Spirit of Adoption

You listen to Pat Robertson?

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 22:11:00 +0000

If you listen to Pat Robertson, I'd encourage you to reevaluate your faith. And here is why.

Beautiful Esther

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 02:42:00 +0000

Esther was at the babies home in UG when we were there adopting Jeremiah in 2009. She's beautiful, and has waited so long for a family!! I pray you will consider helping get her home (you might win something)!!

The Vow

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 00:15:00 +0000

I stopped doing 'movie reviews' a long time ago as I learned my readers were from so many backgrounds, and some movies we watched were offensive based on content, dress, etc.

However, The Vow being a big film in the Christian community, I wanted to share some of my own convictions.

The Vow was a classic 'chick flick'. I did not expect that at all. I had no idea. I was sorely disappointed.

I really don't like 'chick flicks'. My friend told me today she likes to call them 'girl porn'. Yes, that sums it up!

Why girl porn? Because they tempt our hearts to believe lies that something apart from Christ will fulfill us, that a love on this earth is going to satisfy us. It also feeds us lies that a man could possibly love us perfectly, just the way we want, need to be loved.

No, not one is perfect on this earth, so therefore could never love us perfectly. And the only love that unfailing and absolutely satisfying is our Creator's. We could never find complete fulfillment in a relationship on this earth because our relationships are wrecked with sin. We absolutely need the blood of Jesus to cover those sins and bring us hope in our fallen relationships!!!

I don't know about you, but I don't need the temptation to believe these lies! These temptations then become another temptation to become discontent in my marriage or others in singleness. The Father of lies loves this, and the Father of Truth, hates this. I have to guard my heart and mind, my eyes and ears, in order to guard my marriage, my joy in JESUS, the only One who truly satisfies and loves without fail!

Puzzle fundraiser for Aaliyah's Adoption

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:01:00 +0000

We are helping to raise funds to bring Aaliyah home! Please consider giving to the Byrom's adoption fund!!!

They are SO close to being done, but need us to gather around them for the final home stretch!! ; )

I'm excited to do a puzzle fundraiser for their family!! I'm excited on several levels - I'm excited for them to be embraced by the family of God to bring home their girly! I'm excited to give this gift to them from ALL OF US of a beautiful puzzle representing the body coming together and making adoption happen because our Savior made the largest sacrifice by going to the cross to make our adoption happen. Every single piece will represent each of us coming together and giving (with your name on the back of each puzzle piece you buy). I'm excited for Aaliyah to be able to look at this in years to come and see how the LORD was FOR HER in SO many ways. I'm excited for my sister and her family to see God continue to work because the warfare right now is real, and their hearts are weary.

You can click on Aaliyah's sweet princess pic to buy a puzzle piece that will have YOUR name on the back to Aaliyah will know how the Lord used you specifically, and so many together, to make her adoption possible! We'd like to ask for a suggested donation of $25 per piece, but you can give as the LORD leads YOU to give ; ). THANK YOU!!! If you click on the arrow beside the $20, it gives a drop bar for different options of amounts to give ; ).

And share Aaliyah's widget on your blog too!

Thanks, friends!!!

How Aaliyah came to be in our family!

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Tue, 22 May 2012 17:29:00 +0000

My sister, Donita, and her husband, Keith, are adopting my new niece by the end of the month! Their adoption story is super unique, and God's hand is all over it!!! I can't wait for you to read their story! ; )

I asked Donita to share their story AND I want to ask you to read it and consider giving to their adoption fund! They aren't in the typical adoption community you and I know, and as you and I know, we can't do adoption alone!!

As friends, neighbors, and an adoption community, can we join them and support them in adding Aaliyah to their family?

I'm excited to do a puzzle fundraiser for their family!! I'm excited on several levels - I'm excited for them to be embraced by the family of God to bring home their girly! I'm excited to give this gift to them from ALL OF US of a beautiful puzzle representing the body coming together and making adoption happen because our Savior made the largest sacrifice by going to the cross to make our adoption happen. Every single piece will represent each of us coming together and giving (with your name on the back of each puzzle piece you buy). I'm excited for Aaliyah to be able to look at this in years to come and see how the LORD was FOR HER in SO many ways. I'm excited for my sister and her family to see God continue to work because the warfare right now is real, and their hearts are weary.

I'll tell you, I doubted my sisters faith in 'bringing her a daughter!'. For years she would tell me she'd adopt a little girl, but the Lord would have to bring her to her. I just wasn't in faith for that and really, honestly, in my heart, thought she was not trusting the Lord to pursue her daughter. In reality, I was the one not trusting the LORD to do far beyond what I could have imagined!!

So, without delay, read on, and be moved to tears by His handiwork! He is such an awesome amazing God!

Keith and I both got saved in the spring of 1986 and got married in November 1986 after dating for two years. Almost immediately after getting saved, Keith began to sense God’s call to ministry. After about a year of wrestling with that decision, we surrendered to the Lord and moved from Waco, Texas, to Greenville, South Carolina, to attend Bob Jones University where Keith earned a bachelor’s degree in pastoral studies and I earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. During our time in school, from 1988 to 1995, we worked full time to put ourselves through school, served in AWANA, children’s church, bus ministry and youth ministry in our church at Hampton Park Baptist Church, and our first child, David, was born on June 1, 1993.

After graduation, Keith was called to serve as Pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Williamston, South Carolina. We were there for three years, and our second child, Daniel, was born March 23, 1997. We soon found out we were expecting our third child, and that God was moving us back to Texas. In August 1998, eight months pregnant, we moved back to my hometown of Collinsville, TX, for what I hoped would be a very temporary stay until God moved us somewhere else. We enrolled David in kindergarten and Joshua was born within the same month, and I was sure that God would move us somewhere soon, because I did not believe I could possibly stay in Collinsville. God, however, had other plans and last year, the boy I enrolled in kindergarten in Collinsville, graduated from high school in Collinsville.

