ONE MONTH HOME

We are so thankful to God for allowing us to be this treasures mama and papa.

The journey has been crazy at times.

It's been overwhelming at times. 

It's been very hard at times.

But it's the BEST, MOST REWARDING crazy, overwhelming, very hard time, and we are so in awe of God's blessing to this family.

We will never understand everything we saw, heard, and felt while in the confines of this boys world that he had survived in.

And we will never, ever, forget those left behind.

So on this "one month home" day of joy and thanksgiving for our family, I can't help but be taken back to the others. Please scroll down and look at these kiddos. They are not the ones whose faces I see daily, but they are none the less just as important. They have all already been TRANSFERRED. They are now in the "land of the lost boys and girls."  These are only the kids with down syndrome from Reece's Rainbow who have already been transferred to the mental institution from their baby houses. There are many more with other special needs.

This is Sheridan.... TRANSFERRED

This is Nicholas.... TRANSFERRED

This is Maxim.... TRANSFERRED

This is Kyle.... TRANSFERRED

This is Ruslan.... TRANSFERRED

This is Grant.... TRANSFERRED.

This is Danielle.... TRANSFERRED

This is Kennedy (girl).... TRANSFERRED.

This is Tony.... TRANSFERRED.

This is Heath... TRANSFERRED.

This is Angelia (girl)... TRANSFERRED.

This is Josiah.... TRANSFERRED... JUST THIS WEEK....

This is Lawrence.... TRANSFERRED

This is Katelyn...TRANSFERRED

This is Will.... TRANSFERRED

"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act." Proverbs 24:12

LOVING LIFE

Well, there's never a dull minute around here but we're lovin it! Gabe is just doing great. He is always on the go and believe me, if you walk out of the room for a second......he is into something he shouldn't be!  He loves BIG shoes....

He loves the dogs and cats (kooshkas),

Loves lawnmowers(makes Cole a happy big brother!)

and 4-wheelers,

And would play in the water all day if I'd let him.

Yep,......I think if he could, he'd tell you, "I'm lovin this new life of mine!"

And since I can, I WILL tell you..... God is good, and we are lovin this new little life HE has given us. All glory and praise go to Him.

"The thief comes only to kill and steal and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

ALL and ALL

Sometimes I look at Gabe and I just can't believe he is really here and that he is ours.

I know my smile goes from ear to ear!

Sometimes I look at him and the tears roll down my face so fast I can't keep them

 wiped away. Most of those tears are happy tears. Tears of thankfulness. Tears of

 gratitude. Tears of awe. But sometimes, sad tears overtake those happy tears when I

 least expect it. So was the case last night. Gabe and Rick were watching and listening

 to one of the "Praise Babies" dvds and Gabe was really taking it all in. The song

 playing at the time was You Are My All and All. I love that song and as I sat there

 watching them, I had that moment of "wow! he's here, he's ours, he's precious, oh

 wow, thank you Lord!..........and then I went back. I went back to the little village of

 Ekatepnhobka. Back to the voices, back to the little faces that go with those voices.

 "I'm a good boy" he said, with a smile as big as Texas. "I'm a very good boy." I can

 see him right now as clear as ever. When I asked our interpreter what he was saying,

she kinda half way smiled but then put her head down. She didn't want to tell me. She

knew me pretty good. This was only the 3rd time in the orphanage history that anyone

 had come to adopt a child from there. These kids were not used to seeing new

 faces, and they knew we were from America, and after seeing us a few times, knew we

 were there to adopt a child. I wonder how many wished we were there for them. The

 first day we got there, we were standing in front of

 Gabe's building and from up above, this little voice said, "hello....how are you?" in

 english!!! I turned around and looked up, and there he was. Andrei. He had the biggest

 smile and was very proud of himself for speaking to us in english. I was shocked and

 laughed along with him. Dasha, our interpreter, said some of the kids had been taught

 some english. Every day, for ten days, I got to see Andrei. He was 12 I think, but

 looked to be about 6 or 7. He had cerebral palsy. He also had a beautiful smile.



There was Roman, who I will tell you more about later, Maxim, Sergei ("I'm a very

 good boy"), Daniil, Kahtia, Zhoya, and then the faces that have no names.

Sometimes, when I go back there, my weakness wants to take over. Sometimes, the

 sadness does over shadow the joy. But even still.....I pray I never forget. I pray that the

 breaks in my heart never heal and that I will always see their faces and hear their voices

 and remember.

Zhoya

Daniil in the middle

Kahtia

Zhoya watching kids play



                                          Maxim


Taking my sin, my cross, my shame
Rising again I bless Your name
You are my all and all
When I fall down You pick me up
When I am dry You fill my cup
You are my all and all

Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name
Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name.



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.