Waiting and enjoying

Waiting hasn't necessarily been my greatest strength in life.  (Jay, on the other hand, is very good and patient when it comes to waiting!)  As I wait for these last couple of steps to be done with our home study report and dossier submission to our agency.... I have to remind myself WHO is in control and it's HIS timeline that we are on.  I hurry as quickly as I can to get our end of the paperwork done, and then I wait for the recipient to be finished.  Hurry up and wait. :)  It's a good time to pull my head out from the bubble I've been in and take a look around at life, be thankful and present for the here and now.  

This past weekend was chalked full of events.... Home Fellowship, sports games, birthday parties for friends and family.....it has definitely been fun and memorable! THE most memorable part of this weekend for us though was Eli's spiritual birth when he asked Jesus into his heart Saturday night during bedtime prayers.  The moment was so precious and quiet as I listened to him praying, his voice so honest, so believing and humble as he lifted his words and his heart to the Lord.  I truly sensed the Lord's presence in the boys' room during that moment.  With child-like faith, Jadyn (and now Eli) have opened their hearts without hesitation to the love of our Lord.  My heart overflows and words cannot express the awe I feel knowing the Lord has entrusted Jay and I with the task of teaching our children the Word of God.

Last night after prayers, Jadyn and Eli explained some of what they've been learning in 

KiDZ Church:

1. to ADMIT that you are a sinner

2. BELIEVE in your heart that Jesus died on the cross for your sins 
3. CONFESS with your mouth that Jesus is God

Did you know the angels rejoice in Heaven when a soul is saved?  The Angels have been rejoicing this weekend and so is our household! 

Eli, May the Lord shine brightly through you in all you do!  God has big plans for you life, my son!

And to think.... the Lord is adding one more to our household!  I am in awe of His workings through it all.  Later today, I'm headed up to my doctor's office to pick up the last piece of paper (hopefully) needed for our dossier packet. As soon as I do that, I'm then headed to the post office to mail my last envelope of dossier paperwork to our agency! 

Pray that the letter from my doctor has everything formatted the way the agency requires for dossier submission. My sweet doctor was up at her office working yesterday (on a Sunday) to get that letter right.  And please pray that our home study report will be finalized this week. It's been over 2 weeks now, and I'm eager to get it submitted with our dossier.

"Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10

Before you were even born...

I think about you all of the time. You have already become a part of our family... and you don't even know it yet.  Over there, on the other side of the world, you are already in full swing of tomorrow, going about your day, and you probably don't even know it yet that there is a family on the other side of the world preparing for you.  As we are in the midst of paperwork, trainings, meetings, and preparation, we are praying for you every single day, several times a day.  You have a sister and two brothers who pray for you to come home quickly and for our plane ride to be smooth to you and back.  You have a mommy and daddy who love you fiercely and spend late nights talking about you, dreaming and planning the future and talking about what-if scenarios.  I often wonder what you are thinking or feeling as you go about your day?  Will you be happy to learn that you are going to be adopted?  Will you be nervous, yet excited to know someone wants you as their own?  We know you'll be scared as you step away from what you've always known and begin a new adventure and a new life with us.  I hope you will be happy with us.  I hope you will grow to love us as much as we love you.  I hope that as you grow and mold perfectly into our family, that you will feel and flourish in the love of a family.  I pray that as we love you as God loves us that you will see His Light shining in us and you will bask and glow and come to RADIATE His love!  I pray that you will come to know Jesus as your personal Savior.  My prayer is that as you grieve over the end of your orphanage days....possibly even grieving the separation from your best friend if you have one and those children who you have grown with since you were a newborn... as you at some point or more, grieve the loss of knowing your birth mother and father did not keep you, as you grieve not ever knowing who your birth parents were.... that you will know that you weren't born without a purpose, without hope.  You were not abandoned forever.  You were not thrown away.  You, my child, were born for a purpose.... and that purpose was to become a part of our family.  You, Annika, were born for us....to be a part of our family.  Not that you needed us or we needed you.  But that the Lord can work out His plans for your life.  What big plans He has for you! I have FAITH that He will work mighty things in your life, in our life.

"Before you were born, I set you apart." Jeremiah 1:5

My frame was not hidden from You
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
(Psalm 139:15-18)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you; to give you a future filled with hope". 
Jeremiah 29:11

Annika, I cannot wait for the day to come that I get to hug you and hold you.  I know that it will come soon, my daughter.  I cannot wait for the day you see your sister and brothers and realize you are not alone in this world.  I cannot wait for the day when I see your eyes light up when you play with your siblings or daddy takes you on your first daddy/daughter date.  I know that will take time as we all get to know one another, but, I know that the day will come when the smile on your face will reach to your eyes as you look upon your family and laughter fills the air as joy spills over from your heart.