Adoption 2010 Ethiopia~Home... Let the Story Begin

Hi Friends and friends to be!

We are home.  I took a couple of days off from jumping back into the computer stuff to just work on simplicity and bonding here.

Our trip was amazing. God stretched us at times more than I thought I might be able to bear, but true to His word, He never gives you more than you are able to handle.  I left Ethiopia with a daughter who is more than we could have imagined and with a heart more broken and in love with Ethiopia and its people.

We love Celebrate Children International-  Sue Hedberg is not only the executive director, but she is adopted into our family (she gave me permission ;-) and forever into our hearts as a friend. I love her passion for the children, her heart is devoted to this call of God upon her life.  I miss her so much already. Amazing how God gives us the gift to love one another.

This is from our first moments with our Ethiopian Princess
(who ran and changed her outfit, typical girl, right? ;-)

Do you want to know more about her?

She is beautiful (you can see that right)?

She is tender hearted.

She is smart, smart, smart.

She is kind.

She is tall, but tiny.
(the clothes I bought fit (size 10 girls) but the pants are what we call high-waters.
Need to go shopping soon!)

She has a size 7 foot.

She is passionately in love with God.

She is thankful.

She is respectful.

She has excellent manners.

She is willing to try things that are new.

She is a people person and easily talks to anyone in two African languages: Oromiffa or Amharic (her second language).

She is affectionate (VERY!)

She is sweet.

She is thoughtful.

She is funny.

She chews with her mouth open.

She LOVES chocolate.

She doesn't like milk, juice or cheese.

She loves lamb.

She loves football (which is soccer to us.)

She is athletic.

She is tough- (she fell off her bike here, scuffed up her hands in the fall and didn't cry).

She is artistic. (pictures to come of her brothers in braids.)

She loves to sing-the girl is a worshiper.

She is a giggler and laughs easily and often.

She is SO generous...she gave away the things we bought her to bring home from her country.

(more on this to come).

AND she is ours and I am more than blessed.

She is perfect-God made her as an exact fit for my family.

God is so very, very good!

A few more pictures and then I am off to pray.  I am crushed for Ethiopia.  I am praying, as I did last year when shortly after our adoption when God asked me to make *orphan dolls* to send out into the world...as a wake up call for His Church.  This time, I am seeking His face again, but with a twist on: *How I can set up an orphan care ministry at my church? And how can I minister to Ethiopia better?*  Listening for His voice and what it is He is asking us (my family) to do.  Planning on 40 days of prayer.  My Knight and I need to work out the details, as we plan to take a day weekly to fast and pray for Ethiopia, adoptions, orphans and how God wants to use us.

More on that to come.

We covet your prayers for getting to know each other.  She speaks a tiny bit of English, and as you know we speak even less of her languages; but with God all things are possible.  Amen.

Adoption Update

Hey, it is Pirate Jacky!
Just wanted to give you a quick update on what has been going on with our adoption. Our parents are safe and sound in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia! They met her yesterday and are having a wonderful time. We were able to talk to them-including our new sister!- on the phone yesterday afternoon (oh my goodness, our new sister is SO sweet. She would say "Hi, how are you?" and we'd reply "Good! We love you, sweet Ethiopian sister!" and she would be so happy to hear our voices that she would go into a fit of giggles!)  We are doing well and cannot wait to have them home on Sunday!

Couple pictures taken by the director, Sue,when our parents first met our new sister.

For an update on what has been going on back at home, check out my blog!

 Thanks for all your prayers!

--pirate jacky.

Time to Go! (Adoption Ethiopia 2010)

Soon we will find ourselves once again in this country that God has etched on our hearts.  Soon our feet will once again step on its beautiful soil.

