Another favorite adoption song (We are LID as of Nov. 19... the countdown begins!!)

Great song and speaks so much truth as an adoptive parent! Please pray for children without the joy of having families this Christmas and do what you can to support and love on them. I commited about a month ago to fast and pray to the Lord on Wednesday's for Joy and it has turned into praying for orphans everywhere. There are so many places you can help (Lifesong for Orphans, Hopegivers, Show Hope, Grace and Hope Foster Care- Joy is in a foster home through this organization) just to name a few. A few weeks ago we changed rooms around so that the 3 girls can share the largest bedroom and Isaac was having a hard time accepting the change. I put him on my lap and told him that mommy and daddy feel like God wants Joy in our family just like we know that God wants him in our family. I asked him if he was in China would he want us to go to China to bring him into our family. He of course said yes and now says that he loves he and Joshie's new room. I do not want to discount the sacrifice that our kids make to add to our family but the truth of matter is that this song is true that we have plenty of room, food, and love. And I have noticed that our kids seem to have an extra measure of compassion for the hurting and I believe it is because they have seen first hand what it is like for one of their siblings to be in need. I guess it just hits close to home for them and they all talk about when they get older adopting like its just something everybody does which is such a blessing to us.

On a personal note to update on our family. Joshua is doing well from his surgery to modify the pharyngealplasty (should help with his speech for those of you without cleft affected children). As you can see from our title for this post we have a log in date with China so we are counting down now to the next step. We should receive LOA in January or February and travel hopefully in March or April. So things are starting to move along. The girls and I were having a good time setting the table for Thanksgiving when I got this feeling of it not being fair that Joy couldn't be here with us for the holidays. So I said to myself, "It's just not fair" which was too funny because "not fair" is one of Joshua's favorite things to say. (He picked it up from Isaac who is 5). Not the most godly response to not getting my way I know but I'm just being honest. I do know that we will see God's hand at work and His perfect timing. He will use this time to shape Joy into the woman He desires her to be along with teaching us things along the journey. Namely trust in Him and patience!!