"We're On Our Way" Brunch

Please join us for brunch on Sunday, May 19. All proceeds from our brunch will go directly toward Jordan's adoption expenses. If you are unable to come to the brunch, you can still make a donation. See the above flyer for donation information or use the Paypal Donation link on this blog site. We are so excited for this opportunity and are very appreciative of your love and support as "We're On Our Way" toward bringing our baby home.

Shoes to Fill...

On my walk this morning, I was repeatedly reminded, through song, that we are never alone. Sung over me (or in my ears) were words of comfort and reminders of the power of Love...not the love that the world offers, but the Love that only Christ can offer...the kind that always perseveres, is forever patient, never fails, never carries a record of wrongs, always hopes, is always kind. This is an amazing Love. One that I cannot understand but am humbled to receive.

There are times when I feel anxiety ridden, ashamed, fearful, depressed, angry, and in each of these times, and I feel alone. Of course, there are others who walk similar roads; others who share and understand how I feel; dear friends who listen and don't pass judgement...but there are some days when I feel too overwhelmed to accomplish anything...NOT today.

With full force, God reminded me that He is with me in every circumstance. He reminded me that He is GREAT as Carrie Underwood sang "How Great Thou Art" full force through my earbuds (if you haven't seen it, watch below).  

In fact, I am unable to accomplish anything good or healthy without Him. He whispers to me, sings to me, writes to me..."I'm here. You are not alone."

This beautiful, clear-blue skied Friday, I felt God's undeniable presence and felt empowered to tackle challenges set before me...to overcome some shame, mark some things off my list and release some anxiety. I knocked two of these out with one stone...actually with some weed killer, a rake, clippers and woman power.

Before going outside, I started looking for a pair of old shoes good for gardening. I went up to Eliza's room to look in her closet for a pair that I had loaned her. I found them, and I also found something else...not something lost or even something that I was looking for at the moment. What I found was a bag of shoes for my little boy...hand-me-downs from Noah, waiting to be handed to Jordan.

Those shoes looked so empty and lonely sitting there in the bag all piled on top of one another. Also, tucked in Eliza's closet are two bags of clothes from Noah for Jordan...clothes waiting to be worn, shoes waiting to be filled.

Lord, how do I wait for my baby? I have no choice. He has no choice. If we want to be together, we have to wait...BUT...neither of us waits alone because we are NEVER alone...not when we have the Love of Jesus in our hearts. This Love never leaves us. We may choose to overlook it at times, but it's always there...always.

All things are possible with Christ. The good work that He has begun, He will bring to completion. He will heal my anxiety, my anger, my insecurities. He will bring my baby home because He is Love.

Love will bring my baby home. Love will fill his waiting shoes. Love will conquer all. Love will save us. We are never alone because Love endures through every circumstance...because Love NEVER fails.

(Please mark your calendar for our fundraiser to help with our adoption expenses...May 19, in conjunction with 1Seed Planted, we will host a brunch at the Puffy Muffin location in Brentwood. We are so excited and hope that you will come and bring friends...LOTS of friends!!)

Hurry Up and Wait...

Hurry up and wait... the theme for many adoption stories, and a phrase that I have spoken repeatedly... It's really the only response to the question of when Jordan will come home because there is no answer or indicator.

The circumstances of adoption are unpredictable. Every story is different. No timeline is the same, and often it seems there is no method to the madness of waiting. I understand the necessity for paperwork, background checks, fingerprinting, notarization, authentications, etc. The most important thing in adoption is the safety of the child. We want each child to go to a secure, loving, well-screened home.

Guess what, though? All...and I mean ALL...of this paperwork has an expiration date. This is understandable to a certain extent, but most of the paperwork expires before the adoption process is complete...meaning home studies have to be redone, fingerprints have to be retaken (US fingerprints are good for only 18 months after which they are "kicked out" of the system because there is no room for them in the data base...hmm), and papers have to be notarized all over again.

We started our adoption process in August of 2011 and have begun the first steps of updating. Meanwhile Jordan waits. Updates on our process are few and far between, and we wait eagerly for any morsel of good news...from anyone adopting...ANY movement is good whether it's our child or not...but deep down, each of us wants it to be our own process moving along.

I wait with mixed emotions...I understand that there needs to be a process, and a good one, but it's aggravating that the process cannot complete itself before everything expires; I understand that paperwork processing in-country and out-of-country takes time, but it's heart wrenching that paperwork "stands still"(literally sits on desks) while children grow; I understand that good things come to those who wait, but it's painful to know that my child is waiting. He doesn't understand; I understand, and wholeheartedly believe, that God has a plan...a perfect one, but I grieve when hard hearts stall progress, red tape tangles processes and selfishness stands in the way of children going to forever families in a timely manner; I understand that to every season there is a purpose, but the children don't understand. Jordan turns 3 next month. How much can he possibly understand? Whether the child is 3 days, 3 months, 3 years or 13, there is no true, understandable explanation for waiting.

Waiting is part of the human condition. Waiting will always exist on this earth. I often think of Moses and his calling to free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and lead them to the Promised Land. The children of Israel had to wait while Pharaoh's heart hardened time and again. Plagues tangled the way; destruction and death barricaded their path to freedom. Sin stands in the way of everything that is good. We live in a fallen world, but it is a world that God created to accomplish His purposes, and He will bring to pass the good work that He has begun.

