A Family of Three

40 years ago today....

2009-08-13T09:21:00.010-04:00

Forty years ago today, a marvelous event occurred! My sweet husband was born!

Happy Birthday to an amazing man...

A cherished husband...

And a wonderful father!

I love you, Dave! Happy 40th! Look...no jokes about you being a geezer! ;)

15 Simple Ways

2009-08-12T12:04:00.003-04:00

15 simple ways you can save $34 a month! So easy! So doable! A tiny sacrifice from you could turn into a life saving gift to a child! To find out how, click here!

1. Skip just 2 fast food meals a month. The average fast food tab for a family of 4 is easily $15-$25!

2. Skip 1 "dine-in" restaurant meal a month.

3. When you do dine out, ask for water instead of another beverage. It’s free. Pass on the appetizer or dessert.

4. Opt to rent a movie and skip a trip to the theater.

5. When you do go to the movies, pass on the popcorn, sodas and snacks.

6. Cut back on Starbucks a few times a week and bring your coffee from home. No time in the mornings? Even switching to coffee from a convenience store will save you enough to save a child!

7. Leave the matching purse or shoes or accessories behind when shopping. Do you really need them? Will you ever miss them?

8. Bring snacks from home to work instead of hitting the snack machine in the afternoon slump.

9. Stay home. By sticking closer to home in the evenings and weekends, you won’t have to fill the gas tank as often.

10. Dust off your library card. The typical hardcover book is $20 or more. Borrowing from the library is free.

11. Couponing and playing the drug store game. You’d be amazed at the amount of money you can save by taking a minute to check store circulars and clip a few coupons! (And if you know me, you know I could dedicate an entire blog to this hobby! lol)

12. Clean out your house. Pull out all the stuff that I know is hiding in your closet and have a yard sale or list it on ebay or Craigslist.

13. Have a date night challenge. Make a game out of how you and your honey can have a romantic evening out without spending extra. Instead of dinner and a movie, how about a picnic in the park? Or an evening stroll around town? Or lying in the backyard watching the stars?

14. Skip the manicure or pedicure. Paint your nails at home or go natural.

15. Share babysitting costs with a friend. Volunteer to watch each others kids the next time you need a sitter.

What else can you do to save? I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas!

How you can help!

2009-08-11T11:11:00.011-04:00

If you missed my post yesterday, please go here to find out about Gugu’s carepoint!
If you already read yesterday’s post and have come back today for more information, THANK YOU!
Matthew 25: 35-40 says:

35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I
was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave
me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited
me.’
37 "Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 "And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,you were doing it to me!’

At Gugu’s carepoint, children will be fed! They will have clean water to drink, clothes to wear, medicine to help them heal, and discipleship to help them grow! You can be a part of this! You can be the one to provide this hope to one so dear to the Father’s heart! Do you have chills at the thought? The thought that God would choose you to be a part of something so incredible in His kingdom! Don’t you love it?!!!

I’m sure you have questions, I know that I did. One of the sweet girls, Whitney, who is also working as an advocate has done a better job than I could ever do at providing answers! I am going to share her post here.

Q: Do you know much about this Hopechest organization? Do you know these people? Can I trust them to be financially responsible in how they distribute donations?

A: Yes, yes, and yes! These are great people who are in this because they have a heart for and are passionate about helping orphans. Three of the leaders of this organization left high-paying jobs and took drastic pay cuts to serve in this way. Several of the people working full-time for Hopechest are doing so on a completely volunteer basis. Several of them are adoptive parents, including the Chief Operating
Officer Bob Mudd and Tom Davis, the President of Hopechest, who has two adopted children and who is a well-known and respected advocate for orphans and vulnerable children - and the author of a few of my favorite books (if you haven't read them, you should check them out - Fields of the Fatherless, Red Letters, and his latest, a novel about an orphan actually set in Swaziland called Scared). Hopechest is audited every year by the ECFA (Evangelical Coalition for Financial Accountability). 80% of every dollar that comes in goes directly to the field (this is a very high percentage!). In fact, one way they are able to do this is that they help communities by supporting local believers in these countries who are already trying - with extremely limited resources - to help kids in their communities. Thus, Hopechest is able to use funds to leverage work already in place and in progress rather than having to spend money to get staff to every location and start from scratch. If you have any questions at all about how the financials of this organization work or how funds are handled and distributed, please let me know and I will put you in contact with the Director of Outreach and Partner Relations, Vince Giordano, who will be happy to answer them.

Q: What does sponsorship entail?

A: Basically, we're forming a "community of sponsorship" for this care point. This means that this particular care point is "our" community to take care of, and getting a sponsorship for each child is just a part of it. Being part of the community of sponsorship means that you will have access to an online community that will give you frequent updates on the care point. Your sponsorship community will focus on specific projects for our care point as they come up (for example, perhaps a well at some point so these kids can be drinking clean water), and there will be an annual trip planned so that anyone who wants to visit our care point will have the opportunity to go there and serve. My friend, Brandi, who volunteers full-time with Hopechest, will actually get to visit our care point in February with a group to train some local leaders and to assess some of the major needs (another project we will do for our community before she goes will be to gather some donations of items to send to our children - I know some of their other sponsorship communities have sent things like pencils and underwear for their kids).

We are in the process of putting together the photos and profiles of the children and we should have packages ready to send out over the next few months. Our goal is to have a sponsor already in line for each of this children! We can hit the ground running and be able to get the resources to our carepoint right away!

Are you ready? Will you become a sponsor?

Becoming a sponsor is easy! The cost to sponsor a child is only $34 a month! All donations are tax deductible and can be paid monthly, quarterly or yearly. You will have the opportunity to write to your child each month and will receive letters, photos and possibly videos of your child! You can be involved in our online community to receive ongoing updates about the carepoint. Most importantly, you have the blessing to be able to pray for your child and to intercede on their behalf, all the while watching God change your heart as well!

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor or would like further information, please either leave a comment below or email me at cdfunkhouser@gmail.com.

Tomorrow I will share just how easy sponsoring your child can be!

