It’s a MATCH!!!!!

We received word this morning that our family received official matching approval to adopt Lyric Grace!!!!!  We can’t be more happy and excited that she will be home this Fall!  We think it will be October when Johnny and I get to travel to Hong Kong to get her. 

After our case worker from Dillon called with the good news (and I cried all of my make-up off!!) I headed out to get some balloons to take to Johnny at his office and share the news!  It was a sweet moment for us that we have waited a LONG time to experience!    AND IT”S HERE!!!

This is all about bringing a little 5 year old girl into a forever family.  We have to make a family video and get together a family photo album to mail to her this week.  They will begin telling her about us soon and preparing her for adoption and send us a video of her, too.  

It really is bittersweet.  We are all excited, but we know that Lyric will be asked to leave everyone and everything she knows, is familiar with, leave many friends and caretakers who have poured love into her.  We are forever grateful for their sacrificial giving!  Adoption is wonderful, but also extremely hard for a child who is asked to begin anew, even though we know it is best.  Please pray for her heart to begin to understand what this means and as she is shown our video and pictures, that God will give her peace and begin to form the concept of what a family is.  It’s very foreign to her.  She has no recollection of her family or even what that means.  The miracle of adoption is just beginning!  She AND our family is beginning the process of change….drastic change.  As you know, change does not often come without pain.  We covet your prayers now, as we have all along!  Thank you so much for carrying us in prayer.  We could not have gotten where we are now without a relationship with God,  friends and family to surround us, pray for us and encourage us.

Catching Up…..

“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God:  those who are called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:28

Serve one another through love.”  Galations 5:13

Those are two special verses that have been on my heart and mind lately.  First, it has been almost ten months of waiting for offical matching approval in our journey to adopt Lyric; 18 months in the process so far.  We don’t know of anyone adopting from Hong Kong who has waiting that long.  We don’t know why.  We don’t know what else they need or want to know before making a decision.  We don’t know why Lyric is growing older and doesn’t have a family yet.  We don’t understand.  However, what we DO know is that God knows.  He has the capability to know all….past, present and future.  He knows our hearts.  He knows Lyric and what she needs.  We have great faith that His promise is true.  He is always working behind the scenes.  He is always working for our good because we love Him.

I’ve also been keenly aware of the Holy Spirit’s leading to move my gaze from the waiting, from the asking people for support financially and through prayers (even though both are still needed), to focusing on living, leading and serving each day.  We have so much love as a family to give.  We don’t want to be in a “holding pattern” while we wait.  The living is now!

One of ways that has opened for us to serve is to help another family in our Sunday School class raise money for their adoption.  They have four adopted children from China and two biological children.  Their youngest child from China just happens to have DS.  We are learning a lot from being with her and the entire family.  What a gift!  God has called them to adopt again, this time locally.  They had never done a yard sale, so I gave them a crash course “Yard Sale 101″ and helped organize and price.  If you’ve ever done a yard sale, you know it is a lot of prep work.  My spirit was SO happy to be able to help them!  I also know that every piece of stuff sold and carried out of that garage was bringing this sweet family closer to bringing another child into a loving forever family.  Thank you, God!  I can’t wait for Him to open the next door to serve.  Those doors are all around us….we just have to have eyes to see and willingness to do!

I thought I’d use pictures to tell what else has been going on around here:

Last weekend on Mother’s Day, Johnny went and got steamed crab legs at the grocery store for lunch (my fav!).  After lunch and a good nap, the kids and I went to a local park to hike and play.  The best gifts of the day were being with my children and the rare pictures of some sweet moments with them.

With the help from a picture on Pinterest, I was able to make this watermelon crib for a co-worker’s baby shower.  Fun!

Katie was able to participate in “Junior Olympics” at Gymnastics.  Great job, Katie Ann!!

The week concluded with visiting my sister and new baby Owen, Brennan going to a Boy Scout camp-out and Katie and I helping with our friends’ yard sale.  Till next time……

Yard Sale!

One of the best things that I think you can do while WAITING and WAITING during the adoption process is have a yard sale!  Johnny and I scraped one up at the last minute for last Saturday.  We had so much fun!  It was work, but it was fun.  I made some signs that told [...]

What a week!

This week has been filled with so many wonderful blessings!  God has heard our prayers and is moving mountains in Hong Kong!  We have not received matching approval YET, however, a family that has been waiting almost as long as us received word that they did, even with a major obstacle that had slowed their [...]

Everyone’s Praying!

This is a very special weekend.  No, nothing special to go to, no trips, just cleaning and laundry and “honey do’s” around the house.  What is special is that the yahoo group I am a part of for Hong Kong adoptions have decided to set aside this weekend to fast (if able) and pray fervently [...]

Want to see the pictures, yet lost the password??

If you are a family member or friend and do not have or have lost the password to protected posts, just e-mail me!  I’d be glad to pass it along to those of you who I know.

Protected: An Update and More Pictures!

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Happy 5th Birthday, Lyric Grace!

Protected: A New Picture!!!

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While we wait

Yep, still waiting.  Peace-filled, I might add.  My prayer is that this week I can put up the “It’s a Match!” post!  I know you are praying, too.  Thank you! While we wait, our lives are full.  How can it not be with jobs, two children at home, activities, church, and a dog who is [...]