I woke up around 3:00 am this morning and was unable to go back to sleep. I am not complaining because it ended up being a blessing, but I was a little irritated while I lay there tossing and turning for over an hour. You see, I had this song in my head that I could not get rid of; a song that I used to sing while teaching (or rather, corralling) a preschool bible class when Adam and I were first married.
The reason for this random song was lost to me at first, but when I decided to stop fighting it, and instead sing along (quietly, of course), I figured out what God was doing.
The song goes along with the passage from Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
It is easy in times of uncertainty to think that we can take control of the reins and do a better job of leading than what God is currently doing. Sometimes he doesn't work as quickly as we think he should, or we are perceiving him as not working at all. When we allow these thoughts to take action, we are no longer going along the path that God set for us.
Instead, we start running towards the things that seem to quiet that uncertain feeling even if it is temporary. But the problem is, it will only last a short time, because eventually, those feelings will start creeping in again and we will be forced run to the next safe spot. We end up zigzagging on a crooked path, having spent more wasted time and energy than God's straight path would have required.
In most cases, God's path does not require much outside of trusting him. But, trusting God is a major issue. It is during those times of uncertainty that we can choose to seek our own path or trust God and watch him work.
It's not always easy but it is always rewarding.
Update
Labels: Adoption Process
A few weeks ago I mentioned that the court system in Novosibirsk was going through some changes with the way they obtain legal status for an adoptive child. It has been decided that the social worker who represents the adoptive child will work at a regional level under the Department of Education. Previously they were working at a local level under the Bodies of Guardianship and Trusteeship.
It seems like a simple change, but is has caused many families, who were preparing to travel to finalize their adoptions, to be delayed. As a result, referrals will slow down a bit until they can get through the families already backed up in the court system.
Traditionally, Novosibirsk moves quickly with referrals and they foresee the region getting back to normal speed once all the changes have been smoothed out, hopefully within 1-2 months.
While we wait, we are trying to prepare ourselves as much as possible, but are also enjoying the down time we have had these last few weeks. Most of the second phase of our dossier is complete now. The two remaining documents of our dossier (medical and background checks) have to be completed within 3 months of our court date, so we don't need to focus on them at this time.
We will keep you posted as things progress!
It seems like a simple change, but is has caused many families, who were preparing to travel to finalize their adoptions, to be delayed. As a result, referrals will slow down a bit until they can get through the families already backed up in the court system.
Traditionally, Novosibirsk moves quickly with referrals and they foresee the region getting back to normal speed once all the changes have been smoothed out, hopefully within 1-2 months.
While we wait, we are trying to prepare ourselves as much as possible, but are also enjoying the down time we have had these last few weeks. Most of the second phase of our dossier is complete now. The two remaining documents of our dossier (medical and background checks) have to be completed within 3 months of our court date, so we don't need to focus on them at this time.
We will keep you posted as things progress!
What Does A Mother Do?
Labels: Mothering
I have oftentimes found myself thinking "am I ready to throw another child in the mix?" But the truth is, in the midst of the screaming, crying, tantrums, sticky hands and runny noses, I am reminded of the kisses, giggles, tickle wars and 'I love you, mom' letters. It is because of those times that I know it is worth all those frustrating moments.
The following question was posed to advice columnist Carolyn Hax of the Washington Post and I just love her response as she sums everything up in just a few sentences.
Dear Carolyn: Best friend has child. Her: exhausted, busy, no time for self, no time for me, etc. Me (no kids): What'd you do today? Her: Park, play group ...
OK. I've talked to parents. I don't get it. What do stay-at-home moms do all day? Please no lists of library, grocery store, dry cleaners ... I do all those things, too. I guess what I'm asking is: What is a typical day and why don't moms have time for a call or e-mail? I work and am away from home nine hours a day (plus a few late work events); I manage to get it all done. I'm feeling like the kid is an excuse to relax and enjoy, but if so, why won't my friend tell me the truth? Is this a contest ("my life is so much harder than yours")? What's the deal? I've got friends with and without kids and all us child-free folks have the same questions.
— Tacoma, Wash.
Dear Tacoma: Relax and enjoy. You're funny.
Or, you're lying about having friends with kids.
Or you're taking them at their word that they actually have kids, because you haven't personally been in the same room with them.
I keep wavering between giving you a straight answer and giving my forehead some keyboard. To claim you want to understand, while in the same breath implying that the only logical conclusions are that your mom-friends are either lying or competing with you, is disingenuous indeed.
So, because it's validation you seem to want, the real answer is what you get. When you have young kids, your typical day is: constant attention, from getting them out of bed, fed, cleaned, dressed; to keeping them out of harm's way; to answering their coos, cries, questions; to having two arms and carrying one kid, one set of car keys, and supplies for even the quickest trips, including the latest-to-be-declared-essential piece of molded plastic gear; to keeping them from unshelving books at the library; to enforcing rest times; to staying one step ahead of them lest they get too hungry, tired or bored, any one of which produces checkout-line screaming.
It's needing 45 minutes to do what takes others 15.
It's constant vigilance, constant touch, constant use of your voice, constant relegation of your needs to the second tier.
It's constant scrutiny and second-guessing from family and friends. It's resisting constant temptation to seek short-term relief at everyone's long-term expense.
It's doing all this while concurrently teaching virtually everything — language, manners, safety, resourcefulness, discipline, curiosity, creativity. Empathy. Everything.
It's also a choice, yes. And a joy. But if you spent all day, every day, with this brand of joy, and then, when you got your first 10 minutes to yourself, wanted to be alone with your thoughts instead of calling a good friend, a good friend wouldn't judge you, complain about you or marvel how much more productively she uses her time. Either make a sincere effort to understand, or keep your snit to yourself.
http://www.examiner.com/x-1320-Seeking-Balance-Examiner~topic49450-why-dont-friends-with-kids-have-time
The following question was posed to advice columnist Carolyn Hax of the Washington Post and I just love her response as she sums everything up in just a few sentences.
Dear Carolyn: Best friend has child. Her: exhausted, busy, no time for self, no time for me, etc. Me (no kids): What'd you do today? Her: Park, play group ...
OK. I've talked to parents. I don't get it. What do stay-at-home moms do all day? Please no lists of library, grocery store, dry cleaners ... I do all those things, too. I guess what I'm asking is: What is a typical day and why don't moms have time for a call or e-mail? I work and am away from home nine hours a day (plus a few late work events); I manage to get it all done. I'm feeling like the kid is an excuse to relax and enjoy, but if so, why won't my friend tell me the truth? Is this a contest ("my life is so much harder than yours")? What's the deal? I've got friends with and without kids and all us child-free folks have the same questions.
— Tacoma, Wash.
Dear Tacoma: Relax and enjoy. You're funny.
Or, you're lying about having friends with kids.
Or you're taking them at their word that they actually have kids, because you haven't personally been in the same room with them.
I keep wavering between giving you a straight answer and giving my forehead some keyboard. To claim you want to understand, while in the same breath implying that the only logical conclusions are that your mom-friends are either lying or competing with you, is disingenuous indeed.
So, because it's validation you seem to want, the real answer is what you get. When you have young kids, your typical day is: constant attention, from getting them out of bed, fed, cleaned, dressed; to keeping them out of harm's way; to answering their coos, cries, questions; to having two arms and carrying one kid, one set of car keys, and supplies for even the quickest trips, including the latest-to-be-declared-essential piece of molded plastic gear; to keeping them from unshelving books at the library; to enforcing rest times; to staying one step ahead of them lest they get too hungry, tired or bored, any one of which produces checkout-line screaming.
It's needing 45 minutes to do what takes others 15.
It's constant vigilance, constant touch, constant use of your voice, constant relegation of your needs to the second tier.
It's constant scrutiny and second-guessing from family and friends. It's resisting constant temptation to seek short-term relief at everyone's long-term expense.
It's doing all this while concurrently teaching virtually everything — language, manners, safety, resourcefulness, discipline, curiosity, creativity. Empathy. Everything.
