What a mighty and all knowing God we have. His plan is so much better than I would ever dream up.
Going back to Chloe, Thank you Lord that infertility caused us to look at adoption!
Thank you Lord, that I was able to keep calling Adoption Agencys/Homestudy Workers until someone would tell me it was possible to adopt from China if the husband did not travel. Well, one phone call to the right Home study Worker Joan, and she told me it could happen. God moved that mountain.
Incredible now that even Dan’s ear surgery was a blessing. It caused Stacy to travel with me because Dan could not fly with his ear problem. Without that Stacy would not have had the gift of seeing the adoption from the start. To have Chloe love her so much that she dreamed of having a little girl like Chloe.
Thank you Lord for Caillie, for the name we were given of a precious girl from the same orphanage as Chloe. She was such a sweet and gentle nature that I could dream of just one more…..Also, Stacy once again came along to help. Yup, she would have been a huge help to Dan by staying at home but knew she had to come again to bring Caillie home. Without her there, I would not have had Zoe for my niece. Stacy needed to see Zoe in person, hear her cry and know her story. Then before we left China , know for certain that she had just met her daughter.
Thank you Lord, for opening Dan’s eyes to just one more little girl Lily. Thank you for hearing the right sermon and instantly knowing that we had to go back to China for Lily.
Thank you Lord, that the request we made to have another daughter from Huazhou did not work as we requested. It worked out in Gods plan just perfectly. We received Lily. Without that perfect “NO” to our request we would not have met Isabella and Yan. Without that perfect “NO” to our request, we would probably not be waiting to bring our fourth daughter home and also the joy of being an aunt to her best friend in all the world Yan.
God is so good.
Thank you Lord, that you answer prayers based on what YOU know is the best for us.
I dream of the day that the little girls so close together in all the pictures and when I met them in 2004, will walk hand in hand to their new moms and share together the joy of a family. They will become cousins, how perfect is that!
me
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
April 13, 2008 – STAY WITH TODAY
As I sit and think about you Isabella, I thought I would tell you a little bit about your story – coming into our family. I did not entend this story to be about my faith, but more about bringing you home. After sitting for a while I decided that I could not write your story without telling about faith.
Now FAITH is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1
Bella, without faith we could not have prayed and worked so hard to bring you home. Without faith, mountains would not have been moved. When we were asked to put a large amount of $ down on only faith that they would “try” and get your papers – it was hard. We do not have extra money but we knew we had to take that step of FAITH. That God would not have brought us to this point in order to stop us. We needed to take that huge step of FAITH, leap from what was comfortable and physically put FAITH to our words. TRUST that you God, have the plans all worked out and will be there for us when we take this jump.
Our sermon today was on worry. That sermon could not have been placed in our lap at a time when we needed it the most. It was taken from Matthew 6:25-34 The girls had this for Bible memory and we know it well. God already has it all planned out.
Isabella Danielle I can't wait to hold you in my arms. I can't wait to tell you about the master plan GOD had in store for you before you were even born. How He knew you would be making a trip ½ around the world to find your family. How you would wait for 7 years for us to come and get you. How we were able to make the trip to the orphanage when you were only 3yrs old. How we were able to help with your schooling and visiting families would take pictures of you and Yan. The hours I spent looking at them….. dreaming… and then the moment when Dan said "yes"
Please guard and protect Bella till we can bring her home. Also, Lord if it is YOUR will, let the Knopers know that Yan is their daughter… waiting along with Bella to come home.
mom
As I sit and think about you Isabella, I thought I would tell you a little bit about your story – coming into our family. I did not entend this story to be about my faith, but more about bringing you home. After sitting for a while I decided that I could not write your story without telling about faith.
Now FAITH is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1
Bella, without faith we could not have prayed and worked so hard to bring you home. Without faith, mountains would not have been moved. When we were asked to put a large amount of $ down on only faith that they would “try” and get your papers – it was hard. We do not have extra money but we knew we had to take that step of FAITH. That God would not have brought us to this point in order to stop us. We needed to take that huge step of FAITH, leap from what was comfortable and physically put FAITH to our words. TRUST that you God, have the plans all worked out and will be there for us when we take this jump.
Our sermon today was on worry. That sermon could not have been placed in our lap at a time when we needed it the most. It was taken from Matthew 6:25-34 The girls had this for Bible memory and we know it well. God already has it all planned out.
