Nothing but the Grace of God

Okay - No real news on the vote.... It didn't happen today - It may happen tomorrow - It may be pushed until January....

So what do we do??  Do we worry - do we panic - do we pull our hair out?  Do we decide that it is too stressful a time to commit to a child??  Do we throw in the towel on the child for whom we have committed? 

We do none of the above.  We pray.  We continue to commit.  We continue to step out in faith.  We continue to yell and holler and advocate for the children in that country.  We continue to cover the families who are over there now or are getting ready to go - we continue to cover them in prayer.   We take one single day at a time.  NOTHING in this life is guaranteed.  Nothing but the Grace of God. 

Having more time to pray is an amazing thing.  My dear British friend, Lu, wrote this morning on her blog that this vote is creating a golden opportunity for the church to get on its knees and pray for Aaron's former country.   Truth from the UK!!

I tend to be fairly small minded, looking only on the here and now - focusing my prayers on the specific need at the specific time.  When things don't go exactly as I thought they should, I despair, assuming that all my efforts were in vain.  But God has shown me in the last few months, especially in the last week, that He doesn't operate in my little small-minded sphere.  I've been shown in a most delightful way that His design is far greater and much more magnificent than I could ever imagine.  I plan on sharing soon the richness of God's work planned out long before we came on the scene for our Lost Boys.  It has been a reminder to me that His love for the orphan, the helpless, the ones without a voice is a love that is much deeper and far greater than mine.  My love is fleeting and emotional - He loves them, He loves us, with an Everlasting love that changes not with the passing of time.  

So we take heart, praying with an understanding that our prayers are going to be answered in ways that go far beyond what we can ever ask or imagine.  And at the end of the day, when this time has passed, we will laugh with delight at the Marvelous works of the Lord on High!

Molly and Aaron

She saw Aaron's picture over a year and a half ago and fell in love.  A cute little dimpled blonde haired disabled boy in need of a Mama. 

It wasn't possible for her to adopt him because she was a poor single college student.  She missed the marriage, age and income requirements to bring him home.  All she could do was hope and pray that someone would snatch him up.  But no one stepped up.  Time passed.  

Aaron was transferred. 

What could she do?  How could a poor college student make a difference in one little boy's life?

She could create a blog.  She could pray.  She could yell.  She could advocate.  She could donate money and get others to donate money. 

She did all of those things. 

Because she yelled, others also began to advocate.  Prayers were lifted for this little blond haired beauty across the ocean who had been exiled to a mental institute.  More voices joined the chorus.  Aaron's picture began to appear on more blogs.  The word spread.  Prayers increased.  And God answered. 

In July we crossed the ocean to get that little dimpled boy.  Molly cheered us on the entire way.

This last Sunday she took the train down to see Aaron with her own eyes. 

Rob, Ben, Elijah and I had the pleasure of spending time with the college student who yelled. 

Aaron had the joy of making a new friend. 

And Molly...

Well, Molly finally got to meet and hold the little boy with the dimples that captured her heart.

Love Wars

I admit - I tell my boys I love them all the time.  I'm a sap that way.  They have heard those words from Day One.  At first meeting, for all three of my precious sons, they were covered with love words from me.  Ben and Elijah as babies in my arms and Aaron as a six year old at a mental institute. 

Some days love is a choice - other days an overwhelming feeling that bursts forth from the depth of my being.  I love my boys. 

Ben and Elijah, since little guys learning to talk, have learned to said "I love you" back to me.  When they do, we have a war.  I love you, I love you more - Love Wars.  Who loves the most.  I always win of course.  The love of a mother to her child is much greater than the love of a child to their mother.  At least that is the argument I use when they try to out-trump my love.  They can't defeat me in the love war.  It is a fun game and has deep meaning.  Love.  Unconditional.  No matter what.

Aaron has heard me whisper words of love in his ear from the first day we showed up at his drab, dreary institute.  Foreign words.  Meaningless words.  But the sameness of them, usually accompanied by kisses and caresses, hugs and other whispers soon began to penetrate his hurting and distrustful heart. 

In the beginning I never got a response back from him.  He would move away, out of reach of my whispers and kisses.  I didn't give up.  Not my son.  As time passed, he stopped pulling away, instead freezing in place, scared to move - unsure - nervous.  More time and he would lean in, invite the words, smile for the kisses - but with great caution.  Eventually, goofiness followed, desiring deeply to be touched and loved but scared. So he would giggle and pretend to fight, push me off - but not really.  Sometimes - on rare occasions, he would sit on my lap, rock in the chair.  No fighting, no goofiness, just the pleasure of sitting.  At other times he would come to me, on his own, head down, wanting to hear, to feel this thing called Love.

Finally, Aaron let me hold him.  In my arms.  Head on my shoulder.  Whispers and kisses in his ear with his body tight against mine.  Sweet joy.  For both Mama and son. 

But never the words back from him.  Only Mama said the love words.  Until one night, just a few days ago, tucking him into bed, kissing his little blond hair and saying, for the thousandth time, "I love you."

Then, I hear it.  In the tiniest voice possible, he whispers - "I love you." 

Almost too quiet to catch but caught indeed.  My Mama heart melted right there.  "I love you."  No longer meaningless.  No longer foreign.  Love.  Now, freely spoken, freely received - "I love you" - "I love you more" - and the war has begun. 

My love crossed the ocean for you - little boy - top that! Love Wars.

Molly's Here

Yep - She's here.... We waited SOO LONNGGG...

Molly who????

Ah Man.... I was supposed to be ON that train!!!

Today - We put her to work.... Baking! 

FUN TIMES WITH MOLLY!!

P.S. - The lastest news is that the vote on Bill 4313 is scheduled for December 22.  That is this Wednesday.  Actually while we are sleeping Tuesday night. 

Pray.  Hard. Please.  Whisper prayers while you work, drive, cook, clean, care for your children.  Pray. 

THE WINNER

With Molly sitting here making sure that we were fair, honest and trustworthy in our drawing...

We generated the winner of the iPad on random.org and the winner of the iPad is.....

NANCI BLACKERT

Congratulations!! 

Personally - I wish I could have awarded an iPad to EVERYONE who donated.  Thank you so much!!

$5232.00 was raised for Gavin!

My own private goal for Gavin's accounts was 5,000.00!  How's that for God providing over and above what we can ask or imagine....

Gavin's chipin

Gavin's iPad giveaway ends at 12:00 midnight tonight.  Any donations after that will be gratefully received but will not count in the giveaway.  We will be drawing early tomorrow morning.  Any of the chip-ins are available to use to make a donation!  If the donation comes in before 12:00 it will count so please feel free to use any of the chip-ins that are open!!

Too Much to Say

I have too much going on in my head.... I'm a jumble of thoughts and emotions.... Some things I have shared and some I have not.  I plan to share.  I find myself holding my breath though because what I have to say has literally blown me away.    It seems too good to be true.  So I am holding back.  Scared.  Oh me of little tiny faith.  Seriously.  Bear with me, dear friends.  I do have news.  News that makes me come undone when I allow myself to consider it too deeply.  God has gone far beyond what I ever hoped and imagined.  I can't share it though.  Not right now.  For a multitude of reasons.  Faith is one of them.

Please - if you haven't dropped five dollars or more into Gavin's account - please do it today.  The iPad ends tonight.  Tomorrow morning - bright and early - someone is going to get an e-mail asking for their address.  PAY ATTENTION to your e-mail because I want to mail the iPad out TOMORROW!   Gavin's family needs every single dollar that is dropped into his account!!

PLEASE - PLEASE - PLEASE - PRAY FOR THE VOTE COMING UP THIS WEEK! 

It is a Very BIG deal.  Pray NOW!  Pray HARD!

Pray that either the vote fails or that the wording on the bill is changed to allow adoptions to continue.  There are those who would choose to shut down adoptions in Aaron's former country completely.  Seriously.  Evil does abound in this world.   There are those who would choose for these children to stay hidden, out of reach.  Please.  There are lives hanging in the balance.   Please pray.  

On Friday, a Reece's Rainbow family met their two little boys for the first time.  Look at these sweet, needy little boys.  Please.  Look in their eyes.  This is WHY you are praying.

 

These little guys weigh 16 lbs and 13 lbs.  They are both three years old but are extremely tiny and malnourished.  They have spent their lives in one room in an orphanage.  In cribs.  Drugged.  They have never left that room.   Like Gavin, they are not babies.   They are absolutely in horrible condition.  That is the honest truth.  Their bodies are rotting.  They have never been touched, held, rocked or soothed.  One of these days I am going to write a post about WHY these boys are in such a state.  I can't right now.  Another one of those stomach wrenching blog posts that takes time to consider and work through.  Emotionally and prayerfully. 

Dear friends, these little boys need to get out.  If the vote passes without wording changes - this family has to leave these boys behind.  Neither boy would survive if they were transferred.  They just would not survive.   The transition from one hell-hole to another is just an unbearable thought.  I can't express how desperately needy they are.  By the grace of God these boys have hope.  Last spring another little girl was rescued from this same room.  Her mom came out yelling and this family heard her cry.  Three children rescued.  Another family is packing bags to get another little one out of that room.  Praise God.  God's people are answering His call.  They are sending a powerful message to the caretakers there.  These children are wanted.  They are precious, beautiful treasures. 