It's also a choice, yes. And a joy. But if you spent all day, every day, with this brand of joy, and then, when you got your first 10 minutes to yourself, wanted to be alone with your thoughts instead of calling a good friend, a good friend wouldn't judge you, complain about you or marvel how much more productively she uses her time. Either make a sincere effort to understand, or keep your snit to yourself.
http://www.examiner.com/x-1320-Seeking-Balance-Examiner~topic49450-why-dont-friends-with-kids-have-time
Are Christians today perceived as people who serve or as people who forcefully try to rule?
This question was asked during my bible study a few weeks ago, and I have thought about it many times since. In fact, our pastor spoke on a similar subject today and I can't help but to share it with you because I believe that all Christians and non-Christians alike, need to hear it.
But first, let me ask this question:
Did Jesus live his life as a ruler or a servant?
Mark 10:45
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
You see, Jesus made a ministry out of serving people. And you might be surprised to find that it wasn't the rich and the religious "elites", but the poor, widowed, orphaned, sick, prostitutes and tax collectors. He served the people who were considered outcasts and unworthy, and he did it through humility, sacrifice and love.
How good are we at loving people? I'm not talking about loving our family members, best friends or those that we share similar beliefs with, but rather the people who, in order to love them, would require us to step out of our comfort zone.
Are we doing a better job of judging people than we are loving them? Maybe it's time we start living the example that Jesus set; humble ourselves, sacrifice our time and serve the people who are considered the least among us.
This question was asked during my bible study a few weeks ago, and I have thought about it many times since. In fact, our pastor spoke on a similar subject today and I can't help but to share it with you because I believe that all Christians and non-Christians alike, need to hear it.
But first, let me ask this question:
Did Jesus live his life as a ruler or a servant?
Mark 10:45
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
You see, Jesus made a ministry out of serving people. And you might be surprised to find that it wasn't the rich and the religious "elites", but the poor, widowed, orphaned, sick, prostitutes and tax collectors. He served the people who were considered outcasts and unworthy, and he did it through humility, sacrifice and love.
How good are we at loving people? I'm not talking about loving our family members, best friends or those that we share similar beliefs with, but rather the people who, in order to love them, would require us to step out of our comfort zone.
Are we doing a better job of judging people than we are loving them? Maybe it's time we start living the example that Jesus set; humble ourselves, sacrifice our time and serve the people who are considered the least among us.
This video was sent to me by several friends, and I think it is worth sharing. It makes me think about how we can change the world by touching the lives of the people around us.
Check it out!
How do you celebrate Christmas?
It wasn't too long ago that we would spend the Christmas season scrambling to find the right kind of gift for extended family that we rarely saw. We started feeling like we were just giving gifts because that is what you do at Christmastime, but there really wasn't much thought put into those gifts. And I could probably bet money that most of those gifts we gave were met with "that's great, but what would we ever do with it?" If you have ever had that thought, then most likely, that gift was given by me!
Have you ever been caught in the mad shopping scramble and wondered why you were participating?
A few years ago, our family decided to stop buying gifts for each other and instead put that gift money to good use. Here is what we do:
Every year a family member is put in charge of the Christmas charity. All other family members send the money (that would have been used to buy meaningless gifts) to the family in charge. This money is then sent to reputable charities and causes, either in the U.S., or around the world, that God has placed on the hearts of those in charge. Once the charities have been decided and the money allocated, a letter is written to all other family members explaining what our total donations achieved. Our favorite Christmas tradition has become opening this letter on Christmas morning and seeing how we have helped to change the world ( a few people at a time).
I can't tell you how good it feels to know that we are giving impoverished families food, and along with that, hope. Or, for the child who doesn't have a gift to open on Christmas morning, joy. Just imagine what we can accomplish if we all decide to put aside our wants and instead focus on the unmet needs of millions around the world. Not only would it change the world, but our own hearts as well.
Here is another thought. What if we didn't stop at just celebrating Christmas. What if we decided to celebrate Jesus all year, by doing the work that he has called us to do? After all, the work that began at His birth will continue on through you and me.
"For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6
Merry Christmas!
Check it out!
How do you celebrate Christmas?
It wasn't too long ago that we would spend the Christmas season scrambling to find the right kind of gift for extended family that we rarely saw. We started feeling like we were just giving gifts because that is what you do at Christmastime, but there really wasn't much thought put into those gifts. And I could probably bet money that most of those gifts we gave were met with "that's great, but what would we ever do with it?" If you have ever had that thought, then most likely, that gift was given by me!
Have you ever been caught in the mad shopping scramble and wondered why you were participating?
A few years ago, our family decided to stop buying gifts for each other and instead put that gift money to good use. Here is what we do:
Every year a family member is put in charge of the Christmas charity. All other family members send the money (that would have been used to buy meaningless gifts) to the family in charge. This money is then sent to reputable charities and causes, either in the U.S., or around the world, that God has placed on the hearts of those in charge. Once the charities have been decided and the money allocated, a letter is written to all other family members explaining what our total donations achieved. Our favorite Christmas tradition has become opening this letter on Christmas morning and seeing how we have helped to change the world ( a few people at a time).
I can't tell you how good it feels to know that we are giving impoverished families food, and along with that, hope. Or, for the child who doesn't have a gift to open on Christmas morning, joy. Just imagine what we can accomplish if we all decide to put aside our wants and instead focus on the unmet needs of millions around the world. Not only would it change the world, but our own hearts as well.
Here is another thought. What if we didn't stop at just celebrating Christmas. What if we decided to celebrate Jesus all year, by doing the work that he has called us to do? After all, the work that began at His birth will continue on through you and me.
"For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6
Merry Christmas!
Update
Labels: Adoption Process
There has been some changes within the courts in Novosibirsk, and as a result, both referrals and adoptions have been put on hold for up to one month.
For each adoption case in the past, the inspector (social worker) in Russia, who works on obtaining legal status for an adoptive child, has answered to the Bodies of Guardianship and Trusteeship on a local level. Recently, the decision was made to have the inspectors answer to regional authorities, but they have yet to decide what authority that should be. Until that decision is made, the inspectors are unable to represent adoptive children to the courts.
We are in a great spot right now as this does not directly affect us. However, it is a great reminder that things are constantly changing within the Russian court system, and that we should anticipate setbacks at any time. I have found these setbacks to be a great reality check as we get closer to bringing our daughter home.
For each adoption case in the past, the inspector (social worker) in Russia, who works on obtaining legal status for an adoptive child, has answered to the Bodies of Guardianship and Trusteeship on a local level. Recently, the decision was made to have the inspectors answer to regional authorities, but they have yet to decide what authority that should be. Until that decision is made, the inspectors are unable to represent adoptive children to the courts.
We are in a great spot right now as this does not directly affect us. However, it is a great reminder that things are constantly changing within the Russian court system, and that we should anticipate setbacks at any time. I have found these setbacks to be a great reality check as we get closer to bringing our daughter home.
A strange phenomenon occurs when Isaiah and Caleb are sitting still enough to process their thoughts. It often times happens in the car when they are watching the world and something seems to catch their eye. I like to call this phenomenon "random questions".
Isaiah is typically more outgoing and curious, while Caleb tends to be more quiet and agreeable. While they have very different personalities, they both play a very important role in these conversations.
For example, not too long ago, the boys and I were driving in the car. I was lost in my own thoughts while the boys were tightly buckled in their seats. (I have learned that if Isaiah is given even a few inches of slack in his seatbelt, he goes straight for my headrest and pulls it up then pushes it down...constantly!) So, I emphasize the word "tightly", because he can not move, he can only think.
Visualize this conversation:
Isaiah: Mom, what is my sisters name going to be?
Mom: I am not really sure yet. What names do you like?
Isaiah: Oh, I am thinking something like Gabriella, Megan..Ooh I've got the perfect name... Skecher!
Caleb: Yeah, Skecher
Isaiah: Mom, is Skecher a boys name or a girls name?
Mom: No, Skecher is the name of a shoe company, I don't think we will name her that.
Isaiah: But I really like that name, Skechers are the awesomest shoes.
Caleb: Yeah, Skecher
Mom: Okay, I will think about it, but let's think of some other names in the meantime.
The boys are getting really excited to meet their sister. They ask daily when she is going to come home and have even started writing notes to her. It has been fun to see them prepare and talk about how they are going to help take care of her.
It has been so good for them to be involved in the whole process, even when it comes down to having them help pick out a name. And who knows, maybe their sister will have a nickname that when heard, brings to mind a shoe!
