P-H-I-L-L-I-P : 14 points

All this time we've been searching for approval...

...AND WE FINALLY GOT IT!!! Just a couple of days ago we received an official letter from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service notifying us that, upon reviewing our application and credentials, the United States considers us qualified to adopt and will allow Phillip to join our family! It is SO EXCITING to get legit letters like that in the mail, and it will be even more exciting when the letters stop coming and we get to GO pick up what we're really waiting for: PHILLIP!
     God has been so good to our family through this whole process. He has been providing for us in so many different ways, through friends like all of you, through crazy "coincidences," and through the generosity of complete strangers too! We've even gotten some anonymous donations, which are very exciting and mysterious of course. Besides the ways He has cared for our financial needs, God has been addressing our spiritual needs all over the place! As you can probably imagine, we weren't exactly ready for this whole thing. God didn't wait for "ready." He never does. He waited for "open" and has taken us the rest of the way, confronting our failures and granting us grace upon grace upon grace. He has promised to finish the work He started in us, and we firmly believe He will. Praise Him for that!
     At this point, what we need most seems to be patience! Compared to some adoptions we have heard of, ours is going fairly quickly but that doesn't change the fact that it seems to be taking forever! We want Phillip home NOW, but we've got a little bit to wait yet. Will y'all join us in praying that we will be patient to wait for God's timing? We may not fully understand how important it is that Phillip comes home at the right time, not the soonest time. But God does. Please keep praying that our boy will be ready to come home too. Who knows what he is thinking about adoption. Many kids his age would have given up already, but friends who have seen him recently say he holds out hope for a family. Pray that God will keep that hope alive in him and that he will be eager to come home, ready to trust his new family, and ready to be loved like never before.
     We love this boy SO MUCH already and we can't wait for him to meet all of you, our dear and faithful friends. It will mean so much to introduce him to you and say, "Phillip, this person has been praying for you since before you even knew you were getting adopted!" How cool is that??? Super cool, because we serve a super good God. Our hope is that in all of this, He is glorified!

ALL I REALLY WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS... A FAMILY

Dear Friends,
As we approach the Christmas season, we long even more deeply to have Phillip with us.  Once again, we are scrambling to come up with needed paperwork.  Although it is sometimes overwhelming, we realize that all of the requirements just make us even more dedicated and committed to bringing Phillip home.  We will do whatever it takes.  Songs like Steven Curtis Chapman's All I Really Want For Christmas bring tears to our eyes as we accept that this holiday season will pass without Phillip joining us for the family traditions that we can't wait to share with him.   We are putting Phillip's stocking over the fireplace and an extra plate at the table as we look forward to next year.  Thank you so much for including us in your prayers.  We understand that this undertaking is so much bigger than our family and that we need to watch for where God is moving and to simply follow obediently.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
KK(P)B&J

Phun, Phood, and PHILLIP!

My hall is so great! Here is a sweet picture we took spelling Phillip with little smoky crescent rolls at our hall potluck last night. SO GOOD to have them onboard praying for us!

Fingerprints...

     Karl and I are scheduled to go for our Homeland Security biometric fingerprinting tomorrow.  The process is very official.  We received our official notices complete with Homeland Security stamps several weeks ago.  The dates and times are set by Homeland Security.  Unlike regular fingerprinting, the biometric fingerprinting is digital and is time sensitive. It has to be done at the arranged appointments.
   Speaking of appointments, God has scheduled so many divine appointments as we've pursued Phillip's adoption: 1.  Grace who is in a wheelchair and her mom, Lynn.  I got the nerve to talk to them at Costco and they were willing to answer my prying questions about wheelchairs...2.  The nice lady who was mailing worms at the post office when I was mailing gifts to Phillip.  She referred me to a group of counselors that help adopted children with attachment disorder...3.  The families at VCS who have educated us about the resources available to help Phillip...4.  Our friend, Christie, a physical therapist, who affirmed that Spokane is one of the best places in the country to get medical care for Phillip...5.  The mysterious lady that paid $25 for an item valued at less than a dollar at our yard sale because she had heard about Phillip... Our friends that simply handed us  a wad of twenty dollar bills...6.  The Facebook friends around the world that have visited Phillip's orphanage and love our boy...7.  The stranger who was touched to the point of tears by Phillip's adoption and vowed to pray for our family...and so many more!
     God's fingerprints are on Phillip's adoption.  His hands are BIG.  He is answering our prayers across the world in Langfang, China.  Sara, the adoption specialist at Phillip's orphanage, said that he believes in God and is asking Him why his legs don't work.  Sara said to just keep asking.  I bet that God has an amazing answer for that question and I'm so glad that I will get to be Phillip's mom when he gets that revelation.
     Will you join us in praying for the resources to complete the adoption, for Phillip's medical care, to make our house wheelchair accessible, and for all of us to be able to go to China to get him?  We understand that Phillip's adoption is so much bigger than our family.  We treasure your encouragement, support, and inspiration!  Joni

So blessed...

