More than I can imagine...

There was a teeny little shadow of darkness that followed me this Christmas season. We had so much joy. So much love. So much to be grateful for. But Lennox was half a world away, celebrating his very first Christmas without us. Someone else got to see his eyes light up at the sights of Christmas. Someone else got to hold him in their arms and squeeze him tight on Christmas morning. And while I am so incredibly grateful for this family who is loving him until we are able to bring him home, my mommy heart aches to be the one to do those things with him. But like a sweet friend (who is waiting for her daughter from Ethiopia) wrote in her blog this week - It's not about ME. I can sit here all day long and talk about what I want and when I want it to happen, but it's not about me, and it's certainly not up to me to decide. This is about our Lord getting the glory for this beautiful thing called adoption. And I know He is doing something so much more than I can even imagine. It's going to be a long hard journey waiting to bring our son home, but I can't wait to watch the Lord's plan unfold.

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
Ephesians 3:20-21

One thing that helps in the wait is sending Lennox care packages each month! We get to enjoy gathering little things for him, and have such joy knowing he will get to enjoy new warm clothes and a couple fun toys! We are sending his 2nd care package out tomorrow with hopes that it will reach his agency by the time he goes in for his 7 month visit in January. We are still waiting for an update on him and new pictures. Hopefully we will receive some after his visit on the 14th of January!

Something fun we did this time was send over a recordable Hallmark book! I was able to record myself reading the story, and they tell us the foster moms are very good to let the children listen to the book so they will be familiar with our voices. So exciting to know he may be listening to me read him a story very soon! I know there will be a language barrier there, but he will be hearing my voice, and I love to think about it. We also included a small soft photo album filled with pictures of me, Brent, and the boys. We have also been told the foster mom will routinely show him our pictures, pointing us out as Omma and Appa (Mommy and Daddy in Korean). So fun! We hope to send new pictures over every few months so that he stays familiar with our faces.

Once quick side note - Korean adoptions have been on hold for a couple months now due to the government there trying to work out the kinks in a new law that was passed this summer. They added a new step (adoptions now have to be approved by a family court in Korea before the child's exit permit can be approved), and families who had hoped to have their children home by this Christmas are still waiting. Please, please join me in praying that things will get moving again soon after the new year! These families have been waiting for their little ones to come home for over a year now, and I know they are so ready to have them in their arms. Please pray for the officials in Korea to be knowledgable in how to complete this added step quickly, and pray for God to place an urgency in their hearts to get these babies home with their families as quickly as possible! Thanks so much!