Open Water

Some of our best friends invited us for a day on the boat on Memorial Day! It was K&S's first time on a boat.  They are water bugs, so I thought it would go well.

 I was right!!

 They loved their new life jackets, and loved "going fast." (Even though we weren't going all that fast on a pontoon. But to them, it was wild!)

 They even were willing to jump into the lake (into Mommy and Daddy's arms) and float and swim around! (Don't I look ridiculous here?!)

Spencer was keeping his eyes peeled for a sperm whale. He was convinced there had to be one somewhere.  Finally, at the end of the day, he asked one more time for a sperm whale. I told him sperm whales didn't live in lakes like this. He said, "Okay, where's the catfish?" Hilarious that was his second choice!!

I LOVE this age [most of the time]. I'm not going to lie - SO MUCH FUN!!!

Warfare

We are still about two weeks away from our embassy appointment, which is the next step in our adoption process.  We have submitted payment for visa fees, scheduled vaccinations, and have the bedroom (basically) ready.  Realistically, that puts travel mid-July.

Please, PLEASE join us in praying that we would be holding our kids on July 1.

I am not trying to put God in a box.  I am simply BEGGING for Him to speed up the last few steps.  Without going into unnecessary detail, I am watching the enemy attack on so many fronts. Not just with our adoption, but all throughout the DRC.  Throughout adoption WORLDWIDE.  Countless families that I know adopting from all nations around the globe are dealing with headaches and heartaches abundant.

Y'all, it needs not be so!!!

How do you think the enemy feels about adoption? HE HATES IT.  This is why so many obstacles exist. This is why corrupt governments can take forever to issue a single piece of paper.  This is why it costs up to $60,000 to adopt a child. This is why people experience heartache after headache after heartache. This is why children sit in foster care and orphanages for years before they age out and no one even knows they exist.  This is why hundreds of millions of children here in the USA and everywhere have no family to call their own.

Why does he hate it?  It's simple.  Adoption is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.


I was an orphan - separated from my Father because of my sin.  I had no hope.  No family. But God, in His great mercy, provided a way through Christ to bring me into His family. Because of the shed blood of Jesus, I am now a child of God, an HEIR to His throne.  I enjoy all the rights that come from belonging to His family - including eternal life.  He adopted me into His family - not because of anything I had done, but instead, in spite of what I had done and will do, because of what Jesus did.

The world of adoption NEEDS your prayers.  We need to see believers join together and embrace the power of praying as a chosen people.  We need to strengthen and encourage families that are walking this crazy difficult road.  Every child needs a family.  Prayer is the ONLY hope we have of this.

For Uncle Winston

Spencer and Kate's (great) Uncle Winston always says they are "sights for sore eyes." So he ordered two custom t-shirts for them.  I had SO MUCH FUN designing and making these - and they look pretty cute if I say so myself.  So here is our little photo shoot (Spencer was LOVING having his pic taken- he thought it was hilarious if I said, "Don't laugh!" so I did...so he would laugh and we would get a good pic.) Don't worry Winston, we'll get REAL copies of these, I just wanted to show off how cute they turned out!

Water Fountain

Earlier this week, some friends invited us to join them at the fountains downtown.  We hadn't been but once and I can't remember if that was last year or the year before- but it wasn't a hit.  I knew they'd love it this time though!

Posing for a pic before we left

Who's excited about going to the fountains? MEEEE!!!

  

My sweet girl :)

Having a blast!!

Non-stop running

 He worked up an appetite - eating two pieces of banana at once!

The boy is still eating!

Playing together :)

Running!

Definitely making this a regular thing!!

Show Me...

Show me what you are reading.

I am reading this:



Halfway done, started this morning (I've been in the car a lot today, which is why I have been able to read so much.)

So far...love it.

What are you reading?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Airport Homecoming

We are so excited to head to the airport this afternoon for our first airport homecoming for an adoptive family.  The Sharps are great friends, and we have walked side by side in this journey.  Adoption is what made us friends.  I can not wait to see them with Sam in arms, fresh from China, to make them a family of 6.

He who calls you is faithful.

I was telling Spencer this morning that we are headed to the airport today.  His first response, with his eyes lit up, was "Ella and Josiah are coming home?!" We have talked about how soon Mommy and Daddy will board a plane to Africa and we won't be gone long, but when we are back, we'll have E&J with us, home forever.

He who calls you is faithful.

It was enough to make my heart skip a beat.  Clench up a little.  I had to tell him it wasn't time for them to come home yet, but another orphan from another country has found his forever family.  A child that didn't use to have a mommy and daddy now does....and two sisters and a brother.

He who calls you is faithful.

I can't wait to celebrate the Sharps today, and there is some major excitement thinking that quite possibly the next time I visit an airport will be for our own trip to bring home our children!

Mother's Day

So, so, so thankful to be called Momma by these two.







They bring me a crazy amount of joy, make me laugh, keep me busy, and wear me out every day.

I love them and also long for the other two that don't yet call me Mommy but are still mine. I go to bed every night praying for my 4 children, even if only two of them I held that day and sleep in the next room.

Happy Mother's Day to all you mommas out there - whether in your home or simply longing in your heart.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone