more thoughts

I am so glad to be on this journey. I look back and reflect on this past year and all the things I have learned and how much I have been encouraged by so many of you. Some of you have had a heck of a year. I have seen sorrow, joy, elation,confusion. But I have also seen God glorified by so many of you in regards to your attitudes.

Thank you for being a part of our wait.

happy turkey day

happy thanksgiving my wonderful friend. for those who are celebrating the first holidays with their children, treasure these memories. I hope that everyone has a special moment with God today!!!!

19 months LID

An Orphan's Prayer

Got this from my new friend Renee at Life With Special K's


An Orphan's Prayer
I am waiting…somewhere far…far away
on the other side of the world.
I may not know who you are or what you look like
But some how deep in my heart I know you are out there.
That one day you will come and find me.
It’s a long journey, and it takes a lot of time…
I wish it could be easier.
But I know that the ones who come for me
will not count the cost.
They will only see the joy of finding me.
For now I abide in the fields of the fatherless.
Day by day wondering why I was born here
and not somewhere else?
Asking…why my life couldn’t have been different?
It is so lonely…Even though I am surrounded by
hundreds of other children,
I know that something is missing…
I know in my heart I need a place to call home.
My arms long to be wrapped in a father’s embrace…
I long to be saved by a mother’s love…
Gazing out the orphanage window I offer a
prayer of hope,“Oh God please help them
come quickly.”
Even as I lay in the darkness of each night
somehow I feel assured,
That no matter how lost I appear I am not alone.
Holy hands guard my steps; sacred fingers wipe
my tears, touching my lonely heart.
The one who made me,
The God that knew me before I was born
Hears me every time I call
He whispers His promises in my ear.
I listen with hope to His voice.
But what I worry about most is that no one wants to look for me.
The fields are vast and there are so many scattered all over the earth.
I wonder how one little child, so lost, can be found?
Yet He calms my heart and assures me that He will find you.
That He will make sure that you hear His voice clearly.
He has promised me that He will make a way through the fields,
That He will personally cut a path and lead you right to my orphanage door.
My prayer is…When He speaks…Please don’t forget to listen…
When He calls don’t be too afraid to go
For I am waiting…somewhere, far…far…away

Prayer for the week

So many families are just heart broken over this wait. My prayer for this week is that everyone finds the peace they are searching for and they continue to follow the paths God had chosen. It's hard.

It seems like such a simple prayer but I know how hard this wait can be. Those of us waiting for our first child wonder if we will ever have the family we have dreamed of. Some of you have shared that with me, its okay to be honest.

I am thankful for this journey. I am thankful for the doors that have opened. I am thankful for the seeds that were planted for this journey so many years ago, as I look back I am amazed.

What's on your heart this week?

wishes and dreams

How do you miss someone you have never met? I never understood this. Sometimes at the oddest moments, I long to hold LynnMarie. Michael found some wonderful gotcha day videos the other night and it had me pondering. I love that word, ponder.

Want to know what I was thinking the other day? The fact that there are babies in orphanages in China. Orphanages. Babies sleeping in cribs. Babies who do not get held enough. Babies that lie their crying. Babies who have not experienced the kind of love I long to give. I don't have a picture of LynnMarie yet. There is a great chance that she is born and I pray for her specifically every day.

The day that Michael and I meet her will be like no other. It will not be perfect. She will probably squirm and cry and we will totally be stressed out but there is nothing more that I wait for.

This holiday season will be different. I hope this is our last one without LynnMarie.

It will be filled with hope. It will be full of wishes and dreams and anticipation.

April 2007 we were logged in and before we were logged in I anticipated getting a match December 2008. Boy, was my head in the clouds?

This Christmas will be full of prayers. I pray that she touches the heart of a special someone. Someone that will give her an extra hug......

Family Day

Yesterday (Saturday) Amy and I spent the day together doing fun stuff. First we attended the Basset Hound Rescue of Georgia's (www.bhrg.org) Annual Basset Bash. We hung out in a park with about 100 other basset hounds and a number of other dogs. We had a potlluck lunch and many contests including Longest Hound, Widest wingspan (ears), Chow Hound (what WON'T a basset eat?) and a costume contest. The day was also a fund-raiser for the charity and a great social event.

Speaking of social events, Amy and I participated in a blog party last night. It was organized by Heather Whittaker (www.whittakerwoman.typepad.com) and her friend Stephanie Lee (wife of Third Day guitarist Mark Lee. Heather's husband Carlos has a pretty popular blog as well (www.ragamuffinsoul.com).

We met at a restaurant in historic Roswell, GA and there were about 40 of us there including guitarist/photographer Daley Hake (www.daleyhake.com), friends of Heather's from California and followers of her blog. The really weird connections were plentiful including these two. We learned a few days ago that the sister-in-law of one of Amy's friends from Florida was to be there (the sil lives in Atlanta). The other one came when Amy saw a nametag indicating a blogger from New Smyrna Beach, FL. It turns out it was two ladies from Edgewater, the town just South of NSB and not only do these ladies know Amy's grandparents from their church, they are in a small group with Amy's sister Kelly! It freaked us all out, so we took a picture of Amy with the ladies and sent it to Kelly's phone and nearly immediately got the response WHAT?!? Where are they all together?!?!

more to follow

I WOULD have to say that last week was one of the best of the year. Wednesday, I skipped Bible Study and my weight watchers meeting to spend several hours at the zoo with new friends with Chinese children including my friend Sheridan. Not only had I not been to the zoo in years, this was a perfect day and I had a blast even after being up 24 hours.

Friday was our adoption support group.

Saturday was a family day which is how this post is getting on this blog. Pics and details coming but we did the basset bash and a blog party yesterday which was awesome. Even met a family from our church who is waiting for their daughter from China.

and its time for christmas preparation.....rock on

Adoption Option

Tonight was great. Dinner and fellowship at Donna's. I was able to visit with old friends, get to know some older friends better and celebrate referrals with new friends.
, so m
Tonight's topic was traveling tips and although we will be not be traveling for quite a while, I was able to learn A LOT.


Next month will be at our house, so mark your you calendars now!!!


Thanks again Donna, and hope to see more of you guys next month. Remember, these gatherings are for those who have adopted, those who are waiting and those who are interested in adoption in general. Tonight we celebrated referrals from Vietnam and China!

adoption option support group this friday

For those who are in the area. this Friday ( TODAY)is our first Friday of the month adoption support group. potluck dinner at 630 at Donna's house followed by a short talk and some socializing.

Click on the yahoo group link located down on the right side of the screen ( ya gotta scroll down)

Let me know if you have any questions. hope to see you there!!!! anyone involved in or interested in adoption is welcome. domestic, international or if you just have questions....

monday meditations

NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH

Praises

Many people got their LOA's this week. Awesome. We look forward to more great news and seeing these babies coming home soon!!!!

i am so thankful that so many families have been united this year

prayer request
as the election is almost over, i am praying for our new president and the leaders around the world. i pray our president has a heart for adoption

i pray for the country of China.

i pray for those whose hearts are leaning toward adoption that they will continue to follow.

i pray for those babies with SN that will need medical treatment when they come home. i pray for healthy and a speedy recovery.

what are you praying for?