Good Friday / Day 60

So I know I'm horrible about posting on my blog. Quite frankly I just never seem to have any time to post. Where does one get this extra time alone to think and then type without interruption? Well today is Good Friday so I have the day off of work....well kind of. You see I'm on call. Well it seems like I always am. I take on call from my fellow co-workers so that I can raise extra money for our adoption. I sit here thinking what to type. My emotions have been running high. I have such mixed emotions about Good Friday. How could we  do what we did? How could we crucify the only Perfect one? I start to think of all the children that through no fault of their own are discarded. These children who did nothing wrong are abandoned. We turned our backs on Jesus and let Him suffer and die on our cross. He bled to wash away my sins. I am redeemed through Him. How can I now turn my back on His children? They suffer and die. They have done nothing to deserve their treatment other than being born into a world of sin. How can we ignore it? How can we as Christians ignore their cries? I pray I never forget.  I am glad that He has opened my heart to adoption. The children need us. Today my little girl needs me. Today is day 60 of our LOA wait. (letter of acceptance) I pray that we will get word soon.  So today we not only celebrate Good Friday but also the fact that we have 60 less days to wait on Aliyah's homecoming. Hang on sweety, Daddy's coming!

New pics of my baby girl!

Got new pics of our daughter today. Just thrilled to be able to see new pics of her!



Girl Makes Hats To Raise Money For Orphans & Adoption Awareness

Girl Makes Hats To Raise Money For Orphans & Adoption Awareness

Waiting

Well for those that don't know where we are at with our adoption, we are waiting on China at this point to give us our LOA or for the laymen that is our letter of approval. Our important dates are: Pre-Approval date was 12/9/2011, our DTC (Dossier To China) was 1/20/2012, our LID (Log In Date) was 2/6/2012. So here we are. Waiting, waiting, and more waiting. We knew from Danes adoption all about the waiting. You would think this would be old hat for us. It's not. It's still hard. This last week has been almost un-bearable for me. This week at work I had to do a job outside my norm, a job where you have allot of time to think. Without my normal distractions and business, I was a mess. My thoughts kept racing back to China and my little girl. Thoughts of her sitting in a crib without her family. To make matters worse most of the people I call to talk were busy. I felt alone this week. My prayers felt like they were going un-answered. I longed to talk to my grandpa. I still miss him terribly. He was always good for an encouraging word. I know that God will answer prayers in His time. I know that when I am low He always comes through with encouragement when I need it most. He has done that, over and over. I know this was just a tough week. I know there will be plenty more to come. I know he uses these to make us stronger. To get us to turn to Him and stay focused on Him. One co-worker reminded me to not let the "noise" distract me like it did with Peter walking on the water towards Jesus. The "noise" he was referring to me about was all the negativity around me. The waves and noise (negative people) that would distract me from God's calling for me to adopt. The people that don't understand why I want to adopt and why I want to adopt internationally. I pray that next week will be easier. I am hoping that our LOA will come quickly. I know God is in control, and He will always guide me!

Catching up

For the last week I have been in Detroit for training for my job. I am someone who really enjoys learning new things. I love hands on training as well. Being gone from the family for a week is tough though. Knowing that I left my wife home with a bunch of sick kids didn't make me feel good either. I was missing home and the kids right away. (ok not the house full of germs, but the family yes) I was however blessed beyond belief by being able to meet up with friends that have also adopted from Korea. They invited me over for a Valentines dinner that was delicious! Later in the week we met up for some authentic Korean food at a great Korean restaurant. To be honest they made my week a very enjoyable week and made me feel like family. God blesses us in such ways it's hard to imagine how we begin to doubt Him so much. I know with our adoption process for Dane and now for Aliyah I have struggled so much with trusting Him to produce the funding. God demonstrated His power through out Dane's adoption over and over again and yet here I am again, back in the same old boat of doubt and worry. He has been showing me His great power again these last few days with blessings from friends. We truly have an amazing support group of adoptive friends. We have had their financial support and moral support. They have given so much and it has always come at the right times when we were at a low and feeling like we were all alone. I love my friends and I am thankful for them. I feel so undeserving at times. I pray I will show them my appreciation. I want them to know how much I value them and their support. I know with my week of training I was removed from friends, family, and home. God provided me with so much. He always provides. We never are without, not while we are walking with HIM! He will never leave our side! I am home now. The welcome I received was amazing. The kids hung signs for me and colored pictures. They came running and surrounded me with hugs and kisses. I am one truly blessed man! I love my wife and my kids. Thank you God for giving me so much.

Alaina making her Hats of Love

1st hat she made