Rhythm of Life = FAITH

Our family is learning a new rhythm of life - in a good way, but sometimes good is also hard.  It seems as though our family has been in a transition of some sort for 6 months or more. We have had 4 or 5 major family changes in less than 6 months.  They are good changes, but they are challenging changes.  They have been changes that have forced us to depend on God above everyone and everything else.  I am not learning the lesson very well, clearly, because boy can I feel the refining He is continuing to do in me.
We got another call on Wednesday (the day before Thanksgiving) and found out that more is missing from our court documents than we thought - a specific letter with specific information has to be obtained before we can get the recommendation letter (which we are also waiting for).  Our case was rescheduled (again) for December 3rd.  Oh how disappointed I was - and honestly still am!  I had a very hard time finding anything to be thankful for and I spent most of Wednesday questioning God and asking a lot of whys!!  I don't think God is upset with me for being sad, disappointed and frustrated - after all HE made this mama's heart and HE has filled it with great love for Mary-A!  I still don't understand why it is taking so long, why HE has chosen this path for our journey, why we seem to be moving in the wrong direction, why God doesn't move the legal mountains to make this adoption happen by Christmas (which HE could do), I don't know the answer to these and many more whys - but what I do know is... it doesn't really matter WHY - what matters is that God is in control!! God is sovereign!! God is good!! and God loves Mary-A even more than I do!!  I am learning to rest in these truths.

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
   I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
   I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
   they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
   you will not be burned;
   the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the LORD your God,
   the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
   Cush and Seba in your stead.
Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
   and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
   nations in exchange for your life.
Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
   I will bring your children from the east
   and gather you from the west.   Is 43:1-5

The other transition of our life I won't go into right now, but suffice it to say,  it too is bringing challenges I do not feel equipped to handle.  Our security rug was pulled out from under us and we have been left with decisions that we were not prepared to make and disappointments in relationships we never anticipated.  Beth Moore said "Please set me free from the false security that comes from having more of anything than I really need." (Eccl 4:6) -- when I first read this, I immediately thought of the financial aspect - but as I thought about it and reread it, I realize that God only reveals to me, He only gives me, as much of the future as I need.  If I saw more than what is 3 ft in front of me, it would not require me to have as much faith to take the next step. 
We are faced with exciting opportunities, a beautiful journey of the heart and a tomorrow that asks us to have MUCH faith -- to trust God with our family, our future and our hearts!!  God is at work in a big way, and we trust that He is preparing us for something bigger than we know.  The trials and difficulties we face today and tomorrow are just building blocks for us to be stronger and closer to each other and to Him.
As you think of our family, will you please pray that decisions would be very clear, that God would move in a mighty way so that we may bring Mary-A home soon, and that above all HE would be glorified through our family. 

17 Days - but who's counting

We are so grateful that we have already been to Ethiopia because that helps us know what to expect from the air travel, country, and accomodation side of things. There are many other details to be sorted out and put in place!
We will be leaving DFW on November 5th. We are planning to worship at Beza International Church on Sunday and meet with new friends we made on our last trip. Monday morning, we will drive 12 hours on very bumpy roads to meet Mary-A. It will be 3 days round trip as we have to have her back in Addis two days before court. Our court 'hearing' is on November 12th, and Lord willing, we will officially be her parents when we board the plane that night to return home (we will arrive back at DFW on Nov 13th). You better believe that if we pass court there will be the most beautiful picture of our daughter for you to see!!
I can hardly wait to hold her, love on her and kiss her!! I can't really believe it's happening and so fast!! The holidays are going to be so amazing this year - THANK YOU LORD!! We are still praying to have her home with her forever family by Christmas and for my sister-in-law's wedding. What a time of celebration it will be!!

