First Trimester

So it looks like we're in our first trimester... of adoption! Kev and I have thought about, talked about, prayed about it, and even looked into adopting in the past. It seems like now just might be the time?!

We're spending time at a special needs orphanage here and really enjoying our time there. The kids are also learning a lot and making friends, too. I love that. But being there has also stirred up (and over) our desire to adopt. In all the time I've been spending in the Word and in prayer, I just feel like God is leading us... We really want to hear His voice and follow His leading. I'm learning to not just run off ahead in my excitement. We're learning to be a team and to know Jesus better. We're praying that our family will be united and tight. And that we might be a family where the Lord will "set the lonely". (Psalm 68:6)

Our prayers have been for the Lord to lead the right people to give to help financially support this adoption. For the right child, or children, to be placed in our home, for us to be prepared for big things, for Him to go before us and stay behind us. We are thankful for His Holy Spirit in us as a counselor and guide. Trusting God for big things as He leads. Most importantly, we want to hear His voice. And to be a family that will bless children in need of a family.

I wish you guys could come up there with us... sweet kids. I'm sure you'd see how special they are and you would understand our hearts.

We've been in touch with an attorney but haven't signed anything yet. We're waiting for some funds in our adoption account so that we know we can take the first steps forward.

Right now we need around $2000 to get a home study done.

Altogether, it will cost around $30,000! This will be a God thing! We're all in! Since we sold just about everything to move overseas and are currently missionaries... you can imagine that we do not have $30,000 laying around! But we know God is big. And that he loves these little ones that "have no mama or papa". Here am I!

If you want to be a part of putting the lonely in our family, please click on the button on the side of my blog. The donations that go to that account will go right toward the adoption. It's set up specifically for that purpose. This is a personal account. (Don't send money to our missions account if you want it to go toward adoption.)

First Trimester: The exciting announcement and the morning sick not-so-fun adjustment... paperwork, paperwork, paperwork - home study - paperwork... We're still trying to imagine what life will be like and if all will go as planned. Trusting God and praying for good things!

Dreaming, wondering, planning, praying... Thanks for being a part of life with us!
For His glory!

Spring is here!

By faith... first part

Okay! I must not have posted the kids saying the first part of Hebrews 11 on here! I thought I did at Christmas time but I must have just put it on FaceBook!? Here's the first 7 verses...

Hebrews 11:1-7

By faith... middle part

Okay... well, we got the middle part of Hebrews 11 memorized, for the most part! It seems it was too early in the morning for recording and the lighting isn't too good. The kids were hoping we'd see Mt Ararat in the background but it didn't show through the window. I'm not sure I'll get them to do it again soon so let me share this try with you! At least you can see what we've been working on! :)

Hebrews 11:8-22

music gear

A couple months back, someone sent Kevin $5000 to use for growing Armenian worship teams! Whoot! So now we've got a music room set up in our basement (by the washer and dryer) complete with drums, guitars, a base, keyboard, recording stuff... Three nights this week we have people coming over for guitar lessons and practice. He'd like to get a few more groups plugged in, too! It's exciting.

The kids and I just had devotions together the other day from 2 Chronicles 20 about Jehoshaphat. After he inquired of the Lord, the Lord said, basically: Go, be there, and I will win the battle. They sent the musicians out first singing, "Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever." The battle was won before they even got there! (The enemies turned and fought each other instead!) Verse 22, "As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the [enemy]..." Love it! You see that a few times in the Bible... the worship goes first and then the battle is won! Love the power of worship. Glad we get to be a part of that in Armenia!

(The kids loved that "phat" part of Jehoshaphat's name... Benjamin said if he named his kid that, he could call him "phatty!" Heh! The girls wondered what would happen if he was skinny... but called fatty... lots of laughter from all of them over the whole thing...)

-The first pic is a guitar lesson... the second is us trying out the mics with Daddy for our morning worship! We're helpers!

Ruth turns seven!

This is Ruth's second birthday in Armenia! Last year, our plane touched down on the fourth of March. Ruth turned six years old then next day, on the fifth! Well, here she is having another birthday in Yerevan!
The day before her birthday, Ruth decided to pick out her birthday outfit on her own... a tee shirt that says "Cheerleader" and pink shorts to match! Heh. We made her put pants on to go out! But she thought it was perfect! :) Daddy made her eggs and lavash for breakfast. I made her pancakes for lunch. Then we went out shopping! Daddy said she could pick out a present! (She wanted to go to Target, but instead we went to Barekamutyun, the underground market by the metro!) She chose a barbie with hair kind of like hers and some purple toy dress shoes (that didn't fit after we got home... boo!). Hannie got her a puzzle of Ariel that she's put together at least a hundred times now!Ruthie decided that she either wanted to go swimming or bowling to celebrate. So we ended up at the bowling alley! She invited a few friends. And so our next stop was the Play City bowling alley! She did a great job bowling on her big day! Even got a strike! And like two spares! Girlie! We frosted the cupcakes there and the kids loved putting the M&M's on with her! We ended up playing some in the play place in the same building, too! It was a busy, fun day.
We love our bubbly, friendly, giggly, brave, sparkly girl! So glad we have our sweet Ruth Anne to liven up the place! Always running, always really happy (or really mad!!), always making friends, always with a hug... our girl. Happy 7th Birthday, baby! (She was born "sunny side up", which makes delivery a little harder, but is a good description of our Roo baby!)


This last pic was a few days later, with our friends up at the office! Ruth asked if we could bring them banana bread to celebrate! We even used some of our last package of chocolate chips for the special occasion! :) (M&M's work just as well!!)