Thanks for Family

I have been reading all the daily "Thanksgiving" posts since the beginning of November.  There has not been a day go by that I have not read from multiple people their thankfulness for their family.  I read these, I think the same thought of being so thankful for my family, and so thankful that God blessed my family with our 2 children.  I am so thankful that He decided to bless me with our two children through adoption.  So many people say, "Oh, they are so blessed to have you."  No, I AM BLESSED to have them.

So, during this month of thankfulness, my heart hurts for all those who have no family and especially the ones who are voiceless and only have a small population of the world crying their plea for them.  These children don't have anything.  They do not have the pleasures of this world that are ruining so many children (Yeah, I did just say that, because it is true.  I see more and more clearly how the youth is corrupted by all the "things and activities" that dominate their existence).  But not only do they not have things, they lack the most important things, Love and, for so many, the very knowledge of God.

But for some orphans, they became One Less and we are so thankful they are our family.  We are thankful to say we are blessed because of them, not that they are blessed because of us.  Through the next couple weeks I want to share with you true life stories that added to families, started families, and completed families.

Leia and so many others were and are so blessed by the Love they received from the wonderful staff of His Hands Taiwan.  These babies had a blessed beginning in this home.  The staff at His Hands wants their babies to learn about God and our wonderful Savior.  We are so thankful for this.  Most of the orphans in the world, do not have a beginning, middle, or ending as these babies.  No, they remain part of the 163 million who have no family, no love, and no future of knowing the Lord.

There are so many things you gain and learn through adoptions and my favorite is the awesome friends I have made and continue to make.  This comes from one of those sweet friends.

We were blessed with 2 amazing biological sons Dayne in 1992 and Keagan a short 10 months later in 1993.  We had struggled with infertility before Dayne so we were thrilled to be pregnant again so quickly.   We love being parents and always thought we would have at least 4 children.  

In 1996 we got pregnant a 3rd time--again we were ecstatic, but only 12 weeks later we lost that baby---we were devastated!  But we also knew we would try again and we would have more children.   

It took until 1998 to get pregnant again...this time all seemed to be going great until a routine ultrasound revealed our baby had passed away.   Our son Trevor Daniel was stillborn May 5, 1998.  We were beyond devastated.   Still we knew we wouldn't give up. We were sure God wanted us to have more children.  During this period of years  I had recurrent dreams of a baby girl we would have, always telling Tim that  she is beautiful but that I didn't  understand because she has black hair and black eyes (she looked nothing like us). We  got pregnant 3 more times  between 1999 and 2004.   We prayed and prayed and we finally had Peace that we were not having more children.  We went on enjoying the boys we have and loving life.   We were thrilled God had finally showed us that our family was complete. 

Spring Break 2005 we went to Disney World with the Peach family.  They also have 2 boys and all the boys had a great time!   

June 2005 Paula calls and says "hey guess where we are ALL going next year for Spring break".  She then tells us how ALL of us are going to China and adopt baby girls!  We thought she was nuts!  I mean good for them...but we have been done for over a year thinking about having more kids, we are happy, we thought we were complete.  God had other plans;)

She invited us to come to an informational meeting that an adoptive family was giving at their church it was on Sunday night...ummm I work weekends, no one will work for me...Tim would never adopt....our family is compete....so many excuses I could come up with!    The closer it got to the meeting the more we felt we might like to go.   I asked a couple people at work if they would be interested  in working...nope, not surprising its impossible to get someone to work a Sunday for me....NOT gonna happen.  So I give up!    I get a call...it's from a fellow coworker(someone I hadn't asked...or even considered  This person NEVER works extra!  NEVER!)   She says I hear you would like to go to a meeting Sunday and I'd like to work for you! WHAT???   

So we get to go to the meeting---we are gonna go to hush Paula, but that's it!  Our family is complete!  

