Eucharisteo

“Giving thanks for one thousand things is ultimately an invitation to slow time down with weight of full attention. Thanksgiving is what precedes the miracle of salvation being fully worked out in our lives.”

Ann Voskamp – One Thousand Gifts

There is no better time than now to live fully, right where I am. I am completely humbled and broken … the best place in life to offer genuine thanksgiving. I’m ready! Plus, I cannot think of anything better that I could do as we prepare for the adoption. So, I have taken the Ann Voskamp eucharisteo challenge (inspired by Kari Pattterson, check her out at www.karipatterson.com) and am hungry to taste life. God.


1. Honesty … raw, exposed truth
2. God’s Truth … never changing
3. Asking at 6pm to my little brother, “Want to drive to Canada tonight?” Response, “Ok, l’ll be over in an hour.”
4. Kind words from people who don’t know me
5. Learning patience and more patience … sitting for 10 hours on hard wooden chair. Yes, thank-you for teaching me patience. I have so much to learn.
6. Jesus Calling devotional … it has changed my life
7. Walmart at 1am for snacks
8. 4 hours in a real bed
9. Techy things that let us search the internet while driving, not to mention extra adaptors, double plug-ins, ability to charge phone, GPS, and computer simultaneously … still boggles my mind
10. A glimpse of my sweetheart. O, how I love him.
11. Clean red clothes
12. Visitation
13. Kind officers, so kind they bring tears to my eyes
14. Real stories about life
15. My hubby being strong and wise
16. Getting to know family more, deeper. The way I always wanted to know them.
17. God’s fingerprints everywhere. There is nothing He has not touched today.
18. Driving more than 5 miles down a busy road. Park. Get out. Find cell phone on top of car. Seriously?!?
19. Mercy
20. Unfailing love
21. The Gospel Matthew
22. The song “Blessings”
23. Lillian chipper “I love you Mama. Morning Mama. Kitties, doggies, elmo … bla, da, be, go, princess, fa, ra, ggg, llooo, froggie,yes … bye, bye Mama.” My heart melts.
24. Staying melted, pray that I am not hardened quickly
25. Surprise meeting arranged on Saturday
26. Real opinions of trusted ones; so thankful to not be alone
27. Generosity
28. Prayerful friends
29. Prayerful family
30. Prayerful people I don’t even know
31. Knowing that God hears all prayers …. Then I fall asleep
32. Meals delivered from friends … yes, I am so hungry. Thank-you for reminding me.
33. Understanding supervisor
34. Tender hearts
35. Genuine words at 6am in hotel lobby
36. Warm coffee in parking lot
37. Tears
38. Compassion
39. Connection
40. Sitting in the grass, cool breeze, stillness, love
41. Solid, safe car
42. Be brave lovely letter. Special message.
43. Psalm 56:3-4
44. Stocked refrigerator and pantry
45. Lillian dancing in her new “pretty shoes”
46. Fresh, clean, cool water … anytime I want it
47. Beautiful handpicked flowers bursting with splendor, bouquets everywhere
48. Bothers who mow our lawn and trim edges … simply because they know it needs to be done
49. Brothers who fix my tires, change my oil, and get car aligned … smiling the entire time
50. Dad who washes my car
51. Mom who does my laundry and changes sheets
52. Home with the man I love
53. So many things to be thankful for I can’t imagine how I can contain it in only 1000. Words can’t capture the gratitude that penetrates my soul.
54. Wondering if I can write 1 million things I am thankful for and not limit myself to 1000???
55. Kisses from heaven
56. Wisdom from friends
57. Sweet marioberry pie and flaky crust melting in my mouth
58. Left over marionberry pie that my hubby devours
59. Loved, pink handkerchief with tiny white embroidered edged and purple bursts of flowers. Delicate. Treasure. God’s way of showing me that he holds every tear in his hand.
60. Listening to my hubby talk about work (aka: serving others … those who this world overlooks)
61. Knowing my hubby is the first to grab a hammer to help get’er-done
62. Carson peeing off my back porch. Proud. Arched back. So funny!
63. Lillian instantly pulling down her pants and trying to pee in the same spot! So so funny!
64. Two minutes later Lillian peeing in her pants, down her legs, and pooling over her feet. A little less funny! No, really … so so so funny!
65. Lillian buns frolicking through the grass. Joy.
66. Good chats with new friends
67. Feeding ducks slugs from under the recycling bin. Kids love it! Friend squirms.
68. All God’s Children International Adoption Agency
69. Trust
70. Surrendering control to The One who knows best
71. Nap
72. Lillian’s birthday cards. There is nothing sweeter than her masterpieces.
73. Watching Lillian and the dog play for hours. Giggles. Licks. Ear inspections. Tail wagging the entire time.

