They are finally home!

I could not keep my eyes off of the doors that kept opening and closing for people who had cleared customs...two hours went by and then...we saw their attorney turn the corner with Etta in a stroller!  My eyes darted back and forth looking for Elysee and finally a few seconds later, she came bouncing around the corner, eyes wide open at all the people waiting to greet passengers.  I started waving like a crazy mom!  I climbed under the rope that was supposed to keep us out of the walkway and got on my knees.  Our eyes met and she ran to me and jumped in my arms!

 

This is an answer to prayer!  I went three separate times to Africa to visit our girls and not once did she ever run into my arms! 

A few minutes later she began to scream and run from me but it only lasted a little while and then all was well again. 

When we got out to the car, I tried to put Elysee into the car seat and she clung to me so I just held her while Adam buckled Etta in and Eva and Eli buckled in and then she just got in on her own!  She was grinning from ear to ear in the car!  Etta still looked a little in shock and soon fell asleep.  We picked up chick-fil-a and Elysee ate all of hers and part of Eva's!  Then she fell asleep and both girls slept all the way home. 

When we got to the house we were welcomed with balloons and "Welcome Home Stultz Family" signs!  The girls love the helium balloons!  It took them a few minutes to wake up but then they were happy the whole evening! 

There were so many "firsts" last night that were incredible!  When we took them up to their room, I showed Elysee which bed was hers and she had the biggest smile on her face!  She jumped in her bed and was so happy! 

We let the girls open their Christmas presents last night.  When Elysee opened her doll and figured out what it was, she immediately stopped and there was an audible gasp!  She covered her mouth in shock and sat there for a few seconds before she started jumping up and down.  I will never forget that moment!  Eli helped Etta open her presents...he adores her! 

We gave everyone a bath and they were so happy!  We all went to bed at 8:30.  I slept in the girls room with them.  Etta whimpered a little bit at bed time but fell asleep quickly.  Elysee woke up at 3:00 and got into my bed and then got up at 5:30 to go to the bathroom but quickly went back to sleep.  We all slept until 8:30 this morning!  I never would have imagined this is how our first night would go. 

This morning, Eva, Eli and Elysee held hands walking down the steps to have breakfast while I carried Etta.  My heart is exploding with joy! 

I am so thankful for all of your prayers! 

I will post more pictures soon!  4 kiddos are busy!!!

Lynsey

Perspective in the Waiting

Adam and I had the opportunity to speak at our church this weekend and I thought I would share some of it on here.  One of our pastors was speaking on perspective and thought we might have a little insight into the subject!  We shared a little about where we were in our adoption journey and just a couple of things that God has done while we are waiting...

So this is just a little back ground on us. We have been going through the process of adopting two little girls from the Democratic Republic of Congo.   This process was supposed to take 9-12 months and we are in year 4.  They are legally adopted but the DRC will not issue exit visas for them to come home.  This has been the hardest journey of our lives.  We thought the endless paperwork and government red tape was difficult the first year but it paled in comparison to what was to come.  I have traveled to the DRC three times and held these little girls in my arms only to have to give them back over to other people to raise in our absence. 

It has been excruciating. 

But even through all the heartache and pain, God has shown us he is working in big and small ways every day. 

When I think of perspective, my mind always goes back to one conversation. About three and a half years ago, I was in ladies Bible study here at Summerdean Church and I was really upset about our adoption process not going as I planned.  I asked the ladies there to pray for us and they did.  A little while later that evening Debbie Ronk walked up to me and shared a scripture she had read that week about Peter walking on water.  She talked to me about Matthew chapter 14.

Jesus has just finished feeding the 5,000 and had sent the disciples on ahead of him.  Starting at verse 25 it says,

 ^"Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.

When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified.

“It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.  

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I.  Don’t be afraid.”  

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”  

“Come,” he said. 

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”  

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.

“You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?"

