AdOpTiOn UpDaTe - 9 months and holding!

Hello world.

I'm not really sure if Adoption is the "New Pregnant"... but I'm 9 months right now and looking good! :) As someone put it the other day to me, "Adoption is just like pregnancy... you are just in your third trimester longer." I liked it, but I am thankful I don't have stretch marks, strange bodily fluids, or crazier-than-normal hormones to go along with it.

I do know I feel one thing that ALL pregnant women feel in their 9th month - I'M READY FOR THIS KIDDO TO GET HERE!!!! :)

I think I'm ready to give an adoption update. Sometimes I'm just selfish and I don't want to talk about where we are in the process because it feels like it never changes... but it really does.  I am SO thankful that people that people love us and Eric (& Ziggy) and want to know about what's going on... but sometimes it's just hard. I don't know if that makes sense if you haven't ever experienced adoption... but sometimes when you want something SO bad and you don't have the answers and you feel a little lost... it's hard to answer all the questions from people who care.

So FIRST - THANK YOU for loving us! Thank you for asking! Thank you SO much for praying! Thank you for wishing and hoping and waiting with us!!! Thank you for supporting and encouraging us! THANK YOU! And I'm sorry when I don't have the words to say in response... 

So... to recap.
We met Eric almost a year ago, July 16th will be one year since we first saw his beautiful face. He is 13 years old.
We began our adoption journey in September of last year. We were approved for 2 kiddos with our paperwork on the USA side. Now... to answer some questions

How much money do we still need to raise?
GOD IS A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.! He has raised a whole lot of money over the past 9 months for our adoption. It's been incredible... really.  Yes, we worked out booties off, but He is a BIG GOD! The only money we lack now is travel money.  Hallelujah! When we get our travel dates, we will do some big fundraisers to raise the remaining funds.

Since we are approved for 2 kiddos, does that mean we will get 2 kiddos for sure?
We hope so, but that's not always how Belize/international adoptions work. We are approved for UP TO 2 kiddos, so Belize could choose to allow us to adopt 2 or just one.  We will FOR SURE get Eric - that just makes me so happy to say - and may be blessed with a second one... affectionately nicknamed Ziggy (no, it's not the real name... just a nickname so we don't have to call it "the other one"). We are hoping for 2... 2 less orphans... but we trust God and He knows what He is doing either way.

THE BIG QUESTION: WHEN will we get them? What are we waiting for? 
We don't know when we will actually be traveling to get them yet. We are waiting... and living... and planning... but not planning.  It's a weird place - we don't want to plan too far in the future for things because we don't know when the time will be, but we don't want to sit around and do nothing... so it's just a bit awkward.
We are waiting on the paperwork on the Belize side. Here's the run down of the process actually going on over there right now:
Once they get our dossier (the HUGE packet of papers we sent over in February), they review it to see if it meets all laws, regulations, requirements, etc.
Once that is done, they match us with a child that is available for adoption (ERIC... and possibly a Ziggy)
Once they match, they write up a referral (the pictures, the medical info, the education info... basically everything they have on the child) and they send it to our lawyer in Belize (which we have)... and THEN TO US!  HIP HIP HOORAY!
Once we get the referral, we have to do the last bit of paperwork to make sure all the visas are finalized and then... we get travel dates!

We know they have reviewed our dossier. We know they have matched us with at least Eric and we know they are working on our documentation.
NOTE: Everything in Belize is done on Belizean time.
We actually received an email yesterday that let us know that some documents were being sent to our lawyer in Belize... SO... we are hoping and crossing our fingers and toes and eyes and legs... that it means we are getting close!

Can you do anything? 
Yes... PRAY! Pray for...
Eric, Ziggy, and all the other orphans. That they have hope and know they are loved. That God would defend the fatherless as He has promised.  That His Church would rise up and care for them. 

Each person handling our paperwork. That they would be blessed as they work to bless us in making our adoption a reality. That they would work fast and efficiently... without error. I know one name in Belize that has worked on our paperwork - Pauline. Pray! 

Every adoptive family waiting... IT'S HARD. Pray for learning, comfort, joy, and peace. Pray that they see God in every, single step. 

Jacob and I, and our family, as we wait. I can't wait to have a picture, to hold a hand, to get a hug, to tuck him in, to ride bikes together, to decorate rooms, to celebrate the finalization! 