To LIVE the words of Jesus

2009-08-10T12:22:00.006-04:00

I am so humbled and excited to be able to share this amazing news with you! I have the opportunity to partner with the incredible ministry, Children’s Hopechest, and with a group of wonderful women, lead by my friend, Brandi, as God uses us to change the lives of a group of precious children in Swaziland!

Swaziland is a small country in southern Africa, roughly the size of New Jersey, that is bordered by South Africa and Mozambique. It’s population of 1.2 million people has the lowest life expectancy rate in the world, an average of 31 years, 40% below the world average. It has the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the world. There are over 150,000 orphans and vulnerable children in this tiny nation.
Please watch this video!

Hopechest is going to be taking this group of orphans as a carepoint! You have the opportunity to be a sponsor to one of these children that so desperately need the hope and love of our Saviour in their lives! I will be sharing more info on how you can help over the next few days!

I find it so humbling, so exciting, so amazing that the God of the universe would use us to help this nation. To be the hands and feet of Jesus to the orphan, widow and alien. To allow Him to work through us to support and love "the least of these". It is more than I can wrap my head around! I am far from an eloquent blogger. I find I have trouble spilling what is in my heart onto a keyboard, so I am going to share a post Brandi wrote last year. It spoke deeply to my spirit and helps express what it truly means to follow Jesus.

I hope you will join me on this journey! Please check back tomorrow for further information on sponsorship and some frequently asked questions!

Alin is home

2009-08-01T21:51:00.007-04:00

I received this update today about dear Alin. Though I am typing through tears and with such an ache in my heart, I know that he is now in the arms of Jesus, able to gaze at the face of our precious Savior!

July 31, 2009

Dear friends,

At 5:00 this morning Romanian time, Alin's heart stopped beating, and he went home to be with Jesus.

Although this was not the outcome we or Corina had hoped and prayed for, and although Corina is grieving him deeply, still there is joy in knowing that this little 2 1/2-year-old boy is no longer suffering. His pain is gone, his eyes are opened, and he is home.

When I talked to Corina this afternoon, she told me that over the past few weeks, she had been preparing Alin to meet Jesus. "You don't need to be afraid," she had told him. "Jesus will come and bring you to a beautiful place, and it will be your home."

Alin seemed unsure. "Will Jesus come by car?" he asked (he had a fascination with cars!).

"Jesus owns many cars, I'm sure He can find you one," Corina said. Still, Alin seemed tense, snuggling into Corina as if in fear.

"You don't need to be afraid," she told him again. "Jesus will take you home to heaven. You can stay there with Jesus and wait for me, and after a little while, Mommy will come there too."

At that, Alin seemed to relax and be at peace.

Alin's funeral will be held on Tuesday. Please pray that the good news of hope beyond death would go forth in power at the funeral. Also pray for:
Comfort for Corina as she grieves the little boy who had been a son to her. Pray that she will be refreshed and restored in God's presence.
Alin's two biological brothers, who have also been abandoned in state care. They are genetically predisposed to suffer the same illness as Alin, and Corina has begun making strides to get them out of state care so they can be spared their brother's fate. Please pray for their lives and futures.
The doctors and other suffering families with whom Corina came in contact during her time in the hospital. Ask God to reveal Himself to them.
"Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." (1 Corinthians 13:12) How amazing that this little boy who had suffered the loss of both his eyes can now see the Savior face to face.

A new update on Alin

2009-07-29T09:29:00.003-04:00

July 28, 2009

Dear friends,

We are sad to report that Alin is not doing well. After his last surgery, he had some problems with the anesthesia, but seemed to be doing well upon his return to Oradea. However, shortly after that Alin began to have trouble and has grown worse with each passing day. He stopped eating, his body has started shutting down, and he is back in the hospital full time. Alin can no longer breathe on his own and is connected to a respirator.

Throughout this ordeal, Corina has been constantly by Alin’s side. Although this has been vital for Alin, it has completely exhausted Corina, who desperately needs sleep and rest. Seeing the constant suffering of Alin has taken an emotional toll on her as well.

We will be calling Corina daily for updates on any changes in Alin’s condition, and will pass any news on to you immediately.

Please pray:
That Corina will have strength to endure and will find moments to rest and renew.
That Alin will know the comfort of God’s presence through Corina.
That God will give Corina peace knowing Alin’s life is in His hands.
That this situation will bring glory to God and light to those in the hospital.
Thank you for your prayers.

Praise report on Alin!

2009-06-24T09:37:00.003-04:00

I wanted to give an update on the little guy in Romania. God is so amazing!

June 23, 2009

Dear friends,

Thank you for your prayers for Alin. Several weeks ago, he survived a surgery to remove his eyes due to cancer. Unfortunately, the cancer had spread to his brain and he required another surgery. Alin underwent surgery this morning to remove the tumor in his brain and is now in recovery. Although the doctors had given him less than 10% chance of surviving surgery, God has miraculously preserved Alin’s life.

When I spoke with Corina, Alin was in the recovery room and had not woken up, yet. The neurologist told her the surgery had gone well and he is hopeful that they removed the entire tumor. Until Alin wakes up and more tests are done, they won’t know if another surgery will be required or not. We praise God for guarding Alin’s life and continue to pray for his full recovery.

Please pray:
that Corina will have strength to care for Alin in the coming days.
that Alin will recover and heal from his surgery without a lot of pain.
that the doctors would have wisdom concerning any future surgery and treatment.
that the Lord will be gloried through Alin’s life.

We will continue to update you on Alin’s progress in the future. Thank you for your encouragement and prayers!

Update on Alin in Romania

2009-05-13T08:41:00.006-04:00

I just recieved this update from Romania Reborn that I wanted to share. My heart aches. Please continue to pray for Alin and Corina.

May 12, 2009

Dear friends,

Many of you have written and asked about Alin (pictured below), the little boy at Hope House with cancer. Thank you for your deep concern and faithful prayers for this hurting child. After speaking with Corina this morning, those prayers are definitely needed.

