We landed in Amsterdam this morning at 5:44am their time. We are doing fine. Cannot wait to get to Sophia...we are soon going to be leaving for there on Bulgarian airlines. Didn't get much sleep but we are both doing well, considering.
THANK you for praying for us...our health and our family's AND please pray us through our time with Ethan!!! Love and always blessed, Connie for the crew
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
NOT the last day that we were planning on....need PRAYER!!!!!
I'm ready to collapse into a heap of tears. After my being sick all morning through till about an hour AFTER i had Scott's popcorn with old flat Coke... i don't know if i really am better as i AM still weak & unable to eat "real food" but i have been able to do more this evening. I wish that that was the reason that i was ready to cry but it is not.
Our Sophina has a very bad cold. I am hearing her now in the monitor...she is congested to the max, has a cough that is not good and she is miserable. I stopped packing to rub down her feet with Thieves, put Vicks all over her chest and back and neck and rubbed her down trying to massage her junk out. She is HORRIBLE. I can't begin to tell you what this is doing to my emotions. I seriously and i mean this...would have been fine with leaving BUT THIS....is going to be one of the hardest things that i have ever done!!! She does NOT do well when she has a cold like this.
We did legal paperwork that gives Tiana rights for Sophina's medical care but when i was doing it up i wasn't thinking that they would have to use it. My mind is really struggling with grasping this loss of control because it is HUGE....when a child is sick, they need their Mommy and their Mommy wants to be the one to care for them. I. NEED. PRAYER. TO. TRUST....my heart is being ripped into pieces as i hear her and i am having a very hard time.
STILL packing as today we also had refinancing of our house that the paperwork was brought to take care of but we had to wait for forty-five minutes because it wasn't correct. I had to get our house stuff ready for when we are gone....piles of stuff that needed taking care of. PLUS the fact that i was so weak and ill. THIS is NOT what i pictured us doing as we prepare to leave.....i am probably NOT making sense but just KNOW that we are needing to be COMPLETELY covered in prayer...the kind that takes a few minutes and concentration...not the passing kind that happens while thinking of other things ;) I am so struggling.....thanks for lifting us up!
Our Sophina has a very bad cold. I am hearing her now in the monitor...she is congested to the max, has a cough that is not good and she is miserable. I stopped packing to rub down her feet with Thieves, put Vicks all over her chest and back and neck and rubbed her down trying to massage her junk out. She is HORRIBLE. I can't begin to tell you what this is doing to my emotions. I seriously and i mean this...would have been fine with leaving BUT THIS....is going to be one of the hardest things that i have ever done!!! She does NOT do well when she has a cold like this.
We did legal paperwork that gives Tiana rights for Sophina's medical care but when i was doing it up i wasn't thinking that they would have to use it. My mind is really struggling with grasping this loss of control because it is HUGE....when a child is sick, they need their Mommy and their Mommy wants to be the one to care for them. I. NEED. PRAYER. TO. TRUST....my heart is being ripped into pieces as i hear her and i am having a very hard time.
STILL packing as today we also had refinancing of our house that the paperwork was brought to take care of but we had to wait for forty-five minutes because it wasn't correct. I had to get our house stuff ready for when we are gone....piles of stuff that needed taking care of. PLUS the fact that i was so weak and ill. THIS is NOT what i pictured us doing as we prepare to leave.....i am probably NOT making sense but just KNOW that we are needing to be COMPLETELY covered in prayer...the kind that takes a few minutes and concentration...not the passing kind that happens while thinking of other things ;) I am so struggling.....thanks for lifting us up!
These last hours before we leave
There is so much to do in order to be ready to go see Ethan! There is so much to do to have all of our things ready for the daughters that we are leaving behind. Sophina has been struggling since 5am this morning hacking and congested and struggling to breathe as i can hear her now whining in her sleep....and my Mommy heart aches and wonders how she will do without me...sick. She sounds miserable and my heart hurts that i can't be here...i just wrote a whole bunch of 'what ifs' that have struggled hard to take over my mind as i fight to KNOW that she is in very capable hands.
