Butterfly All Day

"Do not conform any longer to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:2

Transforming Love.  It's true.  God's amazing Love keeps transforming me.  I can look back over the last year, amazed at the changes in my life, perspective and priorities.
It's nothing to my credit.  God is at work.  Only God can transform:  create new life.

"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.  The old life is gone; a new life has begun." - 2 Corinthians 5:17

Some moments I am that butterfly, burst forth from a cocoon of the old.  I fly in God's strength and am changed.  Then other times, regretfully, I am actually more like a toy - the classic Transformer.  Plastic transformers are meant for playtime:  one thing now - then something else later . . . but not a new creation.

Does a butterfly regress, fold up her wings and roll back into a sluggish worm?  Does she retreat from her gift for fear of flying?  Does she forsake her wings because she doesn't deserve them?  Do pride and distraction end her flight?
No. She is a butterfly.  Changed.  Transformed.  The wings are hers.  A gift from God.
Why do I spend my days as a Transformer?  Only temporarily altered.  One moment I am new, the next minute somehow old again.

I look ahead to all God has before me.  I don't even know most of it, but I know a caterpillar won't fulfill it.  I can see how I've changed, but I can also see how much more God needs to replace.
May I continually be transformed with no resemblance of the former.
Through God's grace, I will try to be a butterfly all day.

"The unfailing Love of the Lord never ends . . . His mercies begin new each day." - Lamentations 3:22-23

Surprise!

It's time for an update!

As you know we are "paper pregnant" - waiting for the final stage of our adoption.

But we want you to know, we are also pregnant-pregnant . . .

like "belly pregnant" . . . "bun in the oven" . . . "preggo".

Yep.  You read it right.  We are having a baby!

You probably have some questions, so
here are answers to some FAQs:

Yes, we are still adopting.

Yes, we knew we could have more kids.

Yes, I was on birth control. . .therefore, surprised.  :)

Our baby is due in June.

WE ARE EXCITED! - especially Drew and Kate

Long story short:  We will have #4 while we wait for #3.

Surprise!

Yarbrough, Family of 6

   Too many blessings to count!

DELIVERED!!!

Our "Spirit-Soaked" documents are now in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia!

Woop! Woop!

Dossier Victory!

It's in the mail !!!!!!

At the Altar

It’s here!  The last piece of paper for our adoption dossier came in the mail!
Before we mail the whole thing to our agency, we want to literally lay it on the altar.  We are planning to pray over it at church tonight.
We want to ask you to pray along with us.
If you would, please join us in prayer this evening from wherever you are.  God will hear us agreeing together in a petition on behalf of the little girl who waits for us.

This dossier (packet of all our legal and family documents) is the most tangible connection we have to our process in Ethiopia.
The dossier will represent our family during the process.
The dossier will be on the table, front and center, as decisions are made.
We want to soak these papers in the Holy Spirit!

 Fact:  The wait time for orphans in Ethiopia is outrageous.
 Fact:  The time it will take for us to be matched with a little girl is indefinite.
 Fact:  God is sovereign in all things!
 Fact:  We are praying miracles of speed.
 
 Please
-Pray for the logistics of travel and approval to surround our documents.
-Pray for our documents to reflect the love in our hearts.
-Pray for God to supernaturally expedite our papers.

Fact:  God answers prayers!
We will begin EVERY DAY with the expectation that today could be the day we see a picture of our little girl.
Thank you for praying with us tonight and always!!

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And, we did!
 

Big House - Big Love

My kids inspire me!  They have the best love.
Drew and Kate are always playing together.  Age and gender mean nothing to their relationship.  Most of the time they are stuck together like one of those double popsicles.  They annoy each other sometimes, but they will spend HOURS in a nonstop run of imagination.  The icing on the cake is that my sweet pair not only love each other, but already love their little sister.  Every dream and plan they concoct for our family involves all three of our kids.  They set aside toys; dream of outings for a family of five; plan the new car seating arrangement; she is constantly included.  It blesses my heart, because it comes from such a pure place.

What I love even more is how they apply their love and dream so big.  They want everyone to have a family.  They want to do more.  They talk about it, and they are confused about the imbalance in our world.
Me too.

