Monday, December 31, 2012

Goodbye 2012!

2012

It has been a good year.  

We are very, very grateful for all of God's blessings to us 
and 
we are grateful for the difficult things 
as they have brought us closer to the Lord.

We look forward to all that 2013 will bring for us.

We know that there will be good 
and 
there will be hard, 
for none of us are promised only to have good 
and not difficult as well...
but God is with us.
 
When we look at the world around us, it can be frightening - 
but we know that God is in control.

Psalm 112:7
He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
 
Welcome 2013!!
 
We are eager to meet you.

(source unknown)



Sunday, December 30, 2012

Best of 2012 - Hope for 2013

Thanking the Lord for the blessing of Julia in 2012...



She became our daughter on February 28, 2012.




She went from...

orphan 
TO 
daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, granddaughter


rejected 
TO 
chosen



one of many 
TO 
beloved one to many


special to no one 
TO 
special to many


lonely and sometimes scared
TO 
secure









2011




   
2012



 What a difference a family makes in the life of a child...

  

Looking forward to the blessing of Hannes in 2013...





We see so many similarities between the look on Hannes's face and the look on Julia's face in the photo taken before she joined our family.

We can't wait to post photos of him smiling and full of joy
as he discovers the love of a family!!



We are expecting to travel to him in just a few weeks...

If you still need to make a contribution to apply to 2012 taxes, 
you have 2 days left...
we would be most grateful and encouraged by your contribution 
and the part you play in loving this particular orphan.

http://reecesrainbow.org/47351/sponsorvanheerden
 
 

Friday, December 28, 2012

Update... there is hope!

Nothing is impossible with God!

Although Putin signed into law the ban against Americans adopting Russian children...
 
State Duma deputy Robert Schlegel contributed to the lower house of parliament an amendment to the "law of Dima Yakovlev" banning adoptions of Russian children by U.S. citizens.

"He has made an amendment to the Duma in the" law of Dima Yakovlev ", which takes the children with disabilities from the application of the law," - he wrote in his microblog on Twitter .

If this is true, then families will still be able to adopt special needs kids,

and that is a blessing...



Thursday, December 27, 2012

Saddened by potential legislation...

We have been asked by many if the proposed ban on Russian adoptions would affect us...

No, we are not adopting from Russia.

But...

I am saddened about the potential for children
now in institutions across Russia
not having the opportunity to be
adopted into a home or family.

Many have said that Russia should adopt their own children.
And yes, that would be best.  
But as reported in the news media recently
over 400,000 Russian children are 
currently not in the care of their own parents.

Russian children are only available for 
international adoption if
no available Russian home exists for them.

The waiting children have already been
abandoned by their birth families,
not adopted by any Russian families,
and now exist in an orphanage until they are 4 or 5,
after which they are transferred into adult mental institutions.

They don't do well there.

They need to be in families.
The country that adopts the most Russian children each year is America.
If that is not an option,
then many of those beautiful, innocent children
will remain in institutions for the rest of their lives.

It isn't right.

We need to pray.

 


Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Christmas Truth for the day after Christmas...

“Mama?” Shalom walks beside me, holding my hand. 

“Will tomorrow be Christmas too?”

I know that feeling. 
Not wanting any of this wonder to wander away — or me from it.


“Well, I’m thinking… ” 
I stop, look out across the fields and the white and the stars.
 “I’m thinking that it’s Christmas now forever.”

Her laughter rings all around us.

“Yes, Mama, yes!” 
She spins around in snow, 
in the halo of the barn light, 
us all under stars.

It is Christmas forever now — because Christ is always with us.”

Ann Voskamp 



Monday, December 24, 2012

Christmas Wish

There is a little boy
 in an orphanage in Eastern Europe
 who,
 like all orphans,
 has a Christmas wish...

that he, and they, 
could have a family...


There are those kids who have been orphans,
 and now,
 this Christmas,
 are home with their new families...

loved,
cuddled,
kissed,
hugged,
tickled,
encouraged,
lovingly held,
cherished,
for who they are,
for who God has created them to be.

God sets the lonely in families...
Psalm 68:6
 
Won't you help us bring Hannes to a home of his own?
We are so grateful for those who have given 
to redeem one little boy
to give him what he has never had
his very own family...

We will travel to get him in just a few short weeks!  
Consider giving whatever God 
has laid on your heart
to redeem one of His children, 
from a life of never belonging to anyone
to 
a life of belonging to a family
mom
dad
brothers
sisters
aunts
uncles
grandmothers
grandfathers
cousins
and a multitude of the family of God

just waiting for Hannes to be redeemed,
just like Jesus was,
His life ransomed,
at great cost,
for great glory!

Help us demonstrate the Love of God
to this little one...

and a witness to those who are watching.

 


Sunday, December 23, 2012

Happy Birthday Jacob!

Saturday, December 22 was Jacob's 6th Birthday!
I cannot believe it has been 6 years!! 


December 22, 2006



December 22, 2012
We love you Jacob!!

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Monday, December 17, 2012

My kids...

 
I was taking photos of my littles and 
remembered the photo of my all grown up ones
when they were little
where Lydia was wearing the same dress that I put on Julia...
 
where does the time go??
 
 
 
December 1994                           December 2012

 I love these kids...

I can't wait until Hannes joins us...
My arms ache to hold him.


 


Sunday, December 16, 2012

Complete Joy...

 
I am the vine; you are the branches.

No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. 
 


I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
(Bits of John 15)

Abide in Him, Remain in Him... 
Joy doesn't come from circumstances, but from the joy of the Lord inside you.


Praying Joy for all of you this Sunday regardless of circumstances...


Saturday, December 15, 2012

My heart is full...

I am overwhelmed

today of all days,

in the midst of such sadness in our country,

Hannes's account has almost doubled!!


Though there is evil in the world
there is also great kindness...

Though one man did unspeakable evil upon children
Many, many, many people have done great good 
for the families who are hurting.


And bringing Hannes that much closer to coming home 
is a great kindness to a little boy
waiting for his family.

Thank You!


I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart. 
 Psalm 138:1



 


Thursday, December 13, 2012

Only 12 Days until Christmas...

Need a Christmas Gift? 

Wanna miss the crowds and shop from home? 

We have two ideas for you...


Buy Coffee for your loved one who adores Coffee
 and a portion of your purchase supports Hannes as well!!  



Purchase a Restaurant.com gift card
You or your loved one gets to eat out 
and
Hannes gets a donation...




Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Thank you SO much!


Our FSP (Family Sponsorship Program) adoption donation fund has grown!!  

We are so thankful for everyone who has supported our adoption with prayers and financial gifts.  The road to international adoption is difficult, but the support of others along the way is so encouraging. 

We are just an ordinary family trying to be obedient to the leading of God.
As we step out in faith, we have seen God's hand in our adoption of Julia 
and again now in our adoption of Hannes.  




"I used to wonder if I was ready to be an adoptive parent, 
until I realized children are never ready to be orphans."
                                                                - Glenn Styffe


If you haven't donated, but you'd like to there is a link on the right of this blog under Hannes's photo.  All donations are tax-deductible, so if you are looking to make a donation prior to the end of 2012, consider supporting our adoption of Hannes and there will be ONE LESS orphan in the world.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Celebrating the coming of children... in ornaments!!



There is a new child coming... 


We join with Christians all over the world 
celebrating the birth of Jesus at the end of this month...




 

and

we celebrate the adoption of our new child, 
Julia, 
her first Christmas in a family!!

 





and the


coming of our new child in the next couple of months...





We who are in Christ have been adopted into His family.  

 It sometimes looks a bit like those of us adopting children into our families...


We, 
who may have been angry, afraid, 
and kicking and screaming, 
or 
neglected, lonely, and abandoned, 
 all of us 
without hope,

have been pursued by a loving God, 
at great cost to Himself,
to become 
LOVED
and
CHOSEN
to be in the family of God;

just like 
Dan and I have pursued a little girl and a little boy,
at great cost to ourselves,
to bring them into our family...

God has given MANY wonderful gifts to us:

Nate, 

Lydia, 

Jacob, 

Julia, 

Noah

and we pray also that we may be blessed with

 Hannes



We do understand the heart of God more fully this
Christmas Season...

 




Saturday, December 8, 2012

Thank you...

Thank you to all who came to our Garage Sale today and supported our efforts to bring Hannes home!  
We are grateful for every one who helps to make this possible for us to bring this little one out of the orphanage and into a loving family!

If you were not able to come today and would like to support us, you can still do so at the following link: 


 

We are preparing our hearts and our home for him - 
anticipating travel in another 6 to 8 weeks!

So - what does one do when waiting for a travel date?

We are beginning the making of lists! 

Packing list
Grocery list
Things to do list
Remember to do before we leave list

Every day we are one day closer to meeting our little one 
and bringing him home!

Thank you for your support!!

 


Thursday, December 6, 2012

All of Hannes

We got the rest of the referral photo for Hannes!  

Isn't he just the cutest little one?  

 I so long to hold him in my arms and let him know that he is 
 Chosen, Loved, and Cherished!


Mommy is coming little one!


Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Wednesday Wisdom

Oh, my heart needed to hear this today... 

in the midst of so many difficult things lately - another Reeces Rainbow baby has died before his family could get to him;  a beloved son died at 21 and his good friend was there to watch the police wheel his body out - his mom burying her third and last child - oh my heart - how will she survive this?  She was barely hanging on after burying her second child.  So very thankful for God not withholding Himself from us...



“…no good thing does He withhold…” Ps. 84:11

And the good things in life are not health but holiness,
not the riches of this world but relationship with God,
not our plans but His presence —

and He withholds no good thing from us
because life’s good things aren’t ever things.

 
Ann Voskamp



Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Longing for Hannes

Some days are harder than others...

Decorating the Christmas tree and knowing that he won't be here with us this Christmas is hard.  I know that it won't be much longer and he will be with us - but that doesn't take away the ache I have in my heart to have him home with us now.


Monday, December 3, 2012

What can I do?

Are you someone who would like to do something about the orphan crisis but just don't know where to start or how to make an impact?

 

There is an orphan in Eastern Europe living in an orphanage. He is fed rice cereal in a bottle, and although he is 18 months old, he is very small, wearing 3-6 month infant clothes. He has a congenital heart defect which will likely require some medical intervention. He spends his days in a small room in an infirmary with 1 other child. Even though this is his reality, he is full of smiles and cares about the little girl in the crib next to his.

 

Would you like to donate toward the costs of bringing him home - thus helping to reduce the orphan crisis by one? I admit, it's not much when you stare in the face of a number like 147 million orphans, but to this one, Hannes, it will mean everything.

http://reecesrainbow.org/47351/sponsorvanheerden

 

 

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Sunday Scripture

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
 
Psalm 46:10



Saturday, December 1, 2012

Waiting...

So, what do you do while you are waiting for travel dates?

Well, if it is the first Saturday in December, you get the Christmas tree!  




Even in the rain, admiring the fake snow on the branches...