I shelved the elf...and learned a lesson or two

Last Friday morning, I posted something on Facebook that has caused quite a stir. After receiving dozens of comments, texts and phone calls about the post, I feel compelled to share the whole story. For those of you that didn't see it, here you go...

Carrie Lewis Creasy

Apparently the Elf on the Shelf didn't like what he saw around here and took a hike. Can't blame him! Instead of finding the elf this morning, the kids found a "Dear John" letter. Here's what it said...

Dear Joshua, Evan and Olivia...

I came to your house for some elf-ish Christmas fun.
But after just four days, my job here is done.

I’ve listened to you fight, whine and complain.
With your words and your fists, you cause each other such pain.

Rarely I heard a “please” or a “thank you”.
At the dinner table you wiggle, squirm and talk while you chew.

To your mom and your dad, you argue and talk back.
Good manners and respectfulness are two things you certainly lack!

Leaving is a hard, hard thing for this dedicated elf to do.
But, little ones, it’s time for you to learn a lesson or two.

Listen to your parents…every word that they say.
Your job is simple. It is just to obey!

And to one another…be kind, loving and nice.
Given the chance to share a toy or a hug, there’s no need to think twice.

Now don’t point fingers and blame! You’ve each done your part.
And chin up…maybe I’ll return when I’ve seen a change in your heart!

With love,
Bob Elfie

 ·  · Friday at 8:10am

Before I get started, let me say clearly that this is about our family and my own convictions. It's not about what anyone else should or should not do...just us.

Now here is what that Facebook post didn't share...

Last Thursday night out of utter frustration, I threw Bob Elfie...our Elf on the Shelf...in a drawer and penned that letter to our children. For five solid days, my children had fought and bickered and sassed me like never before. I was beat down and fed up. So I took action and, feeling very satisfied with myself, I thought "Ha! That'll teach them!"

Guess what happened when I read the letter to them? They fought and they whined and they complained and they screamed blame at one another. And me? I sat down at the kitchen table and cried in defeat. My plan had failed...miserably.

But in those tearful moments, God spoke Truth to my heart. The kind of truth that comforts and stings all at once. Truth that this mother desperately needed hear. This is what He said to me...

An elf will not make your children obey. And neither will his departure...no matter how clever. But training and discipline will. Do as I have commanded you.

But He didn't stop there. I had another lesson to learn, so He continued with this...

You have cluttered the manger. Why have you placed yet one more thing between your children and Jesus?

Ouch! OUCH! That hurt. But...as always, God was right. 

For months, I have been lazy...ignoring behavior that needed correction and neglecting precious opportunities to train my children in righteousness. And let me tell you...I was starting to see the consequences of my actions (or lack of, rather)! 

So did I get it together and do what was right in order to correct the situation? No. Instead, I stood in front of my kids time after time, wagging my finger and reminding them that "the elf is watching" fully expecting them to become obedient, well-mannered, grateful little angels.

Ludicrous, isn't it? Uh-huh. I know.

And God was right on about that whole cluttering the manger thing too. Here's why...

Since my return from Ethiopia in July, I have felt a strong conviction to clean out, to purge, to declutter my life of everything that comes between me and my Savior. Through tearful confession, I have surrendered spiritual junk. Through hard work, a garage sale and boxes upon boxes of donations, I have emptied our closets and cabinets of excess and waste. Although it wasn't easy...by Thanksgiving, our house was rid of so much "stuff" that had previously stolen our time and our  attention from Jesus.

But then while at Target one afternoon, I stopped at The Elf on the Shelf display. It was such a cute tradition for so many families, I thought we'd give it a try at our house. I picked it up to put it in my basket and felt for the first time a pause...something inside me that said "Don't do it. Put it back." But I ignored it and brought the elf home. On the first night, I propped him up on the mantel with the book beside him. Again, a pause. Again, I ignored it. The next morning, the kids discovered the little red elf and, after much discussion, gave him the name Bob Elfie.

For the next few evenings, I Googled elf ideas and creatively staged him. Each morning, the kids woke up on a mission to find him.

