Forgive Me

I didn't forget you all or this blog. I just pushed it aside. I want to enjoy my kids and chase this crazy life with them. Then, I see posts from my friends, who are still on their journey to their own children. I see, the posts advocating for littles, who desperately need families, who desperately need out and I am convicted by my complacency. I care. I do. You can't see the things I've seen and not care, but sometimes it's a heavy burden and I long to look away, to just hold tightly to the ones that we got out, to love them well.

I do it and then I am convicted. I wake in the night to the same little faces that woke my nearly two years ago, when we started this journey. New faces have been added in, but can you imagine, waking and knowing that still they wait, while you have fallen into complacency. Forgive me.

Forgive me, Andrue.

They never get to take a break from their reality. 

Forgive me, Ulysess.

They can't turn off the fact that they don't have a family, 

Forgive me, Samuel.

or enough food, 

Forgive me, Kolya.

or medical care.

The only people who can change that for them is you and I and I have been taking a break. I know, when people look at this page of older boys, they are often afraid. I was one of them. I thought things like, "They've been there too long. They're too old. They won't be able to adapt to a family." Then, I saw our boy...

This picture stole my heart.

I heard God whisper, "He's yours." I knew, he wasn't in great condition, my fears never changed, but my FAITH did. My faith began to rise up and say, "He needs us and God said, 'Go!'" How could we look away? We couldn't and we're so thankful that we didn't. Please, don't be afraid to love one of these boys. They can find a place in a home, in a family. They will adapt and thrive as they're loved on and accepted. 

Our Vaylo (Joseph) is a different boy than he was two months ago, when I picked him up from the only home he'd known for the first 7+ years of life. He is seeking out affection, laughing more and more, growing and learning new things. I'm so thankful, we didn't give into the fear, but instead listened to the very clear prompting of God, to go and get our boy.

Is God prompting you to help one of these sweet boys? To add them to your family, to give or advocate and help find their family? Please, I'm begging you, don't look away, don't take a break from their reality. They can't, so we shouldn't. Please, forgive me for my absence. I'm back and I have some stories to share this week. Some families need our help, too and I know, you all are up to the challenge.

For now, I do have four littles wanting breakfast and love from Mommy. So, I'll leave you with this...

Pray, Adopt, Advocate, Support...Do Something!

Hidden in Christ,

Mandy