There are so many more.  This is NOT a unique case.  So many of the little ones being adopted are not healthy and happy children in the orphanages.  So many of them are barely hanging on.  Children who are laying in cribs, lost, drugged to keep them quiet, and completely helpless.   Their cries are feeble but God has heard their whimpers as they lay day after day.  He has heard.  He is calling His church to cross the ocean and rescue these desperate and dying babies.  Please stand with these families, this family as they give up so much to gain such blessings.  Pray for them - for the vote - for the children.  The door has been opened.  We just can't stand by and let it close.

Molly

MOLLY IS COMING TO TOWN!!

Molly! 

Aaron's Molly.  The crazy college student from New York who decided a year ago that Aaron just could not spend the rest of his life in a mental institute.  So she started yelling - LOUD!  All she wanted for Christmas last year was for Aaron to have a home.  She yelled so loud that somehow, down here in Virginia, we heard her.  Okay - we didn't hear her but we found her blog.  Her passion for one little boy overwhelmed us.  The rest is history!

Tomorrow she is coming on the train.  We get to spend several days enjoying Molly.  I'm so excited!! 

Molly's advocating for Aaron is a perfect example of how one person CAN make a difference.  Without her yelling, Aaron would not be in our home.  I firmly believe that.  God used her to speak to us and for that I will be forever grateful for dear, sweet Molly.

I am going to burst out crying when she comes off that train.  I know Rob will be right behind me in the tear department.   We're going to be a weepy mess with Aaron going absolutely nuts because he will get to see his first train up close.  THAT will be the highlight of his day.  Unfortunately Molly doesn't stand a chance against the mighty workings of a train!! Oh well, we will take lots of pictures and pretend he cared that his HERO just walked off the train! 

YEAH!!  MOLLY IS COMING TO TOWN!

A Child's Heart

When I found out that Gavin had a family - I wasn't told who it was.  But I figured it out.  I'm not very smart, but I do read a lot of blogs and one blog in particular had caught my eye.  I liked reading this blog because the writer was a child.  An eleven year old girl. 

I follow several blogs written by young girls with big hearts.  I love these kids because their hearts have already been broken by the things of this world.  They love God and this shines through in their blogs as they write with passion, joy and a faith that moves mountains.

This little girl, Genesis, could not contain her joy on her blog.  She was so excited to let the world know that they were adopting.  But she wasn't allowed to say much so she kept talking about a 'secret.'  When her secret coincided with the announcement that Gavin had a family - I knew.  I knew they had chosen Gavin.  I quickly sent a note to the family and was delighted to find out that my hunch was true. Genesis is going to be the big sister of a very special little guy. 

In the last week some new pictures of Gavin have arrived....

 

Do you see this picture?  Doesn't he look like a cute little toddler in the crib?  Maybe weighs 20-30 lbs.  A baby?  Isn't that what it looks like?  The truth - He's not a baby. 

Gavin is almost SIX YEARS OLD. 

He faces transfer at any time.  This little boy would be swallowed up in an institute like Aaron's.  He would not survive.  Look at that picture.  A baby in his PJ's -  Adopting Gavin is an act of mercy and love.  A rescue. 

  I am so grateful that a family has decided to go get him.  To pick him up out out of that crib among so many other cribs and carry him into their family.  I am so grateful that Gavin is going to have a big sister who is so beyond excited to have him for a brother that she can't contain her pleasure.  He gets two brothers too. 

How precious for one little boy.  If you want to read Genesis's blog - go HERE.

For all of you who have donated to this family -  THANK YOU. 

If you haven't - please donate to help this family bring this child home. 

The iPad give-away ends on Sunday. 

Don't you look forward to the day when I get to post a picture of 4 children posing together for a camera??

Pop

Just for your information - I am now MA and Rob is now POP.

Just for your information!

Just in case you wondered what the littlest is now calling us.

We are both feeling a little old and a little countrified with our new names...

Maybe Aaron has been reading too many Berenstain Bears books.... Maybe...

They Love Orphans

   

A year ago they discovered Reece's Rainbow.  Unlike many of us who hem and haw and wonder and struggle and wrestle and fight over whether we should or should not or when or how or why etc. etc. etc. - Not them.  They love orphans.  They were ready then, to go get one of the 'least of these.'  They already had hearts for the orphans and once they found RR, they knew that this is what God desired for their family.  Bags packed. 

But the door was shut.  They didn't meet the financial requirements set forth for a family of five.  So they waited, prayed, wondered, considered.  Please Dear Lord.  Open the door.  A new job emerged.  In a church.  Near family.  Full-time ministry.  But not enough was offered.  The salary quoted wouldn't allow them to adopt.  They prayed.  They asked.  The church prayed.  They agreed.  The salary was raised to where they could adopt.  God had opened the door.  Just barely, but Praise God, the door was open!

