Something BIG

God is up to something BIG.

I can't fill you in yet on the details, but stay tuned

...you aren't going to want to miss this!!

"Older"

I've been really struggling to come up with the words to write about a subject that has been on my heart since leaving Ethiopia. Its something that not a lot of people in our adoption circle talk much about and something that I was honestly a little clueless of until I saw it with my own eyes.

Older kids.

As young as twelve.

On the streets.

No family.

No hope.

No future.

I knew in my head that there were older orphaned kids in every country, but I just didn't reconcile the "knoweldge" of that fact with the "reality" of it. While I was living at Kad's orphanage, I had the blessing of interacting with the older kids there.

{Side Note: By older kids, I'm not talking sixteen, seventeen, or eighteen year olds. In orphanage terms, "older" means twelve to fourteen year olds. The very fact that being twelve years old classifies you as "old" is a tragedy in iteself.}

I would spend days singing with these kids, painting their fingernails, playing soccer with them. They had names -- "B" and "A" and "H" and so many others. They were sweet and smart, funny and outgoing. They would have me laughing so hard that I would forget the lack of sleep and stress of caring for a baby alone in Ethiopia. They loved Kad and would tell me stories about praying for him all night when he was sick and how one "older" girl, "B" (an eight year old) would actually go with him to the hospital so he wouldn't be alone. They are caring, wonderful, amazging kids.

...but they don't have families.

In fact, for three of them that I loved dearly, they never will.

How do I know this? Because I watched them age out of the orphanage while I was there. The big metal gates opened, and they walked out without the hope of a family or a future.

It sounds harsh, and it is. But, it isn't the orphanage's fault that this age-out process exists. Its mine. And yours. And everyone else who doesn't welcome one of these "older" kids into our home because they're afraid. Or because they wait and wait for a cute, cuddly baby.

I don't say this to condem anyone. Keep in mind that Mike and I waited eight long months for Kad's referral. I get sick to my stomach every time I think now about how many older kids walked out of those gates during that time. Please don't misunderstand, I know that babies deserve families too...trust me...I have one sleeping in the room next to me right now. And, when families pray about the child that God has planned for their family, I know that some times He directs them to check the "healthy infant" box on the agency application. I know that. But, I also know that sometimes He nudges our heart to stretch a little more than what we're comfortable with, and that can be a very scary thing to acknowledge and act on.

Our friends Mary and Bob are the first couple that made that fact so real to me. They started their adoption process intending to adopt one little girl with special needs under the age of three. God had drastically different plans. And, through their obedience, they are soon to be the proud parents of three kids from Ethiopia -- a three year old boy, a six year old girl & a nine year old girl! To say that their faithfulness is inspiring would be the understatement of the year. It has been such a blessing to watch their family story unfold.

While I was talking to Mary last week on skype (yes...that two hour conversation on Mike's birthday), she was telling me about meeting her kids for the first time. I cried as she described her girls running through the courtyeard and throwing themselves into her arms, showering them with hugs and kisses. These "older" girls, who waited for YEARS, dreading the next birthday that put them one year closer to the other side of those gates, just met their MOM and DAD.

And then, Mary told me about their oldest daughter's friend who watched from the sidelines all week, in tears, knowing that families for kids her age are few and far between. She was witnessing her fairy-tale moment...only unless she gets a miracle, there will be no happily-ever-after for her.

No body to run to across the courtyard.

No arms to fling her little body into.

No kisses & hugs.

No, "I love you so much" whispered in her ear.

It will never be her turn.

I don't know what the Lord is doing stiring this up in my heart all over again, but I know that He intends for us to pray for these kids, to advocate for them, to make others aware that they exist. That they, just like the cute cuddly babies, deserve a family.

We're not all called to adopt, but we are ALL called to love and care for orphans...of ALL ages. Please pray along with me about what our role is in loving these kids!

Happy Birthday Dada!

Today is Michael's birthday. Typically we would have maybe gone away for a long weekend or at least gone out to a nice dinner...but having a little one around makes celebrating birthdays a little more low-key. We spent the day at the zoo and then went out for a quick dinner before we had to put the Little Man to bed.

Oh, and then wife of the year here, spent the next two hours skyping with her friend Mary who just got back from Ethiopia visiting her three kids.

Someday we'll be back to long weekends away and nice dinners, but for now...moments like this make it all worth while!

Happy Birthday, to the best dada on the planet! I love you more and more every single day!

Melkam Gana

Today is January 7th, with is the date that Ethiopians observe "Gana" or Christmas. Yes, it is celebrating the exact same thing as traditional Christmas...the birth of Christ...its just observed on a different day.

What I love about Gana, is that it truly is a religious holiday. The entire day is spent celebrating at church and worshiping the true miracle of the virgin birth of Christ. Everyone wears white robes or traditional clothing, symbolizing the purity that comes with our new birth in the Lord, and after church they spend time feasting with their familiy and friends.

We're so blessed that our family is so deeply intertwined with the Ethiopian culture and community, and we will be celebrating Gana each and every year.

This year, our adoption play group in the midwest had a huge Gana celebration. Since our house sold in Indiana and closing just happens to be the first week of January, Kad and I were able to make the trip to Ohio to attend.

This was the first time I was able to introduce Kad to the group of families who have supported us and prayed for us as we journeyed through the adoption process together. It was such a sweet time of celebration for so many reasons!

Kad is his traditional Ethiopian outfit (a gift from his Aunt Birtukan):

All of the Ethiopian kiddos (this was a tough group to photograph!):

Melkam Gana (Merry Christmas) to all of our friends and family in Ethiopia!