I woke up sick myself.......and weak. THIS....is NOT the way that the last 27 hours before leaving the house should be....Sophina is down here now and sounds horrible...ugh! SO...yep, we are needing prayer for our physical health. BIG TIME...like, please stop right now and pray for our health! Hey, thanks! ;)
We haven't even packed...i don't have enough clothes to pack earlier;) I have clothes that are suitable for dressy wear (from my job that i had at the Cafe Renaissance) and i have REALLY casual clothes but not clothes for this...semi-casual. I have a pair of jeans and two pair for travel and then i don't know...my Lizzie and Ally will have to help me;}) We have PJ's for Ethan...two different sizes plus one adorable outfit that i am praying that i got the right size for. We are making a book that will have both Scott and i speaking it for Ethan. Then i have a ball, some markers that are small with a small coloring book, a mirror and a super soft blue Eeyore;}) SO we definitely need prayer for packing....plus we have MANY MANY MANY other things that need to get done. SO PLEASE PRAY...yep, now would be a perfect time;}) PLEASE pray for our organizational skills, our good use of time, our being able to get the things done that need doing. Pray that we remember all that we need to have done before we leave this house.
Also, please pray for Scott and i. This is our first time alone for more than 36 hours in eighteen years. Pray that our time will be sweet. Pray that we will be renewed. Please pray that our time together will be full of wonderful memories! Also, please pray for Ethan to be prepared for us and for our hearts to be prepared for him! Pray that our time as the three of us will be amazingly full!!
My hubby's home.....must go....please pray!!! Ethan, here we come!!!!!!!!!
I woke up sick myself.......and weak. THIS....is NOT the way that the last 27 hours before leaving the house should be....Sophina is down here now and sounds horrible...ugh! SO...yep, we are needing prayer for our physical health. BIG TIME...like, please stop right now and pray for our health! Hey, thanks! ;)
We haven't even packed...i don't have enough clothes to pack earlier;) I have clothes that are suitable for dressy wear (from my job that i had at the Cafe Renaissance) and i have REALLY casual clothes but not clothes for this...semi-casual. I have a pair of jeans and two pair for travel and then i don't know...my Lizzie and Ally will have to help me;}) We have PJ's for Ethan...two different sizes plus one adorable outfit that i am praying that i got the right size for. We are making a book that will have both Scott and i speaking it for Ethan. Then i have a ball, some markers that are small with a small coloring book, a mirror and a super soft blue Eeyore;}) SO we definitely need prayer for packing....plus we have MANY MANY MANY other things that need to get done. SO PLEASE PRAY...yep, now would be a perfect time;}) PLEASE pray for our organizational skills, our good use of time, our being able to get the things done that need doing. Pray that we remember all that we need to have done before we leave this house.
Also, please pray for Scott and i. This is our first time alone for more than 36 hours in eighteen years. Pray that our time will be sweet. Pray that we will be renewed. Please pray that our time together will be full of wonderful memories! Also, please pray for Ethan to be prepared for us and for our hearts to be prepared for him! Pray that our time as the three of us will be amazingly full!!
My hubby's home.....must go....please pray!!! Ethan, here we come!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, December 8, 2011
This was my speech before the legislators tonight. My first one!
Good Afternoon, my name is Connie Lindquist. I am the mother of five daughters, married for 24 years to my husband Scott. Our fifth daughter, Sophina, has Down Syndrome. When she was born my husband had been working in the printing industry here in St Cloud for seventeen years. When our Sophina was seven days old, my husband walked down the stairs of our house in the middle of the day to let me know that he had been laid off from his job. The next six months are a blur. Our Sophina’s medical history is impressive. She was born with no issues other than what we had already known from her level 2 Ultrasounds (that she had DS and had to have an open heart surgery before she was one) but then when we were ready to leave the hospital our Dr’s were concerned about a few things so we went to the NICU instead of going home. We went home with gadgets to help her. Then that’s when Scott got laid off. It ended up being a blessing as we then had to go to the St Cloud PICU, stayed there for almost a week, went home for a few days then went to the Dr, went back to the PICU for a few more days, went home, went back to the Dr. then got sent to Children’s Mnpls Hospital for a “2-3 day stay” that ended up being FIVE WEEKS! We went home for a few months then went back down to Children’s for her open heart surgery which her recovery had complications and she was there this time for three weeks. In her six months of life she had six procedures, three of them major. She also has a feeding tube which she used exclusively for the first two years of her life.