During our time here, Keith served as youth pastor at First Baptist for eight years. In 2005 God led us to start a new church, Crossroads, in an effort to reach a younger generation in a more casual, contemporary atmosphere.

After giving birth to three boys, I believed our biological family was complete. We have always said, “if someone wanted to give us a little girl, we would certainly take her, but we are finished having babies.” While we have always been open to the idea of adoption and have known and supported many adoptive families, we have never felt led to pursue adoption ourselves, although we have said, “if there was a child who needed a home, we would be willing to provide a home.” We even had this conversation as recently as last summer!

Two years ago, our youth did a visitation project to invite kids to VBS, and our oldest son, David, knocked on the door of Lois Montgomery, a great grandmother who had just moved to town with her four year old great granddaughter. Lois and Aaliyah began attending Crossroads, and although they visited other churches for a while, they always felt led to return to Crossroads and have been faithful attenders at Crossroads for a little over a year.

In February, Lois approached us with a dilemma. She was concerned about what would happen to Aaliyah when she was no longer able to care for her. Aaliyah’s mother and grandmother had abandoned her shortly after she was born and Lois knew there was no one in her family who would love and take the responsibility for Aaliyah. She also wanted Aaliyah to be raised by a mother and father in a Christian home and have siblings. She told us that she had been praying about it for quite some time, and that she continually felt led to us, and asked us to pray about adopting Aaliyah. After praying about it and discussing it as a couple and as a family, my husband and I felt that our decision had already been made many years ago, when we first said “we would be willing”. We came up with many excuses about why we couldn’t, but they were all selfishly motivated. As adopted children of our Heavenly Father, He was giving us the opportunity to show His love to a little girl and her great grandmother through earthly adoption, and we knew that He had placed them in our lives for this very reason.

Because we had made no previous plans for adoption, we had not financially prepared for the cost which would be involved. There are attorney’s fees and home study fees, but our biggest expense has been converting our garage into bedrooms so that we have room to add a little girl to a house full of teenage boys. We know God has always known this was in His plan and has prepared for it, even though we didn’t.

Aaliyah is currently living with her great grandmother until her room is complete. The target move in date is June 1^st, the day after school is out. We are excited about God bringing a girl to the Byrom family and how He will write this new chapter in our lives.

[Pictured: Karis, Aaliyah, Keziah - Aaliyah and Keziah decided to jump in the pool and were in Aaliyah's brothers clothes to warm up - it wasn't exactly summer ;)]

Love Unnaturally, practice love

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:16:00 +0000

For all you adoptive mommas and those who are waiting to bring their kiddos home....and those just battling to love somebody the Lord has asked you to love....this is such a good read! Love unnaturally, practice love....I feel this strongly applies in 2 relationships in my home...profoundly written, Love Unnaturally.

Aging Matters, a love letter 'bout a cowboy

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 03:56:00 +0000

I tremble as I write this. Words escape me, and my heart is heavy.

I believe about 6 years ago, my dad had a heart attack. It was shocking in the sense that it was sudden. Yet, it wasn't shocking because in some ways, we were all 'expecting' it.

My dad is a cowboy, through and through. I grew up thinking he looked like Randy Travis. He always, always wears wranglers, long sleeve button up cowboy shirts, boots, and a cowboy hat. I don't think he's ever owned a different pair of shoes, and I'm sure I've never seen him in anything other than wrangler jeans, starched of course.

My dad was raised buying and selling cattle and horses. He had to skip school some days to help his father. It's all my dad has known. He graduated from high school and never skipped a beat in his 'profession'. He rode, bought, sold, herded, fed, broke, and loved his livestock. It's his living and his life.

Mom and Dad got married in '66. My dad had graduated, and my mom was a senior in high school. They were happy and in love. Dad loved mom's free spirit, and mom loved the cowboy in Dad.

Mom graduated, and it wasn't long into their first year, when Dad got drafted for the Vietnam War. It was argued that Dad shouldn't be drafted because he was the only child, but he didn't have an advocate in the government for carrying on his legacy.

While Dad was a war, his mom passed away of cancer. Granny Mary is a woman I never had the privilege of knowing, but I've heard wonderful things about her. I know Dad adored her. And from my understanding, Granny Mary loved Jesus. My Grandma Velma used to tell me that dad walked up to her at the funeral and said 'if God is good, why would he take such an amazing woman?'. I think that question has led to bitterness over the years.

Dad went back to war, and from all I've been told, came back a very different man. He wasn't a drinker, he came back an alcoholic. He didn't smoke. He came back an addicted smoker. He wasn't angry, he came back angry. He came back physically, but left the man my mom and others new behind at war.

Not too many years later, my dads best friend, Dan, was killed in horrific accident. A drunk driver hit him head on. Dan was killed immediately. I wasn't around even then, and from what I understand, that took another piece of the man my mom married.

Dad has 3 girls. I'm the youngest. I really struggled to love my dad growing up - he embarrassed me as a child, and he angered me as a teen. It wasn't until I got saved in college that my heart softened toward him and I saw him for who he really is - a broken man in need of a Savior. My heart broke. I broke over all the anger I had toward him growing up, and how unkind I was to him. I sought his forgiveness, and our relationship has been sweetly reconciled since.

Yet, even in the reconciliation, my dad is the quietest person I know - he holds all things inside. He talks business and food. Every once in awhile we'll get a little chuckle from him, and everybody tunes in and leans in closer to see what might have humored such a quiet, hardened soul.

I love this cowboy. I love my dad, deeply.

And I ache for his soul.

Last week, while Jason and I were in WI, I got a text that said Dad was in the hospital with chest pains. My body grew weak. I have prayed since 1998, after I got saved, that Dad would surrender to Jesus as Lord. I don't know what it'll take to break him of his pride and self-assurance. Dad is convinced he has served his time in hell in Vietnam. As hard as Vietnam was........I just can't express to my dad that Vietnam has nothing on hell, nothing. And more than that, Jesus could offer him everything he's been looking for, everything!

