Unexpected Conversation...

I had an unexpected and sad conversation with my oldest son last night. 

While I was preparing dinner, I turned on the TV to watch the evening news. I don't normally watch the news with the little ones around. But since they were upstairs playing, I decided to catch up on my current events. After a few minutes, Joshua came downstairs with his library book and sat in his favorite chair to read. He looked at the television screen which was showing a clip of the president at a campaign rally. This is the conversation that followed:

J: Did you know that Barack Obama says it's okay for doctors to take a baby out of a mommy's tummy and kill it?

Me: [shocked, but trying to stay calm] Who told you that, honey?

J: My friend at school. It's true, Mommy. Doctors kill babies.

Me: What do you think about that?

J: [sadly] It's wrong.

Me: Why do you think it's wrong?

J: [shrug]

Me: What does the Bible say?

J: Thou shalt not murder.

Me: You're right. And who created us?

J: God.

Me: That's right. And the Bible tells us that God knew us even before we were in our mommy's tummy. He knows everything about us...every hair on our head and all the days of our life. From the moment a baby starts to grow in a mommy's tummy, it is a child of God. He gave it life and it's not for us to take away.

J: Why do they do that?

Me: It happens when the baby is not wanted...when a mommy thinks she can't or doesn't want to have the baby.

J: [horrified] You mean the mommies tell the doctors to do it?

Me: Yes, honey. It's very sad...for the mommy and the baby.

J: Why can't they just have the baby and give it to someone else? Like Rachel?

Joshua innocently asked a few more questions. Questions with answers that he is not ready for. Together we agreed that he didn't need to know anything more about it. We agreed that he had enough information. We agreed to pray...for mothers making painful decisions, for babies, for doctors, for our nation.

I wasn't ready for a conversation like this. I wasn't prepared to talk about this with my six-year-old. And I was surprised by what bothered Joshua the most...that a mother would not want her own child. Based on his reaction, I could tell that never had occurred to him before.

I saw and felt Joshua's sadness. It was as if I was watching part of his innocence be stripped away.

I'm heart broken and I'm angry. Not angry at the little boy who shared this information, but angry...furious at the enemy. The enemy who lies, telling a woman in crisis that there is no other way. The enemy who delights in death and pain and grief. The enemy who attempts to corrupt the innocence of my of precious son.

But what the enemy used to inflict harm, God used to remind me of the responsibility He has given me as a parent. 

I must know why I believe what I believe. 

I must be able to explain those beliefs to my children. 

I must be able to open His Word and show my children the foundation of my beliefs. 

I must be prepared. 

And when something comes my way that catches me off guard, I must prayerfully ask the Lord to give me words.

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.

Deuteronomy 11:18-21 

S-I-C-K

The past week has been ROUGH for my little ones.

It started with Olivia...

fever
vomiting
other yucky stuff.

Then it was (and still is) Joshua's turn...
fever
strep throat
congestion
terrible cough.

And poor Evan...

He's healthy as can be,
but he's BOUNCING.OFF.THE.WALLS!

Little guy has a bad case of stir crazy!

I've been busy
cleaning up the messes,
 disinfecting EVERYTHING and
most of all...taking care of and loving on my precious patients!

And in the meantime...
I've totally forgotten about places I was supposed to be.
Put off dossier paperwork.
Let emails go unanswered.
Neglected my blog.

But that's okay because nothing is as important as getting these children well.

Have a happy, healthy week! I'll be back soon!

Special Delivery...

Look what I found in our mailbox this afternoon!

Our passports! 

We're not near ready for travel, but copies of our passports must be submitted with our dossier. It will be more than a year before they are ever stamped, but for now we can check one more thing off our list. We're so excited!

I've never had a passport before...this is my first. I thought I might need one eventually, but never did I imagine that it would be for this type of travel. Kyle always says he'd like to take me to Paris. I dream of tropical get-a-ways. God decided Ethiopia was our ideal destination. I've said it before and I'll say it again...I like His plans best!

While I've got you here...grab a box of tissues (trust me...you'll need them!) and check out this amazing video of the Dunlap family bringing their beautiful boy, Johannes, home from Ethiopia.




Now go enjoy the rest of your weekend, precious one!

Go Rangers!

