KINDERGARTEN!!!

Jordany is more excited than ever to be in KINDERGARTEN! He's just all over it. He started full time and goes from 8-3:30...such a long day for a little guy, but he loves it, and he loves his teacher...who, by the way is, no joke, the "Queen of Kindergarten." She's been teaching for 25 years, is known for dancing on the table on Fridays and was also Brennan & Cara's kindergarten teacher. We are so excited to have her for Jordany.

In the mornings, Jordany comes downstairs, thrusts his arms in the air and yells "KINDERGARTEN!" He can't wait to get there every day. He rode the bus the very first day and has been a champ riding it ever since then. The first few days that he rode the bus, he waved to me from the window, gave me a wink and then a thumbs up! He really takes a big bite of life and uses it for all its worth...that wink of his has to be one of my favorite things he does...sometimes he winks and clicks his tongue....wink, click, wink, click... ;-)

One thing Jordany was excited about was getting homework. Well, it didn't take long. The children have started to bring books home to read in the evening...oh, man! I forgot about that...it's been a while. Jordany's books are very short and only one to three words a page. He's a little behind compared to his peers, but he's doing well and is really smart. He's considered an English Language Learner and has an ELL teacher to help him fill in the gaps of his speaking, learning and reading. Although he speaks English really well, there are still lots of concepts and sound combinations for him to have clarified for him and for him learn. We are really grateful to have an ELL teacher to help him.

Not only did Jordany start kindergarten, but he also started playing soccer! OH. MY. GOODNESS. He's the cutest soccer player ever (I'm biased, of course). Jordany is very athletic and coordinated. He kicks the ball well and far, and he can hardly wait for practice each week. On Saturday he had his first game and scored two goals...one of which was really awesome because it was from a long distance. We cheered and cheered. All during the game, he would take a glance over at me, smile his big smile and wave...be still my heart.

So most everything Jordany does involves some kind of play! His favorite part of kindergarten is, of course, lunch and recess. Haha! Kids just love those two activities... I don't blame them. So do I! Jordany continues to thrive, and he's growing taller by the second. We may have a 6' foot Donahue after all!

Even with all of this fun, we certainly have our moments. Jordany can easily melt down...a simple "no" to a request can have him shouting, "I'm so angry" and crying like he'd broken his arm. This is really hard to deal with...there's part of it where there needs to be grace. It's not a typical 5 year old meltdown...at least it wasn't at first. We have to remember that "no" to him could mean "never." Sometimes, I just wrap him up in my arms and let him cry it out but still hold my ground. Recently, we've moved to doing "time in" where Jordany goes to his room to cry it out or work it out and I sit in the hallway. Doing this helps him to know that he's not being abandoned. He needs a safe place to work out his frustration, but he doesn't need to feel left. There are so many things I'm learning through adoption...some of which are counterintuitive, but the concepts have come through study and help from friends.

I have a feeling that Jordany is going to continue to thrive and love kindergarten, soccer and everything he does. He knows most every name in his class and on his soccer team, has a little crush on the girl he sits next to and prays for her every night and can't wait to get up and get dressed to go anywhere. If anything, Jordany is a go-getter. He loves being alive. His smile is testimony to that. I'm overwhelmingly grateful to be his mom, and, guess what?!
I LOVE KINDERGARTEN TOO!!

Family Home

Spring Break
March 2015

It's been a while since there's been an update on our adoption... Needless to say, we've been a little busy! We celebrated Jordany's one year homecoming on April 7, 2015. In some ways the year just flew by, but as I think over it, so much happened in those 365 days of finally having him home.

Coming Home
April 2014

One thing I've learned is that I hardly knew anything about adoption until Jordany became a permanent part of our family. It's not that I didn't study, go to seminars, talk to people, read books...it's that it's just not the same as having your child with you...in living color, in real life! Occasionally, we get told, "Well, you knew what you were getting into." Haha...that's like telling a first time pregnant woman that she should know how to be a mom while she's carrying her baby in her tummy...It's just different when the child is "birthed". Books help, seminars help, friends who know help the most...but at the end of the day, you have to learn how to parent yourself. You have to know yourself and get to know your child...and in the learning comes the only true way to gain experience.