{Bob Elfie...in the Cheerios}

Throughout the day we talked and talked and talked about the elf. But there wasn't much talk about the virgin birth, the heavenly host of angels, the wise men or the precious gift of Jesus...from any of us. After months of making room for Jesus, I had indeed cluttered the manger. We were distracted...focusing on something of no significance and ignoring the true reason we celebrate Christmas.

Where is Bob Elfie today? Still in that drawer. Is he coming back? Probably not.

As cute and fun as he may be, I've learned that he's not the best thing for our family right now.

With my shepherd before me...

This morning our pastor taught from Psalm 23.

During the message, he shared how a shepherd would go before his flock to prepare a pasture for his sheep to graze. And he said something like this...Whatever you have planned for today or this week, be certain that the Lord has gone before you and made a way.


I'm going to Ethiopia this week.
If you've read my posts over the past month, you'll understand how this passage from the book of Psalm and my pastor's message comforted me.

Then during the Lord's supper at the end of the service, our praise team sang this...



And I was reminded of a time...nearly a year ago...when the Lord comforted me with this song. When He promised to go before me.

Read this post from August 2010.
He goes before me...

You know that friend who promised to travel to Ethiopia with me when the time comes to bring my daughter home? Her name is Karen. And guess what?

She is going with me. This Friday. To visit, love and serve orphans.

It may not be the trip we initially discussed. But it's what God had planned all along. How do I know this? Because just as His word promises...God goes before me. He has a plan and He has prepared the way ahead with His faithful, loving hands.

{Karen with my Olivia...Christmas 2010}

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.


Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord 
forever.
Psalm 23: 5-6

21 Summers...

On Sunday, Kyle and I took the kids to the lake to celebrate Independence Day with my mom and dad.

It was a wonderful day.

At the house, we played cards and watched movies. The kids climbed up and down the bunk beds no less than 100 times. Once we were on the water, we enjoyed a boat ride, tubing and a relaxing swim in a quiet cove.

And at the end of the day, so much fun had been had that we decided to stay the night and enjoy it all again the next day.

{Tubing}

{Cooling off in the cove}

{Searching for treasures on the shore}

 

While we were on the water Monday afternoon, I thought to myself...

My parents bought this boat when I was 13.

I've soaked up  21 summers of sunshine right here.
Swam in these very waters more times than I could count.

And I remembered so clearly the days that I sat in the back seats with my feet propped up on the side wondering what life held for me.
A husband? A family?

There on the water with my husband and children, all those years behind me seemed to have passed like mere moments.

Once again I was amazed at how quickly life moves from one season to the next. Gone before we know it.

What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

James 4:14

And it made me want to...
snuggle my babies
kiss my husband
thank my parents
visit my grandmother
laugh with my friends
not just read, but know my Bible
lift my hands in praise to my Heavenly Father
honor Him
bring Him glory
serve Him
go where He sends me
love His people
tell them about Him, His love, His Son
and not waste another moment of this precious life!

Only one life, 'twill soon be past.
Only what's done for Christ will last.
-C.T. Studd

Jesus Speaks to the Rich Young Man...and me.

In four weeks, I will be on my way to Ethiopia. Just the thought of that overwhelms me. Why?

Because a couple of years ago, I sat at a kitchen table with two of my friends discussing missions and said...I'm just not called to that.

Around the same time, Kyle and I had dinner with friends. After the meal, they told us about their sister and brother-in-law who were moving their young family to Africa to serve as missionaries. I listened in disbelief and said...Wow! That is crazy! And in my heart I said...I would never do that.

In those moments, I essentially said no to God.

How could a mother leave her children to go on a mission trip?

How could a couple take their children from their life here to serve in a third world country?

I couldn't fathom it.

I love Jesus. And I loved Him back then. I just didn't understand how He wants me to love Him.

Our family went to church each Sunday...listened to beautiful praise and worship and heard powerful sermons straight from God's word. Kyle and I served in the children's ministry. I enjoyed women's Bible studies and the fellowship of my church friends.

Still...I started to feel as if something was missing. I felt restless. Blessed, but unsatisfied. I lacked... something.

Last summer, I read Radical by David Platt which led me to Matthew 19:16-22. It says...

Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

"Which ones?" the man inquired.

Jesus replied, "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"

"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Now these are verses that I've read before.  But this time, I wept. This time I realized that I was the rich young man.

I was willing to follow Jesus on my terms. I was obedient, but not past the boundaries of my comfort. I would not obey Him unconditionally. My worship, my love was not sacrificial. And I was sad.

God used this passage and the book Radical to open my eyes...and my heart. He showed me that the Great Commission is not for a select few, but for every believer. He showed me that the fulfillment I so desired would only come when I was willing to let go of all the things I gripped so tightly.

It wrecked me. I prayed and I cried. I confessed and I repented. I begged God to help me live my life sold-out for Him.

And I said to Him...I am done saying no to you, Lord. Whatever you ask of me, I will do.

And what do you know?

Within weeks, He called us to adopt from Ethiopia. 

Over the next few months, He opened our eyes to orphan crisis. He broke our hearts for fatherless children in third world countries.

And in March, He called us to go. To serve. To love. To be His hands and His feet. 

I could no longer say...I'm just not called to that.
So I just said yes.

And as much as I want to obey Him. To live according to His plan and His purpose. It still isn't easy.

I don't want to leave my husband and my kids for 11 days.
I get anxious just thinking about 13 hours in a plane...flying across the ocean!
I'm afraid that my heart can't handle what my eyes will soon see.
And I'm flat out scared of what God may call us to next.

But more than any of that, I don't want to be the rich young man. He loved his riches and could not let go of them to follow Jesus. If I can't let go of the things I hold dear...time with my family or my comfort or my plans...I am no different.

So I will tearfully kiss my family goodbye. I will read and sleep and do whatever it takes to get through that flight. I will see orphans and poverty and my heart will be broken. And I will pray that He prepares me for whatever He has planned for our family next. Why?

Because I love Him.

And because I'd rather be
uncomfortable and obedient
than
comfortable and disobedient.


If you love me, you will obey what I command
John 14:15

Encouraged!

I received an encouraging email from our Family Coordinator at America World this afternoon. It did my heart good!

Here is the body of that email...

We are writing to update you on the current situation in Ethiopia.  While meetings between Ethiopian government officials continue, we have seen positive steps.  Within MOWA, there have been significant and positive personnel changes which have resulted in overall staff turnover and changes in the adoption unit.  This unit is now called the Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs (MOWCYA).  We are hopeful and expectant that the new leadership will not only support processing an adequate number of favorable recommendation letters, but also implement policies that will best serve the children.  Due to the staffing changes, we anticipate much transition over the next few weeks.  However, we expect that once everyone is settled into their new positions, MOWCYA will work to process a higher number of recommendation letters than they currently are able to process.  

We have continued to receive optimistic feedback and have seen how the Ethiopian government is very committed to adoption.  I hope this information is an encouragement to your family.  We will continue to update your family with any confirmed information we receive. 

So many of you have come along side us and joined us in praying for our adoption, our daughter, Ethiopia and the orphans there. Thank you, precious friends and family! God has heard our prayers and He is responding!

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

Jeremiah 33:3

In the day of my trouble, I will call to you for you will answer me.

Psalm 86:7

I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;

he heard my cry for mercy.

Because he turned his ear to me,

I will call on him as long as I live.

Psalm 116:1-2

While I'm waiting...

I have cried many tears this morning. Letting go of my own plans...my own timeline...is not easy. It's difficult and painful. 

So as I let go of what I thought I knew, I'm holding on to what I know for sure.

I know...

God called us to adopt a child from Ethiopia.

He is in control.

His timing is perfect.

His word commands me to wait for him.

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Psalm 27:14

And through tearful, tender moments with God today, I'm beginning to see that He has plans for us even as we wait.

The lyrics below share my heart better than anything I could ever write.

While I'm Waiting 

by John Waller

I'm waiting 
I'm waiting on You, Lord 
And I am hopeful 
I'm waiting on You, Lord 
Though it is painful 
But patiently, I will wait 

I will move ahead, bold and confident 
Taking every step in obedience 
While I'm waiting 
I will serve You 
While I'm waiting 
I will worship 
While I'm waiting 
I will not faint 
I'll be running the race 
Even while I wait 

I'm waiting 
I'm waiting on You, Lord 
And I am peaceful 
I'm waiting on You, Lord 
Though it's not easy 
But faithfully, I will wait 
Yes, I will wait 
I will serve You while I'm waiting 
I will worship while I'm waiting 
I will serve You while I'm waiting 
I will worship while I'm waiting 
I will serve you while I'm waiting 
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

Please, please join us in prayer!

The following alert was posted on the the U.S. Department of State's Intercountry Adoption website today. You can view the site by clicking here.

Government of Ethiopia Plans Major Slow-Down in Adoption Processing

March 9, 2011

Citing the need to work on quality and focus on more important strategic issues, the Government of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Women, Children, and Youth Affairs (MOWCYA)  will reduce to a maximum of five the number of adoption cases it processes per day, effective March 10, 2011.  Under Ethiopian adoption procedures, MOWCYA approves every match between prospective adoptive parents and an Ethiopian child before that case can be forwarded for a court hearing.  The U.S. Embassy is working with Ethiopian government officials and adoption agencies to learn more about this change in procedures.  We will continue to share information as it becomes available.

Given MOWCYA's current caseload, the U.S. Embassy anticipates that this change could result in an overall decline in case processing of some 90 percent.  If this change is implemented as proposed, we expect, that parents who have begun the process of adopting from Ethiopia but have not yet been matched with a child could experience significant delays.  It is not clear if this change in procedures would have any significant impact on cases in which MOWCYA has already approved matches. 

Prospective adoptive parents should remain in close contact with their adoption service provider to obtain updates on individual cases.

I initially learned about these changes last Saturday morning. At that time, it was just a news article. And though there was a lot of chatter about it among different adoption groups, it seemed to be unconfirmed information.

Still...I was heartbroken. 

I cried. I asked God all sorts of questions. And briefly...I doubted. So I asked God to once again give me clear confirmation that this is His plan for our family. He is so good, so patient with me. He answered my prayer and sent His confirmation through the words of another adoptive mother. This is what she wrote to me in an email...

"Remember that God called you to this adoption when He wanted the timing to begin, and He knew all along about this announcement and He sees into the future and knows what He has planned for you. Just remember His heart is for the orphans and He will not let His plans be undone by the enemy...But regardless of when you come home with your child, the timing has been ordained perfectly by Him. It's tough I know, but it's the same timeline God knew when He called you, this isn't a surprise to Him."

If you read my posts from last Friday and yesterday, you know that God has continued to provide that confirmation through His incredible provision.

I have no doubt that this is God's will for our family and that in His perfect timing we will bring our fourth child home from Ethiopia.

In the meantime, will you join us as we pray for the nearly 5 million orphans in Ethiopia...including our precious daughter?

Pray for the Ethiopian government as they work to improve the process within their country.

Pray that this situation be resolved quickly.

Pray for the orphanages and transition homes as they care for the orphans.

Pray for the many, many needs of the orphans.

Pray that the enemy would be silenced as he attempts to frustrate, confuse and hurt adoptive families and children with this information.

Thank you, sweet friends and family! Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated. We are so blessed to walk this journey with you by our side!

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts you.

Isaiah 26:3

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:6

My God is so BIG!

Check this out, y'all!!!

Last Friday I shared some BIG news about how God is totally providing the funds needed for our adoption. (If you missed that post, read it here before going any further in this post.) 

Well...just look what He has done since then!!

As of last Thursday, we had $1835 of the $5650 that we will need upon acceptance of our referral.

As of yesterday afternoon, we had the entire $5650...plus an additional $1800 to put toward our travel expenses.

This morning, we received an email regarding our GO.SEEK.LOVE t-shirt fundraiser. Our total profit for the month of February??? $1024!!!

And then, as I was dropping Olivia off at her class this morning, one of Evan's classmates approached us with a card and a baggy full of money. After hearing about the adoption, she told her mother that she wanted to give us ALL the money in her piggy bank ($24) to help us. We are so blessed by her sweet, generous heart. We are inspired too! That's how we want to give...immediately, generously, faithfully!

