I shared the following story with a friend and decided to share it here as well.

I was feeling a bit overwhelmed last week as I was getting back into our school routine and feeling like the task God has given me is more than I can handle.  In my daily Bible reading I read the first two chapters of Joshua one day.  The words that were meant for Joshua from the Lord, to give him confidence and strength for the task ahead, were just what I needed the Lord to speak to me.

Joshua 1:7-10  ⁷ Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. ⁸ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

I needed the reminder that God’s word is all that I need and I cannot turn from it – looking for answers somewhere else.  It is because He is always with me, always guiding, always supplying, that I can be strong and courageous in the face of what sometimes seems like an insurmountable task!

The verses mention prospering and success.  It is very important that we see those words in context.  If we see those words in the verse as a promise, well, they come with a condition – that we obey perfectly all of God’s law.  That is not possible.  However Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior did obey God’s law perfectly!  Praise the Lord, it is Jesus’ righteousness that I am wearing before God and not my own!  Of course, this promise was made to Joshua and in turn for the Israelites.  God had a plan for them and He was telling Joshua that His plan would have success.  There is a principle in that for us as well.

I believe God has given each believer a task that He has prepared for us:

Ephesians 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

If God has called us to do something, He will prepare us and He will provide for us and He will give us success.  We will always reach the end of our own ability – probably quicker than we are willing to admit.  We will prosper and have success in those tasks God calls us to because they are the Lord’s tasks and He will accomplish His good and perfect will as the sovereign and almighty God.  Will the world measure prosperity and success as God does.  Probably not.  But, if I have faith that in all things God is at work for my good and His glory, I can see God accomplishing His will which will ultimately be success in my life.  It may not look like the world sees prosperity and success.  But, we must have eyes that look beyond the temporal of this world.

I have always loved 2 Corinthians.  Even before I had really suffered much in my life I loved that book.  I think it was God’s way of preparing me – as I said, He is always faithful to do that!  I want to quote some of the fourth chapter of 2 Corinthians, but can’t decide where to start.   There is so much there that pertains to what I am thinking about today.  Honestly, I should give more room to God’s words than to mine.  His are much more effective.

2 Corinthians 4:7-18; 5:1-10

⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. ⁸ We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰ always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. ¹¹ For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹² So death is at work in us, but life in you.

¹³ Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, ¹⁴ knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. ¹⁵ For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

¹⁶ So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

¹ For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, ³ if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. ⁴ For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

⁶ So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, ⁷ for we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸ Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Hear the word of the Lord!

He was rather confused by what we were there for.  He kept saying, I am already Levi Schneider; I am already your son!  He sure was, it just wasn’t quite legal in the U.S.

We laughed and were a bit nervous when the judge showed Levi a button and said to be sure not to push it because it called officers into the courtroom.  I am pretty sure she has forgotten the psychology of a seven year old.  Don’t say, “Don’t touch this really cool button that will make something really interesting happen.”  Okay, that isn’t what she said, but I bet that is what Levi heard!!  Anyway, we did keep him from pushing it, but he wanted to.

Once again we were reminded how very fortunate we are in the support that our family has.  We were so thankful for family and friends who made the not so easy trek to downtown Portland to attend the adoption ceremony.  We were watching a 2011 photo show at our church’s New Years Eve service and included in the photos were Kevin and I coming home from India with Levi last March.  One of the photos showed a picture of all the people who came to greet us – there had to be about thirty people.  It was truly overwhelming at the time to see all those people, but even after nine months seeing that photo brought back this rush of emotion and tears remembering all that we have to be thankful for.

We traveled to Medford for Thanksgiving.  It was a very special time with Kevin’s family – especially because his Dad has been battling cancer.  When someone you love is fighting a serious disease it really makes you reflect on life and what is important.  We had a time of sharing what we are thankful for and all of us could agree how thankful we are for Kevin’s parents and for the example they have been for all of us.  I so appreciate how the cousins have embraced our children and all of them enjoyed spending time together!  Here is a photo of the “kids” table which includes our Kelsey who is 22 and a cousin who was married just this last spring.