The future - whatever that means. for wisdom in the transition - where to go to school, how to parent, how to love, how to answer hard questions, job, and how to give God the most glory for all of it! 

Birthday and Resting...

First... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOST FAVORITE PERSON IN THE WORLD! 

Jacob's day of birth is today! woot woot! 

I love birthdays... especially for people in my house! I love to decorate and eat lots of cake (tooooo much cake last night... ouch!) and spoil the birthday-ee! Our kitchen looks like Party City threw up in there right now, but... I love celebrating! And I love this breaded fella pictured here! :) So... Happy Birthday Jacob! You are wonderful! 

On a completely different note... here's my passage for the week from the Message version: 

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Matthew 11:28-30

I know I've shared this passage before... but it means something different to me in different seasons of life. 

Right now...

No... I'm not physically tired but I'm sure tired of waiting. 

Am I worn out? Not physically... but definitely YES in other ways.

Am I burned out on religion? O yes. I am NOT in any way burned out on my faith - I am learning much each day. But I am more than burned out on complacent, mediocre, apathetic, indifferent church-ianity! It makes me bitter. It makes my heart hurt so bad. It makes me mad. It makes me want to vomit. It's not any church in particular...  but when we as Christians ignore the amazing mercy we receive each and everyday and choose to cross our arms and go through the motions we are screaming with our body language that His sacrifice meant little.

Jesus says to come to Him... and that's where I head everyday... or try to. He will teach us to rest... and He is teaching.  He will work with us... in the most gracious of ways.  When I think of RESTING... I think of climbing into bed after a long, busy day and just releasing all your weight and sinking into the fluffy mattress. That is the best feeling ever. That is what Jesus is offering us... to release all our weight onto Him and just... R.E.S.T. 

That is good...

He is teaching me that He is passionately waiting alongside us for Eric and Ziggy. He is always working on our behalf and He longs to be gracious to His children. Adoption is hard... waiting sucks... but Jesus is waiting with us. He holds the orphan's hands and loves them greatly... adoption is His heart... He is waiting too. He is waiting for the perfect time that He can unite our family and continue our story in Troy.  I must rest in the fact that God is for us, that He fights for the fatherless, and that He has called us to this for such a time as this! He is faithful. - but... can I just get a picture?!?!?!?! Just askin'...

He is teaching me to LOVE His church passionately and to show the love of Jesus RECKLESSLY! To not give up or stay bitter... but to press into relationships. To try not to control results of efforts but to trust and rest in HIS power and plan. To not get offended by people's comments or grimaces. To rejoice in the moments of HOPE and CHANGE and PROGRESS. To LOVE His CHURCH! 

I will choose to watch Him and learn from Him...

To learn about grace... unforced

To live in freedom of His peace and guidance...

I will certainly get away with Him and sit with Him... that is where true peace is...

I don't want unneeded burdens that I place on myself...

I am thankful for this invitation Jesus gives us.

Are you tired? Are you exhausted? Are you doubting? Are you fearful? Are your worried?  Busy out your mind?

GO TO HIM! 

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them,“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Mark 6:31

EASTER... ADOPTION

Holy Week. Passion Week. Easter Week. 

The week celebrated of our Savior's death and resurrection. Thankful...

The week that made our full adoption possible. 

ADOPTION was God's Plan A. I'm sure since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, He longed to have intimate relationships with His people again. He longed for them to be able to come boldly and confidently into His Presence. He longed to hold them personally and to give comfort to each one of us individually.  That was able to happen only because of the cross and His adoption of us! 

This week my heart has been really aching to just have Eric and Ziggy here.  To just be able to hug them and tell them how much we have already loved them.  To shower them with blessings and love and FAMILY.  We are getting close to getting our referrals - the actual pictures of them, their medical records, education info, etc! I check my email every few seconds to make sure I don't have an email titled "Referral" (I might pass out when I actually receive it). I am so anxious to see their faces, to know their stories, and to be their momma.  

I think I am feeling a small bit of what God was feeling for us before Jesus and the cross.  He couldn't wait to love on us personally through His Word and His Holy Spirit. He was passionately waiting to send His Son. He longed for us to be in His family so desperately He was willing to watch His Son die... so we could know Him. He wanted to be our Abba Daddy. 

Because of Jesus' sacrifice we can be adopted into the family of a loving and just God. But think about it...

