Six Month Portraits

We had a mini-photo shoot with Ainsley on Saturday.  I needed to have her 6 month portraits taken.  Here's one shot with her looking a little serious, but you can check out all of the shots here.  They really came out so cute!!  Perfect little model I guess.

Memorial Box Monday: The Wait

Okay, this is my first memorial box post, but I am really excited to get in on this type of journaling. You can read more about Memorial Boxes here....really is a great way to remember all of the amazing things God has done in our lives.

When we were waiting for our referral for Charlotte and for all the approvals to go and bring her home, I felt incredibly close to the Lord. I think mostly because it was the only way I could make it through the wait. Knowing and feeling that He was completely in control, brought me extraordinary peace so very many times. Now don't get me wrong, I had my fair share of impatience and fear as we waited. Especially once I "knew" who and where our Charlotte was, she needed her mommy :) Just recently I received an email from another adoptive mom that was part of my agency's yahoo group.

Hi Carla-- A while back, actually a looong while back, in 2007, you sent an email to the "Waiting Children" list that ministered to me in a powerful way. It was an exerpt from a book "Hope for the Journey". I printed it and have kept it in my quiet time binder, referring back to it many times over the years, and even now as we await the arrival home our our little boy from China. The email is dated Aug. 10th, 2007 and the subject is "Something To Think About". I know it's a long shot, but by chance do you still have that one and could you forward it to me? I would like to send it to a friend who is growing weary in the wait for her little girl from China.
Thanks so much--

Well, I went back and looked and found the email.  I did not even remember sending it to be honest, but to know that not only did God speak to me through that story, but he led me to type it out to send to others.  And then it spoke to other's hearts and still is now 3 years later, tells me I may need to read it again now and maybe in the future so it is fitting that it be my first entry in my box. 

Here is the email I sent that day:
Good Morning Everyone,

I was reading this morning a book we received from Shaohannah's Hope called "Hope for the Journey, an adoption companion." We received it after applying for a grant, anyway I wanted to share the following excerpt with you, because it really hit home for me.

Look to God
-Eric and Mizie Tibbets adopted from Russia and in the process for
Guatemala.

"During your adoption journey you are likely to become child-focused
instead of God focused. You might even think more about the creation
instead of the Creator. Let me chanllenge you that if you are
longing more for the child instead of the Savior, you may want to
pause and take inventory of your relationship with God. After many
years of infertility and empty arms, it is easy to be impatient for
the blessing of a child. I'd like to share a few truths we learned
as we journeyed with God:
-You aren't on man, you are waiting on God.
-God isn't going to send you where He is absent.
-God is not bound by geography, timelines, politics or finances.
-God hasn't asked you to walk this path alone. Not only will He
remain with you each step of the way, He has prepared many warriors
to go into battle with you. You'll be amazed at who He uses to meet
your needs.
-Don't put serving the King on hold. Waiting doesn't equate to
idleness. Invest in the wait; don't waste it.
-God's gifts to us are never late; they are always on time and far
beyond what we could ever imagine.
Adoption is about stewardship. Your child and everything you possess
belongs to God. During the wait, surrender it all to God, for His
glory."
Each step of the journey for me sometomes seems like one
more "chance" to wait. But it is in the perserverence that God shows
Himself to me. Be strengthend and encouraged in your stage of the
wait today. It will be so worth it in the end. Here's to the wait:)
Have a wonderful day,
Carla L.

And even today, this email is reminding me of my "chance" to wait.  I have some things going on now, that I can not control, as I would like, but am having to just wait and pray.  God will work it out in his timing, and I know beyond a shadow that it will be so much better than I could even dream up.

Sunday Snapshot

A couple of Charlotte's favorite things: playing outside and singing! She loves to be outside, and I mean she loves it. I remember when we first brought her home, every time we were outside and the wind would blow, she would get this huge grin on her face and just breathe it all in. I don't think she spent much time if any outside of the orphanage, so the fresh air was just so invigorating to her. She also did not let her bare feet touch the grass for quite a while, she has overcome that now and this little girl loves to play. Now that it is spring, we are spending lots of time outside in the afternoons. Here she is playing soccer the other day, and getting super excited when she told me she SCORED!!

Then singing, she absolutely loves to, poor thing...I am holding out hope that one day she will match pitch. (And she will if her music teacher momma has anything to say about it!) But for now she sings LOUD and PROUD. When she goes to church early with daddy, she always wants to practice with the praise team. She always says, "I sing LOUD!!" Make a joyful noise, right!?!

