A few pictures to enjoy!
She loves to make things to send us.
What beautiful smiles!
Holding the flowers Galia sent us until we can hold the children.
James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above...
Open Arms
...caring for orphans and adoptive families...
Thursday, May 28, 2009
The Children
A few pictures to enjoy!
She loves to make things to send us.
What beautiful smiles!
Holding the flowers Galia sent us until we can hold the children.
James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above...
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Memorial Day Weekend
Hi Everyone,
Learning Russian is still a daily event. Word by word we keep trying to improve. We have one class a week with a Ukrainian tutor. She asked us last week if we would have a translator or be traveling alone. We told her both....She shook her head, "God help you...He will, it will be okay, He will help you." I think she was just trying to comfort herself. We're too ignorant to be concerned. Walking through the house there are little yellow stickers on various items. No real rhyme or reason, just the stickers I happen to have and know what they mean. I just have to remember to read the stickers, they're not just there to be pretty! Pray for us, please!
We have a new addition to the family. Emily and Tim now have a baby girl. Caitlin Grace Ellisor arrived last Sunday morning, very early, 10 weeks earlier than planned. She weighed in at 3lbs. 8 oz. There were many complications but we are so thrilled to say that Mom and baby are both doing great. Hopefully she can come home in a couple of weeks. Grace is such an perfect name. God's grace brought her here!
There is one other addition to announce. Rebekah and Tim2 announced they are expecting baby #3. She's due in January. Grandbaby number 7 on the way! Yeah!
Steve and JD are in DC this weekend to attend Rolling Thunder with two of my brothers and some other friends. I can't wait to hear the details. It's always a very emotional weekend.
We've been giving a lot of thought to the plight of orphans, our real motivation behind our decision to adopt and what our part of the solution really looks like. One dear friend challenged me at the beginning of the process. She said, "I don't think you will look back in ten years and regret this if you do it. But you most probably will regret it for the rest of your life if you don't." She's right.
I heard a song yesterday that says it best. (words below) There is so much to do. We don't need to ask if He wants us to do something, but rather what He has for us to do. You can listen to the song on You Tube.
Wanting to give everything,
Carol
The Motions
by Matthew West
This might hurt, it's not safe, But I know that I've gotta make a change, I don't care if I break, At least I'll be feeling something, 'Cause just okay is not enough, Help me fight through the nothingness of life
I don't wanna go through the motions, I don't wanna go one more day, without Your all consuming passion inside of me, I don't wanna spend my whole life asking, "What if I had given everything, instead of going through the motions?"
No regrets, not this time, I'm gonna let my heart defeat my mind, Let Your love make me whole, I think I'm finally feeling something, 'Cause just okay is not enough, Help me fight through the nothingness of this life
'Cause I don't wanna go through the motions, I don't wanna go one more day, without Your all consuming passion inside of me, I don't wanna spend my whole life asking, "What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"
Learning Russian is still a daily event. Word by word we keep trying to improve. We have one class a week with a Ukrainian tutor. She asked us last week if we would have a translator or be traveling alone. We told her both....She shook her head, "God help you...He will, it will be okay, He will help you." I think she was just trying to comfort herself. We're too ignorant to be concerned. Walking through the house there are little yellow stickers on various items. No real rhyme or reason, just the stickers I happen to have and know what they mean. I just have to remember to read the stickers, they're not just there to be pretty! Pray for us, please!
We have a new addition to the family. Emily and Tim now have a baby girl. Caitlin Grace Ellisor arrived last Sunday morning, very early, 10 weeks earlier than planned. She weighed in at 3lbs. 8 oz. There were many complications but we are so thrilled to say that Mom and baby are both doing great. Hopefully she can come home in a couple of weeks. Grace is such an perfect name. God's grace brought her here!
There is one other addition to announce. Rebekah and Tim2 announced they are expecting baby #3. She's due in January. Grandbaby number 7 on the way! Yeah!
