Home at last.....

Colossians 3:1-4

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your^[life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

 

 

We are home!

So thankful to be home!

 

We left early Thursday morning, Bulgaria time and arrive late Thursday evening US time

We had some long layovers but the boys really did great!

 

Here is what they looked like during the 1st layover...6 hours  (without our stroller)

after getting up at 4am this was taken about 12noon.  

David on your left Jonathan (eyes heavy) on your right! 

 

 

 Then this is what things looked like 17.5 hours later!!! 

 

They were up for a total of 28 hours before we landed in Appleton, and only slept 2 of them on the plane...

They really did well.....probably better than Roger and I!

 

Yesterday we spent the day trying to get things in somewhat of an "order"...

just putting things away, catching up on laundry and being overly blessed with so much food in the house!  Thank you friends for you provision! We (I) so appreciate not having to think about food right now!  Especially with so many things to figure out as we go!  

I quickly realized that I did not have a lot of clothing for the boys....

I have lots for when they gain about 10 lbs. but for right now, not so much!

But the very generous and faithful families in our home school and adoption/foster care communities have once again come through!  I put an email out and got an amazing response! Thank you all for your generosity!  We are so thankful for each piece of clothing and the people who gave them!

  

 

The boys are doing pretty well.... all things considered...

they are now settling in to the 3 different place to sleep in 3 weeks.... they are learning how to "get what they want" by learning our faces and voices....they have no idea what they are dong here... 

I cannot imagine what is going through their minds....

But I know that God knows and He is faithful!

 

We take one day at a time...

Roger and I were talking about how much David and Jonathan really act and behave like a 2 year old.

and in some ways need the comforting of an infant......

like a gentle rub to the back when they wake up crying in the middle of the night...

or like today, getting up with Jonathan to rock him while David slept like a rock right through it!

we learned that they do not know how to suck....

they drink out of a cup but cannot do this on their own...

so we thought we would try a sippy cup..... and quickly realized that they do not know how to suck...

they are not potty trained as we were told...so we will packing diapers! again

(although I have to say they get all giddy and laugh when we change them....they think it is so funny when the cold wipe hits their skin....never saw that before!)

Roger said with a smile....huh, and I didn't want to go back to the "baby stage"......

Oh how much we think we get to choose in our lives.....

 

 

This morning I got to do something I haven't done in a long, long time!

Have a peek!

 

 

 

I got up with Jonathan and brought him down to rock in the living room!

After he slept in my arms for an hour I laid him on the couch...

My mind went back to 15 years ago when I was doing the exact same thing with Jacob and Sam!

I LOVED it!!

Then as I was doing devotions I looked over and this is what I saw!

How blessed am I?!

Right!!!

 

 I am so thankful I get to do this again!  I love it when time stands still with all that it takes to care for a little one! The days go by so quickly!  But those nights when all that is happening is right in your arms are treasures that fill us for a lifetime!

 

We ask for continued prayers for the boys adjustment....

for our bigger boys as well as our little ones....

 

We ask for prayers as we navigate through this time!

Thank you for walking this journey with us!

 

In His Embrace,

laurie

 

 

Then and now....

We heard their story...

born premature at 29 weeks gestation

they spent the first 2 months in a hospital

then the next 3 years in an orphanage

and the last  9 months in a foster home

 

 

THEN.......

 

we first knew him as Brody

he was the smaller of the twins

just under 1lb at birth

many struggles just to stay alive

 

 

 

 

Then as Sevdalin

barely able to walk at 4 years old

weighing only 19 lbs.

 

In the care of a foster family 

gaining weight  25lbs.

walking alone  RUNNING

 

NOW.....

Our Jonathan Daniel

 

 

 

THEN........

Braddock

the name given for web viewing  

small little one having endured so much in a short life

weighing just 1.5lbs at birth

a fighter! a survivor!

 

Pavlin

minimal gains in spite of the place he lived

the medical report said he had a good disposition

 

 

 

gaining weight in the care of the foster family

25lbs.

running and climbing

 

NOW..........

 

our David Ezekiel

 

 

thanking the Father for HIS plans and HIS provisions

our guys are little....they are active and busy....they are full of life!

they are ours!

 

thank you for praying for them during this journey!

and thank you for helping to bring them home!

 

love to all

In His Embrace

laurie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David & Jonathan

 

Here is a picture of our two little rascals!

Hard to get many pics of them awake...

they never stop moving!

until they are sleeping.........

 

 

 

 

 

Got Me!

Gotcha Day!
 (trying to get a picture to load....)

It is such a neat catchy phrase....

but again, it is a day that has two extremes..

much happiness and joy and feelings of things being "completed"

but for another family things are just the opposite

much sadness and loneliness and feelings of things being "empty"

we are thankful for the love poured out on our boys over the past 9 months by this family

truly, they would not grieve if they did not love

 

 

We are in the beginning stages of a new beginning of our lives!

We are filled with anticipation of what will come next....

What will everything be like when we get home

What will the other boys say

How will David and Jonathan react when they see their new brothers and new home

Seriously....what will breakfast even look like

 

All of that is unknown but yet to come

We can't always know all that is coming...even if we know small parts

they are still just small parts to such a big picture

 

What we do know is what we need to know

All that we need to know will be revealed at just the right time

If there is only one thing I would say that I have learned on this journey it would for sure be

that God is never late and doesn't show up early!

He has every single piece of the plan in perfect order

 

Ephesians 1:3-14

 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.  For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love  he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—  to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace  that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,  he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,  to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,  in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.  And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,  who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

 

And when we get home He will have that all in place too!

 

 

If I can go back to "gotcha day"....

For me it is more of "it is official day"

Really gotcha for me was back in August of 2012

when I first saw these 2 little boys and they captured my heart

Honestly I did not know why at the time

but I knew that there was something God was pointing out to me

And it was then, as it is now, in perfect time

 

As I look back on the last year I can certainly see all of the places that

were marked specifically for intentional purposes by Him

I can see the "why" behind the waiting

I can see the plan unfolding into the absolute best for all of us!

So I can say with absolute assurance that He will always do what is best for us!

 

For all of us....

even for the family that grieves their little feet and big voices in their home

 

Our family is under the scrutiny of the ONE knows each star by name

and sees each sparrow that falls....

we can be assured that He is working out all things for good....

 

And it is good!

It really is!

 

In His Embrace,

laurie

 

One More Sleep.....

just one more sleep until we will be reunited with our boys

it has been just over 1 year that this journey began

God had moved us off a different path and onto this one...

 

tomorrow we will leave early to drive for just over 2 hours

to be reunited with them for the last time

 

It is a bittersweet reunion....

as we are happy and leaving with them for a new beginning.....

there is a family that they will be leaving behind

a family that will have to say goodbye to these two special little boys

after almost a year of pouring love into these two boys they will be saying good bye

 

for whatever reason....God brought us together

two families over 5,000 miles apart

united by and through the Father

 

1 John 4:7-9

 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

 

we talked about how never in our wildest dreams would we have guessed that we would

be where we are today

how 19 years ago when we got married more children were not a part of our plans...

we are often asked "why" we would be doing this....

even just a few days ago someone at the airport asked "what is wrong with you?"

 

we talked about how and why those kinds of things change...

only because we give up our own plans, perspectives and reasoning

and we now strive to live a life that reflects the plans, perspectives and reasoning of God

 

Ephesians 4:21-22

when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.  You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds

 

All for His glory....

In His Embrace,

laurie