Oh Lord, how eager we are not only to see Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, but to fulfill the mission you have called us to.  How our hearts are thumping in anticipation of holding our gift from you.  We are excited to wrap our arms around her and to tell her how much we love her.  Thank you for asking us, thank you for enabling us, thank you Lord for this amazing incredible journey.  Please bless each of those hearts that you called to come along side of us in this journey.  We are amazed at your love and favour that we have seen poured out into our lives.  All good gifts do come from You and we receive each of them with joy!

I leave you with scenes from Ethiopia from our last journey to love (2009).

and who we are going to bring home...

What I Will Be Reading on the Plane

This came in today's mail. 

 The author, Julie Ferwerda, asked me if I'd take the time to read it and help her get the word out about it.  I am excited, actually really excited, as I read a bit about Julie and this book; I realized that we share the same passion for orphans, for GOD and for Kingdom business! 

I read Julie's testimony and actually found some healing for my heart among her shared words.  We are a lot alike.  As her testimony hit my mind and heart, God's Spirit spoke to me about something I have been struggling with. 

 Julie made me realize that is okay to be me. I am a truth-teller too.  I must speak the Truth in love, even if it means loss for me personally. I will never live watered down.  I will never see things as *gray* it just isn't who I am.  I will always listen for His voice and follow Him, even if I lose friends because of it.  It's okay, because it is how He made me.  If you are my friend, know that I am going to tell you like it is, because I love and care about you.

I can't wait to tell you more about what I find within One Million Arrows-until then, go check out Julie's website and find out more of her God vision.

And my book models...they use to be orphans.

An Adoption Transformation-God Healing Broken Hearts

In September we found our daughter.She was not lost, but being held by the very hands of God for us.  Of course I'll have you know, it was God that led us to her. He had plans not only for her adoption, but for her healing.


These are some of her first pictures we were blessed with.  It became obvious to us that she was very uncomfortable with having her picture taken;
each smile was filled with pain.

But then in December she met us (via a photo album that we sent
 to her through our agency, Celebrate Children, International).

The beginnings of a real smile. 

 Even our agency director Sue made mention of her new smile.

God was not only working love, deep love into our hearts,

but into her heart too.

Then recently, they moved her to the agency's Transition house in Addis Ababa. 

 She lived in Woliso, two and half hours away for all of her life. 

Look what God is doing in her life.

Dinner out with Sue Hedberg...a new lightness about her spirit.

A trip to the zoo.

Waiting for us to come!

Isn't God good! 

Adoption is about love, and healing, about acceptance and joy, about worth and value.  Adoption is another way that God works healing into the hearts of His children.

Adoption is about faith,

it is about love, 

it is about trust;

not in ourselves but in God. 

 As we put our lives into His hands, in submission and surrender,

He comes and fills our hearts with courage and joy unspeakable.

Thank you for joining us in this journey.  We covet your prayers. 

Thank you for your friendship, we are truly blessed!

A Tip for our Marriages...

I have a new friend, her name is Patsy Stevens.  She has a wonderful website called, Garden of Praise.  We have been using her 10 Commandments coloring pages in our homeschool this year. Patsy's coloring pages are a fun way to help us solidify them in our hearts.  My kids remind me that we need to print off another.  We plan to make a book with them and use it to hide His Word in our hearts. 

 Deeper and deeper into our hearts oh Lord!

Last week I discovered that Patsy has added an online Bible in Amharic to her site, full of children's Bible stories in our Ethiopian daughter's language!!!  I was fortunate enough to also make friends with the man Solomon who made these pages possible.  He is a teacher in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and is a Christian!  Isn't God cool to hook me up with a friend in Addis.  Solomon has already offered to help me with Princess Sweetness and her education (yeah God!).  How Big is my God and how much does He love all of His children! 

And to think I was all worried about missing my homeschool convention, God has His own plans for my family, Praise God!  He cares about the tiniest of our needs.

But tonight as I poked around Patsy's terrific site some more, I came across some wonderful wisdom for our marriages.  Patsy isn't long winded, but hits the nail very firmly on the head when she teaches, Keys to a Successful Marriage. I agree wholeheartedly with all 15 of her keys. It is always good to ponder our marriages, even if things are going great. Some of us perhaps are struggling, let's gather our hearts together and believe God to speak healing into our marriages, as we think on Pat's keys.

