We are Kazak bond!!!

We found out last Thursday that we can come and pick up Faith and Grace!!  We are so thrilled.
Things have been falling into place day by day and we are in AWE of the Lord... 
I know I've said it a million and ten times on this blog... but, God so provides if you TRUST him... even when it looks so bleak!!!

Wow...  goose bumps just writing that out..  What an awesome God we serve!!
It's 12:42 am on Thursday night.. we leave on Sat. @ 12:04 pm!!!   YES, we are excited!!

I am most definitely nesting... ha ha!!!
I just scrubbed our kitchen floor and am now waiting on it to dry... so I decided this was a good time to post some info and news on the blog!!! 

I have lots of various things to share... so stick with me while I ramble!!! 

First I want to post some pictures of Faith and Grace's room:  (finally.. sorry that it's taken me so long to get them on here!)

This is the scripture that the Lord gave us when we were praying about their names! This scripture is why they are named "Faith and Grace!"

You can't really see the details on the walls, but I added dashes showing where the butterfly were flying.  Grace looked at this picture and told Symbat that she's going to cook something yummy at that stove!  (Amazing language skills!!!)   

You also can't see the details on the squares either... but, there are dashes around those making them look like quilt blocks.. matching the comforter!  When we showed the twins the pictures...  they  were already fighting (in Russian) about who gets the top bunk!  :)

We are on the countdown until our babies are in this room in REAL life... oh what a joyous day it will be!!  :) 

The next bit of amazing news...  I've posted about it on Facebook, but not on the blog yet... sorry about that!
We were contacted by an amazing organization about throwing a Nauryz Party at the babyhouse in Pavlodar.   Nauryz is a national holiday in Kazakhstan on March 22nd and they celebrate the end of winter, new beginnings and abundance.      The organization who contacted us is Two Hearts for Hope.   Most of my readers are familiar and support Two Hearts For Hope, but everyone doesn't... so if you aren't familiar with them.  I encourage you to click here and visit their website!   They are doing some amazing things for the orphans in Kazakhstan and we are honored to get to be apart of their wonderful mission.  
We are looking forward to partnering with Two Hearts for Hope in the future and working together to bring hope and love to those babies who are still waiting!  :)   
So.. Stacy and Kim contacted us from Two Hearts and asked if we'd be willing to throw a HUGE Nauryz party at the babyhouse when we pick up Faith and Grace. 

I just have to share what an amazing answer to prayer this was for us.   I had felt in my heart for weeks that we had to do something big... that we had to 'show' those babies, the workers, the staff Jesus.. We had to somehow.. someway SHINE for him!!    This is EXACTLY what I had been asking God to help us do... I wanted to throw a HUGE party... and get to take FOOD to those babies.      Two Hearts gave us $450 to throw that party! 
We have it set up with the babyhouse director through our lawyer and it's going to be an amazing day!!!

As most of you remember I asked for donations of clothing and toys to take back to the babyhouse with us... 
We have had LOTS of donations...   We are SO excited to take all these suitcases and give these toys and clothing to the babyhouse. 
My mom and I have worked several different times on packing these.
Here's a breakdown of what all we are taking!!!    

- OVER 1,000 pieces of clothing!!!!
(This includes the following items from birth - 3T:  onsies, sleepers, shirts, pants, outfits, overalls, dresses, tights, underwear, panties, snow suits, jackets, socks, blankets, etc)

- The following toys:
(wooden train set, Mr. Potato head, shape sorters, pop-up toys, mega blocks, stackable cups, wooden beads and lace sets, jack-n-the-box, trucks, balls, recorders, toy animals, jump ropes, bubbles, yo-yo's, stunt gliders, planes, crayons, activity books, chalk, dress up clothes and jewelry, baby books, baby teethers, baby rattles, coloring books, colored pencils, tractors, babydolls etc)

You get the general idea...  The donations are OVERWHELMING!!!
Here are some pictures:

Isn't that just like the Lord.. amazing .. truly amazing!     We found out that it will cost us $200 per suitcase extra for the extra bags.   This is ONLY to get to Almaty... then we'll have extra baggage overages with the Air Astana flights as well.    We said.. ok Lord a few days ago.. and you know what... God has provided.   Today alone I was handed $1,400 for baggage overages!!!  God is SO faithful and amazingly awesome!! 

My heart is overwhelmed with his goodness and mercy!  

The Lord has once again provided for us financially... I am in awe and so humbled as I sit here paying our bills and about to embark on another journey around the world.    We are so blessed!!!