It has to be Jesus that softens his heart. He's heard the Gospel countless times from countless folk. His daughters, his wife, the cowboy church pastor, old friends who have gotten saved, his mom, his mother-in-law, the list is countless. He's heard the Gospel. Seeds have been planted, and I'm begging Jesus to water them, bringing forth the fruit of SALVATION!!!!

While Dad was in the hospital last week, they checked his stints from his heart attack 6 yrs ago. They were still holding. They had to put in another stint and one balloon. And the Dr told Dad that if he didn't quit drinking and smoking, he has less than 2 yrs to live. Sobering.

Today, I talked to Dad on the phone. He was struggling to breathe and said he was still hurting some. Not even an hour later I got a phone call from my mom that she was taking dad back in to the ER for severe chest pains. I believe Jesus can appear before him like He did Paul, giving Dad a shocking, miraculous vision that HE IS LORD. I'm praying for that!!!

The Lord didn't do that today, and they sent Dad home to be seen by a lung specialist.

He's also waiting on lab results from some kidney testing they had done.

For me, aging means one day, one breath closer to Jesus. It's the best thing I can do.
For Dad, aging is the most dangerous, horrific, thing he can do - it's worse than death itself.

BUT there is hope! And I'm asking you to join me in praying for a cowboy in Texas named Don. Seriously. If God saved this man, I really believe the Lord would be GREATLY glorified in so many ways. There's no man that could ever change this man's heart - it truly would take the miracle of our Great God and King Jesus!!! Please pray with me to the end of his salvation and that Jesus' name is greatly glorified!!!

Bloodline

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:03:00 +0000

Piper's yearly MLK weekend sermon was so good this year. I think it's good every year : ), but that's beside the point ; )

He is summarizing his book Bloodlines in this sermon, so if you want to dig deeper into this and get more personal history on Piper, read Bloodlines. He says it's the most personal book he's ever written. I can't wait to read it!

"God is calling all people and all people's from alienated bloodlines of race and ethnicity into one bloodline of Jesus Christ."

There's so much I love about that simple, but profound statement! I LOVE that reconciliation isn't about US, but about Christ. Reconciliation isn't through us, but through Christ! Praise God that we get to be reconciled and brought together amongst the nations AND that it's possible, even in the greatest of hatred, because His blood is sufficient!

"We are to be agents of racial reconciliation. Racial strife should not be done amongst the people of God."

We need to consider and be creative in the ways we can be agents of racial reconciliation. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this! We strongly believe transracial adoption is a means of pursuing racial reconciliation. Because of our kids adoption, we feel joyfully obligated to live in a dominantly black neighborhood, go to MLK celebrations, go to Juneteenth celebrations, read books with black people, study black history, have black dolls in our home, and position ourselves in a way that they can learn from black culture and build relationships with black people. BUT, we would want this even if we didn't have our black kids. I think, however, it makes it easier with our black kids. We have a lot to learn, so we get to humble ourselves {and sometimes make fools of ourselves} and ask questions of black people that reveal our ignorance. Prayerfully, we hope that these questions and our lifestyle will be a means to racial reconciliation on a micro level. But how do we become agents on a macro level? There is racial tension all over the world! How do we effectively impact the nations for racial reconciliation through Christ from where we are?

How do we be a voice for the unborn black and hispanic babies that are targeted by planned parenthood? How do we be a voice to possibly prevent another Holocaust or Rwanda genocide? I want to be an agent for racial reconciliation!

"Post civil rights Americans need to b aware of one sentence: new laws do not make new hearts"

If you believe racism isn't an issue, it is. It's an issue amongst ever generation in every part of the world.

I'm all about social justice - it's something the church is failing in. But church, fail no more, Piper says, "racial reconciliation is NOT a social issue. It's a BLOOD issue. Jesus died for it!" Amen? I think we can look at every social justice 'issue' in this way. Christ died for the unborn who are being targeted by planned parenthood and don't have a voice. Christ died for the birthmom's who believe they do not have a choice. Christ died for the trafficked women. We make it a 'social issue', but the oppressed, the orphan, the poor....these are all people who are near to God's heart. It's not a social issue, it's a blood issue!

If you are asking yourself, 'why don't I care more about this' or 'what is stopping me from being an advocate, an agent?' Piper says, 'there are 9 obstacles on the path to God exalting racial reconciliation: Satan, guilt, pride, hopelessness, feelings of inferiority and self doubt, greed, hate, fear, apathy. Jesus died so that these obstacles would not win in ur life."
{these obstacles apply to speaking Truth on any issue}. Do any of these speak to you?

I really identify with feelings of inferiority and self doubt. Will I say it wrong? Or will the church come after me and rebuke me for 1) being a woman and speaking truth 2) being confrontational 3) being raw? Will I offend somebody, push people away?

"Our sin is DEFEATED! No more living under condemnation! No more cowering, no more exploiting! No manipulating this. WE ARE FORGIVEN!" So, we can move forward in being agents of racial reconciliation through grace!!!!

Piper says, 'No matter how many times I legitimately get criticized or illegitimately get criticized, I'm just going to keep trying." That's an exhortation for you and me.

Amen?!

What Epilepsy has taught me, part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:45:00 +0000

Epilepsy is going to be an ongoing lesson for me, no doubt. It's an ongoing lesson for our family, and most of all, for Samuel.

