Not-So-Wordless Wednesday

Coincidence? I think not!

Deuteronomy 30:19: "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live."

Motley Monday (and 2 motley monday miracles!)

Last week God broke my heart when I read about Yulia and I posted some of that here. God used this sweet little girl to teach me, humble me and remind me that He is still in charge. And God is still using sweet Yulia to show me a new direction for our life but we'll have more on that later.

God used my blog and so many other blogs to spread the story of Yulia and the passion of one mother, Adeye. And I am thrilled, overjoyed, speechless at how God moved. In less than 5 days God's people joined together and raised the $20,000 needed to bring Yulia home. Part of me is stunned and in awe of God's goodness but another part of me feels like I (we) should have known this would happen. Because miraculous things come together when God's people join together. And Romans 8:28 tells us that God works for the good of those who love him. Thank you, thank you, thank you a million times over to all those who donated... now we need to pray that Yulia finds a forever family and that they are able to rescue her soon. Please keep praying for this with me.

In other miraculous news, have I mentioned that Gabe is on the move? And just like the Gabe you've come to know and love, he is doing it HIS way. Why do I say 'his' way? Because according to a medical diagnosis' Gabe should be paralyzed on his left side and according to the world Gabe is supposed to crawl first. But Gabe doesn't know this and Gabe does what he was made to do; surprise us all!

Gabe moves around the house doing a roll, crawl, scoot maneuver and manages to work his way through doorways, under tables and just about anywhere he wants to go.

On a completely different note, for Gabe's birthday he received a card from his Uncle Matt, Aunt Mariah and cousin Caleb that played music and he loved it!!! He loved it so much that exactly one month later it fell apart from being opened and closed repeatedly. And if something that costs $5 could bring him so much joy there was no way I could deny him that happiness. So when we were in Target Thursday we headed over to the card aisle and tried to find the same card. It was not there but we did find a different one and it plays the theme song from Rocky. And Gabe loves it! He bops his head and dances every time he opens it. And he opens it anytime he can get his little hands on it. Over the weekend I believe I was hearing it in my sleep...or he just snuck into his bed. {SMILE}

This past Saturday Matt, Gabe and I went to a friends adoption fundraiser! Gabe sported his 147 Million Orphan's t-shirt and I wore my Ordinary Hero shirt! I love when we were clothes that do more than keep us warm!

Our friends are adopting from Russia and have just a few more months to wait before they will get their call to travel. I have known this couple since high school and Heather was a two years ahead of me, played soccer with me and always provided me with lots of encouragement on and off the soccer field. I find it amazing that after graduating high school 9 (yikes!) years ago, that we found our way back to a friendship. This world of adoption is so big, yet so small and has such a wonderful way of bringing people together. We were so excited to be able to go attend their fundraiser!

To say they're excited would be nothing but an understatement and they are so ready to be parents. Heather even has that Mom-to-be glow about her!

Gabe is turning into quite the little daddy's boy. Gabe now calls Matt Da-da and gets so excited when he comes home from work. So excited that Matt either has to sneak in and change or take Gabe with him. Because once Daddy is home, Gabe is not letting him out of his sight! Watching Gabriel light up whenever he sees his Da-da is one of the highlights of my day. Inadvertently, now that Gabe is such a Da-da's boy I'm spending more and more time alone in the bathroom! Ooops, was that too much information?!?!

And because I can't hoard all the cuteness just for myself, I thought I'd share some pictures of Gabe having a tubby! Yes he loves the bubbles, although they never last long as he loves splashing more than bubbles {SMILE}

And did I remember to show you this picture? Gabe is holding onto our adoption application before we mailed it at the post office. Exciting right? And doesn't Gabe just have the cutest little chubby fingers?

Hope everyone has a fantastic week!

break His heart

About a year and a half ago I began praying that God would allow the things that break his heart to break mine. And slowly over the past 18 months God has done just that.

God opened our heart to adopt an orphan from Africa (we had started this process prior to finding out about Gabe too). God showed us a need, whispered to our spirit and now, 14 months later we're moving forward with our 2nd adoption. God broke our heart for the people, and even more so the orphans in Ethiopia.

God opened our heart to the homeless in our area. Previously, while I'd feel compassion for the homeless there was a part of me that would wonder why that person didn't do anything more to help themselves. And then my lifegroup began serving meals at the Salvation Army. And now regardless of the circumstances that cause homelessness I've learned compassion, empathy and heartbreak for the homeless and hungry in northeast Ohio.

And then tonight, I pulled up my blogroll and clicked on No Greater Joy Mom and God broke my heart all over. I will never understand how anyone could ever think any child is worthless? How anyone anywhere could deny a child a loving touch or a warm hug.

Sweet little Yulia

"The Son of Man will put the sheep (good people) on his right and the goats (bad people) on his left. "Then the king will say to those good people on his right, 'Come. My Father has given you great blessings. Come and get the kingdom God promised you. That kingdom has been prepared for you since the world was made. You can have this kingdom, because I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was alone and away from home, and you invited me into your home. I was without clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you came to visit me.' "Then the good people will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food? When did we see you thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you alone and away from home and invite you into our home? When did we see you without clothes and give you something to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison and care for you?' "Then the king will answer, 'I tell you the truth. Anything you did for any of my people here, you also did for me.'" - Matthew 25:33-40

God calls us to care for what the world considers to be the "least," but right now I'm not sure how to help sweet Yulia. The only thing I knew to do would be to pray and to blog about it. Maybe someone I know, knows a way to get this sweet little girl home to a family who will love her for everything she is, everything she could be and everything that she'll never be.

I can not even fathom Gabriel spending his life in crib not knowing a loving touch or feel a cool breeze on his sweet face. And someone else's baby is being held hostage in Ukraine knowing none of the love that she should have had her whole life.

I don't know what to do or how to help... I just know that we should do something.

No Knots

I just read this poem on an adoption blog that I've been following for a few weeks. It's located in their sidebar and for some reason I didn't see it until just now. And I think I didn't see it because I needed to see it today. And for some reason, I think that there is someone else that needs to read it too.

No Knots

Dear God,

Please untie the knots that are in

my mind, my heart and mylife.

Remove the have nots, the can

nots and the do nothat that I have

in my mind.

Erase the will nots, may nots,

and might nots that may find a home

in my heart.

Release me from the could nots,

would nots and should nots that

obstruct my life.

And most of all,

Dear God,

I ask that you remove from my

mind, my heart and my life all of

the 'am nots' that I have allowed

to hold me back.

especially the thought that I am

not good enough.

Amen.

Author Unknown.

Love & Blessings!