8 years ago- Happy Adoption Day Joshua, Sarah, & Elizabeth!

8 years ago..... we stood up in court and said yes to being their family.  It seems like yesterday and yet a long time ago.  Even in the hardest moments of our family I would say yes again and again! 

Elizabeth is our always smiling songbird.  She loves to play with Legos with her huge imagination and play outside in the dirt making mud pies and all sorts of fun things.  She is "full on" all the time and it feels like she may have the capability to be in two places at once.  She loves to squeeze you tight with her bear hugs.  I love listening to her play and thinking of the amazing plans God has for her life! 

Adoption can be beautiful and joyful as well as hard and painful.  The past 8 years have proven that and although our lives here on Earth are not perfect it reminds me of the song My Story by Big Daddy Weave.  Their story will be beautifully written by God including details that are hard and wonderful all mingled together. 

Sarah loves studying fashion, painting her fingernails, and reading especially American Girl.  She loves leading worship and I truly believe God has and will continue to grow her gifts in this area.  She is almost as tall as I am, but I won't admit it yet.  This young lady is going to challenge the world and take it on.  She has a way of caring for those who don't have a voice and is quick to make friends with anyone. 

Sometimes the stories God writes are not the ones you expect.  They aren't easy for sure and your hearts get broken.  You feel like God must have made a mistake or He must just not really know your capabilities.  Questions come by the bucket load as you feel like nothing fits or it just isn't the way it is supposed to be.  But one thing remains- God is still God and He hasn't left His Throne.  So buckle up and lean into HIM!

This amazing young man is so compassionate.  He loves to play with his youngest siblings and wrestle all day (and I do mean all day) with his brothers.  He has a definite soft spot for others and is protective.  He doesn't say a whole lot, but when he does it matters to him.  He has developed a passion for running and has been inspired by Jesse Owens.  I can't wait to see what God does with him!

I know that I know that God will use all our stories together to show his Glory.  Even when it is hard to see in the moments of the everyday. 

We are more than blessed to call these three beautiful young people our children.  We are thrilled that our lives came together.  If you told me in the beginning that everything would be the way it is I wouldn't have believed you.   

Some people ask us if we always planned to have a large family.  I would say not really.  It just happened.  We said yes to foster care.  We said yes to adoption when the time came.  It was something we just leaned hard into God and said we will say yes- and let you take care of the outcome.  It was crazy hard because our human side gets caught up.  We want to plan it, but we can't.  Only God sees the ending and we are clueless. 

What makes it all work?  I am still clueless. 

There are many days I look at these smiles and think - how do we do this?

Sometimes you just have to take a deep breath and whisper a prayer and ask God continually for help.  To say I want what you want God- please I am begging for you to show me, and Thank God for every day you get to spend with your children!

Happy Adoption Day Joshua, Sarah, & Elizabeth (from March 19th)

 WOW!  Memory lane.......  This was the "original adoption day" for Joshua, Sarah, & Elizabeth from 2008!  A day that is etched in our minds and hearts forever! 

 This young lady loves to doing nails, scarves, lip gloss, and reading!  I threw in some fun things like a dart gun, fun watch, etc. as well. 

 She has an amazing heart for Michael and loves to help with him, she sings on the worship team for the 1-6 graders, and loves to play sports. 

 This young many loves basketball, reading, and having fun! 

 He wants to be a firefighter and will be GREAT at it!  He has a sense of protecting others and wants to serve!  He also volunteers at church with the little kiddos at church and has served the last 2 years on our Emerge Missions Week.

 This little songbird sings on the Breakaway worship team with her sister as well. 

 She loves her Friends lego sets, reading about princesses, and has an infectious laugh! 

 These three are amazing!  I can't even explain how blessed we are because of them. 

 I couldn't imagine missing out on those smiles. 

 Their creativeness.

 Their personalities. 

 Yes, they each get to chose their desert for their day.  It works because we have 9 children and we eat it all pretty quickly anyway ;)  Joshua chose a chocolate chip cookie cake. 

 Reeses Ice Cream Cake. 

 Blueberry cobbler for Sarah! 

 Yumminess all around!!!

Oh, and Crumpet loved the balloons, but found out quickly that it is loud when they pop! 

Happy 6th Adoption Day Joshua, Sarah, and Elizabeth!!! (from the 19th)

 HAPPY ADOPTION DAY JOSHUA, SARAH, & ELIZABETH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

 6 years ago........a judge said that Joshua, Sarah, and Elizabeth were to be placed in our home forever as our son and daughters.  I can't explain what that means in words because there are none that give you the emotional depth that it brings to mind. 

 I mean Joshua has some great looks in these pictures and is thrilled with his fireman legos, but that is NOTHING even close to as thrilled as we were that day.  The complete JOY that filled our hearts!!! 

 Their story was hard!  The situation was hard! 

 We had taken the foster care class again after moving to Louisiana (after taking it in Iowa and fostering and eventually adopting Abigail, Andrew, & Matthew).  Our intentions were just to help some children that were in process of going back home. 

 Along the way we grew to love these 3 beautiful children, but we also loved and cared for their birth family.  That is when it gets hard.  You want to see the birth family succeed!  You want what is best for them! 

 Oh then it gets complicated emotionally and again there are no words in the English language that can describe it. 

 Oh, but our Heavenly Father knew.....and HE LOVED us all.  In the middle of everything HE created the love in our hearts and Blessed us through brokeness......  He gave us more compassion than I thought I could have. 

 Somehow God works it out in a way that helps heal.......that creates love.......even in the depths of despair for the birth family, and the broken hearts of the children. 

 To create a family.  A family that includes 2 separate families that are joined forever in the act of adoption. 

 Oh and that family........is BEAUTIFUL! 

 I LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!!!!!!  I couldn't imagine my life without these 3 beautiful babes!!!!! 

 This handsome man who is strong and courageous! 

 This beautiful joyful and compassionate young lady. 

 This crazy nut who has songs bursting out all day long and loves well.

 As you can imagine when there are 3 children with an adoption day all at the same time.....

 That creates a lot of batters ;)

 Fortunately I have plenty of children who are willing to oblige in helping lick it all up ;). 

 Lego movie legos and Crazy Loom

 Tangled & Friends legos...... 

 Line up:  Joshua- cheesecake, Sarah- blueberry cobbler, and Elizabeth strawberry cake with strawberry jam in the layers :)  YUMMY!!!!!  For our family it doesn't take long to polish this all off so no worries there. 

 I love that these 3 precious miracles are in our family.  That we were chosen to be their family.   

That we get to experience the crazy, the good, the hard, the smiles, the tears....and everything in between.  

 I have a love that God formed in my heart in the shape of my children.  That is the best way I can explain it.  Along with that comes a compassion and love for the extended family we have because of them.  It is an amazing journey that God has for our life.  So Blessed that we said YES! 

YES to GOD!  YES to foster care!  YES to adoption!  YES GOD YES!!!!

May we never grow tired of saying YES to whatever God has for us :).