From One Side of the Ocean.....

This is my last night here. For the past two weeks, Michael and I have been serving in a country that at times can shine the light and other times can be very very dark. It is the place where we are adopting from. Where God has said, your family for right now, will be built from. And yet, I struggle so hard with leaving this time. Things are very, very different.

We spent a couple of days exploring China together. It was fun to take Michael around and show him all the different sites, experience the food and the culture.

Then we headed down to another city by train. Five hours of seeing the country. We then spend the next four days camping, yes camping in China. Tent camping, no electricity, China bathrooms (Need I say more), cooking our own food and 13 kids. Kids who spend 13+ hours a day in school 6 days a week. Free time is non-existent. Their time outside of school is spent studying. So this was there chance to be a kid. And we had the honor of spending the week with them. Yes it was incredibly hot, incredibly tiring and incredibly moving. We were the seed planters. Loving on kids who never get to “play” with an adult. Badminton, water balloons,  water guns, laser tag (called CS here), hiking, cooking our own food, picking our own food from gardens to eat, it was amazing.

We came back into town, and with our last day there we went to an orphanage. This is a very special place. A lady who has been called to care for the outcasts of China. She takes in the children, the government does not want to take care of. Kids with severe disabilities. She raises money through various methods and then they have surgeries. (In China, kids with disabilities are seen as “throw” away Children. Some are even flagged as not adoptable because of their condition. This 6 hours rocked my world.

I had been there before, so I knew the conditions to expect. The kids rocked my world. Their sweet faces saying love me! Their hugs, playful spirits captured the hearts of all of us there. But it hit like a ton of bricks, my little girl is sitting in an orphanage somewhere that I could only pray was a little bit close to what this place was. I was consumed with the thoughts of, is she being loved right now, is someone playing with her. Is she considered an outcast. And then the wave (Of obvious thought) we are not taking her home on this trip. I have to leave this country without my little girl. The thought of that just breaks my heart to shreds.

I long for the day that she gets to come home. I long for the play time, the hugs, the joy that she will bring to our house and the fact that God will complete HIS plan for our family.

We are departing on an early flight out tomorrow. Please be praying for us as we go. I can’t speak for Michael, but I can say without a doubt my heart is breaking for her and the other little children who are sleeping in an orphanage tonight not only here but across this world. Could you imagine even if half of America could open their hearts to adoption, what that would do to the orphan population?

This was a song I heard before we left the states. You can take the Father out of it and replace it with mother.

The One You Need- Shane and Shane

Hey hey sweet daughter
I am so proud to be your father
Each day is like a gift from God

Hey hey sweet daughter
There’s no music like your laughter
And your smile is like a rising sun

You know I loved you from the start
So come in close
Take my hand for
Daddy shares his heart

I wish that I could be your everything
Be the one to give you all the things you need
Sometimes I’m gonna let you down
But there’s Someone if you just believe
Be your hero like He’s always been for me
Darling, Jesus is the one you need

No matter what you walk through
He will always love you
Just the way you are
For there’s nothing in this world
That I’d walk for my baby girl
That she’ll be happy ever after

The story of your life is still untold
I pray the King of all the Universe
Would make your heart His own

I wish that I could be your everything
Be the one to give you all the things you need
Sometimes I’m gonna let you down
But there’s Someone if you just believe
Be your hero like He’s always been for me
Darling, Jesus is the one

Who will never leave
He’s been there all along
All ready You can find to love

I wish that I could be your everything
Be the one to give you all the things you need
Sometimes I’m gonna let you down
But there’s Someone if you just believe
Be your hero like He’s always been for me
Darling, Jesus is the one you need

Till the other side of the ocean.

Yes that is a bird cage hanging off the bus with birds. 

Bucket list, Check. I got to drive in China:)

Mommy Moments

I have always wondered what it would be like when you feel like a mom for the first time. Is that the first time you feel your child kick, first time you hold them? This is a thought that I have been contemplating, but I have begun to believe, at least for myself, I already have had a few mommy moments.

Yes, I have been dreaming about the first time that I hold my little one. I think about the day that we will be in China, and she will come into the room. The first time we would lay physical eyes on us. What our thoughts would be and what hers would be. That is a definite moment. But I have found I have been given the opportunity to be a Mommy beforehand and go to bat for my child. I have actually found that the Momma Bear inside (A not always good side) comes out when it comes to this adoption and a human mind set getting in the wayJ

The home study went well. Our social worker (I love and miss our visits already) was awesome! We had some great discussion, she gave us good food for thought, and the house was ready and so on. So, now we are waiting for the report to come back and then we can move on to the next step, immigration.

