her home. She studied us so much when we were there, and would softly say, 'Al***'s mama' when she wanted my attention."

and this.....

"She's just a love! She's a smiley girl. By the time we left she would come running up to me and want a hug and high five!" 

Is it all worth it??  The paper chasing, the headaches which come with international adoption, the things we haven't even come to yet?  

Yes.

Absolutely.

We are thanking the Lord for placing us on this journey, for showing us more and more of His heart for orphans. Thankful for growing in us a love for the place which is Little One's heritage. For already creating in us, a love toward the people who have been caring for her. Amazed at how God continues to reveal to us His character and a Love we can't even begin to fathom here on earth. 
Thank you everyone who are praying and showering us with support.

  Blessings Friends...whatever you are walking through good or bad, may you feel the Lord pursuing you and drawing you closer to Him. 

Let It...

SNOW!!!

White Christmas in the South!

Beyond Amazing.

Family, Fun, Laughter, Food,

Faith....

Candy. Sweets.

So much excitement. Must Sleep. Tiny hands. Sweet hearted little girl.

Children screaming with Joy. Covered in SNOW.

Good. All Good!!! All God's creation smiling.

Raising hands in JOY!!!

We woke to snow on the ground and didn't think much of it. But the snow continued to fall and fall. And fall. For hours. A BLANKET of beauty. Absolutely amazed at HIS beauty. Sveta, even though we haven't met you we are MISSING you and need you to be home. We love you baby girl...we realized today your birthdate is the same as our very special Uncle Albert - in heaven for two years. God woke me today, on Christmas with this knowledge. Albert is such a huge part of us finding you...amazed you have his same birthdate.

When They Saw The Star They Were Overjoyed...Matthew 2:10

Merry Christmas from our Family to Yours!

 

The Who's and the Why's

Who are we???? And why/how were we led here???

These are a couple of the questions I have had.

Well...we are boring. We love where we are and following the path God has placed us on.

We have three sweet hearted children. Two are still walking with us here on earth. Emma is our "Little Bit" who blessed us for nearly four years with her amazing life. Emma had cockayne syndrome - rare but not as rare as most think! She wasn't defined by a diagnosis and our family was never defined by having a child with medical and special needs. Emma was LIGHT, LOVE and HOPE. She taught us every day.

 And she never spoke a word.

Our faith is the cornerstone to our existance and we know we will see her again. Our Mighty Lord loves Emma more than we could ever begin to love her here on earth.

We wouldn't change a thing.

 Our children make us smile

EVERY SINGLE DAY!

We love having children and look forward to filling our home with more. Organized Chaos is something we embrace and WELCOME!!!

How in the world did you find your way to the adoption journey and Little One???

Long story short - God. Has weaved it all for HIS GLORY!

We found out about a little girl, Julia, with the same syndrome as our daughter Emma ...cockayne syndrome. Julia needed a family. God used her to lead us to people who later would lead us to Little One. We knew she was ours from the minute we laid eyes on her.

We have come to this point after much prayer and God has given us PEACE about adopting Little One all the while growing great LOVE in our hearts for her.

Something only our mighty God has done. We are not crazy, though worldly views may see it that way. (here emerges my Amish addiction)

We are filled with peace.

We are humbled to be on this journey, we know not everyone will understand the why's. 

Really God???

I never sleep. Okay, I rarely sleep. Sleep overcomes my body at horrid hours, like 3pm when the children unfurl themselves into the kitchen begging for food and needing help with homework.  I can barely hold my eyes open and begin making coffee or searching for chocolate.

Why can't I sleep? I attribute it to all those years of getting up with Emma somehow programmed my body to wake every two hours. I DON'T SLEEP.

I know this sounds horrible but there are benefits.

I wake. I pray.

Two nights ago I was overwhelmed with praising God.

I am so puny. So far from being "there" in my faith. But that night completely overwhelmed with prayer and PRAISE to God

How HE COULD be

BLESSING us with another CHILD.

Really God???

You alone are worthy of all my praise.

My husband and I have had three children, and gave one back to Jesus five years ago but we know she was never really ours to begin with. We are blessed beyond comprehension in that we don't give a flying LEAP about what worldly views say or materialistic things. Living truth is our path and it is GOOD. Blessings are not found in materialistic things. But was it always this way?

A BIG FAT NO.

At one time we WERE focused on all things worldly. Was life better? NO!!!

Do we have enough for a child now? YES! Now our eyes are opened and I am thankful, humbled and say

Really God?

You are blessing us by placing us on a wild, unpredictable journey of adoption to a foreign country which is somewhat UNSTABLE and it will take a bucket full of faith and hours spent on our knees in prayer to get to her.

Really God? This is Good??? Yes...really. God is THAT GOOD. To place us on this wild journey. Really. He is Good.

All the Time. In Good. In Bad. In Heartache.In Joy. Lay down your life and give it all back to Him. It sounds crazy but...we believe it all makes perfect sense. 

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Follow us to Little One...

Our journey to Little One has begun.

We are wrapping her up in prayer and love.

 Filled with Peace
no matter what the future holds.

 "If there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you." Phil 4:9