Thankful Thursday

Life has been so up and down for me lately.  It seems that any little thing that is at all a conflict or stressful in the least sends me over the edge.  (Can it still be pregnancy hormones?  Yeah, didn't think so!)  So I am trying to refocus, and get stuff back into perspective you know.  So I am going to get back to my Thankful Thursday posts and help me concentrate on all that is good and all the blessings we have in our life. 

1.  The sweet relationships our children have with each other.  Of course, they get on each other's nerves some times but they so often show love towards each other and that makes my heart happy :)

2.  I don't have to work full-time, just part-time and that gives me 50% of my week at home, which I would not trade for anything!

3.  I love the spring weather and playing outside with the girls so much fun!

4.  We have beautiful house and I am looking forward to continuing to make it OUR home.  Even though we have been her just about 7 months, it is still not our home, yet.  I hope this spring and summer to make it OURS.

Wordless Wednesday

Still Praying for Lucy

Please keep praying for Lucy.  As of friday a family still has not stepped up yet.  You can read the blog post about her here.  I wish we could be her family, but I know she needs a mommy that can spend a significant amount of time with her in the hospital and that's not us right now.  I have prayed about it, and don't feel God leading us to bring her home but I do feel called to advocate and pray for her.  I love that you can see her sweet personality through her pictures.  And no matter what turns her life takes, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is using her, using her life for good.  I also know that there is a very real possibility that the lack of surgical intervention so far, may have severely affected her chances.  She may also not be a good cantidate for a transplant as her lungs may not be able to take the pressure of it all.  So I will continue to pray for this sweet girl who has forever taken a little piece of my heart.  I hope you will too!!!

Please Pray for Lucy

Will you pray for Lucy? She is an orphan in China waiting for a forever family and has a very serious heart condition. She needs surgery and will most likely need a transplant in the future. Please pray that either a family steps forward soon or that she can come to the US on a medical visa to get the care she needs. Here is a link to this sweetie!!

The adoption community has rallied around this sweet girl, please go here to see about the 24 hours of prayer movement starting on Thursday!

(The following post is from Amy's Blog)

Lucy needs a miracle.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

–Psalms 139:13-14

I cannot stand by and do nothing for this child. Like so many others, though, we are not in a position to adopt again right now. But I can pray for her. I can pray for a family to step forward.
Wouldn’t it be amazing if we as a community could come together and cover Lucy with prayer for 24 hours? Wouldn’t it be amazing to see what God can do through this child?
Honestly, I don’t know how God will answer our prayers. I don’t know how Lucy’s life will end up. But what I do know is God will not turn his back on Lucy. She is not alone. While we may not understand it, her life has a purpose.
Will you join me on your knees in prayer for Lucy? Will you pray:
That a family will step forward and claim her as their daughter? Will you pray that once the family submits their letter of intent that China and the United States will expedite all their paperwork and they can hold Lucy in record time?
Will you pray for peace for this extraordinary family? Will you pray that even though Lucy has significant medical challenges ahead of her that they will find strength and support they never imagined.
Will you pray for Lucy? Pray she remains strong. Pray she can hold on for just a little while longer until her mommy and daddy find her.
The 24 hour prayer chain for Lucy will be on Thursday, March 18 starting at 6:00 am and will end on Friday at 6:00 am. If you can commit just one hour of your time, please list it in the comment section of the Amy's blog (http://1001tears.blogspot.com/). Please list the hour you’ll be praying and where you’re from. I hope people all around the world will pray for Lucy.

I think God has amazing things in store for this child. Please be a part of it.

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.--John 14:18

 
Please help to get the word out by reposting this on your blog, yahoo groups, and facebook pages. Please have people link back to Amy's blog (www.1001tears.blogspot.com) to comment, so we can see just how many people love and care for Lucy.



Please pass this on! Sweet Lucy is worth it!!!!

Ainsley is 6 months old....already!!

Our sweet Ainsley turned 6 months old yesterday!!!  It does not seem possible, the time has just completely flown by.  She is already holding toys, eating cereal, babbling, almost sitting on her own, rolling over, trying to crawl and she loves to laugh!!  She is such a sweet girl.

And big sister Charlotte is loving the warm weather!!!  She is riding her tricycle so well, and just loves to play outside.  We are going through one of those trying phases though as well.  Having to remind her lots that what Mommy and Daddy says goes, even if you don't like it:)  It is so hard to be 3 and a 1/2.

One of my new favorite shots!!  Get out and enjoy the weather everyone....spring is coming!