What will it take?

What will it take for you to stop just feeling sorry and reach out your hands and save?

What will it take for you to open up your heart and say yes instead of just maybe?

What will it take for you overcome your fears and step out in faith?

What will it take for you to stop counting money and start counting lives?

We have time, they don't.

Minutes pass by, weeks, years...how long do they have to wait, when will their suffering end?

It's up to me, it's up to you.

We are now Christ's body; our hands are His, our feet are His.

He reached out and touched.

He healed.

He fed.

He listened.

He went.

He did.

Let's get off of our couches, rub the sleep from our eyes, 

let's look

let's see

let's hear

let's do.

See their suffering,

feel His compassion,

and reach out your hands...

In you the orphan finds mercy.

Hosea 14:3

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

James 1:27

And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.

Matthew 18:5

I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!

Matthew 25:40

Pieces

Oh, my sweet little boys...

My stash of chocolate is missing 

there are wet toilet- paper balls splattered onto the bathroom window 

the counter is covered with water and the soap dispenser is missing it's lid

 mysterious brown smears on the wall and the garden hose is turned on again

as is the pool light

and the closet light

and the oven light

I follow a trail of broken toys
and sweep up a pile of spilled laundry detergent

all evidence leads undisputedly to you

 You look at me with your big brown eyes, your round baby cheeks, your soft, curly hair

and mommy sighs

and knows
that there is nothing in this world worth
even half 
as
much
as you!

 

puppy dog tails

Here she is, freshly bathed, combed, vitamin E carefully applied to her little scab nose...a sweet little girl ready for the day.

 And here she is, a couple of hours later, after a morning filled with big brothers and puppies.

6 months home...

...and see how they've grown!

Judah Biruk started out several inches shorter than Elijah Kidus and has now almost caught up with him. They both weigh exactly the same amount now.


They are fluent in English and speaking in complete sentences and, wow, guess what? All that chattering away to each other in Amharic that sounded so cute and endearing and that we desperately wished we could interpret? Well turns out, now that we CAN understand them, it was mostly whining, teasing, and fibbing...who knew...Ethiopian kids are just like American kids!

In some ways I'm amazed that it's been 6 months already, other ways it seems a lot longer than that.

Adoptive parenting is exhausting.
It is frustrating.
It will drive you crazy.
It is extremely demanding.
It'll make you second guess yourself a thousand times a day.
And you'll never be so happy to see bedtime roll around and finally, finally you'll have a moment of peace and quiet.
Peace and Quiet without a...
"Mom, can I have banana (an apple, a cracker, cereal, an egg)?"
or
"Mom, I'm dooone!" (times 6)
or
"Mom, he hit me"
or
"Mom, I want...and I want and I want and I want..."

Peace and Quiet without...
the bloody murder screaming when one of them trips
or
the constant tattling
or
the whining, oh the whining...


But it's also...

the most amazing , absolutely amazing thing...
to tip toe into their bedroom at night, look down at their little faces
and
realize what a miracle it is, for you and for them
that these 2 little ones, from so far away
cold, scared, hungry, and helpless
are now
here.
And they're yours.
Forever

It takes your breath away every time.
Most days anyway.

Park day with cousin Myah

I was 14 years old when my mom gave birth to my 4th sister, Faith.
I was there when she was born and I dressed her in her very first outfit. She was my live baby doll and a very cute one at that!

Growing up, Faith was mostly a well behaved little girl, although there was a time or two when she needed her oldest sister's loving and patient guidance and discipline, which I wisely dispensed when necessary. Faith ended up turning out quite well (for the most part),  if I do say so myself.
Now she's all grown up with a baby and husband and lives far away in freezing cold, beautiful Idaho. It's too far away, but I am thankful that her husband recognizes the influential benefits of his wife being around estimable companionship and he makes sure she sees her elder sisters on most holidays and sometimes in between.  He's a keeper.

Faith has always loved kids and has had lots of practice being a mom by babysitting her legions of nieces and nephews before she got married. The kids all loved Aunt Faith too. Who wouldn't? She's kind, fun, and her bad moods are rarer than my days without chocolate. Behaviors that normally earn bad children banishment to their bedroom for 5 years from parents, earn them cookies and a pinch on the cheek from Aunt Faith. She'd laugh at their mischievousness and scoop up a little one for a hug no matter how smelly and dirty they were. When Faith babysat you knew your house may fall apart, but your kids were well taken care of.

It's been so much fun watching Faith be a mama to little Myah; she loves her little girl!

It's even more fun to have the chance to babysit for her, like we had the privilege of doing today when Faith and Nathan went out on a date.

We took advantage of the gorgeous, 74 degree, cloudless sky day with a walk to the park.

We all enjoyed being outside and playing; especially the little girls!

Mikayla took her responsibility of watching Myah very seriously.

She showed exceptional skill and remarkable capability and I was quite impressed with my little girl's mothering instincts; she does her Aunt Faith proud!

Mikayla made sure Myah didn't wander away...

taught her some football...

made sure she socialized...

and gave her plenty of love.

Mikayla noticed that Myah was looking a little sparse on top, but not to worry, Myah....

your cousin has you covered!

My girl...

 she's a sweety!

After the park, we went home and had lunch and then I did a little photo shoot with the girls.

We all had so much fun with Myah and were so glad for the chance to babysit her! Hopefully this is just the beginning now that Faith sees that Myah does just fine without her mama.

Until next time, sweet Myah!