65 families wait.....

3 years ago our precious friends, the Kahler's, traveled to Kyrgyzstan to meet their precious son, Asa, for the first time. As they were preparing to make their 2nd trip to bring him home, ALL international adoptions in Kyrgyzstan came to a screeching halt. 65 families were in process of bringing their babes home and the hope of their children coming home was beginning to look impossible. These 65 families continued to wait for glimpse of news...any news...some families received the terrible news that their sweet babes had passed away due to illness...while the others waited and prayed that the officials could come to an agreement and allow their adoptions to proceed. Fast forward 3 very LONG years, these families still wait but God is moving MIGHTILY!!!!!!!!  

One of the waiting families, the Bilyeus, lost their daughter due to complications of hydrocephalus in August 2010. They have chosen, with God's strength, to turn their deep grieving into hope and help for the remaining families. They have partnered with Lifesong for Orphans and Altynai's Legacy Adoption Fund was born. The mission of Altynai's Legacy Adoption fund is to provide financial assistance for the remaining families adoptions.

I am in tears as I write this post...I can't even being to imagine the pain of losing a child that had they been allowed to come home would still be alive. I have watched several of my friends walk this journey and it shakes me to the core.  I am asking you...my sweet, precious friends to please consider a donation to Altynai's fund...help her orphanage "brothers" and "sisters" home to their families. Altynai is safe in the arms of her Father...can you please help the other children home to the safety of their forever families?

Please go to the Bilyeus's blog to see how you can help. Read the families stories...be blessed, be moved to act! Our friends, the Kahler's, story is here. I had the privilege of getting to know this sweet family as we waited to bring Solomon home. They were in process to bring their son, Ezra, home from China. Our greatest hopes were to travel together but the Lord had other plans and we missed each other by 2 weeks. Their hearts are to serve the Lord and I have been amazed and blessed at how they have endured their journey to Asa...a journey that we pray daily will lead them back to Kyrgyzstan SOON to bring him home.

The Kahler's with Asa on their first visit! Sweet baby boy, we are praying you home soon!

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N Lake Tahoe!!

A very generous family, the "D" family, blessed us with (like GAVE us!!!)an incredible vacation to Lake Tahoe. A vacation that we so desperately needed.  A vacation that came during a week, that unbeknownst to us, was going to be a week of attack back at home. The Lord knew it was coming and removed us from it so that we could be refreshed as a family to deal with the yuck we were to come home to.

Once again, I'm amazed at His love and protection for us.

~Our precious time away~ 

 

We were extremely blessed to end our vacation with a weekend visit of our very precious friends..the "K" family.  The Lord called them to move up north 5 long years ago. We typically get to visit once a year...not enough, that's for sure...oh, how we miss and love them so much! We grew up together, watched the Lord call us to marry our sweeties, and then were blessed to be a part of each of our kiddos births and homecomings. To our sweet friends...thank you for making the long trek up to see us...what beautiful, precious time we had together. We love you so much and miss you desperately!! God has blessed our families with such a gift...a gift that distance can't destroy. It was so beautiful watching our kids pick up right where they left off. We loved watching our new babes play like they have known each other forever...so beautiful! KISSES to each of you and can't wait to see you soon!

The beauty of all God has created in our two families...simply amazing!!!

SQUEAKY SHOES!!!!!!!!!!

Some of you may remember this post...the post where my husband hi-jacked my blog and divulged a very serious addiction I have....

Well, it seems my very precious friend, Annette (Kaden's mama), is willingly aiding in my addiction...LOOK...JUST LOOK at what she brought home from China for Jubilee :)

For the China adoptive family, there is something very, very precious about squeaky shoes. I dreamed about our sweet C running around in them. So, when she was finally home...those precious squeaks actually brought me to tears...our little miracle girl finally squeaking around our house. And NOW, another one of our miracle girls will be squeaking before we know it...I have no doubt it will bring back wonderful memories of those first years our baby C was home (of course baby S had some too...just imagine TWO squeaking girls...GORGEOUS music to my ears...memories forever burned in my mind and heart)

 

 

Ummm and YAY...I DID just do an entire post on shoes...LOL!!!

"Brothers" reunited at last!

Although they are not biological brothers, for the first 4 years of their lives they lived as brothers...orphanage brothers...crib mates...

(pics. from their life in the orphanage together)

Their lives FOREVER changed 1 year ago on September 5, 2010 when one of the "brothers" was adopted and the other was left behind. As we rejoiced because our son, Solomon, was finally in our arms, precious Kaden grieved the loss of his "brother" with no hope of every seeing him again....

or so he thought...

(saying goodbye)

or so we all thought...

BUT our God is greater...our God is mighty...our God is a miracle making, mountain moving God!  He heard the cries of Kaden's heart...He heard the cries of our heart for Kaden to have a forever family...but not just any family, a christian family...a family that lived close to us so the boys could grow up together...

Many of you have followed their journey from the beginning...many of you are new to their journey...join us as we marvel at all the Lord has done to bring the boys back together.

Exactly one year after we landed in the United States with our son, the "brothers" were finally reunited!!!!  Our precious friends, the Cox family, are now home with sweet Kaden and it was finally time for the boys to meet.  I will let the pictures tell the rest of the story :)

WE STAND IN AWE!

"He's here...he's here!!!!"
Solomon kept yelling, "I'm right here JianZhu...I'm right here" as he ran to him.

I still sit here in absolute amazement that Kaden is home & that the boys will grow up together.  The precious boy that we had been advocating for since March 2010...the precious boy whom we realized was our son's very, very best friend...the precious boy whom we felt the Lord telling us that his family was someone we already knew...the precious boy that called me 'mama' the day we had to say good-bye...the precious boy who stood there with tears rolling down his face as we left him...the precious boy that our son grieved & longed deeply for...the sweet, precious boy that we have loved so deeply but was not to be ours....

He is HOME...He is with his forever mama and daddy...He is LOVED...He is cherished...and we are honored to be a part of his life...ecstatic to see him with his family, our wonderful friends...honored and blessed that the Lord answered all of our prayers for the boys to be together in some way...what an incredible gift!!!

Sweet, beautiful Kaden, the Lord knew you long before He formed you...He loves you so much and has amazing plans for your life. What a treasure you are to your family!!! We love you so much and are so happy you are home to stay!!!!!

WE STAND IN AWE OF OUR KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!