During the home study, there were several tasks that we had to complete. Both of us had to have physicals, drug tests and we had to gather a bunch of references. We also had to have our septic tank inspected, Elmo updated on his shots, and fill out an entire tree worth of paperJ. There were also a few sets of finger prints that we had to get done. One was at the Sherriff’s office and one was at a UPS store. (Odd I know) Both times we went in and something was wrong. Either the web site was wrong and the times had not been updated or the machines were broken down. But both times when these folks told us NO, the momma bear in me was rising up. Wanting to scream “You are delaying my meeting my daughter. Because of you, she is waiting in the orphanage another day!” Probably not the most appropriate for the Sherriff’s office to say the least and thankfully I held my tongue. But it was the first time I felt the instinct to protect my young.

I have had to constantly sit with the Lord and be reminded that he is currently taking care of her. HE is making sure she has what she needs until the time comes when HE will unite us. Ahh that glorious day….

Michael and I are headed tomorrow to China. We are going to serve alongside some great folks and do some awesome things while being over there. We will be gone for almost two weeks. This will be Michael’s first time out of the country (I am sure we will have some stories to share) and the thoughts that I have had as we prepare, is I am going to be in a country where my baby is and I cannot get to her.  That will still have so much to do to bring her home and now is not the time. Time, something that I am wrestling with. Time of waiting, time of filling out paperwork, time of needing to get others involved, time, time, time. But what else is going on in that time is even far greater than anything mentioned above. Our hearts are being knit together stich by stich until the final stich is done and we are together.

Please be praying for us during this time. I will try to post, but not too sure if we will be able to.

Love,

Jennifer

A few misnomers……

     1. We are almost at the end…. Not so much.

Our last home study visit is Monday and while we are excited to get this part of the journey checked off, there is still much more to do to get this little one home.

Once the home study is complete the rest will look a little like this:

·         Home study report, could take 2-3 months to get back as they wait for finger prints and such

·         *Apply for immigration- Cannot do this until we have a completed home study report. ---*Takes 6-8 weeks, although we are praying for a shorter time.

·        * Get papers ready for China (During immigration process)

·        * Immigration approval, send documents off to China

·        * Wait, wait, wait wait some more for a referral. 6-8 months.

·         *Travel sometime within 4 months of getting the referral. (A day we long for)

In the meantime, we have many things going on around here. We are headed to China on July 18^th or so for a service trip at an orphanage and an English camp. Please be praying for us during this time. We will be doing some awesome things. This will be Michael’s first trip to China, I am so excited to show him a place that I love and feels like a second home.

So as, you can see there is still much to do to bring her home. The paperwork alone, would make anyone go insane.

     2. We are rich…. Not.

We are not rich because we are adopting. Michael and I work in middle class jobs. So, there isn’t the thousands of dollars it is going to take grow our family. But we are trusting in his provision. But here are some of the things that we are doing……..

Saving- Like mad people. We are scrimping everywhere that we can in order to put away more and more every month. We do not have new cars (In fact they are old), we do not have the latest technology or have the fanciest house. This is all in the name of having a family.

Fundraising- We have some fun ideas to get folks involved. Currently we are collecting stuff for a yard sale. We are going to tie this in with a bake sale and all proceeds are going to benefit the adoption. (If you got some stuff you want to be gone, please call us, we will take it) I am also planning a dessert night (Both gluten filled and gluten free) in an effort to raise some funds through baking this winter. So, keep the change, Spare Change Dessert night is coming in September.

Over time- Michael is trying to catch overtime where he can

Scholarships- Once we have a completed home study, we will be able to apply for some scholarships in order to help with bringing her home.

Coffee- We have hooked up with Just Love Coffee. It is a fair trade coffee company in which we have made a web page. For every bag that is bought with our link (See right) we get $6 towards the adoption. We got our first check in the mail last month!

Amazon- This is pretty stinkin cool. If you use our Amazon link (Again to the right)  we get 4% of the purchase that is made. You still sign in to your Amazon account like you normally would, the web page is encoded for us. This is an easy opportunity to help out especially if you order from Amazon. And if you know anyone who orders off of Amazon, please pass it on.

There are some other things that we are planning as well, to be announced later.

So that is where we are at. Once the home study is complete, I will write all about it. It has been a neat experience.

We have also started a journal for her. It sits out in our living room and is available to anyone who wants to write to her. (Of course you have to come visit) But it is a way for her to know where we are at, pray for her and such. I think it is going to be a pretty special part of her story. Feel free to ask for it when you come over.

More to come, got to clean, we have a visitor on MondayJ

Jennifer