Happy 17th Birthday Sunshine!!!

It's my little girl's birthday today and that makes it a special day.  It's hard to believe she is 17.  That sounds so old.  And yet, surely it was just yesterday that she was born.  I remember it well.  She was our first.  She was born 7 weeks early, under 5 lbs, and required a 12 day stay in the NICU.  I can remember holding that tiny little premie, in awe of what God had placed in my hands.  A quick 17 years later and she is a beautiful young lady.

I am thankful to God for her.  For the kind heart He's given her.  For the submissive heart toward Heather and me.  For the special bond that exists between us.  God has mercifully showered our lives with a wonderful gift of a bright ray of Sunshine.  We are very blessed!

Here are a lot of random pics.  It's hard to narrow it down to a few.  They all bring a smile to my face. 

I love you Sunshine.  You'll always be my little girl.  Happy Birthday!

Grocery Shopping for a Family of 14!

We were able to talk with the Beavers today and while on the phone we asked how we could help them.  They just returned from Russia with their newest three adopted children.  They have been getting their feet back on the ground, having lots of family time, and lots of laughter and joy.

The grocery store hasn't been high on their list.  So, when we asked what we could do to help, Mrs. Beaver said they could use a few things from the store.  Just a few dairy and produce items to get them through a few days.  So what does "a few items" consist of for a family of 14?  Here's their list (my comments in parentheses):

Dairy

Milk- 1% - seven gallons –any brand  (Seven gallons????  For a few days???)

Yoplait (red label) any flavor- 10 cartons

Misc

Yellow cake mix - 2

6 oz cans of tomato juice, any brand, 2 six packs  (Two cans?  No, two six packs of cans!)

Napkins 500 per package – any brand  (500 should get them through a few meals!)

Frozen (any brand)

Peas and carrots

Green beans 4 packages

Broccoli cutlets 4 packages

Produce

Red Peppers (3)

Romaine heads  (clearly, based on previous posts, these must be for Oksana!)

Bananas -15

Apples – Gala or Braeburn - 20

Naval orange bag  (15 bananas, 20 apples, and a bag of oranges?  Definitely a fruity family!)

Broccoli

Baby carrots

It was very fun for Heather and Sunshine to be able to go get "a few items" for the Beavers at the store.  Just glad they brought the Suburban!

We're so glad they're home and they're doing well.  It's great to finally see them all under one roof, being together, eating a lot.

An Orphan Sunday Prayer

The Burleighs are a fellow AGCI family that we have gotten to know through Blog World.  They recently adopted a contagiously cute little boy from Ethiopia named Markos.  He joins their three daughters to fill this family of six.  His brown skin blends right in with the three blonde haired little girls!  You have to go to their blog and see their picture!  (Click here.)

They shared on their blog what they shared on Orphan Sunday as a prayer during the service.  I was touched as it was coming from the heart of a father who had just adopted and rescued a little one from a hopeless life in an orphanage, and a hopeless life apart from the Gospel.  I love to hear the heart of the dads that have been   forever changed by the miracle of adoption.  Because ultimately that is what all of life is about.  Changed hearts through the power of the gospel.  Whether it's the heart of a dad whose life can never be the same after seeing the empty eyes of orphaned children or the changed heart of the child who comes home to a forever family and a Forever Father.

Take a moment to prayerfully read through this.  It is powerful.

HEAVENLY FATHER…HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME…THANK YOU FOR LETTING US CALL YOU FATHER. APART FROM YOUR GRACE, OUR STATUS AS SPIRITUAL ORPHANS WOULD BE A ONE-WAY TICKET TO AN ETERNITY SEPARATED FROM YOU. WE ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT WE ONCE WERE AS ORPHANS, HOPELESS AND CONDEMNED. WE FIND AMAZING GRACE IN BEING YOUR ADOPTED CHILDREN.

I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD SLOW US DOWN AND CAUSE US TO SEE YOU EVERY DAY IN THE FACES WE ENCOUNTER. MAY THE LEAST OF THESE NOT GET THE LEAST OF US. I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD KEEP US FROM GETTING SO CAUGHT UP IN PROTECTING AND PRESERVING WHAT’S OURS AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS AND SADLY AT THE EXPENSE OF YOUR HOLY NAME. FORGIVE US FOR SELLING YOU SHORT OUT OF OUR FEAR OF MAN AND OUR LACK OF FAITH. WHERE WE HAVE BEEN STRANGERS TO YOUR HOLINESS IN HOW WE LIVE OUR LIVES, SHOW US WHAT IT MEANS TO LOVE YOU WITH ALL THAT WE ARE AND EVEN CAUSE US TO DARE TO CONSIDER WHAT LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELVES MIGHT ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE.

