4.25.11
Reflecting back to a year ago this week has been encouraging.  In other ways it brings about a longing.  I have told folks that the ‘longing’ to adopt doesn’t stop once you adopt a child...or children in our case;)  It’s the longing that God has placed in us to continue to walk alongside Him in what He’s doing and in what is yet to come for eternity.  I’m so glad adopting our boys didn’t take this away.  I mean it’s tough to long, but it’s heightened my JOY and my LIVING with Christ.  I am less satisfied for sure with the things in my days.  There’s STILL much sifting after walking this journey the last couple of years.  Regardless, that sifting is still richer than the place of thinking I was satisfied with less of Jesus. 

So this week I’m remembering more keenly the ways we were walking our steps a year ago.  I don’t remember sleeping that Easter night.  I remember being up BEFORE the goats, roosters and dogs began their morning chatter.  I just looked back to what I was doing and found this in my notes.  I think it says my heart more clearly from then than even now.  Thank you Jesus for adopting US into your family that we may even desire to reflect that in ours.

~~~~~
 
We'll..it's one sleep from the birthday of the boys into our family...1 sleep for everyone but me...i doubt I'll sleep;) between worshiping our Lord and watching God do what we couldn't on this trip...I'm in “awe mode”; awe of so many things, but especially that I walk in my risen Lord's glory!  

So boys, tonight I try to finger something out on this make shift keyboard...with words that can't express the joy and hope we have for you. That God would allow us to walk along your story is a honor!! We are in love with Ethiopia and know you will long for it in some ways. We trust that God has plans for you in our family and hope and pray you both settle into his goodness and love for you.  

But again, it's sobering to think he would trust such fallen parents to love more children.  We will fail you, we will disappoint you, we will sin against you, but even with the worst of it all, we will cling to the Lord for our portion AND for yours until you cling to it for yourselves.  That is the best we can do...point you to the one who will not ever sin against you or act selfishly towards you.  His favor is soooo on you ..we know that already.

Oh it's with such care that we see those faces tomorrow that we've only seen dimly. Face to face...that's real! Know that one day you will see your Lord with such clarity but until then, you'll yearn for it each day.  We've yearned for you..and now the day is here.  Still, we both will wait for the greatest day to come where we see Jesus.  Until then, bear with us as we do what we can, claiming what Jesus gives us and trusting He will be at work to get all the glory!!!

Jeremiah and Jacob..we love you and look forward to welcoming you into our family!!! Xoxoxoxoxo, mom

Last year on this day...

4.24.11 A year ago we were celebrating Easter in Ethiopia as a family of 5.  It was the eve of when we would meet ‘our soon-to-be sons’.  I can remember the thrills in our hearts and the anticipation of that day.  I don’t think an Easter will top that one.  I mean here we were WORSHIPING our God on the other side of the world with brothers and sisters from an entirely foreign nation to us.  What was striking to us though was the THRILL in their hearts to CELEBRATE and REJOICE over our Lord and coming King.  We didn’t need unity of culture and language to see that.  Thankfully we were led to and International church where we went to the (mostly) English speaking service.  We WORSHIPED not only because of the beauty and irony of where we were, but because of WHO gave and continues to give us LIFE because of HIS DEATH and resurrection.

I could spend forever on those days leading up to this eve of meeting the boys.  They changed us.  We can’t even plan a ‘trip’ lately that doesn’t seem to ‘disappoint’ in some way because of how this trip a year ago will never be touched.  It’s not the trip that was so ‘sacred’, but the God we experienced through it.  When we realize the way the Lord oriented our lives and hearts to set us there on Easter Sunday last year, we are in awe.  That awe is worth remembering a year later today. 

We got to go to our driver’s home and have fresh prepared goat, chicken and veggies.  We had seen all the preparations of folks as we traveled the countryside the week before. I can only compare it to the hustle and bustle we have the week before Christmas here.  The difference was there was nothing ‘commercialized’, it was just all gathered through the community exchanges, markets, farms and in their ‘homes’.  The palm leaves were laid out on the floors and everything was as nice as their own setting could be.  They had been fasting from meat for Lent and now the animals were waiting out back for the feasting.  The time had come, and we were there.  With all of these preparations and reflections, I sensed a deeper understanding of THE Holy week.   There was no business and work come Friday.  It had all been done.  It was as if Jesus was in the town.  I kid you not.  You would have thought they were ready for HIM to show up any moment. 

Today, it makes me think.  Do I live my days as if HE’s coming again?  Do I prepare my heart and home for HIM now or only on holidays?  Do I believe Jesus is worth everything?  Do I live with the anticipation we had on that eve of meeting our boys?

I’ve come to know this ‘experience’ is right before me and not just in Africa. Read Psalm 34 and remember:  vs8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

A year ago; the beginning of our Gotcha Week.  Thank you Jesus for memories and thank you even more that YOU are still with us showing us more of YOU!