We get there and the other people that are in the process of adopting are there, they are all normal ordinary people like we are.  Not super rich or super stars they are just ordinary people that are going to adopt!  Really?  That's possible?  I went to the restroom and saw Jackie there with her little 2 year old from China..they were at the sink and I suddenly felt this overwhelming urge I hadn't felt before...I couldn't look at them, because if I did I would have cried  right there in the bathroom.  

We are sitting in the meeting and hearing all the testimonies of these "ordinary" people   Then Jackie stands up....she brought some visual aids----her children from Guatemala and China!   She tells her story and shows us her beautiful children.   I cried through this whole meeting.  I had never felt anything like this before.  God had put all these things together so that we could be here with these people!  So we could learn about this wonderful thing called adoption---He had even taken care of finding someone to work for me!!  

We left and I asked Tim what he thought.   I'm nervous at this point I'm thinking I would like to do this but we both have to want it!   He says we should talk with the boys, we should decide as a family.   We sat the boys down when we got home and asked what they would think if we decided to adopt them a sister...they both said "we aren't sure why that is even a question. There are babies that need homes and we want a baby...we should do it!"    

That was Sunday night....Monday morning we called a homestudy agency, filled out the application with FTIA for China and called all our family and friends and told them we were expecting a baby!;)   We started the crazy paper-chase and decided on a name!  Ava Christine would be our daughter!   

On November 17, 2005 we were officially LID (log in date) for China!  we thought it would be a 6 month wait....but Gods plan is perfect and our daughter was born January 14, 2007 in China.   We got THE CALL August 2, 2007.    Ava's Gotcha day was October 14, 2007  what a blessing she is!  

We are thrilled!  Our family is COMPLETE!  People ask us if we will adopt again, we say no we are done....,.well God is in control, He knows best!  

 

August 2010...we hear about His Hands Taiwan!  Some Friends of ours Donnie and Gina have just been home a short time with their little girl from there. The Dunns from Mt Carmel are working with them and we start reading about their ministry.   We contact them and just inquire if we can adopt from there.  We are told there is a waiting list.  But we are put on the waiting for an application list. 

On November 17, 2010 we are given an application to fill out!   This is 5 years to the day we were LID with Ava;) 

On February  9, 2011 we were accepted officially into their program.  Now the real wait begins!   

We thought the wait would be short, we are impatient and sometimes forget that Gods plan is perfect.

  On February 9,2012---yes one year to the day of acceptance with His Hands we got an amazing email telling us that we have a beautiful daughter born January 12, 2012 in Taiwan!   We click on her picture and we instantly know she is our daughter.  She is what we have been waiting for!  We are instantly in love!  

On September 7, 2012 in a train station in Taiwan we are handed our beautiful daughter Kerrigan Jayne!  What a blessing!

                                                    

                                                   

As we look at these 2 beautiful

Blessings, Praise God that when we said we are complete as a family...He said "no you aren't".  

So again we think we are complete;). We are happy and thrilled with the family God has given us!   We will see what the future holds and if God calls on us again then we will say yes! 

 

The journey wasn't always easy! But when we look back  we see God always had the perfect plan for us! 

"Justice to the Fatherless"

I could spend days, weeks, and months pleading for the orphan.  I could preach of all the verses that pertain to the poor, oppressed, widows, and orphans.  But I won't, I will simply share with you the four that stand out TO ME more than any of the others.  There are many more than four, but these are the ones that were seared to my heart and caused me to become broken for the orphan.

James 1:27

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this:  to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."  

Isaiah 1:17

"Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause."  

Proverbs 31:8-9

"Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute.  Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy."

And even more than the three scriptures above that seared me with a brokenness was this...

Matthew 25:40-45

⁴⁰ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,^[a] you did it to me.’
⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ ⁴⁴ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ ⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’

Something so simple brought sparkles in

his little eyes.

He will probably never remember me, but maybe that 

is one less day of lonliness that he will remember.

There are 163 million more pairs of these eyes that 

are begging you to pull them in.

