Last One Without You

Girls, I missed you on Christmas....even more than a normally do.  My heart hurt for you both.  Not because you were unsafe, or scared, or alone.  You were comfortable  and happy and under the care of people who love you.  But my heart was sad that we were not together.  Your cousins gave us a Christmas gift for each of you.  You'll love them when you get here.  Your siblings got your pictures off the fridge when we got up on Christmas morning so that you could be at the breakfast table with you.  We cleaned up your room today, and started getting a few things ready for you.  We miss you.  We love you and we know this is our last Christmas without you.

P.S.  Nana and I are packing our bags so get ready because in 13 days I'll be holding you again!!!

December Birthdays

I had hoped that the hustle and bustle of December would distract me from thinking about my girls.  Since coming home from meeting you both, it has been harder to wait for news of progress, harder to think about you without feeling lonely and discouraged, and harder to be away from you each day.  December 2 came and went, and we celebrated Sleyka's 3rd birthday without her.  Tomorrow Sunshine's birthday will come as well and we will celebrate her 6th birthday without her.  We were reminded this morning as we sat at the breakfast table and read our Bible that many people in history have waited for God's timing.  In Habakkuk the people were reminded that God heard when they cried out to him.  He knew their situation and he had a plan for them.  We were reminded that we need to sit at the top of our watchtower and wait expectantly for Christ.  We had hoped, in our human timing, to have word of dispensation before Christmas.  We had prayed that God would speed our process along.  We had dreamed of an adoption decree in 2012.  It seems God's time line is different from what we had hoped.  

Next week Jesus' birthday will come and we will celebrate him and worship him, and as we do, we will proclaim from our watchtower that Jesus Christ same to seek and to save.  We will rejoice that both of you girls will continue to grow and to hear God's word everyday at Lifeline.  We will expectantly pray and beg God to bring you home sooner, but we will wait in our watchtower and our hearts will grow fonder of you and long for you more each day.  And some day soon, we will get the phone call that says we are one step closer to you.

Happy Birthday Sleyka!

Happy Birthday Sunshine!

Happy Birthday Jesus!