Saturday, February 12, 2011

Showered with Love

As many of you know, our church had a Donations Shower for us today.  Well, really the shower was for the kiddos at Hannah's Hope, our agency's transition home in Addis Ababa.  The purpose was to gather donations for us to bring over on our trip to meet our Peaches (WHICH IS ONLY 10 DAYS AWAY!!!!).

The shower was a great success and was the best shower I've ever been to (OK, so it's the only shower I've ever been to).  But, now that I know that they serve chips and salsa and amazing cake, I'm going to be going to more showers in the future.

A lot of thanks go to the ladies at church who put this together.  They are amazing friends who are near and dear to our hearts.  We appreciate your help and efforts in arranging all of it and allowing us to just show up, eat food, receive lots of donations, and feel loved.  Thanks to all!  We are grateful to be a part of such a loving and serving body.

Here are some of the pictures of the day's events.
The cool cake baked and decorated by Bugg
A bunch of da boys ready to eat.  The second amazing cake was made by Cassandra...Wow!

The beautiful ladies posing with a picture of Peaches

Carol, Ella, Sherri, and Wendy

Sunshine and Giggles - Everyone wants to hold Giggles

Jaynie, Cassandra, and Bugg shellin' out the food

Nomie, L Jo, Cassandra, Tatiana, Cassandra, and Bugg

Bugg, Natasha, Bink, Oksana, and Sunshine

Joe, Rye Bread, Alexander, Big "C" (aka, The Ref), Levi "The Beat", T-Bird, and Speedy

Anna, Tata, and Sandy the Swedish Swami of Decorating

The Beavers, Sherri, and Giggles

Mrs. Beaver and Sherri

Here we are - thankful for donations, thankful for a loving church and ready to go see our Peaches!!!!

With totes and table overflowing, we are ready to head to Hannah's Hope and bring the love of Christ

Sunshine with her beautiful Peaches

Bugg, Sunshine, and Peaches - Who wouldn't love these three girls!!!

 As we prayed over the donations and I shared about Ethiopia, orphans, and God's heart, it was overwhelming to realize where we are in this journey.  It was an emotional swell as I paused to think of Where God had taken us.  We are so close to holding the girl that God called us to.  In 10 short days, we will get on a plane to travel 8,000 miles.  We will see a poverty-stricken world that we cannot comprehend.  We will finally walk through the gates of Hannah's Hope.  We will run to our girl, hold her, and tell her everything's going to be OK.  We will tell her that she is almost home.  We will tell her that mom and dad are here.

We look forward to bringing the donations to Hannah's Hope.  To see the faces of the kiddos as we show them the bouncy balls, bracelets, and other toys.  To see the workers' faces light up as they see the diapers and other items we in the western world take for granted.  To see Peaches' face light up as she begins to realize that she will have something of much greater value than trinkets and plastic toys - she will have a family, she will have love, she will have a home.

How and why God chose us for such an honor we will never understand.  We are thankful to be part of His purpose, part of His plan, part of His blessing.  We are thankful to be the ones who will welcome Peaches in to our arms, into our lives, into our home.

Thank you to our Church and thank you to our God.


5 comments:

  1. I wish I could add pearls of wisdom, but what more can I say than "Amen!"? We are so blessed to be able to come along with you... and we are coming along with you for the long run! Blessed be our God and Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

    Mr. Beaver

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  2. I love the cake and decorations! Looks like you WERE showered with love! :)

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  3. Getting chills of excitement thinking about your trip and your new daughter!

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  4. what a beautiful day. so excited for you to bring home your peaches. and so excited that you have such a loving community to bring her back to!!!

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  5. SO EXCITED FOR A NEW COUSIN!!!!!!(not saying you guys aren't enough but ya know!!!)

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