Wow!  To ignore the fact that there are 163 million children without a mother or father, no one to love them, some with no one to feed them or clothe them, millions of people starving and naked in tattered rags, people sick with diseases that leave them in isolation, men and women imprisoned (some guilty of their charge and some innocent) who have never even heard of Jesus and what He did for them.  To think that I once lived my life in complete ignorance to the outside world around me, the world that so many never see or acknowledge that it exists.  How could I continue and ignore such things? Because by ignoring these things, I was ignoring Jesus.  Guys, he is everywhere.  Is your heart not broken?  Does it not break your heart to know that daily we ignore Jesus.  Daily!!!  We live in isolated worlds where days go by without acknowledging the dire NEEDS of others.  

People say, "I can't adopt."  You don't have to adopt.

Logan and Olivia can't adopt but they can

 be a voice for them.

 pray for them.

 love them.

You can become broken without adopting, before adopting, while adopting, and maybe it doesn't even happen for some until after they adopt.  But if we are not broken for "the least of these," then we are not living the path Jesus set before us.  We have to be broken.

Some may know what today is, it is any other day.  But some have come to know this day as a day to come together and be a HUGE voice TOGETHER for the ORPHAN.  It is ORPHAN SUNDAY and November is Orphan Awareness Month.  A month that Americans cherish as the month of Thanksgiving and family.  So, as you journey through this month and the blessings that are being poured on you and all around you, I beg you to please think about the ones who have no voice.  They have no one to turn to, no one to hear them.  It is simple, WE ARE THEIR VOICE.



My family is so blessed to have been able to be a part of the miracle of adoption.  And I say miracle, because it is just as miraculous as giving birth to your own child by blood.  God gives many miracles and adoption, I believe, is one of them.

CARSON THANH RABOIN

A woman who gave the gift of life and chose us to

be Carson's family.  I love you, Molly!  And we love 

Carson so much!!!

Proud Daddy

Big sister assessing her new brother.

I think she is quite smitten.

Big brother checking him out.

Nothing like holding your baby for the first time : )

Family of 5....one more to come ; )

And then God blessed us with another miracle.  Leia (Sin Xio) Liu Raboin our second little princess.  We waited, I can't say that it was patiently, to hold you in our arms.  And the day finally came....

Snuggled right up to Daddy

Nothing quite like this moment.

She's holding on to my shirt, and I'm not 

letting go either : )

She laid her head down and kept it that 

way for hours.

Loving with her big brother.

Everybody wants to play with me.

Oh, how he loves her and still adores her every whim.

Sweet Kisses X 2!

Such a WONDERFUL big sister.

MY RABOINS

Planning A Reunion

I cannot believe the time has come to plan a His Hands reunion.  This time last year we were waiting for court decrees and this year we are waiting to meet all of our His Hands family that was such a major support line during the wait and even now that we are home.
I am so excited to finally meet our His Hands Family face to face.  We have all spent hours on the phone and facebook and feel like we have known each other a lifetime.  Lord-willing, we will all get to meet in July in Kansas City, MO.  There will babies and children galore, what a glorious sight that will be.  And some are soon to be adding to their families again.  I love it!!!!!
We are hoping that Holly and Trena, both, or at least one will get to come too.  It would be so wonderful for them to see all "their" babies happy and loved.  I know it would melt their hearts to see the joy their efforts brings to so many families.  An adoption has so many ups and downs, and so many emotions.  But, I think this reunion will be nothing but love and happiness.  I want to love on all those babies. 

                                                        
Another reunion of sorts.........
We finally booked our tickets to return to Costa Rica in May.  It will be so wonderful to see all those that we met when we were there in July.  The people we met at the river have been asking about us and praying for our return.  We found out through, Kathia, our contact in Costa Rica that some of their homes were washed away multiple times during the rainy season.  The land that their homes are squatted on has now been purchased by someone and it not owned by the electric company.  These families do not know what they will do if they are forced to leave or forced to pay for where their homes are squatted.  When it was under ownership of the electric company, they only had to pay for their utilities.  And, even then, they were barely able to survive.  Please pray for these families and that God will see them through the road ahead and whatever they may be faced with.

