Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
1 Year Later....
Today we celebrated ONE YEAR with our beautiful daughter. You can go back and read our thoughts on that day, but one year out, we are even more grateful to the Lord for leading us on this journey. Ashley is a joy and a blessing...and fits right in here at home with her sisters. God has taught us so much through this process and we are STILL learning things! This much we know is true....she is home and she is loved. As much as we love her, the Lord loves her that much more. We cannot wait to see all the ways that He uses her and all our girls, for His glory! If you come across this blog and want to contact us, you can email us at rebsandhogs@juno.com. We'd love to share our story and encourage others that feel like God is calling them to adopt. One thing we know for sure, God blesses obedience and had we not listened and obeyed, we would have missed out on the blessing of this child. We cannot imagine our lives without you Ashley Mel!!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Onto the next leg.....
As we close this part of Ashley's journey home, there are so many things that need to be said. When Jay and I began to seriously discuss adoption two years ago...we never could have imagined the road that was before us. One thing was for sure. We were scared, excited, anxious, and totally unprepared for what was to come. One thing we did know...God was calling us to this mission and He had never led us down a path we ever regretted.
Exactly two years ago to this day, we sent off for the information packet from American World Adoption. It arrived on April 18, 2007, and shortly after that, the Lord spoke to us through this verse:
"Now the God of Peace, who raised Jesus from the dead, will equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, and HE will get the glory." Heb. 13:21
So much Truth!
He was the God of Peace, ....even when we waited and waited for our LOA.... He equiped us to do His will...financially, HE provided every dime we needed....that which is pleasing in His sight....God commands us to take care of orphans, and is a Father to the Fatherless...and HE will get the glory....it has always been our desire that GOD would get the glory thru this process, and I believe He has!!!
Over and over we have seen the hand of the Lord, guiding and protecting us, even when we had HARD days. Adoption is not for the weak! People are constantly asking me, "was it a hard process to adopt?" That is a tough one to answer, because I want to be honest, but I don't want to scare someone from being open to adoption! So most of the time, I simply answer, "Yes, it was a long a difficult process, but totally worth it!"
People also ask us if we will ever do it again someday. Honestly, at this point we feel our family is complete. But we are totally open to whatever the Lord has planned for us. We have been SO SO blessed by the miracle of adoption, and for now, feel like God has given us a platform to tell people about these precious children and communicate His desire to place them in families.
This blog will continue to remain open in the hope that someone will read it and consider what their family can do for the orphans in this world. By some estimates, in China alone, there could be as many as 3 million children without a family to love them.
The "starfish" poem that is used over and over, may sound a little cliche, but as the story goes.....the man was walking down the beach throwing starfish back into the ocean....faced with thousands of starfish, a passerby asks him why he is throwing them back when there are so so so many....what difference does it make??
His reply....."it made a difference for this one...."
"Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family,
Exactly two years ago to this day, we sent off for the information packet from American World Adoption. It arrived on April 18, 2007, and shortly after that, the Lord spoke to us through this verse:
"Now the God of Peace, who raised Jesus from the dead, will equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, and HE will get the glory." Heb. 13:21
So much Truth!
He was the God of Peace, ....even when we waited and waited for our LOA.... He equiped us to do His will...financially, HE provided every dime we needed....that which is pleasing in His sight....God commands us to take care of orphans, and is a Father to the Fatherless...and HE will get the glory....it has always been our desire that GOD would get the glory thru this process, and I believe He has!!!
Over and over we have seen the hand of the Lord, guiding and protecting us, even when we had HARD days. Adoption is not for the weak! People are constantly asking me, "was it a hard process to adopt?" That is a tough one to answer, because I want to be honest, but I don't want to scare someone from being open to adoption! So most of the time, I simply answer, "Yes, it was a long a difficult process, but totally worth it!"
People also ask us if we will ever do it again someday. Honestly, at this point we feel our family is complete. But we are totally open to whatever the Lord has planned for us. We have been SO SO blessed by the miracle of adoption, and for now, feel like God has given us a platform to tell people about these precious children and communicate His desire to place them in families.
This blog will continue to remain open in the hope that someone will read it and consider what their family can do for the orphans in this world. By some estimates, in China alone, there could be as many as 3 million children without a family to love them.
The "starfish" poem that is used over and over, may sound a little cliche, but as the story goes.....the man was walking down the beach throwing starfish back into the ocean....faced with thousands of starfish, a passerby asks him why he is throwing them back when there are so so so many....what difference does it make??
His reply....."it made a difference for this one...."
"Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family,
that you have brought me this far?"
2 Samuel 7:18
Monday, April 6, 2009
Thanks so much!
Thanks for all of you that emailed me about the header....you are all so sweet to respond and be willing to help! The blog is *almost* done and i'm looking at Friday to stop posting on this one. That gives you a few days to email me and ask for the address...I will not be posting it here, but it will not be private, either. If you are a part of the AWAA WC yahoo group, I'll post it there and if you read the other blog (confessions) then i'll post it there as well. And maybe on facebook...still thinking that one over. Check back for a wrap up post (maybe a few:) as we close this chapter in our journey!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
MRI...and Ashley, what does the tiger say????
Thanks for your prayers, everything went very well!! We were VERY (long story) concerned about her having the MRI at our local hospital....they are the most UNfriendly hospital for children I've ever been in....but God answered prayers and put the most wonderful people in our path all morning long. Where have these people been??!!!
The MRI itself lasted about 2 hours because they spent the first 45 getting an IV inserted...which they never accomplished after trying....are you ready for this?? NINETEEN times. YES she was already sedated with gas and felt nothing....but she has 19 little places on her hands (6 in each), feet, ankles, and forearms....they used her like a baby pin cushion! She's all bruised up over it all.
However, she came out of recovery great, and wanted mama, and snuggled in and didn't blame me for anything!! I was very concerned about all our great attachment/trust progress and that it was going to be washed down the drain....but the Lord covered her heart and she was oh so happy to be with mama and daddy afterwards.
We haven't been told anything that they saw, as it was a Friday. I'll update when I can! Thanks for the prayers!
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