Alin is currently at the children’s hospital in Bucharest, Romania undergoing radiation therapy, meeting with doctors, and enduring numerous tests. He has been a brave little soldier throughout this whole process. Sadly, the doctors have confirmed that the cancer has spread to Alin’s brain and he has less than 10% chance of surviving the surgery. Tomorrow, he will meet with another doctor to determine the extent the cancer has spread throughout his brain. Depending on the results, surgery will be scheduled for sometime next week.

When it became evident that Alin would be unable to go to England for surgery, Corina was very concerned about the quality of care he would receive in Bucharest. Corina has been pleasantly surprised by the caring attitude and the excellent skill of the doctors involved in Alin’s case. This is an answer to prayer! Corina also found two young women who will stay with Alin and take turns caring for him 24 hours a day. Although Corina wanted to stay with Alin, her numerous responsibilities back home prevented her from staying for an extended time. She is planning to return to Bucharest for Alin’s surgery.

Please pray:
- that Corina will have wisdom as she makes numerous decisions necessary for Alin’s care.
- that the Lord will strengthen Corina, who has come to love Alin with a mother’s love. This love has been a joy to both Corina and Alin (pictured together on the left), but is accompanied by the pain of possible loss. Pray that God’s love will sustain them both.
- that the Lord will give the doctors wisdom as they provide care for Alin and prepare for a very difficult surgery. Pray for steady minds, eyes, and hands.
- that Alin will know he is loved, even in the midst of the pain. Pray that he will feel the peace that comes from being held in the loving arms of the Savior.
- that everyone involved, especially those who do not know Christ as Saviour, will see God’s hand in Alin’s life and will know the truth of His love for them.
- that God will fully heal Alin, whether in this life or the next, and that Corina will have peace knowing the outcome is in God's hands.

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18

2009-04-22T09:47:00.000-04:00

First of all, you need to go here and read this blog post, on Isaiah 58 and 59 by Brandi. (And, by the way, if you aren’t already reading her awesome blog...you should be!! She rocks!)

As I read this scripture, I was truly convicted. Wow and ouch! It is one of those incredible parts of the Word where God can make you uncomfortable, but all the while you are praising Him for opening your eyes! I could probably write a dozen posts about those two chapters, but, for now, I want to talk about the verse that really jumped out at me. It is Isaiah 59: 3

3 "Your hands are the hands of murderers,

and your fingers are filthy with sin.

Your lips are full of lies,

and your mouth spews corruption."

I have to be honest. In my pride, I would normally read a verse like this and do a mental checklist. "Nope...doesn’t apply to me. No murder here!" The Spirit showed me otherwise! We ARE murderers! All of our hands are filthy with sin! How? When we sit back in our comfortable lifestyles, while children in this world are dying everyday. Dying of starvation. Dying of completely preventable diseases. Dying because WE aren’t doing something to make a difference! We know this is occurring and we are choosing to let it happen?! Isn't that as guilty as murder? In our world, a child dies every 5 seconds due to a hunger related issue. Every 5 seconds. Over 1.8 million child deaths each year are related to unclean water and poor sanitation. If you do the math, that’s an average of 5000 children a day! One every 17 seconds. Where is this on our evening news? We should be outraged! Shouting from the rooftops! Rushing to make a change. Instead, we sit and open another bag of snacks while we anxiously await who will be voted off American Idol this week or which team will make it to the championship. Oh how our Savior’s heart must be grieved! How I pray for forgiveness!

Matthew 25: 31-40 is probably familiar to you. Read it now and really let it sink into your heart.

31 "But when the Son of Man comes in his glory,

and all the angels with him,

then he will sit upon his glorious throne.

32 All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate

the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
34 "Then the King will say to those on his right,

‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father,

inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.

35 For I was hungry, and you fed me.

I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink.

I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.

36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing.

I was sick, and you cared for me.

I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37 "Then these righteous ones will reply,

‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you?

Or thirsty and give you something to drink?

38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality?

Or naked and give you clothing?

39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 "And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth,

when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,

you were doing it to me!"

When we realize this truth...When we stop living for ourselves and truly place the needs of others first...When we step out of our comfortable, complacent lives...We are doing so for Jesus. We are feeding Him. We are clothing Him. We are saving lives. This is the gospel! This is LOVE! This is James 1:27!

27 "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father

means caring for orphans and widows in their distress

and refusing to let the world corrupt you"

1 John 3: 17 says this

17 "If someone has enough money to live well

and sees a brother or sister

in need but shows no compassion—

how can God’s love be in that person?"

I challenge you to pray and seek God. Ask Him how He can use you. Give and pray for those who are in the fields working for the Kingdom. Praise God for His word and for opening our eyes to see His truth!

The following are just a few of the many wonderful ministries caring for God's children.

Global Orphan Outreach

Easter pics

2009-04-14T15:31:00.010-04:00

You know, it is nearly impossible to get a squirmy, chocolate filled two year old to hold still for a decent Easter picture...but here are a few we did catch! ;o)

Looking for the Easter bunny

The look I get when I ask him to please hold still so Mommy can get a picture!

Mmmmmm...chocolate bunny breakfast!

Trying out his new harmonica
Egg hunt!

Update

2009-03-31T09:08:00.003-04:00

I wanted to share two updates I recieved on Alin. Please continue to keep this little one in your prayers.

Dear friends,

Thank you so much for your prayers for Alin, the little boy with eye cancer. Many of you have written asking about his progress, and I was finally able to speak with Corina, director of Hope House, today and get an update on Alin’s condition.

Alin, 2 years old, is still in the hospital in Oradea, Romania, undergoing aggressive chemotherapy. Although the chemotherapy has halted the progress of the cancer, he is suffering greatly from the side effects. Alin is also suffering from being abandoned by his foster mother and doesn’t understand what is happening to him.

The chemotherapy will end on Saturday, March 28, and he will need to have immediate surgery. However, it has still not been determined where this surgery will take place. A hospital in England is considering helping Alin, but has been very hesitant to commit due to his low chance of surviving the surgery. If they are unable to do the surgery, Alin will be transported to Bucharest for surgery. However, the conditions and equipment in Bucharest are definitely inferior to the care he would receive in England.