Just moments ago, they ran into the kitchen and said "We are the Super Team of Adoption".  They had changed clothes (again) and were on a mission to rescue all the children.
I said, "So, what do you do?"
With a super hero stance, Drew said, "We have super speed and a huge house for all the kids".
And off they went.  They continued their venture, finding lots of kids and taking them to do fun things.
In my head I started singing "Big House" by Audio Adrenaline. (I know. old-school from youth group days) It's a fun song, not a song that makes you cry.

Well now read some of the words to that song:

I don't know if you got a family
Say a mom or dad
I don't know if you feel love at all
But I bet you wish you had

Come and go with me
To my father's house
Come and go with me
To my father's house

It's a big, big house with lots and lots of room
A big, big table with lots and lots of food
A big, big yard where we can play football
A big, big house it's my father's house

All I know is it's a big ol' house
With rooms for everyone
All I know is lots a land
Where we can play and run

All I know is you need love
And I've got a family
All I know is your all alone
So why not come with me?

Come and go with me
To my fathers house
Come and go with me
To my father's house

It's a big, big house with lots and lots of room
A big, big table with lots and lots of food
A big, big yard where we can play football
A big, big house it's my father's house

It's a big, big house with lots and lots of room
A big, big table with lots and lots of food
A big, big yard where we can play football
A big, big house it's my father's house
My father's house

It is a fun song, but there's a real Superhero with a real Love that everyone should have.  One day we can all be Home together, but we need to bring every one to the Table now.  It's not just about bread and water.  It's about Bread and Water (John 6:35-40).

May I Love as big as my kids.  May my kids always Love big.

"Everyday I'm Shufflin',,,"

It's true.  Shufflin'.  Everyday.  Well, shufflin' to music would be normal, but lately... Shufflin' through papers.  We have a binder full of adoption paperwork.  I shuffle through that thing multiple times everyday, making sure, double-checking, that we are doing exactly what we need to do with each document.  International adoption is a crazy process. 
Detail after detail.
Well, our goal was to get as much as possible done before school started back.  God has really helped us!!  This part of the process (the paper chase) is expected to take 4-6 months.  I am thrilled to say that after 2 months, we have ONE major document left to chase! 
Whoohoo!!
School starts tomorrow, and later this week we should be able to send our application to USCIS for approval.  That approval will take some time, but then we will be able to compile our Dossier and send it to Ethiopia! 
THANK YOU!!!!! to everyone who has helped us in so many ways.  We still have quite a journey in front of us, but each paper and each step forward has felt like a small victory. 
Sending the Dossier is also going to require some major payments.  God is going to bring us through that, too. 
Above all, we would ask for your prayers.  Prayers for our sweet, little girl in Ethiopia.  Prayers for our family.  Prayers for a speedy rescue!   Amen.

Lots of Pieces!

We are so thankful for the amazing efforts of our family and friends!  We have almost met our first fundraising goal of $8,000!  WooHoo!
We are nearing the end of our Home Study and will soon have everything ready for our Dossier.  Our Dossier is a big packet of all the important documents, photos and requests needed for the Ethiopian government.  Once all of that is complete, notarized and certified, we will send it off.  :)
That means we need to hit our next fundraising goal.  We will have to pay a lot of major fees when we submit the Dossier.

We are excited about our Puzzle fundraiser.  :)  Our family loves puzzles, we have a new-found love for maps and we love keepsakes.  We are saving lots of things for our little girl, so she will see all the love people poured in to bring her home to us.  That's why we love our new Globe Puzzle.  Go to our Puzzle! page to get more info about how you can be a "piece in our puzzle".
We have lots of pieces!

Beauty for Ashes

Isaiah 61:3 has been on my heart for a few months.  It has taken on a new meaning in my spirit.

I am increasingly aware of the "ashes" in our world.   We all know that poverty is near us and rampant in other parts of the world.  Most of the time we keep it in the distance for our own sanity.  Just recently I have learned of mothers so desperate that they give parental rights over to orphanages just to keep their children fed.  I have seen images of families LIVING on landfills, not metaphorically, literally residing on trash.  Children without parents, without sustenance, without guidance rob and steal for survival, and then live in a children's prison because they are "bad".  People right next to us feel alone.  Children near us don't know love.    ashes.
They are ashes, because they are the ruins left from the Kingdom God intended.  These ashes are the remnant of the love and hope that is lost.
But...
There is a promise.  God speaks to His people.
...He will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair."  Isaiah 61:3

Every time I am saddened by the ashes, I discover beauty that is rising up in the middle of it.  God answers His people.  He hears their cries, and beauty rises.  God's people are helping women in Haiti keep their children.  Servants of Christ are finding ways to rescue communities living in trash.  Men of God are fathering the fatherless.  People are loving people.
There is nothing more beautiful.

