Happy 2009

Well---we're home. We've unpacked all the suitcases and gifts, gone grocery shopping, and are truly settled again. That was a lot of work!!!

We had a nice visit to Texas and got to spend good time with our families. The kids did great on the 9 hour drive both to and from there and overall it was lots of fun. We were all sick part of the time, but we still enjoyed being there. We did not get to make all the connections and visit with our extended families as much as we had planned since we got sick- but we did get to see everyone at least once over the break!! We were actually all exhausted by the end of our 2 week trip and I welcomed 2009 in my PJ's, being cozy and comfortable at home. We drove back to Kansas on New Year's Day.

I am constantly amazed that the time has flown by so quickly and 2008 is now gone. It was a year full of changes, growth, and pleasant memories for us. We've been so blessed and looking back, I realize that we are not grateful enough for the goodness God has lavished on us over the past year. Don't get me wrong here, we are thankful for the blessings God has given us, but I know we become complacent to the good things and take it for granted that it will always be "good". Over the holiday break in Texas, I had a huge reminder of the evidence that I take good things for granted every day. Our family was struck by a stomach flu. UUUGGGGHHHH!! Yuck! No fun! Terrible! Did I mention, my FAMILY was struck....not just one or two of us-- it swept it's way through (no pun intended :)) ALL of us, for the last 7 days. We quarantined ourselves from our families, bleached, sanitized, changed bedding, and cleaned like crazy---but this bug still managed to hit some of our extended family members too-(Sorry Angela, Amberly, Katie, Braden, London, Dawson :() But-- this little illness was a good reminder to me that my health, feeling great every day is taken for granted. I felt so rotten when I was sick. I was weak, exhausted and just felt terrible. I need to be continually thankful for all good things- my health and my families' health included at the top of that list!! :)

On the adoption front-- all is going fine. Our completed dossier was sent to our agency on December 15 and we applied for advance visa's with CIS and got our fingerprinting on that day also. We were told that the CIS approval letter would take 60-90 days to get back, but we were pleased to find the very non-descript, plain envelope with the approval letter in our mail stack when we returned. Apparently, it was processed in 4 days. Wow!!

Our dossier has NOT made it to Ethiopia yet-- our agency says it will hopefully be sent this next week. They had some expiration date issues on their agency paperwork and had to get those things resolved before they could send our documents. I'm so glad they caught those expiration date problems and let us know about the hold up. We will be officially waiting for a referral when our documents arrive in Ethiopia and they project a max wait of 1-2 months for a referral. Don't worry- we'll keep you posted!!

In the meantime, please pray for the 2 specific children God has planned to join our family. I'm praying that God comforts them in such a time of turmoil, confusion and loss. That God protects them from any harm and that God provides for their physical needs to be met until He places them in our home. I'm also praying that once they join our home- they will be receptive to our family, they'll accept our love, heal emotionally from the losses and hurts they've endured in their pasts, and adjust to all the changes with resilience. Please join me in praying for them also.

I've been pondering these words of Jesus this morning--

"When you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just." Luke 14:13-14

"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." John 3:17

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven." Matthew 6: 19-20

Blessings-- AMY

I'll be HOME for Christmas!!

We're driving to Texas this afternoon. The suburban is packed out....loaded down.... gased up......ready to roll....all we lack, is buckling in the kiddos!! YEA!!! The kids have been counting down for DAYS and now by the hour!! They are so excited, even if it does mean a 9 hour drive in the car!! They love being with our families in Texas and I am so thankful for those strong relationships even though we live far away. It is an answer to prayers for me. I've always worried that our kids wouldn't have "roots", a place to call "home", strong extended family relationships-- since we move so often with the Army and live so far away. But..... God has given them a strong sense of belonging in Texas and --Pickton, Texas is where they will tell you they are "from". They can't wait to spend time with the extended family.....and they know every single person by name and that is amazing because we have a HUGE extended family!! I'm once again-- thankful that God has blessed us in this way. He's so good, all the time.

The last few days have been cold and icy here and today it is going to be 75 in TEXAS!!! I can't wait for some of that "warmer" winter weather!! It will be so nice to watch our car thermometer rise as we drive south!! YEA!!

On the adoption front== all is going well. Our completed dossier was sent to BFAS on Monday 12/15/08. They received it on Tuesday 12/16/08, and it's going to be state autheniticated today 12/19/08. They told me via telephone that it will hopefully be authenticated in Washington DC on Tuesday of next week and be on it's way to Ethiopia before Christmas day. YEA!! We will be officially waiting for a referral when the paperwork is in Ethiopia. It could be 1-2 months, it could be sooner but no matter what......I'm confident that God's in control. I've done the paperwork that I can control and the rest is out of my hands and I trust God's in the middle of these plans and the process. Right now-- we're feeling patient. Next week or month--- tune back in because I may be going crazy with anticipation!! Adoption is actually a very emotional journey.....elating, exciting, draining and overwhelming at the same time!! I never knew what waiting families went through to adopt!!

My quiet time this morning refected on these scriptures.... 1 John 3:1-3
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall see Him as He is. Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."

Well--- I am going to close and finish getting ready to leave for a few weeks. Although Joel thinks I'm a little OCD, I have to get the house totally clean before I leave.... I hate coming home to a mess!! haha!!


