Random Videos

I love this video. Their laughter is very contagious!!




Gracie(#2 jersey & long ponytail) is playing soccer this season and here was a little excerpt of her game. You can hear her little sister cheering her on!!

Allie's soccer team. She is the #2 jersey and she makes a goal in the beginning of the video. The other team didn't show up, so the parents played the kiddos. It was really fun for everyone...even the parents!!

The girls have taken to doing their own personal movies. Here is Allie's along with some 4 year old commentary! (sorry about the vacuuming in the background. It's always interesting what your kids are doing when you are busy in the back doing something.)

Gracie's movie with her own commentary.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support for us during this time. We planning towards moving to Ethiopia in Jan-June. Jason is getting an opportunity to teach at the Ethiopian Bible College there. More details to come and quite the story how God has moved our hearts to go to Ethiopia for the spring semester. We have no preconceived notions that it will help our adoption, but hopefully our presence can count for something. God has done a great work to get our hearts to get to this point....anyway will fill in more of the plans later!

Another Disconnected Piece of Information

It seems like our updates come in torrents!! This afternoon after inquiring about a DNA test, we found out that they did indeed know that this man is the boy's father(wondering why they told us wrong info earlier). The problem now is that he has voiced doubt about the adoption and so the MOWA in the southern region(which is like equivalent to our social workers here) is investigating as to whether or not he can even provide for the boys. We are really confused if he doesn't want us to adopt them or if he genuinely wants them back. All they said was that he was having doubts.....that can be interpreted a lot of different ways.

My big concern still is that these boys are in limbo and that they are back at this orphanage again, where we have no idea as to whether or not they are getting good care. I have always prayed that no matter what happens that they would get to be with a family, either us or their biological family. We just did not want to see them stuck in an orphanage the rest of their lives.

To be honest, we do not know how to process this information or how long all this will take. I am feeling very numb and at loss of words on how to even pray other than O Lord, please move this along for the sake of our precious boys. I am still going to call them ours until the end, no matter what direction it takes. I have no doubt that the Lord has led us to them and all this has happened for a purpose and reason in our lives and theirs. I am just weary and tired and I know that the Holy Spirit takes the groanings of our hearts and takes them to the Father.

Thank you all for your prayers and support....they mean more than you will ever know.

RRR...RESTING in God with RELENTLESS love and a RESOLVE to bring home Jonathan and David.(or whatever is best for them)

A Long Overdue Update

This week has been difficult for me to handle. It has been around 2 months since their regional court date and barely any news to sneeze at. I am not directly frustrated at our agency, but the agency they are partnered with.
After almost two months, we found out that whatever the father of the boys said to the judge, the judge thought that he may not be their father. Our agency said this has happened before with other cases that the judges don't believe that certain birth mothers were not old enough to have their children etc... and that they take out ads in local papers to find people to vouch for them and be witness in court that these parents are legit. So our case feels like it is at square one again. This also means that they are no longer at their transition home but were taken back to their region's orphanage again. We found that out today too. The fact that they are back at their orphanage again really breaks my heart. The one thing that has brought us peace during this waiting time is that they were at a good place getting good care and contact. I am worried that this will not help their attachment issues or add to the stress with being jerked back and forth during this time.
Right now we are trying to find out if a DNA test can be done to find out or solidify that he is their father and that we can move on with our case. It seems to be another huge waiting mountain and frankly I am feeling a little worn out.
Please continue to pray....I don't even know what to ask for anymore that I haven't already asked. Just pray.

Bringin' It To the Lord

Yesterday was a normal day full of business and responsibilities. As with each day, I am at some level always thinking about our boys and the adoption, even if it is more subconscious. I have found lately that I will be doing fine, but at times will casually go down the path of our adoption sequence and what is or is not happening and then I lose it. Right in the middle of whatever I am doing. For one that has considered herself an even keel person, I have been rather emotional this past year!
So...back to yesterday!! I was a mess and I started to pick up the phone to call someone that would have totally understood how I was feeling. Something stopped my hand and Phil. 4:6 ran through my head. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." I let go of the phone and realized I needed to be going to my Father in Heaven that knows perfectly the state of my heart.
I recommitted in my heart with the Lord yesterday to go first to Him before going to my husband or friends with my burdens or concerns or even joys. Spending time with the Lord and being reminded about His promises and His Word will filter a lot of my anxiety and hurt, if I would first place it in the most perfect and capable hands of my Lord.

What does Rain and Turkey Legs have in Common?

We have started a new trend in our house. If it's pouring down rain and warm outside...go out and get wet and have some fun. The girls now beg to go outside when in rains. Every once and a while I join in. This particular day I decided to take pictures instead. They loved to get into this little stream that runs through our ditch and kick water at each other and run back and forth in it. Allie also enjoyed throwing herself into the water!!


