Happy Monday.

Happy Monday! Well it is around our house anyway:-)Gates slept through the night! His little inside clock is set on America time. Daddy is not quite there but dramatically better. Bridger is relaxing a little this morning inside with me and Daddy and Gates are playing outside. Bridger was up a few times with bad dreams about Gates going away again. He climbed in next to Mamma with his favorite pillow and teddy and was back to sleep until morning.

Bridger has been hyper-vigilant with Gates, watching over him like the secret service. lol We are very aware that opening his heart to love someone new is always connected with fear for him. We don't take that lightly but we rejoice in his discomfort somewhat as it makes it clear that he is not guarding his heart where his little brother is concerned. Thank you Lord. Gates is standing next to me eating a banana now. It looks like a record setting banana in his tiny hands but it's not. Big news last night? He started swallowing his fourth bite of food instead of storing it in his mouth for later. He is now able to pass the four bites at a time without Mamma needing to wait a half hour each time. So, this will open up a whole new world. The last time I had a twenty four hour feeding schedule like this I was taking care of a baby bird that had fallen from it's nest in a storm. Do you know how many parents take their child trusting them enough to swallow the fourth bite for granted? Not US!

Paul and I feel strongly that we would be resisting God if we didn't tell you this. We are not special. We have been weak, confused and afraid throughout this entire process and lacking considerably in guts the past two weeks. Our inability to effect change, influence governments or move mountains served as a backdrop of humanity for the Almighty Power of God! It is in our weakness that his strength is proven perfect.

Paul says, "I'm not a hero. I didn't do something you couldn't do. I was just as scared and confused as anybody else. I just showed up that's it. God took me through: one flight at a time, one meeting at a time, one hour at a time. I endured under God's shadow of protection. God acheived." He continued emotionally, "I'm just a man who loves God and my family. I'm willing to do anything. All I had to do was show up and love my kid. God told us that when we welcome a child in his name we welcome him. I knew he was with us in this no matter what critics said or whatever the bank account looked like. When you look at me I hope you think about these kids. God is for the fatherless, we can all do something... we can all show up somehow. It bugs me when adopting families are challenged by others during fundraising with cracks like maybe it's not God's will for them to adopt because the money isn't there Bull, it's always God's will. Always. If you aren't bringing home a child then help someone who is. Pray, write a small check, work a car wash, donate to the yard sale, do something. Little kids got money out of their piggy banks and brought it to us to help Gates. They knew Gates was real before they saw him. We knew God was with us even when it was not evident to everyone around us. We are taking care of our boy here in this house because God is here!"

Karrie says, "I echo everything that Paul just said.

Further, on behalf of the many prospective adoptive families reading this blog, I would also like to add a few things that I've come to learn about the 'negative reactions' of some when they are confronted with adoption. Basically the world hates what God loves so facing critisizm within the process of an international, domestic or step parent/grandparent adoption is a nobrainer.

Do not lose heart. Hold on and dig in. You have front row seats for the glory of God in saving your children.

We will share from our own experiences here. It's a fact that not all of your family members will support you, they may come around in time, they may not, accept it and choose peace. It's true that a few people walked up to our yard sale and made mean comments about us being pro-lifers, further suggesting that our child would have been better off dead. We resisted conflict with them and offered them coffee (Jesus said we need to love the ones that are hard to love). When we chose to bring Gates into the house of God rather than a pagan shrine we were accused of 'ripping him from his roots'. Misinformed comment though since buddhism is not the religion of China, neither is taoism or the shamanism and muslim religions of the region where Gates was born. Atheism is the only legal religion of the PRC.

We believe that Our God is the only true God and that He created, sustained and delivered Gates. We know that He alone is worthy to be his God. We have no problem with being hated for our love at times. Jesus says that 'they' hated him first. No stress about that.

Also strange, someone did walk up to us with our child finally in our arms and attempted to discuss child trafficing. Gates doesn't understand such words... but Bridger does. Try to have a prepared escape plan for such badly timed discussions. Also prepare for a pat response to, "Are they REAL brothers?"

Some are ready to make a stained glass window in our likeness. This misconception is most prevalent in the church community.If we are 'called' or put on a pedestal it makes it easier for those who don't consider themselves to have such a calling to do nothing with a clear conscience. We appretiate the kindness of encouragement in following our Awesome God. But helping orphans and widows are not 'callings' those are on the "You better do it." list.

Are you still reading? This is how we see it.

All of these things hurt because all of them are counterproductive mindsets to saving the lives of hopeless, homeless children." I will state for the record, "We do cherish all life. Our child is better off alive. We chose ethical, licensed and certified agencies (every time) and followed the exhaustive letter of the law to ensure that we were in fact saving the life of a child who was utterly abandoned. We are not exceptional people."

Often as adoptive parents, we're either "Bad Guys" judged ingnorant or "Saintly" judged exceptional. We are neither. We heard of this need. We enjoy parenting. We embraced the journey. We took God at his word. That's it.

We are delighted to proclaim from the house top that by an overwhelming majority our family, community and church, "Get it."

They have loved and worked alongside us to bring Gates home. (our Keller Williams Team, Our family of believers our cousins, grandmas and inlaws our neighbors and friends all over this country) They are close enough to know we are entirely average and they are faithful to give God the credit and us the love! Gates has united us all in the most powerful annointing God gives... the one of adoption.

I'll post again later but the soap box is packed away... for now:-) ((((HUG))))