Debbie reminded me that Peter only began to sink when he took his eyes off of Jesus.  This has been a constant reminder over the last few years.  When I begin to look at our circumstances, it never fails, I become overwhelmed.  But the moment I call out to Jesus he gives me his peace and I am able to keep going.  I ask him every morning to help me see every person and every circumstance as he sees them because perspective matters. 

In November of 2013, I was up early praying for a little boy named William and his sister Elisa that were living in an orphanage in Kinshasa.  I really wanted to send them a Christmas present so I sent our agency an email asking if we could send them gifts.  About an hour later, I received an e-mail back saying that we could not.  Our agency rep, Debra, said that they would have to send fifty-five other presents for the other children in that orphanage if we did that and it just wouldn’t be fair.  After reading her reply, I just sat on the couch and cried.  I know that sounds silly but I just needed to send these kids something.  The thought of the two of them without a family just broke my heart.

Well, a couple of hours later, I received a phone call from someone and it started out as most phone calls do, with the person asking, "How are you?"  Well, instead of giving the normal, "I’m fine,"  I was truthful and told them I was having a rough morning.  I explained the e-mail that I sent asking if we could send those two children a present and that the agency said we could not because they would have to send fifty-five other presents and then the coolest thing happened!  The person on the phone said, "Go ahead and tell them we will send all the presents to the orphanage."  I went on to explain that it would be very expensive, like thousands of dollars, to send that many presents, that we would have to buy all the presents and then pay the shipping and the person on the phone just said, "I have the money.  Just tell them we will send the presents."  Well, you can imagine what I did, I am crying so hard at that point that I can barely tell Adam what happened so he called Debra at our agency and she could not believe it! She actually asked Adam if he was serious!  She was astonished that a person would do that!  She told Adam how appreciative she was and that this would be a huge blessing to these children. 

God has reminded me of this a few times over the last couple of years.  If our agency had said "yes," that we could send those two children a present, there would have been fifty-five other children there without one.  I feel like the Lord reminded me that He is sovereign.  That even when it looks like he is saying "no," sometimes the "no" is because he sees the big picture and he knows what will happen if we are just patient.  Sometimes the "no" is because he has something much better planned!  This continues to be a message I need to hear.  I don't know why Elysee and Etta are not here yet but I know our God is sovereign and He is STILL working all of this for our good and His glory!  I feel like he continues to remind me that I would choose his plan if I had all the information…if I could see the future and I could see what was coming, I would choose his plan EVERY single time. 

In December 2013, Adam and I received all of Elysee's translated court documents giving us custody of her in the DRC and telling us that her name changed to Elysee Stultz :-)  Adam and I both sat down on the couch that night and read through all of the documents detailing what they were able to find out about her past and in all of the information one line read...."she is an only child."  It was really a bittersweet moment.  We were excited to finally get all of the documents and to have custody of her but I really had been praying for siblings and it did not look like this was going to work out that way.
Well, the next morning, I was sitting in a Bible study when I got a text message from Adam and it said, "She has a half-sister."  Well I literally gasped!  A friend of mine, Sarah Stultz was sitting next to me and asked if I was okay and I showed her the text message and then both of us just started crying.  I quickly texted him back and asked, "How old is she?"  And Adam replied, "Born last night :-)."

If we had met our timeline for this adoption journey we may have never known about our sweet Etta.  We received Elysee’s referral in April and we should have had her home with us in October but God had other plans.  I will never know if this is one of the reasons that God has stretched this thing out so long but this is what I do know… in ALL things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

During this delay we have had the opportunity to go to the DRC three times.  Each time we travel we have collected and delivered items to benefit the Congolese people.  We have taken infant formula, medications, toys, clothes, money and water filters.  It has been very interesting to see how those items have benefited not only orphans but the Congolese people in general.  In November 2015, we were able to collect money to take 84 water filters to the DRC.  Each of these filters will provide a lifetime of clean water for an average family.  We have received pictures of these water filters being installed in schools, orphanages, medical clinics, churches and people’s homes.  This has a made a difference and will continue to make a difference for years to come.  Through this process we have made contacts and friends with people who are serving the Lord there.  Through these people we hope to help orphans and the people in the DRC from afar for a very long time.  This would not have happened if this had gone according to our plan.  It is really overwhelming to see all of things God has allowed us to take part in and all the ways he has blessed people through the waiting.    