Corina was given only a few weeks to find a foster family for Alin before the Child Protection Department would have had to place him in a state-run facility. Unfortunately, she was unable to find a family willing to take on this responsibility, so she has decided to take him herself. This will be difficult for Corina, but she couldn’t allow Alin, especially in his condition, to end up in a state orphanage.

Pray that the Lord will bring comfort to Alin’s little body and mind during this time of suffering. Please pray that he can rest in the midst of the pain and find comfort in the arms of the women who are helping to care for him. Please pray that the door will open for Alin to travel to England where he would receive the best care possible. Pray for the wisdom and steady hands of whichever doctor will be overseeing his surgery next week. Please pray that Corina will have the strength to take care of Alin through the difficult times ahead. Pray that God’s will is done in this little boy’s life, that His name might be glorified!

We will keep you updated on Alin’s progress. Thank you for your prayers!

**********************************************************

March 30, 2009

Dear friends,

This afternoon, I spoke with Corina (director of Hope House) and received the latest news concerning Alin, the 2-year-old little boy with cancer. He is not doing well and continues to suffer from the aggressive chemotherapy. It is vitally important that he undergoes surgery immediately, but Corina has still not received a final answer from doctors in England, who seem willing to help Alin. If the surgery cannot occur in England, then Corina will need to make plans for Alin to travel to Bucharest for surgery. Pray for God to open the door for Alin to travel to England, if it is His will. Please pray that Corina will receive a definitive answer from England concerning the surgery, so she can make the best decision possible for Alin. Pray that Corina will have wisdom and strength in the coming days, as she sees Alin continue to suffer. Please pray for Alin to find rest and comfort during these difficult days.

Thank you for joining with in prayer for this special little boy!

A request for prayer

2009-03-20T09:26:00.008-04:00

I have neglected this poor little blog! I will have to save my many excuses for another post.

Today I want to ask that you join me in prayer for a precious child in Romania.

Let me share the story of how God touched my heart for this country. Several years ago, we stumbled upon a documentary about the street children of Romania. It was heartbreaking! Children as young as six, neglected and homeless, living on the street. It was something that God used to reach down and get hold of me. The images wouldn't leave my head or my heart. I told Dave then that if we ever were to adopt, I wanted to adopt from Romania. Fast forward a few years to when God did lead us to adoption. I was saddened to learn that Romania was no longer allowing international adoption. Still, I could not get those children from my mind. I began to research how I could help. I wasn't having much luck. Once we began the adoption process for Matthew, I became preoccupied. While sitting at work one day, I suddenly had the images of those children in my mind. I stopped what I was doing and again searched for a Romanian orphan ministry. I discovered Romania Reborn. The best -give me chills and be in awe of our truly amazing God- part....they are practically located in our backyard!!! Can you believe that?! The ministry headquarters is in a town right next to ours! God is so cool...I love how He works!
This brings me to the prayer request. The following is an email I received last week about one of the children. Please include him in your prayers!

Dear friends,

Corina Caba, director of Hope House in Romania, just sent us an urgent prayer request concerning a little boy named Alin. Please feel free to pass this urgent need on to your friends, family, and churches for prayer.

Alin is a cute and intelligent two-year-old Romanian boy who was abandoned at birth. When he was 9 months old, the Child Protection Department (DPC) placed him in foster care. Last August, his foster mother noticed that he was having some problems with one of his eyes. The doctor discovered Alin had a tumor on his eye and told the foster mother and the DPC that he urgently needed surgery. With immediate surgery, he had a 90% recovery rate from the cancer and would still have the use of his other eye. However, nothing was done.

The foster mother showed up at the hospital a few weeks ago with Alin, who was in extreme pain. Due to the extreme negligence of the DPC and his foster mother, Alin is now in critical condition. The doctor stated that the cancer is now in both eyes and, even if he receives immediate surgery, he only has a 20% chance of survival. If Alin does survive, he will be blind. Unfortunately, his foster mother no longer wants responsibility for his care and has signed him back over to the state. So, the DPC called Corina to ask her to take the case and she couldn't say no.

Alin is currently in the hospital undergoing chemotherapy and radiation in preparation for a surgery that may never happen. Corina has contacted several people in Romania and Britain with hopes of finding a doctor willing to perform surgery within the next few weeks. Thankfully, another Christian foundation has provided 24-hour volunteer care for Alin during his hospital stay. Also, Corina has been given only a few weeks to find a new foster family, or the courts will place Alin in a state residential home.

Pray for:
A good doctor to be found to perform surgery within the next few weeks.
Corina to find a new foster family willing to take on the extra care Alin will need in the coming months.
Alin to feel God's love and comfort during this time of pain and confusion.
The volunteers to have extra strength to take care of Alin during his chemotherapy and radation.
Corina to have strength and wisdom to deal with this situation following her own recent surgery.

Alin had no one who cared enough to fight for him until now. Please join us in battling for him in prayer!

Also, please consider taking a moment to visit the Romania Reborn website here to find out more about the incredible ministry.
More to follow....

Pumpkins in our pajamas

2008-10-27T09:53:00.020-04:00

I've been blog lazy! Well, actually it's been more like work swamped -DSL issues at home - blog lazy!

I think things are now back to normal! Yay!

AUTUMN! AUTUMN! AUTUMN!

*sigh* My favorite time of year! There is just something so delicious about this season. The air is crisp and the world seems brighter. Of course when spring rolls around, I often wonder if it isn't the best....but then I remember how much I love fall!

Last weekend we had our first trip to the pumpkin patch! Although Matthew wasn't too crazy about the animals, the play area was a hit!

Playing in the "vegetable garden" with Mary

The hay slide!

The corn silo! Dave and I couldn't resist climbing in to play....it was too fun!

Driving the tractor! Notice that chocolate-faced, M&M smile! Thanks Aunt Debbie! lol

And a hayride! (which put him right to sleep!)

This leads us to the title of this post...Pumpkins in our pajamas. Yesterday we decided it was time to carve our pumpkin patch treasures. We were anxious to see how Matthew would react to scooping out the pumpkin guts. Not his cup of tea! We could barely get him to touch it. It was an "ewwwww" moment for sure. Oh well, Mommy and Daddy had fun! ;o)

Our Jack-O-Lanterns! When we lit them to show Matthew, he was so excited and wanted to sing Happy Birthday?! He's too funny!

