A recommendation

Bibi's home with her new daughter, Letarik! She has pictures and many things to tell me about Tarikwa! She emailed me and told me that she is an AMAZING girl and that she and Letarik are indeed besties and virtually inseparable. They were very sad to leave each other and as I thought, there were many tears shed.

Ok, now...get that gift bag to my daughter!! I just keep praying that God would be her comfort.

I am DYING to talk to Bibi but also remember how I felt after returning home from Ethiopia and want to give her a little space. She told me I could call her tomorrow after 9:00 Eastern so I though I'd call about 8:01 Central time. Like I said, I want to give her some space! ;)

Katie, De and I went shopping and bought Miss Tarikwa a super cute shirt...our first clothing purchase. Way fun!!

On a separate note, I want to encourage you to get hooked on a blog. Put it on your favorites and check it daily. I've mentioned it before but it's been months and seriously...it will blow you away. It's by Katie, a 20 year old girl, living in Uganda, caring for orphaned children there. She is the mother of 13 - yep, 13 and she's 20 years old. She is an incredibly godly and humble servant of Jesus Christ and believe me when I say, we ALL can learn from this girl. Her last post has brought me to tears several times already.

kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com

Blessings,

Laura

Best friends

I can't get my mind off the fact that Bibi and her new daughter are leaving Ethiopia today for the U.S. What an exciting day for both of them! But I also can't help feeling for Miss Tarikwa as she sees her best friend leave her. Will you pray with us that God will be her comfort and that He might send another friend who can put her arms around her and support her? These kids have already been through more than we probably ever will have to endure. I just shake my head when I think of it. Pray that she'll receive our gift bag at the precisely perfect time for her and that it will relieve her grieving heart and give her hope.

I got an updated CD of our house inventory pictures from our restoration company. It includes pictures of everything that they have from our house that is being cleaned and will be returned to us. While looking at these pictures I found it...my precious Bible. I cannot tell you how much I've missed it for the past 6 months!! Seeing it made my heart soar and plummet at the same time. It's in worse shape than I even remembered. That's what you're seeing in the lower left hand in the above picture.

Why didn't I grab it on my way out the door? I saw it sitting on the desk and thought about it. Never in my wildest nightmares did I think the fire would be so bad. I though it would be out in no time and we might have some repair work in the basement to do. No huge deal. Boy, was I wrong!

Blaine's sister, Pam gave it to us for a wedding present 23 years ago. It's gotten lots of use and the duct tape on the leather cover has given it more life. If you were to open the cover to almost any page you'd find writing of some kind. This book is like an old friend. When I look at the pages, I remember where I was when I learned such and such. This book accompanied me to Israel and next to many passages you will find my writing that says, "Been here!" The added writing within it are a wealth of knowledge and memories.

I was given a beautiful new Bible, 2 actually, after the fire. When they were given to me, I cried. What a thoughtful and most needed gift!

But (call me spoiled again) they're not my old friend with the duct tape, extra writing and memories in it. I have found it difficult to find what I'm looking for in these new Bibles. Don't get me wrong, these Bible's are also treasures beyond measure but I miss my old friend. It's been so long now that my heart is actually aching to have it back. I've actually resisted using the new ones because they take effort and I haven't had any extra umph to put forth.

I spoke with the restoration company about the possibility of having it rebound. It obviously sustained water damage which caused the pages to curl. And I know the pages are charred but I don't care. They checked and apparently it is a possibility! It is VERY expensive and is done through the art institute or a museum or something. They would not usually do it for this reason. But I want it done. It is that important to me.

So it looks like my old friend will get a new life after all! I'm so excited and hope it doesn't take too long.

Go hug your Bible!!

Blessings,

Laura

Some picures

Blaine, Mihiretu and De excited over the progress of the sheetrock.

The boys' room. They're dancing because they now have walls!

Katie, Mihiretu, nephew Mike, my Mom and De with the catch of the day! This was just this last weekend at the cabin.

This is Blaine and Mihiretu's birthday party. At VBS, kids earn tickets which they use to buy things and treats. Mihiretu bought this New Testament for Blaine for his birthday! He was so excited to do this all by himself with tickets he'd earned by learning Bible verses. What a thoughtful kid, huh??

This was this past weekend at the cabin. We found a raspberry patch that was almost picked out. Even so, we did get enough for a pie. YUMMM! Misganaw had a blast picking raspberries and did a great job. He also learned that he likes to eat raspberries! Nothing like picking them to discover you like eating them.

I will get some new pictures of the house to post. We were there when it was getting dark so the ones I posted aren't the best quality, but you get the idea. They are all done with the sheetrocking and have begun to mud and tape!

We're almost home!!

Now that people are finding out that we're adopting an older girl from Ethiopia, we have gotten all kinds of responses. These are people that we know a little, like people in Blaine's office building or the stranger at the post office. Mostly, the reaction is, "The world needs more people like you!" or "You are wonderful people!" or "That's such a nice thing to do!" I know all these people mean well and we don't take offense to what they're saying. Honestly, people don't really know what to say. I don't blame them. But, man it's hard to find the appropriate response when they say these things.

