The Young Family Farm »

I have A LOT of faults (serious procrastinator, always—ALWAYS late…but I REALLY want to be early, hate cleaning, serious daydreamer and believe it or not…I have a REALLY hard time expressing my feelings…just to name a few). BUT I do have one strength that amazes my hubby and it’s my mad skill for remembering gift givers. Must mean that one of my love languages is gifts…although I think I’m more so on quality time. LOVE me some quality time. Anyway, Rich and I have this really funny game we play where he can pick up ANY item in our home and I can tell him who it’s from, what the occassion was…or where I got it and when. It’s truly funny.

So…say when we’re making stew—I pull out ladel and I’ll ask the hubby, “Know who this is from?” He ALWAYS responds, “Oh no, here we go!” And then I reply, “It’s from your great-aunt so-and-so.” It’s funny when he doesn’t even know some of his own relatives and I just remember who it was from. But…I have to tell you–I think of his great aunt EVERY time I dip soup. EVERY. Single. time. And I love that:). So…that just might be one of my favorite random things that I actually can do!

These past few weeks, we have gotten a few gifts for our Isaac–and I have to say, that I’m not only so thankful for the gift itself because this journey has been one of the most instrumental journeys in my own walk with the Lord…but I’m so thankful for the giver…because each of them—has been a part of this journey in a very special way. I have sat on the floor as I opened each gift and just been overwhelmed by those who have encouraged, supported and loved us…many people friends that I HAVE NEVER MET! AMAZING.

These little gifts are the sweetest of all…because they are from those who have been along for our journey—and many…we have also been along for theirs. And when it comes to adoption…the ride is unbelievable…but it’s never easy.

Someone told me at the beginning of our journey, “Andrea—get your thick skin on girl. Adoption isn’t for the faint of heart.”

For those of you starting your journey, let me say that again: Get your thick skin on girls. Adoption isn’t for the faint of heart.

This is what you CAN’T expect. Don’t expect it to be easy. Don’t expect those you THINK will support you to support you. Don’t expect others to always “get it” or “get” how you are feeling. Don’t expect people to treat you as if you are expecting. Don’t expect your church to support you. Don’t expect everyone you love to be on board.

BUT this is what you CAN expect. Expect that you will be changed. Expect that your immediate family will grow closer in the process. Expect that it WILL BE WORTH IT. Expect that Lord will provide. Expect that His timing will be perfect. Expect to be anxious…and to struggle with being anxious for nothing…but expect to feel the peace that surpasses all understanding. Expect that you will NOT BE ALONE…there may not be others in your neighborhood…or even close by…but there are hundreds all over the country being called just like your family to go down this road. Not only will the Lord carry you through and BE WITH YOU THE ENTIRE TIME AS YOU CRY OUT TO HIM…but He will bring others to join you…walk with you…encourage you…and love you. It might not be your family on earth…as badly as you want them to be part of your journey—it might instead just be your ETERNAL FAMILY that He brings along for this leg of your journey. And expect some of your dearest, life-long friends to be met over blogs and on your agencies listserv…and never underestimate what God can do in those friendships! Expect to be BLOWN AWAY by these friends…their love…their generousity. Expect when things to get hard…and you really need support…expect the unexpected…like complete strangers to be the ones that serve you, encourage you and even financially help you. Expect to see the gospel in ways you have NEVER before…and expect to see God, Himself, in ways you never have before. And it will be through many of the friends you never even meet…that you see Him shine through…

And there is going to be absolutely nothing SWEETER than sitting in Isaac’s nursery when he is home and looking around at the things that lay around it…and you can bet that funny gift of mine remembering every gift and which if from which giver will melt my heart as I hold my little love! Remembering how the Lord provided…how He is my heavenly Father…and how He orchestrated every last detail.

I just received another sweet gift in the mail from my dear friend Rebecca who is also adopting from Ethiopia and also using AGCI, our agency. Rebecca is another one of those unexpected friends. She is one of my unexpected gifts as she has encouraged and prayed for our family like you wouldn’t believe. When I’ve been to weak and anxious to even pray…this mommy has prayed for us miles and miles and miles away. She made this sweet, soft blanket herself and this will be one thing I pack with me to take with us to cover him at night as I remember His faithfulness and sweet frienships He has provided…
Just like Richard makes fun of my mad gift remembering skill, he used to make fun of me making friends through my blog and on our agency listserv. But when I’m sitting on the floor opening a gift and tell him all about the person who sent it, their lives…where they are from…that Rebecca like our family has 3 kids, lives up north…and he sees what joy it is for me to bond with other mommies…he is beginning to get it and doesn’t give me a hard time anymore.

Thank you Rebecca for this precious gift!

For those of you beginning an adoption journey and feel like you haven’t connected YET with other mommies, I encourage you to be active on your listserv and commenting on other adoption blogs. God has provided an amazing community of mommies out there to support and encourage you. ALSO…if you live in the Atlanta area and you would be interested in being a part of an adoption fellowship group–please email me through my contact page! Wish you all a happy Mother’s day!!!

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!