YOU Can Help!!!

We are blessed beyond what we can describe to have our two precious girls home. I look back on the path that brought us to our girls and them to us and am awed by how God smoothed the path to bring them home. However, our time with the other children at the orphanage has left a burden on our hearts that will not be lifted. They told us to please remember them but how could they know that we can not forget.

Listen to the words of this song. Really listen. I am responsible. 143 million orphans. We are all responsible. What can we do? Can we adopt them all? No. But there is a small part that each of us is called to play in ministering to orphans as God calls us. That may be adoption or it may be mission trips or it may be supporting those who are called to adopt. Each has a part and my part now is to tell others of what I have seen and to share the burden. To speak for those who can't speak for themselves.

So how can you help?

Well, that is something to cry out to God and ask Him to reveal to you personally. I promise if you begin praying for orphans and asking God what part He wants you to play in ministering to them - He will reveal it and you will be blessed beyond measure as you join Him in loving those so precious to Him.

But here is one possibility to consider right now:

An amazing thing is taking place this coming Saturday morning. A dream is coming to fruition after many years of prayer. My sweet friends Becca and Camille have both adopted, and the two of them have had a burden for the 143 million orphans that long for a family and home and who are often in desperate conditions. These two women were both a huge support to me through the past 18 months as we moved through the adoption process, and I am blessed to have them as my friends. The three of us began meeting and praying once a week last year for the children who were orphans and about adoption. Then Camille's good friend had a vision - "why don't we put together a run to raise money to help families with the financial part of adopting!" Because as anyone who had been involved in adoption, you know that the costs are huge and are very often the largest obstacle for families who desire to bring children home.

So a Charity Team was started to organize a race. This Charity Team has partnered with G.R.A.C.E. (God Rescuing All Children Everywhere) Adoption Ministry and River Stone Community Church to make this team a reality. The more money we raise, the more families we can help fund adoptions and bring children home. The families we support apply to receive funding and go through a very thorough screening by G.R.A.C.E.’s Board Members; they are awarded funds based on need and other selection criteria.

So on Saturday morning I will be running alongside several awesome ladies including my sis. I can't wait and am excited about running in my first official run but am even more excited about the reason we are running.

If you want to help - even small amounts count and add up - here's where you go to donate:

Go to http://www.river-stone.org/raceforadoption.htm and use “add special instructions to the seller field” and please enter my name. If you want to mail a check leave me message and I will email you the address.

I have lots more to update about...more coming soon.

The Sun'll Come Out...

Well actually it is quite rainy here in Texas but we are thrilled about that - we need it :)

This has been a much better week! We've had some more medical and dental stuff but as far as the children's attitudes and behavior (but most importantly my attitude and behavior), the sun has come out. Challenging days/weeks occurred before we adopted the girls and they occur now - it is just part of parenting and life in general. But it is these times that help me to draw nearer to the Lord.

Thank you to those who prayed for us this week! We had what should be the third and last round of work to repair cavities and remove some teeth (for Nastya). And Nastya finally got the decay on her front teeth fixed and is so thrilled to have white teeth in the front now!! She has been a trooper through what has amounted to fillings and/or crowns on every tooth in her mouth and at least 6 or 7 teeth removed. Two of those had to be done under anesthesia as they were her permanent molars. The orthodonist hopes that her next set of molars and wisdom teeth will come in strong and that we can move them forward to fill in those gaps. It will be a long term plan but for the moment we will get a break from dental work.

We also got to visit the endocrinologist to address Nastya's small size and they are running a bunch of blood tests and took a ton of x-rays to determine what possibilities there may be to help her grow. We are very happy with the pediatric endocrinoligist.

So after tomorrow we have a week of Spring Break! Woo hoo! We all need the break from school and are excited about our niece's birthday party and then getting together with some sweet friends that we have not seen in two years.

Mighty To Save...

This song was a powerful reminder to me throughout our journey to bring our girls home that God could move the mountains that stood in the way of bringing our girls home, that God alone can save, that God pours our compassion and offers hope. When the journey seemed daunting or impossible I would play this song in my heart and God used it to renew my hope. And indeed we saw Him move mountains and pour out grace and compassion to bring our daughters home.


Yesterday God used this song to remind me that He is mighty to save me right now.


I will be honest. The past 10 days have been hard. The morning after writing my last post on how grateful I was, life went a little crazy: Nastya had major dental surgery, later that afternoon I was hit super hard with the stomach bug (as well as some of the kids), Zach left town for a few days for a work conference, and then we kept my sisters' two sweet kids for five days while they went on a vacation. Throw into that piles of officework that have built up for me to tackle, a dryer that just quit working, and that wonderful time to go through clothes and make a lists for what my children need for spring/summer. Did I mention that these kids keep eating and wearing clothes and needing instruction/discipline?


Then on top of the 'normal' busy stuff I had an emotionally draining few days with one of our girls. Nothing huge, but many days of correcting the same issues (over-dramatizing minor injuries, some lying to get her way, constantly asking for more stuff, and just being very pushy in general) has taken it's toll. Plus we have realized that we have not been consistent in disciplining one of the boys and have been letting issues slide. All the sudden we realized it and are needing to tighten down and make sure that we are not allowing disobedience for our own convenience - so easy to do when I am overwhelmed with other stuff. All in all I was getting really discouraged and overwhelmed...


Yesterday morning, however, the Lord reminded me not only of my need to call out to Him and to seek Him first, but also that He has compassion on me and on my children. That the same God who brought our girls home can take care of these 'little mountains' that seem to be so huge right now. God has compassion and shows kindness to me no matter how many times I mess up, and I need to have the same compassion towards my children even when it seems that I am correcting the same issues so many times. I am praying (and would appreciate your prayers for us) that I would rest in Him and that I would seek Him first so that I have His love to overflow out of me no matter how sharply or how often I am jarred.

And today was a very good day even though we haven't quite tackled the piles of officework and the laundry is PILING up - come on over fast dryer repair people!!!! Thank you Lord!

Psalm 61:2

From the end of the earth I will cry to You,

When my heart is overwhelmed;

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.