Today was one of those long days and it is not over yet....
I love people asking about Elizabeth, but I feel so inadequate to answer. We don't know how hearing impaired she is, I would love to know, but we simply don't. Can she hear me tell her I love you? Or will signing be our only form of communicating?.... What size is she?.... What is her favorite toy/activity?.... We pray for her, her adjustment and our adjustment at least daily and I keep telling myself God is in control.
We continue applying for grants. We've already been turned down by one, don't know why- apparently they don't disclose that!
We've been dealing with issues with our son that is adopted and I have to admit that I am scared, tired and wondering how God is going to help. In the midst of all the things we are dealing with him about, I keep asking myself are you crazy?! Now you are adopting a hearing impaired girl!!! I think others may think I am insane, we already have four, four boys no less! The scripture comes to mind, God never gives you more than you can bear and I remind God that I didn't "bear" him. But even on his bad days, our son is a testimony to God's faithfulness and grace.
Well on to finish some grant applications....
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Answer to Prayer!
While writing my previous post, I got an email stating that China has started referrals again!!!!
Our agency got 18 referrals, congrats families!!! We don't appear to be one of them, but our turn is coming....
Thank you soooo much prayer warriors.
God reigns!
Our agency got 18 referrals, congrats families!!! We don't appear to be one of them, but our turn is coming....
Thank you soooo much prayer warriors.
God reigns!
Bumps in the Road
Bump #1 My parents dog (used to be mine) died this week. It made me wonder how Elizabeth is. What's happening with the bump under her good ear? Does she cry herself to sleep? Does she know about us yet?
Bump #2 I had to assist in killing a fly, it was for science, and the fly is currently not dead, at least not at our hands. But it took sooooo long for that fly to stop moving. We are learning about insects and it was experiment time. We went outside when it was time to revive the fly and somehow we managed to all get out the door without the door ever getting unlocked!
Bump #3 We were locked out of the house!!!! Fortunately while the fly dried out I remembered an unlatched window and by the time the fly was up to par we were in! Though I usually don't like a certain son unlatching windows, I am glad that he did this week. Otherwise we would still be outside!
Bump #4 It came in the form of a letter, a grant denial letter. But my Father owns a cattle on a thousand hills and He sees Elizabeth and He sees us and He will meet our needs.
We are plugging along on this adoption journey. My heart yearns to hold Elizabeth and comfort her. I long to shower her with love and tell her how much Jesus loves her. It's not about just finally having a girl to dress in pink. The reason for adoption is about making a difference. I would love to help all the children of the world and though I can try I doubt that I can really have a significant impact on 143,000,000 children. But just as we've had an impact on Michael's life, I look forward to how God will use us to impact Elizabeth.
Bump #2 I had to assist in killing a fly, it was for science, and the fly is currently not dead, at least not at our hands. But it took sooooo long for that fly to stop moving. We are learning about insects and it was experiment time. We went outside when it was time to revive the fly and somehow we managed to all get out the door without the door ever getting unlocked!
Bump #3 We were locked out of the house!!!! Fortunately while the fly dried out I remembered an unlatched window and by the time the fly was up to par we were in! Though I usually don't like a certain son unlatching windows, I am glad that he did this week. Otherwise we would still be outside!
Bump #4 It came in the form of a letter, a grant denial letter. But my Father owns a cattle on a thousand hills and He sees Elizabeth and He sees us and He will meet our needs.
We are plugging along on this adoption journey. My heart yearns to hold Elizabeth and comfort her. I long to shower her with love and tell her how much Jesus loves her. It's not about just finally having a girl to dress in pink. The reason for adoption is about making a difference. I would love to help all the children of the world and though I can try I doubt that I can really have a significant impact on 143,000,000 children. But just as we've had an impact on Michael's life, I look forward to how God will use us to impact Elizabeth.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
A Prayer Request
I spoke with our adoption agency yesterday because earlier this month China did not issues referals. The people who are waiting for a healthy child have already been waiting 38 months since their paperwork was logged in. So pray for those families who continue the ever increasing wait.
What this means for us. We are planning to travel in July or August (of this year, 2009). Our paperwork is still on track for us traveling then. We are expecting our referal, which is a letter seeking confirmation (LSC) because Elizabeth is a waiting child, in the next 12 to 43 days. (Whose counting? :)) However, if China continues the hold on referals beyond that our paperwork WILL be affected. If all those prayer warriors out there could pray that China will lift the hold on referals, we and many other families would appreciate it.