Steve and JD are in DC this weekend to attend Rolling Thunder with two of my brothers and some other friends. I can't wait to hear the details. It's always a very emotional weekend.
We've been giving a lot of thought to the plight of orphans, our real motivation behind our decision to adopt and what our part of the solution really looks like. One dear friend challenged me at the beginning of the process. She said, "I don't think you will look back in ten years and regret this if you do it. But you most probably will regret it for the rest of your life if you don't." She's right.
I heard a song yesterday that says it best. (words below) There is so much to do. We don't need to ask if He wants us to do something, but rather what He has for us to do. You can listen to the song on You Tube.
Wanting to give everything,
Carol
The Motions
by Matthew West
This might hurt, it's not safe, But I know that I've gotta make a change, I don't care if I break, At least I'll be feeling something, 'Cause just okay is not enough, Help me fight through the nothingness of life
I don't wanna go through the motions, I don't wanna go one more day, without Your all consuming passion inside of me, I don't wanna spend my whole life asking, "What if I had given everything, instead of going through the motions?"
No regrets, not this time, I'm gonna let my heart defeat my mind, Let Your love make me whole, I think I'm finally feeling something, 'Cause just okay is not enough, Help me fight through the nothingness of this life
'Cause I don't wanna go through the motions, I don't wanna go one more day, without Your all consuming passion inside of me, I don't wanna spend my whole life asking, "What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
It's here!!!! or It's there!
The last form from DSS! Now we wait for immigration to do their thing. The Immigration Lady told us she had up to 90 days to make her recommendation but, depending on her workload, she usually finishes much sooner. We are praying for "much sooner". This past weekend, Carol & I had prayed that if anything was blocking DSS from finishing, He would stop it and let the documents proceed. Well, it looks like He did just that!
Now, our prayer is that He would open the floodgates and fill the storehouse with all the funds He promised. Carol and I are trying to wait patiently but we are READY to go get our kids. Yeah, I know we must wait on Him. Patiently... with a good attitude... listening for His word "GO!"
He gave me a word last Sunday. He said that the "finances were so far above anything we could do in our own strength" that we needed to "stop striving" and just watch Him perform His miracle.
OK,God, You're on. You are the Star of the show and everybody is watching the stage to see You perform Your miracle. It's all about You and for You. Thanks for letting us be a part!
We are eagerly waiting and watching...
Steve & Carol
If you would like to donate to our adoption fund, click here.
Now, our prayer is that He would open the floodgates and fill the storehouse with all the funds He promised. Carol and I are trying to wait patiently but we are READY to go get our kids. Yeah, I know we must wait on Him. Patiently... with a good attitude... listening for His word "GO!"
He gave me a word last Sunday. He said that the "finances were so far above anything we could do in our own strength" that we needed to "stop striving" and just watch Him perform His miracle.
OK,God, You're on. You are the Star of the show and everybody is watching the stage to see You perform Your miracle. It's all about You and for You. Thanks for letting us be a part!
We are eagerly waiting and watching...
Steve & Carol
If you would like to donate to our adoption fund, click here.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
What a blessed Life! Utterly amazing!
What a week it's been! The past two weeks really have been packed with friends and family, ups and downs.
Our sweet friend, Ziwase, came to stay with us for a week between her college graduation and her marriage to Tony Osimbo. We met Tony and Chichi (Ziwase) when they came to a small group meeting at our house last summer. We discovered that Tony already knew our son JD from Bethel Christian Camp years earlier. Tony is from Kenya and ChiChi is from Zambia. We had a great time watching her prepare for her wedding day. It is so amazing how we all end up where we are and how we have the privlege to be a part of each others lives.
Our contact in Ukraine had to depart the country suddenly upon learning of her grandmother's unexpected death. Please be in prayer for her and her family during this time. She will now remain in the States throughout the summer raising support and sharing about the orphans there in Ukraine.