Right now, I'm just feeling SO BLESSED! I know this God we serve is amazing, yet somehow it still surprises me every time I see Him move. And He has been moving this week!
      Well, now that you're curious I guess I oughtta spill the beans, huh? Britt and I had an awesome opportunity on Wednesday. We got to lead a seminar for chapel together and told about all the lessons we've learned through this adoption process. Almost 50 college students showed up to listen, totally packing out our classroom. People still came in and sat against the wall when they saw all the chairs full. Lots of our good friends came which was GREAT. They were all really encouraging and super engaged while we were talking, and it just meant a lot to us that soooo many people were interested and even excited to hear about our story. Well the talk went really well. We pretty much told the story of our adoption from start to finish, then Britt talked about how she's grown to understand God's love way better by seeing adoption as a picture of His love. I talked about learning how much I need to surrender everyday. We wrapped things up, socialized for a bit, got lots of love from our friends, and then were done.
     But God wasn't.
     Today, I went to the mailroom and checked my mailbox. I got a curious, fat little envelope that said, "Kyle Croft (for Phillip)" which definitely sparked my interest. I wandered around in the bookstore, found a spot behind a shelf and opened it up. That little envelope held a BIG blessing. Some anonymous person gave me $366 to help with the adoption! I was so excited! How cool is that? That some poor college kid was willing to sacrifice, to be used by God to bless our family? God is moving! I freaked out a little bit with my buddies in the bookstore, then freaked out a little on the way back to my room, then just kinda freaked out the rest of the day and told everybody I could. What a good God!
     Lamentations 3:24 says, "I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for Him.'" And He is proving that to us each day! Jesus, YOU are our portion! We can't trust other people to take care of our needs, and we can't take care of them ourselves, but You we can ALWAYS rely on! Praise be to Your name!

The Ball is Rolling Again!

Hey Folks!
     Just thought I'd give you all a little status update. God DEFINITELY answers prayers! Some of you probably know that for a while we've kinda been stuck. Our paperwork hit a wall at the end of July and we weren't really able to do anything to get it moving again. Well just recently our agency was able to get a hold of our documents again and they are being processed now! There is just a little bit left to do to finalize things and then our dossier will be sent to immigration! Praise God! All the time that things were stuck and out of our control we just prayed that God would give us patience to wait on His timing, and we are still trusting that He had a reason for that delay.
      Now this adoption is starting to feel real again. Now it seems closer, more imminent, more tangible. We're finding ourselves excited, anticipating, and imagining more and more. Please keep praying and praising God with us as the process continues. Phillip still isn't home, and we still don't know what his relationship with the Father is like. But as God continues to open doors, make ways, and encourage our hearts, we feel more and more confident that it truly is His will to bring Phillip HOME. Love you all!

Something tried to EAT Gonzo!

Precious Friends and Family,
      Gonzo ran off AGAIN last week. This time a lot of fears were realized when he turned up missing... Nitro begged me to go out later, but I didn't think anything of it.  I started to worry about the two of them when I finally went to bed.  It is common for Gonzo to run off whenever he can, but Nitro usually stays within the boundaries of the invisible fence.   
     I called the neighbors.  No, they hadn't seen the little Toto dog whose fur is like a brillo pad.  Since they all know that he can run as fast as a cheetah, none were willing to be humiliated by attempting to catch the little escapee again. 
    At three in the morning, I awoke to the sound of Nitro barking and opened the laundry room door to find a pathetic Gonzo deposited on the back steps.  He whimpered and couldn't move when I called him.  He had drool on his back and his hair was matted.  I went to get water and food.  When I returned, I found nasty bite wounds on his neck and blood on the rug.  He seemed to be paralyzed and in shock.  I wept to see this little warrior in such rough shape.  When I had done all that I knew how to to do treat his wounds, I went to bed, but I couldn't sleep.....
      Gonzo has always believed that he is a ....BIG dog.  We've never had the courage to tell him any different.  As I tried to get back to sleep, all of the times that we joked about eagles circling our little cairn terrier floated around in my head.  We've always said that they had no idea who they were thinking about messing with!  This 6 pound powerhouse has had his way around our 100 pound golden retrievers many times and would probably ground any bird foolish enough to mistake him for a tasty tidbit.  I kept replaying all of the times that we laughed as we imagined predators spitting him out because he tastes bitter and his fur is so thick and course. 
     He has some socially unacceptable habits as well.  We've always referred to him as the dog that only our family could love.  That's why many of you haven't seen him much.  If we have company, he is almost guaranteed to sense the captive audience and to embarrass us with his antics.  We usually coax him into the laundry room with the promise of treats until guests leave.
     As my thoughts continued to swirl uncontrollably in my sleepy stupor, I thought about the drool on Gonzo's back and his pathetic posture on the back steps and wondered if Nitro had somehow rescued him from a coyote and brought him home in his mouth. 
     That thought made me think of our amazing GOD.  Even though we may be wayward and surly and lacking in social graces, our God follows us wherever we go and loves us despite the fact that we are unlovely to ourselves and to others. He is all about bringing us to healing.  He loves us stubbornly and unconditionally. 
     It is that confidence that motivates us to overcome every obstacle in our path as we seek to bring our wheel chair bound Phillip home.  This process is refining and healing and uniting us in so many ways.  Phillip is a special boy who is loved by a BIG GOD:  A GOD who has orchestrated Divine appointments and circumstances in order to bring home a broken boy and bring him into his broken family (including one wounded and rescued carin terrier) in order to bring glory to our BRILLIANT GOD.