Gotcha Day for Mr. Caysen Kirk

Our best friends Lance and Leslie Kirk are proud parents of Mr. Caysen, Leia's little cousin. We are so happy for them. Leslie traveled to Caysen so she could start on his physical therapy for his neck. Lance will take the trek to Taiwan when they are have date with AIT. Until then, Lance has become a bachelor, poor thing. Leslie is where she is needed most right now, with her baby boy.
I know without a doubt that she will be a wonderful Christian mother. She loves unconditionally to everyone and nurtures like she has been a mother of twenty.
Leslie, Congratulations on one of the most special days of your life. I pray God will bless you with years to express your love and the love of Christ to Caysen. We love you!

Kenting Here We Come

So, I have concluded that this trip was not to be any sort of vacation. You'll understand later.

Ken, Trena, and their kids picked us up at 10:00 on Sunday morning. No breakfast yet. David asks in his little kid voice, you think there is a McDonald's anywhere on the way to the beach? Aha!! There is. Egg Mcmuffin here I come. McDonald's stops serving breakfast at 10:00, so there went that eager anticipation swirling down the toilet. But, Ken knows of a great breakfast place along the way. We keep driving, hopes shattered when we see this place is closed as well. But Trena knows of a little place that has Bagel sandwiches. Great! Can't be that bad right?? Surely these people can handle putting together a bagel, an egg, and some ham or bacon. Not to be. Their version of this is a Bagel, a condiment that resembles Thousand Island (in a very bad way, and I hate Thousand Island anyways), some shredded cabbage, their version of bacon (a slice of funny tasting ham), cucumbers, and whala there you have it. I was so hungry I managed to choke down half, while David scraped everything off and ate the rest because he didn't know when he would eat again.

The drive to kenting was beautiful. I wished we had decided to just spend all of our time there, because it looked as if it would have been great (key work looked).

WE stopped at our favorite eating place, 711, NOT!! Where David and resigned ourselves to more Doritoes and Pringles. That was to be our lunch today. Sorry Trena : )

The beach was breathtaking. The waves were crashing to the shore like they were mad. Had we been in the states the beach would have been closed due to the high tide and the furry it was showing. We set up our chairs and headed to the water. Leia wriggled her toes into the sand. David plowed right into the waves for some body surfing. Trena and I pulled our chairs to the edge of the water for some relaxing scenery. Well, that lasted about...ummmm...maybe 7 minutes. We were barreled with a crashing wave full of sand right up the shorts with much force I might add. Leia was very upset with this little event but quickly recovered. We pulled the chairs much further from the shore and watched. I love to watch people. There were people all along the beach, with only 10 in the water and 5 of which were ours. Suddenly we started seeing some commotion and there was a young guy that was struggling and the waves were taking him under. The lifeguard, in my opinion, took forever. David attempted to go out and save the guy, but the waves were so hard they kept bringing right back where he started and before he knew it the guys was too far away. And yes, I was right there at the water screaming for David to not go any further. I let him try, but then my wifely instincts took over when I realized it looked as if he would drown too if he went out there. The waves had taken this young man to the part of the beach where sharp rocks were jutting out of the water and were under water too. It would only be a matter of time before the waves would slam him into one. So, meanwhile, the lifeguard frantically drives is ATV up and down the beach several times before he decides that he might ought to drag himself in the water. It seemed life forever before he made it to him. We watched the lifeguard struggle the entire time. They were headed straight for the rocks. They finally made it to shore and all seemed well and people were cheering. We all went back to our playtime. About an half hour later Trena and I noticed that the young man's friends are still hovering over him. I kept looking, watching for a sign that the guy was fine. I looked over at Trena, and she immediately said, "You wanna go check it out?" "YES." As soon as we laid eyes on the guy I knew he was not fine. Trena and I did a quick assessment. It was very obvious. The man was white, and I mean white as a ghost. I had just seen him an hour before with olive skin. His friends were frantically speaking to Trena. He couldn't stop throwing up, couldn't move, hurt to breath, and his pulse was faint. his friends had pleaded with him to let them take him to the hospital, but he would not listen to their pleas. I told Trena, "If he doesn't got to a hospital he could very well die later today from dry drowning." She explained this to him and his friends. The immediately carried him off the beach and were headed to the closest hospital.