PLEASE CONVICT US OF OUR HANDLING OF YOUR CALL TO PRACTICE TRUE RELIGION: TO CARE FOR WIDOWS AND ORPHANS, SPIRITUAL & LITERAL, OUT OF A POSITION OF WEAKNESS. MAY WE EMBRACE THAT WEAKNESS AND GIVE OURSELVES COMPLETELY TO YOU IN THE MIDST OF IT, KNOWING THAT YOU ARE MADE MUCH OF WHEN WE MAKE LESS OF OURSELVES.

I PRAY YOUR HOLY SPIRIT WOULD RAIN DOWN ON COVENANT IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE WOULD JOYFULLY PURSUE SACRIFICIAL LIVING IN THE MIDST OF OWN STRUGGLES, NOT AFTER OUR OWN STRUGGLES ARE REMEDIED. MAKE US REAL, EXPOSE OUR FRAUDULENCE, BE HONORED BY THOSE WHO CONSIDER THE COST AND THEN JUMP IN ON FAITH ALONE.

I PRAY THAT YOUR HOLY SPIRIT WOULD STOP US COLD WHEN WE MARGINALIZE THE NEEDS OF OTHERS WHEN THEY INCONVENIENCE US. FATHER, FEARFULLY BUT EARNESTLY, HELP US SEEK TO BE INCONVENIENCED FOR THE REST OF OUR DAYS SO THAT IN ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING WILL ALLOW US TO TRULY BE SOMETHING FOR YOUR GLORY.

AS INDIVIDUALS & AS A CHURCH, I PRAY THAT OUR FAITH WOULD BE MARKED BY A WILLINGNESS TO GET OFF THE SIDELINES. THAT WE WOULD BE COMPELLED TO GET DIRTY & BEATEN UP & TESTED AS WE WADE DELIBERATELY INTO THE DESPAIR OF OTHERS ON A REGULAR BASIS.

MAY THIS FAITH MOVED TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING FOR YOUR GLORY BE AN ACT OF WORSHIP THAT WOULD ECHO THROUGH THE HALLS OF HEAVEN AND RATTLE THE GATES OF HELL.

THANKS FOR BEING OUR PERFECT FATHER,

AMEN 

Airport Homecoming!

We welcomed home the Beavers on Monday night at the airport.  There were over 50 people from our church who all showed up to take in the incredible arrival of this beautiful family returning from Russia.  They were returning home with their 3 newest Russian adopted children.  They now have 12 children - 9 of which have been adopted from Russia over the past 10 years or so.

There was a lot of excitement as we awaited their arrival.  Many people have been following their story over the last several months and especially over the last several weeks.  Mrs. Beaver had taken three of the kids to Chicago for the National Bible Bee, while Mr. Beaver left for Russia to begin the final adoption week with the 3 new kids.  The remaining children were still at home, madly preparing for a major international adventure.  Mrs. Beaver returned home with the 3 Bible Bee kids and then within 24 hours took the nine kids on a plane over to Russia to join Mr. Beaver and their 3 newest additions.  They had a heart-stirring meeting as the 12 children were united for the first time in the historic city of Moscow.  What a beautiful picture - the mixture of the different cultures and genetics of 11 individual children now combined to form a single, inseparable family.  All being brought together by God in the middle of a city that permeates a coldness and in some cases remains merely as an empty shell that was left when communism died.

So, from the emptiness of a Russian orphanage springs forth three children whom God has rescued and brought into a forever family. 

Here are some pics taken from the airport arrival.  There was a lot of joy as we welcomed them, but we know there will be a lot of pain and healing that will take place over the next several years.  But, we know that He binds up the broken-hearted, He proclaims freedom to the captives (Is. 61:1).

We took over most of the airport!

Arriving into the terminal!

Daria, Tessa, Lissie, and Cassandra in the background with Alexander and Joe in the foreground

 

Daria in the left of the picture

Daria and Tessa (always giggling) shown here with Bugg (from Hennhouse Happenings) and Sunshine

Oksana (who is beautifully attached to "Papa"), Mr. Beaver, and the amazing Eddie Joe

Alexander and Joe

Welcome home Beaver family.  We are praying for you and celebrating with you!

(Please hop on over to their blog at www.untohimwelive.blogspot.com and give them some love!)