This week is the first week I've really seen Samuel scared with his seizures. We've had a very abnormal week for Samuel. For Samuel, it's been a week of struggling to breathe, stinging eyes, stinging tongue, sore throat, falling down, unstable legs, shaking hands, stomach pains, headaches, dizziness, exhaustion, heavy head, heavy body, drool, inability to communicate, and having to learn in a unusual way at an unusual age that God is bigger and will NEVER leave him or forsake him. This week we have gotten to taste God's faithfulness to our son in a new way. Samuel got to experience it. Samuel got to say, even when I was fatherless, you didn't leave more or forsake me. He got to proclaim, You will be here with me too, even in the night, when I can't speak and nobody knows what I'm experiencing, You are near and YOU know more than any Dr what I'm experiencing.

We now think it started Monday, but we didn't realize it till Wednesday. Samuel was having short clusters of seizures. He wasn't even quite sure what was happening, which is why we didn't know. He had told me on Monday he thought he'd had a seizure, but wasn't sure. On Tues night, he told me he'd been spitting all day when talking (Samuel's seizures effect his mouth and control of saliva, speech, etc because his seizures have mostly been limited to the frontal lobe. On Wednesday, during breakfast, Samuel was in mid-sentence, and blanked on me. Then he went into a seizure I have yet to see from him. I got him to the couch, and it took him awhile to recover. Thirty minutes later, he had another. Then 30 minutes later another. He had 4 seizures from 9am-2pm that were highly visible. But his last seizure being around 10:45, he couldn't walk or talk fully till 2pm. After talking to his neuro, we felt certain he'd had clusters of seizures and some small ones.

Samuel's seizures have always been one time, several months apart....or even years apart. So, groups of seizures like this were definitely new to all of us.

On Thursday, we woke up to Samuel having a seizure. He continued, again, to have clusters of seizures till afternoon. Some were absent seizures, some were effecting other parts of his body (his eyes, legs, arms, hands), and some were the one's we are used to.

And on Friday, Samuel had one seizure that we know of. On Saturday, we didn't see any, and so far, today, we haven't seen any.

Seizures are invasive. There's something about them that are sly, sneaky, aggressive, unwavering, uncompassionate. They are risky and they make everybody around them stop and take note that they are there, tempting you to believe the lies that they are the one's in control. They are similar to the serpent in Eden. They are evil. They give us a peak into the demonic world. And they are here, in my home, in my child's body. I hate them. I do.

BUT God. I can't explain the peace that has covered me during this week of unknowns and seizures. I'm continually learning that seizures are NOT in control. I'm continually learning that life is but a breath, and then we are gone. I'm continually learning that healing is not always better because HIS ways ARE best. I'm continually learning He really is worth trusting. I'm continually learning to be completely in His arms....and epilepsy is worth it.

Bitterness

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:43:00 +0000

Do you struggle with bitterness? Even if it's here and there or everyday? This 5 minutes of Gospel pointed toward bitterness might be a gift of freedom for your soul!

It's minutes 40:35 to 45:40

Ben Breedlove

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:40:00 +0000

If you haven't watched his youtube video, you should. It's an incredible story. I just learned last night that Ben and his family were visiting our church. His family didn't know he made this video until after he passed away on Christmas day from a sudden heart attack. Please watch and stand amazed at how AMAZING our God is!

The real battle against slavery in U.S.

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:08:00 +0000

This article drew me to tears. Don't be blind friends. There's a lot of Keisha's out there, and I'm broken again for them this morning. This is so real. We've been reading the advent book, Tabitha's Travels. Decha of Megiddo is a 'Sir Charles'. My kids, yesterday, were asking significant questions about Decha. They are more aware today of the issue of modern day slavery than ever. Keziah was tear filled and Samuel was angry. Rightfully so. Samuel said, 'when I get bigger, I'm going to go searching for all the slave masters in the world!'. So, we got to talk about International Justice Mission! :) Let's raise up a generation of justice driven kiddos....it's God's heart....not a choice.

Apple Pie and Satisfied in God

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:01:00 +0000

Apple Pie and Satisfied in God, join Noel and Talitha as they share how the Piper's came to understand Christian Hedonism.

It took 20 years!!

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:52:00 +0000

Can you imagine the emotion of holding God’s Word for the first time after 20 years of waiting?

The Tuvin Bible was published and distributed in 2011, a project taking 20 long years to accomplish. One woman just could not put it down. Within a week she had highlighted verses and scribbled notes in the margin from cover to cover. Joy fills the hearts of many Tuvin people this Christmas in a new way." Thank you, My Father's World for serving to get the Bible translated in every language!!!

My Father's World is involved in Bible translation, and I'm so happy to share this news. What an amazing Christmas present to the Tuvin people AND us!!!!

We are one people group closer to Jesus coming back!!!! Matthew 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

Google joins fight against modern day slavery!

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:43:00 +0000

‎"With this grant, Google is helping us combine forces to not only increase the number of Americans who will learn about human trafficking, but also motivate people to take real steps to eradicate modern-day slavery from all of our communities,"

I'm pretty happy to share this about Google. I went from not having an opinion about Google to having GREAT respect for Google. Thank you, Google, for investing in the mission to eradicate modern day slavery!!!!

Ekisa: 12K days of Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:31:00 +0000

Friends, I can't say enough wonderful things about Ekisa and the amazing ladies behind this ministry! Let's help them reach their goal of 12k in 12 days!!!! If you don't know about Ekisa, you will want to.....trust me. They are 'bringing Christ to the {orphaned, disabled, ignored} least of these'. A beautiful ministry with beautiful hearts, and absolutely gorgeous children.

We are in our new house.....

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:09:00 +0000

We've moved, friends (and we are mostly still sane!). I can't tell you the GRACE that has abounded over the last month!

I have to share just because I want to boast in HIS goodness!

We went to AZ for T4A - drove, and the trip was great! My mom and another friend, Amy, tagged along. Our kids may have drove them crazy once or twice. It was a great trip. We got to see the grand canyon!! The kids watched Piper's video on how we don't go to the Grand Canyon to make much of ourselves before we went, and the whole time they kept saying 'this makes me feel so small and God is SO much bigger' ;).

