Quick updates on our two friends

First, after a very emotional nine days or so...our friends have their son and daughter from Haiti.  Please continue to pray for the adjustment/bonding process for them.  Here's the link to their blog.

Our friends, the Hahn's have run into some "hiccups" while in China bringing their daughter home.  Seems she has tested positive for TB and they are in the process of some more testing.  Her first test has come back negative, please pray the next two tests are also negative.  If all are negative they can leave for home on their scheduled day of Friday... if not, they will be there at least one more week.  Here's their blog link.

Praying for our friends

Please continue to pray for the people of Haiti as it's now six days after the devestating earthquake.  I wanted to share with you all the link to our friends' blog, the Brinks.  Please pray that their children waiting in Haiti for their forever family will be able to receive emergency visa's and come home.  Click here to read their journey to their son and daughter.

Also, friends from our first adoption group, the Hahn's, are in Shanghai right now and should be holding their five year old daughter for the first time.  Please pray for the attachment and bonding process, that their daughters would all accept one another and their newest one would fit right in to her forever family.  You can read about their journey here.

Christmas Highlights

We had an amazing Christmas! It was such a joy to celebrate the birth of our Savior together with family and friends and even more special was that our daughter was home with us. We began our 2nd adoption on Christmas Eve 2005 and now, four years later are holding her in our arms and sharing the beauty of Christmas with her. What a a blessing!

I'm sorry that I haven't updated in awhile....we really did have a wonderful month of December sharing in fellowship with lots of friends & family. So...I'll do my best to highlight the month.

Christmas with my 86 year young grandma and her 13 great grandkids.

Megan met Santa for the first time...only to then say..."That's not Santa, that's Church Grandpa!"  (My dad pastors the church we attend and she recognized his "ho, ho, ho".  Although she was not upset at this, she very seriously asked the next day when she would see the REAL Santa. 

We took the girls to see Santa at the local photographer in town and after sitting on his lap and asking where Rudolph was (on the roof of course)...she told us, "Thanks Mommy & Daddy, that WAS the REAL Santa!"  Oh, the innocence of children.  Natalee never "believed" in Santa but has been a great big sister in letting Megan enjoy the fun in believing.  They got the new Vegg*ie Tale movie St. Nickolaus and Megan has reminded me often that "Santa" isn't his REAL name Mom, it's St. Nick.  :) 

In the children's program at church Megan played the part of one of the angels and Natalee was one of the main storytellers.  Megan was "one of those kids".  You know, the ones who don't seem to follow the directors cues or do what they've practiced.  Since Grandma was one of the directors and also a piano player, she felt she needed to be near her.  At one point in the play Megan was playing a "duet" to Silent Night on the piano.  It was all too cute - what an "angel".  :)

On the 20th we celebrated Natalee's 8th birthday! 

We had the opportunity to take a few days and visit my college roommate whom I hadn't seen in five years, we hadn't been together as couples in over 10 years and we had never met each others children.  It was a long overdue reunion.  We had such a great time relaxing and laughing together.  The kids hit it off well and played wonderfully, having fun in the snow and making cookies.  It was a great Christmas gift!

Christmas was a very special time this year!  It was so neat to experience it through the eyes of a four year old who has never really had a "true" Christmas nor has she ever known the TRUE meaning of it.  Being able to share with her why we were buying the gifts and wrapping them...that the best gift we've ever been given was baby Jesus, our Lord and Savior and to celebrate his birthday with her...it was wonderful!

She really enjoyed the wonder...the "mystery", the preparations, the decorations, the gifts and of course the opening of those gifts.  One sweet thing she did, as she was pulling things from her stocking she pulled out two packages of gum.  Being that she was the first one to open anything no one else had any gifts.  She took one package of gum in her hand and leaned over to her sister saying, "here Nat I want to share my gum with you".  Melt my heart! We are so blessed, thank you Lord!

Daddy gets Christmas morning hugs from his girls!

We had a great time celebrating Christmas with my family on Christmas eve and then we went to Kyle's family on Christmas and spent the weekend.  New Year's was spent with some good friends of ours, the Powells.  We were able to spend a couple days at their house and just enjoy relaxing and playing games together.  Since we're all getting a little older, we had our own version of the ball drop. First, is was only about 8pm and second, it was a tennis ball..but hey, it was fun!

Ok, guess I missed the ball drop.  Happy New Year everyone!

Wishing you a wonderful 2010. 

May God be your guide and your strength,

may you have peace and contentment,

may you find joy in serving Him!