Archive for the ‘Elijah’ Category

  • God is so good!

    Date: 2013.03.22 | Category: Adoption, Elijah, Evangeline Faith, Lainey Rae

    Praise the Lord!  Yesterday we were told that China has agreed to us adopting four.   We will leave in 4-8 weeks, hopefully, to get our precious children, Elijah (1), Evie (2 on Monday), Lainey (2), and Min (13).  We are all overwhelmed, ecstatic, and feeling extremely blessed.

    You have trusted Him in a few things, and He has not failed you. Trust Him now for everything, and see if He does not do for you exceeding abundantly above all that you could ever have asked or thought, not according to your power or capacity, but according to His own mighty power, that will work in you all the good pleasure of His most blessed will. You find no difficulty in trusting the Lord with the management of the universe and all the outward creation, and can your case be any more complex or difficult than these, that you need to be anxious or troubled about His management of it?    – Hannah Whitall Smith

    DISCLAIMER:  I am hoping everyone understands that we have very unique home circumstances.  We have two adult children living in an apartment on our property ready to help whenever we need it.  My mother-in-law (Linda) and my mom (Marlys) are both retired and willing to help whenever we need it.  My husband, Dan, is a physician specializing in the care of critically ill infants.  Dan works at home during the week doing clinical and quality Improvement for a national company.  He works a 25 hour shift every weekend while the kids are here to help.  There is absolutely no way that we could proceed with this new adventure without all the help and medical training that we have.  This is not going to be a precedent for China and they have graciously agreed to allow Elijah to be adopted on this trip to expedite his care.

    That being said, when Judy called yesterday, tears were flowing.  Well, everyone except Ben, who sat there with his “I told you” look on his face.  This has been such an amazing, faith-filled, miracle producing year.  Maisey and Ben have adjusted remarkably well.  Delays with Eli lead to us proceeding and trying to adopt Min.  I remember sitting in the bathroom and crying when I saw her face.  I questioned God on why He would lay such a thing on my heart when China most certainly wouldn’t allow three at once.  Friends of ours had just learned of a family that was proceeding with adopting three and we got in touch with them.  Their words of wisdom gave us faith to proceed and ask China to allow us to adopt three.  When China allowed three, we were blown away and so thankful.  At that time, we figured we would proceed with returning as quickly as we could to get Eli.  I have known since I first saw his little face that he was my son.  I have never, ever doubted that God had planned for Eli to be with us.  Ben’s absolute certainty that Eli was his brother brought peace to our hearts.   It was so unexplainable how Ben felt about Eli that we have always felt it had to be a God thing.

    When we did our home study we asked our social worker to change it from three to four children, knowing full well that China only allowed two at a time.  Both Dan and I felt that God was saying four.  The home study said four and our provisional I-800 said “allowed to bring four children into the United States”.  We proceeded through our year knowing we were going to get Evie the whole time.  We were waiting on Eli’s papers and it was taking a while so we proceeded with Lainey and Min.  Trusting that God’s plan was perfect.  When Eli’s papers became available, we asked if we could petition China for four.  Everyone said that the chances of it happening were very small.  It had never been done.  It doesn’t seem like such a big deal to us here in the United States but China’s one child policy has led to people believing that you give all your attention to one child and that is the best possible thing for children.  We have had miracle after miracle happen this year so we asked if it would hurt to ask and our agency said no.  The agency had us prepare our Letter of Intent as detailed as possible, they sent it off, and we prayed.  We prayed and so many of our wonderful friends and family prayed.

    We have been overwhelmed with all that the Lord has provided for us during this adoption journey.  We have proceeded with faith that God’s plan and His timing were perfect and we were just along for the ride.  He has shown us some very clear signs and had burdened our hearts with adopting these four children.  We have no clue what the future will hold and I’m sure our lives will change in ways that I can’t even imagine.  When I watch Grace, Hope, Ben and Maisey laughing and consider that I will soon have even more laughter in my house, I am overwhelmed with emotion.  Yes, I know there will be many trying times and sleepless nights ahead.  We have many doctor’s appointments and surgeries in our future.  But the fact that I have been blessed with being able to provide a home and love for these four children absolutely brings me to knees.  I am so blessed and so thankful that God would bless us in such a way.  To God all the glory is given!  Praises upon praises!

     

  • More Good News

    Date: 2013.03.16 | Category: Elijah

    All this year, we have been watching  things progress and seeing God’s hand in every single thing along the way.  If Elijah’s papers would have gone through right away, we would have been unable to try to adopt Min or at least assumed we couldn’t get her.  Instead things have led us to where we are – trying and praying for a miracle, to get four children at the same time.  All along the way, God has provided for us.  When I would get another statement and wonder how we were going to pay for it, the money would come – another speaking engagement for Dan, a refund that we weren’t expecting, etc.  I have been completely and utterly amazed this whole year.  I feel so undeserving and yet God has provided over and over again.

    Well, today was another one of those miracle times.  Just for a recap, we will hear, hopefully next week, on whether we get to get Eli on this trip too.   If it is approved, it will add another orphanage fee which is over $5,000, not a small bit of change. I have to admit to worrying and then confessing my worry over and over again.  I know God provides and in ways I can’t even imagine, but the very human part of me wants to be in control.  I want it all nicely detailed on an Excel spreadsheet so I know exactly what I’m going to have to pay, when it will be due and where the money is magically going to appear from.  Adding Eli to this trip, will add more travel costs because we will take Dan’s mom with us and we will need a second hotel room throughout our stay.  I’m pretty sure Dan and I will need help traveling with three toddlers and a teenager in a wheelchair.  We’re pretty good at juggling, but that might be just a little out of our comfort zone halfway around the world, with children who are adjusting to their new lives, and us being sleep deprived.

    Anyway, back to the extra special good news.  We went shopping for our spring break staycation with my mom and Dan’s mom.  We had a great day shopping for clothes for the girl’s new sisters.  We came home and got the mail.  In the mail was a check from the University of Iowa.  Not really a big deal, we sometimes get checks from the U of I because Dan does talks for them every once in a while.  I figured they had just forgot to pay him for one that he did a while ago…..BUT NO!!!!!    This check was big enough to cover Eli’s orphanage fees.  Yes, yes, you did hear that right.  Where did this check come from you might ask?  Well, it was for overpaid FICA when Dan was doing his residency, chief’s year, and fellowship way back in 1995-2001.  Supposedly the University and the government have been fighting over this issue all these years and today is the day I get the check.  HOW ABSOLUTELY AMAZING IS THAT?!?!?

    Yes, I am excited.  Yes, I am standing in awe of a God that knows every hair on my head and cares what would happen in my life.  The money would have been useful back then but now it is blessing that goes beyond measure.   I can hardly wrap my head around what it would take for God to have this plan in place.  Yes, I know I’m putting human limitations on Him.  I know there are those that will say this is just a nice coincidence, but I believe with all my heart that God’s plan is perfect and He always provides for us, sometimes in ways we can’t even imagine.  It just blows my mind, brings tears to my eyes and a humbleness to my heart.  Bless the Lord, O my soul!  Or as Gracie says, “Today has been a hallelujah kind of day for sure, mama!”   Yep, that about says it all!

  • Short Update on Eli

    Date: 2013.03.15 | Category: Adoption, Elijah

    Not sure where to start so I will just say God is so good!  As if we all didn’t know that already. I wanted to take a moment to share our good news for those of you following our adoption story.  Today we got the news that our adoption agency received a letter from the orphanage director in regard to Eli.  This letter stated that the director felt that Eli needed to get to the U.S. for treatment as soon as possible and that surgical intervention was not possible in China.  All along we have been praying that China would allow us to adopt four based on the fact that Eli needs treatment quickly and this letter confirms everything we have said.  We know that we have an unusual home situation because Dan works from home during the week;  Zach and Cassie are here helping every day; and my mom and Linda (Dan’s mom) both can be here at a moment’s notice (well, 90 minutes if you get technical).

    How amazing is God that this letter would show up right before they present our petition to the CCCWA?  The person who is going to present the petition was on vacation until the 15th, which means she wouldn’t be back to work until the 18th.  I remember last week when they called to tell us this and all I could think was “Really?  She’s going to be on vacation for a week?  It will delay us for another week.”  BUT if she hadn’t been on vacation, we wouldn’t have had this very important piece of information.  Another reminder that God knows and I just have to have faith.  I’m feeling very blessed right now and  I’m feeling at peace!  God’s will will be done and I will trust in the outcome. God’s plan and His timing are perfect.  For this to work out, God’s hand must be in every part of the situation.  As Linda said this morning, “I have been praying that God’s glory will shine through this situation with Eli!”  Amen to that!  Hoping to hear soon.

    P.S.  I know Eli is my son. I have no doubts about that.  All we are figuring out is whether we get him this trip or on an expedited trip back to China in a few months.

    Thought I’d share the new pics of Min, Lainey, and Evie that we got this week too.