I have seen this beauty my entire life.  My church has always been full of beautiful people who heal the ashes.  Salem is full of servants who bring healing in our city and around the world.  My parents are beautiful people who have taught me how to love.  I am thankful to live in a community of believers that seeks to rescue and protect.

God gives beauty for ashes, and Isaiah 61 continues with His promise that one day there will be nothing but beauty.
"The Sovereign Lord will show His justice to the nations of the world.  Everyone will praise Him!  His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, filled with young plants springing up everywhere." Isaiah 61:11

Until then, I want to be a part of the beauty.  Let it spring up in my home.  May I have the heart and vision to share it.  May I be unselfish enough to reach into the ashes.

I love his heart!

I want the world to know I love my husband!
(I'm going to be careful and keep it brief, because Kevin will not like this post.)
But, I love him!  There are so many things about him to love, but you should see his heart.
Kevin shows us a strong, dedicated love on a daily basis.  He truly follows Christ as he leads and loves our family.  He loves others, and his heart breaks for others.  The moment God moved him to adoption was not a surprise, but a special calling.  The moment he told me will forever be in my mind. His heart was broken.  He wanted us to take up the cause and take action.  He truly is a father to the fatherless.
Sun-up to sun-down Kevin has worked.  He works like he always has, and now even extra.  He mows and mows and mows.  Without missing a beat, he comes straight in to a game of Candy Land; he goes straight from the mower to the Pee Wee field; without fail, he steps right in to be an audience for the impromptu rock star shows.  Never a complaint.
And when you see him look at Drew and Kate, or the slightest mention of the sweet girl we haven't met, you can see his heart in his eyes.
They say dads have a lot to do with a girl's marriage.  It's true.  Because of my Dad, I knew how to find a pure heart.  Now, so will our girls.  And Drew will have a special heart for his family.
I love his heart!

Tangible Hope

The story behind these bracelets is awesome!
It is literally one of the things that keeps me up at night.
I am excited about supporting a worthy cause along with the pursuit of our own adoption.
Check out our Project Bracelets page for more details.

The more I learn about some of the desperate realities going on in the world, the less "normal" I want to be.  God continues to TRANSFORM my heart and the life of our family.  There is so much need right here and around the world.  Our family is certainly on a mission to rescue one sweet heart, and God has so much more in between and beyond.
I am thankful to be surrounded by amazing, Godly people who are always working and loving for the Lord.  In the midst of it all, there is a beautiful, tangible hope in seeing the hands of Christ!
I want to be a part of that Hope!

Lovin' Family Night

We LOVED our fellowship at Family Night!!!
Our friends and family were a tremendous blessing!

Cheesy at the Post Office

AMAZING Mother's Day!
God's love is alive and working all around me!  I have so many beautiful people in my life.

All of the adults and kids who worked the Car Wash on Saturday blessed us tremendously.  Just the fact that they were willing to sacrifice so much time and effort is awesome.  God blessed their work and used so many more generous people to make the day a huge success.  The FCA gave Kevin $1,000 today!!

Our family, church family and friends keep giving and encouraging and praying.  I promise you each and every bit means so much, and we feel it all.  It's hard to put it into words.

All of this generosity has brought us to this special time.  For Mother's Day, Kevin and I were able to complete some paperwork and fully launch into the 1st phase of the process.  Drew and I mailed our special package today, and we giggled and celebrated the whole time. :)
Best trip to the post office I've ever had.

Proud big brother and big sister

A stack of adoption shirts to give out!!! Thanks to everyone who ordered one!  Drew and Kate were so proud to wear their shirts for the first time today...actually all 4 of us were excited to wear them. 

The tangible things like this help us feel like we have a little something to grasp.  Many times throughout the day my heart aches, and my mind worries.  Time passes, and I know our sweet little one needs us.  The anxiety is not for me to feel something or feel better, but to rescue her.  I can resolve to patience when it is for my own purpose, but patience for the well-being of a child, my child.  Overwhelming.  And even more overwhelming that so many children need to be rescued.