Isaiah is typically more outgoing and curious, while Caleb tends to be more quiet and agreeable. While they have very different personalities, they both play a very important role in these conversations.
For example, not too long ago, the boys and I were driving in the car. I was lost in my own thoughts while the boys were tightly buckled in their seats. (I have learned that if Isaiah is given even a few inches of slack in his seatbelt, he goes straight for my headrest and pulls it up then pushes it down...constantly!) So, I emphasize the word "tightly", because he can not move, he can only think.
Visualize this conversation:
Isaiah: Mom, what is my sisters name going to be?
Mom: I am not really sure yet. What names do you like?
Isaiah: Oh, I am thinking something like Gabriella, Megan..Ooh I've got the perfect name... Skecher!
Caleb: Yeah, Skecher
Isaiah: Mom, is Skecher a boys name or a girls name?
Mom: No, Skecher is the name of a shoe company, I don't think we will name her that.
Isaiah: But I really like that name, Skechers are the awesomest shoes.
Caleb: Yeah, Skecher
Mom: Okay, I will think about it, but let's think of some other names in the meantime.
The boys are getting really excited to meet their sister. They ask daily when she is going to come home and have even started writing notes to her. It has been fun to see them prepare and talk about how they are going to help take care of her.
It has been so good for them to be involved in the whole process, even when it comes down to having them help pick out a name. And who knows, maybe their sister will have a nickname that when heard, brings to mind a shoe!
Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
This is a great passage, and given our current circumstances, I can totally relate.
I must admit that I struggle with being too anxious. However, when I decide to stop taking it on by myself, and instead give it over to God, he truly gives me a peace that surpasses understanding.
I believe that something powerful happens when we pray to God. And I am not just talking about the "God, please give me the new 47 inch flat screen TV" kind of prayer. I am talking about the kind of prayer where you are on your knees, praying to God because He is all you have left. This is the kind of prayer that comes after you realize that all other options have been exhausted and you feel like you are a mouse on an exercise wheel, running like crazy with nothing but exhaustion to show for it. Yeah, I have been there.
Prayer and petition - bringing a formal request while in communication with God.
Notice how the passage doesn't say that God will remove you from your troubles, but rather that the peace of God will guard your heart and mind. It's an amazing thing.
Try it! See what God does!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
This is a great passage, and given our current circumstances, I can totally relate.
I must admit that I struggle with being too anxious. However, when I decide to stop taking it on by myself, and instead give it over to God, he truly gives me a peace that surpasses understanding.
I believe that something powerful happens when we pray to God. And I am not just talking about the "God, please give me the new 47 inch flat screen TV" kind of prayer. I am talking about the kind of prayer where you are on your knees, praying to God because He is all you have left. This is the kind of prayer that comes after you realize that all other options have been exhausted and you feel like you are a mouse on an exercise wheel, running like crazy with nothing but exhaustion to show for it. Yeah, I have been there.
Prayer and petition - bringing a formal request while in communication with God.
Notice how the passage doesn't say that God will remove you from your troubles, but rather that the peace of God will guard your heart and mind. It's an amazing thing.
Try it! See what God does!
I have returned after taking a much needed mental vacation.
I spent the past few weeks running in circles trying to find people who can help with very specific information, and while I was finally able to find someone, I still felt very frazzled. In the midst of it all, I attended my weekly bible study and learned a great lesson.
The topic of our study last week was on "today" and how we need to stop living in the past or hoping and worrying about the future, but instead focus on today. This was my wake up call! I have been so tired and frazzled because not only am I carrying today's burdens (in the form of paperwork), but I am worried about tomorrow's burdens (again, in the form of paperwork).
The weight of today's burdens are enough, but to add tomorrows burdens on top of that has proven to be too much.
Consider the following:
Matthew 6:27, 34
27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
That is the truth!
I realized something. I was so concerned with tomorrows burdens, that I couldn't focus my energy on what needs to be done today. This resulted in me becoming stagnant and unproductive. Talk about stress!
I decided to lay down tomorrows burdens and carry only what I need for the day, and let me tell you, my energy has returned and my mind has cleared. I can now function in all my daily tasks, and at the end of the day, I know that my burdens of the day are done. They are behind me and I can move forward.
I spent the past few weeks running in circles trying to find people who can help with very specific information, and while I was finally able to find someone, I still felt very frazzled. In the midst of it all, I attended my weekly bible study and learned a great lesson.
The topic of our study last week was on "today" and how we need to stop living in the past or hoping and worrying about the future, but instead focus on today. This was my wake up call! I have been so tired and frazzled because not only am I carrying today's burdens (in the form of paperwork), but I am worried about tomorrow's burdens (again, in the form of paperwork).
The weight of today's burdens are enough, but to add tomorrows burdens on top of that has proven to be too much.
Consider the following:
Matthew 6:27, 34
27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
That is the truth!
I realized something. I was so concerned with tomorrows burdens, that I couldn't focus my energy on what needs to be done today. This resulted in me becoming stagnant and unproductive. Talk about stress!
I decided to lay down tomorrows burdens and carry only what I need for the day, and let me tell you, my energy has returned and my mind has cleared. I can now function in all my daily tasks, and at the end of the day, I know that my burdens of the day are done. They are behind me and I can move forward.
Breathe
Labels: Adoption Process
We have done so much paperwork, that the thought of doing more makes my stomach turn! We have started the second segment of our dossier, but it is no longer just filling out paperwork. We are having to hunt people down that can help with very specific requirements.
For instance, Russia requires us to send them a certified warranty deed for our house. We we able to pick it up at the county recorders office. However, our zip code has changed since we bought our house and because the zip code on our warranty deed differs from the zip code on all of our documents, we have to find someone who can verify that change.
After hearing about this, I just had to breathe. It's not a big deal. I am sure after a few phone calls I will find the right person, but it is still another thing that needs to be done. Adam and I realized though, that we needed to take a break from it, just for the weekend. I must say that I am now feeling refreshed and ready to start again.
On another note, we just received Novembers monthly newsletter, and the wait times are, at this time, 1-6 months. They have seen a trend where families who adopt are bringing their children home within 1 year of completing the homestudy. Our homestudy was completed the end of August, so that is exciting news!
Please pray that we have the time and energy to complete all the coming papers. I am struggling with concentrating on them, making phone calls and researching information, while taking care of the boys at the same time.
Blessings,
Anna
For instance, Russia requires us to send them a certified warranty deed for our house. We we able to pick it up at the county recorders office. However, our zip code has changed since we bought our house and because the zip code on our warranty deed differs from the zip code on all of our documents, we have to find someone who can verify that change.
After hearing about this, I just had to breathe. It's not a big deal. I am sure after a few phone calls I will find the right person, but it is still another thing that needs to be done. Adam and I realized though, that we needed to take a break from it, just for the weekend. I must say that I am now feeling refreshed and ready to start again.
On another note, we just received Novembers monthly newsletter, and the wait times are, at this time, 1-6 months. They have seen a trend where families who adopt are bringing their children home within 1 year of completing the homestudy. Our homestudy was completed the end of August, so that is exciting news!
Please pray that we have the time and energy to complete all the coming papers. I am struggling with concentrating on them, making phone calls and researching information, while taking care of the boys at the same time.
Blessings,
Anna
Update
Labels: Adoption Process
I wanted to let you all know that we have officially been put on the waiting list for a child referral! We also found out that our wait time started as soon as our dossier was sent to Russia, meaning that we have been considered to be waiting since October 28th. That is 2 weeks down, and no idea how much longer we must wait.
Blessings,
Anna
Blessings,
Anna
In the words of my pastor, Christians are considered either acutely aware or blissfully ignorant. I think it safe to say that most people assume the latter.
These words, in fact, were used by my pastor to describe Paul's greater reality. In Acts 27, Paul is aboard a ship that has encountered a violent storm. He and those on board had been tossed at sea for 14 days, seeing neither sun nor stars. This is significant because sailors of this time used the stars to navigate, and since they couldn't see them, they had no idea where they were.
During the storm, when the crew on board had lost all hope, Paul spoke to them saying:
vs. 23 "Last night,an angel of God whose I am and who I serve stood beside me and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.' So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some Island."
