It's wonderful to be read to...Sophie could sit for book after book!
Front row seat to the cartoons!
Lap full!
Tyler shows little sis his venus fly trap plant...is it closing up yet?
Sunday, November 30, 2008
An evening with the Lindseys and the Lymans!
It's wonderful to be read to...Sophie could sit for book after book!Front row seat to the cartoons!Lap full!Tyler shows little sis his venus fly trap plant...is it closing up yet?
Sunday, November 16, 2008
IT'S HEEERRRE!
Sophie and the Fed Ex Man
Jumping for Joy!
and more JOY!
Soooo.....just when hope wains...
We were on our way to Portland last Thursday, to update our fingerprints, because they expire 15 months from the date of issue. I guess they want to know if we have become criminals in the meantime. And while we are waiting for Costco to open (because who doesn't go to Costco, when you get the chance!), we got a call from our family coordinator, that our RA has arrived! Tentatively, it looks like we may travel the end of December or the first part of January. They said to expect plans to move very quickly. WooHoo! There is much praising and thanking God for the answer to our prayers...EVEN when we prayed unexpectantly!
James 1:17 "Every good and perfect gift is from above..."
The Waiting days...............
From the time we responded, saying yes to the referral August 17th, the waiting time for a RA(Referral Acceptance, which you recieve from China after they have reviewed your dossier) was said to be 4-6 months. Then, 6-8 weeks later to travel. Over the last 3 months, it has become increasingly harder...I haven't really worried about her being cared for, but I sort of feel a sense of loss at missing any more of her first couple years!
So....over the last 3 months, Sophie has reminded us with regularity to pray for AJ to be our Christmas present. At times, she has said, "I just can't wait, I want AJ to be here soon!" "Let's pray and ask God!". How many times we stopped what we were doing to pray...I cannot count! The faith of a child...oh how I need more of that. The older I am, I tend to let life's realities, temper my praying...I prayed with Sophie, but I have to admit I was Not expecting a positive answer. Oh, I know "with God all things are possible", but I began to lose heart.
And so...the Lord keeps teaching me! And in turn, I need to teach Sophie!
1 Thessalonians 5:176-18
Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Mark 11:24
Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Pray expectantly!)
Luke 18:1
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
Still learning........! Thank you, Lord for your patience...that your word is active and alive, to teach us all things!
So....over the last 3 months, Sophie has reminded us with regularity to pray for AJ to be our Christmas present. At times, she has said, "I just can't wait, I want AJ to be here soon!" "Let's pray and ask God!". How many times we stopped what we were doing to pray...I cannot count! The faith of a child...oh how I need more of that. The older I am, I tend to let life's realities, temper my praying...I prayed with Sophie, but I have to admit I was Not expecting a positive answer. Oh, I know "with God all things are possible", but I began to lose heart.
And so...the Lord keeps teaching me! And in turn, I need to teach Sophie!
1 Thessalonians 5:176-18
Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Mark 11:24
Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Pray expectantly!)
Luke 18:1
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
Still learning........! Thank you, Lord for your patience...that your word is active and alive, to teach us all things!
Three months ago.........
August 15....we were camping at Juanita Lake, in California. Paul checked phone messages late Friday...there was an urgent request to call our adoption agency ASAP. They did not say why, but we had the feeling that it might be a referral call, where they have a child that matches your paperwork, for you to consider. Well, we were too late in the day, and too far from home to do anything about it, and we just went “oh well, this wasn’t meant to be”.
Sunday: back in Klamath Falls....Paul got a call on his cell phone at church, immediately at noon. Our agency wanted to know how soon we could get to our computer for us to review a 1 year old girl, with repaired cleft lip and palate. So, we scooped up Sophie and beat feet to the car. It was a quick…chattery ride home…and Paul didn’t even speed! That I know of…;) We marveled at the fact, that our agency coordinator was working on Sunday....which is highly unusual...and that in just a few minutes, we might be looking at our daughter for the first time. Seated soon at the computer, we agreed that we would read her file first, before opening any pictures of her, though that is the first thing you really want to do!
Now…I want to interject a little history before I go on...
When you fill out an application for a special needs child, there is a huge list of disabilities to consider. And you check Yes, if it’s a condition you would take, and Maybe, if it’s one you’d be willing to consider. You also pick an age range.
Over the previous 3-4 months, we had received emails from our agency of special needs children who have been hard to place…most have difficult physical conditions and sometimes it is simply because of their age, and more boys than girls. I would look through their pictures, sadly, each child so in need of a home and a family. Then feeling guilty because they were not conditions Paul and I were considering…wondering if we should consider a boy or an older child… Were we too limiting in our selection, doing what we wanted and what we thought we could handle? I know that all things are possible, with God’s help. I wrestled with the process of “selection”, even hating it! It seems way too optional…choosing! Was I basing decisions on looks when I went through the pages? That notion scared me…I didn’t feel like I was, but what if it was underlying…I could hardly stand it! But I didn’t know how to change the process…so I did much praying for God to somehow just choose and make it clear, and open my heart to what HE wanted for us…even if it was harder. This song seemed appropriate!
Change my heart, oh God…Make it ever new
Change my heart, oh God…May I be like you.