There's more...

When I checked the mail this afternoon, I was hoping to find our I-171H from USCIS (the last document needed to submit our dossier). It wasn't there, but guess what I did find? A $1000 check from precious friends!!

So here we are...

Dossier Submission Fees ($7700)-PAID

Referral Acceptance Fees ($5650)-PAID

Travel Expenses...

Fundraisers


Update  Fundraiser Thermometer Here

Isn't that incredible!! Isn't He amazing!! I am so overwhelmed by His provision...I have no words to adequately express the gratitude in my heart!

My God is so big

So strong and so mighty

There's nothing my God cannot do

The mountains are His

The valleys are His

The stars are His handiwork too

My God is so big 

So strong and so mighty

There's nothing my God cannot do

For you!!

For nothing is impossible with God. 

Luke 1:37

Refuge

God is our refuge and strength,

A very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear,

Even though the earth be removed, 

And though the mountains be

carried into the midst of the sea;

Though its waters roar and be troubled,

Though the mountains shake with its swelling.

Psalm 46:1-3

Extra, Extra...read all about it!

Look who made the front page!

Our family has been blessed with the opportunity to share our adoption story with our community! The local newspaper featured an article about us this week. The writer is actually the pastor of a church in our town, so when I told him that this adoption is a God thing...he got it! He did a wonderful job of telling the story for God's glory! We are so grateful.

And we have more BIG news on the adoption front!

Since we have the funds needed to submit our dossier ($7700), we are now saving for the fees that will be due when we accept our referral ($5650). This will be when the agency sends us information about our daughter and we say, "Yes! That's our girl!".

As of Thursday morning, our savings looked like this...

Fundraisers


Update  Fundraiser Thermometer Here

But Thursday afternoon, it looked like this...

Fundraisers


Update  Fundraiser Thermometer Here

We received four donations to our adoption fund. Together they totaled $1530!!!

Three of the donations came from people that Kyle and I do not even know personally. They heard our story from someone else and gave. Unbelievable! Kyle and I are so grateful, so overwhelmed, so humbled.

When we started the adoption process, we stepped out in faith. We did not have the estimated $30,000 that would be needed. We were beyond scared, but God asked us to obey him despite our fear. Though at times it has been difficult, we have learned to trust Him like never before. God has been so faithful to provide exactly what we need exactly when we need it. We stand amazed!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. 

Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the rock eternal.

Isaiah 26:4

Commit your way to the Lord, trust in him and he will do this.

Psalm 37:5

Look what He can do!

I am so overwhelmed by God's goodness. We have seen Him move in incredible ways over the past couple of weeks. I'm still taking it all in. I've started half a dozen posts, but haven't finished a single one. I struggle to find words that adequately share everything.

So what has God been up to? Here's a brief update...

He has met the financial need for this stage of the adoption (dossier submission). Wow!

He is already meeting the next financial need through the GO.SEEK.LOVE. t-shirt fundraiser.

He has encouraged us through the support of so many people who have purchased GO.SEEK.LOVE. t-shirts, asked their friends and family to purchase t-shirts and prayed for our family.

Through the unbelievable testimonies of others who have been touched by our adoption journey, He has strengthened our faith and reminded us just how GREAT He truly is.

He has provided an opportunity for us to share His love, the blessing of adoption and our story with a larger audience. (More on this soon!)

And when the enemy has attacked...attempting to wound us, frustrate us and distract us, He has comforted us and reminded us that His truth, His might, His power are steadfast and strong!

We just can't wait to see what He does next!

I put an emphasis on He because it really is all about Him and what He can do, not us. He doesn't need our help...that has been a big lesson for me throughout all of this. I'm so grateful that He has been patient with me as I've learned.

"I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?"
Jeremiah 32:27

My first GIVEAWAY!!

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, this has been an incredibly blessed week for our family!

Why has it been so special, you ask?

First, just a little something fun...my blog's hit counter rolled past 5000 hits earlier this week. I know, I know...this is small potatoes for many bloggers. I think it's a fun milestone though and certainly a reason to celebrate!