We have  also been taking part in these prayer conference calls for a couple of months now.  An adoptive mom who has a child waiting in the DRC arranges these conference calls and she sends out a time and a phone number and little code to put in and people from around the world call in and pray together for our children.  Moms, dads, grandparents, just whoever wants to can call in and one at a time for about an hour we all pray together.  One of the really cool things God has taught us through these prayer calls is that the President of the DRC, President Kabila is a child of God too.  Now, we know that but when someone began praying for him it really changed the way we prayed for our children.  We had of course been praying for their release but we started to boldly pray that President Kabila would come to know the love of God.  That he would accept Jesus as his savior and in turn see that these children are loved by God and need a family.  We believe that this adoption is about way more than just our little family and our two girls in the DRC so we have started to ask God to use this in President Kabila’s life and in the government officials lives both here and in the DRC to point them toward Christ. 

Over a year ago, I read a verse one morning.  One I had probably read before but for some reason that morning the Lord drew my attention to the words.  “On him we have set our hope, that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.  Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.  2 Corinthians 1:10-11

The scripture is out of a letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians and he is speaking of the hardships they faced during a missionary journey.  He realized that they could do nothing to help themselves, they simply had to rely on God.  We are in the same place.  We can do nothing to help ourselves or these two precious girls, we simply have to rely on God.  I felt the Lord speak to me through this scripture…”Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.” So over the last month,  I have contacted 975 churches asking for prayers for our girls and the over 1,000 legally adopted orphans in the DRC to be released and for the salvation of President Kabila.  The response has been really cool!  People have written us back from all over the nation telling us they are praying for us.  Giving us words of encouragement and sharing their own stories and asking us to pray for them.  On Friday, we received an email from a Church here in Roanoke, Soveriegn Grace Church and they said they would love to pray for us and they have asked us to come tonight to a prayer and communion service at their church. 

PRAYER IS A POWERFUL THING! 

I have a saying hanging up on the wall in my kitchen that says “No problems equals no miracles.”  Well we have some problems so we need a miracle and my God is a miracle worker!  The Congolese government has said they will be releasing some of the children this Wednesday February 3^rd and we are praying that Elysee and Etta will be on the list.  We are not only praying they will be on the list but we are asking for the release of all of them because our God can do that! 

I will ask him for their release everyday as long as I have breath in me but I am confident that no matter what happens on Wednesday, MY GOD IS GOOD and I can trust that if they aren’t on the list, he has a better plan. 

I believe that he will work this all out for our good and his glory. 

This perspective has not come easily but we are so thankful for the journey. 

Amen

"...in answer to the prayers of MANY."

I believe prayer is very POWERFUL and that our God is a miracle worker. 

I have contacted over 800 churches across this nation asking for prayer for the release of over 1,000 legally adopted children who are waiting on exit visas from the DRC.  The response has been amazing!  I have received words of encouragement and promises of prayer from around the world!  Would you be willing to join us in our prayers? I have written out the information below detailing the situation and specific prayer requests. Would you be willing to put this information on your church's prayer chain? Give it to your pastor? Share it in your small group or Bible study? Send it out to your family or friends willing to pray? If you would like for me to send it to you in a pdf to forward along, email me at aclmstultz@gmail.com and I will make sure you get it!  Thanks for your prayers!!!!

Dear Prayer Warriors,

My name is Lynsey.  My husband and I, along with two of our children, Eva (6) and Eli (4) attend Summerdean Church of the Brethren in Roanoke, Virginia.  We need your prayers.  In Janurary 2012, our family felt God calling us to adopt a child internationally.  After many months of prayer and confirmation from the Lord, we began the paperwork and approval process to adopt from the beautiful Democratic Republic of Congo.  We completed our adoption of our 4 year old daughter, Elysee, in September 2013.  During the same month, the Democratic Republic of Congo suspended issuing exit visas for legally adopted children.  This was done so that they could re-write their adoption laws to better prevent any Congolese children from being mistreated.  In December 2013, we learned that Elysee’s mother had given birth to a little girl and wanted to know if we would be willing to adopt her as well.  We immediately began the paperwork and Etta’s adoption was completed in December 2015.  Meanwhile, two years and three months have gone by and the visa suspension continues.  We have made three trips to Africa to visit our girls and God has given us a love for these children that is indescribable.  We have missed years of their lives. 

