Happy Birthday. Kadin and Brodee!

 These two weeks have become super special to the Edwards family! Last week (5/15/12) was Brodee’s 4^th birthday and Kadin’s 5^th birthday is this week (5/24/12)!  Most people think that they are twins, but, they’re almost 1 year apart!

 June 18^th, of last year, these little guys came to stay with my family. It was originally for foster care. I can’t say that any of us knew, in our hearts, that it was meant to be; the first couple of months that they were with us were extremely rough.
 It was the Saturday after I came back from China… We met Kadin and Brodee exactly 11 days after I met Sophie and they came to live with us exactly 4 days after I came home from China. You may call us crazy, go ahead.

 Like I said, the first couple of months were very difficult. It wasn’t until mid-August of last year that my family felt that it was God’s will that they become a part of our family and that is when we decided to start the process to adopt our little boys.
 They have been with us for 11 months now, and I cannot express how good God has been to us. He has performed huge miracles through Kadin and Brodee! God has proved to us that HE is all powerful, all knowing, strong, and faithful. He is a good Father to His children and finds favor in bringing Kadin and Brodee into our lives.

 To celebrate the lives of these young guys, we had cake, ice cream, presents, and our family at Mamaw Lucy’s house, yesterday afternoon. They were so excited about their “par-tay” J

Happy 5th Birthday, Kadin!

Happy 4th Birthday, Brodee!

The Fight To Do Good

 I type out this opening with a burden on my heart. Lots of them, actually. Big ones.

 More every day, something that I find is important is doing good. I find it to be hard…so hard. Everyone can absolutely relate to that, I am sure of. Doing good is not easy on any level. It requires lots of strength, lots of passion. I think, as Christians, we should have a burning desire to do good in the sight of the Lord.

I’m sixteen years old. I am home schooled, so, yes, I am sheltered. Probably more than others. But, I am associated with the Enemy, the world, and all of the problems that follow from there. It is a choice that I, as a Christian, have to make to do good. To say good things. To act in a good manner. To show good things.
 Like everyone, I fail. So many times. Over and over again. It isn’t an easy way to go, trying to choose to do good. I am tempted constantly. Strength is required on this journey to stand strong against the push to do wrong.
 It is easy to often want to just push away your morals and to live on your own free will, just once, at least. We get tired of staying strong against temptation when fitting in is so fun. It is easy to let down your guard against evil. It is easy to follow into wrong things, because at the moment, it feels good…it’s fun…who really cares, right? I know that it’s easy.

 In the past couple of months, I have been told these words by Christ-honoring mothers: “I want my daughter to be like you when she is your age.” Those are strong words and I choose to keep them in my mind at all times.
 We are being watched. Even when you don’t realize it, we are being listened to. Christians, we are being heard.
 The thought of actually having these young girls being like me when they are soon this age has rocked my world. The thought has caused me to examine myself, to watch myself, to listen to myself, to hear myself… If these young girls who are watching me are going to follow me, then I MUST take a stand against evil. I MUST build my strength to resist the temptation to follow the world. I MUST fight to keep a clean mind and a pure heart because my outward appearance completely reflects the inward part of me. I shall NEVER give up in the fight to do good.

 Galatians 6:9 tells us, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” In a side-note in my Bible, it says, “Always getting picked on for being the “good girl”? Going against the flow can get tiring. Now’s not the time to give up though - the harvest is just ahead.”
 Earlier in chapter 6, it says, “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
 Those words from God are so powerful. So mighty and so motivating.

 I realize that I speak for all Christians when I talk about temptation to do wrong. I am fully aware of the sinful nature that we are all born with. But, as children of God, we were not meant to form to the world and to be a part of the sin inside. We were created to stand OUT from the crowd and to shine our light to the darkness of the earth. Britt Nicole said, “When we look different and carry something different, people are going  to see that and want it, too.”

 It’s a long and hard journey. But, do not let yourself become weary; take a stand against evil… Fight for the strength and passion to do good for our great God. The eternal reward in doing good is much greater than the temporary pleasure in doing wrong.