Our daughter came home from Children’s hospital hardly ever having been on her tummy. She had missed out on six months of her life as a baby. We needed help to know what we were to be doing. The school district was one of the first places that came to our home to help. The district was able to give us information, allow us to use toys that would be needed for short times but highly valuable for our daughter’s growth- both physical and mental, without having to buy them. Even though some of those toys were well used they were useful and needed. Even though we had had four other daughters and we were “experienced parents”, our Sophina needed some things that we did not have and one of those was early education. Theresa, the lady from our district, would not be able to come through that first flu season as our daughter was a child who had a very low immune system and we couldn’t take that risk but it has now been over two years, as our daughter will be 2 years 9 months old tomorrow.
I have a feeling that the image in your mind of our Sophina is one that would NOT be true. If you were to stop right now what would you think she would be looking like? Probably NOT a real to life one. Our daughter is a precious precious bleach-white-blond-haired, blue eyed, adorable little girl who would melt your heart in under a minute. If i would have known about this sooner, i would have had a video or something to show you how far she has come. Our daughter has learned many signs for sign language, how to speak (as well as she can even though she still doesn’t have her top front teeth) she can say almost all of the sounds of the alphabet, she is walking, she loves being read to, she plays with balls and toys, she understands what we are saying and responds to us in many ways...through words and her body language. We have lived in the St Cloud area for 23 years and we know hundreds of people. There are so many people who could walk in here right now and tell you of how their meeting Sophina, their knowing Sophina, their spending time with Sophina, even people who have “met Sophina” through Facebook has changed their lives! They have seen what the effects of education has done for a child who many would say is a waste of our time and money! Our daughter has learned amazingly with the help of our district.
When Theresa comes now, our Sophina is full of excitement because Theresa brings new therapy toys each week. She brings them in a bag and a see through box container. Theresa has Sophina walk to the bag to pick which therapy toy she wants to play with. Sophina’s face is so full of anticipation as she touches, feels, and contemplates which item to choose. There is a whole team who come intermittently and are amazed when they see how far she has come. There is speech, Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist who may come once or twice a month and then Theresa comes once a week and they all work to help us as parents and our daughters do the work when they are not there.
The way that Sophina changed our lives...well, they are countless so it would take way too long to share but i WILL tell you the biggest! We are eight days away from leaving the country and going to Eastern Europe to meet our son, Ethan. He is fifteen days older than Sophina. He has Down Syndrome. In his country and the other countries in Eastern Europe there are thousands of children wasting away in orphanages where whole nations believe that they SHOULD be. The governments there do NOT spend money on these children and do you want to know what happens there? They die...some without ever being held one time in their life, some without ever seeing one toy or book in their life....these countries do not believe in spending money on children with DS and they are missing out on the many blessings that could be in their school systems, their neighborhoods, and their churches! You will not find a child with Ds in jail due to his murdering someone, or stealing a car, or hurting someone. You will not have children with DS making your schools worse but instead you will see those children with DS changing YOUR children’s lives because YOUR children will see what it means to love without holding back, YOUR children will see what it means to give without expecting anything back, YOUR children will see what it means to have compassion for other people when someone is hurting, YOUR children will see what it means to be CONTENT with little, YOUR children will see what it means to care about someone who isn’t like them because they will see that that child with DS cares-- about them!!!