God directed me to this verse…

"On him we have set our hope, that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.  Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."  2 Corinthians 1:10-11

The scripture is out of a letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians and he is speaking of the hardships they faced during a missionary journey.  He realized that they could do nothing to help themselves, they simply had to rely on God. We are in the same place.  We can do NOTHING to help ourselves or these two precious girls, we simply have to rely on God.

I felt the Lord speak to me through this scripture..."Then MANY will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of MANY."  I am asking MANY of our brothers and sisters in Christ to lift these children in prayer to God...not just our children but the many orphans waiting on families to bring them home. There are over 1,000 children who have been legally adopted and are not allowed to leave the DR Congo.  During the visa suspension, 29 legally adopted children have died of preventable diseases. 

Please be in prayer that President Kabila of the DR Congo would come to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Pray that God would soften his heart and that he would release all of the children to their families.  There is a delegation of Congressmen traveling to the DR Congo in January to meet with DR Congo officials about the release of these children.  Please pray they will be able to meet with President Kabila and that their meetings would be successful.  Pray for God to make these families complete.

I am sending this information to churches around the world.  I believe in the power of prayer!  Please share this information with your congregation.  If you have a prayer chain please put this information on there.  If you have regular prayer meetings, would you please ask your prayer warriors to add this to their list? If you are willing to join us in prayer, please reply and let us know at aclmstultz@gmail.com .  We promise to let you know when God performs a miracle!

We are very grateful for your prayers.

Adam and Lynsey Stultz

Then Many...

It's been a LONG time.  It has felt like a long time too.

Sorry.

Life is hard.

I haven't updated everyone because there is really nothing to say.  From where we are sitting, it looks as though nothing has changed.  Just more waiting.

People ask us every single day..."Any news?"

My answer is always the same..."Nope...just keep praying."

I have done A LOT of praying.

I was thinking to myself earlier today..."when did I start to seek God every morning in prayer and read His Word?"  I couldn't really put my finger on the exact when...I got pretty serious about my relationship with God about 9 or 10 years ago but I did not make time for daily prayer and reading the Bible till a bit later.

I do now.

I wake up everyday, walk downstairs, and ask God to protect them.

And He has.

I ask God to perform miracles.

And He has.

It may look as though nothing has changed, but it has.

I know He is working.  I was praying a few weeks ago and asking God why they aren't here yet and just a bit after that I began doing my Bible study when I came upon the following scripture that I want to share with you....

"On him we have set our hope, that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.  Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."  2 Corinthians 1:10-11

Now, this scripture is out of a letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians and he is speaking of the hardships they faced during a missionary journey.  He realized that they could do nothing to help themselves, they simply had to rely on God.

We are in the same place.  We can do NOTHING to help ourselves or these two precious girls, we simply have to rely on God.

I felt the Lord speak to me through this scripture..."Then MANY will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of MANY."

I am asking MANY of our friends, family, acquaintances, and those traveling this same journey to lift these children in prayer to God...not just our children but the many orphans waiting on families to bring them home.  I know a lot of the people who know us pray for our children daily and I am forever grateful to you, but I am asking you to do more.  On Sunday, November 16th at sundown, we will begin fasting and praying for these children for 24 hours and we are asking you to join us.

Please pray that the exit visa suspension will be lifted.

I would love to know if you join us in this :-)

Do It Anyway

This trip has been so much different in so many ways.  Elysee (except for the first hour) started the week off happy and full of excitement but as the week went on she withdrew more and more.  I have no idea why. 

Maybe she was exhausted.

Maybe she knew that I was going to leave.

Maybe she missed her home.

This week, instead of crying and screaming, for the most part, she kind of froze.  She would shut down and stare off into space not wanting to talk or interact with anyone.  The good news is, during our last trip when she began to scream and cry or shut down, she wanted nothing to do with me, but this time, she only wanted me J  It was a good feeling to be able to hold her even if she wasn’t talking to me. 

Thursday evening she shut down again but she sat in my lap for over an hour taking stickers and putting them on my arms and hands.  She finally came out of it a little and brushed her teeth and went straight to bed.

 

On Friday morning, we all went to the pool.  Elysee has a love hate relationship with the pool but on this day she decided she wanted to get in her little blow up boat (thanks Erica!!!) and have someone push her around, so I ran back to the room and prayed as I put on my bathing suit that she would have a good time in the pool and not flip out J  When I got back, she let me pull her around for a bit and then she saw one of the other kids counting in English and jumping off the side of the pool so she asked me to put her on the side.  Then she did the coolest thing!  She counted to ten in English and jumped into my arms!  She did this about a thousand times over the next hour and I loved every single second of it!  At one point, one of the other ladies there tried to catch her because I had caught another little boy in my arms but she stopped and waited for me to give him to someone and then jumped to me!  I had so much fun and she was so happy!  Thank you God for this memory!

After the pool, we went back to the room for lunch and then I got out some paint and a brush and she and I sat outside of our room while she painted.

It started off really fun and then she tried to paint the table next to us and I told her not to and she looked at me like any other three year old would and painted it anyways.  I told her “no” and gently took the paint brush and paints and took them inside.  On the way in she began to hit me.  I walked all the way over to the sink and shut my eyes and began to pray.  I asked God to help her to make the right choice.  I asked God to give me wisdom in how to respond.  I asked God to give me joy no matter how she acted.  And I asked God to help me show her his love.  By this time, she was standing next to me hitting my leg over and over and I opened my eyes and looked down at her and I did something completely not natural for me.  I put my arms out to her and asked her to come to me and she stopped hitting me and jumped into my arms.  I was really quite surprised at her reaction and mine as well which was definitely from God.  I picked her up and took her outside and snuggled until she fell asleep in my arms.  I pray, if only for that moment in time, she understands that I love her even when she is hitting me.

 I finally had to wake her up because we only had about a half hour until both of the girls were going home and she just sat in my arms until they arrived.  I had worked it all out in my head how I would tell her in Lingala what was happening and in my head I never cried…but it was much different when I tried to say it to her.  I told her, “you are going to your house, I am going to my house, and I will be back to get you.”  Try saying those words to a three year old who is staring at you with big brown eyes looking completely confused.  I prayed and prayed for God to give me peace and he did.  I handed both of the girls over on Friday evening and yet again walked away having no idea when I will see either of them again.  This is hard.

A few weeks before my trip, I told God I was just plain angry with him.  I was mad that he has left us in this place of uncertainty.  I was mad that he has not brought our girls home yet.  I truly believe that God has the power to bring them home so I was angry that he had not.  It was a really hard time for me.  I’m not sure if I have ever been that angry at him or at anyone.  I screamed and cried and cried but God has done what he always does if we let him.  He has comforted me.

I was reminded that this has been and continues to be his plan…not mine.

In my heart I plan my course, but You determine my steps.  Proverbs 16:9

Part of the reason I feel like I was so mad was because God wasn’t working this all out the way I wanted in the time that I wanted him to.  I have to continue to remind myself that this is his plan.

I was reminded that his timing is perfect.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:  a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot…a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…  Ecclesiastes 3:1,2,4

God is the creator and sustainer of time.  Nothing is untimely to Him.   If I believe that, I have to trust him in every single moment. 

I was reminded that throughout this process he is molding me and teaching me to be more like him. 

