Sorry it has taken so long for us to post. Other than fundraising, there has not been a lot of new news to share. Until this week! Yeah!!! Our paperwork is on its way to China! What a relief it is!!! Now everyone is asking how long we have from here. There is really no telling, BUT we are a lot closer. I am guessing maybe March or April. It would be a nice surprise if it were any earlier. We are hoping and praying that we will be matched with Lucy sometime next month. This is when the fun will begin. The nannies will be able to tell Lucy all about us. The pictures and letter are already there and waiting. I wish we could have a video of her response. One day, she will be able to fill us in on all of the details.
THANKS SO MUCH to all of you who have helped in our fundraising!!! It has been a HUGE success and you will never know how much we appreciate you! For all of you that donated prizes or sold tickets for our giveaway, THANK YOU!!!
A special thanks to My Uncle Leroy!!! He went crazy selling tickets! I think he must know everyone in my hometown. He sold his tickets and kept asking for more.
Another special thanks to our friend, Haley James!!! Haley is only 10 and sold $500 in tickets! Is that awesome or what?! She went out into many neighborhoods for weeks after school until all of her tickets were gone. You are truly a blessing, Haley! We love you!
And for all of you who have donated for the many yard sales, THANKS!!! A special thanks to Sarah and Bryce Delacourt! Sarah made bracelets, and Bryce washed up his bike for one of the sales. We sold everything you gave us! Thanks!!!
We are going to hold off until after the holidays for more fundraising. My Mom and Dad have volunteered to help us with a bar-b-que chicken plate sale in the early spring. So, there will be more tickets to be sold. :)
MOST OF ALL, we would like to thank each of you that have prayed for us through this process. We have felt them. If you do not mind keeping them going, that would be great. Our request at this time would be for Lucy, Lauren, Anna Claire and Lily as this will be a HUGE adjustment for all of them.
We will be posting soon. I will be sure to announce our papers' LID (Log in Date).
Monday, October 19, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
"The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." (Ps. 126:3)
"Nothing is more appropriate than jumping up and down for joy over answered prayer. Sometimes we confuse humility with timidity. When God comes through for us, a timid and tentative thanks is not only out of place: it's anticlimactic." - Beth Moore
"Daniel-like prayer warriors are Daniel-like worshipers. PRAY ON!!! Answers will come, and your joy will be complete."- Beth Moore
These are powerful quotes from a Bible Study that I am doing this summer. If you have never been a part of a Beth Moore study, I would highly suggest you find one in your area.
Last weeks lesson was soooo appropriate for all that unfolded last week in our adoption. Believe me when I say that MOUNTAINS have been moved and I am certain it is because of YOUR prayers. And believe me when I say that our joy IS FULL!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS!
I wish I could share with you every detail of what has happened over the past month, so you could see the hand of God moving all through it. I cannot do that for various reasons, but I will do my best to summarize.
Our contact to the orphanage received a short e-mail last month that simply stated that there was a family in China that wanted to adopt Lucy. No other details along with it. Days (seemed likes years) passed by before we knew anything more. Questions flooded our minds like, "Are they days away from taking her?" "Will we ever know where she is?" "Does she like them?" "Where did they come from?" Needless to say, we were quite shaken. But ultimately knew that this did not surprise God. He had a plan. We had to trust!
Does any mother give up without a fight? Not many of us. I was willing to except this if I knew for certain this is what God wanted. We did not feel in our hearts that this was God's plan. Could we just sit still and be done with it? Nope. Besides, we have too many friends and family that have been praying and pulling for this child that I do not even think we could let that happen.
A month has passed since we found out that disturbing news. I have shed a bucket load of tears, grown a few more gray hairs, but have done my very best (most days) at giving it over to the One that is in complete control. I admit, many days I wondered if this whole thing has happened to build my trust. Not Tom's - he is much better at that, but mine.
With all of that being said, there is a dear couple from Florida that is there this week spending time at the orphanage. They are there after many prayed for the swine flu ban to be lifted. Not clear yet if the ban was lifted, but they are there! Anyway, we received GREAT news from them!!! It seems as though the family that was interested in Lucy is nowhere in the picture. And this American couple was told that the orphanage would be sending Lucy and Betty's paperwork over to the consulate at the beginning of July! Our paperwork should be there shortly after that! Thus we could be right back on track as if none of this had ever happened.
Surely we will not act as if this never happened. It will always be a part of Lucy's story and GOD will always get the glory!!!
"Daniel-like prayer warriors are Daniel-like worshipers. PRAY ON!!! Answers will come, and your joy will be complete."- Beth Moore
These are powerful quotes from a Bible Study that I am doing this summer. If you have never been a part of a Beth Moore study, I would highly suggest you find one in your area.
Last weeks lesson was soooo appropriate for all that unfolded last week in our adoption. Believe me when I say that MOUNTAINS have been moved and I am certain it is because of YOUR prayers. And believe me when I say that our joy IS FULL!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS!
I wish I could share with you every detail of what has happened over the past month, so you could see the hand of God moving all through it. I cannot do that for various reasons, but I will do my best to summarize.