More Phillip Pics!

Key ring Phillip!

My friend Chris and Pub Mix Phillip!

 Blackberry Phillip!

 Phire Phillip!

 Carmen DeVries sent us this awesome tropical version of Phillip's name!

Thanks.

This is a blog of thanks. I haven't blogged in a long time... mostly because I like to wait until I have something ridiculously clever to share before I blog. Today I don't really have any new insight or challenge or encouragement. I just have a heart full of thanks and prayer. It's hard to really describe how thankful I am-how excited I am over what GOD is doing. You would almost literally have to be "in my shoes" to truly understand. So... for just a moment... try it. Try to imagine my thought processes and feelings as you read through the following list of things I am praising God for in regards to the adoption process and the re-shaping of my family...


1.) Phillip.
2.) The opportunity to share... as often as I can... what GOD has done, is doing, and will continue. 
3.) The way that friends have blessed my family-through finances, prayer, and words of encouragement.
4.) The way that total strangers have reached out and supported my family!
5.) Pictures of Phillip posted often by Sara Zhou.
6.) Dreams of what life will be like...
7.) A friend who is always there to listen and be excited right alongside me.
8.) The HOPE God has given us... that we get to share with Phillip... soon. 
9.) The way that this experience is knitting my family together.
10.) The picture of God's LOVE and GLORY (which I am still catching glimpses of) that adoption is in itself.
11.) God's provision... past and future. 
12.) The opportunity to grow in dependence on God.
13.) The opportunity to see my dad soften, grow... and cry.
14.) Prayers.


The list goes on... I'm sure this won't be the last "blog of thanks." 
Brit.

What a phantastic view!

This is a picture of me and some cross country teammates at the top of Black Butte Mountain near Sisters, OR. It has been so fun to share our family's adventure with my friends at Corban!

Dear Phillip!

Hey Phil,
     Is it okay if I call you Phil? Hmmm, well I guess we can work that out when you get here. Maybe Philly...or Lippy. Naaah, those are no good. Maybe we'd better let you pick the nickname.
     Well, it seems weird to be thinking about such a little thing when you're not even here yet, but all of us have been thinking through the joyous, little details of making you part of our family. We scheme ways to get you in and out of the car, we talk about rearranging dishes so you can reach them all, we wonder how it will be having you right at the dog's face level. We think about everything, and we think all the time. That's not because we're worried or obsessed. It's not because we're detail freaks (although that is sometimes true). It's because GOD has laid this on our hearts and He keeps it there day and night. You don't even know it, but there are at least 4 people that love you right now more than you've ever been loved. And if God is willing, you WILL know that soon. Hang in there, big man. We're coming as quick as we can.
     Love,
        Your Big Bro :)

Summer Phun!

Dad and I can't wait for camping trips with Phillip!

 Hey, he wanted to get buried and I wanted a good picture. It worked out PERFECT! Dawson's gonna be an awesome neighbor for Phillip.

 Our AMAZING friends the Blews in their natural habitat: the LAKE! It was so fun hanging out on the water with you all!

 Mrs. Blew and Syd are geniuses! Look at all the hard work they put into spelling my bro's name!

God's Plan, Power, Peace, and Praise!