I would guess that Paul, at this moment, was acutely aware. You see, Paul was experiencing the same storm. It wasn't as though he was taken aboard some alien spacecraft for the duration of the storm, only to be returned at the end to say "God says you will be okay." He was in the midst of it, hungry, thirsty and tired. But, he also was grounded in a greater reality, God's reality.
I am sure there are many people who think I am blissfully ignorant. Sometimes I wonder myself! It seems to me that this is a crazy time to be adopting. Things don't seem like they should match up, financially or politically, but we must choose to live in a greater reality, even if we are assumed to be blissfully ignorant. After all, if God's reality brings acute awareness, then that is where I want to be!
These words, in fact, were used by my pastor to describe Paul's greater reality. In Acts 27, Paul is aboard a ship that has encountered a violent storm. He and those on board had been tossed at sea for 14 days, seeing neither sun nor stars. This is significant because sailors of this time used the stars to navigate, and since they couldn't see them, they had no idea where they were.
During the storm, when the crew on board had lost all hope, Paul spoke to them saying:
vs. 23 "Last night,an angel of God whose I am and who I serve stood beside me and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.' So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some Island."
I would guess that Paul, at this moment, was acutely aware. You see, Paul was experiencing the same storm. It wasn't as though he was taken aboard some alien spacecraft for the duration of the storm, only to be returned at the end to say "God says you will be okay." He was in the midst of it, hungry, thirsty and tired. But, he also was grounded in a greater reality, God's reality.
I am sure there are many people who think I am blissfully ignorant. Sometimes I wonder myself! It seems to me that this is a crazy time to be adopting. Things don't seem like they should match up, financially or politically, but we must choose to live in a greater reality, even if we are assumed to be blissfully ignorant. After all, if God's reality brings acute awareness, then that is where I want to be!
This title gives me a great visual of those who trust completely in the Lord...they are unshakable. Regardless of what happens in life, they know that God is in control and therefore they cannot be torn down. Consider the following passage:
Psalm 125: 1-2
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion.
It cannot be shaken; it remains forever.
Jerusalem - the mountains surround her.
And the Lord surrounds His people,
both now and forever.
This certainly doesn't mean that Gods people won't come upon hard times. Nor does it mean that we should put on a front whenever we face life's difficulties. Because we are all experiencing the same thing....life....with the same emotions.
Our circumstances don't have to define who we are, but God can use them to take us where he wants us to be. We can trust that the Lord will surround his people...he says so!
What does it mean to "trust" in the Lord?
The Hebrew word for trust is batach, meaning confident, secure, sure. I think of these three words as an all encompassing trust. Put those words in place of "trust" in the passage above and read them, one at a time.
Now, take that trust and put it to work. Whatever happens this week whether it be at work, at home, with your finances and even the election, we can be confident, secure and sure in the Lord.
Psalm 125: 1-2
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion.
It cannot be shaken; it remains forever.
Jerusalem - the mountains surround her.
And the Lord surrounds His people,
both now and forever.
This certainly doesn't mean that Gods people won't come upon hard times. Nor does it mean that we should put on a front whenever we face life's difficulties. Because we are all experiencing the same thing....life....with the same emotions.
Our circumstances don't have to define who we are, but God can use them to take us where he wants us to be. We can trust that the Lord will surround his people...he says so!
What does it mean to "trust" in the Lord?
The Hebrew word for trust is batach, meaning confident, secure, sure. I think of these three words as an all encompassing trust. Put those words in place of "trust" in the passage above and read them, one at a time.
Now, take that trust and put it to work. Whatever happens this week whether it be at work, at home, with your finances and even the election, we can be confident, secure and sure in the Lord.
Another Update
Labels: Adoption Process
We got word from WACAP yesterday that our completed dossier has been sent to Russia. As I stated earlier, they will translate all of our paperwork and then, assuming everything is correct, we will be put on the waiting list for a child referral!
We still have a second segment of our dossier that needs to be completed. These documents are extremely time sensitive, so we have to be very careful in timing them correctly. Luckily most of them are not required until our final court date. We are very pleased that our caseworker at WACAP is on the ball, and has kept us very informed.
Also, we received our I600A notice of favorable determination. This is very exciting because it is common for it to take 4 months or longer and we received it in just over a month!
Have a blessed day!
Anna
We still have a second segment of our dossier that needs to be completed. These documents are extremely time sensitive, so we have to be very careful in timing them correctly. Luckily most of them are not required until our final court date. We are very pleased that our caseworker at WACAP is on the ball, and has kept us very informed.
Also, we received our I600A notice of favorable determination. This is very exciting because it is common for it to take 4 months or longer and we received it in just over a month!
Have a blessed day!
Anna
Update
Labels: Adoption Process
New News.
It has taken some time for our homestudy agency to submit their required paperwork, so we have been set back by a week or so. Luckily our caseworker at WACAP has been able to send half of our completed dossier to Russia to be translated. That way, when the remainder of our dossier has been apostilled and sent to Russia, they will already have some of the work completed. There is a possibility that we can still have everything in Russia by the end of October, but there is a greater chance that it won't be until early November.
Either way, we are very close to being put on the wait list!
Please continue praying that things move quickly and smoothly and that the Lord continues to prepare us for our daughter.
Anna
It has taken some time for our homestudy agency to submit their required paperwork, so we have been set back by a week or so. Luckily our caseworker at WACAP has been able to send half of our completed dossier to Russia to be translated. That way, when the remainder of our dossier has been apostilled and sent to Russia, they will already have some of the work completed. There is a possibility that we can still have everything in Russia by the end of October, but there is a greater chance that it won't be until early November.
Either way, we are very close to being put on the wait list!
Please continue praying that things move quickly and smoothly and that the Lord continues to prepare us for our daughter.
Anna
Have you ever felt like God is just a distant being who cares nothing about his creation? Do you ever feel like you pray and ask God for answers that never come, thus drawing the conclusion that he must not exist? Have you ever wondered why some people seem to have a personal relationship with God, while others struggle to hear him?
We do a wonderful job of filling the quiet times in our lives with noise. I find that if I am at home and I don't have the voices of my children filling the house, I much prefer having the radio or television on in the background to the quiet alternative. I have often wondered that if we were to spend less time filling our lives with noise, and spend more time in the quiet, would we hear God?
1 Kings 19 is a great example of how we can hear God.
The prophet Elijah was running from from Queen Jezebel for fear of his life, and was hiding in a cave, when he was told to stand on the mountain because the Lord was going to pass by. Three things happened; a great wind tore the mountain and shattered rocks, then an earthquake came and after that, a fire. After the fire came a gentle whisper; God's whisper. It wasn't in the noise that Elijah heard God, but in the silence.
Are we giving ourselves the opportunity to hear God? Are we filling our lives with worry, busyness, constant stimulation or the drone of the television so that we can no longer hear him? Are we doing these things because we feel that we can be in control in an otherwise uncontrollable world? I wonder what would happen if we were to say no to the noise in our lives, and sit in the still quiet.
1 Samuel 12:16
Now then, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes!
We do a wonderful job of filling the quiet times in our lives with noise. I find that if I am at home and I don't have the voices of my children filling the house, I much prefer having the radio or television on in the background to the quiet alternative. I have often wondered that if we were to spend less time filling our lives with noise, and spend more time in the quiet, would we hear God?
1 Kings 19 is a great example of how we can hear God.
The prophet Elijah was running from from Queen Jezebel for fear of his life, and was hiding in a cave, when he was told to stand on the mountain because the Lord was going to pass by. Three things happened; a great wind tore the mountain and shattered rocks, then an earthquake came and after that, a fire. After the fire came a gentle whisper; God's whisper. It wasn't in the noise that Elijah heard God, but in the silence.
Are we giving ourselves the opportunity to hear God? Are we filling our lives with worry, busyness, constant stimulation or the drone of the television so that we can no longer hear him? Are we doing these things because we feel that we can be in control in an otherwise uncontrollable world? I wonder what would happen if we were to say no to the noise in our lives, and sit in the still quiet.
1 Samuel 12:16
Now then, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes!
