March Madness according to the Strickland's

March was a busy month in our household......

Chris' bracket is falling apart and I'm  not holding out for a big win there---

(other than that  there is nothing about basketball in this post (sorry))

 

March 17th---Eden Dawn turned 10 years old!!! Can you even believe it?

She got her big girl Bible and some yummy Los Cabos on her bday

 as well as a 9 other crazy girls at our house for a sleepover (on the 15th).

   I'm on the Board of Directors for Hannah's Refuge---a non-profit long term safe house for women and children.  We held our first trivia night and it was a huge success....but with a late night (Eden helped sell bake goods) here and the night before---I began to be sleep deprived.  :)  For more information on Hannah's Refuge go HERE.

 

March 24th  Palm Sunday, Winter Storm Virgil came by and dropped the biggest snow fall in years to the STL (10+ inches)---so it was a snow day for us. Sunday church was cancelled and then no school on Monday.  (Welcome Spring???)  We opted for mini-snow people rather than one big snowman. 

March 26th--Chris and I celebrated 14 years of marriage.  I love the man more every year.  He is so good for me and to me (and our growing family)

 

Speaking of growing family.....March 28th there was a referral (Big Woohoo right here!) which made our new number #15.  Even more exciting than that, were hints that we might be higher up the list for a toddler than we thought.  Bottom line:  Any day, week, or month is still an option to see her face.  (Others have made it to month 26 and we will be 21 months waiting in 1 week!)

 

March 31st---He IS Risen!!!  Celebrated Resurrection Sunday at FCC.  I love my family and our church family.  Do pray that Eden will fit this dress made by my friend Cynthia Frame because we have a matching outfit for Chloe. :/ (Insert Wes King's song:  "We Thought You'd Be Here By Now")

My kids make me smile!!!

Truth is.....

     So I've never been the best meditator, but this adoption process has had me chewing on some different verses and scriptures the last year (or two).  I like chewing on a piece of scripture and coming back to it again and again and seeing that it rings true.  There are days where I can be so encouraged and on cloud nine one day thinking things are moving along quite nicely----the next week thinking "uh....it is so slow".....and discouraged. 
    I know everything is in His perfect timing--but it is hard to live by that rule.  Even tonight Chris mentioned a wedding he may do in December.  I asked if he mentioned Africa---ugh....did I really say that....surely she will be home way before December??? 

    Anyways, back to Truth.  Truth is.........

The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.  Exodus 14:14

5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. 7 My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.   Psalm 62:5-8

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

^12-13 Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner........So if you find life difficult because you’re doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he’s doing, and he’ll keep on doing it.
 1 Peter 4:12-13,19

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways ackowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵ he^[b] predestined us for adoption to sonship^[c] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.  Ephesians 1:3-6

So we can say with confidence, "The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?" Hebrews 13:6

    "How great is the Love the Father has lavished on us, that we should
be called children of God. And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1

¹ In you, Lord my God,
I put my trust.

² I trust in you;
do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
³ No one who hopes in you
will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
who are treacherous without cause.

⁴ Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths.
⁵ Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
⁶ Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.
⁷ Do not remember the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you, Lord, are good.     Psalm 25

 

The Truth is....God is good.  God is faithful. God is loving and worth our trust.  He brings hope. He brings rest. He is our refuge and mighty rock. He builds my character. He is guiding.   He is working.  He is fighting. He is salvation.  He alone.

 

What verses have you been meditating on?  Care to share? 

GOD IS GOOD! {+20 Month Waitiversary!}

Today marks 20 months on the wait list.  Officially the time span of two full term pregnancies.  There has been such good news though and HOPE that things are picking up.  We just had our first 3-referral day at the end of Feb. since April of 2011.  They added 3 orphanages (1 main and 2 branches) to the 3 our agency already has been working with....and I have been told that there are several toddlers at these orphanages.  All 3 boy referrals came from this main orphanage---so excited to see the quick turn around there.  I keep thinking God is going to give me a little toddler girl---so we shall see (we are requesting anywhere from 0-4 years). 

The cool thing is our dear friends that live near us in the STL metro area were one of those referrals.  They have been waiting patiently for God to give them their FIRST child and how excited I was when they got their call!!!  To be honest, there are people who get their referrals at #2, #4, #13, #19, and even into the 20's for older children.  SO.....that being said.....IT COULD BE ANY WEEK.  I think I may be #5-6 for a toddler girl, BUT then again it could be 6 more months.  The #2 spot is waiting on a girl and has been waiting for 26 plus months.  So pray for our patience as we wait and try not to stalk the internet each and every day. 

But even today brought movement:  We are .................................

 

 

God is good ALL the time and ALL the time God is good!!! 

I'm learning more and more about Him and me and Chris and my other kiddos each and every day. 