Well now…back to the computer, we wanted to make a decision on her information provided, so we chose not to look at her first...by the end of the reading, we were in love with a little one we hadn’t even seen yet, and determined that she was the one! How God creates that love for one unseen is hard to put into words, although if you are an expecting parent, you know!
JOY INDESCRIBABLE!
Below is a tidbit of the information we received on her, along with pictures. Some of you have already seen her pictures, but we have not been able to put the information and pictures on the blog until our RA (Referral Approval) came back from China!
Chengdu City, Sichuan Province
Chinese name: Zhu JiuJia
"On admission, JiaJia had fair skin, a pair of black and bright eyes looked around all the time as if she could not wait to know everything. The institute arranged Jiajia to be enrolled into the Infant and Toddler Nurture program. Since then she had her own mum. When mum saw Jiajia for the first time she was sleeping soundly, her fair complexion was beautiful and lovely. Seeing Jiajia's petite body, a kind of tender affection came from the bottom of the heart of mum who hoped her to thrive and have smile like brilliant sunshine every day. At that time, Jiajia spent most of the time in the day to sleep like other babies, would express her hunger with crying. When being full she would open her bright eyes. When she was completely awake she liked to lift her hands to jolt them to and fro as well as up and down which looked lovely. Mum often held her into her arms and called her name for the hope of Jiajia to get familiarized to everything here."
Those lips just look kissable! (Before her surgery in March)
After her surgery.
We are anxious to see those "bright eyes that look around all the time as if she cannot wait to know everything". And look forward to the day, when she lifts those little hands up to us!
Sunday: back in Klamath Falls....Paul got a call on his cell phone at church, immediately at noon. Our agency wanted to know how soon we could get to our computer for us to review a 1 year old girl, with repaired cleft lip and palate. So, we scooped up Sophie and beat feet to the car. It was a quick…chattery ride home…and Paul didn’t even speed! That I know of…;) We marveled at the fact, that our agency coordinator was working on Sunday....which is highly unusual...and that in just a few minutes, we might be looking at our daughter for the first time. Seated soon at the computer, we agreed that we would read her file first, before opening any pictures of her, though that is the first thing you really want to do!
Now…I want to interject a little history before I go on...
When you fill out an application for a special needs child, there is a huge list of disabilities to consider. And you check Yes, if it’s a condition you would take, and Maybe, if it’s one you’d be willing to consider. You also pick an age range.
Over the previous 3-4 months, we had received emails from our agency of special needs children who have been hard to place…most have difficult physical conditions and sometimes it is simply because of their age, and more boys than girls. I would look through their pictures, sadly, each child so in need of a home and a family. Then feeling guilty because they were not conditions Paul and I were considering…wondering if we should consider a boy or an older child… Were we too limiting in our selection, doing what we wanted and what we thought we could handle? I know that all things are possible, with God’s help. I wrestled with the process of “selection”, even hating it! It seems way too optional…choosing! Was I basing decisions on looks when I went through the pages? That notion scared me…I didn’t feel like I was, but what if it was underlying…I could hardly stand it! But I didn’t know how to change the process…so I did much praying for God to somehow just choose and make it clear, and open my heart to what HE wanted for us…even if it was harder. This song seemed appropriate!
Change my heart, oh God…Make it ever new
Change my heart, oh God…May I be like you.
Well now…back to the computer, we wanted to make a decision on her information provided, so we chose not to look at her first...by the end of the reading, we were in love with a little one we hadn’t even seen yet, and determined that she was the one! How God creates that love for one unseen is hard to put into words, although if you are an expecting parent, you know!
JOY INDESCRIBABLE!
Below is a tidbit of the information we received on her, along with pictures. Some of you have already seen her pictures, but we have not been able to put the information and pictures on the blog until our RA (Referral Approval) came back from China!
Chengdu City, Sichuan Province
Chinese name: Zhu JiuJia
"On admission, JiaJia had fair skin, a pair of black and bright eyes looked around all the time as if she could not wait to know everything. The institute arranged Jiajia to be enrolled into the Infant and Toddler Nurture program. Since then she had her own mum. When mum saw Jiajia for the first time she was sleeping soundly, her fair complexion was beautiful and lovely. Seeing Jiajia's petite body, a kind of tender affection came from the bottom of the heart of mum who hoped her to thrive and have smile like brilliant sunshine every day. At that time, Jiajia spent most of the time in the day to sleep like other babies, would express her hunger with crying. When being full she would open her bright eyes. When she was completely awake she liked to lift her hands to jolt them to and fro as well as up and down which looked lovely. Mum often held her into her arms and called her name for the hope of Jiajia to get familiarized to everything here."
Those lips just look kissable! (Before her surgery in March)
After her surgery.
We are anxious to see those "bright eyes that look around all the time as if she cannot wait to know everything". And look forward to the day, when she lifts those little hands up to us!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
The Election is OVER...now what?
God is STILL in control.
Romans 13:1
Every one must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established from God.
1 Timothy 2:1
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone- for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
Micah 6:8
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Romans 13:1
Every one must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established from God.
1 Timothy 2:1
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone- for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
Micah 6:8
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
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