-Emily

Eleven Months And A Special Prayer Request!

 May 12, 2012.....
 Every time the 12th of each month comes around, I am reminded of a certain day in a certain place with a certain girl.

 Today, it has been 11 months since I said goodbye to my precious little Sophie.

 I can still remember the pain that I felt... The heaviness of my heart, the tightness in my throat, the salty tears that streamed down my face as I walked away, in fear that I would never see her again.
 But, my God is greater and stronger. My God wants that little girl home to her family, in Indiana. My God will perform miracles to get her here.
 He is, He does, He has, and He still will.

 I am eternally and completely thankful that the pain in goodbye has turned into joy, that we pray so so hard that in one month, we hope to be IN China WITH our Sophie. Please pray with us. We need all that we can get. Please pray and believe! "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Mark 11:24

 Also, I will be speaking at Metamora Bible Baptist's Mother/Daughter banquet, this evening! Please please pray for my heart, peace. And that I will speak the exact words that God would have those ladies to hear. I am very excited and hopeful for great things to come out of it!

 Thank you, everyone, for loving my family. And stretching your love all the way to Luoyang, China. Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, everything.
 Have a great, wonderful weekend!

-Emily

An Update!

Hello, fellow bloggers!

Life has been insanely busy for the Edwards family, so we apologize for being bad about updating our blog. At least time goes by quickly while we wait on our little lady!

The process for our adoption is going very smoothly at the moment! We are starting to get travel things ready, such as: what to pack, travel money, etc. The way it's looking right now, we expect to travel in the early part of June! So, in around a month, we hope to be in or getting ready to go to China! I am getting so excited and nervous and anxious and pumped and impatient and scared and happy and pretty much every emotion a person can feel!

Fundraising-
We are still in need of about $7-10,000. It is nerve racking but I have no doubt that it will be here exactly when we need it. Please pray for the financial part of this adoption, it is a great need, but our God is even greater!
Our children's book, "Finding Franky," is coming together! It is close to being finished, so please be praying about that. We will post when it is ready, so keep your eye out!

Public Speaking-

I (Emily) will be sharing my personal part of my family's adoption journey at a Mother-Daughter banquet in Metamora, IN. The theme is, "'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus," and I love the theme. It is so fitting. I am working really hard on preparing for it, this week, and I expect wonderful things to come out of it! Please pray that God will have me speak the words that the ladies need to hear.

Prayer Requests-
Please remember little Sophia in your prayers, for her safety, health, and that she is and will be as happy as ever! It's been a long time since we've received an update on her, so prayers and encouragement are appreciated, while we trust that God is with her when we are not.

Please pray for the rest of us, here, also! It is so hard waiting and trying not to worry about her. We are also preparing to finalize our little guy's, Kadin and Brodee's adoption, in the next couple of months! They are so excited to finally have, "Baby Soapie," home and are still adjusting, even after almost a year of being with us.
Remember big brother, Caleb, as he prepares to finish his last year of high school in the next couple of weeks! We are all so proud of him and can't wait to see what God has in store for him!

Praises-

Hooray for the Rosborough family!!!! They flew to China last Wednesday and met their little Jack (who also stayed at MBHOH) yesterday! Please pray for safe travels and wonderful trip as their whole family is together now, in China!

Have a great, safe rest of the week, bloggers!

If You Have Faith As Small As A Mustard Seed......

 Why I’m writing this at midnight, is the question to which I will never have a reasonable answer. But I have to write about today (4/4/12) and this is the first chance I have received all day!

 I haven’t blogged in a long while, I was beginning to think that it was because I’ve been extremely busy and/or I haven’t had anything to say (< which we ALL know that this is untrue…I am an Edwards. I am a talker.) But I’ve been very discouraged in the past couple of weeks about the Chinese adoption.

 To those who follow our adoption on Facebook, you probably know that our little Sophie was moved from MBHOH about a month and a half ago. She turned 3 years old in March and she has spent almost all of her life at that big blue house. That’s all she ever knew. So, it broke my heart to know that she has been out of her comfort zone for a while now; it hurts me to know that she was probably scared and confused.  It made me want her home even more.