⁴ But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. ⁶ Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
Galatians 4:4-7

Adoption is costly. We have been raising LOTS of money personally (and continue to do so) just to be able to get our kiddos. We used a lot of time, tears, and paper for the adoption of our boys to be processed. Our adoption into the family of God... cost Jesus His blood... His life.

Adoption rescues. Not that we are trying to save the world, but we will forever change the family tree of Eric and Ziggy. They will be taken from the status of ORPHAN and given a family. They will be rescued from the streets... where they would be sent after aging out of the orphanage... and placed into our home and family... a family overflowing with love. Jesus rescued us from eternal separation from Him, from sin, from ourselves.  He adopted us because of His great love for us... we needed a Savior. 

Adoption changes names. AHH!!! Our boys will have our last name!! That is the most awesome thing ever! Their complete identity will change... from having a last name of a family who left them to have the last name of their new, forever family!!! O YES! In the same way, when we are ADOPTED by our Father, our identity is completely changed! We go from slaves of sin to being legal sons of God! God, the Judge, has declared us so!!!! AMEN! We have new names in Him! We have new identity and worth and purpose and plans as sons and daughters of the living God! 

Just like Eric and Ziggy are our sons (although living miles apart), we are sons and daughters of the King of the Universe. We are heirs. We are deeply cared for. He longs to be gracious to us. He wants the best for us. He desires to talk with us, to spend time with us, and for us to run to Him and cry "Daddy!" 

I know what it is like waiting for an adoption to be final... and I'm sure during this week 2,000 years ago God was so anxious to hug His children tight! Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit in each believer... WE ARE ADOPTED! WE ARE SIGNED, SEALED, and DELIVERED! 

Getting There...

 

Well... we made it back from Costa Rica.  It was the BEST week ever. It was absolutely amazing.  I have a hard time putting into words what we experienced and all God did... but I'm going to try to on my lil' bloggie here! I have to split it up of course... it's just too much.  Basically this passage sums the week up: 

Many, Lord my God,

    are the wonders you have done,    the things you planned for us.None can compare with you;    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,    they would be too many to declare.

Psalm 40:5

Here's our amazing team ready to hit the road Jack... for ATL to board the plane! 

(WARNING - picture overload may begin over the next few posts... prepare yourself)

After a 3 hour drive to ATL and waiting in the airport for our plane that left at 6:00pm, we arrived in Costa Rica at 9:00pm their time! We boarded a bus and headed to Quepos to spend the night at a church there. WE WERE POOPED once we arrived and didn't have enough energy to fret about the sleeping arrangements.  11 girls in one small Sunday School classroom and 6 bigger boys in another... on the concrete floor. GO HARD OR GO HOME! ...Jusy sayin'

We were able to go to church where we slept that next morning.  This church was a TOTALLY different sight than what would be our surroundings for the remainder of the week. This church was like the Brook Hills of Costa Rica - complete with a sound system, worship band, A/C, and fanciness!!! 

After church we ate at a 
yummy yummy restaurant and then kept driving to a church in Paso Canoas where we stayed the night.  Check out our bedding!!!! Hammocks and sleeping bags! Woot woot!!! I have to say this was a first for me... sleeping in a hammock hanging from the rafters. LOVED IT! 

We had a really sweet worship service that night... talked about each of our stories of even being on the trip, what God was already teaching us, and our fears for the week.  We sang to Jesus and spent time together. 

The next morning... we knew what awaited us... THE HIKE UP THE MOUNTAIN.  

We had NO CLUE what it was going to be like... but we suited up with our packs on and headed to the start of the trail! 

Here's our team before the hike... HARD CORE I tell you.  Most teams would take a group photo all clumped together with the beautiful ocean being showcased... not us! We found weird looking poles in the ground and decided that was the perfect place for our portrait!!! It looks great too... duh! 

So... we hiked... and hiked... and hiked! 

It was a 2 hour hike! We were nasty and tired... and realized how out of shape we were.  NOTE TO SELF: next year... training hikes will be required! haha! 

At least we had BEAUTIFUL views to go along with our aching hamstrings. 

Pretty much the hike consisted of crazy climbs like this! 

BUT.... WE MADE IT!!!!!!!!!!! We are looking fresh here, huh???? 

We finally made it to our destination... the village of Alta Mira... the home of the Guamyi people. 

