Many More Yeses

I write.  I share.
I attempt to put words to God's love and His hand in our family.
So, you hear from me.
But you don't get to hear as much from the beautiful heart next to me.
The heart that holds me and works alongside me.
The heart that lifts me.
The heart that balances me.
The heart that puts up with me.

I have always and will always love Kevin and his heart.
I am so thankful for Kevin and for how God has blessed me and our family through him.

This adoption journey began in a moment when God spoke to Kevin's heart, and Kevin said yes.
Kevin said yes; I said yes with him.
God was faithful.

Kevin penned the beginning of the blog to explain - How It Began
Kevin chose the verse and the prayer:
Do not conform to the pattern of 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

Kevin puts his family first in so many ways, big and small.
He has ALWAYS made time for our kids and arranged his schedule for them.  He even stepped down from a career coaching position this year - just for his kids.
God has honored Kevin's choices and sacrifices, and God has helped us and continues to help us.

Now, with four kids, our teamwork has really ramped up.  We're double-teamed on every play, so our game has changed. 
* Kevin always plays best under pressure - so we got this :)

Some people assume marriage pulls you away from ministry, like a distraction from God.
I guess anything can do that if you let it, but I believe . . .
When God is in the midst of your marriage,
When both are striving to give life to Him,
Two yeses are stronger than one.
Two hearts are stronger than one.
No marriage gets it right all the time.  Kevin offers me big grace
every day. 
But when we give it to God, He fills in the gaps.
The unity and strength He created to be in marriage is an amazing gift.

I love that Kevin is on my team, and I am so thankful for every day.
May God bless us with many more yeses.

Drew, Kate, Sofi, and Luke have a very special Daddy.

One Month

Today marks one month.
One month ago we made the journey HOME with Sofi.
It seems so short.  She spent 3 years without a real home and family, but her forever has begun.

I can't even put into words how breathtaking it all is.

This month has been very full.  Full of love.  Full of emotions.  Full of changes.
Some of it has been shockingly smooth, and some of it is still really hard.
The changes have been drastic for all of our kids, and it tugs at all our emotions.
Some of the stresses are confusing for little ones, but God is helping each of us work through it.

No tear or meltdown could compare, though, with the beauty of this transformation.

"Transforming Love" was chosen very intentionally.  It was a hope, but mostly it was a prayer.
A prayer for the change we knew love could bring for a little girl, but even more the change we wanted to see take over in our own hearts.
You can't experience God without it changing you - deep, to-the-core, heart change.
We wanted God to work in us, around us, through us.

Transformation is never easy.  We knew that from day one.
This entire journey has taken us through different kinds of change, but these most recent moments are sincerely intense.
 
Intense in very good ways, but also tough.
Because it's real, and because God doesn't share space.  As our relationship with God grows, we have to whittle away - or rip away - things that shift our priorities.

The transformation we have prayed for Sofi is truly outrageous to witness.  Some things have literally proven to be miracles, and some have revealed God's Providence in her life since the beginning.

So, one month:
"porridge diet" to best eater in the house
milk from a dropper to cup chugger
hip hugger to runner
diapers to pull-ups
no voice to chatter
fear to laughter

Her whole world is new, and I love seeing her love it.

Sofi is sweet, loving, smart, silly, sassy, and hilarious.
She fits in to this bunch so perfectly, and I just love all four of my babies so much!

  

Jesus - our Saviour. . . and brother

This post:  The Father's Love has prove to be very true.
So, as I look to grow closer to my God, I am reminded to learn from Jesus.

I am so thankful for my children and the gift they are to me and each other.
And, I am so thankful for the gift of Jesus!

The Gift of Sofi

Sofi has been in our hearts for almost four years, but now she has been in our arms for 4 weeks.

Just four weeks
Seems like a blink
Only a moment

But she is so perfectly ours.

I can't even imagine a moment without her.

The video linked below is a glimpse of the precious time we have had, but speaks even more.

Sofi Shu, you are priceless.

Sofi Shu, you are so beautiful.

Sofi Shu, you are a child of God.

Sofi Shu, we will help you find your wings.

