Halloween!

Caylie had a ball celebrating her first Halloween!  It is so much fun watching her experience new things. Her big sister Brittany came over to carve pumpkins with her and Justin a few days ago.  For a day or so she called them "cumpins", but then figured out the correct way.  I was sad.  ;)

Digging in . . . 

She wasn't sure about this part at first, but decided it wasn't so bad.

The finished products!

I had to stick this one in, 'cause her face cracks me up. 

Halloween night.  Justin is a clown, dressed in a suit that my mom made for me circa 1982 for a high school choir production - he was determined to wear it, haha.  Keelan is a gangster, and Caylie is a lion.

It didn't take long at all for her to get the hang of knocking on doors and saying "Trick or Treat!"

This is Not Caylie.

Jim has this photo in a frame in his office.  I'm sure that at first glance, many people think it's Caylie, especially if they are not familiar with our story and/or haven't met Caylie.  But this is not Caylie.

The very first post on this blog is the story of this little girl.  She lives in an orphanage in Vietnam.  She is the catalyst for God grabbing our hearts for the plight of the orphan and for international adoption.

Looking back on that first post makes me smile, because there were SO many things we didn't know.   We had not even seen Caylie's picture yet, which makes it seem a lifetime ago, even though it's only been 15 months.  We did not know that God was going to lead us to China.  We didn't know a lot of things.  But one thing we DID know was that God was calling us to do something that was God-sized.  It was going to be scary.  It was going to be hard.  But it was going to be AMAZING.

All the things I said in that first post are still true.  The things that were impossible then are still impossible.  And yet, every single one of those things are still possible with God.  We don't know if this little girl will be part of our family.  But we have absolutely NO doubt that if God wants her to be, she will.  We still say YES to Him and wait to see what He will do.

In the meantime, please pray for this little one and hundreds of thousands like her who live in orphanages around the world and have no hope of family or the Gospel.  And ask God what He would have you do. 

Give justice to the poor and the orphan;
    uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. 

~ Psalm 82:3

5 Months

Today Caylie has been with us for 5 months.  :)

There in the Sorrow and the Dancing

Just last month I posted this entry about our daughter Brittany's pregnancy and our impending grandparenthood.  We have all been very happy and excited to see just who this little one would be!  But sadly, last Friday Brittany and Brad received the  news that their baby had gone to be with Jesus.

Our hearts are broken over this, but we know that our God is sovereign.  He created this little one and planned every day of his/her short life on this earth.  He knew the very day this little one would leave this earth and go to be with Him.  While we were all surprised by this turn of events, He was not.

We know that this precious one is waiting in heaven to meet his/her mama and daddy one day.  We know that he/she is safe with Jesus and will never know pain or sadness or fear - only joy and peace in the presence of God and the beauty of Heaven.

Please pray for Brittany and Brad as they are going through this difficult time.

 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted

    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

~ Psalm 34:18 

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
~ Revelation 21:4

As I was driving to the hospital last Friday night, I was crying out to God for Brittany and Brad, and feeling like a dark cloud was suddenly covering everything - this song began playing on KLOVE.  I know it was a gift from God to me at that moment.  The great grace of our God covers everything.  In every season, His grace is sufficient.

Lyrics:

"Your Grace Finds Me"

It’s there in the newborn cry
There in the light of every sunrise
There in the shadows of this life
Your great grace

It’s there on the mountain top
There in the everyday and the mundane
There in the sorrow and the dancing
Your great grace
Oh such grace

From the creation to the cross
There from the cross into eternity
Your grace finds me, yes your grace finds me

It’s there on a wedding day
There in the weeping by the graveside
There in the very breath we breathe
Your great grace

The same for the rich and poor
The same for the saint and for the sinner
Enough for this whole wide world
Your great grace
Oh such grace

There in the darkest night of the soul
There in the sweetest songs of victory
Your grace finds me
Yes your grace finds me

Your great grace
Oh such grace
Your great grace
Oh such grace

So I’m breathing in Your grace
And breathing out Your praise
I’m breathing in Your grace
Forever I’ll be

Your grace finds me
Yes Your grace finds me

CCCWA Meet and Greet

 On Saturday we drove up to Loveland, where our adoption agency, AAC, held a meet-and-greet for a delegation of the CCCWA (China adoption officials).  It was a fun and interesting time, as we were able to speak with a few of the officials and introduce them to Caylie, and also met several adoptive families who are with our agency.  We are continually amazed at the people and opportunities that God brings across our path!

This is our social worker, Jane, who did our home study for us last year.  She'll also be doing our post-placement reports for the next five years!

Caylie with Marissa and Erin from AAC.  Marissa actually met Caylie in China before we did during this visit to her orphanage.   And Erin is the one who put up with my hundreds thousands of emails and phone calls during our adoption process!  (OK, OK . . . she still does.  Haha.)

Caylie and me with Gongzhan, who works with The Gladney Center for Adoption and served as interpreter for the CCCWA delegation.  He is a friend of a couple of friends of mine who work with Gladney.  It was fun to meet him.

Group photo of the event.  CCCWA delegation with AAC representatives and adoptive families.  Can you find us?

And just because it was lunch time, we had to stop at Cinzetti's on the way home.  Yummy!

Keelan's First Band Concert!

Keelan is in 9th grade this year.  He's going to public high school.  He's making new friends, learning new subjects, and finding his way, while keeping his heart in tune with Jesus.  I'm so proud of my boy, who's now a lot taller than me.

He's also learning to play the trumpet.  Last night was his first band concert.  With some of his church youth group friends taking a "field trip" to attend, and our whole family, we took up two rows!  It was a fun time, and they did a great job.  Caylie seemed to enjoy her first band concert, too.

Ready for the concert.

Here is a video of the band playing "Italian Feast".  Keelan is in the center, playing the trumpet.  You can see him when the director moves back and forth, haha.  After you click the play button, click the YouTube button to see it in larger form.

4 Months Home!

Caylie has been home four months.  She makes us smile every day.  We love you, sweet China girl!