A Post Worth Coming Out of Hiding For.....

***Yes, I'm back out of "hiding" and am going to give this another shot!! :) I ask you all to PLEASE pray that our little blog is only used to glorify God and to bring awareness to the Orphans around the world!! I pray that ONLY GOOD will come out of this effort to bring more children to their forever family, AND that all yucky stuff in the PAST...STAYS IN THE PAST!! Yes, we had more trouble with some "identity theft type stuff" BUT we've worked hard to take care of it, and we pray it is all behind us now!! :) OK...enough of that...on to the stuff I LOVE:Today, I witnessed another MIRACLE!!! A MIRACLE only God could create!!! Today, another family arrived home on American soil with their NEW SON!! Another child is NO LONGER AN ORPHAN!! At the age of 6 or 7, this sweet child of God has witnessed more pain than most people ever will in their entire life....BUT God had a bigger purpose for his life...God had a family for this boy....AND, tonight, they arrived home from Ethiopia!!Let me tell you HOW this all came about....You see....ADOPTION is NOT just about the adoption of ONE CHILD...but the trickle effect it will have on an entire community...It was this child below: that inspired OUR family to adopt in the first place...It was Levi (above resting on his sister's shoulder) that God chose to use to SHOW us the plan HE had for our life!!! AND, because of LEVI's ADOPTION, I flew to Ethiopia in June accompanied by my sister Kelly to pick up my baby girl!! It was on that trip that I first met Shewit!! Shewit was one of the many OLDER children at Hannah's Hope Orphanage that was STILL WAITING for his forever family to choose HIM!! He along with a couple of brother pairs, a sister pair, etc. ALL broke our hearts!! It seemed so unfair...the babies were coming and going...but the older children just SIT!!! So, my sister Kelly decided to take pictures of these "unmatched" children and come back home AND find them a family!! So, Shewit, that arrived home today, was one of the first children chosen from the pictures. A sweet local family decided HE WAS THEIR SON after seeing the pictures AND started the paper chase of international adoption!!! So, TODAY, EXACTLY 7 months to the day that I first met Lucy lane and Shewit....He arrived home with his forever family!! Yes, I adopted one of the babies...one of the beautiful adorable babies that are easy to place!! BUT because of THAT trip ANOTHER older child tonight has a family!!

So, my point is....don't underestimate what God has planned!!! Go for that baby if that is what fits into your family and your heart....there will NEVER be enough people to sign up for all the orphaned babies in Ethiopia.....BUT don't forget those children sitting around watching these babies leave months and months (and even years) before they get to!! It has been nearly a year since Shewit entered Hannah's Hope Orphanage, BUT the JOY and HAPPINESS in this boy's face tonight will erase all that time that he had to WAIT for the perfect family to come along!! I know God was smiling right along with Shewit tonight...His laughter and pure innocent JOY was evident to everyone around him!!! I'm forever changed every time I witness a homecoming like this.....

So, TODAY, LL turns 14 months old, she's been home 7 months TODAY, AND today she was reunited with her older friend from the orphanage. What a surreal moment to hug and kiss this boy AGAIN...the same boy I hugged and kissed in Ethiopia 7 months ago that had NO FAMILY coming for him!! Simply amazing!!!

I never dreamed when I left Hannah's Hope Orphanage for the last visit before flying out , that I'd see Shewit again some day AND that I'd have the privilege of watching him grow up...right down the road!! What a miracle!!

If you ever want to SEE and FEEL God's PRESENCE....Go watch a child come home at the airport with his forever family by his side!!! It is truly an amazing experience!! You'll witness something that only God could have orchestrated!! How else could this little boy, over the age that is typically adopted...a little boy completely orphaned with no one left to care for him...MAKE IT TO AMERICA?? It is GOD...GOD has big plans for Micah Shewit and I'm so blessed and honored to get to witness those through the years here locally!!

**Welcome home sweet little friend!! AND, I praise God for the Worton Family that said YES to adoption!! They said YES to orphan care....they said YES to Micah Shewit...they said YES to GOD!! (you can visit www.freedom4Micah.blogspot.com to read more about this journey if you'd like )

Happy Friday to you all....it's good to be back :) kj