In Awe…it's DONE!

There have been now THREE times in my life that I have been stunned that something MAJOR is now over.
A time when my ENTIRE LIFE was focused around a HUGE life event full of details and hard work and then…it was simply DONE.
The realization comes as a SHOCK to me. A total awe-inspiring moment when I simple realize:
It's                 ALL                

On our honeymoon--17 yrs ago!

                    DONE.
The FIRST was when we were sitting on the beach on our honeymoon.
Brian put his arms around me and whispered in my ear: "All that wedding planning…it's DONE."
And I sucked in a breath of shock!
IT WAS!!!! ALL DONE!!!
We were married! And on the beach! YIPPIE!!!
The SECOND was when our 2nd child was born.

Anneli 1 day old! 

With my first baby, dear Jensi, I had a RIDICULOUSLY LONG labor-- 39 HOURS!!! I had to push for over 2 hours and finally they used the vacuum thingee. (oh the memories! wince!! cringe!!)
So when Anneli was born after a short time in the hospital (like less than an hour!) and she was OUT in ONE PUSH I was totally in awe.
Birthing my child was ALL DONE. 
ALL DONE!!!!! She was here!!!
And now I am having my THIRD experience like this.
We just got our in country bill for Esty's adoption. 
It was large.
And I expected it to be.
And…our grants cover it IN FULL.
I do not have to run out to various banks and wire money…in the snow. (I did this for Toby's adoption.)
I'm sitting here in my robe with my coffee and am just so in AWE.
It's DONE!! No more fundraising!!! 
NO MORE FUNDRAISING!!!!!!!!!!!
We are FULLY FUNDED, and seriously ALL that is left is to get on a plane and bring her home!!!!

Esty…smiling big! We are coming for her and she knows it!!

Sweet Esty, here we come!!!!

FULLY FUNDED! See What God Has Done!

We have yet ANOTHER announcement to make!

Yes!!! It is TRUE!!!
GOD HAS DONE THIS MIRACLE!!!!
Who can provide like the Lord?
Who cares for the orphan like Him?
Who sets the lonely in families?
Who comforts the brokenhearted?
Who leads us out into the depths of the ocean where feet may fail?
Who is ALWAYS FAITHFUL to His promises?
Who holds us up when we are weary and come to the end of ourselves?
Who left Heaven to live among us and then give up His own life to save ours?
Who puts a song of joy in our hearts to sing?
GOD.
There were so many fears, so many questions, but all through the process God led so gently and now we are here to give testimony to HIS AMAZING PROVISION!!!
This journey to Esty began a short 9 months ago. We had fallen in love with her before going to adopt Toby. 
While in Hong Kong, God gave me a dream about this dear orphan and how she was to be named Esther because He needs her in place for the plan He has for her.
{wow.}
After being home 3 days with Toby, we began the process to bring Esty home.
We had prayed and fasted with two very special friends...all seeking God's face about this orphan called "Lang Han Han."
We ended up with a very special prayer and Scripture for this adoption. It is from Isaiah 41:20: 
"I am doing this so all who see this miracle will understand what it means-- that it is the Lord who has done this, the Holy One of Israel who created it."
We prayed specifically that it would be OBVIOUS to all who saw our adoption process that God has done this.
So I ask you, do you see?
We personally spent our savings.
We scrimped and saved.
We ate rice and beans.
We had "Storybook dinners" where we ate oatmeal for dinner in our pajamas and I would read stories while we ate. (They had NO IDEA this was to save money but rather delighted in it!!)
We applied for a LOT of grants. We were awarded 4. Their total came to $14,500!!
We sold 4 different tee shirts!
We had a yard sale.
We were gracious recipients of MANY online parties and the consultants so generously donated their commissions to our fund.
We had 2 Adopt Shoppe auctions! (One through The Adopt Shoppe and a second surprise when our dear friend donated her own purchases from there to bring in money!)
We had custom jewelry made to benefit our adoption. (You can still order these if you like!)
We sold coffee with Just Love Coffee.
We did a puzzle fundraiser.
We made a dog bed and sold it. :)
I stepped out in faith (scared to death) and painted canvases for an art auction.
A painting had crazy favor and became a hoodie and tee shirt.
It later became a necklace!
That step of faith alone brought in $4,000!!! (SEE!?!! God DID this!!!)
We had friends rally around us and campaign for us to bring in money.
And we had lots of amazing people hear God prompt them to give to bring Esty home all throughout the process.
There was one day we owed $700 to submit our dossier to China...it couldn't be sent until the money was paid.
I read the email about the money needed, prayed while in the shower, "Lord, we have no idea how to pay this! You are going to HAVE to do something!" I got out of the shower and dressed and came down and got the mail...inside was enough to pay the dossier fee. Some extended family had all rallied together and donated to get Esty home. In PERFECT TIMING.
Do you see that God did this???
So many wonderful people have love for orphans, but they fear the daunting amount of money that is required to adopt.
I am here to say, if God lays adoption and orphan care on your heart...
PRAY ABOUT IT SERIOUSLY.
Trust Him in new ways.
He is the defender of orphans.
He is merciful.
He sets the lonely in families.
He created the entire EVERYTHING with a word. He OWNS everything. Do you really think if He calls you into something big that He will leave you without the money to do it?
There are MILLIONS of waiting children in the world.
Esty waits only two weeks more.
But millions more wait for someone to trust God...to obediently step out in faith to say YES.
No, I do NOT think everyone should adopt an orphan. But I think that if your heart is stirring right now...
that you need to seriously pray about whether He is calling you into this too.
You may discover you are called into orphan care, but it looks different than adoption...
...and that's AWESOME!!
But please, hear me dear one, if you are being called to ADOPT but you are too SCARED because of the money required...
LAY IT DOWN.
You have seen and heard my testimony. THREE TIMES OVER He has provided for our international adoptions.
He is faithful.
If He is calling you to do this, He WILL PROVIDE.
(And hear me: I am not saying you sit back on your duff and checks just come rolling into your mailbox. I am saying you will work like you've never worked before and you will be in awe of God's power like never before.)
So, dear one, you have hijacked my post! I was writing about us being fully funded...but I am led to write to encourage you to step out in faith. You know who you are, with your heart beating as you read, your eyes all teary. 
God knows.
Trust Him.
Be obedient.
Let HIM write your story.
He's the BEST at it!!!!!
I'm praying for you...and your sweet waiting child(ren) too!!! :)