I consider it pure joy whenever I face trials of many kinds.  Help me to know that the testing of my faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work in me so that I may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.  James 1:2-4

I was reminded that choosing joy in the midst of our circumstances and being thankful for his abundant grace are the keys to being joyful.  I am not happy about where we are in this process but I can choose to be joyful because of what Jesus has done for me.  I have so many things to be thankful for and once I was reminded of this, I began to see God working all around me. 

I have thought about the fact that someone may someday read a part of my writing on here and instead of being drawn towards adoption and orphan care they would run.  I pray that is never the case.  This process has been long and messy and really hard but there is not and has never been a moment I have wanted out of it.  If God is asking you to do something now or in the future that you are afraid to do or that you think is just too hard…do it anyways. 

Do it anyways…

Not because you owe him anything, which you do…you owe him everything.

Not because he will love you less, which he won’t…he can’t love you any less…he IS love.

Not because you have to earn your salvation, you definitely do not, that price has already been paid.

Do it anyways…because it is the coolest thing in the world to be right smack in the middle of his will for you watching a storm rage all around you but have his peace over you all at the same time. 

Adoption is really messy and really hard.  It is hard to love someone who kicks and screams and wants nothing more than to get away from you.  It is hard to show love to someone who is hitting you.  It would have been so much easier to not do this, but we made a choice, out of obedience to God, to love his children.  It is a choice to enter into messy, hard places but isn’t that what Jesus did for us?  Didn’t he come here and suffer and die for you and for me?  Isn’t that a little bit more than messy and hard?  When he asks you to do something you know is going to be messy or hard…do it anyways out of love for him and for what he has done for you and for no other reason.  

Lynsey

Ups and Downs

On Wednesday morning,  I woke up and got the coffee going and looked back over at Elysee’s bed and she was sitting up so I went over and sat down on her bed and she crawled right over in my lap…a great way to start the day! 

The day on Wednesday went pretty well…very few crying spells and mostly two very happy kiddos!  Elysee only cried about a minute when we came into the room for bed and then she asked me if she could change into her jammies J  She loves to change clothes…all day long!  She loves to pick them out, put them on, take them off, fold them…she just loves clothes!  She also loves socks and has to have them on at all times!  I brought some bows for both girls hair and Elysee has loved to pick them out and put them on both of them….she usually likes to have about 5-8 on at a time J  They are both eating very well and sleeping well too.  The baby has been getting up once a night to eat which has been wonderful!  I love getting to snuggle with her alone during the night J 

I have been praying over both of the girls when I get up in the middle of the night and it has been a very sweet time J  I love how God works in our heart over time and now I do not only pray that I can bring them home soon but I mostly pray that they will grow to be strong women of faith who love God and love to make him known no matter where they are.

Thursday morning, the first family had to leave to go home and so the first of the children were taken from the hotel back to the foster home.  Please pray for all of the families and children here and that God would give them the strength and peace to leave.  I cannot explain how hard this is to watch or to go through but I know that God sees our tears and hears our prayers and that he is with all of us in the place.  There are so many adoptive families here this week...many from our agency and many who have lived here for months with their kids they cannot take home yet.  I was lying in bed last night thinking about all of the prayers that are said within the walls of this hotel for these children and it made me smile.  I know that he hears us and I know that his timing is perfect…we just have to trust him.

After the first family left, many of the ladies went to an orphanage to take supplies and visit (including Elizabeth).  When the van left, Elysee immediately began to flip out…not just cry but seriously flip out!  She wailed and kicked and screamed.  I had no idea what to do so I took both of the girls into our room and tried to see if she wanted anything to eat but she did not.  She just kept screaming so after a few minutes, one of the cleaning men came in and held her and tried to talk to her but nothing was really helping.  She finally stopped crying but she was staring off into space and not talking to anyone.  He told me that she was tired and he left but I feel like it was much more than that.  I think she saw all of the cars and thought I was leaving or maybe she just thought someone was going to take her…I don’t know.  I tried to tell her I was not leaving yet but she wouldn’t listen.  I finally just picked her up and rocked her back and forth and prayed over her for about twenty minutes out loud and she finally calmed down.  I got out some smarties and got her to try them and once she did she started smiling and playing with me.  She finally ate lunch and then we went back outside and she was happy again.  It breaks my heart to see how scared she is and think there is nothing I can do about it but God has reminded me that he is the one that can heal her heart so that is what I am praying for. 

