BUT I DON'T! (move mountains, that is...)

Hey everyone,

Well, God moves mountains... but as for me these days... I have a much harder time getting much of anything done!! :)

My current "mountains" include mail that has stacked up, some of our luggage that is STILL not unpacked (not kidding!) DVD's of other kids at the orphanage from our trip to send other waiting parents, lists of errands to do, phone calls to make, emails to return, and all kinds of random junk that accumulates through daily living sprawled out all over the counters.  And we have our first "post-placement" visit from our social worker tomorrow. Yikes!  Well, she will see a busy, happy family with an overwhelmed mommy and a somewhat messy house.  And that is ok. :)

So, needless to say... I am a bad blogger!  But I am trying hard to be a good mother! :)  And I know that is more important. I have been too busy living the adventure to write much about it.  In fact, haven't even had much time to reflect!  It is go, go, go... and then fall into bed exhausted.  Every night I think I am going to lay with Lily until she is asleep, and then get up and be productive, get organized, etc. but every night, I fall asleep too!

Quick, random facebook posts have been about the extent of the updating.  I promise I will try to update more on here soon, but for now, I am barely keeping my head above water!  Thanks for those of you who are praying.  This part of the journey is so rewarding because Lily is finally home, but it has challenges of its own as well.  She is a strong-willed little girl, and there are bumps in the process of adjustment for all of us.

Overeall, though, it is just SO good to finally be all together!  This is what we have waited sooooo long for.  Praise God!  And as I have been praying lately... "Give me oil in my lamp, keep my burning, burning, burning...!

GOD MOVES MOUNTAINS!!!

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The landscape in India has changed significantly... God has moved a humungous mountain today!! : )  After three days of fighting for the pasport, Scott came back to the hotel victorious last night!  It was very touch and go, and we will share the whole story with you all sometime.  God provided a wonderful Oriyan follower of Christ to help us with translation and the overwhelming process of dealing with the passport officials.  Still, it took three days of praying, waiting, being careful not to offend, explaining, insisting, more waiting, etc... watching "beurocrazy" at its worst... But finally, it has come through with NO BRIBES!!  We were determined not to contribute to corruption in any way, and God has moved the mountain so many believed was immovable!

THANK YOU ALL for your prayers and faith that has allowed this miracle.  What an experience!

I am sorry I have not been able to blog at all until now... spotty internet connection in the last hotel.... enough for quick FB posts but that's about it.  If you are not my "friend" yet on FB, please friend me or Scott, and you can see some picts and more regularly updated posts. 

We are exhausted but elated.  God has answered another prayer by keeping us healthy and allowing me to be able to rest.  Lily and I had a delightful nap together yesterday. : )  We have been having some long, intense days though... Mostly Scott has been at the passport office with the lady of another couple who also came to get their son, and I have been in the hotel with the man of the other couple (sounds bad, I know... hahaha! : ) but they are a wonderful Christian family too, and so we just paired up according to our strengths... Scott and Sarah working on convincing officials, and Jeff and I hanging out with confused, tired, yet excited children!) 

So I have been either hanging out in the HOT lobby with them, or in the nice, cool room with Lily, playing every game imaginable and some I could not have imagined : ) to pass the time while not speaking each other's language and having limited resources.  It was very challenging but SO good for our bonding.  She is absolutely eating up the undivided attention from Mommy. She is a precious little girl, and although I can see glimpses of the deep fear that lingers after her traumatic past, she is strong and brave and already learning to trust again. 

Words cannot express our joy at this moment.  PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!

Karen

"Mad Dogs and Englishmen..."

Strange title, I know... but it is from a quote our adoption agency rep said in regards to the extreme heat this time of year in India.   She said that the phrase she learned growing up there, which hearkens back to colonial times, is that "Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the afternoon heat!"

