We've been Approved !!!

Yes, it's finally here. We have been officially approved to adopt our children. Hallelujah!! The state of GA sent the ICPC package back to WA last Tue. 22nd to state that they approved our adoption but did not let our social worker know until Mon. 28th. I have no idea why. Anyway, we met with her on Tue. to read through a lot of papers and then we called the children to tell them. They are really excited. I'm floored. Even little Perry understands and said "I go with you?" I said, "YES".
We are waiting at this time to hear back from the kids social worker to find out what they expect with regards to our visit and then we will make our plans. My prayer is that it will be Valentine week. We'll see. Thanks to so many of you who have been so supportive.

Pray for those in GREAT need

Here is a great adoption story about a US soldier who adopted a disabled Iraqi orphan, and his passion to continue to rescue those who have been left for dead: The images are graphic.
http://wcco.com/local/soldier.adoption.Wisconsin.2.616112.html

I Just Visited the Children

These pictures are not in the right order.
So sorry I have no idea how to do this.





Gabriel and his guitar. He's very proud of it and wants to bring it on the plane.

Alyssa being a Princess in my coat.

Perry and I had just put his picture book together of our first visit. I gave him Thomas the Train stickers to add to his book. He's very proud of the front.

The boys out sledding at their foster home. Perry squeals with delight.
Outside with the boys.


Alyssa showing her monkeys she got at Christmas.
Meeting the children for the first time. They are giving me little gifts.
Reading Perry a book.
Feeding Perry and Alyssa Smarty candies.
A group picture at our first visit.
The car I drove all over town.




Yes its hard to believe but I just got back last night after visiting the children in Washington. It all started out after I learned of a lady named Nancy Thomas who specializes in adopted children and I ordered some of her books. While on her web site I noticed her seminars and noticed that she was going to be in the same town as the children. Burt and I thought, wouldn't that be funny if we were there the same time as her seminar. Well we weren't but with things going so slowly Burt said I should go and see the children at the same time. We asked the social worker if that was doable and she said yes. Because of some very special friends who gave us Buddy passes I was able to go at the drop of a hat. (Thanks guys, you're the best). It took me 3 planes to get out there and 2 to get back. I left on Wed. and got back on Sun. What an experience. I couldn't have orchestrated it better myself. God was in control and took care of me the whole way. I got to see the children for 2 hours on Thur. at their group visit and then on Fri. I visited the boys at their foster home and on Sat. visited Alyssa at hers. I met some fantastic people at the conference and had lots of kisses and hugs from the children. Thank you all so much for your support and prayers. We are truely blessed.

We Need Your Prayers

Oh the challenges and injustices I feel right now.

We got a call yesterday from our Social Worker stating that she had received our ICPC packet last Thur. from James Graves and just opened it yesterday. This is after we had called her 3 times last week. She said that they had sent a 6 inch packet of papers that she wouldn't be able to go through until next week. She also stated that they were asking for items she had gathered this summer. This goes to show that our US system needs help!!! There are children who will never get adopted because of this bureaucracy. I know that for a fact form the differnt adoption loops I am on. There are children that will grow up in the system and never have a place to call home or people to call their family. God created, The Family. It is not good for children not to have parents. A Mommy and Daddy to love them. The more I read the more I learn that children can not grow to their fullest potential spiritually, emotionally, physically and mentally without parents... without a family. They most likely end up back in the system whether incarcerated or in the Welfare system and repeat the cycle. Pray that the bureaucratic red tape of our system does not continue to keep families hostages. Pray that our social worker can focus on this case. Pray for the children's emotional state. They are all having a hard time waiting. Jayson said he saw an airplane the other day and thought it was us. Alyssa said on Christmas day that she was meeting her new family the next day because she took it literally that it was most likely we would be there after Christmas. We will be sending them a video of us now and Burt and I are in prayer weather I should go in the next week to visit with the children. We want to be in Gods will. Thank you for your prayers.

Why We are Called

Why adopt?......"Don't you have 3 children already???" "Are you crazy?" Well, let me start first by saying......"No, we're not crazy!" We are very content as a family of 5 but feel that God is leading us to open up our hearts and our home to more "little ones" who need a home, love, security and a family to call their own. We have been truly blessed and are being led to share those blessings with other in need. The Old Testament has many scriptures that show God’s concern and compassion for orphans. Adoption is the most loving and permanent way to care for these little ones. Psalm 68:5-6a says about God, “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families...” " We are called by God to look after widows and orphans in their time of distress." (James 1:27) When we adopt we demonstrate LOVE to the watching world. We can show love, not in words, but in actions. Adoption is sometimes expensive and definatley exhausting. It is inconvenient! Plus, it lasts a lifetime! Why would we do this? Very simple: “We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19). I am reminded of a story I've heard....
A man was once walking on the beach and saw a boy picking things up and throwing them into the ocean. As he got closer, he noticed the boy was throwing starfish back into the sea one by one. There were hundreds of starfish surrounding him, and looking up the coast there were infinite more starfish on the shore. The man asked, "What are you doing?" "Helping the starfish," he responded. "But there are hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of starfish that have been washed ashore along the coastline. You can't really believe that by throwing back a few hundred starfish in the ocean, that you're really going to make a substantial difference, do you?" The boy turned to the man and said nothing. He then picked up another starfish and hurled it into the sea as far as he could. He then looked in the mans eyes and said, "Made a difference to that one…"
"Why adopt?" I guess for us, we feel that it is what we have been called to do. We are being led to share what God has blessed our family with and yet I know in my heart that we will end up being the ones blessed most of all, by the presence of these precious little lives that God has entrusted to us.
I just wanted to share this with you.
May your New Year be filled with love and hope.