Chasing each other. All I remember is the squeals and giggling....ahh, a good memory.

OK, I had to include this picture. It reminded me of a kicker for a football team. Man, can she get that leg up!

Allie posing for Momma!

Gracie posing as well!!

A good friend of ours gave us some turkey legs. Gracie was so excited to "eat the chicken on the bone" She cleaned up the whole leg!! It was fun to watch her.

I couldn't help but include this picture of Allie eating her breakfast in her XL pajama t-shirt that we got from Delta after being stuck in Atlanta overnight with no luggage. The girls love wearing them for some reason.

So what do turkey legs and rain have in common?? Absolutely nothing! ;) Just a catchy phrase!!

No new updates on the adoption. Hoping to hear something the end of the week or beginning of next?? Who knows!

Our Theme Song For This Period of Our Lives

video can be seen here

Jesus, Draw Me Nearer

Jesus draw me ever nearer
As I labor through the storm;
You have called me to this passage,
And I'll follow, though I'm worn.

(Refrain)
May this journey bring a blessing,
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart's testing,
With your likeness let me wake.

Jesus guide me through the tempest
Keep my spirit staid and sure;
When the midnight meets the morning,
Let me love You ever more.

Let the treasures of the trial
Form within me as I go-
And at the end of this long journey
Let me love you at Your throne.

A Few Random Happenings

Gracie lost her second tooth. This time around the tooth fairy left her a note along with the money. Gracie was thrilled and carried the letter around with her everywhere and I probably read it a dozen times. She is already working on her third one!! She had learned about the tooth fairy last time and was excited that she had visited again!!


Yep, Whitefield got roped into this one. "Super Cat"!!



Gracie and Allie in their Sunday dresses.....so cute!!!

Guess what....girls can play with toys meant for boys too. Not only did she enjoy herself, she got pretty dirty too!!


The girls have been begging us for jobs to earn money. It's hard to come up with things that they can do that is just family responsibility. I always remember thinking that there was always plenty on the farm to do!! I suggested that they pick up the sticks in the back yard. They wanted to rake, I did not think they could do it, but went ahead and gave them the rakes. To my surprise they got together a rather significant pile. Way to go girls!! We are so proud of you!!!


Lately they think it's fun to sleep together in either one or the others bunk bed. You can hear them giggling and talking away for about an hour before they either fall asleep or one decides they need a little more space. Here they are playing some silly game where Allie sleeps on Gracie.

School is in session. We started early this year with the knowledge of the possibility of our adoption going through. Here the girls are working on their worksheets. Hey....and they are still smiling!! :)

More News and More Grace Given

Yesterday was another normal day and also one that brought along more news about our boys. It wasn't good and through it all I feel like the Lord has given me a peace that surpasses my own understanding.
We were told that the father of the boys was also at the regional courts when the boys were taken there(first time we knew that one of the parents was alive). We don't know a lot of details and they are trying to get more information to further understand what actually happened. All they know is that whatever the father had said to the judge, I am assuming in regards to questions asked to him, the judge was not satisfied with the answers and kicked out our case again.
The reason our case is at their regional courts is that the national judge was not satisfied with the paperwork and kicked it back to their region. So we are a long way, it seems, to being done with this adoption process. It was very hard news to hear and my heart again seemed crushed; but another thought continued being present in my heart. If God wanted this case to pass, it would have been so easy for it to go through. There is a reason why this is all happening and even though I don't fully understand, I must trust in Him. My own abilities and strength has proven to be weak and insufficient and the promises of the Lord has carried us through this process.
I felt like the Lord had prepared my heart the day before with helping me to realize that I wasn't staying vigilant over my heart and that the deep void I felt in my heart for Jonathan and David was being filled with other things besides the Lord. I was checking out emotionally sometimes, feeling emotionally exhausted and sometimes very frustrated and anxious. I thought I was doing OK, but I realized I had let myself slip. Daily and hourly I am trying to fill this void with the joy of the Lord, mediating on who He is, His good and perfect character. He loves Jonathan and David more than we ever will and He loves us enough to give us the privilege to go through this trial. Not only has it helped paint a clearer picture of my spiritual adoption, but our journey has given us so many opportunities to share with others about spiritual and physical adoption, God's faithfulness and his mercy and above all even that these struggles bring glory to our Father in heaven because through our weakness, He is strong.

My staying phrase that I continually try to put before me is this: "THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH". I am striving to continue to find joy and gladness in my Savior and that when I focus on Him, His strength sustains me.

Romans 5:2-6
"Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." FOR while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly