"First-Time Voting" Tradition

Mrs. Beaver:

In our family we consider ourselves utterly blessed to live in a nation where we're allowed to vote. Our awareness of this wonder is probably heightened by the many ways in which our lives are intertwined with Russia. In fact, nine of our children's birth grandparents lived through communism's repression of rights in the former Soviet Union. Having a voice in our political system is an amazing privilege!

When our children vote for the first time, it is our family tradition that I take them out for coffee immediately afterwards. Today, Jaynie (19) and Cassandra (18) cast their votes alongside their mom and dad just after 7 a.m. Then we headed to Le Mars for a breakfast indulgence.

Jaynie (left) and Cassandra just after voting. Ready to mark an important milestone with early morning coffee!

Love Lessons

Mrs. Beaver:

We're approaching the 11th anniversary of our adoption of Russian siblings Jaynie, Cassandra and Mark. Each year as we reach mid summer, memories of the time surrounding the addition of the three of them crowd out other thoughts. Not only do recollections resurface, but this time of year inevitably brings reflection. This year our rumination has revolved around what we have learned about loving others.

Interestingly, God has used His more-recent placement of Daria and Alexander in our family as a grace-filled teaching tool for both of us. Daria and Alexander were older than any of the children we'd preciously added through adoption. When we adopted them in late 2010, Daria was nearly 16, and Alexander was going on 12. We knew enough about both adoption and parenting teens to understand that if we lost their hearts initially, we'd most likely never win them back. Unlike the children we'd parented from infancy, they had no long history with us to look back on to remember that we could be trusted. So, we were gentler, more patient, more long-suffering, more understanding, more forgiving, and better listeners. The result? Daria and Alexander have willingly poured their hearts into our hands, demonstrating confidence in our trustworthiness.

As a parent of kiddos in their early twenties, my pride wishes that I didn't have to admit its taken us this long to "get" a clearer picture of how we're to be imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1,2) as we parent. But that very pride has been a problem all along. It's pride that drives the thought, "I deserve better." And any focus on "me" or "my rights" gets in the way of sacrificial love. Period.

So, in a nutshell, here's a glimpse of where the Lord is taking us:

• No stingy grace!
• No miserly forgiveness!
• No *scrimpy love!

Our affection must be unselfish, ungrudging, unfaltering. After all, love never fails. Our kindhearted, giving God has sacrificially lavished grace, forgiveness and love on us. We must do no less! (I Cor. 13:8; Psalm 86:5; John 3:16; Eph. 1:3-8)

With brokenness over how we've parented in the past, the two of us are fervently studying our Bibles and working to write His word on our hearts as we cry out for the Spirit to change us. Not only do we want to do a better job of parenting all our current children, the Lord still has one more set of siblings for us to love on. The Lord has been perfectly patient with these two sinners. He is so good!

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*Scrimpy: (Yes--this really is a word!) It means scanty, meager; barely adequate.

Please, Take a Look...

Mrs. Beaver:

I'd like to call your attention to the blogs of dear friends.

The first blog is called Matches and Dynamite, shared by the mom whose children Jaynie taught during her first four months in Central Asia during late 2011. The family traveled to America for the birth of their fourth son, but they have just recently moved back to Central Asia. The tranistion has been more difficult for them than they anticipated after living in the country for several years. The wound on the face of the oldest boy is a dog-bite. Jaynie says the woman holding the baby several photos later delivers their milk three or four times a week.

The other blog chronicles the adventures of the family whose children Lissie will be teaching during the coming school year in yet another Central Asian country. You can get a peek at what Lissie's life will look like by reading In All Things.

Both families are so driven by their love of God that they've been willing to give up the myriad comforts and conveniences of life in America to serve the people groups amongst whome they live. Please pray for both families. Pray for strength, endurance, God's grace, and impact in their locations.

109 Days

Mr. and Mrs. Beaver:

Our family had the joy of picking up Jaynie at the airport tonight, bringing to a close her 10-months of living and serving in a central Asian country. Jaynie had a break back here in the states over Christmas, but has spent the past 109 days in a vastly different culture for the sake of Jesus' name.

Happy, happy Cassandra

Natasha and Jaynie

Descending the escalator while sharing stories of her wild adventure

We praise God for Jaynie's safe return from a dangerous place. His eye is on the sparrow, and He's kept our "little" girl safe while also sanctifying and stretching her in so many ways. Now we're excited to see what He has in mind for her future, as we're sure she wants to continue serving Him.