Personally for us that means we no longer have communication with the children. We are so thankful that the Lord allowed us to share our hopes and plans with the older boys before she came home to the states. Hopefully they can be encouraged until we make it there.
We began redoing our pantry/laundry room last Friday, but halfway thru the mess we realized that the wedding party would be dressing at our house on Saturday morning so we needed to put all the "mess" up until next weekend!
On Saturday we received an email from our contact at immigration. It appears they are waiting on one form from DSS in order to finish processing our paperwork. She tried to be encouraging regarding the time frame, even wished Carol a "Happy Mother's Day". Carol wanted to say that all she wanted for Mother's Day was completed paper work, but instead told her that we would be patiently waiting! This is where we must trust that everything is in His timing and His control. We cannot make this happen.
In fact....It is totally and completely beyond our ability to do the task set before us, therefore we have decided we will not strive for it, but we will rest in Him who is able.
Mother's Day yesterday was really nice. Children (bearing gifts...always nice) and grandchildren running/crawling around (Josiah (1yr old) even played the harmonica, I'm sure he'll be as good as Dylan one day!), extended family over to spend time with Grandma, chicken on the grill, and even our special "adopted" daughter from church, Jenn, came and hung out for an evening of movies and popcorn.
What a blessed Life! Utterly amazing! We're just deeply missing our other children.
Please continue to pray with us to bring them home soon.
James 5:16-17 (the Message) ...The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't — not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again.
With Love,
Steve & Carol
Our sweet friend, Ziwase, came to stay with us for a week between her college graduation and her marriage to Tony Osimbo. We met Tony and Chichi (Ziwase) when they came to a small group meeting at our house last summer. We discovered that Tony already knew our son JD from Bethel Christian Camp years earlier. Tony is from Kenya and ChiChi is from Zambia. We had a great time watching her prepare for her wedding day. It is so amazing how we all end up where we are and how we have the privlege to be a part of each others lives.
Our contact in Ukraine had to depart the country suddenly upon learning of her grandmother's unexpected death. Please be in prayer for her and her family during this time. She will now remain in the States throughout the summer raising support and sharing about the orphans there in Ukraine.
Personally for us that means we no longer have communication with the children. We are so thankful that the Lord allowed us to share our hopes and plans with the older boys before she came home to the states. Hopefully they can be encouraged until we make it there.
We began redoing our pantry/laundry room last Friday, but halfway thru the mess we realized that the wedding party would be dressing at our house on Saturday morning so we needed to put all the "mess" up until next weekend!
On Saturday we received an email from our contact at immigration. It appears they are waiting on one form from DSS in order to finish processing our paperwork. She tried to be encouraging regarding the time frame, even wished Carol a "Happy Mother's Day". Carol wanted to say that all she wanted for Mother's Day was completed paper work, but instead told her that we would be patiently waiting! This is where we must trust that everything is in His timing and His control. We cannot make this happen.
In fact....It is totally and completely beyond our ability to do the task set before us, therefore we have decided we will not strive for it, but we will rest in Him who is able.
Mother's Day yesterday was really nice. Children (bearing gifts...always nice) and grandchildren running/crawling around (Josiah (1yr old) even played the harmonica, I'm sure he'll be as good as Dylan one day!), extended family over to spend time with Grandma, chicken on the grill, and even our special "adopted" daughter from church, Jenn, came and hung out for an evening of movies and popcorn.
What a blessed Life! Utterly amazing! We're just deeply missing our other children.
Please continue to pray with us to bring them home soon.
James 5:16-17 (the Message) ...The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't — not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again.
With Love,
Steve & Carol
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The Promises of God
Never forget that our capacity and capability in spiritual matters is measured by, and based on, the promises of God. Is God able to fulfill His promises? Our answer depends on whether or not we have received the Holy Spirit. O. Chambers
As I read these words a few days ago, I began to consider…..
What has He promised?