We got back from AZ late Monday night. All day Tues, mom and I gathered boxes from around town and packed! We closed on the house that Friday, I think. A couple of days later, I realized the pain in my back had probably gone on too long (when I started feeling a bit flu like)...kidney infection. I went to urgent care and got on antibiotics that night. The next day Jason's parents came into town for their yearly visit. They were super helpful in packing, painting, and moving! Plus, them being here allowed for us to get some rest time out on the town too! We love taking them to some of our favorite places when they come!! (THANK YOU, Steve and Linda, for all your help!!!!). I'm pretty sure we exhausted them! At some point during their visit, Keziah started complaining of her ear hurting. I looked, and I'll spare you the gross details, but there were evidences of her possibly having a recurrence of a tumor she had when she was 2. I was nervous, but at the same time, the Lord gave me SO much peace as we made doctors appts and visits and waited, etc. It was all HIM. He was SO evident. Keziah was so trusting of the Lord during it all as well. Through a series of events and her ear worsening over a couple of days, we ended up at the ENT, and she was put on meds and a waiting period for cultures.

We moved in Wednesday, and Thursday my in-laws headed out....and so did my husband!!! To say I was nervous about our weekend, would be an understatement! We were literally covered in boxes, our fridge was broken, and we didn't have gas. No gas meant no heat, no stove, and no hot water. I had never grocery shopped under such circumstances. It was an interesting challenge to prepare for a weekend alone with our kids in those circumstances. BUT the Lord totally provided, and we (I) didn't have any breakdowns until the next morning when I woke up to my husband, and I cried with relief that he was home and Sunday was 1 day away from Monday - gas day.

Sunday, Micah fell down the stairs (we only have 1 set of stairs in our home, and they are to our master bedroom) and punctured the back of his head. A bloody, heart pounding mess.

On Monday we finally got a phone call from the ENT to give us a clear diagnosis. It ended up being strep in her ear! Ever been excited about strep? WE WERE!!! ; ) Thank you, LORD!!!!!

At this point, my kidney infection was making my sleep and unpacking rough. But one more day of that, and healing was on its way!! ;)

Then....pin worms! One of our kids got pin worms!!!! Can you believe it? Ha. We were completely grossed out - completely. So, got meds and treated the whole family. I didn't sleep a wink that night due to the thought of pin worms in my house, in my kid.....blech! But at some point, you have to laugh, right?!

So, pin worms taken care of. And we still have no fridge! We've been in the house 6 days and no fridge, one of our friends from our community group had one to GIVE TO US on Wednesday morning!!!! He gave us a fridge!!!!! Our whole family was stoked!!!!! I couldn't wait to get some veggies in that thing! ; )

Wednesday night, Keziah had red bumps all over her body. Initially, when I saw it, I thought chicken pox. Again. Really? All I could do was laugh, and hold on tight because if it was pox, it was going to be a wild ride for our family!!!

The next morning, my wise sister called me after seeing a pic of Keziah's stomach, and told me that she felt it might be an allergic reaction to the ear medication. So, I called her ENT, and sure enough, she was having a SEVERE allergic reaction that only got worse and worse. 103 temp and red rash all over sweet girls body. She was miserable :( The Dr was SO great. He called us 3 times in an hour and gave us his cell number for over night. He was a bit concerned too! Thank you, LORD, we did not need the cell number. He fever broke, and she didn't develop any blisters!!! What a relief!

Whew! ;)

I haven't mentioned any of the crazy things that have happened with the house, have I? Haha. A door fell off the hinges...just fell off! :) Does that happen?? Our railing to our stairs fell off....just fell off. Does that happen?? : ) Lol. And our master shower didn't have hot water. Weird. Oh, and our closet shelf fell out of the wall. Hilarious....really.....it has to be, right?!

It's been a ride! BUT WE ARE SOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED TO BE HERE! All of those things have not distracted us from the call to where we are and the joy that we have in being where we are. We are FINALLY HERE!!!!!!!

In all of this I have to say THANKS:
Samuel hasn't had a seizure. He might tomorrow, but he hasn't in this chaos!
Jason and I have been having fun and it hasn't been stressful on our marriage!
Our kids are thriving and haven't even seemed to notice the challenges!
2 sweet friends brought meals (HUGE!!)
We didn't think we were going to have help moving or painting, and the Lord brought an abundance of help!!!

Buy a wreath, help an adoption!

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 04:26:00 +0000

Our friends, the Leach's are fundraising for their adoption!! You can buy a wreath and 25% goes to their adoption! Make your decorating count!!!

From Katie,

If you buy fresh Christmas wreaths, garlands, etc., consider supporting our adoption too! The prices are reasonable, free shipping (within U.S.), and we receive 25% of every sale towards our adoption! You can start ordering today for yourself or a friend...ship to multiple addresses for free in the same order! This URL http://www.lynchcreekwreaths.com/?afid=704643266 should take you to our account, but to make sure, go to the top right and click "Support a Fundraiser" and type in our code: 43266, You should then see you are supporting "Leach Family Adoption"

Can't afford to be color blind

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 04:44:00 +0000

Can't Afford to Be Color Blind from The Gospel Coalition on Vimeo.

Painting or watching kids? help pls!

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 23:26:00 +0000

Anybody in our home town up for painting or helping watch kids Friday or Sat? Or anybody available to help move next week?

"It takes a village" AMEN!

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 03:21:00 +0000

Jen Hatmaker just posted on how adoption 'takes a village'.

I particularly liked her 'after the airport' tips, so I wanted to share them here. My thoughts are after the // and in bold.

(Note: I personally do not think airport celebrations are helpful to our adopted kids. They are incredibly overwhelmed, and we want to keep those neurotransmitters safe and sound by keeping the stress as low as possible!)

