Leaving on a Jet Plane...

Last night was hard. I spent the day loving on my girls, touching as much as possible, staying close. They all knew the evening was coming too fast when their grandparents would pick them up. I could see them suddenly remember and they would come to get a kiss, play with my hair, sit by my knees. We have prayed for this day for 9 years. To participate in God's work to rescue those who have been forgotten by the world- who are undesirable because they are broken or vulnerable. The girls have been praying for their siblings lost across the world, helping us raise money to go, and loving them even though. Even though they are scared! Even though they have no idea how their lives will change.

And yet, last night, they grieved. Everett and I are their security- their whole world. To see us leave, not knowing exactly when we will return rocks them. What if we are different when we get back? What if our family is not the same? Truly these are profound questions because we will in fact, not be the same. This journey that God has us on will change us all forever. We will, Lord willing, have more compassion, more understanding of the needs of those around us, more love, more people! We pray for this change. Because the more you understand the gospel, the more you will change. My purpose in life is to glorify God and to serve him in any way he calls. And he has called us to care to the needy, especially for the orphan. God has not forgotten their cries- he has seen their tears. And he is sending us. HE IS SENDING US!! I am so humbled to be used. The magnitude of this privilege overwhelmes me.

To think of how sad it was for my five beloved daughters to say goodbye to me for a short time brings into stark relief the terrible grief of a child with no one to miss. No one to care. No one to hope for. That is why we are going friends. If God so plans, in a few days Google translate will tell three children that I am their mother. That I love them. That I am taking them home.

To say our plans are fluid is an understatement. We have no idea how this process might go. We have been told that what we are doing (3 with these particular special needs) has not been done before and we might not have a judge that looks upon us favorably. We do not know when we will get a court date, when they will actually get home. Please pray with us. God has moved thus far and we are asking him that we could bring them home this year. That we would get a court date soon, that a judge would rule in our favor, and that the "mandatory" 10 day wait would be waived. Have these things happened before? No. But God's plans will be accomplished and he tells us to ask. Please pray with us. But if none of those things happen, God is good in all his ways and in complete control of this entire process. After all, adoption is his idea! Thank you all for your support both financially and prayerfully. We are amazed at the work he has done in this and excited to see what he has for us in the next few weeks. On to Kiev, and then?