We're relieved to be able to tell you that our homestudy should be done TODAY!  That means that the international adoption specialist can proceed with the next portion of our paperwork called the "dossier."  We're so grateful for your prayers!  We're seeing God's hand daily with joyful expectation!  (Lamentations 3:25)

Adopting Phillip has been a leap of faith for our family.  Most days find us excitedly talking about bringing him home and loving on him.  We talk about how we want to see Him grow in his faith.  We debate about the best ways to teach him to read and to improve his English.  We practice our Mandarin Chinese.  We joke about me possibly having to drive a mini van again.  (Okay, still working on accepting that one...:)  We use chopsticks.  We make Asian dishes and experiment with making them really hot and spicy the way Phillip loves them.  We spend hours researching cool wheelchairs and space-age home vacuum elevators.  We stock up on sale clothes in Phillip's size.   But....there are times when we have to walk through some harsh realities.  On those days, we desperately pray for God to equip us and to empower us to overcome in Him.  We pray for the Holy Spirit to do a mighty work in Phillip's body and spirit.

One time our family watched people with parachutes jumping off the cliffs at Wallowa Lake.  They got themselves into position and seemed to go through a safety checklist.  They faced the cliff and then jumped backwards into the canyon below.  I'll never forget their expressions.  There was a moment of absolute terror as they started to free fall followed by absolute joy and shouting when their parachutes took over.  That's how following God's will is for me.  I make sure that everything is in order:  Prayer?  Check.  In line with His word?  Check.  Sought wisdom of godly family and friends?  Check.  Booyahahaha.........!

 When I truly seek to discern  and obey His will, He is the loving arms that catch me when I leap and  then throw me into the air again!

I'll never forget a story that a friend told me about a reoccuring nightmare.  He kept having this dream that he was falling and he would wake up scared and anxious.  Someone told him that if he ever hit the ground in his dream, the trauma would literally kill him.  My friend devised this plan to fan his t-shirt and to let it fill with air like a parachute and to lightly touch down when he had the dream again.  He did it.  Not only did he touch down lightly, he stopped having the dream altogether.  When we see roadblocks and challenges and experience stress, often God is calling us to see things through His eyes and to see that He is able.  He is able to meet our needs in creative ways that are greater than we could ever think of or imagine.  Where we end, He begins!  We're counting on that as we hop, skip, jump and LEAP towards bringing Phillip home.

Joni

Your Mommy and Daddy LOVE You!

Dear Phillip,

Do you know how much your mom and dad love you? Even though you are not here, yet? Even though Daddy hasn't even met you, yet? What a picture of GOD'S LOVE that is! They love you so much. Mom has pictures of you all over the house already-every one that we could get a hold of. She has even printed tons of extra pictures to give to friends so they remember to pray for you. Mom shares about you as often as she can. Daddy gets teary each time he talks about you. That is one of  my favorite things to see. He is getting ready to start working on your room and bathroom. Both are so eager to finish up the paperwork so we can get you home ASAP! They just want you to be here where they can get to know you, make sure you are getting the best care, encourage you, and love on you. 

See you soon...

Brit

Results of our Phantastic Phamily Phundraiser

Kyle and Lucy enjoyed coloring together in air-conditioned comfort.

Dinner with our family after the yard sale tasted especially yummy.

This is Brit, Lucy, and Gracie.  I think someone ate their profits cuz I see chocolate chip cookies on those li'l girls' faces.



Thx so much for blessing us!



Enjoy your toys, Josh!  We're so glad that you guys stopped by!

Autumn, you ROCK!  Is Yeager enjoying the moose toy?

Thanks for helping us out, Lori!  Someone is really enjoying your mixer right now!

The Segallas and Taylors were some of our BEST customers!

Pholks, you totally blessed our socks off!  Thanks so much for braving the heat and for checking out our yard sale.  You were the highlight of our weekend!  We are so grateful for the many donations and hope that you all enjoy your purchases! Thanks to our phamily for helping out as well.  Enjoy the pictures!

Would you be willing to pray about our paperwork?  We are looking for God to move in that area and for his timing.

KKPB&J

Phun in Leavenworth!

Don't you love crayons and butcher paper?

 According to this keychain, anyone named Phillip should be active, joyful, and a lover of horses. 2 outta 3?

 Aren't they great together?

 What a find!

 Whoa! Big air!

 Brittany posing with her lovely sand creation

We can't wait to go with Phillip soon!

Phillyball and Phuno!

 Panther power! Phillip's mom and her volleyball team.

Grandma Croft ROCKS at Uno...which happens to be Phillip's favorite card game!

Thanks for all your prayers and support! We are SO EXCITED!

Dear Phillip...

Dear Phillip,

Do you know how many people are PRAYING for you! And not just praying that you'll get to come home, soon, but praying for your HEALING-emotional, PHYSICAL, and spiritual. THAT blows me away. You, my friend, are being covered in prayer from half-way around the world every day! THAT is how much your forever family (and many of our friends) love you already!

Brit

Moving forward...

Wehaa!  We're working on the last stages of our adoption.  The "dossier" is started.  We hope to finish it by the end of July.  Of all of the paperwork that we have completed, it seems to be the most complicated.  It includes Phillip's passport and immigration papers as well as required information about plans for his education and ESL concerns. It must go to both the U.S. and Chinese governments for final approval.

