WHAT A WEEK!!

Well, we've been home for a week now and I'm still running around in circles it feels like! Man, this little guy is quick and always on the go! But I'm loving every minute of it and can't believe how fast he is catching on to things. He mimics everything we do and communicates alot through hand gestures. Sometimes he spits out alittle Russian that we don't understand but he generally makes us understand! He is very good at getting his point across, one way or another! But all in all, I don't believe we could of asked for a better first week.

I have to confess that I just had to make myself sit down here right now to do this. I have so much to tell but my thoughts are still just pretty scattered. (if that makes sense.)
So, for now I'm gonna leave you with some pictures of the little guy and promise I will be working on some posts to tell you all about our time in Gabe's country and where he spent the last couple of months. We are so thankful to be home and still trying to catch up on rest and finding a routine of sort. Thanks for all your support and prayers while trying to get this little guy home.

Well, I couldn't get my pictures off my notebook to this computer, sooooo, not exactly the pictures i had in mind. But, still good ones! I think Cole has him a best friend for sure:)

MY ANGEL, GABRIEL

Wow, how do I describe this little guy so that you REALLY understand how lucky, how blessed, we are. He is laying here beside me napping and I've just been sitting here thinking...wow. He looks like a little angel. He is laying here with only his undies on and for the first time (without him squirmming and moving all over the place!) I can really take in the way God made him. He has beautiful little almond shaped eyes and long eyelashes, a mouthful of pearly whites, and the cutest little almost flat nose and blonde hair. His little keeled chest and each little rib, looks perfect to me. His hands, that he uses often to gesture things to us, are perfect with those little fat fingers. He has the cutest little short legs and fat flat feet!. He now weights a whopping 29 pds.(but the way he's been eating the last few days, that may have changed!) How could anyone think or even worse say,"this child is defective??" Yes, he does have an extra chromozone that not all of us have, but defective???? I BEG TO DIFFER. This child was carefully, lovingly, put together by God.  And MY God makes no mistakes.

I am so very thankful that God saw fit to not give up on me. Thank you Lord, for continuing to nudge my heart all those months ago, even when I tried to ignore your presence. Thank you for helping me to clearly see their faces on many long nights. Thank you for helping me hear their cries even when I turned a deaf ear. Thank you Lord for reminding me day after day, that it is NOT about me. It is about YOU, and that all things are possible when we focus on what YOU would have us do.

I said, "I DO want to make a difference."

You said, "Follow Me."

I said, "I'm scared." 

You said, " Fear not."

I said, "But Lord, I'm not worthy."

You said, "I love you anyway."


Why do we try to make things so hard when it comes to doing what God wants us to do??  A simple YES is all He needs.  And then HE does all the rest.  What a journey this has been.  And to think I could of missed it all had I listened to the things of this world.  I am nothing special. I'm just a plain ole, simple minded sinner, that said yes to God's adventure.  There are so many other little ones that need someone to say YES and bring them home too. Please remember Reece's Rainbow. There are lots of ways to help these kids even if you can't adopt.

COME ON......SAY YES!!  TAKE GOD'S ADVENTURE. YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID!!

Giggy and Gabe

We are heading home tomorrow, so if you find time would you send a prayer up for safe travels. Thanks guys for all your support and prayers during this journey. I will be posting more pictures and updates as we get home. I have soooooo very much to tell! Love you guys. And paise be to God for great things HE HAS DONE.

ONCE UPON A TIME

In a country far away

In a city I never knew existed until now

(Vladivostok-by China)

And then up the eastern coast about 4 hrs. to a remote village that doesn't even exist on a map

And then up this small road

A beautiful little life was waiting.

Waiting for a mama. Waiting for a papa. Waiting for a family to call his own, and to love him unconditionally, for the rest of his life.

I will never be able to put in words how I feel and all I want to convey to you about this place and the things I've seen and experienced while here. I want to so badly, but I just don't think I would do it justice. I'm not very talented in writing (as you know!) and poetic words don't flow from my mouth very good. If you could gather my tears and form a story from them, well, then you might have a pretty good view of things. And I don't mean because everything has been sad or bad. There is beauty amid the harsh realities.

There is humor in spite of the serious circumstanes.

i swear these beds were sooooo hard!

getting married in a parking lot

gig broke our window....now shes trying to repair it!

made her tote our water too!

We have felt it ALL these past weeks. I'm not sure how long I've been here at this moment, but it feels like a LONG time! Chirssy just told me that we only have 1 more week until we're home. Honestly, right now that feels like it means 1 month!! Yes, I'm home sick and ready to board that plane and fly baby fly! But I would not take anything for these things I've experienced while here. I knew these certain things existed because for months now, I have read others stories. But it is taken to a whole new level when you see it with your own eyes. When you touch them, with your own hands. And then when you see but aren't allowed to touch them. When you see and you hear......and there is nothing you can do to make it better for them. That's the worst.

I will never forget this place. I never WANT to forget this place. How could I?? This is where God led me. This is where my son is from. Of all the places in the world......THIS PLACE is where I was suppose to go. This is somewhat like holy ground to me. God led me here and He has certainly been here with me the whole time. We have had lots of talks. I have questioned much. He has shown me beauty along with pain and suffering and sorrow. I still don't understand it all. But He has assured me, one day I will. When I leave here, I will definitly leave a large part of my heart. But I will also be taking a new little heart with me.

Please continue to pray for Gabe. Tomorrow we will pick him up and he will NEVER be alone again.

THANK YOU LORD, THANK YOU LORD.



FINALLY REST

It's amazing what a bit of coolness, quietness and a decent bed can do for the mind and body. I had the first good rest since being here, last night.  It was so good to finally sleep for sevral hrs. without waking.  Today,(Sat.) will be a day of rest for us.  We plan on making good use of it!!  We are back in Vladivostok until Tuesday, getting Gabe's passport, and then will return to Nakhodka and pick him up, then come back here until Thursday. We will then fly to Moscow for a week and then home.  Still a ways to go, but I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Life here is so different than home.   I feel very fortunate, yet somewhat guilty too.  It's hard to make sense of it all.  In a way, I almost envy their lack of worldly things.  I don't know.  As I said, I'm still trying to process it all. 

The same goes for the orphanage.  I have different views about that and am definitely still trying to process that.  I will share more in that area after I have Gabe and begin the journey home. (well actually, it will probably be after we get home. Not thinking I'm going to have much time once I get that little fellow with me!) But for now, I just wanted to share some pictures of this precious one and a few others.  Again, thank you so much for your continued support and prayers.  You are so apart of this and I hope that you have been or will be blessed by something you see or read here.  It has been an amazing journey so far and theres still much more to go. Blessings to you and yours.


In Nakhodka, right next to our hotel was the TEXAS SALOON! They couldn't believe WE were actually texans! Good food and yes.....a COLD texas beer.

Nakhodka from our hotel window

Gabe