Specific Prayer Requests:
- safe and healthy travel
- God's guidance and words when meeting her birth mother
- court to go smoothly & that we'll pass
- peace as our family prepares for this transition
- Hannah, Luke, Katy & Emily will be blessed and changed by this journey
- we will be gracious, patient and kind
- God will continue to prepare us to be adoptive parents (for the 1st time) and parents again (for the 5th time)
- speedy Embassy appointment after court (to bring her home)

Tapestry of Life

Life and routine has returned to a majority of families. Today was the first day of school for public schools. But here at the Porterhouse, we have 2 more weeks of summer. Our summer has been hot and chaotic and hot and crazy and, did I mention HOT? With the drama of moving, settling in to our lovely new home, and finalizing adoption plans, we haven't had a chance to just relax , refresh, and spend quality family time together. So the next 2 weeks are dedicated to that. We plan to see movies, do some puzzles, eat good food, indulge in ice cream, and take a mini-vacation to the lake house. Craig is going to take a few days off, we are going to unplug and just enjoy being together with NO boxes to unpack, NO landscaping projects to finish, NO schoolwork to organize but instead LOTS of sun, boating, wake boarding, surfing, swimming, fishing, laughter and fun!!

I am thanking God for His provision in so many little details - little things that may not mean much if I try to explain them, so I won't try - but, trust me when I say HE has made Himself known in our lives and HE has made it clear how much HE loves us. I am more aware now than ever before of God's sovereign hand in my life. I need to remind myself frequently that living in this specific house, homeschooling my 4 amazing kids, Luke's baseball team, art school, church, friends, sweet baby A, precious boy F, gymnastics, museum school, the amazing people at YWAM Ethiopia, our homeschooling community, our adoption community ... not one thing is a coincidence or 'luck' ---- it is all from HIM. Only HE can knit the threads of our crazy family together into such a beautiful, comfortable, amazing tapestry that we are blessed to call life.

Adoption update:
Ethiopian courts are closed for rainy season. The doors are locked and nothing will happen for 5-6 weeks. Once they open we are prayerful that we will receive a court date quickly (see prayer request below). After we receive our court date, Craig and I will travel and get to spend time with our baby girl, and attend court. When the judge determines our paperwork is in order and that he/she is comfortable with our family adopting baby girl A we will have officially passed court and baby girl A will legally be a Porter (and we can finally share her gorgeous pic). At that point we will reluctantly leave our little girl (for just a short time), return home and wait a few weeks to receive our embassy appt. Once we have an embassy appt we will ALL travel and bring our baby girl home -- 6 plane tickets there, 7 coming home!! I am giddy just thinking about it!!!

Prayer request:
Will you join us in praying very specifically that once courts open, we will receive a VERY early court date? It is our prayer that we will be able to take a family picture with Baby A for Christmas. I want so badly to buy her a sweet Christmas outfit that matches her sisters and walk into our church on Christmas Eve as a family. Thank you for surrounding our family in prayer!

Rough waters

Things have changed a little in our adoption story. I'm sad to say that we have run into some complications with our 3 year old boy. I am not sure how much information I am allowed to share publicly, so I will not share much except to say that it appears there will be a some what lengthy waiting period before he can be adopted. My heart is SO sad and I don't understand why, but it is not my place to ask why, it is my place to trust God's plan. We don't have all the answers but we do know that our God is sovereign and He loves this little boy waiting for a forever family. We are praying through our options of how to move forward and will keep everyone updated as we proceed.
Please pray for:
- complete clarity for our family: "Your own ears will hear Him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. Is 30:21
- protection for both our 1 year old girl and 3 year old boy: "He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart" Is 40:11
- Christ to make a way for our adoption of 2 children: Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Ps 37:4

During my quiet time this morning I read the following verses and it was as if the Lord were speaking directly into my soul:

"Listen to the Lord who created you... you are precious to Me. You are honored and I love you. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will gather you and your children from east and west." Isaiah 43:4-5

Prayers please

We would covet everyone's prayers over the next few days as we have some decisions to make regarding the adoption. Craig is still in China so he is praying during the night while I am sleeping and I am praying during the day while he is sleeping. We can hardly wait for him to return so we can pray together!! Specifically, will you please pray with us for the following:

1) God's will to be revealed
2) complete clarity
3) undivided obedience

James 1:5-6 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. Matthew 7:7-8 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.