Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Leavin' On a Jet Plane!

Okay, all you bloggity friends who know how to PRAY! There are two mamas heading to China today to get their girls. (The daddies are going, too, but I don't really have a ton of male readers, do I now?!). Please feel free to run over to their sites, read their back-stories, and join The Gang in praying for safe travel, for smooth connections between flights, and for un-complicated paperwork finalization. Additionally, please pray for supernatural bonding between these anxious parents and their sweet little girls. This journey represents years of longing (on the part of the parents) for these daughters but it is also full of huge transitions and new experiences and uncertainties - for both parent and child. Pray for these little girls to find supernatural peace and comfort in the arms of their new mommies and daddies. Pray that they begin even now to experience the deep-seated "knowing" that they will be loved forever, unconditionally and thoroughly, in the heart of their new home.

I "met" Elissa Harrell through blogging, simply by checking out some comments she made on another blogger's site. I don't even remember where that originally was, but I quickly recognized her as a sister in Christ, awaiting news on the daughter God had birthed in her heart. Her blog is delightful, honest, and often very funny. (And it doesn't hurt that sometimes she blogs about her brother who works for Blake Shelton, an adorable and talented country music star that I sometimes enjoy!) When I took the time (one rainy afternoon) to read all her archives, I was so blessed to peek into the depth of love and passion that she has for family, for Christ, and for this little girl that she didn't even know yet. If you check nothing else out, PLEASE check out the referral pics of her sweet baby girl. Their "Gotcha Day" is slated for Monday, the 17th - so their St. Patty's Day will have whole new significances :)

Vonda and Phil are fellow Living Hope adopters. We met them (in person!) at a training session offered by our agency last year and instantly connected with them. It may have been the copious amounts of tears she and I both shed when sharing our personal stories of adoption! They are a loving family with three biological children, close to our own children's ages. She's been a huge encouragement to me along the way, as our LID's (log-in-dates to China's adoption program - the official date that counts for everything!) are so close. Additionally, hearing their hearts as they moved toward a special needs adoption is part of the impetus that got us talking about it for our own journey, after letting the file sit on our desk from October till January!

Both families get the unique experience of celebrating Easter Sunday with their new daughters while still in China. I find that incredibly moving, and certainly not coincidental in God's economy. These girls will be celebrating a completely new life, a new family, and a new journey that sets them into loving Christian homes on the path to their Heavenly Father - in the same week that we celebrate the Resurrection that secured for us the open door to everlasting relationship with Our Father. How cool is that!

So, blogging friends, would you please pray with us for these families? They take flight today, winging their way toward their beautiful girls across the world. As I get updates on their journeys, I'll link you up!

2 comments:

Carol said...

Had no idea they were on the way..............Sandy is on her way to Audrey too.........

Congratulations to all the new families!

Becki said...

I wanted to let you know, that if you talk to the couples, the first days are tough and pray is a definite must. I will be praying will all I have. I know to some it sounds easy, but there are so many things I would have done differently in those first two weeks in China. My blessings and prayers to each of your sisters in Christ.