Official U.S. Citizen!
April 2014

There is plenty that is misunderstood about bringing a child home (adopted or not). Often I was asked by well-meaning, loving people, "Are you just in heaven?" Well, ummm, my response was usually, "We are so happy to have Jordany home, but truthfully, I'm tired to the bone." (don't feel bad if you asked me that! It's a normal question...and part of it was heaven for sure)...but... Guess how long it takes you to get to know your child? All your child's life, and we missed the first 4 years of Jordany's which meant we had a lot of catching up to do and so did he!

"There's a snake in my boot"
October 2014

At some point, I think I will expound on some of our experiences but not now. We suffered through many traumas, blank stares, exhausting tantrums (mine and his!), heaves and sobs and even a few hits and bites...yup...once I got bit on the head. What's a mom to do? This mom fell apart in heaps of tears and cried in my closet. It's real life. Jordany had to adjust too, and we have all come a million miles away from those first few months.

Christmas 2014

It's still hard, I'm a 45 year old mom of a 5 year old. I'm not as spunky as I was when I was 27 and a mom of 4 children 4 and under! Ha! I was pretty tired then too. Parenting is hard, but it's also a tremendous blessing, and our family has experienced an almost unexplainable gift through Jordany...one that we could have never imagined or hoped for except through adoption. It's pretty mind blowing...and that's a good thing. (God's adoption of me as His own has a completely different feel and understanding now...He choose me? Me? This mom? Yep...and He choose you too...that's what He does. He adopts us and claims us as his own!)

Aside from the major adjustments and just learning to live life as a family of 7, Jordany is thriving...I mean THRIVING. He grew 5 inches in one year! He's full of life and joy. His smile stretches from ear to ear. He ABSOLUTELY LOVES BEING PART OF A FAMILY! I can only attribute that to God...the miracle worker.

Sweet CeCe's Yogurt
August 2014

Visiting Baker at UT
September 2014

Jordany is so proud of his siblings. He plays with all of them and can hardly differentiate between friends who are 5, 15, 25 or 75. He has just molded his little self right into the sibling group and right into our whole family...grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends. Having brothers and sisters is Jordany's pride and joy. Baker, Brennan, Cara and Eliza hung the moon in his eyes.

May 2014

Jordany also loves having a mom and a papa. Some days he and I will be walking from one room to the other, and he will lift his little arm up and around my waist and say, "You're my mom," and I'll say right back, "You're my son." And then we sing..."So Happy Together."! He tells me he loves me and showers all of us with kisses. He often grabs any and all of us who are home and calls for a "family hug." How can we resist? We all wrap our arms around each other and hug! Bath time means a great big run and jump into papa's arms. Before a bath, Jordany finds a place at the end of the hall and runs full force into our room and papa reaches out and catches him. He giggles and giggles...his laugh is contagious.

We have so much to be thankful for. I have many stories to share...the good, the bad, the ugly. I don't really give advice, but I can often suggest what NOT to do :-) Jordany is a true gift. Adoption is a gift.

Emerald Coast
March 2015

If you're here reading this, more than likely, you contributed in some way to our bringing our son home. Thank you. Home is sweet, and as Jordany says when we pass our home..."family home"...Yes. It is. Our family is home and our home is family.

Here We Grow...

I can hardly believe we are just days away from bringing our son home forever. With God's favor, we have been generously given enough award miles to take all four of the kids plus bring Jordan home...all 5 received award tickets! Wow!

My dream was to take everyone, and my hope was for each of the children to know the birthplace of their brother...to see the inner beauty of the Haitian men, women and children amidst the ashes and rubble of its poverty...to see the faces of a beautiful and strong people against the backdrop of Haiti's rolling green hills, misty mountains and clear blue seas...to meet and thank those who have dearly loved and cared for our son...to appreciate in some small way the sacrifices of time and energy and unconditional love that have been made to bring sweet Jordan into our lives and into our family.

In the early stages of our adoption process, our dear friend Christy Nockels put the unfolding of our story into a song. While she wrote the song with us in mind, it was also written for the thousands who share their own unique adoption story. No one has the same experience, but we all share the common bond of bringing a child home. It's an inexplainable journey filled with joy, heartache, waiting, confusion, faith, exasperation, patience, anxiety, lack of patience, testing and more...

If you've heard us use the phrase "we're on our way," it's because of this tender song that tells the story of how God used our youngest daughter to touch the hearts of our whole family and move us toward adoption. Here are some of the lyrics...

Ever wonder what it’s like, 

When God dreams a dream,

And puts that dream into a family?

He might start with the youngest,

And let her lead the oldest,

He loves to trust a child with mystery…

We’re on our way...