  • Gracie and Eli update

    Date: 2013.03.07 | Category: Elijah, Grace

    As of yesterday, Gracie was officially in R.E.M.I.S.S.I.O.N!!!!!     A beautiful day to be celebrated for sure. We are praising the Lord that she was born in this day and age where there is a treatment.  Gracie asked if I would make her a countdown chain for the 5 years she will have to be on oral chemo drugs.  I laughed.  Could you imagine that link?  1,825 links might take me a while to make.   The truth is no one has a magic date that she will be done.  We have to play it by ear.  The doctors said five years at the beginning.  Now they say at least 3 but probably more.  No one knows for sure what to do to ensure that she won’t have another relapse.  We will do all that we can to keep her as healthy as we can.

    Gracie has reached $1,144 with her Lenten campaign for Love Without Boundaries.  I think she might actually hit her goal.  I know there are many people holding onto their change until the end of the month.  It will be fun to see the final total.  Gracie talked at our church this past Sunday and she did wonderfully.  It amazes me that she was brave enough to get up there with a microphone and her slideshow and talk about orphans and Love Without Boundaries.  She did pretty good for the first time.  She has asked to speak at other churches but so far all their answers have been no.  That has been pretty discouraging for her.  We thought since we knew people at these churches we might have a chance to spread the word about other ways to help orphans and how Love Without Boundaries works.  Alas, it wasn’t to be.  We explained that we didn’t want the church to sponsor her and that we just wanted people to donate change if they felt led to do so.  Unfortunately, we got letters back talking about how they have missionaries and they couldn’t help her.  These letters stated that as a church, they choose to do a couple big things really well and not do little things.  It makes me wonder if tons of people are asking the church for money or if they don’t want to set a precedent that you can.  Who knows?

    We are all excited that Eli’s paperwork can finally be brought to China’s attention for review sometime after the 15th of March.   It will take a miracle to have them let us adopt four at once.  It has never been done, but we are all for precedents being set and miracles happening which show the glory of the Lord.  Last night as I was going to sleep I heard Ben saying, “I am going to be Jake (the pirate) and Eli will be Cubby.  We are gonna have fun.  We play and play.”   For those of you who don’t have little ones, there is a new show called Jake and the Neverland Pirates.  It is Ben’s favorite.  Ben says he is absolutely positively sure that Eli will be coming home with us this time.  I just hold my breath.  I understand that miracles can happen and God will deserve all the credit for this one, but I also understand not everything works out the way we think it will or hope it will.  I just don’t want my little boy’s heart to be broken.  We have purposely tried not to speak about Eli very often so as to not get Ben’s hopes up, but Ben will not let us forget.  He prays for his didi and he dreams about his didi.  He is certain Eli is his didi.

    I love how things have lined up for Eli.  It has been an amazing journey from the very first time I saw his sweet face.  From the very first moment I saw him, I have thought I was his mama.   It is so hard to explain that to people.  How can you put into words the fact that a mere picture can take your breathe away?  That from just seeing that picture you would go to the ends of the earth to protect him and bring him home.  That you cry at night because you know he is still in an orphanage, with a heart defect, and you can’t even hold him and make him feel safe?  How do you explain that you know, just as surely as if he had grown in your womb, that this child is yours?  I hold on to the fact that my heart has been taken over by the sweetest little boy, who I long to hold, and I trust that God has led us to him.  Someday soon I hope to be able to share his picture with all of you.

    As always, thank you for keeping our children in your prayers.  I know that every prayer reaches God’s ear and every prayer helps.  We are humbled that you would consider keeping us in your prayers.

  • Eli update

    Date: 2013.02.21 | Category: Adoption, Elijah

    For all those who have been praying for our little ones, I have an update on Eli.  I heard yesterday that they are still trying hard to get Eli added to this trip.  It would take a miracle, but I know who is in charge and last I heard He was pretty good at that miracle thing.  Please continue to pray that we can get him on this trip.  It would be so nice to not have to travel again in six months and it would be better for Eli to not have to wait.

    I have been hesitant to talk about him because I don’t want to get my hopes up and I have been afraid that something would go wrong.  I was afraid if I talked about it and it didn’t happen then what would others think?  Recently though, I have been reading through the Bible with the Facebook group (Read through the Bible 2013) and have come across verse after verse talking about how people believed enough in Jesus and the disciple’s healing powers that they would just set people in the street and wait for the miracle (healing) to happen as they were passing by.  They believed.   I’ve read these verses before, but this time they really touched my heart.  I started asking myself do I believe?  Do I believe that God can truly do anything?

    Acts 5:15   Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. 

    Friends believed so much that they lowered their friends through a roof.  Mark 2:1-12

    They believed if they just touched Jesus they’d be healed, as in the women who touches the hem of Jesus garment.  (Mark 5:24-34).