Now for the thrill.  To chose a child.  A child in need.  Which child did this gracious, loving family chose?  Which child? 

My Gavin.  They are getting Gavin.  They heard the cries of the orphan and they responded.  It took a year.  A year of prayer, faith, trust and hope.  Now Gavin gets a family.  God's timing.  Perfect.

Dear friends, they are not rich financially - not in any stretch of the imagination.  They just barely make the minimal amount to get one precious child.  But they serve a living and loving God who will supply all their needs.  I know He will.  Through us.  We get to be His hands and feet. 

The opportunity to bless this family is here.  Right now.  The Give-away for Gavin's iPad is still open.  There is still opportunity for anyone/everyone to donate for a chance to win that iPad. 

• One family, choosing to do so without fanfare or praise, stepped out in faith and love for the orphan and DONATED the iPad for Gavin.  That is amazing Love! 
• The HOUSE family has stepped up in faith and love to BRING HIM HOME. 
• Together, giving freely, we can help ease their financial burden and honor the gift given for this one little boy.
• And prayerfully, with great hope and expectation, one little orphan, cherished and loved, will be HOME next Christmas. 

Please make a donation 

Every single 5.00 bill helps.  You have until December 19th.

On the 20th we will announce the winner of the iPad giveaway - Just in time for Christmas!!

If you want to follow along on their journey - Their blog is HERE

The Perfect Christmas Gift

(SHHH Don't tell Andrea Roberts....)

    

You run around trying to find those perfect Christmas gifts for your kids, your grandkids, your husband, your wife, your niece or nephew.  What to get.  What to get.  You look in catalogues, browse the aisle in the stores.  Wonder. Wonder.  Think. Think.  Finally you figure out what they would like, what they need, what would be fun... buy them - wrap them up.  Place them under the tree.  You smile.  You can't wait for Christmas day.

But something is missing.  You just know it.  Something is missing that you should be giving them.  What??  They need an envelope.  An envelope in their Christmas stocking.  It could be red.  It could be green.  It could be a boring old white envelope. 
An envelope with a stamp on it. 
And an address.
This one:  Reece's Rainbow, PO Box 4024, Gaithersburg, MD 20885

Inside the envelope with the stamp and the address - some money.  Maybe a 1 or a 5, or a 10, or even a 20.  Maybe a 100.  Whatever.  A  bit of money in an envelope.  What's it for?  This Perfect Christmas Gift? What is that little bit of money for....

It is a chance on Christmas Day to stop - go to the computer - let your child, or grandchild, or niece or nephew, maybe your husband or wife, how about a neighbor or a friend - let them take their money - go to the Reece's Rainbow Angel Tree and let them pick a child - any child - or two - or three - and put that money in that child's account. 

You already sponsor a child??  That's okay.  Pick another child.  The more the merrier.  This is their Christmas gift pick.  Put the child they picked - put their name on a piece of paper and put it in the envelope.  Seal it.  Walk out to the mailbox on Christmas Day and stick it inside.  EASY.  A five minute gift.  But priceless.  Then - for just a few minutes, stop and pray.  As a family.  Pray for that child.  Those children.  Consider them.  Consider their world, their circumstance.  Pray that a family would come soon.  And... Maybe - maybe - maybe - it could be your family.  Maybe.

    

What a gift.  What a Perfect Christmas.  For just a few minutes - in the midst of the hustle and bustle of presents and festivities ON CHRISTMAS DAY - to let your children, your family, your friends - to let them be reminded of the Lonely - the Lost - the Fatherless.  To let them - for a moment have their hearts broken for the 'Least of These.'  1, 5, 10, 20, 100 dollars.  Just a bit of money.  But what a priceless gift.

    

And Maybe - just maybe - that little child or children that they picked will, next Christmas, be getting a bit of money in their own Christmas stocking.  So that they too can pick a child.... and pray...

      

Do it.  Give the Perfect Gift..

And... If you do it - If you participate in the "Perfect Christmas Gift".... Don't tell Andrea Roberts at Reece's Rainbow.... SHHH... Wouldn't it be fun to bless her socks off with a whole host of envelopes after Christmas???  Come on.  Do it!!  It costs little and yet it means so much!  I'm going to.  There will be an envelope in each of our stockings.  I can't wait.  If you want to join me just leave a comment and let me know!!   And yes - you are welcome to post this on your blogs and on Facebook. 

       

I'll try to keep Andrea distracted!

SIXTEEN

Time Flies.  It goes too fast.  I should be rejoicing that my oldest is sixteen but instead I am sad.  He's too close to being a man.  Dear Lord I am not ready to let him go.  My oldest.  My firstborn.  Gentle Ben.

Sweet - Ben....

Sixteen.