Merry Christmas to your family from ours!

“A Soldier’s Christmas Poem,” written by LCDR Jeff Giles, CS, USN, stationed in Al Taqqadum Iraq:



And prayers for our brothers and sisters in Christ in Iraq.

Remember those who are separated from loved ones this Christmas. And praying for God's blessing on each of you!

Believing...

Just saw the ticker up above...4 years, 7 months waiting.

4 years.

7 months.

Today it feels like a lifetime.

Yesterday we received the most precious gift. Video and pictures of our two on a DVD. Video taken last month when the director of the sponsorship program went to go visit. Video at the amusement park. Video of them at their orphanage.

Video of them together. Video of them with the shoes we sent.

Julia's smile. Talking to the camera and flashing her dimples. Kissing her Hannah Montana shoes. Watching her face as the letter we enclosed is read to her. "We love you forever honey. We think of you every day and pray for you." Seeing her eyes soften and smile.

Ronaldo's eyebrows going up in that oh-so familiar way. Pausing politely. Trying to hide his smile. And failing. Answering softly. Reading aloud our letter to him. "We miss you and pray for you. We are sending you hugs and we love you forever." Putting his eyes down rapidly as he swallows the emotions that overwhelm him.

My tears.

My sobs.

Praying.

Begging God.

Again.

Knowing that we MUST KEEP FIGHTING.

Aching to hold my babies.

Praying.

Believing that in the pain, God will sustain us.

And praying.

Praying.

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." 2 Corinthians 4:7-9

Plans...

It's there!

Sort of. ;)

Because I sent the package of paperwork "overnight", it ended up arriving in Atlanta on a Saturday. When the office that I was sending it to was closed. Brilliant. I know.

BUT...

It's in Atlanta and the post office will be delivering it tomorrow!!! YEAH!!!

Once this paperwork gets to Guatemala, it will need to be translated and go through some hoops for legalization there. Then it will be added to our file and hopefully our file will be complete. If our file is complete and ready, the Central Authority will schedule our empathy study (in country homestudy).

I am praying for February or March.

However, I don't actually plan these things in my head anymore though. :) I'm pretty much aware that my "plans" don't often match God's, and I'm working at letting my heart follow His. Hard lesson, but one I'm trying to give to Him daily.

In light of all this, I thought this verse from Proverbs 19 was awfully appropriate for today, "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."

Amen. Praying that God will continue to guide our journey.

On It's Way...

After a couple of calls with Fed*x this morning, and having them tell me they didn't know when they would be able to deliver the package, I ended up driving the half hour to meet the Fed*x guy in the parking lot of a business. I figured it would be easier on everyone that way. :)

I checked over the paperwork, put it all right back in an Express Mail envelope, and mailed it via the US Post Office. In the 4 1/2 years we've been working to bring kids home, I've never once sent one piece of adoption paperwork through the post office, but after this little "incident" I'm pretty much done with Fed*x. The employees were incredibly nice and did what they could to help, but I can't afford to have something like this happen again. I realize that the Post Office has it's own set of problems, but they guaranteed this package would be delivered tomorrow. It costs the same as Fed*x, and I KNOW everyone gets mail, right?!? :)

So if you don't mind, keep those prayers coming over this little envelope. And thank-you again for praying it this far!

Hoops...

We could use some prayers over our paperwork.

Again.

We have the last (hopefully) missing piece of needed paperwork on it's way to our house via Fed*x. In order to have all of our paperwork hand-delivered to Guatemala, I need to have these papers Fed*x'd out again and arrive in Atlanta by next week Thursday. That normally wouldn't be a problem, but par for the course, we're having some trouble.

The package began tracking back from Chicago on Monday, December 7. The blizzard yesterday held the paperwork up at the sort facility an hour from here. I understood that and was up this morning, tracking it again as it made it's way to my house.

As the day wore on with no Fed*x truck in sight, I started to worry. By the time this evening came, and I knew in my gut that something was going on. Sure enough, an hour ago Fed*x's tracking record showed that the package is back at the sort facility an hour away.

I'm not going to lie. When I called the gal at Fed*x, I cried. There are days when I just really get tired of jumping through hoops. Today is one of those days. :( The gal at the Fed*x office was incredibly nice and added notes all over our package. What she couldn't tell me, was WHY the package had been re-routed back to the sort facility. She assumed it was because of the weather, but I tearily told her that it had been sunny here all day and that the roads are clear. She felt bad and told me they would try prioritize if for tomorrow.

Minutes later, Fed*x called me, and a different gal tried to help me figure out what had happened. After I again told my story (yes, through tears :)) she took more information to add to the notes the other gal had already put on the package. She was able to tell me that the Fed*x delivery person is new and had gotten lost. But that instead of calling my number which is listed on the packing slip, he turned around and went back to the sort facility. Needless to say, she felt terrible about the whole situation, especially when she heard that there is no weekend pick-up in my area and that the package HAD to go out tomorrow to make it on time to be hand delivered to Guatemala.

Anyway, if you wouldn't mind and you don't think it's too foolish, would you say a quick prayer over that envelope tomorrow?

I just am a little tired of these hoops tonight.

Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to go on the heights.
Habakkuk 3:17-19

This is the song that has gotten me through the last couple of months. I often fall asleep with the lyrics going through my head and find myself singing them as I wake. I can't get through the song without crying out in praise to God, tears streaming down my face.

I am holding fast to this hope...

No more sorrow,
No more pain,

I will rise
On Eagle's wings,

Before my God
Fall on my knees,

And rise...

I asked God to take away my habit.
God said, No.
It is not for me to take away,
but for you to give it up.

I asked God to grant me patience.
God said, No. Patience is a byproduct of tribulations;
it isn't granted, it is learned.

I asked God to give me happiness.
God said, No.
I give you blessings;
Happiness is up to you.

I asked God to spare me pain.
God said, No.
Suffering draws you apart from
worldly cares
and brings you closer to me.

I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said, No.
You must grow on your own,
but I will prune you to make you fruitful.

I asked God for all things
that I might enjoy life.
God said, No.
I will give you life,
so that you may enjoy all things.

I asked God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.
God said... Ahhhh,
finally you have the idea.