That's when God steps in.  Every time, He steps in.  He moves, and He moves me.  I keep doing.  Kevin keeps doing.  Another yard.  A little more baking.  On my knees.  On our knees together.  God is sovereign.

So many of you are praying, loving and giving.  We feel it all and are truly blessed and lifted by each and every part.  I am confident that our little girl feels it, too.  I know she does.  Words will never be enough to express our gratitude.  I pray you each know the impact you have.

I am thankful for you!  for a God who loves!   for a God who is moving and working!  and for a God who works in spite of me!

It's Getting Cloudy

I'm not talking rain clouds, ya'll.
I'm talking witnesses, a CLOUD of WITNESSES.
We are in a downpour of blessings from the amazing people who surround us.  We are just drenched with all the love.
The prayers, the kind words and gifts are leaving us speechless.
Each one means so much to us, more than we could ever express.

Our church, Salem UMC, is showering on us with the surprise of a special Mother's Day giving opportunity.  They are also allowing us to host our Family Nights in the gym.  Their kind words and prayers are doing more than we can explain.

Our friends and coworkers have us soaked with love and support, too.  Every single day we are lifted by a sweet comment or act of kindness.  The MCHS FCA has even volunteered a car wash on our behalf. 

Our family.  You know our family.  God's love is so evident in such a tangible way within our family, and it always has been.  Kevin and I thank God daily for the people who surround us.

Simply Speechless.
There are no words that can express the gratitude we feel.
I can't wait for our little girl to see this!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.   Hebrews 12:1

Why can't we?

Today in the middle of  Wal-Mart, we were talking about not wanting things and asking for so many things (you know the standard mom-child conversation).  We have so much and others don't have what we do.  It's a basic life-lesson, but an important one.  I talked about that being one of the reasons we want to bring our new little sister home, so she can have what she needs and enjoy the things we do.  Drew agreed saying, "everyone should have good fruits and vegetables".  :) 
A few aisles down, Drew wanted to know if we could "just get all the kids who need a home when we go get her, because the other kids will be sad, so can't we just get all of them?"

In my mind... there's no good answer for that.
I know, Drew. "Why can't we?"

I did answer.  The best answer I have.
That's why so many people help, and why so many people adopt.
God uses all of us.

I have normal kids, who still continued the trip asking for popcorn chicken, pickles and mini pancakes.  But their hearts are changing...growing, just like mine.  More and more of each day takes on a new perspective.
Transforming Love.  We are seeing it in all areas of our life and family.  Only true Love does that.

So fast

Every night at the end of Drew's prayers he asks God to take care of our new little sister.  Last night, when Kate was alone in her bed, we overheard her prayers.  She said, "God, please bring my sister so fast."


Amen.

Sweet gift

This is a sweet gift from a very excited "Nessa".

The family that surrounds us makes it much easier to understand God's Love. 
That Love and security is at the heart of our decision to adopt.  Every one should know the reality of that kind of Love.  Every one.

Just a glimpse...

Our family already feels like five.  Drew and Kate dream and speak about their little sister as much as we do.  It's hard to describe, and it's very hard not to spend all waking moments in an anxious panic.  There is a day-by-day, moment-by-moment, God-fearing dependence we are walking in. 
We talk about our little girl.  We plan for her.  We worry about her. 
We pray for her.

Just a glimpse... one day, we will know more.  We dream about the day when we will see a picture, see her name.  It's almost more than a heart can stand.

This flower represents that glimpse.  It's a small tangible beauty that is the only image we can cling to for now.  It sits in the middle of our home, and it stirs our hearts every time we see it.

Of all the wishes...

Growing up with a heart for adoption.  That's what God can do!

Of all the wishes a little boy could make....

"Let's be excited!"

"I'm too excited!" That was Kate's response when we told Drew and Kate that we were going to adopt.  She totally verbalized how our family feels.  God spoke to Kevin and is leading our family into an amazing time.  We see and feel God moving in our family and home, but it is so much bigger.  God is bigger.

God's love is transforming our hearts and making us desperate to spread that transformation.

As our kids bounced around the room, Kate snuggled next to Drew and said, "Let's be excited!"
We can't do this alone, and we are excited about seeing a community of believers move for the sake of one child.
We are asking you to join us.  Please help us change a child's life forever.