You went to the airport. The baby came down the escalator to cheers and balloons. The long adoption journey is over and your friends are home with their new baby / toddler / twins / siblings / teenager. Everyone is happy. Maybe Fox News even came out and filmed the big moment and “your friend” babbled like an idiot and didn’t say one constructive word about adoption and also she looked really sweaty during her interview. (Really? That happened to me too. Weird.)

How can you help? By not saying or doing these things:

1. I mean this nicely, but don’t come over for awhile. Most of us are going to hole up in our homes with our little tribe and attempt to create a stable routine without a lot of moving parts. This is not because we hate you; it’s because we are trying to establish the concept of “home” with our newbies, and lots of strangers coming and going makes them super nervous and unsure, especially strangers who are talking crazy language to them and trying to touch their hair.//This is why I think the airport celebration is too much for them. Wait a season...until our kids are good and 'settled' like our dear friends the Youngs, and then have a HUGE celebration for their homecoming!! This is also why I would not recommend immediatlely sending our adopted kiddos to school. They need to bond at home. They need that time to become a family unit and learn the surroundings of their new life (keeping those neurotransmitters as calm as possible).

2. Please do not touch, hug, kiss, or use physical affection with our kids for a few months. We absolutely know your intentions are good, but attachment is super tricky with abandoned kids, and they have had many caregivers, so when multiple adults (including extended family) continue to touch and hold them in their new environment, they become confused about who to bond with. This actually delays healthy attachment egregiously. It also teaches them that any adult or stranger can touch them without their permission, and believe me, many adoptive families are working HARD to undo the damage already done by this position. Thank you so much for respecting these physical boundaries.// This is very good advice, and another reason I would not recommend newly adopted children going to school immediately. Take time off and bond. Kary Purvis says for ever year a child was in the orphanage, give them a month to be in reaching distance of their parents. Jeremiah was in the orphanage for 3 months, and we kept him cocooned for 2 months. For 6 months, we still didn't let people hold him or be his primary care. Bonding is the most important thing you can do when you come home.

3. For the next few months, do not assume the transition is easy. For 95% of us, it so is not. And this isn’t because our family is dysfunctional or our kids are lemons, but because this phase is so very hard on everyone. I can’t tell you how difficult it was to constantly hear: “You must be so happy!” and “Is life just so awesome now that they’re here??” and “Your family seems just perfect now!” I wanted that to be true so deeply, but I had no idea how to tell you that our home was actually a Trauma Center. (I did this in a passive aggressive way by writing this blog, which was more like “An Open Letter to Everyone Who Knows Us and Keeps Asking Us How Happy We Are.”) Starting with the right posture with your friends – this is hard right now – will totally help you become a safe friend to confide in / break down in front of / draw strength from.// This is usually true. This is probably moreso true for internationally adopted kiddos. With our domestic adoptions, we personally didn't experience this. However, with Jeremiah....trauma center is a great description as to what our home was like. A little inside snapshot during our homecoming: kids who were home before adoption are SO happy to see us, yet feeling disconnected because we had been away - they are in need of lots of attention and one on one time/eye to eye time. Jeremiah is terrified of everything that comes within a foot of him. So, make that work? Mommy wears Jeremiah, but he screams and vomits every time other kids come within a foot of him. It was exhausting. Jeremiah takes TWO months before he'll set skin on the floor of our house (he only felt safe on mommy's back). On mommy's back, he was gold. Vomiting, diarrhea, and a whole sanitary station (that looks like a hospital changing station) in our bedroom. No children allowed in our bedroom to keep them from 'accidentally' touching something that would pass on giardia or Hep A. Blowouts....no, you don't know what I mean when I say blowout. BLOWOUTS - pj's FULL of liquid poop - every single morning for 2 months. Jeremiah vomiting his food, Micah coming behind and eating his vomit. Going to the dr with bm samples over and over. bleach. lots of bleach. Washing laundry multiple times a day. Survival friends. Survival.

4. Do not act shocked if we tell you how hard the early stages are. Do not assume adoption was a mistake. Do not worry we have ruined our lives. Do not talk behind our backs about how terribly we’re doing and how you’re worried that we are suicidal. Do not ask thinly veiled questions implying that we are obviously doing something very, very wrong. Do not say things like, “I was so afraid it was going to be like this” or “Our other friends didn’t seem to have these issues at all.” Just let us struggle. Be our friends in the mess of it. We’ll get better.// Yes.

5. If we’ve adopted older kids, please do not ask them if they “love America so much” or are “so happy to live in Texas.” It’s this simple: adoption is born from horrible loss. In an ideal world, there would be no adoption, because our children would be with their birth families, the way God intended. I’ll not win any points here, but I bristle when people say, “Our adopted child was chosen for us by God before the beginning of time.” No he wasn’t. He was destined for his birth family. God did not create these kids to belong to us. He didn’t decide that they should be born into poverty or disease or abandonment or abuse and despair aaaaaaaall so they could finally make it into our homes, where God intended them to be. No. We are a very distant Plan B. Children are meant for their birth families, same as my biological kids were meant for mine. Adoption is one possible answer to a very real tragedy… after it has already happened, not before as the impetus for abandonment. There is genuine grief and sorrow when your biological family is disrupted by death and poverty, and our kids have endured all this and more. So when you ask my 8-year-old if he is thrilled to be in Texas, please understand that he is not. He misses his country, his language, his food, his family. Our kids came to us in the throes of grief, as well they should. Please don’t make them smile and lie to you about how happy they are to be here.// I agree with some of this. However, I absolutely believe that our kids were ordained for our family. If they weren't, then that would mean God made a mistake. He doesn't make mistakes. I believe our adopted kids were ordained before there was time to be in our family. Adoption is absolutely the result of a broken world. But if we believe that God didn't ordain our kids for our family, then we don't believe God is 100% sovereign.

