My REALLY good…exciting…better than a movie news!!!
11.05.2009
OK–I did not, have not and probably will not hear from AGCI today whether our home study was approved yet or not. I’m constantly reminded that the Lord is in control and He is the one carefully putting us in line where He needs us to be. He reminds me. Friends remind me. Me reminds me:).
And today–on top of my craziness, I’m home with a sick 5 year old. Got woken at 2am to a 5 year old whispering in my face–which led to barf…which led to my husband and I laughing our heads off at each other gagging…sorry I won’t give you more details to spare you—but it was a long night and an early morning. Which leads me to the P.S. I wrote about a few weeks ago…that I am TOTALLY and completely so excited about!
No, I’m not pregnant. But it’s even more exciting…to ME! More exciting than a movie. More exciting than winning the lottery. More exciting than just about anything I can think about! What?! What?! What you ask?! OK…here goes.
We have talked to A LOT of families adopting. We have “met” A LOT of families through our agency adopting. We have MADE a lot of friends in the process. Yes, yes–exciting and great…and much needed. But a few weeks ago I got a phone call that completely, utterly and amazingly ROCKED MY WORLD. I’m over the moon with excitement!
Meet the Debardelebens…
Melissa and Dee and their 2 cuties
Melissa and I go back. WAY back. We first met in college…and were instant heart friends. We met through Campus Crusade for Christ, and after my junior year we ventured to East Asia to do mission work together. We were two peas in a pod. We not only got one another spiritually—but we also shared the same sense of humor and well…personalities. We loved scrapbooking. We both poked each other in the sides when Asians told us we needed to lose weight (complete cultural thing…and we both thought it was hysterical because by American terms we were too thin or normal) and we both could GO THERE in a heart beat with one another–sharing our hearts and not beating around the bush how we truly felt.
We came home, graduated and a few years later we both got married. Melissa and I were in one another’s weddings…and then we both moved to Atlanta—where thankfully our hubbies got along too. We started a couple’s small group and met on Thursday nights. We got the opportunity to go deeper as couples…and Richard and I were completely entertained by her hubby’s comments and WAY TOO MUCH INFORMATION…you gotta know Dee…he’s an open book and a complete NUT!
To make a long story short—we LOVE this family!!! We celebrated pregnancies together. Supported one another at baby showers. And she was pregnant with her baby girl when I was pregant with Frank. Here are our babies TOGETHER at 4 months…don’t they look like they could be twins?!
Why is Frank so serious?! And look at her little ham!
I’m over the moon, feel like I won the lottery, better than any movie feeling because a few months ago Melissa and I started talking about our adoption…and last month…she called me to tell me…THEY ARE ADOPTING!!!
I could almost cry just writing that. But for us–this is a huge milestone. We have our first friends joining us in opening their hearts and home to another baby through the miracle of adoption and we are over the moon excited for them…AND for us! One of our prayers was that God would bring other families into our lives that looked just like ours—for our children’s sake…especially our soon to be 4th child’s sake. I feel like it will be healthy for all of our children to do life with other families that are like ours and to even walk the road of adoption with. I never imagined in a million years that God would immediately call friends that we ALREADY had to adoption, and I am so thrilled!!!
They just made their news public, so I had to wait quietly and patiently on that before I could share!!! PLEASE keep Melissa and Dee in your prayers as they seek God in this amazing journey. Pray for direction as they consider different programs in Africa. Pray that the Lord would be their Jehovah Jireh just as He has been ours (and yours too). And follow their journey and celebrate this new gift of life they will bring into their family in 2010. You can follow what I know is going to be an amazing journey here:
http://www.needlesslovemore.blogspot.com/So…what could be better than having lifelong friends join you in making a deeper investment into eternity?! Nothing! Absolutely nothing. As Suzanne (from
Joining the Journey) said in one of her recent posts that her mom’s motto in life is “Your children are the ONLY thing you can take to heaven with you”…so why not spend our time, money and efforts in the children God is willing by His grace and mercy to bless us with!
Melissa and Dee—thank you for following your Savior, your ABBA Father, your great Provider in obedience. Hold tight to Him during this journey. Richard and I are HONORED, BLESSED and absolutely SMITTEN to continue to do life with your family and to even now look a little more alike. M–who knew that 12 years ago as we stayed up late dreaming of how God might use us in a rat infested dorm in East Asia that we’d be on this road together…yet again. I love how God continues to cross our paths…over and over again. Sweet sister in Christ…I’m praying for you…and praying for this precious baby God has set apart for your family. LOVE YOU.
Jump for joy all ye people!!! Praise His holy name! He is faithful. He is good! He is worthy to be praised!!! Man, I feel like I could just write my own pslam this morning! And writing this post makes me realize all the more that WE are also in His perfect timing…and that HE and HIS PLAN is worth waiting for!!!
by admin
Praising God with you!!!! How AMAZING!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love to hear that God is moving in someone's heart- and there will be one less orphan….now we just need to find a few million more (or 140million or so more) and heal our world!!! Yeah!!!
I'm so excited for you and I'm sure it will be so fun to have your dear friend to walk this journey of a lifetime with. I have been following your blog since the beginning .. I just LOVE your writing .. it's just straight from your heart and so captivating. We just sent in our Dossier last Friday. You too will get there before you know it.. just like you said it's all in God's timing. I'm praying for you. Here our blog address.. http://www.armstrongfamilyof5.blogspot.com
We are excited to be joining this journey with you! Thanks for all your kind words!
small world again! joe knows dee! joe's little bro, tim, and dee are friends! i knew the last name sounded familiar so i was asking joe how we might know them!
so crazy 🙂
what great news!
yayyyyyyyyy…it is just the beginning for you…God is going to blow your mind 🙂 WAy to go…one less orphan BECAUSE you guys said YES!!! kj