Isabella Danielle I can't wait to hold you in my arms. I can't wait to tell you about the master plan GOD had in store for you before you were even born. How He knew you would be making a trip ½ around the world to find your family. How you would wait for 7 years for us to come and get you. How we were able to make the trip to the orphanage when you were only 3yrs old. How we were able to help with your schooling and visiting families would take pictures of you and Yan. The hours I spent looking at them….. dreaming… and then the moment when Dan said "yes"
Please guard and protect Bella till we can bring her home. Also, Lord if it is YOUR will, let the Knopers know that Yan is their daughter… waiting along with Bella to come home.
mom
April 08
April 9. 20008
WOW, I stand in AWE of the power of God when he wants something done!! He has moved mountains before my very eyes….. mountains that I never even knew existed!! Got a call today from Stacy. She left a message with Chloe that said a heart is changing. WHAT!! I called her back in like 2 seconds and she said Steve said Yes for YAN!! I could hardly handle that. A week before he came home and said “I wish I never knew that Isabella had a friend in the orphanage that was like a sister to her”. A family visiting the orphanage emailed me that info with pictures of the two girls. I know Dan also said that made him very sad to think about separating them. I knew at this time I had to just concentrate on one but after I was home, THEN I could see if any family was interested in her…. thought I could take lots of pictures of her while I was there. Thought Bella could call her every week and keep in contact. BUT who would have every thought that this would/could happen. More perfect than I ever even dreamed of!! Yes, so not a done deal yet. We are still waiting for the go-ahead for the homestudy but I can’t stop thinking about it. HUGE financial obstacles for both of us, but we are not afraid of working.
WOW, can not even image that both girls could be cousins, well that would be just incredible. The writer of our lives is so amazing! Can’t wait to hear more from Stacy tomorrow to see what is going on in her head. Still in AWE. Never knew I could have imagined such a sweet story!!
WOW, I stand in AWE of the power of God when he wants something done!! He has moved mountains before my very eyes….. mountains that I never even knew existed!! Got a call today from Stacy. She left a message with Chloe that said a heart is changing. WHAT!! I called her back in like 2 seconds and she said Steve said Yes for YAN!! I could hardly handle that. A week before he came home and said “I wish I never knew that Isabella had a friend in the orphanage that was like a sister to her”. A family visiting the orphanage emailed me that info with pictures of the two girls. I know Dan also said that made him very sad to think about separating them. I knew at this time I had to just concentrate on one but after I was home, THEN I could see if any family was interested in her…. thought I could take lots of pictures of her while I was there. Thought Bella could call her every week and keep in contact. BUT who would have every thought that this would/could happen. More perfect than I ever even dreamed of!! Yes, so not a done deal yet. We are still waiting for the go-ahead for the homestudy but I can’t stop thinking about it. HUGE financial obstacles for both of us, but we are not afraid of working.
WOW, can not even image that both girls could be cousins, well that would be just incredible. The writer of our lives is so amazing! Can’t wait to hear more from Stacy tomorrow to see what is going on in her head. Still in AWE. Never knew I could have imagined such a sweet story!!
March 08
March 23, 2008
Sunday: Made a little comment to Dan about what he was thinking and he told me to he made an appointment on April 2 to update our life insurance, we could go ahead!! WOW!!! Still did not dare think that it was real!
Wrote my first letter to the Agency that said it was “a GO”
Dared to order pictures of Isabella.
Dared to make a slide show
Dared to start a book with pictures
Sunday: Made a little comment to Dan about what he was thinking and he told me to he made an appointment on April 2 to update our life insurance, we could go ahead!! WOW!!! Still did not dare think that it was real!
Wrote my first letter to the Agency that said it was “a GO”
Dared to order pictures of Isabella.
Dared to make a slide show
Dared to start a book with pictures
Feb 08
February 2008
Dear Little One,
As the girls and I get ready for Valentines Day, I sit at the computer and type up a "wish" application for you. I pray for you and also Dan. I pray for the funds to bring you home and for Dan to understand you have waited long enough. I pray the year 2009 will bring you home Finally. In order for that to happen I am praying for a change in Dans heart so that we can start the papers to bring you to the home I so feel the Lord wants you to be in. I know HE is more powerful than anything and if it is His desire, then it will happen. Please wait and know that you are loved before we met, dreamed of before you knew us, and created to be our child. I know that in my heart and I pray that I will be given the gift of you for a daughter. Please wait for us, please keep healthy and please feel our LOVE. Love your mom
Dear Little One,
As the girls and I get ready for Valentines Day, I sit at the computer and type up a "wish" application for you. I pray for you and also Dan. I pray for the funds to bring you home and for Dan to understand you have waited long enough. I pray the year 2009 will bring you home Finally. In order for that to happen I am praying for a change in Dans heart so that we can start the papers to bring you to the home I so feel the Lord wants you to be in. I know HE is more powerful than anything and if it is His desire, then it will happen. Please wait and know that you are loved before we met, dreamed of before you knew us, and created to be our child. I know that in my heart and I pray that I will be given the gift of you for a daughter. Please wait for us, please keep healthy and please feel our LOVE. Love your mom
Pictures!
I was able to ask families visiting the orphange to check on these two little girls who were growing so dear to me. I LOVED the pictures that some were able to send back. The two were always together and always smiling. I remember one saying that "she had a heart as big as China" I just cherished every little thing I heard about them.
Ok to check
April 2007, Dan said it was ok to check to see if she was available. I think he felt that if "they" told me no, it would be all over. Well, I called our agency and they checked - nope she was not registered at that time. So, I knew it was not possible then...... but I just could not stop praying about her.
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