We had fun decorating the Christmas tree on December 3.  As Levi’s first time he was a mixture of excitement and confusion.  What did all these decorations mean?  There is so much to learn in a new culture!

The girls were in a Christmas musical play in December.  They had so much fun practicing for that and really loved performing it.  I got to watch them twice as they did two performances and it blessed my heart to see their happy faces as they sang about the true meaning of Christmas.   Here they are with two of their biggest fans, Grandma and GG.

We were so thankful that Kevin’s parents were able to drive up to see their play as well as spend time with three of their four kids’ families who live in this area and celebrate an early Christmas with us.  What was so exciting was the fact that Kevin’s Dad felt good enough to travel and it didn’t set him back.  Praise the Lord for that answer to prayer!

It has been our experience after losing our son Grant, that there are certain times of the year that bring your grief to the surface.  Christmas is one of those times.  A few weeks before Christmas I was sitting in church with the three younger kids beside me, listening to their voices singing out and I was just overwhelmed with how much God has blessed us.

I think of Job and how he had lost every one of his children and how he grieved for them.  In the end, God blessed him with more children and restored all that Job had lost.  I have often thought about how Job must have felt.  I think I now know.  He would have never forgotten the children that he had lost.  I am sure that as he looked around and smiled at the children God gave him after the tragedy he still had an empty place in his heart and pain for the children that were no longer there.  The new children did not replace the ones he had lost.  But, the presence of those children must have given him hope and filled him with awe at the faithfulness of God.  Well, I don’t know if that is what Job felt, but it is what I feel.  I am so blessed by the addition of our three special delivery children and thankful to my core for our precious daughter Kelsey.  But, I also miss Grant beyond words.  I miss how much he would have loved these new siblings and what a great big brother he would be.  Levi builds a special creation with his Legos and comes and wants to show me – just like Grant used to.  There is a mixture of happiness and loss in that memory.

Psalm 9:1-2   I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart;   I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you;   I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Families are God’s design for raising children.

There is pain and loss in adoption.

I really do not like that last sentence.  It isn’t that I do not believe that it is true.  I know it is true.  I have three adopted children.  I see their grief and loss.  I am not going to lie, there were times early in the girls’ arrival that I was annoyed that they didn’t understand how much we loved them and how we wanted good for them.  They were still looking back.  It is taking me a long time to understand that.  They still look back.  They will probably always look back in some way.

I have made peace with that.

The girls have asked me what happened to their Indian mom.  How do I explain something to them that I don’t even understand.  I have been given very little information about their relinquishment.  Kalindi’s memories are a bit jumbled.  She told me some things when they first came when she was able to communicate it in English.  It really doesn’t make sense and when I tried to check the story with her orphanage I was told that she was wrong.  They said that all the kids talk about their stories and they get confused about what their story is.  She also said that they watch movies and somehow parts of them end up in their story.  I don’t know if we will ever know the truth.

Kira has no memory of her mother.  She tells me, though, that she pictures her mom in her mind and even dreams about what it would be like to be back in India with her mom.  I am not going to lie, that hurts a little bit.  I do know how much she loves me and I know how much she NEEDS a mom and that is me right now.  She asked me some questions the other night that were basically, “What happened that I am not living with my Indian mom?”

I have no truthful answer for that.  I don’t know the real story.  I can only make guesses.  I always err on the side of giving their parents the benefit of the doubt.   I am sure their mom made the best decision she could for her daughters.

I guess the problem is trying to teach my girls to be content/happy where they are.  I can’t change their past.  This is their reality.  How do I let them know that their past is precious and important and will always be a part of them – and that is good – and yet help them to embrace their life now?

That the girls are working through all these feelings right now is probably very natural and very good for them.  It is a healthy step they need to take in order to make peace with what their life is now.

We had an interesting discussion in school today.  We were talking about Jesus and that Joseph was only Jesus’ guardian, he was not his biological father.  The concept we were learning was that Jesus is fully God and fully man.  Not an easy concept!  The girls asked questions because they weren’t sure they understood what I meant.  Part of their questions were answered by talking about their biological parents in India (and that we are now their parents, but we are not flesh and blood related) and as we were talking Levi said, “I don’t have any parents in India.”  The girls kind of giggled at that, but the truth of it is that Levi was an infant when he was relinquished.  He does not remember having parents.  I don’t think he even knew what he was missing.  I told him that he did have a mom and a dad in India, but that I do not know who they are or anything about them.  They did not give us any information and I am not sure if that is because they don’t want to or they don’t know anything.  I said that I didn’t know why his parents could not take care of him, but that they took him to the nuns because they knew he would be taken care of there and that they would find him a family.  He took all of that in very matter of factly.  I suppose the truth of all that will have to sink in over time.

Tomorrow is Levi’s adoption finalization ceremony at the courthouse.  The judge will officially sign his paperwork making him legally adopted in the U.S.  We had to wait until we had two post placement visits with the social worker before we could file for adoption.  All of the paperwork of the last two or so years is about to come to an end!

Levi enjoying his birthday dinner out.

One of my favorites is the question he asked a friend of mine who was visiting at our home.  She is a cat person.  She loves cats and owns cats.  Levi asked her, “Do you like puppy cats?”  We kind of chuckled and I explained to him that every baby animal has its own name and that a baby cat is called a kitten.  I thought he caught on, he is usually pretty quick about that.

However, at church a few weeks later, Levi was waiting for his Sunday school teacher and asked her sister where she was.  She was explaining to Levi that her sister was still at home taking care of her cow.  (This young lady has a “pet” cow. )  Levi then asked her, “Is it a puppy cow?”  That was when I knew my little talk about every baby animal having its own name was not as successful as I thought it was.

Just recently I bought a badminton set for our backyard.  The kids had played the game at a friends house and had a lot of fun so when I saw them on sale I purchased one.  The first night Kevin put up the net we all played and had a great time.  The next day I heard Levi asking his sisters if they wanted to go outside and play “bad man tennis”.  That just cracks me up!  Doesn’t that just conjure up the funniest picture?

Levi had a corrective surgery on 7/26.  He was born with some defects that needed to be corrected of a urological nature.  In addition, as they did the surgery they encountered a couple of hernias that needed to be repaired.  He was in a lot of pain on the day of surgery at the hospital as the anesthesia and initial pain meds wore off.  Isn’t it awful watching our children be in pain?  I can hardly stand it!  You feel so powerless to help.  The trip home was uncomfortable for him, but once he was ensconced at home with everyone waiting on him and making sure he was comfortable, he did very well.

Levi was pretty funny on that medication they give kids to help them relax.  We got some good video of him in the pre-surgery room, but as is always the case, as soon as the camera was off he was even more hilarious!  When the surgeon came out to tell us how the surgery had gone he was laughing and said that Levi was a sweet boy.  He said that Levi sat up and grabbed his face with both hands and said, “I really like you” and planted a kiss on his cheek.  The surgeon said it made his day.

I was so thankful that the day after surgery I was already having to caution him not to run.   Kids are so resilient.  However, he can’t

Home with "Jet" who was still wearing his surgical mask.

run.  He really needs to be careful so as not to tear any stitches or fall and injure himself at the surgery site.  In fact, I was told his activity will need to be restricted for about a month.  For a boy whose favorite activities are physical that is going to be HARD!

I was reminded of a line from Jane Austin’s “Persuasion” as I have been trying to keep him calm and quiet.  It is Mrs. Musgrove speaking about her grandchildren and what she has to do to keep them from tearing her house apart.  “….or that one can only keep in tolerable order by more cake than is good for them.”

That is how I am feeling about television/movies at the moment.  He is watching more than is good for him!  Certainly more than I like my kids to watch.  However, it is the one activity where I can keep him quiet and I don’t have to tell him to be careful, don’t do that, or stop running!  He is actually on the back patio right now having some kind of Kung Fu fight with his Sulu (Star Trek original series) action figure and the headless Ken doll.    Can you guess that he has watched Kung Fu Panda twice already since his surgery?

Levi and I had an interesting conversation last night at bedtime.  We were discussing the fact that he was not listening to what he was being told.  He always has a very hard time listening.  Quite frankly, what he has a hard time with is self-control – keeping himself from doing what he desires and obeying what we have told him to do.  I was trying to explain to him that parents teach their children to obey to help him, not to be mean.  We have rules to protect him.  He does not understand this concept in the least.  At the orphanage it seemed like the caregivers had their hands full with the little ones and with some sick kids.  I do not think that Levi had to answer to anyone very often.  I think he pretty much did what he wanted.  Once when we were doing a phonics workbook and I was again trying to get his attention I asked him if he was in trouble a lot in school in India.  He replied, “Yes.  I got a lot of spankings.”  Somehow, I am not surprised.

Kalindi is off to camp on Sunday.  She is so excited she can hardly stand it!  She had such a good time last year.  She made it sound so much fun that Kira is wanting to go next year.

I had some strange homemaker thing come over me (or else I was longing for summer while we were having our wintry spring!) and I ordered berries (strawberries, raspberries, marionberries and blueberries!) from a local Rotary club.  Yes, I went a little crazy.  It sounded much more doable before I saw how many I got with each delivery.  I have bags of these berries overflowing in my freezer along with a double batch of strawberry freezer jam, and a marionberry/raspberry freezer jam double batch.  Kevin is hoping he gets some berry pies out of this bounty.  I am sure I will do that for him.  Oh, that reminds me!  I have a giant bucket of blueberries waiting for me to bag!  I better be off to do that.

~Lori

Seriously, it has been very interesting.  The girls were so patient and kind to Levi for the first month to month and a half.  They put aside their own desires and devoted themselves to him.  I think that is just amazing and I am so proud of them.  It made the initial adjustment so much easier.  However, it also lulled Levi into a false idea of what normal life around here would be like. 

He is now dealing with the realistic situation – that it is NOT all about him!  Now, we all need to learn that at some point in life, right?  From what Kevin and I have gathered from information we have been given (or saw ourselves) there was not much that Levi was told he could not do in India.  The nuns were great as far as showing love and taking good care of the children, but there was not much discipline.  I am very grateful for their good care of him – don’t get me wrong!  Levi is very charming and he flashes his smile and figures that everyone is going to fall in line and align with his will and all will be right in his world.

It doesn’t happen that way around here and I think he is still getting used to that.

The girls have had a huge adjustment as well.  There are a lot of things at play.  Boys are unashamedly esteemed higher than girls in the Indian culture.  Everyone knows it.  The girls know it.  When we told them that we were going to adopt a boy (they were hoping for a little sister) they asked a lot of questions trying to find out how that would change things around here.  They point-blank asked if we would love him more than we love them.  Although we did talk about this and assured them that we loved and treated our daughters and sons the same, they were still worried when he came.

The girls have grown and matured so much in the last three years.  They do not remember that they behaved in much the same way that Levi is now.  That has been a good lesson for them.  They will be exasperated with Levi and I will say, “You did the same thing when you first came.”  They are shocked!   In the same way, it is encouraging to us to remember how far the girls have come and to remind ourselves that Levi will get there as well.

When Kalindi told me that she had the most annoying little brother in the world I informed her that EVERY big sister said that about her little brother.  “Really?” was her response.  We have a lot of talks around here about how to get along with each other.  I have read 1 John 4:7-12 several times with all three kids and talked about what it means.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

What a wonderful opportunity to teach my children that it is through God’s love that we are able to love each other and in so doing we show the world God’s abundant love for us.

So, great things are happening, but it has me very busy.  I have told many people that this time of parenting Levi is like boot camp.  We are trying to strip away what he has been taught or learned before and replace it with the way we live in our family.  This entails a lot of time and energy and consistency.  We have seen it work with Kalindi and Kira and so I continually remind myself that the effort is worth it.

If you think about us, you can pray for all of these adjustments.  We would really appreciate it!

The girls have completed their year of schooling although we will continue with reading and math through the summer.  They each did their achievement tests and did very well.  Kira scores higher in reading, Kalindi scores higher in math.  Not a surprise to their teacher!   I have done very little school with Levi.  It was frustrating trying to work him into our established routine when he was so hard to focus and keep on task.  Levi is working on kindergarten level material.  He knows all his letters, most of their sounds, his numbers and easy addition.  I think he is very smart, but I also think his brain is working at warp speed.  It is going to be a challenge to juggle everyone, but I will figure it out.

Kira is excited about a month-long reading intensive summer school she will do this summer.  Kalindi is looking forward to beginning a new program that should help her with some of her reading difficulties.  It is a six month program that she and I will begin next week and work at it six days a week!  If it helps her it will be well worth it.  Kalindi is also super excited about going to junior high camp this summer.  Junior high!  Can you believe that?  Kira turned ten in May and Kalindi will turn thirteen in a couple of weeks.  Wow.

In other news, both Levi and Kira learned to ride a two-wheel bike without training wheels.  Kira has been afraid to give it a try after several spills.  I think watching her little brother learn in about twenty minutes gave her the nudge to try it herself.  She is doing great!  That reminds me about Levi’s approach to physical activity.  Let’s just say that if I didn’t color my hair I would probably be completely white at the roots!  He comes and gets me and asks me to come watch him do “Some incredible thing!” on his bike or scooter or the play structure.  Boys and girls approach life completely differently, don’t they?

Levi is a sweet boy and is beginning to show us some affection.  If I try to put myself in his place I cannot imagine how hard it would be to all of a sudden be placed in a family and be expected to trust and love them.  Can you imagine?  It is a slow process, but we do see some good signs of him learning that we can be trusted and that we love him.

I would love to hear from you if you have any questions.  I am always trying to promote older child adoption – there are so many kids sitting in an orphanage wondering what their futures might be.  It is not an easy road, but it is an amazing, wild ride!  Even if you can’t adopt, support and encourage an adoptive family or support an orphanage or orphan ministry.  There are a million of them!

Well, that is all for now.  I just wanted to give you an update.  I will try not to wait another two months for the next one.

Lori

I found a Danish recipe for Aebelskivers on a website that I follow called The Nourishing Gourmet.  I tried the recipe this morning and it was a success!  First of all, the family loved them and secondly I enjoyed the process of making something unique and different that is part of my heritage.  I just love when I make something and my family enjoys eating it!

Mine did not turn out as beautifully round and evenly cooked as the photos on her blog, but for a first attempt, I think I did pretty well.

The only change I made from her recipe is that I mixed up a batch of maple butter instead of using the honey and butter syrup she suggested.  In case maple butter sounds like something you might like to try (it is great on pancakes or french toast) it is equal parts softened butter, powdered sugar and maple syrup blended together.  Yummy!!

He really is funny and it is a pleasure to see him joke around and tease with his sisters and his Dad.  It just seems like he has been with us for a lot longer than two weeks.  I feel like God really answered our prayers about him being ready for a family.

We have done school this week and he is very eager to work as well as loves to hear praise for how well he has done.  And, he really is doing well.  He has received a good education and I feel so lucky that I can just pick up where they were and continue.  He knows his letters and their sounds, can count (and write) over thirty, he knows the days of the week and the months of the year.  He knows his colors and quite a lot of vocabulary in English.  We have not had any trouble communicating.  I might say something and he will say, “Means?” when he doesn’t know the word I used or he can’t figure out the context. 

My one moment of sadness came when I thought of our son, Grant, and how his laugh would light up our home.  I really miss him.  Every day.  But, when there is something wonderful happening I really wish he were here to share it with us.   He would have made such a great big brother.

One thing that is always hard when you have just been at an orphanage to pick up your child is all of those faces you see left behind.  The need is so great.  I will NOT tell you that adoption is easy and that there is no cost.  It is hard.  And, it will cost you – in every way you can imagine.  But, it is a choice that will bless you and grow you in ways you cannot believe. 

If you are in a mind to consider adoption or know someone who is, please visit the waiting child page of our adoption agency, Journeys of the Heart.  These are the kids that are older or have a special need of some sort.  People aren’t lining up to adopt these kids.  Their opportunities and futures are at best uncertain.  At the very least, please pray for them.  Pray for their health and their well-being, for caregivers who will show them love, for God to place a burden in hearts to consider adopting them.

We are so blessed!  Aren’t they beautiful?  Inside and out!!

