Medical Updates

If you have been following this blog we wanted to let you know that we have created an extension of the blog to keep family and friends updated on all things medical. It seems easier than sending multiple emails and trying to explain things to so many. Please feel free to ask questions, this is just a simpler way for us to communicate. The other blog is a work in progress. We are still trying to figure out how to update so much information without overwhelming our friends and family. I hope that you will stop by and "follow" us on this journey.

Here is a link to the newest edition of our blog http://finding-joy-n-the-journey.blogspot.com/

How Many Moms Do I Have?

This past summer my sister came for a visit. While she was here we went to the gym. We lost track of time and forgot that the childcare center in the gym closed for a short time mid morning. One of the workers came in and said "is there an Aunt April in here?" My sister looked at me, I looked at her and then my sister responded "this is his mom!" (Thanks for throwing me under the bus, sis!) We had no idea what he had done but we figured it must have been bad. Then the worker reminds us that they are closed and that they had been looking all over the facility for a "Mexican" family. Well first he is not Mexician he is Guatemalan and second don't you remember me dropping him off on several occasion?

Fast forward to this past Monday morning when we enrolled Noah in kindergarten. We forget sometimes that just because we know what our family looks like that others do not. We realized that it was time to talk to Noah about being able to tell others what our family looks like in a way they will understand and will help him stay safe if he is ever looking for us. I forget that people look for a brown face when waiting for his mom and dad. We take for granted that everyone is open to adoption and that they know to look for these things in a family.

While talking to Noah he keeps reminding me that he knows he is brown and that I am white and that he has two moms. The mom that took care of him in Guatemala and the mom who grew him in her tummy. I asked him "what am I?" He said "I don't know but you did not grow me in your tummy so you are not my mom." This is the first time he has ever said this. It took me by surprise and I had to swallow hard and press back some pretty raw emotions. Almost as if I had just been nicked by a razor. I kept my composure though and reminded him that he grew in my heart and that I am his forever mom. The mom that would always take care of him. He reminded me that one day I will die and that I can't be with him forever. Some days he is just to smart for his own good.

The conversation continues and James tells Noah that he better be good to his forever mom because she is not going anywhere anytime soon. So Noah's next question is why "peach people don't have brown babies?" James starting trying to explain genetics. I started to talk about our hair color and said " just like dad has blond hair" but Noah interrupted and said " dad does not have blond hair it is gray!" This was pretty much the end of this conversation.

My God is Greater. My God is Stronger. Awesome in Power.

My God is greater than the feelings of sadness that are overwhelming me tonight. My God is stronger than the things that stand against us and those we love. Missing a wayward friend. Missing loved ones that are no longer with us. Feeling the sting of death and sin. Angry at the enemy. Received some difficult news today that increased the sorrow and frustration that was already felt.

Praying for comfort and peace. Looking to the only one that can supply them.

Revelation 21:4
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

1 Peter 5:6-7
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God
Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalm 55:22
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you;he will never let the righteous fall.

Psalm 30:5
Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit

Psalm 37:39
The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble

Psalm9:9
The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

Psalm 18:2
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

1 Peter 4:12-13,19
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed... So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

I have several post that I have started but have never finished. There is a lot going on these days yet things are less hectic than they have been in the past couple of years. I so want to take the time to catch up but I just haven't had the mindset to put it all into words.

I will say that life is a little less stressful in some ways and more stressful in others. We have more time as a family than we have had since Noah came home almost 4 1/2 years ago. That is a huge blessing and we are enjoying every minuet of it. On the other hand there have been some big disappointments that we have had to face and those are always difficult. Each day brings the reminder that this is not our home and that we are fighting against tremendous powers that are not of this world. We cling to the promise that God is for us not against us and that His ways are not our ways. We trust Him and we love Him and we are humbled by the amazing love that He has shown our family and those around us. We will continue to put our hope in Christ and pray that His Kingdom will be glorified even through the darkest circumstances.

If you read this post please pray for our family. We are experiencing a wide rang of emotions as we process this new leg of our journey and we ask that you join us in praying for God's peace as we move through this season. We desire to be used for His Kingdom and for His Glory but that is a difficult task when dealing with the flesh. Please pray that we would continue to wait upon the Lord and that while we may not understand why things happen we can rest assured that God has everything under control.

Also please pray for James and I as we lead and minister to the group of men and woman that God has placed us with. We are growing weary and the road ahead of us seems long and overwhelming. The enemy is prowling and at times it seems that we are loosing more than we are winning. Pray that we would remember that the war is won and that we are needed to stand tall and fight this battle. That we can have confidence in the one who has conquered death. He has not left us here to fight alone. He is with us at all times and he is able to overcome our enemies if we would just allow it.

I have some amazing stories about the kids and want to get them on here soon. God is doing great things in our family. We love him so much and are eternally grateful for the sacrifice of his son. Some days I'm just not sure why he fought so hard for us. Either way I am so humbled and grateful that he did.

Happy Anniversary To my Best Friend and the Love of my Life.

Not sure why, but this year the number 17 has really stirred up a lot of emotions. Maybe it's because we have seen so much loss in the last few years that I finally realize how many times I took for granted that you and I would still have tomorrow. Maybe the emotions are there because I can barely remember the the two kids that stood at that alter 17 years ago and pledged their love and devotion. What made them so confident? How could they promise something they knew nothing about? Maybe it's because I am so grateful that we have some how stumbled through the past 18 years and we are still standing. Could it be that I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the humble life that God has granted us. The two beautiful children that he entrusted us with and a home to raise them in. How about the friends that have shared this path with us, that have walked beside us through the good times as well as the bad? It might have something to do with God trusting us with a very small portion of his Kingdom even though we daily have no idea what to do with it. Then again it could be the unknown seasons that lay ahead of us.