 

 

So......KEEP PRAYING and if you walk (doesn't everyone?)  :)   try to join the Strickland's and our friends--the Kramel's at the 3rd ANNUAL LOVE 2 RUN 4 LOVE. 

You will be helping bring 2 Ethopian babes home to their FOREVER families. 

 

DETAILS HERE



Kings & Queens

I use to be an avid reader.  These days it seems all I read are facebook statuses and lots of blogs.  But most recently I actually finished a book that has been on my sidetable for at least a year.  I read MaryBeth Chapman's "Choosing to SEE".  I do recommend it, but be ready for laughter and tears.  She wrote some funny stuff and then some gut wrenching "Why God?" stuff.  I believe the overall theme is "Trust God" especially when your plans are not going exactly as you planned.  Appropriate for us, huh?

Then I started Kisses from Katie.  Ugh!  I only have read 3 chapters and boy I can't believe a 22 year old single college girl can convict me so much.  But the night that I read quite a bit I was out of town and could NOT sleep.  For the first time, I had a different longing for my girl.  It was a "Please, she needs to be home now" kind of a feeling, more than our normal, "Please, I want her home now." 

We are getting closer.  I know it.  I know that God is fighting for us and her.  And Ethiopia.  And ALL His people all over the world.  I fear that at times my friends our sick of me and our continual, not-ending-anytime-soon story.  I do believe we are more than this adoption....But sometimes as I shared recently it is SO hard to not just be about the adoption.  All the time.  After 19 months waiting and a 6 month paper chase, it is like I have almost been "pregnant" 3 times as long.  When you are in your final semester and you feel huge and can't eat very much and can't sleep well, it is hard to forget you are pregnant and it is hard not to think about it.  So it is for us as well and yet at this point, my due date has changed drastically---actually I really don't have a due date yet. Anyways, every song on the radio, every sermon my pastor preaches, every blog and book I read now just points to our journey in a blaring way. 

And yet I am continuing to learn.  I'm not sure I can articulate all that God is teaching me.  I know I am memorizing more of His word (although that may be due to Eden's Bible Bowl as well).  I know I am learning what faith means and trust.  And spiritual warfare.  And the all encompassing love the Father has for me. 

                   "How great is the Love the Father has lavished on us, that we should
                         be called children of God.  And that is what we are!"  1 John 3:1

Disclaimer:  I sat on this for 24 hours letting it settle and planning on publishing this post on our 19 month waitiversary (tomorrow).  And then God had me chewing on something for a bit today.  IT IS ALL ABOUT ADOPTION.  Not our particular adoption, or all of our friends adoptions, but THE adoption we all recieve into Christ's family.

              ³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵ he^[b] predestined us for adoption to sonship^[c] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, ⁹ he^[d] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, ¹⁰ to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. 
Ephesians 1: 3-10

  It has been about adoption since the beginning of time.  He loved us that much he knew he wanted to adopt each and every one of us.  He came down and loved "the least of these" which was me--- and dear friend which was you so that we could become Kings & Queens.  So with that in mind, I am sure you have heard the song.....but if you have not watched the video PLEASE do so HERE. 



Melkam Genna! (+ 18 months waiting)

 

Well a year and a half on our agency's waitlist.  It was 2 years ago on Jan 3rd that we sent our application and started this process officially.  And it has been 18 months since we've just been waiting.  About 12 more months than we ever imagined.  8 months at that time was a decent wait.  But none the less, we will continue to wait until God puts her in our lap and we see her face for the first time.

We are getting closer and that gives us lots of HOPE.  We got Chloe a bunch of Christmas ornaments and hair bows this year to let her know we were thinking of her at Christmas.  Today (our 18 month mark) is actually Christmas in Ethiopia (Melkam Genna!).  Such a rich history of Christianity in Ethiopia.  Legend has it that King Balthazar was from Ethiopia and was one of the magi who presented frankinscence to our Lord when they came to worship the newborn King.  I keep learning bits here and there about this wonderful land that we already love and that will be a part of us forever.  Every family that travels comes home with a deep love and appreciation for Ethiopia's people and culture.  I can't wait to have our turn!

So unofficially we are #

 



Please pray that we can move to the teens soon.  Or for there to be the perfect toddler girl for us.  Although there is quite a wait for girls in front of us, I am not sure about the ages that they are requesting.  We could be #5 for a 2-3 year old girl. I do know someone who received their referral at 19!!!  Others have received them in the 20's and even low 30's. 

Anyways, even though I get down a bit---I have been so blessed with words of hope and encouragement this past month, especially at Christmas and from our pastor.  I know God's timing is perfect and I will rest in that.  But continue to pray, because I do believe in miracles.  I have faith that we will meet her sooner than later!  Our kids are so ready to meet their sister.