Our contact to the orphanage received a short e-mail last month that simply stated that there was a family in China that wanted to adopt Lucy. No other details along with it. Days (seemed likes years) passed by before we knew anything more. Questions flooded our minds like, "Are they days away from taking her?" "Will we ever know where she is?" "Does she like them?" "Where did they come from?" Needless to say, we were quite shaken. But ultimately knew that this did not surprise God. He had a plan. We had to trust!
Does any mother give up without a fight? Not many of us. I was willing to except this if I knew for certain this is what God wanted. We did not feel in our hearts that this was God's plan. Could we just sit still and be done with it? Nope. Besides, we have too many friends and family that have been praying and pulling for this child that I do not even think we could let that happen.
A month has passed since we found out that disturbing news. I have shed a bucket load of tears, grown a few more gray hairs, but have done my very best (most days) at giving it over to the One that is in complete control. I admit, many days I wondered if this whole thing has happened to build my trust. Not Tom's - he is much better at that, but mine.
With all of that being said, there is a dear couple from Florida that is there this week spending time at the orphanage. They are there after many prayed for the swine flu ban to be lifted. Not clear yet if the ban was lifted, but they are there! Anyway, we received GREAT news from them!!! It seems as though the family that was interested in Lucy is nowhere in the picture. And this American couple was told that the orphanage would be sending Lucy and Betty's paperwork over to the consulate at the beginning of July! Our paperwork should be there shortly after that! Thus we could be right back on track as if none of this had ever happened.
Surely we will not act as if this never happened. It will always be a part of Lucy's story and GOD will always get the glory!!!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Please Pray!!!
Our family covets your prayers in the next few days!!! We have recently received news from China that could possibly be a roadblock in our adoption of Lucy. I will not go into details at this time because we are not sure of all the details. Please pray that God's will be done! As soon as we hear, we will post again, hopefully some time next week.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
More pics of Lucy!
We were pleasantly surprised to get these new pictures of Lucy and her friends from Bob and Pat. The English teacher is sending photos fairly regularly. This is a blessing considering most families who adopt hardly get to see any pictures of their child. Lucy is the one in the tan jacket. Looks like the nannies took them out shopping. We're guessing the orphanage received some money to spoil the older children.
Monday, February 2, 2009
New pictures of Lucy in the Snow!
I was so excited to see these pictures tonight!!! The grandparents of Betty were sent these pictures, and they made a Smilebox with them. To see these pictures, go to http://touchedbyachild.blogspot.com and scroll down a little. I am trying to figure out how to put this on my blog.
Two thoughts for today...
***RISK: possibility of loss or injury.
Tom and I have been back from Texas for almost two weeks. We were there for a missions conference and were challenged in a BIG way by some very godly men. One of my favorite speakers was a man named Tom Randall. I will let you guess why he was my favorite. Although he was there to speak on missions, he just so happened to mention that he and his wife live on the grounds of one of their three orphanages. They have been serving in the Philipines for many years with various ministries.
He challenged us all to step outside of our comfortable places and watch God work. TAKE A RISK. He told quite a few stories that blew our minds. One miracle after another. He kept us on the edge of our seats. He just recently raised $850,000 for orphans by riding a bike across several states. Yes, I have the commas and 00's in the right place. I got REALLY excited! He serves the SAME God that I serve! He just has taken a few more RISKS (quite a few I may add), and had a bigger faith.
Anyway, for the past two weeks I keep hearing the word RISK in my mind and wanted to share the challenge with you.
***THE WILL OF GOD WILL NEVER TAKE YOU WHERE THE GRACE OF GOD WILL NOT PROTECT YOU!!!
Tom's mom sent this e-mail out today. With the RISK word being so readily in my mind, I just attached this to the end of the defintion and thought to to myself, "It just does not get any better than this."
WHY NOT TAKE A RISK IF THE WILL OF GOD WILL NEVER TAKE YOU WHERE THE GRACE OF GOD WILL NOT PROTECT YOU???
I challenge you to take a risk.
Tom and I have been back from Texas for almost two weeks. We were there for a missions conference and were challenged in a BIG way by some very godly men. One of my favorite speakers was a man named Tom Randall. I will let you guess why he was my favorite. Although he was there to speak on missions, he just so happened to mention that he and his wife live on the grounds of one of their three orphanages. They have been serving in the Philipines for many years with various ministries.
He challenged us all to step outside of our comfortable places and watch God work. TAKE A RISK. He told quite a few stories that blew our minds. One miracle after another. He kept us on the edge of our seats. He just recently raised $850,000 for orphans by riding a bike across several states. Yes, I have the commas and 00's in the right place. I got REALLY excited! He serves the SAME God that I serve! He just has taken a few more RISKS (quite a few I may add), and had a bigger faith.
Anyway, for the past two weeks I keep hearing the word RISK in my mind and wanted to share the challenge with you.
***THE WILL OF GOD WILL NEVER TAKE YOU WHERE THE GRACE OF GOD WILL NOT PROTECT YOU!!!
Tom's mom sent this e-mail out today. With the RISK word being so readily in my mind, I just attached this to the end of the defintion and thought to to myself, "It just does not get any better than this."
WHY NOT TAKE A RISK IF THE WILL OF GOD WILL NEVER TAKE YOU WHERE THE GRACE OF GOD WILL NOT PROTECT YOU???
I challenge you to take a risk.
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