When we lose sight of helping the least amongst us, we as a country will never succeed! When we spend our money on the things that do not matter than we will have consequences. Children with DS are not going to be a waste of my tax money...of your taxes being spent. They are one of the wisest choices for you to spend our hard earned money on because they are some of the wisest people on earth! SO when you go home to your children or your grandchildren one day....i am not trying to be dramatic but i ask you to think about this... when they ask you why you chose to spend our taxes on such and such.....will your reasons be ones that you will be proud of.... reasons that are full of integrity and wisdom or reasons that would not be ones that you would want to be asked in front of your children and grandchildren. You see one day your child or grandchild may be in the same Vacation Bible School class as our Sophina and Ethan and they may come home and ask you some questions....your decisions will make the difference in REAL people’s lives that make REAL changes.
Our daughter came home from Children’s hospital hardly ever having been on her tummy. She had missed out on six months of her life as a baby. We needed help to know what we were to be doing. The school district was one of the first places that came to our home to help. The district was able to give us information, allow us to use toys that would be needed for short times but highly valuable for our daughter’s growth- both physical and mental, without having to buy them. Even though some of those toys were well used they were useful and needed. Even though we had had four other daughters and we were “experienced parents”, our Sophina needed some things that we did not have and one of those was early education. Theresa, the lady from our district, would not be able to come through that first flu season as our daughter was a child who had a very low immune system and we couldn’t take that risk but it has now been over two years, as our daughter will be 2 years 9 months old tomorrow.
I have a feeling that the image in your mind of our Sophina is one that would NOT be true. If you were to stop right now what would you think she would be looking like? Probably NOT a real to life one. Our daughter is a precious precious bleach-white-blond-haired, blue eyed, adorable little girl who would melt your heart in under a minute. If i would have known about this sooner, i would have had a video or something to show you how far she has come. Our daughter has learned many signs for sign language, how to speak (as well as she can even though she still doesn’t have her top front teeth) she can say almost all of the sounds of the alphabet, she is walking, she loves being read to, she plays with balls and toys, she understands what we are saying and responds to us in many ways...through words and her body language. We have lived in the St Cloud area for 23 years and we know hundreds of people. There are so many people who could walk in here right now and tell you of how their meeting Sophina, their knowing Sophina, their spending time with Sophina, even people who have “met Sophina” through Facebook has changed their lives! They have seen what the effects of education has done for a child who many would say is a waste of our time and money! Our daughter has learned amazingly with the help of our district.
When Theresa comes now, our Sophina is full of excitement because Theresa brings new therapy toys each week. She brings them in a bag and a see through box container. Theresa has Sophina walk to the bag to pick which therapy toy she wants to play with. Sophina’s face is so full of anticipation as she touches, feels, and contemplates which item to choose. There is a whole team who come intermittently and are amazed when they see how far she has come. There is speech, Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist who may come once or twice a month and then Theresa comes once a week and they all work to help us as parents and our daughters do the work when they are not there.
The way that Sophina changed our lives...well, they are countless so it would take way too long to share but i WILL tell you the biggest! We are eight days away from leaving the country and going to Eastern Europe to meet our son, Ethan. He is fifteen days older than Sophina. He has Down Syndrome. In his country and the other countries in Eastern Europe there are thousands of children wasting away in orphanages where whole nations believe that they SHOULD be. The governments there do NOT spend money on these children and do you want to know what happens there? They die...some without ever being held one time in their life, some without ever seeing one toy or book in their life....these countries do not believe in spending money on children with DS and they are missing out on the many blessings that could be in their school systems, their neighborhoods, and their churches! You will not find a child with Ds in jail due to his murdering someone, or stealing a car, or hurting someone. You will not have children with DS making your schools worse but instead you will see those children with DS changing YOUR children’s lives because YOUR children will see what it means to love without holding back, YOUR children will see what it means to give without expecting anything back, YOUR children will see what it means to have compassion for other people when someone is hurting, YOUR children will see what it means to be CONTENT with little, YOUR children will see what it means to care about someone who isn’t like them because they will see that that child with DS cares-- about them!!!
