Today He delivered. 

Actually I wrote this a few days back, but because of sickness and our baby's birthday, I am just now posting.

Since arriving in Asia 8 weeks ago, we have been waiting for one very important document. It is the final document we needed for our home study. You see, once our home study is complete we can send all our documents to Ethiopia, so that we can finally officially wait for a court date for our boys. Several times over the past two months, Chris has gone to try and get this done, but every time has come home saying we have to wait for such and such until we can get it. It was even suggested that we might have to be here for 6 months to a year before we could recieve this document. We have prayed numerous times for this one piece of paper…asking God to move mountains as we have experienced countless times with both of our adoptions.

Today before leaving to ask again for this document, I was reading in the Bible and was divinely led to read from Psalm 68.

v. 5 A father to the fatherless and a judge for the widows, is God in His holy habitation.---He is the Almighty who tenderly watches over our children

v. 6 God makes a home for the lonely…


v. 9b You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched (weary)---I am weary of waiting!!

As I looked at the cross references for verse 9, I looked back to Deuteronomy 9:29

Yet they are your people, even Your INHERITANCE, whom You have brought out by Your great power and Your outstretched arm.

Before I left, our hearts were very hopeful and trusting that we would be able to obtain that document.  I returned home around 12:30 pm with that very important piece of paper. As I rode home on one of our citiy's fine three wheel vehicles, in the freezing weather i might add, all I could say was thank you JESUS!!

Over and over He has been speaking to us that He will deliver…we must just wait in HOPE.

For those of you who prayed for us after we sent our email last week…we are humbled and beyond grateful for joining with us to bring our sons home. The Father is revealing new things to us about the power of prayer and that as the Body it is our responsibility and joy to earnestly pray in hope that He will deliver. Please pass along your requests to us…it will be a privilege for our family to pray for you.

this one is for Mimi
they sure do love their lil buddies!!

five years



Today it is our son’s birthday.  Does he even know it is his birthday? Is anyone giving him special attention and letting him know that he is a gift from God?    I wish that we were with him to celebrate with him or to somehow convey to him that he is loved.

We have yet to meet this son…yet the pain is very real. It surprises me when the emotions come.  When we signed on to adopting T& Y we knew that it would be around a year until they were home, we knew that our hearts would need to be guarded during the wait.  At points, I have kept my thoughts and emotions at a distance, but surprisingly, at times they come flooding in. Today was one of those days.  I woke up with a heavy heart praying for our sweet five year old son, who from pictures and video, seems to be so full of joy and energy. 

As the boy’s were making a card for him today, I walked up to my tender husband with tears in my eyes, asking him to reassure me that someday, the Lord willing, they will be home. Of course I know this, but I am weak and need to be reminded that this is a journey of faith and that in the Lord’s sovereign plan He has asked us to wait…to hope.   I know I can trust my gracious Lord to protect and provide for our sons in Ethiopia.  I know I can trust Him to prepare Zeke and Nime to have two big brothers.  I know I can trust Him to prepare us to be parents of these two precious lives. I know I can trust Him…He is completely trustworthy.

Today, I also think of a mother that because of tragic circumstances, that I do not understand, will not have the privilege to look on his face today.  My pain for her is just as real.  I truly can’t imagine the pain that she endures…it is a sacrifice of love.  There are no options for her…her hope is that someday they will have a second family that will be able to watch over them and love her sons.  Her sacrifice is our gift.  Though I don’t understand, I choose not to take this privilege and responsibility for granted. Our families forever joined together by these two lives…our legacies. 

This day is about to be over, but the result is a greater desire to pray fervently for our two oldest and their family in Ethiopia.  I want my heart to be open, daily asking and preparing our family and home to be ready for these treasures to be home.

Happy 5^th birthday my sweet joy!!  Tonight, I can only stare at your huge smile…but in just a few months we trust you will be home with us for good.

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in him I

TRUST.

Psalm 91:2

The boy's making a card for Han Han's,

their nickname for Y, 5th birthday.