 Meanwhile, we have been waiting for our LOA (Letter Of Acceptance) for around 4 weeks. This has been the next step that needed to be accomplished for us to move on in the adoption process.
 From keeping up with other families who are in the process, as well, we predicted that ours would come about 4 weeks ago…we waited for the longest time, it felt like. And, when weeks passed and we still did not have our Letter, the more dispirited I became.

 I would pray and pray and ask God multiple times that He would bring our LOA to us very soon. And finally, one day last week, I was over waiting. I was always told to ask specifically from God and believe and to pray as if you have already received it. So, on a Thursday morning, I think, I prayed, “Today, God. We need our Letter TODAY.” I asked and I chose to believe that it would come that day. Which, it didn’t, but I wasn’t upset….I had a peace that God definitely had a bigger plan.

 The next night, I had a very strange dream.
 Before I tell the story, I have to tell another story about a special bracelet of mine. This past Christmas, my parents gave me a cool, little bracelet that has the Bible verse, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. (Matthew 17:20)”
 I always loved the verse and it was cool because last year required lots of faith for God to perform the miracles in my life that He did. I always thought it was pretty and all, though, it wasn’t all that special to me. Like, I had never worn it, yet.
 

But, in my dream, I dreamt that my family (minus Sophie…apparently it was in the present time) was coming home after a late night. We pulled into our driveway as a big, black truck was pulling out. I remember thinking, “huh. That’s weird,” but never putting much thought into it. And, when we pulled around to our normal parking places, behind our house, we were startled: our house had been broken into. We then realized that the people in the black truck had stolen almost everything in our house.
 As uneasy as we all were, I remember that I was only worried about one thing – my bracelet.  I kept thinking about it and hoping that they didn’t steal it. But, to my disappointment, I made my way to my bedroom to find it missing from its original place. My pretty bracelet was stolen. I was heartbroken.

 It was so real. My emotions were as clear as day. I woke up immediately and walked over to my jewelry hanger. There it was. My bracelet sat there on its hanger like it always was. I picked it up and read the verse again and saw the tiny mustard seed inside of the cross.

 I saw it in a whole new way since then. That morning, I was at home, babysitting Kadin and Brodee. Just the three of us. I texted Mom about my dream, thinking, “how odd!” And she replied, “You have the sweetest dreams.”

 Unsure of what exactly that dream meant, I went to three women whom I look up to so much, about it: My Mom, My Aunt Georgie, and my cousin, Tammy Houston. Godly women with great advice.
 They all had the same response: “Maybe God is telling you to not let anyone steal your faith?”

 When Georgie told me this, she then continued asking, “Is there anything in your life, right now, that you need to have faith for?” My immediate answer was, “Our LOA!”
 I told Georgie about the last couple of weeks and how discouraging they had been and that I had been waiting for our LOA to come. She told me, “Don’t let people or circumstances discourage you. Don’t let anyone or anything steal your faith. Keeping trusting and believing in the Lord.”

 With my 16^th birthday coming up, this Friday, in the middle of our conversation, my Uncle Junior comes up and said something about my birthday being this Friday. Georgie got all excited and said, “We are going to pray that your LOA

 So, as I learned as a good way to stay positive, instead of saying, ‘IF,’ and, ‘MAYBE,’ I used words such as, ‘WHEN,’ and, ‘IT WILL.’ I prayed that our LOA would come this week over and over again, that God’s will be done and to not let anybody steal my faith.
 This week, I have stuck with my positive attitude, knowing that God really would bring our LOA to us, this week. Though, I was still expecting Friday.

 Today was a good day, frustrating, but good. The homeschooling co-op that I am a part of, our drama class took a trip to Cincinnati to borrow costumes for our Little Women play, in a couple of weeks.
 On the way home, my Mom, my best friend, Jamie, and I had to stop to exchange vehicles with my Dad and brother. While we waited, Mom checked her email on her phone (she has been constantly checking it this week!). And, all of a sudden, she starts shouting and yelling, “HERE IT IS! OUR LOA!”