Trust

I went to bed late the other night...very late. When my head hit the pillow, I was both physically and mentally exhausted. Yet, as much as I wanted to sleep, I could not. Thirty minutes passed...then an hour...then two hours.

My heart was heavy. I thought about our adoption. Questions and doubts and fears filled my head. I became overwhelmed and I cried. I cried out to God. I asked for His forgiveness and I asked Him to speak to me...to calm me, to comfort me.

Immediately a verse came to mind...

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6

I said the first part of the verse over and over and over, putting emphasis on different words each time.

TRUST in the Lord...
Trust IN the Lord...
Trust in THE Lord...
Trust in the LORD...

I must have repeated these words a hundred times before I eventually fell asleep.

That command...trust in the Lord... has been on my mind ever since. I've also been thinking about my favorite scripture, Ephesians 3:20-21, which tells us that God is able to do immeasurably more than we can even think or imagine. I cannot tell you how much I love that verse. But the truth is...God's ability to do exceedingly abundantly is meaningless if I don't TRUST Him to do it!

What stops me from trusting Him? Sometimes I consider myself unworthy of His provision, His blessing.
Sometimes I get so busy doing the work that I forget about The One who called me to it. Sometimes I don't want to give up control.

Because of my sin nature, to trust is not my first inclination. That means that if I am going to trust Him, I have to be intentional. I have to intentionally and purposefully put off distrust and put on trust. I have to commit daily...sometimes hourly depending on the situation...to trust in my Heavenly Father.

And you know what's great? God knows. He knows my heart and He knows how I struggle. He wants to help me conquer this issue of trust. And He has given me tools...His Word and the Holy Spirit...to help me do just that. Just this morning, I found this verse in my inbox...

Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that He has promised. 
Hebrews 10:35-36 (NLT)


Dear Heavenly Father, I trust you. I trust your plans for my life. And I trust that with your plans I will also find your protection and your provision. Help me be all that you have called me to be...a wife, a mother, a friend, a witness, an advocate for the orphan. Help me be all of those things not in my own strength or confidence, but in complete and total trust in You. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

Good stuff...Gotta Share!

I read an AMAZING post this morning. 

I'm so excited to share it with you!

Click on the link below. 

Read Missy's post from this morning titled "The Theology of Adoption".

www.itsalmostnaptime.blogspot.com

Have a blessed Tuesday, my friend!

All patched up...

Friday morning, Evan had surgery to repair a hole in his left eardrum. (Just before his first birthday, Evan had tubes put in his ears. The tube in his right ear fell out and left a hole. Usually the hole grows back together, but Evan's did not. It had to be repaired in order to prevent hearing loss.) It was a good morning...he was in such good spirits when we got to the hospital. My sweet boy loved his hospital issued pj's and school bus tote bag. He also thought the TV mounted at eye level above his bed was super cool. The hour and a  half procedure went well...that little eardrum is all patched up and should be as good as new in a couple of months.

Once we got our precious patient home and settled in, my in-laws came over to watch (and love on) Evan. Kyle and I were able to sneak out for a few hours to take care of some adoption business. We got so much done! Once we get a medical exam form back from Kyle's doctor, we will be ready to submit our home study packet! Our prayer is to have that done by the end of this week.

Another update...20 more puzzle pieces were sponsored this weekend. That brings us to a total of 104 pieces. That's more than 20% of the puzzle! To our sweet friends and family "sponsors"...THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!

And remember back when I introduced our fundraiser...I told you about a family from our church that was expecting a referral soon. They got their referral last week! You can read about it and see pictures of their precious baby girl, Gracie Lou, here. We're so excited for them!

Yesterday Olivia and I visited my friend Julia and her boys, Drew and Cole. It was such a nice afternoon. I've known Julia since sixth grade. We don't see each other very often now, but when we do it's as if no time has passed. Don't you just love friends like that?!

One last thing...my Aunt Sue stopped by this evening and gave us an incredible gift! A canvas painting of a young African girl...so beautiful! She painted it herself. I cried when she handed it to me. Someday we will display it in Rachel's room. Until then...we're going to find a place where the whole family can enjoy it. I know it will bring us great encouragement throughout our adoption process. Thanks so much, Aunt Sue!

Tonight I'm praising God for a successful surgery, generous friends and family, a sweet baby girl from China and the precious gift of friendship! God is good!