Each of our children is the most priceless and perfect gift from a great and loving God.
We are thankful beyond words.
May they each find their identity and worth in Christ and choose Him.  Amen.

Video:  The Gift of Sofi

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Our previous videos of preparing for Sofi:
One Step Closer - First Thousand Years
Thousand More

Sofi's Family

Family.

Family is such a beautiful thing.

God designed it, and we were made for it.

Family is why we are on this journey,

and family is helping us make it through.

I am so thankful for all the family that surrounds me.

I have my family - family.

My church family.

My Central family.

My Woodlawn family.

My friends - who - never - leave - me family.

It's really quite outrageous.

Everyone should experience love like this.

#glimpsesofheaven

The word "family" speaks so much love and hope.

The word "orphan" splits me to the core.

I struggle to type it.

I want so badly to thank all my family who give so much.

So much has been given and shared and sacrificed on behalf of Sofi and our family.

There are no words for the love we have received.

I want to reciprocate.

I want each person to somehow feel the depth of their impact, but nothing is adequate.

I pray deeply for God to pour blessings into your lives; for you to know our gratitude.

It's not easy to receive.

I am so humbled by the level of generosity I have experienced over the last few years.

Just the last few weeks and days have overwhelmed me.

I love my family.

I am deeply moved by your love for God, displayed in such beautiful kindness.

Precious donations

T-shirts and jewelry

Little lambs and clothes

Anonymous packages

Surprise shower

Money tree gifts

Loving scriptures

Texts and comments

Hugs and smiles

Substitutes and extra jobs

Plane ride games

and PRAYERS

Thank you for showing us the love of God!

You are Sofi's family.

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.  - 1 John 4:12

Each Breath

Intense.
This adoption process.
And the intensity grows in each step.
All parents understand the weight of a life that is dependent on you.  You want to give them your all and not miss a moment of need.
That weight is indescribable as we work to get to our little Sofi.
She is mine, but she is out of my reach.

We have constantly given these anxieties to God  (just as we do for our other kids), but the frequency of those requests has been a bit outrageous in the last weeks.
I'm thankful my God can handle it all!!
God has been so present and so real that I really cannot explain how His presence has felt.  I have needed him in a special way, and He has met every need in every moment.
He has whispered promises to me that have sustained me.

I have been so completely confident in God's sovereignty.  He has proven over and over His control over the timing and details in this adoption, but anxiety is real.
I have literally prayed for breath.
I pray, and God answers.

I have sung Great Are you Lord so many times this week.  The words are just beautiful.
It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise


"Great Are You Lord" (excerpt)

You give life, You are love
You bring light to the darkness
You give hope, You restore
Every heart that is broken

Great are You, Lord

It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
We pour out our praise
It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
To You only

All the earth will shout
Your praise
Our hearts will cry
These bones will sing
Great are You, Lord

It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
We pour out our praise
It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
To You only

I have offered God praise using the very breath He has given.
He provides and I return it back to Him.  He is so worthy.

This morning at church, the worship team (which leads beautiful, Spirit-filled worship) included this song. I immediately felt God's presence as He spoke so clearly about all those prayers He heard this week.  I was praising Him and thanking Him, and then that song washed over me.

I feel God in each moment and each breath.
If He is sustaining me, then how much more is He caring for His sweet child, Sofi.
I can put Sofi, Luke, Kate, and Drew in His hands.
What an awesome God!!
He is a God who gives us each breath.

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We are at the best part of our adoption journey!
If you want to follow our trip to China, you can join our FB group.
Just click here to join, or you can find a link on my FB page.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1779644752303183/?ref=bookmarks

The Countdown: Ready for Forever!

We are officially in travel countdown.  Today marked 12 days until we fly to China!

Today was another miracle.
Travel Approval from China can be a few days or a few weeks.  Today was our deadline to travel in November, and we were approved in 4 days.
So thankful!!!

God has proven His love and sovereignty over and over.

My mind scrolls videos and projects, and it helps me to get them out.

Ten days before we found our sweet Sofi I posted a video of our waiting in this post.

Now - two months later - 12 days from travel - the sequel: 
Thousand More

We are so ready for forever with our beautiful Sofi!