When we lose sight of helping the least amongst us, we as a country will never succeed! When we spend our money on the things that do not matter than we will have consequences. Children with DS are not going to be a waste of my tax money...of your taxes being spent. They are one of the wisest choices for you to spend our hard earned money on because they are some of the wisest people on earth! SO when you go home to your children or your grandchildren one day....i am not trying to be dramatic but i ask you to think about this... when they ask you why you chose to spend our taxes on such and such.....will your reasons be ones that you will be proud of.... reasons that are full of integrity and wisdom or reasons that would not be ones that you would want to be asked in front of your children and grandchildren. You see one day your child or grandchild may be in the same Vacation Bible School class as our Sophina and Ethan and they may come home and ask you some questions....your decisions will make the difference in REAL people’s lives that make REAL changes.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Being taught how to give from our children....
I don't know if you remember when our daughter Catherine had her birthday...September 3rd to be exact. Grandmas & Grandpas & Daddy had given her a lot of money....almost $80...and she gave it ALL to Ethan's adoption! Then a dear college student friend, Bobby, gave exactly twice that amount...thus giving our fund a really weird number that i asked what the story was about and found that because our daughter had given so generously Bobby gave generously! What a gift that story was to me...when i read the story from Bobby i had tears streaming down my face! To have our children be the ones who show us how to give is an incredible blessing that overwhelms us as parents!
Well, this morning was no exception! We were at our home school group at our church when a mother gathered her "triplets" to surround me as she asked them to give me what they had in their hands. They each had a different colored envelope in their hands and one by one they gave me all the money they owned! When one of the children handed me money BEFORE i even opened her envelope i looked up into the face of the mother with a questioning look on my face as i asked, "Mommy, is this ok?" You see, there was a precious $10 bill plus a few other bills and remember, i hadn't even opened her envelope yet. Her reply was given with eyes swimming in unshed tears, "We will never stop our children from being generous!"
There was a story of course, as there are always stories if we just ask. The children wanted to help an orphan. Their Mommy was wondering how to make it tangible for her "4" yr olds. THEN she thought of our Ethan! So they got to see my pictures of Ethan in the book of photos that i usually have with me. They got to SEE the orphan they were wanting to help. Their heart for the orphan...well, it isn't a passing thing. You may think that they could have no clue as to what an orphan is BUT they do have a clue...they DO know...they understand! You see two of the three were just orphans themselves, last year! Yep, they have more understanding of what an orphan is than you or i ever could!
SO....how do we give? Do we give from only our abundance? Do we give enough so we can still have plenty? Do we give the way the widow gave? The widow in the Bible gave all she had and Jesus used her as an example of how WE are to give! Well, our daughter and my friend's three (of her seven children) are now modern day examples of how WE should give. In FAITH, with a joyful heart, giving generously and SACRIFICIALLY!!!
We are always ALWAYS blessed, Connie for the crew
Well, this morning was no exception! We were at our home school group at our church when a mother gathered her "triplets" to surround me as she asked them to give me what they had in their hands. They each had a different colored envelope in their hands and one by one they gave me all the money they owned! When one of the children handed me money BEFORE i even opened her envelope i looked up into the face of the mother with a questioning look on my face as i asked, "Mommy, is this ok?" You see, there was a precious $10 bill plus a few other bills and remember, i hadn't even opened her envelope yet. Her reply was given with eyes swimming in unshed tears, "We will never stop our children from being generous!"
There was a story of course, as there are always stories if we just ask. The children wanted to help an orphan. Their Mommy was wondering how to make it tangible for her "4" yr olds. THEN she thought of our Ethan! So they got to see my pictures of Ethan in the book of photos that i usually have with me. They got to SEE the orphan they were wanting to help. Their heart for the orphan...well, it isn't a passing thing. You may think that they could have no clue as to what an orphan is BUT they do have a clue...they DO know...they understand! You see two of the three were just orphans themselves, last year! Yep, they have more understanding of what an orphan is than you or i ever could!
SO....how do we give? Do we give from only our abundance? Do we give enough so we can still have plenty? Do we give the way the widow gave? The widow in the Bible gave all she had and Jesus used her as an example of how WE are to give! Well, our daughter and my friend's three (of her seven children) are now modern day examples of how WE should give. In FAITH, with a joyful heart, giving generously and SACRIFICIALLY!!!