That is until yesterday when I came up with "IT". It takes the focus off of us (where we don't want it) and where it should be. I learned it from Rene (from Ghana) who used to live with us before the fire. It says everything we feel in a little nutshell. It sort of halts the praises of us.

It goes like this- "It is our joy."

That's IT. We are adopting Tarikwa because it is our joy to do so. We want her to be our daughter. We are thrilled to have her. We hope she is as happy with us as we are with her. It is NOT a burden. It is NOT a duty. And we most definitely NOT the most wonderful people in the world! It is simply "our joy" to adopt her into our family.

God has led us to adopt her. He's shown us clearly that this is his plan for our family. We have met with much opposition. Fierce opposition, really. But when God clearly tells you to do something, as long as it lines up with scripture (which adoption certainly does!), DO IT and don't let anything stop you.

What a fantastic thing. God calls us to adoption and in responding to this call, we get to be parents! He's entrusted another child to our family and to us to raise for His glory. What a privilege!!

It is our joy!

Blessings,

Laura

I'm pleased to announce...

We have officially accepted the referral of Miss Tarikwa! We received the paperwork yesterday and have it all signed and filled out. It will go to the post office today along with her precious and adorable gift bag! We are so excited for her to be able to receive it. I wrote a 6 page letter to her which is included in the gift bag. It's a funny thing to introduce yourself and your family to your new daughter who knows absolutely nothing about you. It was really fun to write it! Included in her gift bag are: a really cute t-shirt with faces of all 7 of us on it that she will be presented with when she is told she has a family. She'll wear it around to show all the other kids 'her new family.' We also sent a photo album of all of us and the house (before the fire, of course!), some stationary and envelopes so she can write to us, a comb, a headband for her hair, lip gloss, a journal, pens and a card that you can record your voice on and then it sings, "My Girl." Super cute!

Please continue to pray for Blaine as he is finding coming off the steroids is quite unpleasant. Don't get me wrong, we are thrilled to have him get off of them but the journey is difficult. It's a weird way that they wean him off. One day he takes 60mg, then 50 the next, then 60 again, then 40, then 60 again, then 30, then 60 again, then 20 (get it?). Well, the last few days he's been on 60mg then 0 the next, then 60 again and 0 the next. The days that are 0 are the bad ones. He looks and feels like he's been hit by a city bus. He's completely worn out with no energy. He has lots of work to do and unfortunately he doesn't have any wiggle room. So pray that he would have just enough energy to complete what he has to do.

Not sure if I mentioned this or how much I said previously but his office building (the one they own) was undergoing getting new siding a few weeks ago and when the siding was removed, they found that the structural posts (18 of them) were completely rotten and the building was literally in danger of falling down! Can you say, "Catastrophe"? Anyway, God has been so good and the process is going smoothly but there are some things that Blaine must do to meet deadlines and he needs strength and energy to get up on scaffolding and do them. Also, the doctor told us that this is the time that Blaine must not get sick since he's coming off the steroids, his body can't fight off things. Boy, we really can't wait until the steroids are all done. I really understand the love/hate relationship of steroids now!

I have to post some pictures of the house when I get a chance. The sheetrocking is done and they are working on mudding and taping it!!! The house looks so much better...we have walls inside! We have 5 more weeks until we move in. Things will go very quickly now and lots of progress will occur. It's fun to go out there now and see it.

Pictures tonight!

Blessings,

Laura

The ending...

Most people who know me know that one of my most favorite things to do is read biographies or autobiographies of missionaries or other heroes of the Christian faith.  I've been doing this for many years and often I find myself desiring to be the main character of the book.  

The first one I ever read was George Mueller.  This guy was a real man of faith.  He started and ran orphanages in England.  During all the years he served God in this capacity, he never once let anyone but God know of the financial or material needs of the orphanage.  Through complete faith in God, he cared for thousands of orphans and met ALL their needs.  After I read this book, my soul longed to be George Mueller and do great things for God.

Gladys Aylward was a woman who found herself rejected for missionary service by an agency since she lacked qualifications and was too old.  She raised the money for the trip herself and wound up in China, working with a missionary there.  One day, she found herself the adoptive mother of a little girl who was unwanted.  She took in many children after that and risked her life when the Japanese attacked China.  She led at least 100 children (sorry, can't remember for sure the #- my books were all damaged in the fire) on foot miles and miles to safety.  After I read that book, my soul longed to be Gladys Aylward.

Mary Slessor was a little, red headed lady who desired to go to the interior of Africa to reach tribes who'd never heard about Jesus Christ.  She was old it was too dangerous but she took a risk and went anyway.  She was amongst head hunters.  It seemed not to phase her and once again, she developed such a great reputation among the tribes that the tribal leaders came to her to settle disputes between tribes.  She also adopted several children who were unwanted and in danger and wouldn't have an opportunity at life otherwise.  After I read that book, my soul longed to be Mary Slessor.  

As I said before, I used to work with the youth and I regularly talked about the lives of these people with them.  I have said many times, "I just want to be...(fill in the blank with the name of my favorite missionary of the day)."