 I am especially thankful to be able to give these keys to my daughters; who have already vowed to wait for God on who they will marry.  There will be no dating at our house.  And not just because the Mama and Papa say it isn't what is best, but because our girls (19 and 15) also think so too.  They came to this conclusion as they pressed into their Father's heart and looked into His love letter to them (the Bible).

To God be the Glory, great things He HAS done!

A Little More Popcorn Talk

Mentioning popcorn and it reminds me of God.  Kinda like, If You Give A Mouse A Cookie.

Why?

Well, if you read a few posts back (the other popcorn post), you'd see we had a new 50 pound bag of popcorn.  It is our second bag.  The first bag was purchased a year ago from Sam's Wholesale Club, where I do most of our grocery shopping now. 

As I heaved the bag on to the conveyor belt that scooted it along to the cashier, the older man in front of me asked me what I was going to do with that much popcorn.  I told him I was the mother of 6 (then I was), and this was a great inexpensive snack. He looked at me and said he couldn't believe I had six children. (Bless his heart.)  Which of course led me into talking about God and our adoptions.

He smiled big and told me he had come from a family of eleven.  He told me that growing up was such a wonderful time with all of his siblings.  He then went as far as to bless me, literally.

Now, I don't believe in coincidences-I do believe in God.  Shortly before my *popcorn God chat* with this man, I had a chat with my Knight.  We talked about our family and our quiverful of children. Our quiverful is really a miracle, because as some of you know we battle years and years of infertility.  My heart's desire is  to have many children. Actually, it is the call on my life.  As we talked, I told my dashing Knight that I would love to have eleven children someday.  I asked him if he thought we ever could have eleven.  He said he thought God might lead us there in His perfect time.

Flashback to my conversation with the older man at Sam's Club.  He happened to come from a family with eleven children.  Happened, no not happened, only by the hand of God did his parents have eleven beautiful children.  And only by God's hand did he stand before me in that line and share this with me.

My heart received this with much joy.  It was almost if an angel had visited me.  To be honest, I often wondered afterwards if that man might have been an angel sent by God.  It wouldn't have been the first time He did.

In 5 days we will add our 8th child.  My infertile barren womb is dancing again at this.  And just so you are not surprised, I'd love eleven children...so hold on to your hats and let's see what God has for us! 

Ethiopian Princess we love you.  We can't wait to kiss your beautiful face and hold you.  We have cleared our lives back home as much as possible, as we want to just breath you in for the next year.  God has chosen you for us, how blessed and thankful we are!

And maybe now you will never think of popcorn the same either.

Adoption

Six days...only six days until we venture on a plane across the pond to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 

2 Corinthians 5:7

We live by faith and not by sight.

The Message's version (2 Corinthians 5:6-8)

That's why we live with such good cheer. You won't see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don't get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It's what we trust in but don't yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we'll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming.

Snack Anyone?

Yup, that is one way we enjoy our 50 pound bag of popcorn...do you have any more ways to help us use up our huge bag?

Welcome to Prayer Request Sunday!

Welcome!  Would you like prayer?  Leave me your requests, I'd love to pray with you!

From my heart:

Bless my heart, I leave to go to Ethiopia in 8 days!

(Addis Ababa- we'll be staying at Grace Guest House)

   Princess Sweetness here we come!

This is a shot of the airport in Addis, from last January when we picked up Baby Mercy. This time we are flying United Emirates and will arrive in Addis in the morning (11 a.m.).

The Knight and I will have a 12 hour lay over the 19th in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai)

...quite the date night, huh?)

***

A picture from Ethiopia of Little Beauty last January (2009).

Wondering if my Knight will do the same with our 13 year old daughter?

(big smile)

Guess we will have to see!