Change

It seems our family has been bombarded lately. It hasn't all been good, and it hasn't all been bad, either. It has made me think, though:

Sometimes the things we can't change

end up changing us.

For the first time in my life, I fully understand what it means for God to be in control. Not me. Him. Why it took me 43 years to realize this is a mystery to me. Those of you who know me well know that I like to be in control. It's in my genes. Each in his own time, right? I will no longer secretly wish that my expectations be met or that I know what is right. I will pray "if it be in Your will God" and mean it. Because His will is perfect, even if I don't understand it.

And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:27-28

Duncan and Sam Have a Family!

Do you remember these guys from a previous post?

I have been praying for them and checked Reece's Rainbow to find their status. Today they were listed under the My Family Found Me link!!! A family named Morton in Virginia is adopting BOTH of them!

God is so, so good.

Birthdays and Such

I've been meaning to mention for a while now that Blogger started giving me a hard time in the commenting department as soon as I started this blog. In other words, I can no longer comment on my friends' blogs. At all.

I have tried different things and searched the web to see if someone else has had my same little problem and found a fix for it, but no such luck--yet. So, to all of my dear blog world friends, I read your updates, I laugh and cheer and cry along with you (I really do), and one of these days I will be able to let you know how I feel and that I care.

Most of my friends and family aren't bloggers (except my sweet cousin Sara), so they get Marlaina updates practically daily or at least weekly. I know many of you have been praying for Marlaina and I ask you to please keep praying because she FEELS like our daughter but she's not our daughter yet. I'm not even sure if I'm "allowed" to say what I'm about to say, but I'm pretty sure none of you will report me to the blogging police. I only say this because Marlaina is not our daughter yet and I'm still learning blog etiquette.

March 19th is Marlaina's birthday. I pray for her EVERY DAY. I pray that God will allow her to join our family. I pray that her foster family tells her how special she is all the time and that they celebrate her 9th birthday in a BIG way!!! I can't even express my emotions in words. All I can say is that I wish she was with us to celebrate her birthday, but God has her where He wants her to be right now. His plan may be hard for me to understand but it IS perfect. So happy, happy birthday sweet girl. Maybe one day you can read this when you are old enough and you will see one more time how deeply you were loved in America when you celebrated your 9th birthday in China.

Boys Who Need Families

God put these precious boys on my heart so I contacted my friend Annie and she gave me a crash course in Advocacy 101. I mainly needed to know advocacy etiquette (what to post, what not to post, how to post it, etc.) If I could snatch them up into our family right now I would. But I can't, so I'll try to let God use me the way He wants to and pray for these boys. I will pray HARD.

Duncan will be 16 this summer so he needs a family FAST.



From a family who met him in Feb 2012:  Duncan very much wants a family. He is smart and works hard. He gets along well with others. Duncan struggles with facing the future here in his native country. He knows that unless a miracle happens and he gets adopted (or a family commits and gets USCIS approval) in the next few months, he is going to be sent to a mental institution, even though mentally, he has no issues. Duncan appears to have CP (cerebral palsy), and he is small for his age (about the size of a 13 year old). Duncan’s medical information is en route from the orphanage now, but the family who met him and who he approached to ask for a family and the facilitator want to go ahead and get his information and picture out there.

Duncan uses a walker to walk and is independent in mobility. Duncan is a compassionate teen and one who says he “fears even to hope for a family, because he doesn’t think anyone would want him because he isn’t handsome”. In fact, when it was time to pose for this picture, Duncan worried that someone would see it and then not want him. Duncan needs a family to show him God looks on the heart to see beauty (even though he’s a quite handsome boy regardless)- and so do Christian families. 

Duncan’s heart is big, and he is well-loved in this orphanage. Many worry for him if he doesn’t get adopted before he turns 16 and it is too late.

Please go to this website http://reecesrainbow.org/category/newly-listed if you want to find out more about this precious teen. Also, $738 is available toward the cost of his adoption, and there are lots of grants and financial resources out there.

This is Samuel:






















He is in the same situation as Duncan and needs a family FAST! Here's what Reece's Rainbow says about Samuel:
 
From a family who met him in Feb 2012:  Sam is an AMAZING young man! He is friendly, good-natured, has a good sense of humor, and loves soccer (futbol). He is very good at soccer, and has gone to a camp for great players in Poland a few summers ago. Sam very much wants a family in America- he approached a family adopting there and asked many questions about it, and has talked to the orphanage staff before about how much he wants a family- for parents to love him, encourage him, and support him.

Sam’s disability is very minor- he has malformed fingers on both hands. Otherwise, he is healthy. Because of this disability, he was sent to a special needs orphanage. He is very smart, has already started learning English in school at the orphanage and is well-liked by his friends. Sam’s faith in God is very important to him and he would like a family who also worships God, who will encourage his gifts in soccer, and who will tell him “I love you” and listen to him as he talks.

Sam has goals for the future, and would like to play soccer and go to college, but he knows his life in his home country will not give him those chances. He is very intelligent, very respectful and has a great perspective about adoption, because he has a friend already adopted into the US. The family that met him in February 2012 will be happy to answer questions about him as well. Sam eagerly posed for the pictures, and begged the family and facilitator to please not forget him and to find him a family fast!

If you want to read more about Samuel, go to this link: http://reecesrainbow.org/category/newly-listed

I pray it's not too late for either of these boys, although it might be. However, I also know God put them on my heart for a reason, and I will continue to pray.