One of His purposes is for us to care for the orphans, defending the cause of the fatherless. I cling to the promise that He will bring to fruition the calling that He has placed on our lives to bring Jordan home. I sit at His feet and beg for His mercy. I pray that He will soften hearts, move paperwork along and bring my child home.

We are blessed that Jordan waits in a creche where he is fed, clothed, nurtured and loved. He has a bed. He has friends. He is taught his ABC's and sings the name of Jesus. He is safe...for now.

I pray for Jordan's little heart and ask God to prepare him for his forever family...to give him a sense of belonging in spite of his circumstances...to allow him to feel an overwhelming love from across the "big blue sky."

Please come to the Father on behalf of Jordan and all of the children who are waiting across the world. Please ask Jesus to melt hard hearts...destroying motives that stand in the way of justice. Beg Him to move paperwork like lightening and release the floodgates...ushering our children home. We need an army, and God has promised that if we ask anything in His name, He will bring it to pass according to His will and plan for our lives.

Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours...I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you...(I will) defend the cause of the fatherless...You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you...And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished...

Mark 11:24, John 14:18, Deuteronomy 10:18, John 15:16, Philippians 1:6

Joyeux Noel...

In a manger He lay...the One who would save the world. Love came down. Behold the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Thinking of Christ's birth this Christmas season has been especially emotional for me. I have listened to and read tender interpretations from friends, preachers, Max Lucado and others who have brought a life to the Christmas story that continues to illicit tears from my eyes and secure joy in my heart.

Reflecting on Jesus' birth this season has brought me nearer to Him, the Christ child, and nearer to my child who doesn't know me. I long to touch my son as Mary touched the face of her baby boy. I long to hold him in my arms and rock him as Mary rocked God Himself.

There is countless imagery that emerges...we are orphans; God adopted us; Jordan is an orphan; We are adopting him; The manger scene is called a creche; Jordan lives in a creche. In no way am I comparing Jordan to Christ or our adoption to God's adoption, but the tangible nature of adopting Jordan has renewed the Christ child within me.

Christ is alive and well. In this world, we will encounter many trials and tribulations. We will mourn the loss of friends and family. We will lose our jobs. We will face divorce. We will be hurt by others. We will hurt others. We will long for a child we do not know. We will wait for answers. We will agonize and ache, but God says, "Take heart. I have overcome the world and everything in it!" He did this with a tiny baby, born in an insignificant town in a dirty stable to preteen mother and overwhelmed father. He came unnoticed except to a few shepherds, wise men and animals. Heaven was not unaware, though. Joy exploded as the Prince of God came to save us from the prince of darkness.

Emmanuel. God is with us. Always and forever.

Joyeux Noel

Mama Blanc...

I have a new friend who is adopting from the same orphanage where Jordany is in Haiti. She and her husband are taking their two biological children to meet their 9 month old sister this coming weekend. My friend offered to take some things to Jordany for us, and we jumped at the chance.

Each of the kids made a Christmas card for Jordany expressing their love for their new brother. It was so tender for me to read the words that they wrote to the little brother they do not know...he is a face far away...connected to us but not tangible...almost unreal...ours nonetheless.

We also sent him a cute outfit with guitars on it... this is Nashville after all! The son of my dear friend gathered up matchbox cars to give to him, and we made him a simple flip book of photos of his family...each a memento wrapped in love.

I sat down to write Jordany a note to send with the gifts. As I began writing, I began crying (of course)...this little child of mine...what do I say to my 2 1/2 year old who doesn't know my name...to him I am "Mama Blanc." What do I say to my child who doesn't know my face; who doesn't call me mommy; who doesn't comprehend the love waiting for him across the miles?

My note was simple...he is 2 1/2 after all; he doesn't speak English, and I didn't need to say much. Writing him took my breath away. I'm writing to my baby! I don't know him. I don't know what it feels like to hold him. I don't know what his little voice sounds like. I don't know what to say because there is too much to say. I penned simple, tender assurances telling my baby how much I love him, how much we all love him...telling him that he has a mommy and daddy, 2 big brothers and 2 big sisters waiting for him. I told him that we would come soon...I pray we can.

I cannot wait to gather my baby boy into my arms, wrap him up, hug him, hold him...Will he let me? I pray every day that God will prepare his little heart for love...from me, from his daddy and from his brothers and sisters.

"Oh, Love that will not let me go. I rest my soul in Thee."

Here we go...

We are in the first stage of the Haitian adoption process. We expect to be here for the next 4-8 months depending on how things in Haiti are moving along. Our prayer is that the wait will be shorter...of course. Following this stage there are several more steps within the Haitian process. Our understanding is that it will be at least a year until Jordany gets to come home to his forever home.

We will travel to Haiti at least once before we get to bring him home. There are papers to file and court to attend. More than likely we will meet his mother. She is still living as far as anyone knows. There is no known father on Jordany's birth certificate. So, he will remain a mystery.

Jordany's biological mom brought him to the orphanage so that he would be adopted by a family who could care for him. I cannot imagine how she had the strength to give him up, but I know that she must love him very much to want him to have what she felt she could not give him. I would love to tell her how blessed we are to have the opportunity to be Jordany's family. Perhaps we will get to meet her and thank her in person.

If you would like to come alongside us in the adoption process, we would be blessed to have your prayerful support. We also would like to extend the opportunity to participate with us through financial donations. We believe that God's command to "care for the orphan"(James 1:27) and "speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves"(Prov. 31:8) can be followed in many different ways...some are called to adopt, some are called to help others adopt, some are called to go and care for the orphans. We are all called to pray. Thank you for praying.