Well, I am asking for prayers for us, because we are not accustomed to the kind of heat we will encounter, and we will need extra stamina!  It will be around 115 degrees and 80% or higher humidity!  They say it is oppressive... sometimes feels hard to even breathe.  And the orphanage where we will be spending a lot of time with Lily does not have AC.  That is one thing for people who are "used to it" but quite something else for us American "pansies"! hahaha

So although it seems a kind of silly request (We are going to pick up our CHILD, after all!!) please pray for us as we deal with this extreme physical discomfort.  I especially tend to get grumpy when I am too hot.  And I really don't want to be grumpy on this trip.  Scott doesn't want me to either... hahaha!

Thanks everyone...

Karen

p.s. We will have more exciting posts soon! :)

Already... post number two???

Hahaha... yes, I am brimming with emotions and although I just started this blog, I have one more thing to say already about this journey. :)

I heard a song a while ago that has really inspired me.  It is sung by JJ Heller and was written by Daniel Ash, Kevin Haskins, and  David J. Haskins, and it is called "Love Me."  When I first heard it on the radio in the car, it spoke to my heart and brought tears to my eyes, because adopting an older child is really scary sometimes.

Our daughter has lived a life totally without us for six years, and has experienced things we don't know about and will only find out about if she can remember and is able to tell us.  We anticipate seeking professional help for bonding, processing painful memories and realities of her life, and helping us to move forward with her into healthiness.

But this song expresses in simple terms what I want to do for Lily.  I want to love her for who she is.  After all this time waiting for a daughter, I know I will be tempted to wish she would conform to my imagined ideal, but I have learned with my boys that as a parent, you get these little creatures who have their own temperaments and strengths and weaknesses, and you get to be part of the process of guiding and shaping, but ultimately, you choose to let go of your expectations and love them for who they are.  

I want to do this for Lily.  And to the moms reading this... although it's silly, I may need to be reminded me of this if she does something as simple as refusing to wear all of the pretty little girl clothes I have gotten for her and prefers hand-me-down jeans from Drew!  hahaha

OK, so here's the song already... :)

She cries in the corner where nobody sees 
She's the kid with the story no one would believe
She prays every night, "Dear God, won't you please... 
Could you send someone here who will love me?"

Who will love me for me
Not for what I have done or what I will become
Who will love me for me
'Cause nobody has shown me what love,
What love really means.

God's Little Lily

Welcome to our blog!  :)  I am very new at this and if you are reading this, it is because you have been a part of our adoption journey and want to keep up with the developments on our upcoming trip to bring Lily home.  We are so grateful for all of you, and for the prayers and encouragement over the last two and a half years, and we will continue to need them in these next steps!

I want to explain the name of the blog... as we prepare to head out on this exciting adventure to bring Lily home, we are first and foremost keeping in our hearts and minds the truth that she is "God's Little Lily."

We chose the name Lily for her for two reasons.  For one thing, it is similar to her original name, and we want to honor the person she is and where she comes from.  But the biggest reason in our minds for choosing this name comes from Christ's comments in the gospels that although no one is able to care for the "lilies of the field," God Himself cares for them, and clothes them in beauty and splendor.  The fact that our Lily was brought to a safe place and allowed to find a new family is confirmation to us that God has provided for her in a unique way... especially considering the awful fate of so many children who are orphaned in India and around the world.  And with her radiant smile and shining eyes, He has surely "clothed her in splendor!"

So, from the beginning of this process, we have chosen to trust God with "His Little Lily"... sometimes patiently and with great faith, and sometimes through tears and agony and very meager faith.  And this is all just during the wait! :)  Once she is here, we are sure we will have to "give her back" to God and choose to trust Him, as we do constantly with our boys as well.  We will be leaning on His guidance for raising her, helping her process the losses in her young life, and facilitating the development a strong, loving attachment in our family.  Ultimately, our greatest delight will be modeling for her how she can have her own relationship with Him!

So welcome, and I promise every blog post won't be this long... hahaha... although Scott probably knows better!  He always teases me about looooong emails and FB messages! :)  As you join us on this exciting journey, it is with grateful hearts that we head out to FINALLY be united with our daughter, remembering all the while that God holds her in His hands.  Please pray for us as we go on this great adventure!  We are trusting God to remove obstacles and guide us in our steps.  Praise Him for bringing us this far, and thank you all for your support and encouragement!

I'm so glad to have you "along for the ride!" :)

Karen