6. Please do not disappear. If I thought the waiting stage was hard, it does not even hold the barest candle to what comes after the airport. Not. The. Barest. Candle. Never have I felt so isolated and petrified. Never have I been so overwhelmed and exhausted. We need you after the airport way more than we ever needed you before. I know you’re scared of us, what with our dirty hair and wild eyes and mystery children we’re keeping behind closed doors so they don’t freak out more than they already have, but please find ways to stick around. Call. Email. Check in. Post on our Facebook walls. Send us funny cards. Keep this behavior up for longer than six days.// AMEN!!!!!! Thank you, friends, who never left us!!!

Here’s what we would love to hear or experience After the Airport:

1. Cook for your friends. Put together a meal calendar and recruit every person who even remotely cares about them. We didn’t cook dinners for one solid month, and folks, that may have single handedly saved my sanity. There simply are not words to describe how exhausting and overwhelming those first few weeks are, not to mention the lovely jetlag everyone came home with. And if your friends adopted domestically right up the street, this is all still true, minus the jetlag.// YES! And it allows us to focus on becoming a family w/o thinking through food! Leave it on the front door with a note that we can read to the family ;) And do what my sweet Gisele did, grocery shop for the essentials (toilet paper, cereal, milk, etc), and leave it on the doorstep. Text and tell her the cost, and she can leave a check on the doorstep for you. Awwwww...amazing blessing for us!

2. If we have them, offer to take our biological kids for an adventure or sleepover. Please believe me: their lives just got WHACKED OUT, and they need a break, but their parents can’t give them one because they are 1.) cleaning up pee and poop all day, 2.) holding screaming children, 3.) spending all their time at doctors’ offices, and 4.) falling asleep in their clothes at 8:15pm. Plus, they are in lockdown mode with the recently adopted, trying to shield them from the trauma that is Walmart.// I hadn't thought about our other kids leaving during that time. I don't think I would have liked that (maybe because our kids were so little?), but the rest is absolutely true. But asking and being available NEVER hurts!! ;)

3. Thank you for getting excited with us over our little victories. I realize it sounds like a very small deal when we tell you our kindergartener is now staying in the same room as the dog, but if you could’ve seen the epic level of freakoutedness this dog caused her for three weeks, you would understand that this is really something. When you encourage us over our incremental progress, it helps. You remind us that we ARE moving forward and these little moments are worth celebrating. If we come to you spazzing out, please remind us where we were a month ago. Force us to acknowledge their gains. Be a cheerleader for the healing process.// This is huge. I would post victories on fb. It was a HUGE victory the first time Jeremiah spent 2 minutes in the floor w/ his siblings in my lap! We celebrated with dancing, people!!! It was HUGE. Then 5 min without even looking for mommy! I made it to the kitchen while he was in the living room on the floor playing with his toys with his siblings. AWESOMENESS!!! Then the day he sat in his exersaucer for 2 minutes!! Everybodies victories are different, but they are VICTORIES!!!

4. Come over one night after our kids are asleep and sit with us on our porch. Let me tell you: we are all lonely in those early weeks. We are home, home, home, home, home. Good-bye, date nights. Good-bye, GNO’s. Good-bye, spontaneous anything. Good-bye, church. Good-bye, big public outings. Good-bye, community group. Good-bye, nightlife. So please bring some community to our doorstep. Bring friendship back into our lives. Bring adult conversation and laughter. And bring an expensive bottle of wine.// O man. What a fabulous, fabulous idea. We didn't do this, but we should have!! I think because we were asleep at 8:15 (see above comment) due to exhaustion. But a fabulous idea. Brilliant.

5. If the shoe fits, tell adopting families how their story is affecting yours. If God has moved in you over the course of our adoption, whether before the airport or after, if you’ve made a change or a decision, if somewhere deep inside a fire was lit, tell us, because it is spiritual water on dry souls. There is nothing more encouraging than finding out God is using our families for greater kingdom work, beautiful things we would never know or see. We gather the holy moments in our hands every day, praying for eyes to see God’s presence, his purposes realized in our story. When you put more holy moments in our hands to meditate on, we are drawn deeper into the Jesus who led us here.//Yes. It's always SO encouraging and gives us strength to press on!!!

Here’s one last thing: As you watch us struggle and celebrate and cry and flail, we also want you to know that adoption is beautiful, and a thousand times we’ve looked at each other and said, “What if we would’ve said no?” God invited us into something monumental and lovely, and we would’ve missed endless moments of glory had we walked away. We need you during these difficult months of waiting and transitioning, but we also hope you see that we serve a faithful God who heals and actually sets the lonely in families, just like He said He would. And even through the tears and tantrums (ours), we look at our children and marvel that God counted us worthy to raise them. We are humbled. We’ve been gifted with a very holy task, and when you help us rise to the occasion, you have an inheritance in their story; your name will be counted in their legacy.// AMEN, AMEN, AMEN!

Thank you for being the village. You are so important.

Interview with Katie Davis

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:12:00 +0000

This is a precious interview with Katie Davis. My personal favorite is the last question, her typical day with her kids. I LOVE that her home is open at all times, and that people know that she will bandage a wound or feed a hungry soul or provide a place to sleep. I love that she has quarters in the back of her house for homeless or boys, etc. I LOVE that her kids know that mommy might need to stop school and help somebody and they continue their school work. I LOVE that her kids bring Muslims home to teach them about Jesus. I love it. I love it because it reminds me of Jesus - it's not cliche. It's real. The people flocked to him for healing, for food, for love. People flock to Katie and her home because Jesus is there. May we all learn from Katie that our homes and families CAN be Jesus to others.

http://vimeo.com/30098108

What Epilepsy has taught me

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 03:26:00 +0000

Epilepsy. It's not what we signed up for when we said YES to adoption. There are little check boxes that you check the things you are 'open' to that make me CRINGE...cringe, I tell you. I know it's necessary, but it nauseates me. Really. I feel sweaty and can hear every noise in the room as I try to make my ears open wider that they might hear His voice. How can we say no to any of the boxes?