Meanwhile, the lifeguard has decided he does not want to save anymore lives today and has asked every to get out of the water. I strolled down the beach with Leia snuggled in the sling, to see why the lifeguard was moving so slow. They were all intoxicated!! I mean really????

We stayed at the beach for a few hours and then headed to the Howard Hotel where we were staying. I was beyond impressed with the accommodations for the price. David went straight for the pool and me to the jacuzzi with the girls while Leia snoozed in the afternoon breeze beside me on a towel. Reminder...waves were really crazy while at beach...overhead are huge thunder clouds rolling in. Really???? A nice 30 minute relaxing in the jacuzzi ended with a straight downpour. Trena said it would probably move out pretty fast. And it did look like it would. The clouds were racing away with more following behind. I had hope that it would pass and I would get to stroll the streets of Kenting tonight and go grab some yummy food. Well, that was not to be. It never stopped raining. We had no transportation and were stuck in the hotel the entire time with the pool never reopening. We were able to walk to an eating place in the rain.
I was so disappointed that we did not get to experience the night market there. I was looking forward to exploring the quaint little town. We woke up Monday morning and more rain. We were past ready to go home at this point. We were starving, homesick for our babies above all else; so, I called the travel agent Sunday night and we changed our flights to leave Monday night. Olivia, Logan, and Carson here we come.

Fear Has Become Reality

Friday in Taiwan...

I woke up this morning and I am sick....really sick. And all I can think about is the 1.5hr train ride there and the 1.5hr train ride back. I loaded up on Tylenol and aleve. I have had a dry cough since Monday that I kept attributing to the horrible smog here, and I mean horrible. Everyone here will probably die of some kind of lung disease. The cough has become more uncontrollable, but still just a dry cough. My body is aching to the very core of my bones.

The Tylenol kept the aches at bay while we traveled on train and then taxi to AIT. Our wait at AIT was pretty fast. I think we only waited about 15 minutes in between each person we had to speak with. We made it through the first set of questions with the lady who was preparing our case for Joyce. Joyce received our file and then called us to the window where she began her interrogation. She was very short with her questions and was mainly interested in the financial aspect of the adoption, how we came to know about His Hands, and how we paid them, length from time we applied to referral, and time we have waited since referral. But, she kept going back to financial questions regarding the cost of the adoption. She said she was done with all the questions and that she would have Leia's visa couriered to us by Monday. So, we left there and headed to Burger King for some lunch before boarding our train back.

I would have loved to stroll around Taipei for a bit, but at this point all I can think about is how my body needs to lay in a bed and not move. I ordered something at Burger King, took one bite, and was done. Then, I thought I would try some ice cream and see if that sounded good. I couldn't eat anything.

I asked Trena if we could stop at a pharmacy, because I either have a horrible kidney infection or pneumonia, as my back is in excrutiating pain. We finally found one and they only had keflex, so I bought some and we headed back to the train.

David napped on the train, and I tried my hardest, but I was in so much pain, and started running a high fever with chills. So, thankful for Trena. She held Leia the whole way back while we napped. We went straight back to the apartment.

I was so upset with being sick. We were supposed to go to the Morrison Academy concert Friday night and see Holly and Trena's children perform in it. But, I went straight to bed and David didn't see me for 26 hours. David was supposed to go on a 45 mile bike ride with Ken on Saturday, but he was unable to go since I was so sick. I ran such a high fever, even while alternating tylenol and advil, that I would wake up and the sheets were soaked; you could wring them out. Then I would be freezing. The hairs on my scalp hurt from having such a high fever.

We didn't get to go to Cheelung Island either....major disappointment. I was determined to go eat with Leia's birthmother Saturday night. I was week feeling and still having horrible sweats. By now, my cough is horrible, and I know I have pneumonia.

