Gratitude ...

God calls us all to defend the fatherless, to care for the child that has no family.  This can look very different.  It does not mean that we are all called to adopt a child.  It may mean so many things for so many people.  We see it happening around us. 

 

We are feeling encouraged, blessed and loved on in many unexpected ways … around us many are helping an orphan, our orphan … our little miss, who in less than two weeks is going to go from orphan to daughter … 

And, because I don't want to forget, a laundry list, of sorts, of some of the encouragement and blessings surrounding us:

Family graciously stepping forward to take care of and love on the kiddos here while we are gone …
Friends and neighbors offering carpool and other assistance with the kiddos while we are gone …
Encouraging cards …
Friends supporting us through purchasing adoption tees …
A friend hosting a jewelry party and donating commissions (and friends and family purcahsing the jewelry!) …
Unexpected donations toward “bringing Nora home” …
A friend giving us her “gently” used (not expired!) awesome car seats (totally a God thing – thanks, friend!!!) …
An offer of frequent flyer miles and hotel nights (while this didn’t work out, the offer was beyond humbling) …
Gifts from friends I have yet to meet in person …
And, of course, prayers …

And, with that, I have a specific prayer requests.  Please join us in praying that God may be preparing Nora’s heart for what will forever change her, going from orphan to precious daughter, in less than two weeks.

This is it, in nine short days we will be leaving for China to meet our daughter.  Travel plans have been confirmed, and flights are booked!  Now, we just need to pack, continue preparing the kids here, and celebrate Jack’s birthday early!

And, because no post is complete without a photo, and many of you know how I am obsessed with adore monogramming … this was a gift from a sweet friend that I have yet to meet in person.  Yet, our daughters spent the first months of their lives together at the same orphanage.  So sweet, we cannot wait to cuddle Nora up in this after bath time.