One Hump or Two?

Mrs. Beaver:

Jaynie will be returning home from living amongst a people she's grown to love in early June. Today she a had an adventure worthy of finishing eight months of living in Central Asia. Jaynie got to visit a camel farm.

Not only did Jaynie get to see camels, she got to ride one! Here she is in the burka she wears whenever she is outside the walls of the "compound" in which she lives. A compound is a high-walled enclosure of a building or several buildings in which a family, extended family or multiple families live, cook, etc. (think outdoor plumbing).

"That's my baby on that camel!!!"

Yielding = Joy

Mrs. Beaver:

One of things Mr. Beaver and I have observed in our daughter, Jaynie, as she lives and serves in a Muslim culture in a central Asian country is a blossoming of deep joy in her life.

This week I moved a number of books in our home, and as I did so I ran across a quote I'd underlined 11 years ago. At that time the two of us were in the throes of wrestling with the decision of whether to adopt three older siblings from Russia, Jaynie, Cassandra and Mark:

"When we trust God and exercise our faith, then we can yield ourselves completely and experience the by-product of joy. The ability to surrender our whole selves to God with complete trust and childlike faith is the key to possessing the abundant life filled with the fruit and gift of the joy of the Lord." (Lindsey O'Connor, If Mama Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy, 115)

Great news -- Jaynie's Arrived!

Mrs. Beaver:

With deep gratitude to the Lord, we share the news that Jaynie has arrived back at her "other home". We're so pleased to report that all went well on 96-hour journey for Jaynie and the family with whom she traveled. Thank you for your prayers! We've already been able to talk to her on the phone and Skype with her.

Just before we arrived at the Omaha Airport on Tuesday, Jaynie requested we listen to Matt Maher's song, "Christ is Risen." The song is a family favorite, really that's too weak. The song is more of a theme for our family.

After Jaynie requested the song once and we all sang along heartily, she requested it again...and again.
Then Jaynie quietly said, "That's why I'm going back." I looked back to the seat behind me to see tears rolling down her checks. I squeezed her hand. No matter how hard the good-bye...no matter how much we all will miss each other, Jaynie went to live her faith.

Jaynie's Departure

Mrs. Beaver:

We went to sleep early last night, thinking we'd be rising before the sun to take Jaynie to our local airport for a 7 am flight. Despite the early hour, we all planned to see her off (with the exception of Mr. Beaver who had an unavoidable business meeting in Florida).

However, about 11:30 Mr. Beaver got a call from Delta Airlines telling him Jaynie's first flight on her long trip had been cancelled. Mr. Beaver scrambled with the agent and was able to get her on a flight out of Omaha in the early afternoon, that would still allow her to connect in Atlanta with the family with whom she's traveling. She'd also still make her connection to her flight to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, where she'll stay for a couple of days before heading on to her final location. Mr. Beaver got a very groggy wife when he called me to tell me of the change, but I went back to sleep grateful to God that the travel glitch had been no worse than a slight inconvenience.

So, this morning we got to sleep later than we anticipated. Then, however, we had to make rapid the preparations for a full day traveling to and from Omaha. We arrived there with plenty of time to spare. When Jaynie checked in, God was gracious to us, and the airline over looked the extra three pounds in each of Jaynie's suitcases.

After we ate lunch, I asked the kids for a group photo--the last one that would include Jaynie for four months.

We then headed to Jaynie's gate, all of us experiencing heavy hearts at the thought of the goodbyes that were now inevitable.

Before the individual goodbyes began, we dropped our belongings on the ground and joined together in a prayer huddle. God blessed Jaynie "above and beyond all we could have asked or thought" (Ephesians 3:20) on her previous trip to that dangerous corner of the world. We pleaded with Him once again for mercies in her life.

After the prayer huddle, many hugs took place and a few tears.

Just before Jaynie made her way down the ramp to the security line I asked our first trio of older Russian adoptees for a photo. When we celebrated their tenth anniversary with us last September, Jaynie was gone and the photo op was impossible.

Mark (16), Jaynie (18) and Cassandra (17)

Then it was time.

Jaynie couldn't resist turning around a couple of times as the distance between us grew.

When she did, we loudly yelled, "We love you, Jaynie!" Okay...I loudly yelled that, but I'm sure the others were feeling the same sentiment!