Many of you have asked when we will be able to bring Phillip home.  We can't really predict the time accurately, but it could be as early as Christmas.  A friend of ours sent her dossier in April and will travel to China to get her children in the next month or so.  We're trusting God's timing, but we'd love to be able to plan ahead.  We'd all like to travel to China so that we can all share this experience as a family. Thanks for praying about this with us.

Some of you have been wondering about remodeling our office and powder bath to become Phillip's room and bathroom.  Since Karl is currently working out of town, it has been difficult to dismantle the office and the workbench in the garage which needs to happen before we can add on.  Hopefully, Kyle, Brit, and I can make progress on this project next week.  When we have our yard sale on the 5th and 6th of August, there will be space in the garage to store items from the office temporarily.

I was listening to a Beth Moore CD today.  She was talking about our responses to rejection and specifically mentioned adopted children.  Adopted children are so vulnerable to feelings of rejection and abandonment.  They struggle to proccess the emotions associated with the loss of their biological parents. 

We won't be given any information on Phillip's biological family.  His history is sketchy, but we believe that he was abandoned at a police station at around 7 months old when his family realized that he was paralyzed.  At one point, he lived in an orphanage where he was not allowed to bring his wheelchair in the house.  He crawled everywhere.  We are so grateful that he was moved to Shepherd's Field by some folks from Love Without Borders in Shanghai that loved him and went to bat to find a better situation for him. 

Please pray that Phillip will be resilient and that he will continue to have the hope that there is a family for him.  (His orphanage has a policy to protect the orphans that postpones informing the child until the Chinese government has given travel approval.)  Pray that he will be free from attachment and bonding issues.

Your prayer support is such an encouragement to us as we move forward!
Joni Croft

Blue Herons.....

     I'm fascinated by blue herons.  When we visit the Blew's lake cabin, I love to kayak out to the lily pads and strain to find the familiar gray shape of the pencil thin bird standing on the muddy shore. Blue herons are at once alarmingly prehistoric and graceful.  Their days are spent standing still, seemingly trying to disappear into the scenery.
     I've often thought about the plight of the blue heron as it tries to fade into the woodwork.  It spends its life either hiding or using its magnificent 6 foot wingspan to hastily retreat from danger.  In the book of Genesis, Hagar ran from the abuse of her mistress, Sarai, and found herself by a desert spring.  An angel of the Lord appeared to her and encouraged her with the news of her pregnancy.  As she pondered God's mercy, she proclaimed that, "You are the God who sees me...."
    Later, after the birth of Isaac, Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away.   Hagar found herself wandering in the desert again.  As she watched her baby languishing in the desert sun, she couldn't have felt more alone, "BUT GOD heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, 'What is the matter, Hagar?  Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there.  Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.' "
    
     Phillip, I can't wait to kayak with you and to be with you the first time that you get to pick out the hazy gray shape of a blue heron in the distance.  I can't wait to affirm that God has SEEN you all of these years and that He has HEARD your cries for a family.  I believe that God has GREAT plans for your life and I'm so thankful that Dad, Brit, Kyle, and I have the privilege of seeing firsthand how HE will lift you up and take you by the hand!   :) Mom

Phillip Pics :)

 Yep, that's really his hair. Yuck!

 Yummm...

 He just keeps popping up everywhere!

 Yummier!

 Jumping for JOY! Joy, because PHILLIP HAS A FAMILY!

...and we can't wait to take pictures with him in them instead of just his name.

Bringing Phillip HOME...

The other day, I was hit with the realization of how appropriately named our blog is. Yes, our goal right now is to bring Phillip into our home-to make our home his home, to make our home as if it was not home without him! But, ultimately, our goal and prayer is that through this we might be able to bring Phillip HOME. THIS world, is not our home. Phillip doesn't need a physical house to sustain him. He needs the HOPE of living forever with CHRIST. This is the place we are excited to bring Phillip to... as the five of us walk together towards HOME.

"I'm At Home" by Chris and Conrad
Brit

PRAISE!!!

Praise the Lord! If you've been following our blog at all, you know that we've been anxious to get the results back on our fingerprint checks so we could wrap up our home study and take care of our dossier. Well guess what God tucked inside our mailbox yesterday: two official letters from the Department of Justice! Our results are here and we can move on to our dossier! God is showing Himself faithful again and again, so we will be faithful to praise Him! Thank you SO MUCH to all who have been lifting up Phillip in prayer. Sometimes we feel like we just can't pray enough so it's a huge blessing to know you all are joining with us!

Jehovah Jireh - God PROVIDED!

~ The Crofts

Sidewalk Chalk Phillip!

Phillip has the CUTEST cousins in the world!

