A Whole Year! Praise the Father of the Fatherless

Mrs. Beaver & Lissie:

Yesterday we celebrated the one year anniversary of "Peaches" becoming part of the Nordstrom family. It's amazing how far God has brought that little girl in one year!

When we arrived at their house, Peaches was navigating the driveway and yard on a bike.

Her proud parents told us that just this week she taught herself how to ride a bike without training wheels.

She also lost her first two teeth within the past week; a fact she was quick to point out when she greeted us.

Peaches was a little confused by the balloons, cake, and present; she kept telling us, "Is this for me? Is this for me? It's not my birthday. I'm still five." She was a little worried about us!

It's been precious to see Peaches' and Oksana's growing friendship. Both have come from radically different cultures and have dealt with learning a new language along with adjusting to living with their forever families. Nevertheless, their friendship has blossomed, and now their eyes light up when they talk about each other.

Our hope last night was to honor God and acknowledge all the Nordstroms. We know first hand that a successful adoption takes the love and self-sacrifice of the whole family.

Here's Lissie with the oldest of Peaches' siblings, Katie.

Katie has four brothers, but with this adoption the Lord has given her Peaches to fulfil her longing for a sister.

Peaches is dear to all in our family!

We know that it is God who places children in families through adoption (Ps 68), and we're so grateful to Him that He placed precious Peaches in the family of our dear friends, the Nordstroms.

433 Moms

Mrs. Beaver:

When Mr. Beaver and I launched into adopting our first older Russian child 11 years ago (yes, at first we set our sights on one older child--but the Lord had vastly other--and more wonderful--plans), we knew of NO ONE who was considering adopting for the sake of Christ's name. We were ALONE. We were utterly alone. And we often felt LONELY and MISUNDERSTOOD, even by Christians...even by friends.

How things have changed! This weekend my friend, Heather Nordstrom, and I are surrounded by more than 400 adoptive moms and women waiting-to-adopt at a conference in northern Georgia. These women (and the husbands they represent) share a heart for seeing that the least-of-these are cared for, just as Jesus commanded.

I wish I had some pictures to share of the long registration lines. I could have easily taken photos filled with the bright colors of the t-shirts and jewelry and other items that vendors are selling to raise money for orphan care. I had hours wandering the conference center hallways with this opportunity. However, I didn't take a single picture of those sights.

Instead, I walked around in a awe-filled stupor. I was overwhelmed by the change in the adoption landscape since we began our first Russian adoption just a little more than 11 years ago. I stood amongst the crowds of women and quietly wept over God's goodness in answering our family's many prayers that He would raise up His church to provide homes for at least some small portions of the staggering 147 million orphans globally. He has done just that. Mr. Beaver and I are no longer ALONE.

Interestingly, it hasn't been our peers who have answered God's call. Many, if not most, of the women at this conference were in their twenties or early thirties. I'm old enough to be the mother of many of them! These couples, who've had their hearts moved by God and have said, "Yes!" to His call to "deny self and take up their cross daily and follow him" Luke (9:23), aren't the same generation as Mr. Beaver and me. They're the next generation. Often they already have three or four very young children in tow. Despite the heavy demands on their lives, they are ready to make a difference for orphaned children, to make a difference for Christ. Our prayers of 11 years have been answered; the Father of the Fatherless is on the move!

Since I don't have photos of first-day conference sights, I'll post pictures from a walk Heather and I took this morning on the beautiful lodge grounds. Georgians probably wouldn't have considered the weather balmy, but it sure felt good to two women from the upper mid west.

My friend and fellow-adoptive-mom, Heather

The Day We Long For....

Our dear friends the Nordstroms, who are also adopting, posted a video on their blog about a family from the same adoption agency that they are adopting through. They are waiting for a little girl from Ethiopia and they are hoping every day to hear they can go to meet her. You can visit their blog here: http://nordstromsadopt.blogspot.com/

Mom and I watched this video and cried through it, thinking first of all about the day we long for, when we can bring our three precious orphans home. We also thought of the Nordstroms and the day when they will be able to go to their orphanage to meet their precious little girl and then finally bring her home. The verse that kept coming to my mind while I watched the faces of the happy parents and the beautiful baby girl was John 14:18: "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." Oh, I just want our precious Russians to know that, in their orphanages, waiting, always waiting. I pray that they will cling to the hope that we will come for them, that they are loved and a place is being prepared for them.

Here is the video. Consider yourself forewarned: grab the tissue box.



~Tessa