Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Pictures
We got two new pictures today in our monthly update of Allison. It's so bittersweet as she looks healthy and happy, but more pictures isn't what I'm longing for. We also got another update from our agency that our travel might be in July, but it's hard to get excited knowing that it may or may not happen. It stinks having to work on learning trust and patience.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Maybe....
Today (well technically yesterday) we got news that Alli's extra paperwork (as per the new law) has arrived in Addis, and has even been assigned to a judge. So, still, we don't have a court date, but it might be soon (I am ever the optimist, and Tony is always the pessimist, and I don't know which is better).
As I write this in the middle of the night, because I can't sleep, I am hoping and praying that as it's 10:30 am in Ethiopia, that her files and ours are finding their way through the system so that we can get that court date that we long for. Keep holding on Allison. We love you and are coming as soon as we can.
As I write this in the middle of the night, because I can't sleep, I am hoping and praying that as it's 10:30 am in Ethiopia, that her files and ours are finding their way through the system so that we can get that court date that we long for. Keep holding on Allison. We love you and are coming as soon as we can.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Hope
It feels like such a long time since we got our referral for Allison on May 9th, and each day I wake up wondering if today will be the day that we get our phone call with our court date and travel dates. And each night there is an aching of my heart that it didn't come. Some days fear, worry, and sadness still get the best of me. Last night I was out with two dear friends from high school and I explained it like this. Imagine you are in your third trimester, ready to birth your baby, but your doctor keeps moving your due date back...indefinitely. Plus, I have the added ache of each day of Allison's life that I am missing.
I also have to admit that since school got out and with the loss of our normal routine, I haven't been very diligent about spending my morning time reading my Bible and praying before Megan and Emily wake up. But this morning I physically felt God calling me back to the book of Romans where I had left off. Hope is what I am losing and struggling with, but Romans 4 talks about the lives of Abraham and Sarah while they waited for God's promise of a child.
Romans 4:18-25 (New International Version)
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
But then the book continues into chapter 5 and I felt God restoring my hope that He is in control and He loves us and Allison so much that we will be together just when we need to be.
Romans 5:1-5 (New International Version)
Peace and Joy
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
So this morning I am reminded to hold on to faith, hope, and love, and know that in the end it will all be worth it.
I also have to admit that since school got out and with the loss of our normal routine, I haven't been very diligent about spending my morning time reading my Bible and praying before Megan and Emily wake up. But this morning I physically felt God calling me back to the book of Romans where I had left off. Hope is what I am losing and struggling with, but Romans 4 talks about the lives of Abraham and Sarah while they waited for God's promise of a child.
Romans 4:18-25 (New International Version)
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
But then the book continues into chapter 5 and I felt God restoring my hope that He is in control and He loves us and Allison so much that we will be together just when we need to be.
Romans 5:1-5 (New International Version)
Peace and Joy
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
So this morning I am reminded to hold on to faith, hope, and love, and know that in the end it will all be worth it.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Good Morning Allison
It's 8:00pm here, and I just said prayers with Megan and Emily for the night. I love how when they pray for Alli at their bedtime they pray that she will have a good day (it's Friday morning at 6:00 am in Ethiopia right now). When we pray in the morning they also remember to pray that Allison will sleep well and dream about our family. It's hard to comprehend that my daughter is literally halfway around the world.
We love you Alli.
We love you Alli.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Raffle Time: Canvas on Demand
Many of you have been to our home and have seen the large canvas portraits of Megan and Emily above our TV. I love those canvases and get so many compliments on them.
I was recently on Canvas on Demand's website and found that they donate $100 gift cards to worthy organizations to assist with their fundraising. I figured we were a worthy organization in need of fundraising, so I applied, and we have been selected to receive a $100 Canvas on Demand gift card to raffle off to you!
Here's how it works. Post a comment below to tell me how many entries you are purchasing, then process your donation through the PayPal link on the side bar. I will contact the winner using your PayPal e-mail address and I can mail the gift card out to you. You can live anywhere in the US and enter this raffle!
Entry denominations:
- 1 entry for $5
- 3 entries for $10
- 8 entries for $20 (or each multiple of $20)
You can preview what Canvas on Demand has to offer on their website http://www.canvasondemand.com/. The gift card can be used how ever you wish. You can get a canvas up to 20"x20" for free, or use it toward a larger print or a collection.
The drawing will be on July 1st. Please share this with all your friends!
And, of course, if you don't have a recent family portrait worthy of printing on a large canvas, I'd be more than happy to help you with that as well. http://www.simplesmiles.net/ or Simple Smiles on Facebook
Thanks for supporting us as we continue to wait for our court date and prepare for our trips to meet Allison and then bring her home.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
10 months and waiting
Today marks 10 months since we started our journey, and I think this month has been the longest and hardest on me. When we got our referral, we expected our court date to not be far behind. But it has been. We are now over a month without any news. Yet each moment I am acutely aware that I am missing the first year of Allison's life. That precious, special, first year. In my head I know that it will happen just as it's supposed to, but my heart constantly aches to bring her home.
Honestly, this last month has really taken a toll on me and I know we still have a long road ahead before she is home. So please continue to pray for her and for us.
But, while we wait, we have continued to prepare so we are ready when the time comes. Here are a few pictures of some vinyl wall decorations that we added a few weeks ago (I had posted the pictures on Facebook, but not on our blog).
Honestly, this last month has really taken a toll on me and I know we still have a long road ahead before she is home. So please continue to pray for her and for us.
But, while we wait, we have continued to prepare so we are ready when the time comes. Here are a few pictures of some vinyl wall decorations that we added a few weeks ago (I had posted the pictures on Facebook, but not on our blog).
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