Frisbee Golf Phillip!

Phillip's cousins can't wait to meet him!

Thai Food Phillip

The lovely Croft ladies displaying a culinary masterpiece: Phillip in carrot slices!

Fingerprints!

Hey Friends,

We have had a little delay on Mom and Dad's fingerprinting results and need them to come in soon! Could you pray with us that they would be expedited so we can finish up our home study ASAP!

THANK YOU for PARTNERING with us in PRAYER.

Brit :)

Through the Eyes of a Window Washer

           So I’m a window washer now. A genuine, squeegee-wielding, ladder-climbing, bird poop scrubbing polisher of panes. It’s a great job, really. The work is light, the customers are well…nice, and every day I learn a new facet of window washing. As with any job, there are a million little lessons that you have to learn the hard way the first time. So far I’ve learned to NEVER wear my shoes inside someone’s house. Drain your squeegee handles BEFORE carrying them over carpet. Don’t reef on window screens. They rip. Easily. Always keep your belly button pointed between the legs of the ladder unless you want to find it plummeting toward the ground real quick like. My extremely conscientious employer has spared me from learning most of these lessons the hard way (although I have ripped a few screens). But one of the MOST important (and fantastically allegorical) lessons I have learned is this: when inspecting a window for flaws or mistakes, the best thing to do is to look UP and into the LIGHT.

            Up into the light. That’s the only way to see what you need to fix. When you look down into the dark, bug spots and towel streaks virtually disappear. They are invisible against the darkness below you, but they are outlined clearly when you catch them in the reflection of the light above you. Up into the light is exactly where our family is learning to train our eyes. Like any family, we’ve got a few greasy smears on our windows that we’re trying to buff out. So far, we’re discovering that when we drop our eyes and look down at the monumental task of adoption, we can’t see clearly. We miss things when our eyes fall from the light at the top of the pane to the dark space below. The light is essential too. I suppose you’ve figured out by now that light has a spiritual counterpart, the light of God’s truth. John 3:21 says, “But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” As we get ready to bring Phillip home, we want to look UP to our Heavenly Father and into the LIGHT of His truth. We want to see the ways that He desires to change us and make us new. We’re not perfect, nor will we ever be. When Phillip gets home, we’ll still have some smudges and scrapes on our windows (maybe even a few ripped screens, haha), but by God’s grace all of our necks will be incredibly sore from our constantly straining to look UP and INTO His LIGHT. 

~ Kyle 

Endless paperwork....shots....cleaning and organizing....SHOPPING!

Those of you that have already adopted children know this well.  Adopting a child requires a lot of documents.  Today, we are filling out the 16 page Child Desired forms that detail every type of illness that an internationally adopted child could possibly possess.  Needless to say, this will be a bit time consuming.

We are doing our online required reading program as well.  It isn't difficult.  It just requires one to hold still, to read, and to take a test.  When we've finished each course, we take a test and then receive a certificate of completion.

We chuckle to note that we are required to update our dogs' rabies shots .  Having seen countless dogs wandering the streets of China, we think this is an interesting requirement :)  Look out, Nitro and Gonzo, you're gonna have to take one for the team this week!

People from all over the United States have been contacting us about adopting Phillip.  Since over 2,000 people visit the orphanage each year, many folks have met and developed a heart for Phillip and the rest of the older children at Shepherd's Field.  Several friends are returning to SFCV this summer and have offered to take gifts and to take pictures and video.  We're so jealous!  We all wish that we could go to China, but will have to wait for God's appointed time to bring Phillip home.

Since our friend, Paula, offered to host a yard sale at her home to raise funds to adopt Phillip, we're storing a lot of items that we would normally donate.  They are starting to fill Karl's bay in the garage.  We're eager to clear any clutter and begin to eliminate the work bench in the garage.  Karl hopes to begin extending the walls of the powder bath and the office into the garage.  Kyle will organize the storage room and then begin to empty the shelves of the workbench this afternoon.  Weehaa!  Progress!

Brit and I are already starting to watch sales for clothes for Phillip for school.  Hey, we're girls, it's only natural!  Although he is only 12, Clay and Jewel from SFCV think that he might wear a men's size shirt because of his brace. 

Not Too Short

Numbers 11:23-"... Is the Lord's arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you."

The context of this verse is great! God has just told Moses that He will provide an abundance of meat for the complaining Israelites to eat-so much that He says it will actually come out of their nostrils! (Numbers 11:20) After this promise, Moses, with his finite little brain, begins to reason out how in the world God is going to do that. Moses asks (in my own sarcastic paraphrase), "Do you realize how many people there are here? How are you going to do that, God? Really? Are you just gonna go fishing and catch ALL the fish in the sea, or something?" God calmly and graciously answers Moses' question with another question, "Is the Lord's arm too short?" Moses' only response to God's question is to go tell the Israelites what He said and make the necessary preparations.

