12

 

Here he goes, my big 12 year old...on the cusp of growing taller than me.

Here he goes.

My heart sings mother's prayers lifted high to heaven's ears,

knowing God loves him even more than we.

And here he goes...setting on toward manhood. How can it be?

My little boy just yesterday. 

I'm so proud of my big boy now and his heart for Jesus as he grows.

And here he goes.

Hand in hand with us for now, we'll guide as best we can. 

A heart like his, I know the Lord will use him, spend him for His glory.

So that's the prayer and here he goes...

Happy Birthday Brodie!
We love you so very much!!!

 

"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed,

knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with

the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus."

2 Timothy 3:14-15

THE TUFF STUFF

I'm definitely a glass half full type of person.

 

My natural bend is to focus on the bright side of things and I'm always sure there's a silver lining,

not to mention God's perfect will which usually includes discomfort as the prelude to growth. I get it.

 

That said, there are also times when the tuff stuff feels like it's creepy crawling all over me

or pecking me square in the forehead. I'm confident that this is normal...but I don't love it.

 

So when she rejects me then smothers then stonewalls then randomly loves normally, I do my best

to roll with the punches and realize there is a place for the tuff stuff in life and especially adoption.

 

God will use it all for good.

 

When he cries for the thingy over there then I give it to him then he rejects it then asks for it again

then finally takes what he wanted from the start most likely testing me to see if I'll give and I'm all,

"Why didn't you just take it in the first place?!" I have to remember (again) that there is in fact

a place for the tuff stuff in life and adoption and God is always good!

 

The pangs of sin wreck scars for him so though we fill and fill, the insatiable hunger haunts

in more ways than one and we accept that only Jesus will finally truly occupy the voids. He will.

 

As for the tuff stuff yet to come, the medical and emotional and stretching and pecking,

I wait for it expectantly, realizing that God is working all the while and I'm to love.

 

So glass half full most of the time, yes, the reality is adoption is not all roses all the time. But God IS always good ALL the time and He uses everything to refine us and mold us and make us more like Himself...even through (especially through?) the tuff stuff. So I'm in.

"And let us not grow weary of doing good,
for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."
Galatians 6:9

 

"His banner over me is love."

Song of Solomon 2:4

GUESS WHO'S ON HIS WAY HOME!

 

We have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving week!

 

Welcome home, Beck!!

 

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!"

Psalm 107:1

UPDATE ON BECK

We spent the day yesterday visiting Beck in the ICU.

 

 

It was sweet to sit and just be with my little guy. It was also good for Brodie to

get out in the sun a bit and hang with the other kids while I took the day shift with Beck.

(Our tired little tiger)

 

He was so excited when he woke up to discover his siblings had come to visit!

 

 

He called for each one by name and of course gave out lots of smiley hugs and kisses.

 

 

The good news is now that he's been seen, we will start meeting with the cardiologists to get both Bea and Beck the surgeries they need...starting early next week. This is what we signed up for when we adopted these precious children with critical health issues.

The reality has hit home and it's absolutely our privilege to give them the love and medical help they need, one step at a time.

 

Our hope and prayer for Beck today is that he makes a turn for the better and may even come home. Our house isn't the same without our happy little guy. He brings such fun and laughter to our family and even under the circumstances he maintains his Beck-like JOY!

 

 

 

WE LOVE YOU, BECK!!!

 

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."

Romans 12:12

BECK IN ICU

It was just a cold...the same one our other little ones have and are working through normally.

But for our Beck, his frail heart and lack of oxygen just can't handle "just a cold".

 

 

And so, to the ER they went two nights ago, Daddy and Aida, with little Beck wheezing dangerously. Not knowing his heart condition and history, we chose to play it safe, and it's a good thing we did as his regular cold was developing into pneumonia.

 

 

They transferred him to the children's hospital ICU where he's been since. Though he's ill, he's still in

good spirits, blowing kisses to the nurses every chance he gets, charming them with his Beck smiles.

 

(Never mind the bump on his forehead...just a memory from our last trip at the library.)

 

His body currently doesn't handle these things well, not like a healthy child would. But now after extensive testing we have more answers, a short term plan, and a long term plan to help get Beck the medical attention he needs to live a healthy life.

 

 

With his loving big sister by his side,

 

 

and Daddy holding him, caring for him, reassuring him continually,

 

 

it's hard to imagine Beck's last heart surgery...alone in China.

 

But he's not alone anymore. He has us. We've got him. Our great God has tiny Beck in the

palm of His Hand and we're praying for complete healing and restoration for our son.

(Look who woke up happy today! We can't wait to have you home soon, Beck!)

 

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."

Psalm 147:3