The baby has been very happy and cuddly…she did cry a bit last night before bed but I just took her outside and rocked her and she was out in less than ten minutes J 

I am so thankful for my time here with our girls.  I cannot even put into words the joy it brings me to see them growing and healthy and happy where they are.  Adam has told me that our kids at home are doing well too in my absence.  It tears my heart in two when I think about Eva and Eli at home without me…I miss them so much and then my heart breaks to think about leaving our girls here and going home…it is horrible to have your heart so attached to little ones on two different continents…I cannot wait for the day we are all in the same place J 

Elizabeth and I have another day with the girls before they go back.  Please pray that Elysee will not be scared and that we would end our week with joy in our hearts that we are together.  Please pray for God’s peace and comfort to pour out on us when we say goodbye.

Thank you for your prayers…he is listening and working for our good and his glory J

Lynsey

We're Here!!!

Elizabeth and I arrived on Monday afternoon, only a few hours behind schedule J  Papa Xavier was at the airport to meet us along with two other families so we waited and waited for our luggage and then took off to the hotel.  The drive was very exciting as always!  We had about ten minutes to unpack our things in our room before Elysee arrived.  I heard the van pull in and I ran out to see her!  Her reaction was about the worst I could have imagined.  She began crying immediately and clung to one of the ladies who brought her.  She would not come to me at all.  I immediately began crying even though I told myself I would not…it’s hard to see how scared she is.  The baby came a few minutes later and she was asleep so I grabbed her in my arms and began kissing her all over! 

She has grown so much!  About an hour or so after both girls arrived, Elysee began to warm up to me.  She asked me to take her to the pool and so we swam a bit and she was back to her old self!  She laughed and smiled and we had a wonderful night!  Elizabeth went out with a few others to the grocery store so we have plenty of food now J

I was so dreading bedtime and Elysee did cry for a bit before bed but she let me hold her and rock her until she fell asleep J  Elizabeth got the baby all ready for bed and she went right to sleep.  Then we went to bed around the same time…Elizabeth and I were exhausted! 

Everyone woke up in great moods this morning!  Elizabeth and I were rested and the girls were all smiles!  We spent the morning playing in our room which was really great!  I made Elysee toast with Nutella and she ate four pieces!!!  Elizabeth went back to the grocery store today with a few others so one other lady and I had four kiddos in our room for lunch…they were a hoot!  Eating everything and into everything!!!  Elysee and one of the other little boys wrestled for about an hour…it made me laugh so hard thinking about the day we get to bring her home to wrestle Eli J 

We went swimming for a bit today and Elysee sat at the edge of the pool and dumped cup after cup of water on her head while laughing hysterically!  I was even able to get the baby in for a bit and she really liked it too J  After swimming we headed back to the room for a nap and Elysee cried for about an hour before she finally went to sleep.  She woke up in kind of a dazed state that she stayed in for about two hours but after dinner she began to smile and laugh again J  We celebrated one of the little boy’s birthdays tonight so everyone had cake which Elysee loved! 

Tonight was amazing!  I told Elysee we had to leave one of her friends rooms to come back to our room for bed.  She grabbed her Dora doll, waved goodbye, and walked out the door….then she began to scream!  She screamed while we walked back to the room and continued once we got inside.  Then about five minutes later she stopped, we picked out her jammies, played on the bed for a few minutes and I told her it was time to go to sleep and she laid down on her bed, I covered her up and she kissed me goodnight!  AMAZING!  I could not believe it! 

Elizabeth has been a HUGE help so far and I am so thankful for her willingness to come!  She has cooked, cleaned, shopped and played with both of the girls. 

Please continue to pray for the girls…the baby has had an upset stomach and both of the girls have a bit of a cold L

Well, that’s it for now… Thank God for a wonderful two days filled with smiles, hugs, kisses and snuggles! 

Lynsey