We are always ALWAYS blessed, Connie for the crew
Saturday, December 3, 2011
WOW! A powerful post that i was NOT expecting to write...read it with a heart ready to listen
I have to tell you that my "job" that the Lord has given me other than being a Wife & Mommy is one that is hard, draining & lonely! Sometimes it feels like i am one of only a few that really truly cares. Sometimes it feels like "what is the point?" ! Sometimes i wonder if i should just quit my job. I was asked lately if i got paid for it & i couldn't believe how it shocked me when i was asked that question...in my mind my response was..."WHY WOULD I GET PAID?"-- THIS is what we are supposed to be doing! I am a VERY passionate person when i believe in something.
I want the world to know that i love Jesus Christ & i believe what He says that He is the Way, the Truth & the Life & no one comes to God except through Him! I LOVE my husband & respect him greatly-he has shown sacrificial love like Christ. I ADORE our children...Elizabeth & Nate, Alexandra, Victoria, Catherine, NOW-our Ethan, & our Sophina! I am passionate about a lot of things.
The purpose that the Lord has given me because of our Sophina & now Ethan is to try to wake up the Church...to try to let as many of you know that there are children out there who are not just pictures -THEY are PEOPLE....CHILDREN who are dying....THEY ARE REAL!!!! I KNOW people who have TOUCHED them & looked into their eyes! I have seen what adoption has done in the lives of children who were beyond belief in pain, never being touched, cared for, fed more than just enough to let them live (barely) and have watched them turn into smiling happy children in just DAYS of being with their family and into "normal" healthy children in just weeks!!! My purpose has been questioned MANY times. My purpose has been called MANY things...."over the top", "annoying", "are you sure they are even real", "why are we caring about them when there are so many here", and more.... there are days like today where i just want to give in. I just want to cry out...OK....it IS overwhelming and what IS the point? THEN.... something happens... a child gets put onto My Family Found Me- a child that we prayed for on my FB wall! Or a family that i only got to know because of Ethan's adoption gets healing that wouldn't have happened had we not been adopting! There IS a purpose!!! There IS a reason!!! PRAYER DOES CHANGE THINGS!!! Our adoption may not be what you thought was best for us but thank God - HE THOUGHT differently!!! I thank God that we didn't listen to REASON or LOGIC or having it MAKE SENSE...God asked & we FOUGHT with HIm....it was really not good timing, it did NOT make sense, it was completely ridiculous BUT GOD..... and so....WE said YES....OK, we would rather obey YOU, Lord than people and PLEASE YOU Lord then please people...we would rather please people (in our flesh) SO IT HAS BEEN HARD when people are NOT pleased....it has been HARD when we see people avoid & ignore BUT GOD!!!
SO....Yep, you CAN expect me to keep putting a child up every day on my FB wall to ask people to PRAY, you can expect me to talk about our son, Ethan and adoption and the families that i have grown to LOVE with all of my heart! You can expect me to write about Jesus Christ and His wanting to break our hearts for what breaks His....the Lord has given me a purpose, a job and i am going to do it....even when it is lonely, even when i may lose friendships/relationships...even when it is not popular.... I AM GOING TO HAVE TO ANSWER THE LORD, not you! Scott is going to have to stand before the Lord, not you and so we please JESUS CHRIST!!!
I have been mulling this post for months in my head and i did NOT come here to this computer to write it but GOD has poured this out and my hands have flown across the keys like He does when He gives me prayers for many of you....i have written with tears flowing down my face and my chest heaving in pain...... i love my Lord, i respect my husband, i adore our children...all SEVEN of them, and i am passionate about them all...including the job of sharing about adoption & a world that i never knew existed! I am ALWAYS blessed, Love, Connie for the crew!
