Easter Blessings for a Family in Process
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The following is an excerpt from a families blog and is reprinted here with their permission.
Here are some of the many ways we feel blessed: 1) For the 2 beautiful, healthy kids who were here waiting for us--the ages, genders, and siblings status were exactly as we had hoped and prayed for, 2) For Paul's parents and all the dear friends who joyfully gave their time to care for Lydia and Benjamin, 3) For the friends who helped us with so many details before our trip-grocery shopping, cooking meals for the freezer, running errands, and driving us to the airport!! What a tremendous help!, 4) A great friend that helped us buy a tiny laptop and set it up too!! It was our link to the outside world and to our kids at home; it let us stay in contact and provided some good music/videos., 4) That bonding with the 2 kids here has begun so easily, that they were able to open their hearts to us and seem like just great kids! 5) That Lydia and Benjamin were healthy at home and we've stayed healthy here, 6) That the timing of this....so often, we felt frustrated at the "delay"--now we see God's mercy in that delay. This trip away would have been much harder on the kids at home if we had left when they were younger. And, the kids that we're bringing into our family from Kaz. might not have been available before this year due to adoption law here. Now we can say, "thank you Father for making us wait"..., 7) A great orphanage situation--it's a beautiful place, clean, bright, run by a staff that genuinely loves these children. They have been very warm, friendly and helpful to us. 8) That the Kazakh people are very kind, warm, helpful, and friendly, especially when we were trying to communicate while shopping, etc. 9) A great translator, Irina, and driver, Alexander. It has been good to be able to laugh with these 2 on our drives to and from Paludino (city where our kids live in orphanage). 10) That although there is a religious vacuum here, the lack of a hard core Islamic influence makes us feel safer, 11) That access to the internet via dial-up service from our apartment and higher speed via the internet cafe, and for the wonderful pictures of Lydia and Benjamin that friends would post so we could see what's going on home. What a comfort! 12) For meeting another American couple in the "pickle aisle" and realizing they are our spiritual family. We have a lot in common with them and the fellowship was a huge blessing. 13) For a work situation where Paul's partner, the Physician Assistants, and office manager cheerfully stepped in to fill the gap while Paul was away. 14) For supportive friends and family who prayed, emailed us, left notes on our blog--or did all of the above. We are thankful for all of you. 15) For reliable electricity, heat, and water (relatively clean water at that), 16) For comfortable housing-had the ability to cook, have a hot shower, and be close to the market, 17) For Skype (a computer program that turns our computer into a video teleconferencing device so we can talk cheap to our kids at home and even see them live at times!! 18) For all of our overseas friends who were awake when we were, who laugh at the same jokes, understand this culture well and could advise us at times (or laugh at us), some who have also adopted from overseas. 19) For beautiful weather--it was cold but we had warm clothes to be able to enjoy the frigid temps. 20) The amazing availability of anything you might want (except in the meat category for Kathy). 21) For Hosaflook Stew!--in a potato eating culture, this is a staple! (they are our friends who are a dear family serving overseas). 22) For the beautiful birch forest to enjoy on the long drive to and from the orphanage. 23) For an easy walk to all the places you might need. 24) For the opportunity to grow in our understanding of our own spiritual adoption. 25) For the opportunity to repent when we fell back into the "orphan mentality"--doubting, fear, unbelief. 26) For realizing afresh that no challenges are ever a surprise to the Father. We can trust all that He has planned or allowed into our lives. 27) For the ability to rejoice at the many ways the Father has provided for us and not left us as orphans. 28) For several mornings of freshly fallen snow (like yesterday, Sunday 4/5).
Bookmark :
The following is an excerpt from a families blog and is reprinted here with their permission.
Here are some of the many ways we feel blessed: 1) For the 2 beautiful, healthy kids who were here waiting for us--the ages, genders, and siblings status were exactly as we had hoped and prayed for, 2) For Paul's parents and all the dear friends who joyfully gave their time to care for Lydia and Benjamin, 3) For the friends who helped us with so many details before our trip-grocery shopping, cooking meals for the freezer, running errands, and driving us to the airport!! What a tremendous help!, 4) A great friend that helped us buy a tiny laptop and set it up too!! It was our link to the outside world and to our kids at home; it let us stay in contact and provided some good music/videos., 4) That bonding with the 2 kids here has begun so easily, that they were able to open their hearts to us and seem like just great kids! 5) That Lydia and Benjamin were healthy at home and we've stayed healthy here, 6) That the timing of this....so often, we felt frustrated at the "delay"--now we see God's mercy in that delay. This trip away would have been much harder on the kids at home if we had left when they were younger. And, the kids that we're bringing into our family from Kaz. might not have been available before this year due to adoption law here. Now we can say, "thank you Father for making us wait"..., 7) A great orphanage situation--it's a beautiful place, clean, bright, run by a staff that genuinely loves these children. They have been very warm, friendly and helpful to us. 8) That the Kazakh people are very kind, warm, helpful, and friendly, especially when we were trying to communicate while shopping, etc. 9) A great translator, Irina, and driver, Alexander. It has been good to be able to laugh with these 2 on our drives to and from Paludino (city where our kids live in orphanage). 10) That although there is a religious vacuum here, the lack of a hard core Islamic influence makes us feel safer, 11) That access to the internet via dial-up service from our apartment and higher speed via the internet cafe, and for the wonderful pictures of Lydia and Benjamin that friends would post so we could see what's going on home. What a comfort! 12) For meeting another American couple in the "pickle aisle" and realizing they are our spiritual family. We have a lot in common with them and the fellowship was a huge blessing. 13) For a work situation where Paul's partner, the Physician Assistants, and office manager cheerfully stepped in to fill the gap while Paul was away. 14) For supportive friends and family who prayed, emailed us, left notes on our blog--or did all of the above. We are thankful for all of you. 15) For reliable electricity, heat, and water (relatively clean water at that), 16) For comfortable housing-had the ability to cook, have a hot shower, and be close to the market, 17) For Skype (a computer program that turns our computer into a video teleconferencing device so we can talk cheap to our kids at home and even see them live at times!! 18) For all of our overseas friends who were awake when we were, who laugh at the same jokes, understand this culture well and could advise us at times (or laugh at us), some who have also adopted from overseas. 19) For beautiful weather--it was cold but we had warm clothes to be able to enjoy the frigid temps. 20) The amazing availability of anything you might want (except in the meat category for Kathy). 21) For Hosaflook Stew!--in a potato eating culture, this is a staple! (they are our friends who are a dear family serving overseas). 22) For the beautiful birch forest to enjoy on the long drive to and from the orphanage. 23) For an easy walk to all the places you might need. 24) For the opportunity to grow in our understanding of our own spiritual adoption. 25) For the opportunity to repent when we fell back into the "orphan mentality"--doubting, fear, unbelief. 26) For realizing afresh that no challenges are ever a surprise to the Father. We can trust all that He has planned or allowed into our lives. 27) For the ability to rejoice at the many ways the Father has provided for us and not left us as orphans. 28) For several mornings of freshly fallen snow (like yesterday, Sunday 4/5).
