A Lament

One of the deals I've made with God about my pain [like that actually works anyway!] is that I will use it for good. I will learn from it. And I will share what I'm learning with others so that it might be redeemed. The following passage from Lamentations also reminds me not to forget and where I need to place my hope...

Lamentations 3:20-26, 32-33, 40, 55- 57

²⁰ I will never forget this awful time,
as I grieve over my loss.
²¹ Yet I still dare to hope
when I remember this:

²² The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
²³ Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those who depend on him,
to those who search for him.
²⁶ So it is good to wait quietly
for salvation from the Lord.
³² Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion
because of the greatness of his unfailing love.
³³ For he does not enjoy hurting people
or causing them sorrow.
⁴⁰ ... let us test and examine our ways.
Let us turn back to the Lord.
⁵⁵ ... I called on your name, Lord,
⁵⁶ You heard me when I cried, “Listen to my pleading!
Hear my cry for help!”
⁵⁷ Yes, you came when I called;
you told me, “Do not fear.”

**Thanks Kim for sharing!

Daddy's Birthday

Today is Daddy's birthday! Next year at this time, Brian will not just be "ah-BY-ay" [daddy] at heart, he'll be "ah-BY-ay" in practice.
To our little ones: Just a few things you have to look forward to in your daddy.
Your ah-BY-ay is...

• kind beyond words
• thoughtful
• the strongest and most tender man I've ever met
• really, incredibly funny and silly. But you have to listen to it to get it!
• really fun to watch sports with
• family centered. He loves your momma very much and always put me first. And he's very committed to raising you with me. We're going to take care of you together every day.
  
• a great chef. Get ready for some Puerto Rican food!
• really responsible. He'll take really good care of you.
• a really good listener. When you have a good day or a bad day, he'll listen to you. And when it's right, he'll give you really good advice.
• a hard worker and he works with great integrity.
• your daddy...that's the best part!
  

And that's just a short list that took me a few minutes to write. You're gonna love him. We can't wait to celebrate his next birthday with you!!

Love, Your eh-MY-ay

#3...#1?

Today I sent an email to our CWA case manager to get an update on where we are in the infamous "waiting room". I haven't asked for 3 months, but I was getting quite intrigued. When we started on the waiting list, we were around #30-something.

She responded back with: "there are three other families in front of you, but even within that there are variables of maybe they'd take one [child] instead of two." I read her email with very groggy eyes soon after getting out of bed and immediately was wide awake! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!?!?! Please pray that this list moves even faster and we get our referral soon, especially in light of the potentially changing laws with 2 trips to Ethiopia instead of just 1.

All along we've been begging people to pray "EXPEDITE" for our little ones coming home. Looks like God's answering already (or I could be misreading him!). Even as I type there are tears as I think about kissing and holding my kiddos in my arms. Come quickly, Lord.