Somedays it is overwhelming......

The past few days I have been putting my thoughts together for a presentation that Bobby and I will do on Thursday morning about adoption/orphans.  We are speaking to our local rotary club.  Sometimes when I spend time thinking about the 147 million orphans of the world the sadness is overwhelming.  Heavy.  And depressing.  And even frustrating.

All these little souls needing love.  Sometime the solution seems so simple to me.  We are the solution.  The solution God has provided is adoption.  But yet, it doesn't happen for some.  It often doesn't happen for those who need it the most.  Those who will die because they don't have a family to get them a heart surgery, or AIDS medication, or food.  Those who will age out as teens and turn to prostitution or suicide.

And while I am delighted that I have two daughters that are healed from that pain and spared that plight, I realize that I cannot save them all.... And today is one of those days that I am saddened in the deepest places of my heart.  Saddened for all the Mias and Lainies that make up that 147 million.  All those who want to be loved.  Simply loved.  And it will never, ever happen for them.

These faces are why when people ask Bobby  and I if we are 'done' adopting, 

I have to say I am not sure.  

What I want to say is, "I'll be done when they all come home."  

Little Lulu

Remember my earlier post about helping my friend look through waiting child lists and finding Pearl in the process.  Well today she got this beauitful new picture of the sweet daughter that she found later.  Isn't she lovely?  Follow along as she finds her way home here.  The Hatley Home

Orphan Sunday

We had a wonderful worship service at our church today.  Our prayer is that many hearts were awakened and made aware of the plight of orphans near and far.
Hope this video makes you think......
http://vimeo.com/13831236

Happy Fall Y'all!

Couldn't resist the beautiful fall backdrop for some quick pics! 

Where are the big kids you ask?
They are to busy playing football and volleyball and trying out for basketball and sleeping over with friends, and I hope doing some homework.... I'll try to tie them up  get them together soon.......

Waiting.....

Waiting patiently is not something I do well.  I am sinfully inpatient.  Therefore, this whole "waiting in the dark" aspect of the adoption process normally drives me insane.  In our prior adoptions I've been crazy over timelines.  I have stalked other people's blogs trying to calculate the timing of my paperwork approval, travel notices, etc. 
This time, however, has been different.  Maybe because I am so consumed by the busyness of our family and my job that I don't have time to think about it.  Or maybe, by God's grace alone, I'm getting better at this waiting (and trusting) thing.
Maybe I have realized that I am not in control.  Maybe I've realized that this will all happen in God's timing regardless of my incessant phone calls to USCIS, or my obsessing over travel dates, or my perfect idea of when we should travel.
Pearl needs to come home faster than Mia or Lainie because of her heart issue.  But somehow, I am at peace.  Maybe because I've been following this family's blog this week, or maybe because I am finally realizing that patience is much more peaceful than inpatience.  God's faithfulness is never going to end.  He has this.  He has her in the palm of his hand.  Her very heart is in the palm of his hand.  So, at least for today, I'm operating at a high level of peace and patience.  No promises about tomorrow.  I do know however, that thanks to God's grace, I can fall short tomorrow and start all over the very next day.  Thank goodness.

Please Pray for Elisyn

Visit this family's blog and pray for their precious daughter as she has very complicated, very risky, but necessary heart surgery on 10/24/2011.

This iPad Can Be Yours!

Thanks to some very generous friends - we have 2 iPads to raffle for Pearl's adoption fund !!!  Just use the side bar button to purchase tickets. The deal is $2 for 1 ticket OR $10 for 6 tickets.  Drawing will be December 1st.   If you purchase online, be sure I have your phone number in the "instructions to seller" space at checkout.  I'll fill out your tabs for you and place them in the ticket box. Thanks for supporting our family.  Good luck y'all !!!!  Oh, and if you think you can sell some tickets contact me and I'll get them to ya.

1st Prize - 32 GB iPad

2nd Prize - 16 GB iPad