I was challenged with this verse at youth church the other night. Chris Rogne pointed out that when we ask or fear that the arm of the the Lord is "too short" we question God's goodness and God's competence. I believe we also question His faithfulness. Why do we question Him? Has He EVER failed us? No never.

As with many things, lately, I immediately applied this verse to the context of the adoption and the questions we could ask: Is the Lord's arm too short to provide finances to bring Phillip home? Is the Lord's arm too short to provide emotional support for our family? Is the Lord's arm too short to provide the grace needed for each set back, each step forward, each unanswered question, each needed preparation? Is the arm of my God too short to meet Phillip's needs-physical, emotional, and spiritual?

The resounding and triumphant answer to all these questions is NO. No, the arm of the LORD is NOT too short. Praise God! I am claiming this for our family and cannot wait to watch God come through strong on our behalf.

Glory to God.

Brit

Ouch.......!

Clay and Jewel Floch were kind enough to bring Phillip's records from China in digitial form when they returned to Spokane recently.  Wanting to understand his medical condition more fully, our family examined his x-rays and written physical evaluations thoroughly.  The x-rays of the rods in his back make us wince.  We're so thankful that we will be able to take him to Shriner's hospital when he comes home.  Shriner's has already been very helpful in evaluating his condition with the limited medical information that we had initially.  Seeing his medical records affirms the need to bring him to Spokane for further treatments as soon as possible.

Saying Good-bye...

  This week we said good-bye to our dear friends, Clay and Jewel Floch.  They are the guest coordinators at Shepherd's Field Children's Village.  They managed to welcome over 2,000 guests to SFCV last year!  As you can imagine, they are very busy on a daily basis.  We're praying for them as they pursue God's will for them in China!
   We sent an envelope of  family pictures with them.  We're hoping that they will be able to share them with Phillip in a benign way.  It would be a blessing if Clay and Jewel were the ones that got to tell Phillip that he has a family.  He won't get that information until our family has travel approval from China.  Clay and Jewel said that is so hard not to tell him that he has family.  Waiting until families have travel approval is a way to protect the children from emotional upheaval if an adoption doesn't go through.
    Brittany was looking at Phillip's pictures and noticed that Phillip's wheelchair doesn't have footpegs.  That fact makes us wonder if we will need to replace his wheelchair when we get to bring him home.  He wears a plastic brace of sorts as well.  It seems like he has outgrown it and we're hoping to find a new one that doesn't irritate his skin.

Joni
 

Meeting with our social worker....

Today, we will meet with our social worker to turn in heaps of documents and to assess where we are in the homestudy process.  We're hoping that the news is good so that we can make progress quickly.


Although we have the PERFECT room for Phillip downstairs off the family room, we've elected to remodel our upstairs office and powder bath so that Phillip can easily access his bedroom and have a bath designed for him.  Karl will bump the walls out into the garage and can start work on the project without opening up the current rooms for awhile.  We're eager to have things just right for Phillip to be able to get around.  Thankfully, our house has an open design.


It is a fun weekend for us because Gracie and Lucy, our nieces, are here for the weekend while their mommy and daddy are at a marriage conference.  When I first got home and saw a little girl with crimped, long blond hair running through the trees above the house, I thought, "Houston, we have a problem here!  Uncle Karl brought home the wrong little girls!" Fortunately, Karl did accomplish his mission of picking up the right girls in the Tri-Cities.  Gracie has just taken a fancy to wearing a hair piece.  Gracie immediately hit the rope swing when she got here.  She has a few scratches and bruises from that nasty old tree, but the fun seems to far outweigh the boo boos for her.  Lucy has made peace with Nitro, our very affectionate golden retriever.  She constantly yells, "No yicking me!"  I think that Grace, Lucy, and Phillip will really enjoy each other when Phillip comes home!  I can imagine the girls loving wheelchair rides!

My Daddy's Tears

For those who don't know, I am a crier. Yep. I love crying. And I love witnessing others crying. I don't mean this in a depressed or morbid manner. I just love the way that tears reveal one's heart. Tears show how much something… or someone… means to you. Tears reveal a sensitive, soft heart. Tears are evidence of a work God is doing. Sometimes tears hurt, sometimes tears are joyful. Tears refine, refresh, and bring clarity. I have been a witness to some deeply intense "crying moments" (mine and others') over the past year or two, and I am all the richer for them. 