One of the special young ladies in my Bible study is named Emily.  Let me tell you about her. She has been all over the world on mission trips.  I mean ALL over the world for months at a time.  She graduated from college and is now getting her Masters degree in Boston.  Her major will equip her to work for or run an international development agency or to work with the poor in the U.S.  One of the most fascinating trips she's taken brought her to Nepal where she worked among lepers and child prostitutes.  Can I just say...I am so proud of this girl!

Anyway, she emailed me the other day to say she enjoys reading the blog and that it looks like God has answered the longing of my soul and made our lives resemble those in the missionary books I've loved for so many years. (I'm not sure we can be put into their category, though!)But what she said made me think.  

You know, all those books I read had an amazing ending.  These people made a huge, eternal impact on this world.  But while they endured all the harrowing, dangerous, painful and often life threatening events of their lives - how did they feel?  Were they afraid, stressed and wondering, "what is going on here?"  Did they get discouraged?  It's just so easy when you read a book to not see the hard times that it took to follow the will of God in their lives.  It just looks so miraculous if you don't 'feel' the pain in their journey.  Sometimes it would be nice to read the 'end' of your book.  

But Emily reminded me that we know the end.  We end up with Jesus, our Savior in heaven and He is ultimately the victor over all.  

And to know that IS enough.  It's more than enough.

On another note, Bibi left today for Ethiopia to get her sweet daughter, L.  Pray that their meeting is a sweet one. I am so excited for her.  Their lives will be changed forever.  

She will also meet our Tarikwa.  I can't wait to hear what her impressions are of her!!  I can't wait to see the video and pictures she takes of them together.  How do you explain a bond between two woman a thousand miles away from each other who's daughters happen best friends half way across the world?  Only God...

We are up at the cabin this weekend and just wanted to let you know that Blaine's symptoms are much decreased since he's been up here.  No stress.  At home, the stress level is very high both with the business and the house and he physically must work harder than he should be right now considering his health concerns.  So hopefully when the house is complete that life will settle down and he will see the symptom he's still having disappear.  It's a blessing for him to feel better this weekend!

Well, if you made it through this post, congratulations!!  

Gotta get out to the bonfire for some s'mores.

Blessings,

Laura

 

It's a NO

Well, I finally heard from AAI about my friend, Bibi taking our gift bag to Tarikwa when she leaves in a few days. It was a NO. Someone from the agency will be traveling the beginning of Sept. and will take it then.

I won't pretend that I understand this decision. We thought that since she was traveling it would be easier for the girls emotionally if Tarikwa knew she had a family when her best friend left for the U.S.

We prayed first that they'd let us do this and secondly, that if they said, "no" that we could accept it. I guess it wasn't God's timing for her to get it at this time so we have to trust Him, since He does know best.

So now we will pray for the girls that they'd have strength to be able to handle the separation. Although they will see each other again, they don't know this. A pretty hard thing for 2 little girls who've already been through so much loss in their short lives.

May God be their comfort.

Blessings,

Laura

I was asked...

I was asked to be a speaker at the spring women's retreat at our church. It's in March. The topic of the retreat is, "How to have a living faith while going through difficult times in your life." I was told that I could think about it and that I didn't need to give my answer right away. I told her that I didn't need to think about it and to put me down as a 'yes'. I'm not much of a public speaker and will be pretty nervous in front of so many people but if the Lord can be glorified in our story and if the cause of the orphan can be communicated, I'm there.

Now, I have to admit that even though I've gone to this church for 27 years or so and been very involved in many capacities, I have never been to a woman's retreat in my life. Here's the reason. I never though 'those' ladies would like me too much. Hang on, don't think I have a low self-esteem problem...it's not that. It's just that when I think of a women's conference I think of lovely women with perfectly sprayed hair in a skirt and jacket and ugggghhhhh.....the worst thing......panty hose and pumps. They talk perfectly and are prim and proper and have it all together. You can tell this by their appearance, can't you?

Ok, you're seeing one of my biases here. I'm just being honest.

I'm not one of those ladies at all. I used to try a little but have long since given up and now admit that I only wear dress pants on Christmas and maybe Easter but otherwise you can find me in jeans or in the summer jean capris each and every Sunday. You will find me in my Born sandals and a t-shirt being comfy with my legs crossed Indian style in my seat. This is what I'm comfortable in and it's who I am. Maybe that's why I worked with the youth for years. They are not impressed with ladies in dresses either.

Don't get me wrong, I'm clean and not sloppy and smelly or anything.

Now I'm not only going to the women's retreat, I'm a speaker and so honored and priveledged to be one. I'm excited to see what God has in mind and how He will use me in this capacity. I believe God has a purpose that is much, much bigger in all the things we've been through than I can understand. I believe this opportunity might give me a better idea about where that might lead. I just want to be used to glorify Him.

So that brings me back to my preconceived notion about the clothing issue. I'm thinking already that I might have to break down and wear some dress pants to this event. What do you think? But I can guarantee you one thing. I put my foot down on the panty hose and pumps! Not happening!

I guess I'll dress appropriately because if it promotes awareness of the need for strong families to pour their lives into the cause of the orphan to make a change, I'll do it.

Blessings,

Laura