a wish and a prayer

October 27th. It's Jamesley's 2nd birthday.

I wish Jamesley was here to celebrate with us; We would have candles and his favorite cake. He would hear "I love you" at least a dozen times. I would smooch his sweet caramel cheeks and tell him how precious he is to us. We would give him the biggest bouncy ball we could find because that is his favorite type of toy. But he's not here, and we can't do those things. So we continue to hope in our Lord to make this situation beautiful, whatever beauty looks like to Him.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress AND TO KEEP ONESELF FROM BEING POLLUTED BY THE WORLD." James 1:27

This has been the verse the Lord gave us for our adoption, and I always wanted to leave the last part off. Each time I started to do that, I felt this nagging to go back and add it on, so I did. I have no doubt that the Lord placed the ENTIRE verse on my heart for our adoption because He knew that we would experience pollution during our process. He was trying to prepare us for what was to come.

"We know that the Lord does not shut one door without opening another."

That is basically how I finished my last post about our adoption.

God really does have a sense of humor. He also has inspired the awe factor in me, once again. Each time He does this, it's harder to take for granted His all encompassing love for me, His compassion, and His redemption..
Since our last adoption update, there have been some drastic changes. Hang on for this one. It caught us all off guard...

Catching Up and Calling Out

Life has been absolutely crazy. Crazy beautiful and chaotic and hard, all at the same time. Many of you know our family went to Haiti this past May to meet the children we were matched with. I had planned to share our wonderful experience shortly after returning, but the day after we got home, the tornado hit Moore. I didn't have time to even begin to process my trip to Haiti; the minute I turned around, it seemed Haiti had followed me home.

The gospel will call you to things you thought you'd never do...if you let it.

"The gospel will call you to things you thought you'd never do....to things that you didn't know you wanted to do.
If you let it." 

Read that again and let it sink in. 

Pastor Tim Mannin posted that on his facebook page several days ago, and as I read it, I realized that his statement describes my family.  

"If you let it." Well we have let it. I don't know of any other way to describe the transformation in my family over the past two years or the plans He has for us for the future, other than Jesus and the hope that lies in Him. 

A birthday request...

It's been so long since I have updated the blog! I apologize, but there really has not been anything to post as an update. There is so much uncertainty in Haiti right now, with adoption in general. The order of operations has changed a bit, as far as when we will receive a referral, so we are prayerfully waiting to celebrate the day this does happen. We have learned so much already through the short time we have been in the process. God has put some amazing families in our lives and has continued to reveal His will for our lives. We are continually seeking Him and He is refining us daily.