Honestly, my mind was racing.  All of a sudden I remembered the lesson that God was working on with me from the previous day - be thankful for the situation I am in.  I started to pray asking God to have His way and His will with this situation – no matter what.  I said that I didn’t want my way, or to “get out of this”.  I relaxed and not long after this heart decision the captain announced that the engine had started and we could be on our way.

Because we had a four hour layover in Amsterdam, we did not miss our connection as many other people did on our flight.  God is good!

Levi Sangeet did so well on the trip.  I was a little worried because he is energetic.  He slept a good amount, but when he wasn’t sleeping he just kept busy with something in his seat.  He was great!

We arrived in Portland to about 45 family and friends to greet us at the airport.  It was so amazing to see so many of the people who have loved and encouraged us through this process.  Best of all, there were our three beautiful daughters who we missed terribly! 

Levi Sangeet is a very outgoing and confident child.  He was a little bit shy at the airport and then at church on Sunday, but he warms up quickly.  He LOVES his sisters and they have been great with him.  Kalindi and Kira are being super patient and willing to help him and play with him.  I am sure he thinks he hit the jackpot.

He has not exhibited any sign of grief or sadness at leaving India.  Don’t get me wrong, I am sure he has some grief.  But, it has been good to see him happy and enjoying himself.  I didn’t mention when we were in India, we had to go back to the main orphanage where we had first picked Levi up.  We were picking up a letter from the attorney there and also leaving a piece of paper they needed from us.  He actually acted a bit worried and never relaxed while we were there.  They kept wanting him to come and go to another room and see some kids, but he was very reluctant to leave us.  I was worried that he was afraid we were changing our mind leaving him there.  Poor kid.  However, I took it as a good sign that he was happy as a clam and himself again as soon as we were in the car and headed to the hotel.

He is showing affection to Kevin and I as well as his sisters.  He is very curious and does not miss much.  He is quick and I have a feeling he is going to give me, as his teacher, a run for my money!  He is funny and happy and makes us all smile. 

I am seriously tired so I will say goodbye for now!  I just really wanted to give you all a snapshot of how things are at our home.  We appreciate your continued prayers as this is just the beginning!

At 2:15 am Delhi time we got a phone call from our travel agent that everything has been taken care of. The airline changed the name on Levi’s ticket without any penalty or issues. We are praising the Lord!

Before I went to bed I read a blog post of a friend who was reposting a post she had read. I happen to read the same blog she was citing so I know the back story of this gal. To get to the point, this young woman is a missionary in Uganda and she was telling the story of an older lady who has suffered much tragedy in her life including the recent violent death of her son. This woman was exuding the joy of the Lord even in immense grief and pain. It got me thinking how often we only want to praise God when things are going the way we want them to. Did I consider praising God for the mess we found we were in on Wednesday? No. My usual response is to ask God why He is allowing this in my life and to pray for it to go away.

So, in retrospect I am now praising God for the trials this week. I am praising Him for allowing us a glimpse of his mercy and grace. I am thanking Him that He allowed us to be a part of an instance where He could show His power and sovereignty. I hope that I will learn to praise Him IN the trial instead of just when I am out of it.

If you are interested in reading the entire blog post I mentioned, the original source web address is The Journey.

Thank you all for your encouragement and prayers! USA here we come!!!

Now, to try to get back to sleep!

Later on March 11, 2011

We went on a short sight seeing trip today to Qutab Minar.  It was really interesting.  I am glad we made it.  We were not planning on going out today, but we had to drive back to the orphanage to pick up some corrected papers and a letter of explanation from the attorney.  Kevin also needed to sign a letter for the lawyer stating that his name was wrong and to please apply for a corrected order.

Before we left we pretty much packed everything as we were a bit worried that we had done too much shopping!  It looks like everything will fit and hopefully be under weight. 

While Kevin was checking in for our flights he found out the Delta flight number for you who will be looking for us a PDX.  It is DL 0179 coming from Amsterdam arriving at noon.

We are very thankful for our good time in India and very anxious to get headed home.  On the name front, he has been okay with being called Levi Sangeet.