7 more days:)

7 more days…really 6.5 until our court date. (Just so some of you who know the process well aren’t worried about me in case we don’t pass the first time—really…I. Will. Be. Okay. Really! I am just remaining hopeful that we WILL! Sooooo…6.5 more days until Almaz represents us in court and when we know if Isaac is legally our son!) Please pray with us that we pass the first time! Our hearts and our children are very ready for him to be ours!!!

And speaking of our children…there is nothing that Rich and I are MORE passionate than raising them to have a world view and to be shaped and sharpened to impact their world. I’m in the midst of reading Julie Ferwerda’s book “One Million Arrows” which is inspired by one missionary’s vision to see 1 million children sharpened to be sent out for the gospel. The title and vision are linked to Psalm 127:3-5 “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. As arrows are in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy, blessed, and fortunate is the man whose quiver is filled with them!”

Our family, along with countless more across the United States, are joining hands with this challenge…and I’ll be sharing more on my blog in a few weeks about this incredible book and challenge. For now…here’s a little teaser put together by the author to get you ready for the challenge…(hit pause on music above before watching)

ALSO! I wanted to share the GRAND TOTAL from our virtual cupcakes! I still have about 5 more cupcakes to post! BUT the grand total comes tooooooooo…$2,229.90!!! In ONE weekend God raised this for our trip through many of YOU! Praise be to God!!! Thank you soooo much for joining us in helping bring him home!

And finally…I got the SWEETEST surprises yesterday in my mailbox! WOW. My bloggy friends BLOW MY SOCKS OFF! So…I go to my mailbox yesterday to find a package from my friend Elle J. She joined us in helping bring our cupcake home and also sent us a party in a box…I love how some of my friends are rejoicing with us!Oh Elle J…I can’t WAIT to make Isaac his FIRST cupcakes with this little party and send a pic to make you smile!

THEN…I opened up a packed from my PRECIOUS fellow AGCI (same agency) AND photographer mommy Jenn! Jenn and I connected from day one! We were RIGHT beside one another on the list—so for MONTHS we dreamed together…talked about getting our referrals together…SQUEALLED together when we did IN FACT get on the waitlist together…and we’ve had many a phone conversation about the ups and downs of our entire journey. The minute we accepted Isaac’s referral, this was one of the family’s I thought of and she called me with SO MUCH EXCITEMENT and then we grieved just a bit that we would not travel together. BUT THEN…we realized that she would probably have her referral by the time I traveled and what a JOY it will be to get to love on her son if she has her referral!!!

Any way Jenn has an AMAZING talent for not only photography…but ALSO sewing (she is using her photographer and her etsy shop to help raise money for their adoption…so be sure to check out here shop!) Sweet Jenn sent this for Isaac…
Don’t you want to know what’s inside???I have to say…she did an amazing crazy job matching the room that is for sure!She ALSO went out and found a matching storage bag that coordinates with the storage bags I posted a few weeks ago…we’re going to use it for our special books we’ve been collecting for Isaac…
And then I read her note (yes…I’m like a KID…I confess—I open the gifts FIRST and then read the notes;). BUT I almost cried when I saw the stationary she wrote her note on…
Jenn had no idea probably how much this card would mean to me. But I just found out what day Isaac was left at the government orphanage. I went back to see what was happening on my life THAT DAY. I was broken. COMPLETELY broken. I felt discouragement from the enemy–wondering if our baby WAS REALLY IN ETHIOPIA??? I was at a retreat–and there were hundreds of women there. I signed up to read in the continueous Bible reading and IT CRAZILY LINED up for me to read a piece of scripture…Psalm 82-87. You can read the post here The Lord assured me through the verses like Psalm 84:3 Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young–a place near your alter, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God” (If you didn’t read that post…it’ll knock your socks off b/c there’s even verses about Ethiopia in there! And out of HUNDREDS of women reading before and after me…some HOW I got these! Coincidence? I think not!)

Anyway, the “sparrow” has been MY REMINDER…and I kept thinking…I need a little sparrow something but I don’t want to frame it—because not having a home will NO LONGER be my son’s story. God willing, on the 13th–he will be MY SON! But Jenn’s note…will be tucked away in the desk drawer right beside the rocker I will rock him in…sing to him by and remember God’s faithfulness night after night in!

What a sweet, sweet reminder and amazing how God sprinkles His glory and presence in the details!

Hope you all have a great day. I may be MIA for a bit…Parker isn’t feeling well! All is quiet FOR NOW…but probably not for long! Wish you all a fabulous weekend…happy Mother’s day weekend!