PS May i also add that when those of you who DO see someone who is adopting, who do see someone who is obeying God and not man...you, i think, have no clue as to the power your encouragement is to those who are following Christ's leading. Your encouragement, your involvement in their lives...in OUR lives means MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW....the words of encouragement, the prayers, YOUR excitement on our behalf or on that adopting family's behalf is POWERFUL!!! I know that i speak for many adoptive families when i say THANK YOU for giving, THANK YOU for donating, THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!!!, Thank YOU for your encouragement!!! Thank you to those who "GET IT!" We are grateful!
I want the world to know that i love Jesus Christ & i believe what He says that He is the Way, the Truth & the Life & no one comes to God except through Him! I LOVE my husband & respect him greatly-he has shown sacrificial love like Christ. I ADORE our children...Elizabeth & Nate, Alexandra, Victoria, Catherine, NOW-our Ethan, & our Sophina! I am passionate about a lot of things.
The purpose that the Lord has given me because of our Sophina & now Ethan is to try to wake up the Church...to try to let as many of you know that there are children out there who are not just pictures -THEY are PEOPLE....CHILDREN who are dying....THEY ARE REAL!!!! I KNOW people who have TOUCHED them & looked into their eyes! I have seen what adoption has done in the lives of children who were beyond belief in pain, never being touched, cared for, fed more than just enough to let them live (barely) and have watched them turn into smiling happy children in just DAYS of being with their family and into "normal" healthy children in just weeks!!! My purpose has been questioned MANY times. My purpose has been called MANY things...."over the top", "annoying", "are you sure they are even real", "why are we caring about them when there are so many here", and more.... there are days like today where i just want to give in. I just want to cry out...OK....it IS overwhelming and what IS the point? THEN.... something happens... a child gets put onto My Family Found Me- a child that we prayed for on my FB wall! Or a family that i only got to know because of Ethan's adoption gets healing that wouldn't have happened had we not been adopting! There IS a purpose!!! There IS a reason!!! PRAYER DOES CHANGE THINGS!!! Our adoption may not be what you thought was best for us but thank God - HE THOUGHT differently!!! I thank God that we didn't listen to REASON or LOGIC or having it MAKE SENSE...God asked & we FOUGHT with HIm....it was really not good timing, it did NOT make sense, it was completely ridiculous BUT GOD..... and so....WE said YES....OK, we would rather obey YOU, Lord than people and PLEASE YOU Lord then please people...we would rather please people (in our flesh) SO IT HAS BEEN HARD when people are NOT pleased....it has been HARD when we see people avoid & ignore BUT GOD!!!
SO....Yep, you CAN expect me to keep putting a child up every day on my FB wall to ask people to PRAY, you can expect me to talk about our son, Ethan and adoption and the families that i have grown to LOVE with all of my heart! You can expect me to write about Jesus Christ and His wanting to break our hearts for what breaks His....the Lord has given me a purpose, a job and i am going to do it....even when it is lonely, even when i may lose friendships/relationships...even when it is not popular.... I AM GOING TO HAVE TO ANSWER THE LORD, not you! Scott is going to have to stand before the Lord, not you and so we please JESUS CHRIST!!!
I have been mulling this post for months in my head and i did NOT come here to this computer to write it but GOD has poured this out and my hands have flown across the keys like He does when He gives me prayers for many of you....i have written with tears flowing down my face and my chest heaving in pain...... i love my Lord, i respect my husband, i adore our children...all SEVEN of them, and i am passionate about them all...including the job of sharing about adoption & a world that i never knew existed! I am ALWAYS blessed, Love, Connie for the crew!
PS May i also add that when those of you who DO see someone who is adopting, who do see someone who is obeying God and not man...you, i think, have no clue as to the power your encouragement is to those who are following Christ's leading. Your encouragement, your involvement in their lives...in OUR lives means MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW....the words of encouragement, the prayers, YOUR excitement on our behalf or on that adopting family's behalf is POWERFUL!!! I know that i speak for many adoptive families when i say THANK YOU for giving, THANK YOU for donating, THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!!!, Thank YOU for your encouragement!!! Thank you to those who "GET IT!" We are grateful!
Friday, December 2, 2011
TWO WEEKS from being in Ethan's country!!!