I am determined to meet Leia's birthmother tonight, as this is a once in a lifetime opportunity; so sick or not here we go. It took me forever to get ready, once I finally removed myself from the bed after 26 hours of borrowing in it. And, yes, 26 hours of lost time with Leia. I managed to finish getting ready even through the profuse sweating, gut-wrenching coughing that had me hovering over the toilet, dizziness, and complete exhausting fatigue. Leia's birthmom is 18 years old, and from what I have learned is still in the era of life revolves around her. She called everyone related to His Hands asking where we were, why had we not called her yet, and so on. Holly finally reached her and told her we were on her way, and no we were not running late. We arrive at the street corner where she is to meet us and she gets in, turns around smiles soft and then releases a small giggle and turns around. She says to Holly that Leia is really cute and has grown much. The next 10 minutes to the restraunt she was really quiet.

We got to the restraunt and there were John and Cheryl Dunn and their family. WE had missed getting to meet them all week because their son had been terrible ill with a stomach virus. I was so thrilled to finally meet Cheryl, hug her, and thank her for the part she had taken in Leia's life and the life of her birthmother.

While we waited for our food, we tried to chat a bit with Xio Chi. But as Holly explained, Xio Chi speaks very fast and doesn't taken an ounce of consideration that Holly, well can only understand about 20% of Mandarin Chinese. So, we didn't chat a ton. I gave her the gift that I had pondered over for months. It just seemed so inadequate and made me feel so guilty thinking of what I was gaining and what she would lose forever. After several months of debating what my small token to her would be, I finally decided on a beautfiful silver heart locket that I ordered. I will describe it best I can. It was a rounded heart that slid on a sterling silver chain that clasped by a toggle with a small ball with crystal rhinestones embedded in it that hung with the heart. Inside the locket was a solo picture of Leia and a picture of Xio Chi holding her at chinese New Year smiling a smile that said she was content with her decision. I gave her the small velvet bag that held the necklace and she just sat it down and placed it in front of her; and then she smiled and just started at me. I was puzzled to say the least. I smiled back...waiting...okay, can you please open it. Holly interjected and explaind that Taiwanese people think it is rude to open gifts in front of the giver, that it makes them seem too greedy and eager. I asked her to tell her that I wanted her to open it. Xio Chi shyfully opend it. Holly opened the locket for her and she looked at us with the biggest smile. She said thank you in Mandarin, and yes, I understood her. But, more than that I could see the appreciation in her beautiful deep brown eyes that are just like Leia's. As I sit here tears are rolling down my face. Most of our meaningful conversation took place in the car when we picked her up and dropped her off. We expressed in simple words, elequence was not needed, how greatful we were to her, how much we loved Leia and everyone we know loves her too. She never said anything....just her smile, the same smile I see when Leia sees me.

To say the least, I was spent. I don't think I have ever sweat so profusely in my life, and no, it was not from nervousness. When we got back to the apartment I made a mad dash to the bath. Not only was I sweating from being sick, but oh yeah, the air conditioning here might as well not exist, and have I mentioned it is hot and oh so humid here. So, bath and then straight to bed I went.

Worst Fear

Back to Taiwan......
It is Thursday, and we finished painting the nursery today and plan to spend the rest of our time doing the tourist thing. It is amazing what a fresh coat of paint will do. There are girls from Renee's, Trena's oldest daughter, who are coming this weekend to rearrange, organize, and decorate the nursery...whew we got it painted in the nick of time. We were beginning to wonder if the project would ever end. It was just like at home, when you start a project that you think will take you a day and it takes you a week, more money than you thought, and more problems than you imagined. But is is done, and I think the babies will like their new room.

So, we went back to Sara's apartment when we were finished. By the way, have I mentioned we are starving???? I told David that I am either really tired or am getting sick. Leia has had a terrible cough since we have been here and has been having terrible sweats, and cranky. We decided to go to bed early since tomorrow is our AIT appointment.