Update
Labels: Adoption Process
All of our dossier documents have been sent to WACAP. Once those documents have been apostilled (certified), they will be sent to Russia. Our caseworker is expecting Russia to receive our dossier by the end of October. Once received, we will be put on the waiting list for a child referral. The Russia program has been picking up speed so our wait time can be anywhere from 1-8 months. Since we are open to an ethnic child, up to the age of 3, our wait could be on the shorter end of the time frame, but there are no guarantees.
While we wait, we will be using our time to learn the language and understand the culture better.
We will keep you updated as things progress.
While we wait, we will be using our time to learn the language and understand the culture better.
We will keep you updated as things progress.
I think as Americans it is easy to shy away from the hardships in life; to spend our energy and time keeping our lives as comfortable and pain free as possible. Believe me, I am the queen of comfort and can easily base my life around doing only the things that I am comfortable with.
It seems though, that the Lord has given us great opportunities to grow and stretch out of that comfort zone and experience the life we were meant to live.
With that being said, there have been many times where, in the midst of growing, I have wanted to give up. I thought that if I were stretched one more inch, I would certainly break. If I were asked one more time to come out of my comfort zone, I would run in the opposite direction.
Looking back, I can see that God has used these growing pains to develop my faith and bring me into a fuller relationship with him. Had I not continued to press on through the storm, would I have known that God was with me in the midst of it? If I had given up, would I have developed the faith to obey the Lord when he asked us to adopt our daughter, in the midst of this economic crisis and political showdown? I struggle with this even now, but I have learned that I can rely on the Lord when he asks us to go through the storm. Because, in the midst of the storm I get glimpses of him, and I wouldn't trade that for anything.
Isaiah 55:10 - 11
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Let it Rain
It seems though, that the Lord has given us great opportunities to grow and stretch out of that comfort zone and experience the life we were meant to live.
With that being said, there have been many times where, in the midst of growing, I have wanted to give up. I thought that if I were stretched one more inch, I would certainly break. If I were asked one more time to come out of my comfort zone, I would run in the opposite direction.
Looking back, I can see that God has used these growing pains to develop my faith and bring me into a fuller relationship with him. Had I not continued to press on through the storm, would I have known that God was with me in the midst of it? If I had given up, would I have developed the faith to obey the Lord when he asked us to adopt our daughter, in the midst of this economic crisis and political showdown? I struggle with this even now, but I have learned that I can rely on the Lord when he asks us to go through the storm. Because, in the midst of the storm I get glimpses of him, and I wouldn't trade that for anything.
Isaiah 55:10 - 11
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Let it Rain
And the Winner is...
Labels: Adoption Process
Adam and I have spent quite a bit of time this week considering our 3 region options. After weighing the pros and cons of all the regions, we have decided to pursue Novosibirsk.
Here is a little refresher:
Novosibirsk is the region located in south central Russia. This is the only region out of the three that requires us to travel to Moscow to get our daughters visa. However, Adam and I have both realized that we would like to visit Moscow, so this will be a great opportunity! Also, I had mentioned in my last blog that our flight will be significantly longer, thus making it more expensive. I just received some information from our WACAP caseworker stating that the flight will end up being about the same as flying to Vladivostock. Since we have to fly through Moscow to get home, it will end up being more cost effective, especially because we won't be paying the courier fees. This is also the region that is moving rather quickly with child referrals, and because the town is located fairly close to Mongolia and Kazakhstan, they have a higher concentration of Asian/Eurasian children.
Here is a little bit of information about Novosibirsk. It is located in Siberia, along the Ob River. Novosibirsk is considered the third largest city in Russia behind Moscow and St. Petersburg, with a population of over 1.7 million people. It also has the largest railway station along the Trans-Siberian route, and is the leading industrial center of Siberia.
Below you will find the map of Russia. Novosibirsk in located in south central Russia, north of Mongolia and Kazakhstan.
We are so excited to pinpoint the general area where our daughter is waiting! Please continue to pray that things move quickly and smoothly.
Blessings,
Anna
Here is a little refresher:
Novosibirsk is the region located in south central Russia. This is the only region out of the three that requires us to travel to Moscow to get our daughters visa. However, Adam and I have both realized that we would like to visit Moscow, so this will be a great opportunity! Also, I had mentioned in my last blog that our flight will be significantly longer, thus making it more expensive. I just received some information from our WACAP caseworker stating that the flight will end up being about the same as flying to Vladivostock. Since we have to fly through Moscow to get home, it will end up being more cost effective, especially because we won't be paying the courier fees. This is also the region that is moving rather quickly with child referrals, and because the town is located fairly close to Mongolia and Kazakhstan, they have a higher concentration of Asian/Eurasian children.
Here is a little bit of information about Novosibirsk. It is located in Siberia, along the Ob River. Novosibirsk is considered the third largest city in Russia behind Moscow and St. Petersburg, with a population of over 1.7 million people. It also has the largest railway station along the Trans-Siberian route, and is the leading industrial center of Siberia.
Below you will find the map of Russia. Novosibirsk in located in south central Russia, north of Mongolia and Kazakhstan.
We are so excited to pinpoint the general area where our daughter is waiting! Please continue to pray that things move quickly and smoothly.
Blessings,
Anna
Adam and I had the opportunity to speak with our WACAP caseworker this morning and learned some great information about what we should expect with the Russia program. On top of that we were also given the names of 3 different regions in Russia that we can pursue. Out of these 3 regions, we need to choose one to have our dossier sent to. It is Russia's requirement that we only pursue one region at a time. If we find that our chosen region is not moving fast enough, we are then able to pursue a different one.
This is both exciting and stressful as each region has things that we like and dislike. Here are the regions and the pro's and con's:
Sakhalinskaya Oblast: This region is considered very slow in processing information and making child referrals and there is a longer wait time between the first and second trip (up to 3-4 months). However, this region is on the far eastern coast of Russia, making the trip shorter and cheaper. The flight would be from Boise to Seattle to Korea to Sakhalin. Also, there is a required (9 hour) flight to Moscow, to obtain the child's visa, that families must make unless they are adopting in one of the eastern regions, such as this one. If so, families can elect to have a courier make that flight (This is very tempting).
Primorsky Krai (Vladivostok): This region is also on the far eastern coast of Russia (south of Sakhalinskaya) so there is also a courier option, in this region, for the trip to Moscow. It is also a shorter and cheaper flight. However, there have not been many Asian children referred from this region in the last 8 months. Also, the second trip to Russia will require a 3-4 week stay.
Novosibirskaya Oblast: This region has been considered very fast. There are many children in the orphanages here and this helps with time. However, it is located in south central Russia and therefore we would have to make the required trip to Moscow (only a 3 hour flight). It is also a much longer and more expensive flight. We would go from Boise to NYC or Frankfurt to Moscow then to Novosibirskaya.
Now that you know our options, please pray for us. This is a big decision, but we know that the Lord knows where our daughter is and will direct us.
Blessings,
Anna
This is both exciting and stressful as each region has things that we like and dislike. Here are the regions and the pro's and con's:
Sakhalinskaya Oblast: This region is considered very slow in processing information and making child referrals and there is a longer wait time between the first and second trip (up to 3-4 months). However, this region is on the far eastern coast of Russia, making the trip shorter and cheaper. The flight would be from Boise to Seattle to Korea to Sakhalin. Also, there is a required (9 hour) flight to Moscow, to obtain the child's visa, that families must make unless they are adopting in one of the eastern regions, such as this one. If so, families can elect to have a courier make that flight (This is very tempting).
Primorsky Krai (Vladivostok): This region is also on the far eastern coast of Russia (south of Sakhalinskaya) so there is also a courier option, in this region, for the trip to Moscow. It is also a shorter and cheaper flight. However, there have not been many Asian children referred from this region in the last 8 months. Also, the second trip to Russia will require a 3-4 week stay.
Novosibirskaya Oblast: This region has been considered very fast. There are many children in the orphanages here and this helps with time. However, it is located in south central Russia and therefore we would have to make the required trip to Moscow (only a 3 hour flight). It is also a much longer and more expensive flight. We would go from Boise to NYC or Frankfurt to Moscow then to Novosibirskaya.
Now that you know our options, please pray for us. This is a big decision, but we know that the Lord knows where our daughter is and will direct us.
Blessings,
Anna
These last few weeks have been very trying for us during this adoption. The political unrest between Russia and Georgia and our economy have constantly been on my mind. However, I have also been clinging to the Lord's promise that He will provide everything we need for this adoption.
