The word is YES for the state of Colorado and Ghana!!!!

We had the long awaited phone call to answer if we had to work with 1 or 2 agencies to bring home Joy from Ghana.  The answer is 1 agency will be enough and that translates into a lot of money saved!!!  We started to inquire about Beacon House and Ghana in December and we will finally be getting started officially.  The package from Adoption Alliance is in the mail and we should receive it any day.  This package will contain the formal application,fees schedule, application for state of Colorado clearance, application to be get an inviation for Federal digital fingerprints, child abuse clearance forms, and many other important other papers.  Then we will start on the homestudy, the visits, and all the questions.  It should be a breeze, but it is hard to tell a stranger everything past and present.  The kids very stressed to answer questions and talk to a stranger.  All these steps to bring a child home that her parents abandoned into the hands of strangers.  What a crazy world that we live in.  Luckily with everything here at home 4 children, fulltime work outside the home,and all details of every day life I don't have much time to obsess on how long each adoption step takes.  I had plenty of time with this before Elijah and Sneha came home, but not now.  WE ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE IN THIS LIFE SO WE MUST BE INTENTIONAL EACH AND EVERY DAY!!!!

Here are some photos that I thought were lost from our 2009 India trip and I found CD's and copied them to the computer.  I am so thankful that they weren't lost.

God is moving mountains!!!!!!

Luke 17:5-65

 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”  He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

Where do I even start??  Our Sneha turned 10 years old on March 1 and we had her party in Fort Collins on Saturday.  Her first real party.  Last year she had just begun having seizures and had the broken arm and we were adjusting to life with Sneha.  A hard time in life, but things are definitely smoothing out.  The transition period of some one that never had responsibility, severe malnutrition, illness,  couldn't remember family life, and had lived on one floor of a building for 5 1/2 years, and has multiple learning challenges is a little longer than the average after adoption period of adjustment.  Her 10th birthday party was so much fun.  She loved all the attention and presents.  She squeals with excitement and happiness at the sight of new beautiful clothes for her.  To go from wearing and sharing ugly clothes to a closet full of her own is so exciting for her.  In India no matter where a woman lives they dress beautifully and take pride in looking amazing.  Kids walk out of slums with beautifully braided hair and very nice and neat uniforms ready for school.  I am so glad that God laid this girl on our hearts.  She has gone from the least of these that has no worth in society to a person of impact with out even knowing it.  God knew the great plans for her life.  She has said so much without words.

Yesterday was Shriner's Hospital and Salt Lake City for Elijah and I.  Wow what a long day 3:30am wake up and back home at 10pm.  We have good news about his hand.  I looks good and we don't need to see surgeon  Wang for 3 months.  In 3 months he was also due for spinal x-rays so we can do every thing at once with-out another additional trip.  The tendon transfer and tightening of his thumb on his left hand should improve the ability to grasp objects. Now his thumb doesn't pop out of joint all the time and his thumb doesn't fold into his hand to prevent grasping objects.  His spine is being monitored for a curve.  They are the best hospital to get x-rays done in record time and knowing exact positioning for guaranteed results.  They have been such a huge help to our family and Elijah's medical needs.  He has been through so much in 3 years, but is on the road to health and recovery.  It is hard to imagine that he had a 4cmx6cm area on his head with-out skull bone, he couldn't touch his left heal down and walked on his tip toes, had mini fractures in his shin bone, a mouth full of cavities, and believed in a golden statue as creator.  God has transformed his body and soul from the inside out.

More good news is coming........God is moving mountains for our Joy waiting in Ghana.  We knew that God wanted her to be part of our family and our biggest fear was the expense of it all.  We stepped out to begin without a penny in place to bring her home.  My verse and prayer for the year is Luke 17:6.  Having the faith of a mustard seed is very difficult.  It seems  like it should be so easy and why do we doubt our Father's will when it is written in the Bible and right before our eyes. As plain as day right there  are the answers to all of our questions.  The money is the easy part for God and it is.  Praise be to God we should be able to stay out of debt with Joy's adoption!!!!!!!!  The means are on there way  now we just need to keep being patient and obedient.

My India trip is coming.  I am so excited for the adventure across the world.  Everything is unknown and up to God.  It is hard to believe that 3 years ago I said that I could never go back, but would only go to get Sneha and NEVER AGAIN.  Now I am excited to go back.  Let me say that I am the person that fears Walmart with children in tow and God has removed the fear to go across the world.  I am the person that would never be able to speak to a crowd and now I am about to embark on the adventure of a life time.  I am just so glad that they don't eat much meat or unknow sources of protein.  Vegetables are good across the world.  I have to say that I hate hot weather, give me a blizzard any day over sweltering heat.  Guess what where we are going?It  will be 90 to 120 degress and we have to dress in  long clothing.   Only God could convince me to enter into that kind of heat.  Join me in praying for this crazy adventure.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4




Praise to the God of All Comfort

 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.