Well, He told us that the children are ours; that we are to go and get them. He told us that he would provide the money to do this very thing. Most of all He has promised to never leave us. It can be so hard sometimes to remember His promises spoken to our heart in the quiet of the night,when the daylight is blaring in our eyes and the amount in the checkbook is not what is needed. However this is where we are and either we believe or we doubt.
Hebrews 11: 1, 3
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. …By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
He alone sustains us. We are so arrogant to think that we can do this or do that...nope it's all about Him...and right now we choose to believe! Please pray with us as we continue the wait for the paperwork to be processed and for the funds to arrive!
We've been doing some additional research on the area where we will be traveling, thinking maybe there is more for us to accomplish while we are there. We've also been trying to catch up with some translators that we met when we traveled to Moscow in the 90's. We have a few leads and are praying the Lord will show us what to act on. It's a busy time of year anyway with graduations and weddings. We just want to stay focused on the task at hand.
Thanks for checking in on us.
Blessings,
Carol and Steve
As I read these words a few days ago, I began to consider…..
What has He promised?
Well, He told us that the children are ours; that we are to go and get them. He told us that he would provide the money to do this very thing. Most of all He has promised to never leave us. It can be so hard sometimes to remember His promises spoken to our heart in the quiet of the night,when the daylight is blaring in our eyes and the amount in the checkbook is not what is needed. However this is where we are and either we believe or we doubt.
Hebrews 11: 1, 3
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. …By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
He alone sustains us. We are so arrogant to think that we can do this or do that...nope it's all about Him...and right now we choose to believe! Please pray with us as we continue the wait for the paperwork to be processed and for the funds to arrive!
We've been doing some additional research on the area where we will be traveling, thinking maybe there is more for us to accomplish while we are there. We've also been trying to catch up with some translators that we met when we traveled to Moscow in the 90's. We have a few leads and are praying the Lord will show us what to act on. It's a busy time of year anyway with graduations and weddings. We just want to stay focused on the task at hand.
Thanks for checking in on us.
Blessings,
Carol and Steve
Sunday, April 19, 2009
ИИСУС ВОСЌРЕС ВОИСТИНУ ВОСКРЕС
JESUS IS RISEN! HE TRULY HAS RISEN!
We celebrated Easter last week, but in Ukraine it was celebrated today. They celebrate Orthodox Easter! We learned this Easter greeting in last week's language class.
We look forward to a letter from the children. Hopefully we will hear from them this week. We received some more great artwork from Galia last week. She is quite the artist. Yes, I know we are already very proud parents.
We spent this weekend in NC taking care of Samuel and Josiah (our 3 year old and 1 year old grandsons) while Rebekah and Tim attended a conference in Greensboro. Even so, we actually had a little time on Saturday while they napped, to study our Russian lessons. For that we were thankful! We also found a great park to enjoy with them also.
Our Russian language study is progressing. We are actually beginning to see concrete improvement. Please pray as we continue to study. We also need prayer for the final immigration form to arrive so we can complete our dossier and of course finances.
Most of all, we really appreciate your prayers.
Have a great week.
Steve & Carol
We celebrated Easter last week, but in Ukraine it was celebrated today. They celebrate Orthodox Easter! We learned this Easter greeting in last week's language class.
We look forward to a letter from the children. Hopefully we will hear from them this week. We received some more great artwork from Galia last week. She is quite the artist. Yes, I know we are already very proud parents.
We spent this weekend in NC taking care of Samuel and Josiah (our 3 year old and 1 year old grandsons) while Rebekah and Tim attended a conference in Greensboro. Even so, we actually had a little time on Saturday while they napped, to study our Russian lessons. For that we were thankful! We also found a great park to enjoy with them also.
Our Russian language study is progressing. We are actually beginning to see concrete improvement. Please pray as we continue to study. We also need prayer for the final immigration form to arrive so we can complete our dossier and of course finances.
Most of all, we really appreciate your prayers.
Have a great week.
Steve & Carol
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