Let me just tell you that there is NO way we could have done this without the Lord.   His plan and amazing provisions are beyond anything we could have ever even dreamed!   

CLING to his promises... they WILL come true!!!!

I have had lots of friends and family ask about coming to the airport next week when we return.   This is my response.  We are not asking anyone to NOT come.   If you would like to be there and join us in celebrating our AMAZING savior.. then PLEASE come!   We know that it will most likely be overwhelming for the twins... however, we feel it will be ok!   

YOU are invited to join us... if you would like to be there! 

We know that everyone will be courteous to our immediate family and allow us to have a few moments of snot slinging, hugs and introductions before everyone else comes forward!     

We have NO doubt that everyone will have Faith and Grace's best interest in mind...  :)  

Whew... just typing that all out makes my stomach roll and my hands sweat and shake...  I wonder if I will be able to stand... it's like that moment will be the completion of 3+ years of TRUSTING God!!   Tears now...  wow... I can not imagine the emotions and the amazingly sweet presence of our Jesus that we will feel!     Our Lord is SO faithful and good and just!

Next topic.. we've had lots of you ask about specifics of travel, etc..

Here's the details:

March 5th - Leave OKC @ 12:04 pm

OKC to Washington

Washingto to Frankfort

Frankfor to Almaty, Kazakhstan

Arrive in Almaty on March 7th  (12 hour lay over)

Leave Almaty on March 7th @ noon

Almaty to Astana

Astana to Pavlodar.   Arrive in Pavlodar March 7th @ 5:45 pm.

Arrive at our second home!  :)  

March 8th - Visit Faith and Grace (hopefully) and get things ready to the BIG party the next day!

March 9th -   THE BIG DAY!!!

(Oh..and just so you know.. March 9th is MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!  Isn't that amazing?  Out of 365 days in a year.. it's on my b-day.. Just like the Lord!) 

We then have the Party - Lanetta's b-day.... Faith and Grace busting out - and Nauryz Celebration for the kiddos in their babyhouse! 

Wow... what an amazing day it will be!!!

We then leave Pavlodar on March 9th @ 11:00 PM

Arrive in Almaty @ 1:00 am on March 10th.

We have to have 3 business days in Almaty... so we have the 10th, 11th.. then have the weekend and then the 14th...  We leave Almaty for home @ 4 am on the 15th.    Almaty to Frankfort, Frankfort to Chicago and Chicago to OKC... arriving in OKC @ 7:34 pm!!!!   

whew... makes me tired typing all that out.. ha ha!!!

Ok.. I have to share this then I've got to get back at the house cleaning... (it's 1:43 am.. and yes, I'm working tomorrow!)

Anyway...  most of you remember when we were trying to get home at Christmas time.. and we were delayed and canceled and stalled.   It took us 70+ hours to get home... remember?

Well... God works in ALL things.. and if it had not been for those delays, we would have missed his PERFECT plan.   We met a lady also traveling from Almaty - she also happened to be from Oklahoma as well.. .AMAZING! 

She and her husband live in Almaty and we quickly became friends.   They are amazing people and have insisted that we stay with them in their home.    They have other (English speaking) friends who happen to have 6 year old twin daughters and they have already brought toys, clothings, etc. to their home preparing for us to stay with them.    They have friends who I've been emailing who are SO SO SO sweet.  They are ready with their drivers, translators and kids for playing, sight seeing, etc....   They are SO kind and willing and want to help us!

We are SO humbled by all this... this saves us from days in a hotel room with 2 girls who have never left the babyhouse before.   We will have toys and a home and lots of HELP!   We are SO thrilled and excited to spend some time with our generous and amazing new friends!

So.. the moral of the story is this:  REGARDLESS of how things look.... you see we REALLY wanted to get home quicker back in Dec....  but, God had a plan.. and even though I knew that and wondered... it was NOT my choice to be delayed.. but, it was the best thing for us...

so... regardless of what you are facing.. and it might look like God is NOT rescuing you... keep in mind that HE KNOWS BEST.. and when you think he's not there and not working... OH, my sweet friends... HE IS!!!!  

I am just overwhelmed with emotions... 

Please pray for us and for Faith and Grace.... there are some serious issues that we need prayer for...  PLEASE join us in covering those babies with prayer!  

This will most likely be the last post before we hit the air... so I will post as soon as I can when we are there and have news!!!

Thanks for reading and for the love, support and prayers!!!  

YOU are such a blessing to us! 

Keep holding on to Jesus.. and know that HE IS MOVING even when you don't see or hear him.. he's right there!!!  :)  

Blessings... and HUGS!