News!

We received a phone call tonight that said our case was "Approved" on April 25.

We'll tell you more news as we get it. We are truly praying Nathan home!

Addendum: It was very late last night and our minds were spinning. This has been a long journey and it still has a little ways to go but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

We know that the Lord has led us to Guatemala and we are so grateful for that. It has not been without heartache, as Grace went home to the Lord in July, but we have grown closer to the Lord.

I have been meditating lately on scripture about fear and worry, I had let these things creep in. Last Friday night I had a breakdown; trying to figure out how everything was going to work out had worn me out. Sunday and Monday the Lord allowed me to have such a peace about Nathan and this wait. I know that the Lord is good, but I also know that sometimes what I think is good for me and what He knows is good for me is not always the same. I have to trust Him and trusting in the wait is not always easy. Ken has been steadfast in this wait, trusting that all things would work out, I'm so glad that the Lord has blessed me with Ken.

We are praising the Lord today for His answer to our prayer. But I have been reminded in this wait that there is always reason to praise the Lord.

"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands." Deuteronomy 7:9

So close and yet so far.....

There have been new developments in Guatemala this week. The new President has put in a new Attorney General and a now a new person signing out cases in PGN, (sub-Attorney General?). So what does this mean.... we're not sure, but any time there is a change there is a period of time to get things together. We are expecting a delay.

We know that the Lord is sovereign over all things, even PGN. So please be in prayer for Nathan and the other children stuck, temporarily, at the moment. We have been praying that our case would be approved this week, and with the Lord all things are possible.

Thank you for your prayers,
Amy

Please Pray

This is our 4th adoption and each time there was a glitch. We are closing in on the finish line with Nathan and are asking for you to pray.

Today on the Children's Home blog is a request for PRAYER. There are 44 families, from the Children's Home, in PGN and waiting, please pray that they would be approved this week.

We know that the Lord cares for the orphan, we know that the Lord hears our prayers. Would you please pray that He moves in the hearts and pens of those signing out cases so these precious children can come home.

"I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer." Psalm 17:6

Case Update

We heard tonight that we continue to wait in PGN. We are praying that we hear news of being signed out soon.

We are soooooo ready to bring Nathan home. I, at times, find myself a little distracted.

We are working at trusting the Lord for His timing. May we be teachable during this wait.

Happy Birthday to Our Little Man!

Brandon turned 5 today! How did that happen?! Seems like yesterday he was a little bundle and now I can barely pick him up! Happy Birthday Brandon!

Brandon's comment to his oldest sister this morning - "Now I have to learn to tie my shoes, you have to tie shoes when you are 5."




Dreaming at the Car Show with Daddy and his brothers.
Brandon behind the wheel - Yikes!



Brandon is still young enough that he seeks out the "family birthday hat".

Brandon has a great sense of humor - if you are missing something, it is possible that Brandon has hidden it; you might have to tickle the hiding place out of him. :)

I am Obsessed

I have become obsessed with checking blogs, forums, and my email. Frankly, it is driving me a little crazy! I turn off the computer and tell myself to not go back until that evening and yet I find that I check it again at lunch. You'd think I don't have anything else to do. Haha!

I celebrate in my family room with people I will never meet, when they share good news online. I have tears for others I don't know at all. We all share a common bond, we are ready to bring our children home.

The ones that my heart really goes out to at this time are the children in Guatemala who sit and wait. No one knows when or if Guatemala will re-open for adoptions. The last I knew there were 14 children at the Children's Home without families identified. That is only a drop in the bucket, compared to the actual numbers. Please pray for the people making the decisions about adoption. Children are in need of families. (Update:Now there are 18 children without families.)

About 30 years ago I had a need-for a Savior. People prayed for me, spoke to me, and the Holy Spirit used those people to bring me to understand that I had this need that could only be met by Jesus Christ. I was adopted into the Lord's family when I came to understand that my separation from the Lord could only be mended by Jesus' death on the cross. Jesus knew what was coming and He suffered it anyway,so that I could be adopted into the Lord's family. Jesus certainly suffered to make it possible for me to be adopted. It is again another parallel between our adoption of Nathan and the Lord's adoption of me. Now that I think about it, I think I can "suffer" through this waiting, it is little compared to what Christ went through for me.

"God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ...and it gave him great pleasure...He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son..."
Ephesians 1:5-7

Some like sports...for this one it's animals!

Yes, Daniel is holding a "rat"!


The birthday hat has been a family tradition for many years - EVERYONE has to wear it.

Daniel is our second son and he is all boy! Missing in the summer - check the tree. Landscaping rocks moved-look for bug boxes. Buckets in the yard, beware of the contents! If it moves he's interested! A couple of summers ago Daniel had gone upstairs to shower and all of a sudden comes running down the stairs. I said to him, "didn't you go up to shower?" and he said, "yes, but I forgot I had a grasshopper in my pocket!" Out the back door he went to set the little creature free. He has a tender heart towards creatures of all shapes and sizes. Currently we have a large bullfrog tadpole we are watching in our sunroom.

Daniel also has a tender spot for little children and the underdog. He has great conversations with young friends at our church. He will be great big brother to Nathan!

Daniel is a blessing to our family for many reasons. Daniel was the first child to come to our home through adoption. His life has shown us the sovereignty of God as we look back and see the path he took to our hearts and our home. His adoption impacted us all greatly as we saw the parallel between our adoption of Daniel and the Lord's adoption of us.

Daniel loves to learn and has made a great turn around this year with his grades, we are very proud of him.

Daniel's future is so bright! It is bright because He growing in his understanding of the Lord. We are praying that the Lord leads his tender heart to mighty things for the Lord!

April Pictures from Guatemala

He weighs 15#4oz. and is 24 1/2 inches tall. They say he is a "very happy little guy, very healthy and content". Sounds to us like he is doing great!



This is Nathan (dark blue shirt with bracelet) playing ball with his "best bud" Jose! Warms Ken's heart to see that Nathan is playing with a basketball! :)

No new news on the PGN front, we continue to pray that we are signed out soon.

Blessings from a friend...

to a mommy that is ready to bring her little boy home.


A smile that melts my heart. He is so huggable!



Praying that we are patient for the Lord's timing.

Just for fun...

Nathan is on the right in the basketball shirt! He is growing so much!

Case Update

We received a case update today. We are still in PGN (since 2/28). Please join us in praying that Nathan's case would be approved and we could move forward into the final steps of bringing him home.

Thank you all for your precious prayers for our family. To know that others are praying is such a blessing to us all, a real encouragement in our faith.