I find myself asking, "do I put my trust in God or in circumstances?" These circumstances are out of my control and it doesn't make sense to worry over things that I can do nothing about. The only reason I can say this is because God is in control. He has been orchestrating this adoption for over 12 years, when I first realized my desire to adopt a child. He will continue to orchestrate this adoption until we bring our daughter home.
Acts 19:23-41 is a great example of what happens when we try to control our circumstances through creating fear instead of trusting God. In Ephesus, there was a silversmith named Demetrius who made a living making silver shrines of Artemis, the Greek goddess. However, there were many citizens not only in Ephesus, but in all of Asia, who were converting to Christianity and no longer supported this trade. Demetrius' reaction to the loss of money was to create fear in other people. He successfully gathered a mob of people together and began a riot that eventually included all the citizens of Ephesus. What is really interesting is that the majority of people rioting didn't know what they were rioting about.
Demetrius tried to control the circumstances by creating fear. Does that sound familiar? I think I can relate that to what the media does to us. While I do like to stay up to date on what is happening around the world, I find that it is easy to get caught up in the mix and live in fear of things that cannot be controlled. I don't know how I would stay sane if I put my trust in circumstances. However, putting my trust in God is a choice and with all that is going on in my own life and around the world, that is a choice I have to make daily.
I find myself asking, "do I put my trust in God or in circumstances?" These circumstances are out of my control and it doesn't make sense to worry over things that I can do nothing about. The only reason I can say this is because God is in control. He has been orchestrating this adoption for over 12 years, when I first realized my desire to adopt a child. He will continue to orchestrate this adoption until we bring our daughter home.
Acts 19:23-41 is a great example of what happens when we try to control our circumstances through creating fear instead of trusting God. In Ephesus, there was a silversmith named Demetrius who made a living making silver shrines of Artemis, the Greek goddess. However, there were many citizens not only in Ephesus, but in all of Asia, who were converting to Christianity and no longer supported this trade. Demetrius' reaction to the loss of money was to create fear in other people. He successfully gathered a mob of people together and began a riot that eventually included all the citizens of Ephesus. What is really interesting is that the majority of people rioting didn't know what they were rioting about.
Demetrius tried to control the circumstances by creating fear. Does that sound familiar? I think I can relate that to what the media does to us. While I do like to stay up to date on what is happening around the world, I find that it is easy to get caught up in the mix and live in fear of things that cannot be controlled. I don't know how I would stay sane if I put my trust in circumstances. However, putting my trust in God is a choice and with all that is going on in my own life and around the world, that is a choice I have to make daily.
Update
Labels: Adoption Process
I wanted to take the time to fill you in on our news the last few days.
Late Thursday afternoon we got an e-mail from WACAP stating that we have been accepted into the Russia program! We are very excited and hope that things will start moving a little faster now. We have a lot of documents to gather and paperwork to fill out. This packet of information will make up our dossier (the information that Russia requires of prospective adoptive parents).
Also, we have pre-filed our I600A paperwork with USCIS. Along with this filing, we are required to be fingerprinted (again). Once that is done, we will wait anywhere from 6 weeks to 4 months (possibly more) for a "notice of favorable determination" from USCIS.
When our dossier is completed and I600A approved, we will be put on the waiting list for a child referral.
We are excited to finally be moving forward and will be sure to keep you up to date.
Late Thursday afternoon we got an e-mail from WACAP stating that we have been accepted into the Russia program! We are very excited and hope that things will start moving a little faster now. We have a lot of documents to gather and paperwork to fill out. This packet of information will make up our dossier (the information that Russia requires of prospective adoptive parents).
Also, we have pre-filed our I600A paperwork with USCIS. Along with this filing, we are required to be fingerprinted (again). Once that is done, we will wait anywhere from 6 weeks to 4 months (possibly more) for a "notice of favorable determination" from USCIS.
When our dossier is completed and I600A approved, we will be put on the waiting list for a child referral.
We are excited to finally be moving forward and will be sure to keep you up to date.
Stepping In Cheese
Labels: Mothering
Yes, you read the title correctly, now let me explain. Nearly two years ago we had the opportunity to live in Singapore for seven months. While I can honestly say that this was one of the greatest experiences for our young family, it also brought along some of the greatest challenges.
Don't get me wrong. We met some of the most wonderful people, ate the most amazing food and created memories never to be forgotten. However, there is something to be said about living in a tiny apartment, in a high rise with two loud boys (ages 3 and 18 months). To be quite honest, I never considered Isaiah and Caleb to be loud, until we were living between concrete walls and wood floors. I don't think "mom, I need my bottom wiped" has ever echoed as loud as it did between the walls of that apartment. But that is a story for another day.
One day, while we were still adjusting to our new life in Singapore, we had an especially difficult day. Isaiah was crying in his room, I was crying in my room and Caleb was crying because our doors were closed and he couldn't get in either room. Now, take a moment to think about those concrete walls and wood floors and you can just imagine how loud it must have been in our apartment at that time.
I remember sitting on my bed crying and I heard the Lord say, "I will meet you where you're at." Out of frustration and anger the only thing I could respond with was "yeah right, you haven't done anything for me since the day we got here." I am sure you are thinking my next sentence will say something like... the only thing I remember was being struck by lightning...., but this is what I love about God and his grace. Believe me, I need it more than most people.
This is where God met me...
That night, I had a dream that I was at my mom's house. She had just finished grating about 4 pounds of cheese and for some reason threw it into a cooler full of water. I was standing over the cooler, staring at this balled up cheese and thought it would be helpful to break it up. Instead of using my hands, I began stepping in the cheese. When my mom saw me, she got upset and asked what I was doing. All I could do was stare at her and wonder how I got myself into this mess. Couldn't she see that I was just trying to be helpful?
The next morning I woke up with a sense of peace and realized that God had indeed met me where I needed Him most. Through my dream he showed me that not only were the boys having to adjust to a different life, but I was perceiving their behavior to be different than what they were intending it to be. The problem was not with them, but instead it was my frustration and lack of understanding. After all, they need grace as much as I do.
I am so thankful for this lesson because there is a high possibility that our daughter, who we will be adopting from Russia, will have some major adjustments to make when we bring her home. This will require the grace I have practiced with Isaiah and Caleb over the years and the grace shown to me by God.
To that I say "stepping in cheese!"
Please pray that our daughter has the love and nourishment she needs to grow and be healthy. We have yet to meet her, but know she is out there waiting for us.
Blessings,
Anna
Don't get me wrong. We met some of the most wonderful people, ate the most amazing food and created memories never to be forgotten. However, there is something to be said about living in a tiny apartment, in a high rise with two loud boys (ages 3 and 18 months). To be quite honest, I never considered Isaiah and Caleb to be loud, until we were living between concrete walls and wood floors. I don't think "mom, I need my bottom wiped" has ever echoed as loud as it did between the walls of that apartment. But that is a story for another day.
One day, while we were still adjusting to our new life in Singapore, we had an especially difficult day. Isaiah was crying in his room, I was crying in my room and Caleb was crying because our doors were closed and he couldn't get in either room. Now, take a moment to think about those concrete walls and wood floors and you can just imagine how loud it must have been in our apartment at that time.
I remember sitting on my bed crying and I heard the Lord say, "I will meet you where you're at." Out of frustration and anger the only thing I could respond with was "yeah right, you haven't done anything for me since the day we got here." I am sure you are thinking my next sentence will say something like... the only thing I remember was being struck by lightning...., but this is what I love about God and his grace. Believe me, I need it more than most people.
This is where God met me...
That night, I had a dream that I was at my mom's house. She had just finished grating about 4 pounds of cheese and for some reason threw it into a cooler full of water. I was standing over the cooler, staring at this balled up cheese and thought it would be helpful to break it up. Instead of using my hands, I began stepping in the cheese. When my mom saw me, she got upset and asked what I was doing. All I could do was stare at her and wonder how I got myself into this mess. Couldn't she see that I was just trying to be helpful?
The next morning I woke up with a sense of peace and realized that God had indeed met me where I needed Him most. Through my dream he showed me that not only were the boys having to adjust to a different life, but I was perceiving their behavior to be different than what they were intending it to be. The problem was not with them, but instead it was my frustration and lack of understanding. After all, they need grace as much as I do.