Pop Goes The Wiggles Live!

2008-08-21T12:21:00.028-04:00

Matthew loves to watch the Wiggles! When I saw they were coming to our area, we had to get tickets to the show! My sister and niece decided to get tickets too! Mary was a big fan when she was little. They both wanted to be able to see Matthew's reaction! (but I know they secretly wanted to see the Wiggles too!) I did my homework beforehand and researched how to be prepared for the show. We brought a bunch of roses for Dorothy the Dinosaur, who loves to eat them and a bone for Wags the Dog. I read that the Wiggles make sure they read all of the homemade signs that children bring. We found out that August is Wags "birthday" so we made Happy Birthday signs for him! Yesterday we all set out for the Patriot Center ready to wiggle!

Matthew with his sign

Mary with her sign

What an incredible show!!! We were so impressed by how much interaction there was with the children and how you could tell the guys were having fun! They came down into the audience to wave and give high fives. (Our aisle was Anthony) Matthew stared in awe at first. I think he was a little overwhelmed, but once his favorite character, Henry the Octopus, hit the stage, he was bouncing in my lap!

We held up our sign during the song when Henry, Wags, Dorothy and Captain Feathersword first made their appearance. After the song ended, everyone went backstage except Anthony. He then said "Didn't I see a sign that said "Happy Birthday" to Wags?" As we were getting our sign, he told everyone "August is Wags birthday! Then read our "Happy Birthday Wags! From: Matthew" sign aloud. Of course we were way more excited than Matthew was! lol Even more exciting was a few songs later. Wags was back on stage for his song. When it was over, they said, "Where is that sign for Wags? I think it was from Matthew!" Woohoo! They also mentioned Mary's sign too. This lead to them leading the audience in singing an impromptu Happy Birthday to Wags! Wags waved and blew kisses to Matthew. It was really sweet! I was amazed at how they would take the time to make a single child feel so special! In fact, another little boy had a sign that asked for a picture with Anthony and he left the stage and went into the upper level to take the picture! (note to self: next show...ask for a picture on our sign! LOL)

If your little ones are fans of the Wiggles and you get the chance, you MUST go to the show! The adults will have as much fun as the kids! They throw in several fun grown-up references as well....like Captain Feathersword and dancer Ben dancing to an instrumental version of "Super Freak" and throwing in some M.C. Hammer "U Can't Touch This" moves and when asked to do a guitar solo, Murray started "Stairway to Heaven". It was hysterical!

Warning.. lots of pictures! :o)

Toot-Toot, Chugga-Chugga Big Red Car!

Murray

Anthony with Sam and dancer Caterina in the background

Jeff and Anthony

Wags the Dog

Henry the Octopus

Captain Feathersword

Fruit Salad...Yummy, Yummy

Fruit Salad basketball

Dorothy the Dinosaur

Sam and Jeff as Humpty Dumpty

The Beatle....I Mean Wiggles

Rockin' with Murray

Our own little Captain Feathersword! :o)

I have the most amazing friends!!!

2008-07-31T10:53:00.009-04:00

A little over a year ago, my friend, Betsy, invited me to join a small online message board of moms and moms-to-be who had each struggled with their fertility. What an awesome group of women! Most had known each other for years, but they made me feel so welcome and at home.

As I was sitting at my desk this past Friday, I noticed someone coming in the office door. To my absolute surprise it was Beth, Alicia and Kristin from the board! They had driven from Tennessee and southern Virginia to surprise me and celebrate our adoption! (And kidnap me for the night! hee-hee) I found out all of the online ladies had been planning a surprise gift for us for almost a year...long before we even knew if we’d be able to adopt Matthew. Beth, Alicia and Kristin began to gather information about me and where I worked. (Dave had been keeping that secret from me for 2 weeks!) They hand delivered the gifts from the group...roses, a gift card for family portraits, a book of poetry about sons, a gorgeous mother’s bracelet (handmade by Irish), a poem that Mandy’s mom wrote for us, (I will have to share it here, it is beautiful!), a hand painted piggy bank for Matthew (made by Jenni) and a cool automatic bubble blower from Kristin’s son for Matthew! There was also a card that the ladies had all signed! It had been all over the US and also to Canada and England!

I couldn’t believe they were here! I kept asking them where they were going, I just couldn’t fathom they would come all that way just to surprise me! :o) It was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me!

I found out they had set up a secret area of the message board that everyone could see except me. Kristin unlocked it, and I have been able to read all the posts and plans they had made. I sat and cried as I realized how blessed I am to have made these friends! Friends that would go so out of their way to do something so special for someone they have never met! Friends that are genuinely excited to share in our adoption! It’s truly an honor to know you Kristin, Alicia, Beth, Siobhan, Becca, Jacki, Margot, Laura J., Laura B., Irish, Jenni, Mandy, Rebecca, Wendy, Vonda, Kathy, Amber, Jilly, Trish, Esa, Julie, Dee, Tiffany, Elizabeth, Lindsay, Julia, Sharon, Christine, Reese, Celinda, Becky, Andrea and Betsy. (I hope that’s everyone!)

Alicia, Beth, Kristin and I had such an awesome time Friday night and Saturday! I feel like I have known them forever! I’m surprised my face wasn’t sore from smiling and laughing so much! What a fun girls night out! Dave was so sweet and didn’t mind that I stayed with the girls at the hotel. He and Matthew met us after breakfast Saturday morning. I can’t wait to get together with them again and also meet the rest of the ladies!

Alicia, Kristin and Beth (I love you, girls!)

Breakfast at Bob Evans

Kristin, me with Matthew, Beth and Alicia

July 23, 2008

2008-07-25T09:08:00.019-04:00

We are blessed!

Wednesday was an amazing day! How humbling to know that God chose us to be the parents of Matthew David! He knew before the beginning of time we would be standing in the court room that day as a family of three!