We couldn't wait to get our hands dirty in ministry and I can't wait to tell you some of what God did! 

But first... I want to introduce you to a few VERY important people and locations for the trip...

This is Laura and Amanda... 2 of our leaders.  Tracy isn't in this picture but she was a leader too! They were AMAZING!!!!! The led us well, loved us well, and were just awesome in general! Laura was our leader from Praying Pelican when we went to Belize in the summer as well! It was great just being with her again and ministering with her and this team last week! 

This is Pastor Marvin - the pastor at the church we stayed at in Paso Canoas (the church where we slept in hammocks).  He is an amazing man of God. This trip was his vision. After Praying Pelican brought a team to his church a while back, he told Laura that he would prefer that a team be sent to GO OUT... to help the community... and to minister specifically to the village of Alta Mira! 

This is Paster Manuel and his family.  This is the pastor in Alta Mira! We felt so honored to minister to and with them in their home.  The girls also stayed in their house, which served as the church, each night. So amazing that they let us in their house... strangers... and were so hospitable.  So awesome how because of Jesus... the language didn't even matter! His little kiddos were so precious!!! Pastor Manuel and his wife are also one of 2 or 3 couples that are married in the village. 

 NOW INTRODUCING  PASTOR ANABELLI!!! Our trip would DEFINITELY not be the same without this woman! She was amazing and a one-of-a-kind!!! She is a Praying Pelican staffer in Costa Rica! I'm convinced that she is on SPEED DIAL with Jesus!! This woman LOVES the Lord and doesn't take a single moment for granted when sharing His story! I learned so much about loving the Lord, loving the people, and living in FREEDOM from this lady!!! She also prayed, while touching my womb area, that I would get pregnant!!! I'M FREAKING OUT! I told her to take it back... she looks at me and says, "Umm... I do not think I can do that..."  AHHH!!! So... if I get pregnant (along with getting TWO boys) it's all Anabelli's fault!!!!!!! I love this woman and her spunk!

 This was our waterhole hole for the week.  Each time our water bottles ran dry... we trotted down to this water source, filled them up, and then ZAPPED them with this handy dandy UV thing! They said it cleaned the water... so we believed them! No one got sick so I guess it was the truth!  

And this was the el bano! AKA the bathroom!! The one of the left (with the palm leaves) was one the people built for us when we got there! :) We got to stink it up all ourselves! The one of the right was a little more experienced and had a nice tang to it already! BUT... I can now say I have used the bathroom in a village in the rain forest... pretty cool in my books! 

Not a bad view!!! 

Breath-taking!!!!!! I got to watch the sun set over the Pacific with my hunny. 

Yea... I could definitely get used to this... sweat, funk, and all! 

Thankful for this man, our marriage, and our ministry.  

Life doesn't get any better. 

...can't wait til Eric and Ziggy are by our sides next year! 

#toosnow #toofun #toofroze

Oh life... it's so crazy and fun. I like it a lot. Sometime I get a little overwhelmed because I seemed to have lost the pause button on my life remote... but it's just a good life.

Before I start with the explosion of pictures... THE DOSSIER (last set of paperwork for adoption) IS ON ITS WAY TO BELIZE!!!! YAHOO!!!!!!!!!! Now we get to wait on that to be process and for the profiles for our boys to be sent to us!! THAT MEANS PICTURES!! HALLELUJAH!!! 

We just got back from a ski retreat with our youth! We went to Banner Elk, NC and skied at Ski Beech! It was amazing... and SO SO SO COLD! We were in the Presidents' Day Winter Storm. Fun, huh? Yea... I don't drive in that... freaked me out for sure! haha! Anywho... I know you want to see pics... so here you are:

It was super cold... I mean I have never been outside for an extended period of time in that coldness before. My face panicked at the frozen wind... and I had to buy this legit ski face mask so I wouldn't die! I look cool, don't I?

Here's our group. I know... no one has faces... it was cold I tell ya! 

But we are cute and we had a blast! On Sunday... it was seriously 2 (TWO) DEGREES at the bottom of the mountain... that's cold right there! 

Here's the view from the top of the mountain. BEAUTIFUL! 

All the slopes were open. There was real snow (because we were in a winter storm). It was fabulous.

Me and the hubs. Aren't we cute? haha! I love ski/snow pictures! 

The kiddos... pumped for skiing! Aren't that adorable? I love them! 

