10
Nov

hello son

November 10, 2010

It’s taken me days to wrap my mind around what to write.

We waited and waited for this day and I really think that for me, I stuffed down a lot of what I have been feeling about Samuel until Sunday evening. 

I mean, at first in the summer, I couldn’t even believe that I was to be his new Mama.

Then there was the matter of the Canadian approvals.

Then I wondered, would we manage to get our dossier to the CCAA in time?

And then here we were, getting ready to meet our son face to face.

So Sunday night we were so excited.

We realized with the time change we had last Saturday night that our time with him would be an hour earlier.

We prepped the video camera.

We sat down with the kids gathered around us.

And we waited for that first message that asked us to hit the call button.

And then all of a sudden there he was! 

“Hey-yo”, in a sing song voice.

And it was all over.

I can’t speak for Stephen, but I had the biggest case of stage fright.

Like a young girl over her first crush.

This is no longer some abstract idea to me that I can control and keep in an emotional box.

He is no longer just sweet Samuel.

He is my son.

And I ache to have him here with the rest of our herd.

I need to get there.

Someone is missing and suddenly I know it as well as I know anything.

{gulp}

 

 

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7
Nov

Samuel’s Warriors

November 7, 2010

Today is Orphan Sunday.

Many churches around North America choose this day to bring awareness to the enormous global Orphan Crisis. 

There are numerous ways that one can help those who wait for families (at least 98 million, although the numbers have been tabulated into the 200 million range by some).

So many options:

  • befriend a foster child, family or foster parent group in your community
  • give financially or in kind
  • sponsor children abroad
  •  help a family bring home their child
  • adopt a child and give them a place to call their forever home

So many ways.

One other way that is not often mentioned directly is all of the behind the scenes work of a secret army of tireless men and women. 

They do not hold earthly weapons.

They do not always congregate in companies and legions.

But they do daily storm the gates of Heaven for those that wait,

the Orphan.

To many of us, the Orphan is a faceless, nameless blur.

A Concept.

An Abstract Idea.

And then sometimes, Someone, a Face, will cross their paths and suddenly that Warrior Heart rises up and we can do nothing but rally and plead for that One. 

That Orphan.

That Child.

These warriors sometimes are seen.

And sometimes they are not.

Sometimes they share their passion with others and let them know that the need is great.

And sometimes they quietly interceed for that Child.

Until Heaven moves.

And that child waits no more.

My son was that One.

He was abandoned.

Placed.

At the gates of a rural civil affairs office.

And then he was Found.

Taken into the care of a Foster Grandmother.

After 18 months, the Director found a new place for him.

A New Day had come.

His photo was posted online.

And many of those same Warriors began to rise up.

Across an ocean Hearts of a Family began to be stirred.

And another Battle was won.

Our Son would wait no more.

So today, on Orphan Sunday, I ask that you consider the ideas to help that I posted above. 

But perhaps more so, I ask you to rise up alongside these quiet Warriors.

Join them and fight.

Plead.

Pray.

Trust.

But do not forget.

Until the One who waits,

becomes None.

 

Once our eyes are opened, we can not pretend we do not know what to do.

God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act.

Proverbs 24:12

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

May I, with {MUCH} gratitude, share with you just a few folks off of the long list of Samuel’s Warriors?

These are just a few of the ones that have public blogs.

They have invested finances, time, prayer and much heart in advocating for our little man.

Will you say a pray of thanksgiving for each of them and the many who have contacted us?

Heather

Kim

Molly

April & David

Valerie

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Photos courtesy of a very kind former volunteer from ND.  🙂

(Samuel was trying his best to sport the ever present “V” sign with his little fingers.)

 

 

 

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6
Nov

A Poignant Post

November 6, 2010

My Mom introduced me to Life as a Pilgrim awhile back. 

I was catching up on her blog this morning and when I came to this post, I was so taken with her photos from a Chinese orphanage wrapped in sweet prayerful prose. 

Her post is entitled, “We wait for you to Ache“. 

It just so fully describes why so many of us advocate and fully “ache” over not only the orphan crisis, but the each and every one of the orphans in the world. 

 The photos are adorable on their own. 

 Enjoy!

(Click on the red to get to the blog and the post.)

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5
Nov

5

November 5, 2010

 

That would be FIVE days since our dossier was logged in to the CCAA!!!!!

Yep, we have an LID!

We were DTC on October 5th and our official LID is November 1st.

Ahhhhh, it feels so good to be 5 days in already.