Merry Christmas to you all......
Blessings, AMY

Baby, It's Cold Outside

So last night I was both a worry wart and a prayer warrior all in one. The "cold front" moved into Kansas yesterday afternoon with meteorologist promises of freezing rain, an ice storm, and single digit temperatures for the next 4 days. Well--- today for us, is an important day so this weather was stressing me out. Since last week, we have been scheduled to go pick up our finalized approved homestudy document from the homestudy agency (a one hour drive from our home) at 1130 today. At 230 this afternoon, we also have an appointment at the US immigrations office for our fingerprinting for our I-600A, which is dependent on having the homestudy in our hands (and this is an hour away, the OTHER direction, too). SO--- this weather was impending doom for me since it was going to be bad weather until Friday, which is when we are scheduled to leave town for a two week holiday in Texas. So I prayed and worried and prayed and worried. I was so worried that if we don't get this done on Monday=== it probably won't happen before Christmas. I prayed that the Lord would hold off the weather, or at least the ice- until after our appointments this afternoon if it was His will for us to get our paperwork to the agency before Christmas. Well- It got down to 4 degrees in the night and it did snow some--- but there was no ice and no road closures this morning. I just called our agency to make sure they were in the office today in spite of the cold weather and when the sweet receptionist answered the phone, I nearly started crying!! Thank you LORD for being faithful to us yet again on this journey. You keep showing yourself to me in both big and small ways. By the way--- guess what the weather forecast is for tonight?? 70 % chance of snow and ice mix with high temperature of 9 degrees and low of 2. :) Isn't that awesome?? God held the worst of this storm off until tonight- I am sure. :)

The scripture truths that I am pondering for today:

Exodus 14:13 "Moses told the people, "Don't be afraid. Just stand where you are and watch the Lord rescue you."

Ephesians 1:10 " This is his plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ- everything in heaven and on earth."

Psalm 9:1 "I will thank you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done."

Hope your day is blessed. I'm going to bundle up, load my kiddos in the car and go pick up our homestudy now!!
--AMY

Rejoicing For Our Friends

Here's our most recent family Christmas photo.....I was so impressed that we actually captured a picture with all 4 children smiling and looking to the camera at the same time!! WOW- that is amazing!! I finally finished sending out our Christmas cards yesterday and am feeling relieved to have accomplished that goal!! I love to send out a family photo and update with our Christmas cards because we have so many friends that we don't keep in touch with very often, but it is a lot of work!! Anyway--- here's my beautiful family. I am so blessed!!

We are rejoicing with so many of our adopting friends that have traveled this week to pick up their children!! God is so good. We are praying for them all and are encouraged and inspired as we see them faithfully follow God's guidance in their lives. SO COOL!! We are also excited because we know that some of our BFAS families received referrals yesterday......we haven't heard details yet but there are good things happening for orphaned Ethiopian children!! They are going to have forever families!! HALLELUJAH!! We know that the Lord's timing and plans are so much bigger and better than ours!! I am thankful that at least for today, I'm not feeling overwhelmed by worries of timing and logistics of our life. God is in control. I read this scripture during my quiet time.....

Habakkuk 2:3
"But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, be patient! For it will surely take place. It will not be late by a single day."

We are so happy for our friends that have listened to God's calling in their lives, and so energized by knowing that God had a plan for them and that God worked out all the details for them, some slowly, some quickly!!! But-- all these things happen on a timeline that is God's alone.

Congratulations Marianthe and Jill. BFAS families that are travelling this week and those that got referrals this week--- PRAISE THE LORD!! As for us-- I'm thankful and feeling so blessed today as we just wait for God's perfect adoption plan to continue to unfold and testify of his goodness to our family!!

Happy Saturday,
AMY

BIG DAY!!!

So today is a busy day for us. It will be busy, but good.

Joel D, our 2 1/2 year old is having surgery to put some tubes in his little ears. He's suffered chronic ear infections (11 in 2 years to be exact) and we're hoping this does the trick and he'll recover quickly and also not have so many earaches in the future. Please pray for him today. Please pray for the doctors and nurses that will be caring for him and for a successful surgery with no issues.

So today is also the day we are hoping to receive the official, done, all sorted and printed and notarized and did I mention, --DONE-- home study. We've now done all ths steps in an amazingly short period of time....our personal review is complete, our international agency has reviewed it and has approved it and it is now truly done!!!

Our dossier is complete now except for this final home study approval document and as soon as we go pick it up (hopefully on our way home from the hospital as the agency office is on our way) we'll drop it by a post office for overnight delivery to our international agency. YEA! It has been amazing to see God open doors, fix little paper trail issues, and make the way so easy for our document processing. I am in AWE of His will for us, His power to move mountains for us, and for His gracious and merciful love for us. I know we are right in the center of His plan for us right at this moment in time and I am so comforted and joyful and have complete peace in this place right now. This morning, I've been pondering this scripture in my heart.......
"And we know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What then can we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" +Romans 8:28-32
Hope your day is blessed. Please remember Joel Daniel in your prayers today. We'll keep you posted.
Blessings, AMY

My FAV Christmas gift this year

Just want to share. Joel's gettin a pair this Christmas. LOVE THE CAUSE!!!

Homestudy DONE!!!

Today was our final Homestudy visit. We should get the approved homestudy document in our hands tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest and then we'll add the homestudy to the above documents and we'll ship our COMPLETED dossier to BFAS, our international agency for state and national authentications! WHOOOHOOOOO!! My goal was to be done with OUR part of the paperchase before Christmas and God has provided. He keeps opening doors and making things happen!! It has been an amazing journey and we are excited! Thanks for your prayers during our homestudy today!!