I am so thankful for this lesson because there is a high possibility that our daughter, who we will be adopting from Russia, will have some major adjustments to make when we bring her home. This will require the grace I have practiced with Isaiah and Caleb over the years and the grace shown to me by God.
To that I say "stepping in cheese!"
Please pray that our daughter has the love and nourishment she needs to grow and be healthy. We have yet to meet her, but know she is out there waiting for us.
Blessings,
Anna
I am so thankful that we have finally come off of our busy summer schedule and are now able to settle into our post summer routines. This is the slow down that I have been needing. The air has finally started to cool a bit and along with that my energy, recently stifled by the scalding summer heat, has returned.
Isaiah started Kindergarten last week, and while I love watching him grow up and become more independent, I am having to resist the urge to follow his bus to school, honking and waving, so he knows I am there if he needs me. I realized that he was fine without me when he said, "you don't need to come to the bus stop mom, why don't you just stay here." Ouch!
I say this because we have been going through a season of busyness and change. My intention with our adoption blog has been to write several times per week, but I haven't been able to do that lately. Now that school has started and we actually have a routine, we will be more consistent in blogging. Please continue to check back regularly.
I also wanted to let you know that WACAP has approved our homestudy! Our caseworker is having our homestudy notarized and will send both WACAP and us copies. Once they receive a notarized copy, we will begin putting together our dossier and I600A paperwork.
A few weeks ago I wrote that WACAP's fees will be increasing. At this time I am not sure if we will have to pay those higher fees. Our homestudy was completed and reviewed the end of last month, but it was not notarized until Tuesday. Once I speak with our WACAP representative I will find out and update that information.
Blessings,
Anna
Isaiah started Kindergarten last week, and while I love watching him grow up and become more independent, I am having to resist the urge to follow his bus to school, honking and waving, so he knows I am there if he needs me. I realized that he was fine without me when he said, "you don't need to come to the bus stop mom, why don't you just stay here." Ouch!
I say this because we have been going through a season of busyness and change. My intention with our adoption blog has been to write several times per week, but I haven't been able to do that lately. Now that school has started and we actually have a routine, we will be more consistent in blogging. Please continue to check back regularly.
I also wanted to let you know that WACAP has approved our homestudy! Our caseworker is having our homestudy notarized and will send both WACAP and us copies. Once they receive a notarized copy, we will begin putting together our dossier and I600A paperwork.
A few weeks ago I wrote that WACAP's fees will be increasing. At this time I am not sure if we will have to pay those higher fees. Our homestudy was completed and reviewed the end of last month, but it was not notarized until Tuesday. Once I speak with our WACAP representative I will find out and update that information.
Blessings,
Anna
Several months ago God gave both Adam and I a song that has continued to strengthen and encourage us during the early stages of this adoption. I have listened to this song so many times that I know it by heart, but that hasn't stopped the Lord from revealing something new to me, through this song, when I need it most.
The recent fighting between Russia and Georgia has caused us a little bit of stress and last night I even lost a bit of sleep over it. Perhaps I lost sleep because I was up way too late reading news headlines, prophecy updates and transcripts from the Glenn Beck show. I am sure you are probably thinking, wow...weird! However, they all bring to light a very good point and that is the significance of Russia invading Georgia. While I am truly concerned for the citizens of Georgia, I must admit that my motives for my concern over this invasion are much more selfish than that.
So there I was last night tossing and turning and wondering how this will affect our adoption, when I finally prayed that God would give me peace. After all, there was not much I could do about it at 1:00 a.m. This morning, before the rest of my family was awake, I quietly played our "adoption" song and really listened to the words. The song is called I'll Lead You Home, by Michael W. Smith.
I know it can be hard to get the full effect from just reading these words. As with great moments in life, things seem so much better when put to music. I will make an attempt anyway. Here is what I heard;
Let it go and turn it over to
The One who chose to give His life for you
Leave it to Me
I'll lead you home
This was my much needed encouragement today! Regardless of what is happening around the world, God, the maker of heaven and earth, is still in control, and I need to give it over to him. If He is calling us to adopt our daughter from Russia, then by all means, He will provide a way for us to go to Russia.
How is that for lovingly saying "stop it!"
Please pray that things will go quickly and smoothly for us. With tensions growing in that whole area of the world, we would like to get in and out of Russia as soon as possible.
The recent fighting between Russia and Georgia has caused us a little bit of stress and last night I even lost a bit of sleep over it. Perhaps I lost sleep because I was up way too late reading news headlines, prophecy updates and transcripts from the Glenn Beck show. I am sure you are probably thinking, wow...weird! However, they all bring to light a very good point and that is the significance of Russia invading Georgia. While I am truly concerned for the citizens of Georgia, I must admit that my motives for my concern over this invasion are much more selfish than that.
So there I was last night tossing and turning and wondering how this will affect our adoption, when I finally prayed that God would give me peace. After all, there was not much I could do about it at 1:00 a.m. This morning, before the rest of my family was awake, I quietly played our "adoption" song and really listened to the words. The song is called I'll Lead You Home, by Michael W. Smith.
I know it can be hard to get the full effect from just reading these words. As with great moments in life, things seem so much better when put to music. I will make an attempt anyway. Here is what I heard;
Let it go and turn it over to
The One who chose to give His life for you
Leave it to Me
I'll lead you home
This was my much needed encouragement today! Regardless of what is happening around the world, God, the maker of heaven and earth, is still in control, and I need to give it over to him. If He is calling us to adopt our daughter from Russia, then by all means, He will provide a way for us to go to Russia.
How is that for lovingly saying "stop it!"
Please pray that things will go quickly and smoothly for us. With tensions growing in that whole area of the world, we would like to get in and out of Russia as soon as possible.
It seems like that title should be our motto for this adoption so far. We go a week or two without hearing much and then suddenly we need to sign another form right away before more papers get sent off! With that being said, at least our papers have been sent off. That, it seems, is a step in the right direction.
We have spoken with our caseworker several times this week and are excited to let you all know that our homestudy report has been sent to WACAP! WACAP (our international agency) will review the report and make sure all required information is present and accurate. Once reviewed and approved, we start our international paperwork. This includes prefiling our I-600A form with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and completing all of our dossier paperwork. The I600A form is used to help prospective adoptive parents complete portions of required visa information for an adopted child before that child has been identified for the family. This begins the process of classifying an orphan in a foreign country as an immediate relative of the adoptive family, thus allowing the adopted child entry into the United States.
We are excited to have taken the next step, and begin our work with WACAP. We are expecting (as many people have warned us) that there will be a lot of waiting for papers to be processed and authenticated. So until we are completely done, I suppose we will just continue to hurry up and wait!
We have spoken with our caseworker several times this week and are excited to let you all know that our homestudy report has been sent to WACAP! WACAP (our international agency) will review the report and make sure all required information is present and accurate. Once reviewed and approved, we start our international paperwork. This includes prefiling our I-600A form with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and completing all of our dossier paperwork. The I600A form is used to help prospective adoptive parents complete portions of required visa information for an adopted child before that child has been identified for the family. This begins the process of classifying an orphan in a foreign country as an immediate relative of the adoptive family, thus allowing the adopted child entry into the United States.
We are excited to have taken the next step, and begin our work with WACAP. We are expecting (as many people have warned us) that there will be a lot of waiting for papers to be processed and authenticated. So until we are completely done, I suppose we will just continue to hurry up and wait!
Recently we received a letter from WACAP (our international adoption agency) stating that fees will be going up. If we aren't finished with our homestudy by September 1st, we will have to pay the higher fees.
This letter got me thinking about why God has clearly directed us to the Russian adoption program, which at the moment, has some of the highest adoption fees. When all is said and done, the total cost should be somewhere between $40,000 - $45,000. Now, I am not saying this so that those of you who read this blog will cut us a check. I am saying this because God's answer to my question of why Russia?, was "so you (and everyone who joins with you) can see Me work." What a testimony that will be because He is going to have a lot of work to do!