18 years ago I fell in love with a boy. He was handsome, upright, caring, my knight in shinning armor and my reason for wanting to be a better person. Then one day I saw him in the light of circumstances. He was broken just like the rest of us but he was stubborn and determined. He had the audacity to challenge me to greater heights. He fought off anything that stifled us from being the best that we could be. He spoke of his dreams but he fought to make mine come true.

The past 17 years of marriage has taught me the difference between the fairy tale wedding that every girl dreams of and the place called reality where we will spend our lives. I no longer expect you to ride in on a white horse clothed in metal armor. Your youth continues to fade away never to return again. You're not invincible and one day we will be separated by death. But one day of reality with you is better than a life long fairytale. You began as my knight in shinning armor but now you have come to be my hero. You are no longer a fantasy of what might be but the reality of what I have been given. You are no longer that young boy that I hoped would rescue me. You come wearing the full armor of God that has the power to destroy our greatest enemy. You are a man of righteousness adorned with loyalty, bravery, faithfulness and steadfastness. You stand beside me so that you can support me, you go before me so that you can protect me, you stand behind me and gently prod me when I am too stubborn to listen or move, and you stand above me hand extended when I am weak or afraid. You have shown patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control. You have protected me, placed your trust in me and not given up hope when you had reason to. You are honest, consistently turning away from evil, forgiving me of my wrong doings. You put my needs before your own and you continue to believe in me. Your love has persevered through life's most difficult storms and you have bore the weight of heavy burdens during these past 17 years. Because of your love and devotion to Christ your love has never failed me. Your love has helped guide me to the one who is the Greatest Gift of Love. I am forever grateful that God gave me you. I pray that God will gift us with 17 more years. However many more there are; they are yours and yours alone.

I love you today, yesterday and always.
Your Bride of 17 years.

Who Will Answer The Call?

Two weeks ago these precious children lost there parents in the Earthquake leaving them orphaned and fending for themselves.

Providing Care at an Orphanage in Haiti-First Time to Receive Care Since the Earthquake

143,000,000 Orphans in the world today. Every DAY 5,760 more children become orphans. Every day 38,493 orphans will age out with no family to belong to and no place to call home. Only 250,000 children are adopted annually leaving behind 14,050,000 children to age out of the system every year! The reality- these numbers do not reflect street children, only those living in orphanages or foster homes.

The harsher reality is that these children fall prey to predictors and crime. Children that age out of the system with out a family or a place to call home will never know the meaning of love, and most are unable to comprehend God’s love. If orphan children never experience a family’s love, how can we expect them to comprehend God’s love?

The Gospels response:

Matthew 25:31-40 The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families." - Psalm 68:5-6

There is a need, God has already called, all we need to do is respond. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but of power. (1 Corinthians 4:20). Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

(James 4:17)

If you are considering adoption, foster care, or missions please talk to your pastor or a family that has experienced one of these life changing experiences. There are so many resources that it tends to be overwhelming. They can help provide you with trustworthy resources and offer their prayer support. Our family has been forever changed through adoption and missions and we would love to help your family in any way that we can.

Haiti Medical Mission Trip

Thursday morning a group of doctors, nurses and one of our Pastors left NWA to set up a medical camp in Haiti. They were able to take 1 ton of medical supplies with them. The big concern however was that the ton of supplies would not be enough to meet the needs. There were concerns that they would have the ability to treat the people but not have adequate supplies. This medical team started when one of the doctors form our church approached one of our pastors and asked what our church was going to do to help the Haiti people. With in 24 hours things were set in motion and airplane tickets were purchased. These were the only two going originally. But God had a bigger plan. I believe the last count was a 13 person team. There is one pastor, several doctors, nurses and a surgeon. Within a few days they raised thousands of dollars that would go directly toward medical supplies and aid for the Haitian people. Not a dime was used for individual travel. Each team member paid for their trip expenses. Some of the items that have been donated or purchased are; medical supplies, teddy bears, soccer balls, ribbon for the little girls hair, suckers to hand out during clinic, food, bottled water and the list goes on. The UN has provided our team with a 20 man tent and 20 cots to set up their clinic. God has provided in abundance for this trip. We just learned this morning that the team has been given access to the supply depot in Haiti. This is where all the supplies that are being donated are kept.

The team arrived safely, have set up camp next to the airport (makes for a rough nights sleep), toured the city, picked up more supplies, set up the medical camp and are now seeing patients. They are in a location that has not seen any medical care or provisions since the earthquake. They are setting broken bones and cleaning wounds. The spirits are high among the Haitians and the people of Haiti are smiling despite the odds. They will be trying to set up another medical site at an orphanage that no one has been to since the earthquake. It is a several mile hike and no one knows what they will find when they get there. The smell is horrific and the needs are overwhelming. Please pray for this team, the others that have come and gone and the ones that are still to come.

I remember coming home for the first time last year when the ice storm hit. (We left when we lost power and the house temp dropped so low) There was so much damage and it looked like a war zone. I could not wrap my mind around all there was to see. I can't imagine facing that much destruction. It is beyond comprehension. My heart aches for the people there. I do not understand how some people's hearts are hardened toward the Haitians. Our God is slow to anger and he loves us despite our sin. I believe that God is reaching out to this lost nation and that we must respond no matter what the cost. I am so proud of these men and women that have answered the call. Their obedience is a blessing to God and he will no doubt work through them to reach the hurting and the lost. God's light is already piercing the darkness, devastation and destruction and I believe that God's light will continue to bring hope to those that call upon him.