 Our minivan was rocking from our joyful jumping.

 Two days earlier than what I had asked. That, my friends, is what faith can do.

 “God is never early and He is never late, He is always right on time and his plans for you are good.” A prayer of ours has finally been answered and I am proud to announce that we are moving on in the slow process of bring our baby girl HOME! Our Father is so great to His children.

 I texted Tammy, and a couple of other friends the good news. I called Georgie and said, “Hey! It’s Emily….Our LOA just came!” All I could hear was loud laughing. “Praise Jesus!” she exclaimed.

 I can honestly say that that is the best 16^th birthday gift ever.  One step closer to my sweet sister. We look to travel in June!  SO exciting. SO cool.

 Thank you, everybody, for the constant prayers! And please, please keep them coming. After we settled down from hearing about the good news, Mom breaks the happy silence, “That LOA is a weight that has been lifted….but I am so nervous now!” Hahahaha. The next two months will be crazy. Please pray for my family physically, spiritually, emotionally, AND mentally! Haha! Pray that God lays His hands on the financial situation and continues to bless us. Pray for our Sophie as she waits for us in China…that she will stay healthy and happy. God is and has always been with her before we ever knew she existed, He will continue to be with her until we can and will be for the rest of her life. I am covered in peace that God has this all under control.

 Thank you, EVERYBODY, for your love to my family. Life is hard but God is still so good.

-Emily

Happy Birthday, Sophie!

March 1, 2012
Happy Birthday, Sophie!

Dear Sophie,

 Eight months. It’s been eight months.

 I haven’t seen you in so long. I miss you greatly. It has been over eight months since our goodbye. Eight months into my past, I longed so much to know where I would be right now. With all of the chaos and confusion and pain in being a world away from you, I am right where I wanted to be – doing everything I can to see you again.
 With every single ounce of my being, I am thankful that God brought you to me. I still remember the day we met, how you looked curiously at me. I remember holding you when you cried and joining you shortly afterwards. I remember the way your chubby hands felt, holding tightly to my fingers and the unique texture of your hair. The memories of your beautiful country and everything in it have faded a lot with time, but those special memories hit me every once in a while and I remember again.

 Today is your birthday, Sophia Grace. Three years ago, God brought you to this earth with a great purpose. Time has flown by and you’re getting so big now. You’re a tiny little girl but God has performed HUGE miracles in your three years of life. I’m excited to see the miracles yet to be shown through you. No word in the dictionary can describe how overjoyed I am to be a part in your life.

 Something that you may or may not know is that I have waited a lifetime for you. I have searched and waited and prayed that God would bring us together soon. Little did I know the faith I would have to have, the miles I would have to travel, and the pain I would have to endure to find you.
 Sophie, through your life, I have received joy. I experienced a kind of unexplainable happiness when I was with you and knowing that leaving you wasn’t the end. You gave me a reason to smile through my tears and to laugh when my world is shaking.
 Through your three years of life, I have learned what hope truly is. I think that hope is believing with your soul, knowing that God holds the future, and that the best is yet to come. You have taught me how to hold onto God when there is nothing else left to hold onto. You’ve taught me to trust and to believe and to keep dreaming in the midst of a thousand voices screaming, “It’s impossible!”
 I have been given the gift of courage, through you. I faced many fears to get to you and I have conquered many more just by seeing what God is capable of doing through small people. I have been on a roll of public speaking….I have shared my story of finding you to so many people in so many different places. You are rocking hearts everywhere! I am no longer afraid of planes – I actually love flying now. I have written many songs because of you and I have actually PLAYED and SANG them to people…lots of them! Oh, and I just started to learn how to drive last month, just because I can! I’ve spent years afraid of coming to the point of learning to drive…but want to know what I told myself? I said, “Whatever. I can do it.” So….I did. I took Driver’s Ed and I learned all about cars and driving. And now I love to drive.
 God has taught me how to love, through you. With GOD’S love….the truest love in the world. I never knew that I could love a human as much as I love you. I never thought that I could care enough about someone to see my life as, “it’s really not about me.” Please know that I never could’ve found you or had this much faith to believe that you were really out there without experiencing the never-ending love of God. I never could have had enough courage to step way out of my comfort zone if God hadn’t shown me a love that is so unconditional. But I have, and that’s why I was able to whisper to you, “Wo Ai Ni (I love you)” and mean it with every part of me.

