Ebenezer

Our Referral Photo

Mary Margaret, March 2008

I really just couldn't let the day pass without setting out some stones to commemorate what the Lord has done for our family. Although we have three court dates of Russian adoption finalization, readoption dates for the US, Gotcha Days, dates we landed at home, birthdays, and baptismal dates, all of which are important, special, and hold special meaning for us and each of our children individually; today, June 30, is the day that our family was completed. One year ago today, Brian and I stood in a St. Petersburg courtroom, watched God exercise His sovereignty over Russian officials and popular opinion to waive our ten day wait, and then floored everyone with the judges quick decision. Today, above all days, the day we KNEW our family was completed, that finally, after so many years, all of our children had beds, and food, and families, and a mommy and daddy forever! Today is the day that we will celebrate in our family as the day the Lord fulfilled His promise made to me, at least ten years prior to this date, when He spoke to my heart, in the dark pit of infertility, that He would fill our home with children if I would trust Him. He did! He has! And so much better than any plan I could have conceived! I just keep going back to Phillipians 1:6 and the Message translation is amazing, "There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears." He appeared for us in that St. Petersburg courtroom one year ago. He appears to us every time we retell or relive the story of how our children came to us on the wings of angels. And he appears to us very vividly this day, as we look in awe at the work He completed in our family through the miracle of adoption!

So for me, today is all about just basking in the lavish extravagance God has given in filling our home with children. We aren't perfect parents and we don't have perfect children, but the children we have are perfect for us! This day, the Lord outdid Himself! This day, I will worship and thank Him. This day, today and every year, I will glorify Him for what He accomplished, what he set out to do to our lives through the miracle of adoption. What He taught us about loving Him and how much He loves us when He showed us what it is to love an adopted child, as we are adopted into His family (Ephesians 1:5.) I will glorify Him for how many lives He has touched outside of our family through my special and precious children. This day is my Ebenezer. This post is an Ebenezer, because the Lord has brought our family this far! I can't wait to see what He has between here and the next monument!

One Year Home, June 30, 2009
She chose these TWO pink tu-tu's to wear! That's my girl!

1 Samuel 7:12

"Samuel took a single rock and set it upright between Mizpah and Shen. He named it "Ebenezer" (Rock of Help), saying, 'Thus far has the Lord helped us.'"