This reminds me of a passage that our pastor spoke about on Sunday, Acts 16:16-40. In this passage, Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison, having been accused of causing an uproar and advocating unlawful practices according to Roman customs. What is curious about this is that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, making it unlawful for them to be beaten without a trial. However, Paul never spoke up about his citizenship before or during his beating, but instead remained quiet. That night, when Paul and Silas were in prison, there was an earthquake so strong that the prison was shaken, the doors of the jail came open and everyone's shackles came loose. When the jailer (who was commanded to guard them carefully) awoke and saw the prison doors open, he prepared to kill himself because he thought they had all escaped. When Paul told him that they were still there, the jailer fell on his knees and asked how he could be saved. That same night, the jailer and his family were baptized.
Our pastor told us this story and how he found himself wondering why Paul didn't reveal his citizenship and spare himself the beating. God's response to our pastor was "I wanted the jailer." If Paul spoke up about his citizenship, the jailer never would have been able to see God work.
God knew that in order to gain the attention of the jailer, Paul and Silas would have to be beaten and jailed and then an earthquake would have to literally shake them free, only to be found by the jailer, still in their jail cell. I find it amazing to see God's love for us in the way he pursues each of us, just as he did with the jailer.
I can see myself as both Paul and the jailer during this adoption. I am Paul, because I am having to lay down my fears of adoption costs and the emotional health of our daughter and put my trust in God. I am the jailer because God has been pursuing me and revealing himself to me in ways I never would have seen, and He does it in His perfect timing.
Thanks for joining us in our journey!
This letter got me thinking about why God has clearly directed us to the Russian adoption program, which at the moment, has some of the highest adoption fees. When all is said and done, the total cost should be somewhere between $40,000 - $45,000. Now, I am not saying this so that those of you who read this blog will cut us a check. I am saying this because God's answer to my question of why Russia?, was "so you (and everyone who joins with you) can see Me work." What a testimony that will be because He is going to have a lot of work to do!
This reminds me of a passage that our pastor spoke about on Sunday, Acts 16:16-40. In this passage, Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison, having been accused of causing an uproar and advocating unlawful practices according to Roman customs. What is curious about this is that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, making it unlawful for them to be beaten without a trial. However, Paul never spoke up about his citizenship before or during his beating, but instead remained quiet. That night, when Paul and Silas were in prison, there was an earthquake so strong that the prison was shaken, the doors of the jail came open and everyone's shackles came loose. When the jailer (who was commanded to guard them carefully) awoke and saw the prison doors open, he prepared to kill himself because he thought they had all escaped. When Paul told him that they were still there, the jailer fell on his knees and asked how he could be saved. That same night, the jailer and his family were baptized.
Our pastor told us this story and how he found himself wondering why Paul didn't reveal his citizenship and spare himself the beating. God's response to our pastor was "I wanted the jailer." If Paul spoke up about his citizenship, the jailer never would have been able to see God work.
God knew that in order to gain the attention of the jailer, Paul and Silas would have to be beaten and jailed and then an earthquake would have to literally shake them free, only to be found by the jailer, still in their jail cell. I find it amazing to see God's love for us in the way he pursues each of us, just as he did with the jailer.
I can see myself as both Paul and the jailer during this adoption. I am Paul, because I am having to lay down my fears of adoption costs and the emotional health of our daughter and put my trust in God. I am the jailer because God has been pursuing me and revealing himself to me in ways I never would have seen, and He does it in His perfect timing.
Thanks for joining us in our journey!
Our journey began over 12 years ago when I had the opportunity to babysit a little girl who had recently been adopted from China. It was through this phone call, in a last minute search for a babysitter, that ultimately brought us to where we are today.
The funny thing is, for such a life changing event, I can't remember the name of the little girl I babysat or even the things I did to keep her occupied those few short hours. The only thing I recall was coming home with the dream to one day adopt a Chinese girl.
The twelve years since have been filled with school, marriage and 2 very lively boys that keep me running all day long. However, even during the busyness of life, we knew that our family wasn't complete. We always knew that one day, in a couple of years, we would embark on our journey to adopt our daughter.
That is until recently......
In retrospect, both Adam and I can see God's hand in all that has transpired over that last several months but at the time we were completely unaware of what He had in store for us. I was in the process of going through a bible study, taught by Beth Moore, called Stepping Up, a journey through the Psalms of ascent. This study (Psalm 120 - 134) not only showed the history of the ancient text and how it related to the Jewish people, but also how we can relate it to our lives today and come into greater faith through obedience and worship of God.
At the same time, Adam had been feeling like we needed to start prioritizing things in our lives. Previously we were waiting to adopt because of China's age requirements and other factors that we felt were prohibiting us from adopting. Out of the blue, he received an e-mail from an acquaintance asking about cycling. They met up one evening to hit the mountain bike trails and the subject of adoption came up. Adam learned that a few years earlier he and his wife had adopted a Eurasian girl from Russia. Once learning that we meet Russia's requirements and that there is a huge number of orphaned children in Russia, we prayed for direction and felt the Lord calling us to take this journey.
I knew in my heart that God was calling us to start our adoption, but I found myself asking God for clarity. A few days later, during the last session of my bible study we were asked to find the 3 most profound things God had revealed to us (there were 15 total, 1 for each chapter). My eyes fell upon this revelation: Through me, God will reap a harvest of joy. At that moment, I knew God's will. He has given us the opportunity to bring our daughter out of the bleak orphanage that surrounds her and give her joy for the first time in her life.
This is proving to be a huge financial and emotional journey for us. We have little to no control over this process and we are having to give it completely over the the Lord. Our comfort continues to be the words God gave us over 2 months ago when we asked him to provide for every need this adoption brings. His words were, "I will, I AM.
Where we are at today...
All of the paperwork for our homestudy has been completed. We will meet with our caseworker two more times to complete the required interviews. Once that is finished (hopefully within the next two weeks), we start working with our international adoption agency. We will be sure to keep our blog up to date with the latest on our adoption and God's faithfulness.
The funny thing is, for such a life changing event, I can't remember the name of the little girl I babysat or even the things I did to keep her occupied those few short hours. The only thing I recall was coming home with the dream to one day adopt a Chinese girl.
The twelve years since have been filled with school, marriage and 2 very lively boys that keep me running all day long. However, even during the busyness of life, we knew that our family wasn't complete. We always knew that one day, in a couple of years, we would embark on our journey to adopt our daughter.
That is until recently......
In retrospect, both Adam and I can see God's hand in all that has transpired over that last several months but at the time we were completely unaware of what He had in store for us. I was in the process of going through a bible study, taught by Beth Moore, called Stepping Up, a journey through the Psalms of ascent. This study (Psalm 120 - 134) not only showed the history of the ancient text and how it related to the Jewish people, but also how we can relate it to our lives today and come into greater faith through obedience and worship of God.
At the same time, Adam had been feeling like we needed to start prioritizing things in our lives. Previously we were waiting to adopt because of China's age requirements and other factors that we felt were prohibiting us from adopting. Out of the blue, he received an e-mail from an acquaintance asking about cycling. They met up one evening to hit the mountain bike trails and the subject of adoption came up. Adam learned that a few years earlier he and his wife had adopted a Eurasian girl from Russia. Once learning that we meet Russia's requirements and that there is a huge number of orphaned children in Russia, we prayed for direction and felt the Lord calling us to take this journey.
I knew in my heart that God was calling us to start our adoption, but I found myself asking God for clarity. A few days later, during the last session of my bible study we were asked to find the 3 most profound things God had revealed to us (there were 15 total, 1 for each chapter). My eyes fell upon this revelation: Through me, God will reap a harvest of joy. At that moment, I knew God's will. He has given us the opportunity to bring our daughter out of the bleak orphanage that surrounds her and give her joy for the first time in her life.
This is proving to be a huge financial and emotional journey for us. We have little to no control over this process and we are having to give it completely over the the Lord. Our comfort continues to be the words God gave us over 2 months ago when we asked him to provide for every need this adoption brings. His words were, "I will, I AM.
Where we are at today...
All of the paperwork for our homestudy has been completed. We will meet with our caseworker two more times to complete the required interviews. Once that is finished (hopefully within the next two weeks), we start working with our international adoption agency. We will be sure to keep our blog up to date with the latest on our adoption and God's faithfulness.
Isaiah 8
Caleb 6
Naomi 2