I keep on having things that are hitting me out of the middle of nowhere! Today, it was that it was a Friday....A FRIDAY!!! OH MY GOODNESS!!! TWO WEEKS from today we will be leaving the USA!!! The other day, was it yesterday?, i realized (as in REALLY got it) that i am going to be going on TWO international flights in the next five months!!!
Some things that have NOT hit me is the following: I am going to be walking through the doors of the orphanage of the place where our son has been living, I am going to be touching our son!, Scott & i are going to be together for a full week without our children for the first time since Liz was 2!!! (unless you count our time at the PICU with Sophina), i am going to be able to be with our son for 4 1/2 days for a few hours in the morning and a few hours in the afternoon! I am going to be needing to have things for Ethan to do for our time together...what should i bring? The list could go on!
I bought our first real "outfit' for Ethan tonight! It is precious & i hope it fits him! I wonder if he will like me, will he like Scott? I wonder if he is a cuddler, a "runner", a mischief, a delight, and that list goes on! I wonder what color his eyes really are, what his personality is, what his likes and dislikes are, if he has any features that totally show me it is Ethan and that list goes on.
I am asking that you pray for our daughters as we leave them in very capable hands that love them and are very used to having them around. Sophina will be at ease with the people who will be here but we have no idea how she will be (without me- since that has never happened). I bought a book today that i can record my voice and read her a story. I bought one for Ethan too. I will leave it with him when we have to leave him! I am asking that you pray for Scott and i to be able to use as much of this time as possible to enjoy each other. Pray for Ethan to be 'ready' to meet his Mommy and Daddy. Pray for our health, energy, time change not killing us, and anything else that you can think of! (Sophina's eating would be a HUGE prayer request as that has been a HUGE struggle lately)
The Lord provided enough money for our plane tickets through those three weeks of fund raising craziness and we are so grateful! There are still funds that need to be raised for the ending of the adoption. I HAD been planning on doing another fund raiser since it is Christmas time...selling more trivets and my toffee but i have run out of time SO just know that we will have an "after-Christmas sale" at some point;) We are so grateful to those of you who have listened to the stories, who have given of time, energy, and financially, but especially to those who have prayed...WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS!!! We are always blessed! Connie for the crew
Some things that have NOT hit me is the following: I am going to be walking through the doors of the orphanage of the place where our son has been living, I am going to be touching our son!, Scott & i are going to be together for a full week without our children for the first time since Liz was 2!!! (unless you count our time at the PICU with Sophina), i am going to be able to be with our son for 4 1/2 days for a few hours in the morning and a few hours in the afternoon! I am going to be needing to have things for Ethan to do for our time together...what should i bring? The list could go on!
I bought our first real "outfit' for Ethan tonight! It is precious & i hope it fits him! I wonder if he will like me, will he like Scott? I wonder if he is a cuddler, a "runner", a mischief, a delight, and that list goes on! I wonder what color his eyes really are, what his personality is, what his likes and dislikes are, if he has any features that totally show me it is Ethan and that list goes on.
I am asking that you pray for our daughters as we leave them in very capable hands that love them and are very used to having them around. Sophina will be at ease with the people who will be here but we have no idea how she will be (without me- since that has never happened). I bought a book today that i can record my voice and read her a story. I bought one for Ethan too. I will leave it with him when we have to leave him! I am asking that you pray for Scott and i to be able to use as much of this time as possible to enjoy each other. Pray for Ethan to be 'ready' to meet his Mommy and Daddy. Pray for our health, energy, time change not killing us, and anything else that you can think of! (Sophina's eating would be a HUGE prayer request as that has been a HUGE struggle lately)
The Lord provided enough money for our plane tickets through those three weeks of fund raising craziness and we are so grateful! There are still funds that need to be raised for the ending of the adoption. I HAD been planning on doing another fund raiser since it is Christmas time...selling more trivets and my toffee but i have run out of time SO just know that we will have an "after-Christmas sale" at some point;) We are so grateful to those of you who have listened to the stories, who have given of time, energy, and financially, but especially to those who have prayed...WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS!!! We are always blessed! Connie for the crew
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