A MONUMENTAL DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's time for a HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you ready!?!?!?!?!

(drum roll please...)

We are FULLY FUNDED for Toby's adoption!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YES!!!! IT IS TRUE!!!!

Our amazing and incredible God brought in $32,000 in just 9 months time to fund the adoption that was HIS IDEA in the first place!!!
HALLELUJAH!!!!

But...

there's more!

WHAT?!?!?!

Did we get Travel Approval? 

Nope.

Listen to this amazing story:

My crazy awesome friend Chasity Cole is also adopting. We adopted in Uganda together back in the summer of 2011. She called me last week to let me know that God had performed a miracle and they were fully funded.

She wanted to help me with funding.

So she invented and pulled off a MOST AMAZING auction. (see previous post!!)

Then, today Tuesday February 26, 2013 God brought the rest of our necessary money in and we now share the status, "Fully funded."

I have a sweet friend, Angie Rylands, who is also adopting as well. (go figure!) This family is adopting TWO children at once from China. (VERY EXPENSIVE!) The two children are older boys...the ones who often get overlooked. A 9 year old boy and a boy who is about to age out (almost turning 14.)

Side note: In China, children are allowed to live in orphanages until they are 14. Upon their 14th birthday they are moved along in life. They are put out on to the streets. If they have any kind of special need, this is a death wish. Sexual slavery, drugs, street life awaits. 15% commit suicide. Most have no education or job skills. At age FOURTEEN. This is a desperate situation.

So, anyway...back to the Rylands...they have been raising a CRAZY amount of money to go and bring these boys home. I often thought, "wow, glad that's not MY amount..." And today...they saw God move mountains as well...

...their number went from $30,000 left on December 1st to $17,000 on January 1st to $12,900 on February 1st...and yesterday their need was $7,778 And today...with our full funding we were blessed to be part of polishing off their need and now they join us as:

FULLY FUNDED!!!!

And this leads us to another family, the Smiths, who are in dire need of funds. They were in China last August adopting and fell in love with this sweet girl who is deaf: 

Guan Ya

They knew that God had her for their family and they worked their tails off to return to China to bring her home. One problem...she ages out on March 8th!! They leave in THREE DAYS to go bring her home before she ages out...so Angie and I thought we would help THEM raise their final funds!! 

God has blessed each of us: Chasity, us, the Rylands...now it's time to bless the Smiths!!

But wait!!!

SCREEECH!!!

They are now only $200 odd dollars away from ALSO BEING FULLY FUNDED!!!!!

So I was telling Niki, "We are going to blow that outta the park!" And she said, "Nope! Got someone on it! Go find someone else!!"

HA!!! LOVE IT!!

So...we now issue out a challenge from ALL of us:

CHASITY, ANGIE, NIKI and MYSELF:

We want you to help us get Jennifer's daughter home!!!

Jennifer has traveled to China multiple times and has ministered to many orphans over her trips. There is one orphanage especially founded for children with Brittle Bone Disease. There is one very special child who has captured Jennifer's heart in a way unlike any other orphan ever has. 

Jesus whispered, "She is yours."

So along with some red tape that none of us can do anything about...Jennifer needs funding to be able to travel to get this sweet child and attend to her medical and spiritual needs.

Now one of the most AMAZING things is that Jennifer is the CEO of the non-profit ministry Into the Field that exists to serve as servants around the corner and around the world. A huge passion is loving orphans home. Once Jennifer's adoption is FULLY FUNDED then monies will be available for other adoptive families in grants! In other words: IT KEEPS ON GIVING!!! TOO COOL!!

So go here and keep the momentum rolling! Donate to her Razoo link on the sidebar! $15,000 is the number to hit! Ready...set...GO!!!

Join with us as we link arms as a body of Christ to help MORE ORPHANS HOME!!! LINK UP!!

(And please pray for each of our families as we go through the amazing process of adding a children into our families! This is delicate heart work and we need TONS of grace, patience and wisdom from God Himself!!)