    Verse after verse talks about people believing that if Jesus would just say the word, the dead would rise.  (Mark 5:23, Luke 7:11-15, and John 11:38-53).

    They believed. They believed.  They believed.

    I believe.  It doesn’t mean I’m not fearful of where this will go, but I BELIEVE!  I believe that Eli is my son.  I have believed it from the moment I saw his little face in that newsletter and prayed to the Lord in heaven to let Him be mine.  I believe it every single day when I hear Ben talk about his didi (little brother).  Dan and I purposely choose to not talk about it for fear that the little ones wouldn’t understand.   But Ben believes that Eli is his didi.  Ben prays for Eli throughout the day.  Ben talks about Eli and him playing train and watching Mickey.  Ben says, “Eli and I are going to do this…..”  and Ben believes it with his whole heart.  I can’t explain it.  It has to be a God thing.

    I tried recently to explain to Ben that we would be getting the three girls but we would have to go back to get Eli.  Ben told me “No mama.  You bring Eli home.”  I keep trying to tell him what is going to happen so he understands but over and over again he tells me that I am wrong and that Eli will be coming home when we travel.

    We have been told they will do everything in their power to get him home soon.  We have been approved on our homestudy for four.  Immigration knows this.  The only problem is the CCCWA.  They have NEVER, ever approved four at one time before or at least that is what we have been told.  Will they understand that our family is unusual and we can do this?  I have so much help.  I have a husband who specializes in the care of sick babies and works from home during the week. I have a mother and mother-in-law who are both retired and love nothing more than to spend the day with their grandchildren.  I have a 20 year old daughter and a 24 year old son who live in an apartment on our property to be close to home and be a part of their younger siblings lives.  My 20 year old daughter is specializing in special education and will be a huge help when we start to home school these little ones.

    I believe that God has chosen us to be Eli’s parents.  I believe that Eli will come home with us on this trip or the next expedited one because he is my son.   But I also believe that God performs miracles every day.  I believe that God can get it approved so that Eli will come home with us in April.  I believe it with my whole heart and on that day I will be praising my God who is a miracle worker!  I believe that God will show His great and glorious power and all will see what wonders He can do.  I BELIEVE!

    John 4:48   Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Baby update

    Date: 2012.09.30 | Category: Adoption, Elijah, Evangeline Faith, Lainey Rae

    First, I will share a conversation that I had with Gracie the other day. It was my chuckle for the day.

    Gracie – “Mom, are we ever going to fly on a plane again?”
    Mom – “Sure honey after we are done and get all the kids here, I would love to take them to Disney World.”
    Gracie – “So we are never going to fly on a plane again?”
    Mom – “Why would you say that? Didn’t you just hear what I said?”
    Gracie – “I heard you, but how will we ever know when we are done?”

    We have received pre-approval for Faith, a little one year old with a complex heart defect (one ventricle).  We are still waiting on Eli’s papers.  Eli is a one year old with a heart defect.   We have not sent in the papers for Lauren (Min) yet because they think our best hope of getting all three is to present Eli & Lauren at the same time.  I pray that it works.  My heart would hurt to tell her no.  I wish I could get the information to her.  I know she is sitting there thinking her time is running out and here we are waiting to let her know.  She turns 14 on June 1, 2013, after that she is no longer able to be adopted.

    I can’t believe that I am excited to be trying to do 3 at once.  Truth be told there is another little girl and if I could do 4 at once, I would gladly do it.  The other little girl, Lainey, had another family in line in front of us.  We had prayed that she would be adopted by them and had to make a choice to proceed with the others. These decisions are so hard.  It breaks your heart.  There are just so many children who need a family, but these 4 in particular have touched our hearts.  I have not lost the irony of the fact that those 4 would make my dream come true and I would have my 12.  🙂

    I don’t often talk about Dan. Mainly, because he is quiet and doesn’t like me bringing attention to his wonderfulness.  He truly is my soul mate.  He is so on board with all of these adoptions and has, in fact, admitted that he isn’t sure when we will be done.  He is sure God will let us know though.   He is such a blessing to me.  He truly understands my heart. Most men would think their wives have lost their minds, but Dan holds me when I cry and tells me how we will make this work.  We will ask them to approve 3 children and maybe 4.  If they say no, we will pray for those children to be adopted, but if they are still available when we get back, then we will start again. We will bring our babies home.  It will just take longer than I would want it to.  He always has plan A, plan B, and plan C.  I love him for that.  He is my protector, my source of strength, and my comforter.

    Hopefully, we will hear something soon.  Please continue to pray for the process to move forward and for our children to remain safe.  I know God is in control and I try to turn it over all the time, but my heart just hurts waiting.

     

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