To a place we cannot go without our faith

Across the big, blue sky there you await

We’ll never be the same…

So, here we grow…

With a love so big it’s bound to bring you home

Oh we love you more than you could know

Hold on tight…

We’re on our way, baby...

copyright © 2012 Christy Nockels

God uses "the least of these" to accomplish His purposes. I have no doubt. I see it all the time. God has stretched us in ways we could not have anticipated and in ways we could not have endured without faith in Him and His plan. In 2012, When Christy wrote this song, I could hardly imagine the day we would leave for Haiti...now that day is just around the corner. Praise God.

While the journey to go get our son is close at hand, the road to growing our family is only just beginning. Please keep our travel and safety in your prayers. Please pray for Jordan's heart and that God will, in a way only He can, prepare him for his family. Pray for Baker, Brennan, Cara and Eliza as they transition to life with a new sibling. Pray for Don and me as we "start over" in our parenting journey. There are many unknowns and many "not yets".  Our desire is to live and love one day at a time...in His peace...in His presence. Thank you again for indulging us, praying for us, giving to us, cheering us on and for loving us through this time. Our hearts are stretched, and we will never be the same (thank God)...

Here We Grow!

But God...

I opened my email yesterday morning and waiting there in my inbox was a message we have anticipated for 2+ years now...

"Dear Mr. & Mrs. Donahue...

we are pleased to inform you that 

Jordany Donahue may be scheduled for 

the final visa interview..." 

The final one. What does this mean? We are closer today than we have ever been...our baby boy will be home soon, very soon. How can we possibly express the emotions running through our hearts and heads?!

The formal adoption process, the paperwork, the delays, the waiting, the unknown timeframe... all of it is almost done...it really, really is...almost done! How can it be?! Something so long-awaited is about to come to fruition...something only God Himself could orchestrate to its fullness and bring about this most dramatic turning of the page...

God is the Change Agent, the Difference Maker...
The only one who can fill my empty cup until it runneth over, the only one who can remind me that He means it all for good...
In every season, in every stage, there would be no difference, no challenge to our faith, no change in our life...

"but God"

I am overwhelmed by the process...

but God makes all things possible

I am weak from waiting...

but God is my refuge & strength

I am depleted and have no answers...

but God gave the increase

I have so little faith...

but God is faithful

I am insufficient...

but God is my sufficiency

I am weary and heavy laden...

but God is the strength of my heart & my portion forever

I can't wait any longer...

but God is full of compassion, long-suffering & filled with mercy

It is God alone who turns our heads and our hearts from the impossible to the possible. There is no good thing that does not fully emanate from the hands of our Maker. How Great is Our God...from everlasting to everlasting, He is faithful.

God's skillful hands weave a tapestry unlike any I could ever imagine. Every stitch is divinely intertwined. Every knot is made beautiful. Every cord is richly hued. Every tear is patched and tightly woven. Every inch of every fiber is filled with mercy and grace, and the blanket over us is love...His love.

So...what does all this mean?

It means that... 

no part of this journey could have been possible without God and... 

JORDAN WILL COME HOME IN LESS THAN A MONTH!

Our hope, God-willing, is to take our family of SIX to Haiti and 

come home as a family of 

SEVEN!

Of course, it will take a miracle to organize and orchestrate flights and schedules, but we have already been blessed by offers to help.

If you're here, reading this, you are part of our journey. We are blessed by you. Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus and for rejoicing with us as we anticipate bringing our son home.

BUT GOD... 

Called us

Sent His own son to die for us

 Claimed us as His own

Adopted us as His sons and daughters

He is the great Change Maker... He alone is the difference!

One Step Closer...

PRAISE GOD! 

JORDAN HAS HIS HAITIAN PASSPORT! 

Next Step: U.S. VISA!

Final Step: HOME!

Every journey begins with a step, and no journey is the same. Sometimes we step with conviction, and sometimes we step with trepidation. Every time we step, though, eyes wide open or eyes shut tight, we have to step in faith. Faith that He will see us through and will not lead us astray. Faith that His plan is better, and His time table is perfect.

This morning I read in a Parenting by Design devotional, "God moves at His pace, and we have to trust that He knows what is best for our family. When we get impatient and try to force our will, we can lose God's path...That's not to say we should stop moving forward...and just wait for God to move...He requires that we keep pursuing His path with diligence. But ours is an active dependence, constantly moving forward and yet content with wherever God's path leads us. We must have faith in the direction God is leading us and patience that He knows just how to proceed."