74. Going outside and picking a dinner from our garden. Washing. Preparing. Enjoying. Yum!

August Number

The new girl number is .....




The new boy number is ....



So exciting!

Updated July Number

We received our new July number! According to our case manager and friends these are really good numbers! At this rate we will receive a referral for a little boy next August, in 13 months. Although, we have very little (actually no) control over this process ... we are excited to think that it is likely we could spend Christmas 2012 with a new baby.

Thanks for reading along and supporting this process. We appreciate our family and friends.

The official number for a girl is ...........
















The official number for a boy is .........

Expressions

In true fashion I have to make some sort of cheesy paper countdown for the waitlist. Cheesy as it might be ... it is my expression of excitement. Simple paper with numbers that are virtually meaningless to the world, but carry such significance for me. Each number is one step closer to meeting our forever child that God chose for our family. The countdown is on! The time for preparation of my heart and our family is today. Indeed, I have so much to learn.

IT'S OFFICIAL !!!!!

We made it to the waitlist!!! Praise God!
Our official number for a girl is ...............





Our official number for a boy is ...............

So much love

Words cannot describe Lillian. The English language simply cannot capture her curiosity, innocence, and love. Especially when she is sleeping.

Each evening I quietly sneak into her room to take a peak. On most evenings, her beauty causes tightness in my chest. A love that cannot be contained in my soul. In moments when I want to burst out of my skin I can only think of God. So I get facedown and pray. I literally lie on the floor in her dark room and thank God for His rich blessings. The “facedown” challenge is a new way (really the only appropriate way) for me to assume of posture of reverence and surrender to our Most Holy God. Thank-you Beth Moore for your Stepping Up Bible Study!

One of the many reasons why I am often so overcome with this intoxicating feeling is because of the way Lillian loves her black baby dolls. Did I say loves … I mean really loves them. She is obsessed. Lillian will not nap or “night-night” without her babies. Each baby needs to be hugged (squeezed so tightly that Lillian’s face turns flush), kissed (bottom lip only, the upper lip is always tucked under) and rocked (violently flipped back and forth). Then she holds them to her as tight as possible and falls asleep. She knows they are safe in her arms.

Most of the time she sleeps on top of them. I can imagine a plastic arm or leg jabbing my tummy all night. But, Lillian demands they are close. Every morning I enter her room and she has an armful of babies. I give a morning kiss and snuggle to all her babies BEFORE I can pick Lillian up. Then the babies do all our daily activities with us, including eating and butt paste.

Why am I sharing this? This is such a critical reminder for me because I am still wondering how I can be a Mommy of two, when I struggle to be a Mommy of one on a regular basis. Ahh, the patience, love, more patience, discipline, joy, frustration, and more patience required is something I could never comprehend before Lillian. She is an amazing creation.

But, how great is our God? He gave me a daughter with enough love to share with our entire neighborhood, perhaps we could include West Linn and Gladstone too. She just loves everyone. Lillian is known for kissing other toddlers at church. If kisses are not welcomed by others, she sometimes causes an “owie” (aka: pulls hair or hits) the other kids. Owies need kisses right? One way or another … she just wants to kiss and hug other kids, especially babies. Two-year old logic?!?

She was made to be a big sister. What a special big sister she will be someday.

Anonymous

I wish I knew who you were, but I don’t. So, to the anonymous donor at Willamette Christian Church, this is what I want you to know.

If I knew who you were, I would drive to your home and let myself in. I would sit you down, look into your eyes, and hold your hand in mine. I would thank-you for your generosity towards our adoption. I would tell you how humbled I am for your support. I would give you my promise that I will seek God and His plans for this adoption. I would thank-you (again) for helping to make this possible. I would make sure you knew how much we appreciate your boldness and confidence, defined you’re your generosity, in us to welcome an orphan into our home. I would throw my arms around your neck and whisper softly in your ear “Thank-you, thank-you. Bless you, precious friend.. fellow sojourner.”

Now I look at everyone and wonder … Are you the one with a generous heart? Perhaps someday I will know? This life or the next.

Thank-you.