Stephanie, Hunter, me, and Jacob 

SO SO THANKFUL for these 2 people! I love them dearly. I get teary-eyed thinking about how awesome they are... so I'm gonna stop. We love y'all! 

Me and Steph hitting the slopes. This picture is so funny! 

LOVE LOVE LOVE these girls!  

My poor car was NOT used to this. Thankful Hunter wanted to/could drive in that icy-ness while we were there!  

AND...

Please give a warm welcome to JUBILEE MORGAN!!! The newest member of the Morgan family! You can call her Jubi if you want!  

Ya know... we thought since we were getting two kiddos.. we needed to train with 2 doggies!!! 

She's precious!!! Walter met her last night! He just wants her to play!!!! I think he'll like her... but he doesn't understand why she just lays there...  

AND Last but not least... we did a Harlem Shake video with the youth last night... HILARIOUS!!!!! 

I think it's so good to shout to the world that Jesus is fun! He is exciting and Christians live exciting lives!!!! The youth loved it! Laughing... craziness... funny costumes... togetherness!!! Good stuff!!! CHECK IT OUT:

N.E.W.S. - Eric & 'Ziggy'

N.E.W.S.

Fun things have been happening lately! 

So much fun things I'm having a difficult time keeping my eyes open... I'm pooped.  No rest for the weary.  As I always say... I'll sleep when I'm dead! YOLO! haha! 

Anywho...

First... my momma's birthday was this week!!! :) She's 29... again.  I'm catching up to her... but it's all good! She's wonderful! Anyone who knows her... knows that. She loves the Lord and everyone she meets... especially children.  She makes friends in every restaurant we eat at! 

Thankful for my momma.

NEXT UP...

This is my Valentine! :) Surprise surprise.

But... WE ARE GOING ON A DATE!!!! Isn't that so dandy! 

To japanese food and the movies tonight! 

I am one excited girl! 

I do have to admit I am NOT a good Valentine this year. I didn't get a single thing for him... and he knows it! How awful. These past 2 weeks have been so crazy busy... I haven't had time to even go to Walmart! I don't even have milk and cereal... and I LIVE on milk and cereal! So... he'll just have to accept my love as his gift! Lucky guy, huh? 

I did get him Chick-fil-a this morning though. That counts for something, right?

NEXT HEADLINE... drum roll please....

WE HAVE BEEN APPROVED TO ADOPT TWO (2) CHILDREN FROM BELIZE!!!! 

AHHH!!! I know... more craziness! I am so excited! But think about it... why would you go through ALL this paperwork, raise ALL this money, know you will adopt more in the future... and just get one child when you can bring TWO into the Morgan fam!!!!! Well, after praying and just living on faith... we filled out paperwork to get 2 and... that's what is gonna happen! We received official approval just recently! Eric Forever, our heart and reason for adopting from Belize, will be a big brother. 

Funny - So, I was tired of talking with our friends/fam about the potential 2 boys (yes, we want another boy... we think) and calling them "Eric and... the other..." So, I told Jacob we needed to come up with a nickname/love name for the 2nd one.  He had just got done watching the Grammy's and some guy named Ziggy Marley had performed.  So, in true Jacob fashion and in his love for music... he came up with a name... and we will be adopting Eric and 'Ziggy.'  HAHA!! Poor kid... he will be so confused when everyone he meets around here calls him Ziggy! But... at least it's a cool name. 

So... PLEASE be praying for us as God prepares us to parent, not only ONE... but TWO! 

COMIC RELIEF? 

I think not.  This is not a funny cartoon to me... it hit me right between the eyes! Ready?

I think this is so true. Jesus does not care about big names or how many follows people have on Twitter... He looks at the heart.  I'm sure his favorite singer is a lady in a little village.... a lady who understands trusting in Him and falling in love with Him and clinging to Him like I can't even imagine. 

So many times I get caught up with 'being someone.' For someone to like my teaching, my writing, my thoughts, my ideas. I want to be noticed... and perhaps asked to speak or teach somewhere. THAT IS NOT THE POINT. The point is to LOVE Him. To do it all for His glory. With a right heart. To love and teach and invest in and laugh with and cherish whoever is in front of us.  To sing and worship and study and dive in and learn and share and BE... FOR Him... not us. 

Just thought it might strike a cord with someone else out there. It wasn't funny to me. Not funny...