I find that I'm often trying to force "my will" and in doing so, I lose God's path, which becomes frustrating, especially when I want things done on my terms (read: quickly). If anything has taught me (and continues to teach me) that His way is better, it's been through this process of adopting.

I continue to relinquish my desires to His while trying to actively pursue the path He has placed before me. It's the only way. At the end of the day, the time table is not in my control. Every day, I remind myself of that and start anew. Thankfully, His grace covers my humanity, and as I realize that His ways truly are better than mine, I understand more fully the need to walk in faith and not by my time table.

Our realistic hope in December was that we would bring Jordan home in February, but the passport took three times the "typical" processing speed. We will not rely on a time table to predict when Jordan will be home, but our prayer is that we can go get him this spring; however, we take one step at a time and rejoice over each milestone in the process.

Regardless, our baby is coming home! I can't wait to see him and wrap him in my arms...that day is coming, and today we are one step closer! Thank God!

"Hurry is not in My Nature..."

Referral Oct 2012

Learning the "art of patience" is not something that has ever come naturally to me. In fact, it will never be an "art" for me. Instead, patience for me is solely an act of faith and dependent on my trust in Jesus.

"Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see." (Hebrews 11:1).

Waiting for God's timing throughout our adoption journey has been our greatest challenge; yet, also, our greatest comfort. In the Jesus Calling entry for today, Sarah Young writes the following as though Jesus himself were speaking, "If you want to work with Me, you have to accept my time frame. Hurry is not in my nature." These words ring true, especially in our adoption story.  As much as we may have wanted to hurry things along, our journey has been the opposite of "hurried." Nothing turns over too quickly in the process of an adoption, but we have accepted God's time frame knowing that His plan is perfect...not ours.

While "hurry" may not be in God's nature, it is in His nature to bring glad tidings of great joy... In this wonderful season of rejoicing over the birth of the Christ child, we also rejoice over news that God has given movement to our adoption... there is a light shining and a great hope that we will bring Jordan home in the first months following the new year. We don't have a date, but we hold on to our hope and keep our faith while we wait for the unseen processes to occur and allow our son to come home... it may not be in a hurry but it is sooner now than ever!

     

                             May 2013

June 2013

August 2013

July 2013

We rejoice in the Lord, always. We are humbled and awed and are ever grateful for the love and support of our friends, our family and the strangers who journey with us in this walk of patience and faith.

September 2013

Please continue your prayers as we pray Jordan home... He is coming! Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

October 2013

November 2013

"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.

God Speed...

Because of the help and prayers of many, our paperwork has officially entered the adoption department of the Haitian government! We are so grateful for God's hand in every step of our journey.

I love looking at the pictures of Jordany...his eyes, his smile, his face. I often trace his photos with my finger, praying for every part of him. It's strange to know that we have a child thousands of miles away that we have yet to scoop up in our arms, hug, kiss and assure him of his place in our heart and in our home. Jordany doesn't know us; yet, I pray that he senses us...that God has given him a peace that lets him know that we are coming to get him.

The most difficult part of adoption is waiting. "Waiting" is a rampant theme throughout the whole process. The completion of all the legalities, paperwork, court appearances, loom in front of us keeping us aware that we still have much waiting yet to do. I'm beginning to think that my prayer for patience is being taken way too seriously :-) I feel sufficiently tested and think I will pray for light speed...for us, for all of the adopting families and especially for the little ones who wait and do not understand.

Our God opened His mouth and created the heavens and the earth. His lips spoke "light", and there was light. His breath breathed the stars, and the universe was filled. His hands formed the most intricate of living beings from a handful of dust. Were His praises not sung by men and women, we would hear the rocks cry out His name, the winds clap hallelujahs and the hills shout out His glory.

It's true that we have up to another year and a half before we can bring Jordany home,  but our God is a God of deliverance. He parted the seas, gave sight to the blind, raised men and women from the dead. His mercies never come to an end. Our prayer is that God will move heaven and earth and bring our baby boy home sooner rather than later.

Heart's Desire...

It is with great joy in my heart and praise on my lips that I am able to share with you that God has granted me the desires of my heart and the hearts of my family. Why has He been so gracious? Not because of anything I have done, not because of anything that I have said...but only because of His great love and goodness and because He is God.

I am greatly humbled to say that our Donahue Crew has grown in number by one and is full to overflowing with thanksgiving and praise to the only wise God. He never leaves or forsakes. His mercies never come to an end. God's plan is ever perfect and always so much better than my own!