I don't recall if epilepsy was on the application over 7 yrs ago when we filled it out, but I can tell you the thought of it would have scared me! My only association with epilepsy was from the show Diff'rent Strokes. Do you remember the episode (you would have to be my age or older most likely!!) where Arnold is in the park watching the mime clown do tricks? She falls, and starts seizing. Arnold was super freaked out by it, and I was too. It's one of the only episodes I remember, and it was my least favorite one (I was an avid fan in my elementary age yrs...strange, I know. When my husband was watching Duck Tales, I was watching Diff'rent Strokes! I had 2 much older sisters, what can I say?).

So, my association with Epilepsy was one of fear and being freaked out.

Samuel's first seizure, I freaked out. It was horrific. His 2nd, 3rd, and 4th seizure, I freaked out. I was not getting used to the idea of having a son with seizures. It was wrong and not what we 'signed up for'. I wanted to do anything that would 'make it right'.

His seizures became consistent, so we opted for medication. They were controlled for TWO yrs. TWO yrs. Then, while I was in Uganda, he had his first seizure after being on medication. I freaked out (and I didn't even see it). The thought of him having a seizure was horrific and that I wasn't there to comfort him made me question what we were doing in UG in the first place (because I was freaked out ;)...not because I really doubted we were supposed to be there).

That seizure was the first of many more. Even on meds and too many increases of dosages to count, Samuel's seizures continue to plague his failing body. But...I don't *freak* out anymore.

Why?

It's not because I've gotten used to them. They will never become 'normal' for us - they aren't 'normal', and it's not who he is for eternity. It's completely earthly and of fallen nature.

Hoever, over a year ago..I don't remember when exactly, I felt the Lord ask me if I was going to trust Him with Samuel. A bit shocked (of course I trust Him with Samuel!) :), I thought back over the year Samuel had seizures, and the 2 years he didn't, and when he started having seizures again. The 2 years he didn't, I believed I was trusting the Lord, but that's because I really believed he was healed. I believed we were going to ween him from his meds at the 2 yr appointment, and he was going to be seizure free. Epilepsy (or that weird seizure season) was going to be a part of his history. It was going to be a tiny part of his story, and a tiny part of our family story.

But I was wrong that he was healed. We never got to ween him. And last year, by His grace, I saw that I wasn't trusting the Lord with the precious 'prayed for' gift HE had given us.

I considered the way Samuel responds when he has seizures. In his seizing, he has mostly always been able to communicate with us (only a couple of grand mal seizures where he could not at all). He's awake, he can somewhat talk, he is able to respond, he can kind of walk (though we don't encourage it!). Samuel is very aware during his seizures, and he can tell me when he's having one. He talks as if he's had a stroke, and he drools. His legs get shaky. He gets a headache. Then a stomachache. It happens in that order, and after about an hour, he pops off the couch like somebody put a jumping bean in his pants, and it's done. Just.like.that.

Samuel doesn't get scared, he doesn't cry, he doesn't do any of the things I've done over the years!

He's matter of fact, focused, calm, patient, TRUSTING. So, when I felt the Lord working in my heart, I asked Samuel, 'Samuel, when you have seizures, how do you feel? Do you feel scared?'. 'No, I just don't like them, but I'm not scared. I know God is with me.' Exhale. Weight falling off shoulders. God is with us.

The Lord started working in my heart then about trusting Him with Samuel's life and believing that God can heal him (and praying for that with perseverance and faith), but also believing that the Lord could use this very thing in Samuel's relationship with the Lord, and possibly how the Lord may use him one day.

My outlook on epilepsy has gradually changed. My outlook on adoption has certainly changed.

With epilepsy, I don't know what tomorrow will bring. I pray, I beg God's mercy on Samuel's life. And I trust Him that He has given us epilepsy as a GIFT. Epilepsy is costly (meds, MRI's, neurologists, EEG's, etc). Epilepsy is still painful to watch, though much more peaceful. Epilepsy is not eternal. Epilepsy is God's way of bringing Himself glory in Samuel's life and our family over the last 7 yrs and however many more to come. Whether He heals Samuel completely here on earth or Samuel has unreasonable seizures for the rest of his life, God's name be praised!

And, finally, epilepsy IS what we signed up for.

When we adopted, we said yes to all of our son. We didn't say yes just to the parts we expected. We said yes to all of him and all he brings to our family. The part of adoption we didn't expect, were the costs under the skin. We thought race was going to be our biggest challenge - we were prepared for those costs (as much as we could be). We were prepared to make the 'sacrifices' (I would call them privileges) of raising black children. But we weren't prepared for the undefined, untold, unknown challenges that lay beneath the skin. If we didn't check the box, then we didn't have to 'worry'.

BUT GOD....but God had other plans. And I'm so thankful He did. His choice for us and for Samuel IS just right.

Counting the costs of adoption

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:07:00 +0000

We just listened to This American Life, unconditional love. It's a great mini Karyn purvis intro (tho it's not her). But it'll wet your appetite to learn more about her research or give you a crash refresher!

My sincere apologies

noreply@blogger.com (Spirit of Adoption) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:49:00 +0000

I wrote a blog post the other day leading you to read another blog on women's ministry that I deleted the same day. Evidently, in my desire to be candid, I pushed people away and offended others. I'm deeply sorry. It's embarrassing that the very thing I want, community, is the very thing that, in my candidness, I push away. That wasn't my desire at all. I wasn't referring to any particular person or ministry or group of people or church. I was referring to my experiences over the years. Nonetheless, it was hurtful, and I'm asking for forgiveness to all who were pushed away, hurt, offended.

I have intentionally been quiet on here for quite some time to avoid the risk of being offensive OR to just not edify. I say that to try to help you understand, that was not my goal. I definitely don't want to hurt others or push people away...ever. I do it, and it happens, but it's not my desire.

Please forgive me?