A few photos from our adoption day! I can't wait to see all that were taken! (So if you are reading this and had your camera with you....hint, hint!)

Waiting for the judge

Peeking at everyone

With the judgeOur family

I have to share a few pictures from the night we first met our son.

December 14, 2006

Thank you God for the privilege of adoption!

It's an honor to be your sons and daughters, adopted through Jesus!

Amen

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins."

Ephesians 1: 3-7 (NLT)

Waiting...

2008-07-16T10:07:00.007-04:00

We are down to one week! Everything is really starting to sink in and seem real!

My heart is with all the other parents who are waiting for their adoption day.

Even more, my heart is aching for all the other children out there who are still waiting...

The numbers are staggering. Every 18 seconds a child becomes an orphan!

We can make a difference!

Please take the next 18 seconds and say a prayer for the 143 MILLION children who are waiting. Then take a moment to visit one of these links. Choose a specific child and pray for them. Intercede on their behalf.

Support ministries and organizations that are working in the fields of the fatherless. Ask God to show you how He can best use you! Perhaps you feel God is calling you to adopt. Maybe He is calling you to volunteer. Maybe to support financially or through prayer. He is calling. It is up to us to listen, trust and obey.

James 1:27 says "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you" NLT

The countdown continues...

2008-07-09T11:47:00.007-04:00

Two weeks from today....ADOPTION DAY! I'll have to try to get Matthew on video. When we ask him what we are going to do at the courthouse, he shouts "dopt". It's too cute!

I didn't get many pictures on the 4th of July...but here is one of the two of us at our niece's softball game. I have to brag about her! She is on the 9-10 year old All-Star team and they have been competing to go the the state championships. The 4th was their first game, which they won 8-0! My sister-in-law emailed us to let us know they won their last game and are headed to state in a few weeks. The biggest news...Miss Amy got a home run with the bases loaded! Go girl! We are so proud of you!!!

Busy week!

2008-06-30T09:42:00.009-04:00

We’ve had a busy, but fun week! Here are some of the highlights. ;o)

Thursday Matthew, Grandmaw and Grandad went to the farmer’s market. Grandmaw made dinner for us all. Fresh green beans, new potatoes, corn-on-the-cob and burgers. Yum! Matthew had his first corn-on-the-cob and loved it!

Saturday we went to a cousin’s birthday party. Her playhouse was a big hit, but the ice cream was an even bigger one!

I had to add this picture. This is the face we get if we ask him to say “cheese”. What a ham!

Sunday was our annual family reunion. Can you tell our son LOVES hats?! He brought two with him and also borrowed Grandad’s! :o) We made several trips to the dock to see the minnows and feed them some of Grandmaw’s homemade bread. Even the fish know she makes the best bread ever! :o)

One Month From Today!!!

2008-06-23T09:41:00.003-04:00

In exactly one month, we will be heading to court to finalize our adoption!!!
I can't believe we are almost done! Happy dance!

Hair

2008-06-23T09:24:00.009-04:00

Yesterday was a big day for Matthew. His first real haircut. I have trimmed it a few times at home, but nothing major. It was really getting long, and after the lady at the McDonald’s drive-thru asked if he was a girl, I figured the time was right! He was such a trooper. He sat still and never made a peep. That was until he spotted his Daddy a few chairs over and shouted “Ay Dad” across the room. *hee-hee*

I think the look on his face says it all!

(If you look close, you can see Dave in the mirror in the back)

The whole experience has me thinking. Our spiritual walk is often like that first haircut.

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15: 1-5 NLT

Think about all the times the Gardener is pruning the dead branches in our lives. All of those things that don’t produce fruit for the kingdom.! The things that absorb our time and attention. In this case, the Gardener is a Barber! Like a haircut, we must allow the Father to trim those things from our lives. As I look at Matthew’s expression of uncertainty, it reminds me of the feelings we may feel when God begins to work on us. It is uncomfortable. We may be afraid. Scared the clippers may hurt. So we put off going to God with our whole selves, though we know we need a trim. Eventually, it will begin to overtake us. We can no longer brush the hair from in front of our eyes. What happens next? It becomes pretty hard to see! Don’t lose site of the Barber!

I sat in the chair and held Matthew on my lap. When it was time to have the back of his hair cut, I turned him around to face me. He looked at me and smiled. It was like he just realized, “Hey, my Mom’s got me.” To me, that was a lesson. All throughout the process, God is holding us. He’s always there whether we realize it or not. What joy when we can look in His face and smile! We realize there isn’t anything to fear.

I think of Dave sitting a few chairs down. Matthew could have thought, “Gee, my Daddy made it through ok. He’s already done!” Praise God, there was one who has gone before us! One who is victorious! One we can turn to, call upon and be encouraged! We can, because Jesus has!

My two guys! (Couldn't get a smile out of Matthew!)

How things change

2008-06-20T13:58:00.005-04:00

As a teen, I was a major New Kids on the Block fan. My friends and I were at every concert that came anywhere near us. I’ll never forget the excitement of waiting for tickets to go on sale. Dialing and re-dialing to get through to Ticketmaster. (Sigh...life before the internet) Then the countdown....
This morning I found myself watching the clock for 10:00a.m. That was when the pre-sale began for a concert in August. I had my password and was ready to get the best possible seats. When I logged on the website, there was a picture of the New Kids and the link to get tickets to their reunion tour. I barely noticed. There are much more important tickets...

POP GO THE WIGGLES LIVE!!!

I’m excited! I think more than the NKOTB days. Not because I was able to get seats right up front. Not because it’s a concert. Because I can’t wait to experience this through my son’s eyes! I can’t wait to see the excitement on his face. These days, I’ll take Murray, Anthony, Jeff, Sam and Captain Feathersword over Danny, Donnie, Jordan, Jonathan and Joe hands down!

Our Adoption Story

2008-06-20T11:01:00.003-04:00

How it all began....