But now for the BIG news!
Very soon it will be time to submit our dossier along with a payment of $7700. We have been praying and waiting for the Lord to provide the funds we lacked.

Well, that He did! Just a few days ago, Kyle and I received an AMAZING gift. It was a donation to our adoption fund in the amount of $5000!! We are so incredibly grateful. We're grateful for the generous, obedient hearts of the people who gave us this gift. And we're beyond grateful for our God who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20)! Isn't He amazing?! Don't you just love it when He shows off?!

And if you read my post yesterday, you know that I received a very special surprise gift in the mail!

What a week...let's celebrate with a GIVEAWAY!

I'm giving away a few of my very favorite things.

#1 A book that changed the way I look at the gospel and thereby changed my life.

#2 This CD...love singing along to this {loudly} in the car. Track 2 is the best!

#3 A $10 Starbucks gift card. I love my Hazelnut Lattes and I love enjoying them with a friend!

There are three ways to enter...

#1 Leave a comment telling me what you would do with $5000. Would you put it toward your own adoption costs? Would you save it? Would you take your family to Disney World? There's no wrong answer!

#2 Become a follower of this blog.

#3 Tell your friends about this giveaway by making a post on your own blog or Facebook.

Simple as that...there are three ways to enter and each one gets you an entry. You can choose one way to enter or all three! Just leave a comment on this post letting me know how you entered. 

We'll draw for a winner (as demonstrated by my silly kiddos in the picture below) at 12:00PM (CST) on Saturday, February 12th. You have until that time to enter!

Hope you'll join in on the fun! Enjoy the rest of your week!

All I have needed Thy hand has provided...

Another trip down memory lane today. 

Here are two more posts from the beginning of our adoption journey. These are about  God's incredible, gracious provision...

Provision

He Goes Before Me

Have a wonderful weekend!
And don't forget to visit the Go.Seek.Love T-Shirt Store where you can buy a t-shirt and help bring our daughter home! 

GO.SEEK.LOVE.

A couple of weeks ago, Kyle and I received a very exciting email! It said something like this..."we would like to partner with your family during the month of February."

The email came from Daniel and Sarah at GO.SEEK.LOVE. and it was a direct answer to prayer!

That's right...

we are the GO.SEEK.LOVE Partner Family for the month of February and it all starts today!

When we said "Yes!" to God's call to adopt, we didn't have all the answers...or all the money. Along the way, we've had to trust God for every payment due, every fee. It hasn't always been easy to trust like this, but we're learning. We're learning to ask Him for what we need...to trust Him to provide...and to wait on Him.

God has been so faithful...He has provided for every need as only He can. (See for yourself...check out Our Adoption Timeline in the sidebar.) And now He is providing again through this fundraiser. We can't wait to see what He does!

We're so grateful for Daniel and Sarah! They have such a heart for the fatherless and for helping adoptive families.

So go check out their website. Make a purchase. It's a great deal...you get a cool t-shirt and a little girl gets a family! How can you beat that?!

He surrounds me.

Not too long ago, my parents cleaned out their attic. Their loss was my gain as several boxes of baby dolls, Barbies, school work, trophies, keepsakes and more found their way to our living room.

In one box, I found dozens of birthday and Christmas cards from my parents and grandparents. Many of them were from my Grandma, who my children now affectionately call "Grandma Dink". When I opened one of the cards to read it, a couple sheets of folded paper fell out. I unfolded them to find a poem written in Grandma's handwriting.

The poem is hers...written by her about her own journeys, both physical and spiritual. But I certainly don't think it's a coincidence that I found it when I did...shortly before God set us on this incredible journey of adoption. I find such comfort in the words.

I wrote in my last post that sometimes the process of adoption hurts. There will certainly be more hurts, more heartaches ahead in this journey. There will also be warmth and beauty. And I know we will see His handiwork every step of the way because He surrounds us. In the end, I pray that the One who planned it all will be glorified and honored.

He Surrounds Me
(by Grandma Dink)

I've sailed the wide Pacific blue.

For weeks I've been at sea.

When the mighty wind drove waves aboard,

I knew His hand was holding me.

