Will YOU please pray about this... Dec. 8, 2010 - update!

I have a request... a very specific request for ALL of you! I know that if you are reading our family blog... then most likely you are praying, loving, supporting and thinking of us... our little family! We can not even begin to tell you how appreciative of that we are.... as the holiday season gets well under way... we can't help but think about the children around the world who really don't have anyone.

The caregivers at the orphanage here rotate daily. The same one is not there for several days. They rotate through a group of them (meaning that it's several days before you see the same person again), and for us it's been very common to see a caregiver (who was with our girls one day) to be mopping in a hallway the next. Anyway... even when these children (orphans) are in a loving situation where the caregivers really care and love them.... it's still NOT the same and it's not even close to a family!

I know that you are WELL underway in the holiday activities. Rushing through the list of things to get done... decorations up, presents bought and wrapped, parties to attend, programs to go to... the list goes on and on.... see remember I know this... because this is normally me.

This year things are different... There is nothing that I can do.. even though my mind races through the things I know I'm missing... the girls parties, our work Christmas parties, the girls programs, shopping, baking, decorating! It's ok though... and I know I'm at this point... this place during this Holiday season so that I will have this time to REALLY think, pray, and consider things...

Given all of that.... I want to ask you a favor this holiday season.

Will you PLEASE not forget the millions of babies/children around the world who are alone this holiday season? Will you do something?

What you might ask...

The first thing you can do is: PRAY for them.. pray that anything standing in the way of them finding a forever family would be removed, pray for them to somehow, someway feel and know Christ's love and peace this holiday season as well as throughout the new year.

The second thing I want to ask is this.... (because I feel and know that there are some of you reading my posts who are feeling this): If the Lord has been/is gently pulling at your heartstrings to maybe reach out in a bigger way... from a donation to a great organization who helps, to supporting a family who is adopting, to maybe ADOPTING a child yourself... would you PLEASE trust him! If the Lord is pulling at your heartstrings and speaking gently to you... he will provide the means, the way, the avenue to complete it... you just have to say.. OK Lord I'm willing.. show me what to do! :) Please on behalf of the 150 millions orphans worldwide RIGHT NOW... do something... please, because ~ "All they really want for Christmas is...."
(scroll to the bottom to pause the music player/playlist in the background before listening)


I hope that through this post and the above video... you remember to think of at least one of the 150 million at some point this busy season. STOP in the middle of Wal-mart, Target, or Old Navy.. anywhere and anytime that the Lord brings it to your mind... If you are thinking of it.. he's calling you to it... to pray... or maybe do more! :)

Just remember you are not alone... it's scary to step out... I KNOW! You will NOT be alone... you will have support and our wonderful savior will hold your hand the entire time!!!! :)



Here's some info about our day... still no court date... still NO word. :) smiling through the pain...
We had to go to the BH later today. The music teacher asked us to please not come until 9:45 on Mondays and Wednesday. They are working VERY hard on a special program for New Years and the twins were missing BIG rehearsals. :)

(Bay, Brook, and Cody... just wait... they will fit in so perfectly with your family holiday productions! :) I can't wait to see the first production!!!! :) I hope they do what the director (Bailey - the boss ;)) asks... hee hee! )

When we arrived they were in the little room eating a snack...and we could only see the caregivers. We heard their voices IMMEDIATELY saying.. "Mama came... Mama came!" (Russian) to their caregivers and little friends.
The caregivers then brought them to us. Today's visit was FAST and CRAZY. We only had one hour to start with and then we had to wait on them.. and then another local lady who is bonding was sharing the room with us. The girls stayed with us today... and didn't even seem to care that the other lady was in the room. It was so awesome to see them choose to play with us! PROGRESS... so so so much progress! I can't even tell you how much they are understanding. They are following my one step commands in English PERFECTLY! I experimented today.. just to see what they understand, and honestly I was amazed and SO excited!
Here are some pictures!

Here the girls (Faith in this picture) were showing this caregiver the pictures of us together. They LOVE looking at these pictures! If we have to leave them and come home without them.. I hope we are able to leave these pics with them, and I hope they will be allowed to look at them. They were VERY proud to show her. The girls seem to really like this caregiver and seem to really mind her! :)

I just think this is the sweetest picture of Grace. I had pulled her hair over and put this barrette in... isn't is amazing how different she looks with cute hair?!? Their hair has grown SO much in 5 weeks. I hope and pray they don't cut it all off again... but, if they do.. oh well.. it will be ok! (I asked about requesting that it not be cut.. but, they said if everyone else gets a haircut.. they will too.. :( ) I think Grace and Faith look a LOT alike in this one.

Today's picture of the black eye... OUCH! She still loves the attention we give her about it! ;)

5 weeks ago they were SCARED to climb this ladder. Papa told them that they could trust him.. and he'd NEVER drop them. Symbat has been telling them what Papa says.. and slowly (over the past several weeks) they have trusted him MORE and MORE... until now... they have NO fear! :)

...Before Papa can help one down.. the other one is going up... saying (in English)... "Papa, HELP! Papa, HELP!" (and LOTS of giggles!) They have both slipped a couple of times while going up.. and Papa was there to grab them... There faces were amazing.. BONDING at it's finest!!!! :)

Phil and Symbat leaving BH. It was blowing and snowing and COLD.

Another group of kids out - headed to playground... while we were leaving.

I guess that's it for today... It's 2:30 in the afternoon here. We are going to speak tonight at 6:30 to 4 English classes for some local friends. We are excited (I am) about this... :) Two nights in a row with evening plans.... WOWZIERS! We are turning into social bugs here! :)

The landlady finally brought the DVD player back.. it had been broken for about 2 weeks. We are thrilled about that. The laptop is overheating when we watch DVD's on it... so that's a little scary. (We would be SO SO SO upset if the laptop quit!) We have been watching about 4-5 Seinfeld episodes per evening. LOL! No, we've never really watched Seinfeld before.. however, someone left an entire set of Seinfeld here in the apartment (seasons 1-5)! They are funny! It's much better than watching Animal Planet or ESPN America (keep in mind that ALL stations are in Russian!)... Have a wonderful Wednesday!