Sunday, January 3, 2010

Jackson turns 3!!!!





It has been an interesting week. I met with the lawyer to sign the paperwork on Tuesday. He was hoping to make it to court on Wednesday, which then turned into Thursday. I am not sure on the details, but he was told to come back on Monday. Monday is now a holiday, which brings us around again to Tuesday. How quickly an hour appt. can turn into a week-long ordeal in Africa.



We are hoping to go to court on Tuesday, Jan 5th, and we need your prayers.

1. That we go to court on Tuesday, Jan 5th, all the paperwork is in order and the adoption is
finalized.
2. That I am able to get birth certificates and passports by Thursday, Jan 7th. Usually this takes
3-5 days.
3. That I am able to get a bus to South Africa on Thur, Jan 7th, and make my doctor's appt on
on Friday, Jan 8th.
4. Pray everything goes smoothly in South Africa and we make our 17 hour flight to Atlanta on
Thursday, January 14th.
5. Pray for Chris to have wisdom in getting the kids' tickets as prices have skyrocketed ($1900
each) since I purchased mine back in Nov ($800 each)!





In all honesty, this has been an emotionally draining process. The kids back home (Big one included!) are ready for me to come home (not to mention Pam!!) and I am more than ready to be with them. It's hard to believe that when all this is said and done, I will have been gone for over 8 weeks. Chris is going to meet me in Atlanta. It will be the first time that he will meet both Jackson and Mykah!! What a moment that's going to be. We are going to spend a couple of days with my mom, her husband and my Grandmother and then fly back to Hawaii.

We are having a "Welcome Home" party for the kids in Atlanta on the 16th, and would love for you to drop by if you live in the area (more details to follow). I doubt we will be flying anywhere soon with 5 kids and we felt it would be a good way to spend some time with friends and family before heading back to Hawaii. (Thank you Linda, Lindsey and Mrs Bowyer for hosting this!)

We did wrap up the week on a couple of positive notes. Melanie's children did NOT need to spend the weekend with their birth father, and that was an INCREDIBLE answer to prayer!! We truly appreciate all those that prayed against this. Also Jackson turned 3 on January 1st! He loved every minute of his special day. His toothless grin shows that! He unwrapped his coloring book and crayons and you would have thought he won the lottery!



It was a great reminder that no matter how difficult this journey might be, it is worth every minute. Not only are 2 childrens' lives going to change forever, but there are 5 other Elliott's who will also never be the same!! This journey has taught me so much and I am not even sure how to process most of it. I have felt extremely powerless throughout the time I've been here. It's been difficult, but in many ways, it has been a good reminder of how these children have felt all of their lives. Mykah and Jackson's mother passed away in November of 2008, and like many children here, they have been raised by other children and some of their extended family since that time. A little over a year later and here we are. God was working back then to bring us all together. I know He will complete His good work. The Lord knows how much our hearts long to be together as a family, and no matter how things may appear, He remains in control and I can rest in Him (as hard as that can be at times with someone with control issues :)



Thank you to everyone that has been walking this journey with us! We look forward to continuing to share the stories as the real fun is about to begin!!

3 comments:

Laura said...

Carrie,
As I read this entry, it brought a flood of emotions to my heart. It reminded me of some of my more difficult days during our process and it brought me to the joy that we are now experiencing as a family. You are doing such an amazing job of making the most of your time while in Africa, but I can imagine as you lay your head on your pillow at night that the tears flow. Please know that my prayers are with you. Your fight for these kids will not be in vain. God will use that greatly in their lives as they grow up and process this whole experience in relation to their lives. Your family will never be the same, and God will use this experience to impact many.
You may find that it takes you a long time to really process this whole experience once you get home. I am finding that to be the case. We have been home now for 8 1/2 months and I still haven't fully processed all that God has done. I see His Hand and His Work and I marvel. I see what the last year has held for our family and I feel overwhelmed and amazed all at the same time.
God is creating a strength in you like no other. This is only the beginning.
Love,
Laura

Autumn said...

I don't pretend to understand all that you are going through, but know that we have prayed, and continue to pray for ya'll. It has been wonderful to see what God has done to bring you this far in your journey. Thank you for sharing and letting us watch God's faithfulness to your family...because "He is faithful...to do more than we ask or imagine..."I'm sure you know this passage, but it felt appropriate to add:

Eph. 3: 16-21
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Unknown said...

Dearest Chris and Carrie,

As I read the above comments I was reminded of a sermon from Dick Lincoln on Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." It has stayed with me throughout the years and now I think of you. Dick likened this verse to a canister of flour. We are the canister and God is trying to fill us with Himself. How do we fill up a canister of flour? We bump it on the counter; hit it on the sides with our hands and then add a little more to only start the process again. You are giving sacrificially and you will have His blessings poured into your lap. I am just thinking right now that you are only feeling the bumping on the counter and batting of the sides. I guess you cannot get one without the other. When you start to cry, just remember to cry to the Lord. He wants you to pour yourself out to Him so that He can comfort you. I also think that since He is the One who gave us tears that it is okay to let it rip.

The children and I have prayed for you each morning as we begin school. Know that we are lifting you before His Throne!

Much love and support to all in Hawaii, GA, and Africa,
Anndra