On his way...

He has only been gone a few hours and I already miss him MUCHO!! 

Chris is on his way right now to Ethiopia to meet our boys!  The plan was for me to be his travel companion so we could meet our big boys together, this is not how things have worked out.  You see, it was really important for us to meet them together as they are older and sure can understand a whole so much.  Also, when we adopted Ezekiel and Nehemiah almost two years ago, we were not able to meet them at the same time, it was pretty disappointing.    I am already beginning to pray that he will be there when baby #5 is born.  There is a chance he could be back in Ethiopia picking up our boys at that time. I have chosen not to worry about this and place this request at the feet of my gracious Father.

I am not traveling this time due to the recommendation from our doctors because I am only barely in my second trimester and my placenta is in the wrong place  Honestly, it was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made, but as a mother there are many times when the protection and good of your child must come before your plans.  I had big plans.  I was going to visit all four of our boys hometowns and make any connections possible...I was going to spend a significant amount of time loving on some orphans and seeing with my own eyes Ethiopia and a ministry that is so dear to our hearts.  Of course the most meaningful aspect of the trip would have been meeting our sons  after ELEVEN months of hard waiting.  The Lord's ways are sovereign and good...so in this we must trust as we walk through this stretching season.

So this week it will be my little boys and me enjoying some quality time...and waiting for an email from Chris, hopefully with pictures, telling us about his first moments with T & Y.  I am so excited! Yes, I am jumping for joy...praying earnestly for my husband who will be meeting his 7 and 5 year old sons for the first time. His suitcase was packed with balls and lots of other activities that should help begin the bonding process.  I am also praying for T & Y who have been through so so much these past few years.  How thankful I am that the Lord is the one who heals the brokenhearted and pours out His unfailing love on all His children.

Yesterday, we found out that my family's hometown was devastated by a horrible tornado.  I want to be there helping...serving those who are living with such grief and loss.  Instead, I am here in Asia with my prayers and a heart of sadness for so many.  My heart is so overwhelmed with thankfulness that my granddad and many other loved ones are safe. 

I am pretty sure our little Avocado (that's the baby's size this week :) knows this is an important week as I have experienced a wide range of emotions.  I went to the doctor last week and the doctor checked the heartbeat and said our little one is a mover. We are so blessed!!

We would so appreciate your prayers this week especially for Chris and T & Y. 

I love being the Momma of boys.  Our days are never dull.  Their brotherly bond is deep and they enjoy doing everything together. Most mornings I wake up to hearing their sweet voices singing one of their favorite songs ("Jesus Loves Me", Blessed be the Name of the Lord or Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus) or going through their long list of memory verses. Somedays I will just stand outside their room and listen to their converstations.  i walked into their room a few weeks back to see them having their own little praise and worship time,  Zeke was playing the guitar and Nime was reading from his little Bible. Our baby boys are growing up so quickly.

This is a blog in pictures about the many things we might do in a week...those things that are supervised and those that are not :)

Visiting the Panda's was a favortie for Nime. 
He wants to take Bamboo everywhere!

the boys trying to help Bamboo climb a tree



Some kind of new stretching exercise!



On this day, they got in their closet and decided to
 wear their Ethiopian outfits. Seeing them dance
 around to Ethiopian music is just the most
precious sight. I love that they are beginning
 to appreciate their heritage.



A bowl of rice with a few objects to search for is all
my boys need for entertainment.



On this morning I helped the boys make a tent, they really enjoyed it.
I really enjoyed getting to see some of the Debate.  By the end of it, the boys knew
which ones to cheer for...although I believe they were rooting for
Herman by the end of it.



They got to enjoy some brother time while Daddy and Mommy
enjoyed a date just a few feet away.



He is getting into everything these days.
I tried to explain to him on this day that Lil Buddy
does not need to use Carol's Daughterr that just the cheap
stuff will work for him :)



Nime getting into the Carol's daughter again!

I think its a little hard for a two year old

to understand that Carol's Daughter does not deliver

to our house here in Asia. So thankful Mimi

keeps us supplied.



the grandparents should like this...

 This is a little peek into our life the past few weeks. Not to many words tonight as this was a full day of potty training. Someday  soon our boys will be out of diapers!!

I would say its pretty obvious our boys are interested in sports these days.



this is me and baby at about 12 weeks. 
It had been a full day of celebrating so I was feeling and looking a little tired at 11 pm.
I finally did it Sharon!!



the boys playing with one of their favorite didi's (how you call a younger brother)

All 3 boys just looking so handsome

Chris daily rides his bike but we have yet to buy a seat for the boys.  On this day, our friends shared their bike so Daddy could take baby boy on a ride. Thanks W family!!



Cooking with my buddy



This sweet family invited us for dinner...actually it was more like a feast.
I love that there are four generations in this picture!!





the feast





Some fun times with students





WE HAVE A COURT DATE ON MAY 26TH 

We are elated that in just a little over a month and a week, we will be spending time with our sons!!

The Lord is good.

Pregnant with our fifth!

I believe this is still sinking in to this heart.  For years I lived with the ache of a barren woman.  Seven years ago the Lord used the verse, "He makes the barren woman abide in her house, as a joyful mother of children Praise the Lord."(ps 113:9) to comfort my heart and give me hope many a days when the pain was so deep  I would cling to this verse that someday my day would come.

The moment I first held my baby boys these chains were released, my heart was content...I was a mother.  The Lord had answered my prayers and I could truly be joyful for the two precious lives that in His great soverignty and grace He had granted for us to parent. 

And then this summer the Lord spoke to our hearts that we were to adopt two older boys and the Lord brought to my mind another verse that I had long held to, "Shout for joy, O barren one who has borne no children...enlarge the place of your tents...your descendants will posses the nations. (Isa 54:1-3) Going from zero to four children within two years, this verse had certainly been prophetic for our family. :)

And now, after 7 1/2 years of marriage, and many experts telling us that it would take a miracle, He has acted.  We are in awe and marveling at His ways and timing.  I cling to the fact that He is...He is near...He is compassionate...He is able, even when I am not.

For years, Chris and I have loved the passage in Isa 35 but since this summer it has often been my place of mediation...the wilderness and the desert will be glad and the desert will rejoice and blossom. Our family knitted together by brokeness, barreness, and loss yet in His redeeming nature, He is able to heal hearts, restore joy and beautifully mold all seven of us to become family.

I journaled a few days back that i am learning not to be surprised by His ways...yet still i find myself looking down at my belly in awe that the giver of life has granted us yet another gift...five perfect, precious miracles from our Creator. I have been faithless yet He has been faithful. I don't understand His ways, but I marvel at them. 

Your ways, O God, are holy.  What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. ps 77:13-14

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.