In some ways the photo below captures what I will miss the most while Jaynie's gone--her enormous grin that gives evidence to a heart filled with peace and joy.

She's not the same child we adopted 10 years ago. That little girl was sullen, distant, rebellious, and even belligerent at times. God has truly healed her orphan hurts. When we adopted her she was in serious need of love. Now she's fully ready to pour out love among the least of these. God is so good.

As the rest of us headed back the way we'd come, we saw Jaynie's plane arrive.

Her siblings watched the jet with sober faces.

After the plane rounded the corner, we continued our march through the airport, knowing Jaynie was going exactly where the Lord was calling her--a central Asian country which is poor in so many ways.

For those of us left here, we had to redefine family yet again.

Give Us Strength, Lord!

Mrs. Beaver:

Tomorrow at 7 am Jaynie begins her long trip back to the Central Asian country where she serves as a home school teacher to two American families, who serve in aid jobs. While there, Jaynie will also be teaching English and Art to a group of street children between about 7 and 11 years old. What a long way this former orphan has come as she seeks to impact her remote corner of the world! Now she's a Pied Piper with an incredibly open heart for children whose families suffer heart-wrenching poverty.

Jaynie loves the local people, thrives in her work and truly adores the family for whom she will be teaching (the other family is in the US to give birth to their fourth child.) Mr. Beaver and I are utterly confident that she will be exactly where the Lord her. As we've prepared for her departure, we've been blessed once again with the "peace that passes all understanding."

Jaynie will be traveling back with the family for whom she will teach, and they have a wonderful way of keeping her laughing. I know the Lord will sustain her, but tonight Jaynie's tears have already begun flowing over having to say good-bye to her family. She just crawled in bed with me, and we cuddled and talked and cried for quite a while. But its hard knowing this will be our last opportunity until June.

These photos were taking at the airport when she left last August. Please pray for all of us as we separate tomorrow!

The Perfect Birthday Gift

Mrs. Beaver:

Tomorrow I turn fifty. That's right...the big FIVE-O. My gift from Mr. Beaver? Togetherness. Now that one of our children is married and another is living on the other side of the planet, together is the perfect birthday gift.

Jaynie is home for a few weeks. To complete our family unit, my wonderful husband flew in Anna and Aaron from Ohio:

Oksana attentively watched for her oldest sister's arrival. We adopted Oksana just four months before Anna was married last March. Even in that short time a strong bond grew between the two girls.

This was Anna and Jaynie's first time to see each other since Jaynie returned from Central Asia in late December.

Anna and Aaron good-naturedly let me decorate my perfect birthday gift.

Jaynie's Home!

Mrs. Beaver:

We're thankful to God--our precious Jaynie is home! She's been the homeschool helper for a couple of American families in a central Asian country since August.

Many of our friends joined us at the airport to celebrate Jaynie's return.

The plane had landed and passengers were disembarking. We were watching for the ONE special face!

Our first glimpse of Jaynie!

A very relieved, happy dad--deeply grateful to God for keeping his girlie safe

Jaynie's first sibling hug came from Cassandra

Jaynie's other siblings quickly took their turns.

 Next, Jaynie greeted friends who'd come to welcome her back

In the midst of happy celebration, Jaynie never strayed far from her daddy

Before long we headed around the corner in our small airport to gather Jaynie's luggage. She was still greeting friends...

(A special thanks to our dear friends the Nisius family for coming all the way from Minneapolis just to share this special day with our family. Here Jaynie is embracing Amanda, whose been like an aunt to Jaynie and her biological siblings since we adopted the three of them in 2001.)

Cassandra stayed close by as Jaynie made her way through the crowds.

I got the very first hug as Jaynie emerged from security, although our reunion wasn't caught on camera. By the time we entered the baggage area, I was eager for another long embrace. I've already received the very best Christmas gift--having my daughter home.

Our family has so much catching up to do. Jaynie's been able to call nearly every day since she left, but the phone calls are usually only a few minutes long. Skype and email have been tremendous blessings, but now we get to hear the details of her amazing adventure.

What a joy to be TOGETHER! And what a great way to start the weekend in which we'll celebrate the birth of Jesus. God become man. King become servant. Baby become suffering Savior.

We wish you the merriest of Christmases!

Photos courtesy of Amanda N. and Kaylee H.