Sort of like for once we are ahead of the game.  😉

Now we are counting down the days until we receive our LOA / LSC document from China that will officially approve our adoption from China’s standpoint.

After that comes our TA or travel approval document which will allow us to get on that plane and meet our boy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This Sunday evening at 6 p.m. PST we get to meet our son via Skype.  It will be the first time we will be introduced as Mama and Baba.

Nervous?

Yes.

Excited?

Unbelievably.

If you happen to glance at the clock that evening, will you send up a prayer that the technical side of things works out and that we will have a good first visit?

Thank you!

 

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5
Nov

Grace’s Friend is Coming Home!

November 5, 2010

I can’t even describe how excited I am for our new friends Barb & Mike. 

They just received their Travel Approval and are hoping to leave in about 3 weeks to bring their daughter, Nora, home.  

That special little girl is also very special to my little girl. 

{You might remember my posts here & here, which led to our amazement when this happened.}

They’ve shared many years in their orphanage together.

(Grace is on the far right and Nora is just to her left, holding the red lollipop.  The girls were about 3.5 years old.)

Nora has watched Grace leave.

And now it’s Nora’s turn.

PRAISE GOD! 

Hop on over to their blog and congratulate them, won’t you?

Let’s throw them a party to remember – something special to tell Nora about once she’s home!

(And just in case you are looking, I know of at least 2 more little girls from the same orphanage who are looking for their forever family… just thought I’d mention that!)
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1
Nov

Halloween (the morning after)

November 1, 2010

This is what happens the morning after Halloween in our home. 

The trading begins. 

 

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31
Oct

Halloween Humor

October 31, 2010

“Goodbye!  Thanks!  Have a fun time!”  ~ Grace to an older gentleman as she ran off with her loot. 

She got a big smile and wave in return.  🙂

The joy of a first Halloween.

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29
Oct

DTC (officially)

October 29, 2010

DTC = Dossier to China

Remember my glee over being DTC last week?  Well, we found out today that our precious pile of papers was actually in no man’s land on someone’s desk at the ministry office here in our province for an extra week.  Our facilitator called the CCAA twice and they had no idea where it was!   Thankfully when I called our provincial adoption agency, they read me my notice of receipt from China and sure enough it actually left Canada on October 25th.  Whew!  Now on to our LOA (Letter of Approval).  Once China issues that fabulous little letter we will be officially approved on all fronts to adopt Samuel.

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29
Oct

Samuel Update #4 (October)

October 29, 2010

 

Another wonderful update this morning! 

The wait is becoming, well, a wait. 

Somehow it was easier when we were rushing around with paperwork.

Better focus on my enormous To Do list, because if this adoption is anything like the other two, I know that it will be time to get on that plane and I’ll wonder what I did for all those months of waiting! 

 

Here’s the update:

 

Samuel is 2 Years 8 Months Old.

Samuel’s nanny wrote this update:

Samuel is just brightening as he grows! I always have funny stories to share about him. One afternoon, after a rain shower, Samuel was playing with the other children in the back yard. The slide on the playground was full of rain water and our dog, Tom, was using it as his drinking bowl. When Samuel saw what Tom was doing he quickly slid down the slide and tried to mimic Tom and lick water out of the “bowl”. I stopped him just in time! Samuel’s innocence and simplicity bring joy to everyone and we are certainly blessed to be able to watch him grow.

 

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26
Oct

Catching up on an Amazing Day

October 26, 2010

Here’s my effort to catch up on a very full day as quickly as possible…

  • Woke up and saw a pile of photos in my inbox.  Samuel received our package.  He’s such a little guy.  To think it is only the beginning of his long life with us absolutely overwhelms me.  I’m so thankful.
  • Our facilitator called China to see if our LID was issued, and they have not received our dossier as of yet.  In response, they asked for and received our extension (1 month).  Sweet relief.
  • Met with our friend who hosted the Healing Prayer training.  Told her about Garnet’s healing.  Much rejoicing.  My faith was strengthened.
  • Stephen & I met with our kids’ pediatrician.  We’
  • We discussed a variety of concerns we have had with Garnet.  We’ve been waiting for this appointment for many, many months.  We are trying to get help for our busy, optimistic, tender hearted little man.  He heard us out, spoke back to us his own sense, and offered a life line.  We feel so affirmed. 
  • Faith’s birthday is next week.  Stephen & I managed to get out and do a bit of shopping.  We even threw in dinner (Burgers) & a movie (Red).  I remember love & laughter.

(The candy is not  for Samuel!  Just in case you Mamas are concerned.  Haha)

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