I've walked the streets of Suva

On Fiji's tropic strand

And watched the palm trees gently sway

On that warm and far off land.

I've strolled along a lonely beach

To find a shell so rare

Where the Indian ocean flows.

And yes, my God was there.

I've crossed the lonely Mullabar,

A long and dreary ride.

But I saw His presence everywhere

On Australian's western side.

I've been dampened by the pouring rain

As it soaked Samoa's land

There I felt the warm and balmy breeze.

In this, God had His hand.

I've sailed the frigid water

Of a place called Glacier Bay

And watched the glistening icebergs

As they drifted on their way.

I've flown above the billowing clouds

And watched a sunrise there,

More glorious and more beautiful.

My God is everywhere.

I've gazed across the emerald hills,

For the Maori's home is here

On New Zealand's northern shore.

I knew that God was near.

I've traveled to a mountain top

On Maui's isle across the sea

And stared into a crater wide.

And lo, God was there with me.

I stood upon a tropic shore

Down the warm Caribbean way

And felt the gentle waves

As they licked my feet at play.

All these things I've done and more

And there's one thing that I know.

This is my Father's world,

For I see His handiwork-no matter where I go.

With His love, He surrounds me.

2010..A Look Back

{January}

Olivia started the new year with a new love...mommy's shoes!

And poor Evan started the new year with this...a black eye!

He insisted that it was the result of a fight with a Dallas Cowboys player {????}.

The truth is...he slipped and collided with a wooden step stool.

{February}

The second month of 2010 brought lots of snow...which is rare for our neck of the woods.

We LOVED every minute of it!

{March}

In March we celebrated Kyle's birthday.

And then two days later, Joshua's sixth birthday...

at Medieval Times!

The month ended with the sweetest celebration...

Joshua's profession of faith and baptism!

{April}

We celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

And baseball season began!

Time for another birthday party...Olivia turned 2!

We partied Dora the Explorer style!

{May}

Evan is 4!

We celebrated his special day with pizza and games!

Later in the month, we visited the zoo!

My little monkeys loved watching the giraffes.

{June}

In June, we enjoyed an Ice Age exhibit at a nearby nature museum.

And the kids attended Princess Prep School and Warrior Prince Academy at our church!

And Joshua began looking for ways to earn money for his VBS mission offering.

We decided on a bake sale.

And "Cookies for Sudan" began.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

June was a big month for us...this is when God began calling us to adopt.

I researched adoption, read blogs and cried many tears as God stirred my heart.

We prayed and prayed and prayed.

{July}

We had lots of fun with cousins on the 4th of July!

We took the boys to their first Rangers game!

We said "YES" to God's call to adopt our fourth child from Ethiopia.

And we started our adoption fund...

{August}

Lots of swimming...

And hanging out by Grandma and Peepaw's pool...

A much needed beach vacation...

Where we wrote our fourth child's name in the sand...

{School also started in August, but I can't find any pictures of the first day.}

{September}

Time for fall sports...

Joshua was our football player...

And Evan played soccer for the first time...

And this became my companion...our adoption paperwork file!

{October}

We began the month with surgery...

Evan had to have a hole in his ear drum repaired.

The adoption paper chase continued and we got our passports!

We had fun carving pumpkins...

On Halloween, Kyle and Joshua watched the Rangers play in the World Series!

While Evan, Olivia and I had lots of fun trick-or-treating in our neighborhood!

{November}

So much to be thankful for...we enjoyed lots of good food and fun times with family!

We decorated for Christmas...

 

And enjoyed watching Evan's Christmas choir performance...

 

{December}

December brought another choir performance...

this time it was Joshua who sang.

We celebrated Christmas with all our family.

When it came time to buy a gift for their great grandmother, the boys chose a pink Snuggie.

 

We had a wonderful Christmas morning!

The kids became iPod junkies!

The boys love playing games on their iPods.

Olivia can't stand to be left out...so she plays on mommy's phone.

 

And finally, we celebrated my birthday on New Year's Eve.

My sweet family gave me an incredible day!

 

In 2010, God blessed us in ways that I never could have planned or even imagined.

I can't wait to see what He has planned for 2011!

Happy New Year!