What this means for us. We are planning to travel in July or August (of this year, 2009). Our paperwork is still on track for us traveling then. We are expecting our referal, which is a letter seeking confirmation (LSC) because Elizabeth is a waiting child, in the next 12 to 43 days. (Whose counting? :)) However, if China continues the hold on referals beyond that our paperwork WILL be affected. If all those prayer warriors out there could pray that China will lift the hold on referals, we and many other families would appreciate it.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Elizabeth's Story
Elizabeth is a 22 month old little girl. She is hearing impaired- mild in left ear and moderate to severe in right ear. Because of her hearing impairment she is considered a waiting child. She lives in an orphanage in the southern part of China with 130 other children.
When found at approximately two days old she weighed 1 kilogram, or 2.2 lbs. She spent about a month in an incubator. From that information we believe her to have been premature. Exactly how premature we will never know. But God knows, he created her for a reason, he has seen her life and has a plan for her. We look forward to showing her God's love in a real and tangible way.
When found at approximately two days old she weighed 1 kilogram, or 2.2 lbs. She spent about a month in an incubator. From that information we believe her to have been premature. Exactly how premature we will never know. But God knows, he created her for a reason, he has seen her life and has a plan for her. We look forward to showing her God's love in a real and tangible way.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Our Story
October 31,2007 After much prayer we decided on the country and adoption agency and submitted an application to begin the journey to our daughter.
April 2008 We fell in love with a precious girl named Lydia while in China for one of Rick's business trips. (we had first met her about a year before) We spent the next six months in contact with her foster family.
June 2008 After completing our paperwork we recieved a log in date of our paperwork in China.
October 2008 We were informed by Lydia's foster family that they were going to adopt her. We were devestated. But God had a plan and we knew we could trust Him.
Through our pursuit of Lydia, a little girl with osteogenesis imperfecta, our eyes were opened to the need for families willing to adopt special needs children. There are so many other "Lydias" out there. Was a special needs daughter really what God wanted for us? God worked on our hearts and we had to examine our reasons for adoption. Two things that kept coming up were "if you do this for the least of these, then you do it for me" and "if not you, then who".
So in December 2008 we filled out the waiting child application with our adoption agency and became the "who" of those willing take in the least of these.
February 27, 2009 We got a phone call from our adoption agency about a hearing impaired 20 month old little girl. We had seen three other files of little girls who had special needs, but NEVER had our agency called us asking if we were interested. It was always me initiating. We could not lock that file fast enough once we saw her picture and heard about her special needs.
March 1, 2009 We submitted our paperwork for Elizabeth.
April 2, 2009 We recieved our pre-approval from China that they were going to pull our Dossier out of the stack of families waiting for healthy girls and complete the review of OUR Dossier. This review will take 60-90 days. That is where we are now.
April 2008 We fell in love with a precious girl named Lydia while in China for one of Rick's business trips. (we had first met her about a year before) We spent the next six months in contact with her foster family.
June 2008 After completing our paperwork we recieved a log in date of our paperwork in China.
October 2008 We were informed by Lydia's foster family that they were going to adopt her. We were devestated. But God had a plan and we knew we could trust Him.
Through our pursuit of Lydia, a little girl with osteogenesis imperfecta, our eyes were opened to the need for families willing to adopt special needs children. There are so many other "Lydias" out there. Was a special needs daughter really what God wanted for us? God worked on our hearts and we had to examine our reasons for adoption. Two things that kept coming up were "if you do this for the least of these, then you do it for me" and "if not you, then who".
So in December 2008 we filled out the waiting child application with our adoption agency and became the "who" of those willing take in the least of these.
February 27, 2009 We got a phone call from our adoption agency about a hearing impaired 20 month old little girl. We had seen three other files of little girls who had special needs, but NEVER had our agency called us asking if we were interested. It was always me initiating. We could not lock that file fast enough once we saw her picture and heard about her special needs.
March 1, 2009 We submitted our paperwork for Elizabeth.
April 2, 2009 We recieved our pre-approval from China that they were going to pull our Dossier out of the stack of families waiting for healthy girls and complete the review of OUR Dossier. This review will take 60-90 days. That is where we are now.
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