It all began in 2002, with a dream. (how's that for a dramatic opening!) :)

We had been seeking treatment for infertility and were very discouraged by the lack of communication and information I was receiving from my ob/gyn. We had been waiting for weeks to hear back from their office with a referral to a fertility specialist. One night, during this wait, God used a dream to change my outlook in such a dramatic way. He amazes me! I dreamt that we were in the waiting room at our doctor's office. The receptionist told us the doctor wasn't there, so we left. On the way to the car, a pay phone rang. It was the doctor's office, calling to tell us they had a son for us! We were so excited and ran back to the office. Then we were once again waiting. The receptionist ignored me whenever I tried to get her attention. I was so anxious and it felt as if hours were passing with nothing happening. Suddenly a feeble, sickly old man was wheeled into the office. I just looked at him sitting in the wheelchair and thought how broken he looked. The nurse came out and wheeled him back. I was angry that we were there waiting so long and he went ahead of us! I looked at Dave and told him I was so upset, and that we had been waiting forever. I wanted to see this son! He looked at me and pointed to the clock. He said "We have only been waiting for 2 minutes". I was shocked, but he was right, it had only been 2 minutes. Then the office doors opened again, and the old man was wheeled out, he was completely mended and healed. I then woke up. I had never had a revelatory dream before. I had chills from head to toe. God showed me that although it felt like forever, it had only been 2 short minutes in His perfect timing. I knew the old man represented all the many things in my life that I needed to get in line. They were things that needed to be mended and healed before I could move on. Little did I know how literal the call for a son would turn out to be! But I also knew it was Jesus, the ultimate "son", God had for us. He was there waiting for us to cling to Him and to focus on Him, through this incredible journey!

Beginning the journey......

It seems a little strange to discuss fertility treatments on a blog that celebrates adoption, but it is part of the whole story and all part of God’s plan to bring us where we are today. I now know why He had us go through so much. What an incredible testimony to His faithfulness! He has taught me so many lessons along the way. Patience being the biggest one!

I made an appointment with a reproductive endocrinologist after a second dream I had a few months after the first. In the dream, I was making an appointment with a new doctor. I didn’t remember as many details, but I do remember walking into the office and seeing the doctor’s name plate on the desk. It said "Dr. Manual". I remember saying the name and thinking it sounded Hispanic to me. When I woke up, I immediately thought of a doctor I had seen in the yellow pages, the only reproductive specialist in our area, Dr. Irianni. I felt as if I was supposed to make an appointment. It was also a reminder to me of the Great Physician, our Emmanuel! I said a prayer and made a phone call.

We began the many tests required and I was diagnosed with Late-Onset Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia. I began steroid treatments to try to regulate my body, to no avail. After a few years passed, we both felt so discouraged. Dave and I had always thought of adopting, but just figured it would be something we would do after we had a biological child. We began discussing it again and began to wonder if this was where God was leading us.

Adoption first?.....

I began researching adoption. I searched every site I could find and never missed an episode of "Adoption Stories" on TLC. We figured that domestic adoption would take years to complete so we really never considered it. We would adopt internationally. Now to just choose the country. I ordered every free information packet from every agency that offered one. We talked about each country, making lists of the pros and cons. I talked to a few agencies and we narrowed down our choice of agency and country. We were going to adopt from Kazakhstan! I had made up my mind and had started to research ways to finance this adoption.

I am so thankful that God has such incredible patience with me! I have an issue with control. I have a bigger issue with patience. I have the greatest issue with worry! I want to plan everything...know what to expect...and have it done yesterday! Quite the opposite characteristics of one who claims to walk by faith! Out of the blue one day, I received a call from Dr. Irianni. He was thinking about me and wondered how I was doing. I did have a few concerns, so he asked if I wanted to make an appointment. I did so, almost reluctantly. I began to question that decision. Why did I get that phone call? Why did it stir up all of the ache? Why should I go? Didn’t God want us to adopt? This was going to be my farewell visit. This was going to be closure. After all, wouldn’t I already be pregnant if that was God’s plan?

In the fall of 2005, I went to what I assumed was my final appointment with the RE. He examined me, then, as he usually did, asked me into his office to go over everything. I had a seat to wait while he was with another patient. Since I had been there last, he had changed a few things around. He had some new pictures and had added more of his diplomas to the wall. That was when I noticed one in particular. It was printed with his full name, Franciso MANUAL Irianni. I had chills from head to toe. I really felt like God had pulled the rug out from under me. Could it really be that He wanted me here? But why? I had a plan! No more visits! This was it! Kazakhstan. I could just stare when he came in the office. Our next course of action would be to begin daily injections of medication, followed by a trigger shot to cause ovulation and then
intrauterine insemination (IUI). I remember thinking "Ok God, I get it now. The closure part!" I knew how expensive the fertility medications would be. I knew that insurance wouldn’t cover them. Dave and I had already discussed this. We wouldn’t spend money on treatments that *might* result in a pregnancy when the same money could fund an adoption. When the doctor told me that he was going to contact my insurance to see what they would cover, I was almost smiling. I just knew that they wouldn’t cover anything. Aha! Closure! It had to be!

Two weeks later, the office called to tell me my insurance would cover a large portion of the cost. There went that rug again! I began to pray. I was so confused. Suddenly there was a glimmer of hope. I began to get the excitement back I had in the very beginning. This had to be God’s plan!
We were going to have our biological child first. I packed away all the adoption information packets and began the regimen. Each month was unsuccessful. Each try was draining us more and more, both emotionally and financially. Even though insurance helped with the cost, it was still quite expensive. With each try, I felt that tugging at my heart about adoption. We prayed that we would know what to do. We still had four more attempts before we would have to move on to IVF. In March 2006, I went for what would be our last IUI. I came home to rest. I was talking to my mom on the phone when I got a call on the other line. It was a recorded message from Joyce Meyer Ministries regarding work they were doing in orphanages in China. It was a sign and I knew my answer. God did want us to adopt. We decided to end the treatments and send in our application fee for Kazakhstan.

Not so fast.....