 The day we meet again cannot come fast enough, but we’re trying as hard as we can, I promise. I imagine that day and daydream about that moment so often. It’s so close, yet so far away…

 I am so excited to be your big sister, to love you, and to care for you. I promise to always be there for you when you need ears to listen, a shoulder to cry on, a hand to help you, mouth to teach you, and encouraging words to support you with whatever you choose to make of your life. You were created to make a difference in the world, Sophia Grace. You’ve already made a difference in me and in my family. God is using you to stir hearts, everywhere….. Always keep your eyes on Christ and trust in Him always. You will never go wrong with going to the Lord with whatever you’re facing.

 “God is never early and He is never late. He is always right on time and His plans for you are good.”

                                      

We love you, Sophie!

 

  Sophie, we all are looking forward to having you in our lives. Mommy, Daddy, Caleb, Kadin, Brodee, and me. Brodee often says, “Soapie lives in China….far, far away. She needs to come home NOW.” I agree with him so much.
As I write this, (February 29^th, 2012) it is 6AM where you are now. We sent a birthday package for you, today, to a lady that will be throwing the March birthday parties in a couple of weeks at MBHOH! I can’t wait for you to receive your gift from your family.
 So many people are thinking of you as you turn three years old, today. You are deeply loved and wanted.

Wo Ai Ni. I love you, Sophia Grace Edwards.

 Your Big Sister,

 Emily

Sisters forever. Forever and ever.

Trials and Blessings

I’m starting to think that the adoption process is much like a wild ride at Six Flags Amusement Park!  The last four weeks have brought such a wide range of emotions to our family.  It is hard to take it all in at times. 

On December 22, we found out that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services were asking for more information before they would grant their approval for us to adopt.  This was the last paper that we needed to complete our dossier.  We were anxiously awaiting its arrival so we could get our dossier sent to China.  The news of its delay was hard.  But, that was only the beginning of our trouble.   

Our precious paperwork that made up the rest of our dossier has been sent overnight to our agency……two weeks before!  It still had not arrived at its destination.  No one could tell us why it was last seen in Texas.  Its destination was Colorado!  This news literally made me nauseous.   I had worked for months collecting the documents and had hundreds of dollars tied up in it.  I simply could not fathom the idea of starting over.  But, I was willing if that was what it took to bring Sophie home. 

Those were the moments that I felt like I was racing down that big hill on the roller coaster.  Gaining speed, going faster, with my eyes closed, praying that I would survive.  I wasn’t sure that I could do it.  My head hurt.  I was tired.  I missed my little girl. 

But, God is faithful even when I am not.  He is strong even when I am weak.  He still moves even when I stop to pout.  I am so thankful for this!

To make a long story short, the papers were finally found and delivered.  Their delay was assumed to be because of a snowstorm and the holidays.  It took some work but the USCIS finally did grant their approval.   Our dossier is now complete and is currently being translated.  It will be mailed to China at the end of next week.  It would be sooner but the Chinese New Year will be celebrated all of next week so offices will be closed.  

One last, huge blessing:  we are the recipients of a much needed, much appreciated adoption grant from Show Hope.org!  Praise the Lord!  We stand amazed at how God has blessed our adoption financially.  We started in July with empty pockets and a $25k+ mountain in front of us.  All we had to offer was our faith and obedience.  That was enough.  Our Lord and Savior has met every need we have encountered along the way.  We stand amazed at the miracle He has given us.   

Blessings,

Rachel