I say this to give a little background for why it is that I LOVE the fact that my daddy cries every time he talks about Phillip. When my dad called and told me about his decision to move forward in adopting Phillip, I could tell he was crying over the phone. When my dad tells about his wrestle with God that brought him to the point of choosing to adopt, his eyes get damp. I love it. I can only remember a couple other times in my whole life that my daddy has cried in front of me. This spring, I have seen my dad cry often and openly while talking about Phillip and the adoption process. Historically, my dad has not been one to cry. But God has done, is doing, and will continue this work in him that has made his heart so sensitive and put a heavy burden on him for Phillip. The simple fact that my dad cries about this adoption is a small, but special confirmation that THIS IS what God is calling our family to. I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to witness my daddy's tears.

And as I write about my daddy's tears, my thoughts are turned to my Heavenly Father and the tears that He sheds for His children. Can you imagine?  Selah. On the cross Jesus cried out, "Forgive them, because they don't know what they are doing." Jesus wept with those who mourned Lazarus' death. He cries with us. He cries for us when we are stuck in sin. He cries for His children that do not know Him. He cries with His children that are without earthly moms and daddies. He cries with Phillip. I am in awe of the heart-the love-that my Father has for His children...

I am in awe of my Daddy's tears.

Brit

Psalm 126:5 ~ "Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy!"

We PASSED the TEST!

After being poked and prodded over the course of several weeks, we finally have the medical "all-clear" in hand today!  Karl and I are pretty healthy as confirmed by a plethora of tests .  We can check that off our homestudy "to do" list!

Our FBI fingerprinting and background checks are also ready to be delivered to our social worker.  (Getting fingerprints at the courthouse was an interesting process.....) 

Right now, the big push is to do some required reading and to complete some courses online.  The "Hague" countries have standardized their adoption procedures to include a lot of information to equip families.

Joni

God's Work Thus Far

Though we've really just begun the adoption process, it's already clear to see ways that God is working in our family. Some BIG changes have already taken place, not the least of which is my parent's increasing technological independence! After years of depending on their children to navigate the mind-numbing nonsense of computers and cables, they were cyber-stranded when Britt moved to Corban last January. They have adjusted admirably and now expertly navigate documents, data, and other drudgery like pros. Dad even has an iPhone! And of course I'm not even a little bit jealous :) I'm super proud of my parents and the ways they are changing.
      Well, as striking as their technological turnaround might be, I've seen even greater work being done in the lives of my Mom and Dad as they have followed God down this wild new path. They have refused to sit where things are comfortable, to watch life float by and miss out on the work God is doing. It would have been easy; we were all set to have quite a conventional future. College, weddings, jobs, grandkids, retirements. The whole sha-bang. But God has called and they have answered with a hearty "Yes Sir!"
      What a wonderful thing it is to watch the mother's heart I have always known expand and grow to make room for another son! What a joy it is to see my father's warm eyes melt with tears at the thought of raising a child he doesn't even know yet! I've never seen such a beautiful thing. I've never before imagined such a vivid display of God's love for me, but thanks to Mom and Dad I know love better now. They adore Phillip, despite how little we know him and despite the physical struggles he faces. In the same way, God ADORES me! Though I hardly know Him at all, though my flaws and faults are more glaring and grave than any disability, He LOVES me! I've never understood that and I still don't, but after seeing my parents do the same thing I can imagine it at last. Thank God for their faithfulness to follow Him and to show THREE children what love really means.

~ Kyle

Ordinary to Extra-ordinary

My family has always been pretty… normal. Wonderful, but normal: Dad, Mom, brother, and me. We have grown up in a strong Christian environment, gone to school, owned dogs and fish, played sports, and been sun-burned. Recently, however, God has been doing some amazing things to change our family from ordinary to extra-ordinary. My family is now in the process of adopting an 11-year-old boy from China! This “little” change will move our family from being a pretty normal, run-of-the-mill, American-Christian family to a pretty normal, run-of-the-mill, American-Christian family with a little Chinese boy in all our family photos :) I don’t think I have completely grasped all the changes that will be coming our way as we adopt Phillip, but one of the things that I am most looking forward to with the coming of my new brother is the crazy witness that he and that this process will be to friends and to much of my extended family… Praise God for using our family to glorify Himself!

In Him,

Brit

On an Adventure.....BOOYAAAHAHAHAHA!!!!

I got my hepatitis shots today.  Weehaa!  The shot giver made it quick and virtually painless.  The medical side of the homestudy is almost complete. 

Brit sent me this text yesterday:  Proverbs 13:12  "Hope deferred makes the heart sick,but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."  We know that Phillip's hope has been deferred for 11 years, but hope that God will use us to fulfill his longing for a family.  When Clay and Jewel told the kids at Shepherd's Field that they were welcome to refer to Clay and Jewel as mom and dad, Phillip told Jewel that he wanted to call her mom, but wondered if it would bother his adoptive mom when she came to get him.  Phillip hasn't given up hope for a family!

Joni :)