God was just beginning to teach me the importance of waiting on His timing and not doing things on my own! To make a long story short, there was an innocent mix up at the agency. After getting it cleared up and speaking with them further, the door we had tried to open with a Kazakhstan adoption we being closed. It was going to be a much greater cost than we first expected. (Not that God couldn’t provide, we just knew it wasn’t His idea in the first place!) So we switched to Vietnam. I also began to research Ethiopia and Korea all while contacting an agency to begin a home study. Things just didn’t seem to go right with each turn. The agency I talked to about Korea was quite rude on the phone and the original agency we talked to was just in the beginning stages of Ethiopian adoptions and wasn’t ready for applicants yet. The home study agency was 4 counties away from us, which would mean additional driving expenses. I was frustrated! I couldn’t understand why things weren’t falling into place. I knew we were supposed to adopt and we were so ready to be parents...so why wasn’t anything working?!

I opened the yellow pages out of desperation one day and flipped to adoption. There was an advertisement for an agency in the next county. They did international and domestic home studies, domestic adoption and foster care. I once again sent an email for more information. I was surprised to get a quick reply and within a few days, we had scheduled an appointment. We sat down with the adoption worker and began to discuss the process. She explained their domestic program and their home study process. She asked if we would be interested in foster care, but that was a fast no from both of us. I couldn’t bear the thought of taking in a child and having them return home.

We began to think about the possibility of domestic adoption. The wait could be anywhere from 9 months to 5 years depending on the race of the child. We were open to race, so our wait time could be reduced a little. We could also inquire about children in the foster care system who were waiting to be adopted. It was not what we had imagined and planned, but down deep, I felt we were supposed to go this route. We prayed and turned in our application on May 22, 2006. We began our training, home study and paperwork. On September 29, we received the letter that we were approved, all the paperwork was finished and we began our wait.

The next day I hit the internet full force. I went to every state’s website to scour their waiting children page. (Notice the theme of impatience again!) We inquired about a one year old in New York and 3 and 5 year old siblings in Ohio. I found several maternity home ministries and sent them photo albums and "Dear Birth Parent" letters to keep on file for anyone they might encounter considering adoption. Again each door closed. I was beginning to feel desperate. I had just known we would be matched right away. It was God’s plan, right?

A "Gold Crown" moment......

It all hit me one day in a Hallmark store. I had a coupon for a free gift with purchase. One jumped out at me. A small square silver trinket engraved with the word "Hope"...something I was quickly losing. I chose that little pocket medallion and placed it on my desk at work the next day as a constant reminder. It reminded me of a magnet I have on my fridge. It’s a little dove. I saw it in a Christian bookstore years ago. It says "Hope for the best, let God do the rest" Something told me to buy that magnet that day. I didn’t know why at the time, but it was clear now. I needed to let go. To totally give the situation to God. To ask him to forgive me for trying to run ahead, and to help me to slow down and follow Him instead. I still have the post-it note I wrote one afternoon in late November. It was a prayer, placing our future and our child in God’s hands. I stepped back and let go.

God showed me why I had to go through so much. Why He allowed us to go through the injections and the IUI. He needed me to get to this point. He wanted my attention to stop trying to do things on my own. He needed to break through my pride. I was ready to refinance our house, place us in debt and dive head first into an international adoption. He knows me so well. He also knew how I would have replayed the what-if’s in my mind about a biological child. Looking back at each event, I could see His loving hand guiding us to where we needed to be. How awesome that we serve a patient, forgiving, loving Father who will let His children try for themselves, so He can always be right there to comfort us when we get hurt. Simply waiting for us to ask for His help. It was amazing to see how each detail only brought more glory to Him! I couldn’t take any of the credit. What happened next brings the most glory of all!

From Hope to Joy.....

It was December 13, 2006. My dad’s 70th birthday. We were going to have dinner at my parents house to celebrate. At 3:00pm I had a call from our agency. Would we consider fostering to adopt? They had a 4 month old little boy that needed a placement the next day. There was a 50/50 chance we would be able to adopt him. She wanted us to talk it over and let her know by 5:00. I hung up the phone and was shaking. I called Dave and he thought maybe we should go for it. There was a chance and how would we know if we didn’t try. He was on his way back to my office, so we decided to finish talking in person. My wonderful boss had adopted from foster care so I went to him to explain the call. He grabbed his bible and called his wife on his cell phone. We talked about their experience and they gave me some advice. Then we prayed together for God’s guidance. On the way home, I called my mom. We would need her help babysitting. She too thought we should go for it. We called the agency and said ok! The foster care worker spoke with us and said she would have more information in the morning. She would call us then with the details of when and where we would pick him up.

It was quite a birthday surprise for my Dad, as well as my sister and my niece who were also there. After dinner, we followed my sister home to pick up a cradle and a few baby supplies that had belonged to my niece. I can’t begin to explain the emotions I had. From excitement to terror! I broke down on the ride home. We prayed that if this wasn’t meant to be our son, everything would fall through. I knew God wouldn’t give us anything we couldn’t handle with Him, but the thought of falling in love with this baby, only to lose him, was more than I could bear.

I don’t think we slept that night! The next morning, our agency called. There had been a slight change of plans. She wanted to know if we were interested in a newborn instead. There was a better chance for us to be able to adopt him, given his birth parents history. She would leave the decision up to us, but if it were up to her, she would rather see us take in the newborn, since it was less legal risk. Once she assured me they would be able to find somewhere for the 4 month old, I quickly said YES! She said she would call us back with a little more detail and a time when we could meet him and I hung up the phone and screamed!!! Poor Dave thought I was losing it!
That evening we were able to go to the hospital to meet our 10 day old little guy. He was perfect and we were smitten! He had to remain in the hospital for a few more days due to prenatal drug exposure. We brought him home on December 22, 2006, at 18 days old.

We had a few names in mind, but decided to name him Matthew David. We loved the fact that Matthew means "Gift of God". He certainly was a Christmas gift to our family!

There were times of uncertainty through the process. Days when we weren’t sure if he would be ours forever. It was a long, emotional journey. Court dates and hearings seemed to take ages to arrive.

We would do it all again in a heartbeat!

So many people tell us how lucky Matthew is to have us and to be adopted. We know we are the ones who have been blessed to have him! I am in awe that God chose us to be his parents. He knew from the beginning of time we would be together. I am thankful for His perfect timing!