Introducing Jordany...our baby boy!

We are ever humbled by the many of you who are walking this road with us and sharing in the journey. Thank you for your prayers and for lifting us up to the Father. Thank you for helping to pray Jordany into our lives. Help us pray him home. We still need you! Our journey has just begun.

"Precious Jordany, the Lord God has ransomed you. He has called you by name, and you are His."(paraphrase Isaiah 43:1). By His grace and goodness we call you son. We long to know you and bring you home.

"All glory to God who kept us from falling and has seen fit to bring us into His glorious presence...Not because of anything we have done...
All glory be to God alone and our Saviour Jesus Christ. All glory, majesty, power and authority are His before all time, right now and forever. Amen!" (paraphrase Jude1:24-25)

Your Life Speaks...So, Live Your Best Life!

Eliza with Genma Holmes December 17, 2011

I am constantly amazed by God's creativity . I shouldn't be, but my humanity gets the best of me sometimes...well, most of the time.

Today, Eliza and I had the fantastic opportunity to join Genma Holmes and her radio program Live Your Best Life. Genma talked with Eliza about our adoption story and how God used the lives of our friends Mike & Missy Wilson to speak to us.

Mike & Missy are dear friends of ours who God strategically placed in our lives 5 years ago. Their ministry, aptly named, My Life Speaks, is a true reflection of who they are inside and out.

Eliza and Missy Wilson in Haiti July 2011

What I think is so cool about God is how He has brought two ministries into our lives...First, My Life Speaks and second, Live Your Best Life.

I was thinking about how the two of these ministry titles tie together so well and bring a powerful message: If my life speaks, then I should live my best life!

Our lives do speak, everyday. People watch our actions, take note of how we handle difficult situations and are influenced by how we reflect God's love.

We are blessed by Genma and her passion for helping us bring home our New Donahue, and we are forever grateful for Mike & Missy's imprint on our lives and in our hearts.

God is a Master Story Teller, and He weaves the tapestry of our lives in a unique way that only He is capable of orchestrating.

If I keep my eyes wide open, my ears in tune and my heart on Him, He will lead me...all of us...on a fantastic journey of faith creating His story for my life...not my story.

If my life is not speaking the best story of all, the gift of Jesus Christ, then my life is not the best that it can be.

My prayer is that our adoption journey will give glory to the name of Jesus and shine a light that is only about Him...not us...a Light that is a true reflection of His calling...not mine.

Let Your Life Speak as you Live Your Best Life.... all to His glory!

A New Donahue... called by Name

I've been working on a family blog for our adoption journey. Several of the posts about our adoption were on my personal blog. So, I transferred them over here.

A journey is a great way to describe the process of adoption. There are hills and valleys, fast rides and slow crawls, and we are only in the beginning.

Our home study is complete and we now begin finishing up documents so that we can get our fingerprints and then send our dossier to Haiti. It's a lot of work, but I have to continue to remind myself that our adoption road is not planned by me. There is comfort in knowing that the God of all Grace and Comfort has planned our journey step-by-step.

When things don't go my way or the way that I had thought they would go, it is a privilege to rest in the assurance that my missteps and mistakes are all in God's hands. He has already planned this journey, and He steers me. I need to allow Him to do just that.

As I reflect on the beginning of our adoption decision and this giant leap of faith, I can't help but be reminded of Isaiah 43:1: "I have called you by name. You are mine."

I want to put an exclamation point at the end of "you are mine"... I can hear the Father shouting from the heavens: "Laura Lyn. I have called YOU by name. YOU ARE MINE!" The same way He calls me by name, He has called each one of us, including our yet-to-be-named, new Donahue.

We have all been adopted by God our Heavenly Father. He ransomed His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, so that He could shout our names from the heavens and declare that we are His. WE ARE HIS!

In this season of Christmas, as we prepare for the celebration of the Christ child's birth, I'm reminded of Mary's obedience to the Lord's calling on her life. She was unaware of His plan, yet she agreed to trust and obey. In essence, she agreed to adopt Christ into her own womb and raise the son of God as her son. Joseph agreed to be Jesus' earthly Father and care for Him as his own.

Adoption is a part of everyone's story. Each of our journeys is different, but we are all called by name by the Lord of Hosts. He shouts from the heavens that you and I are His. We long to shout from the hills of Tennessee the name of our new child...our new Donahue. We wait with expectancy.