Mercy's Home Update!

Dear Friends and Family, I am typing a blog because I am literally dying to call each and every one of you (that I know personally at least but even still I would wanna chat) and talk for about 3 hours and tell you each and every detail of our journey and hear any detail, even the smallest, that I may have missed about your week, even just the short one I was away. I am way too social for this shut-in lifestyle I am about to have to lead but I know it is what must be done so I will just have to suck it up and know that we will get lots of time in Heaven, please be there, I really do wanna hear and share EVERYTHING.

Ok, so our week, let me try to go quickly, Jesus rocked our world in Ethiopia. It was like His grace fell and never lifted. Two highlights (other than princess, she is a duh) getting to see the boy we sponsor at his boarding school who was living in a dump when I went in July. And two - seeing the look in my man’s eyes right now, he is plotting on how to get back and I am loving every second of seeing him sold out for Jesus and the lost and hurting. He now knows why I was a bit crazy after my return in July. See I did good, short and sweet. Now just think how many more details we could share in 3 hours, ok, moving along…..

*I have to add sharing Jesus with Mercy’s birth mom, I mean is there a high on earth that is better………….NO!

The airport party, sweet Jesus, for the ones of you who could come please know that your love, support, and the sound of those sweet kiddos singing “Jesus Loves Me” was just about more than we could bare. Someone asked me on facebook how I wasn’t crying and the truth is because I think if I had ever started I would have never stopped. And for the ones of you who could not come please know again we totally understand. We know you love us and are praying for us and we are THANKFUL more than you will ever know. I felt HORRIBLE there too not being able to chat with some of you. Some literally I am not even sure that I got to hug your neck and that is not how I like things done. But again, soon, very soon we will catch up, “worst” case in Heaven.

So for the here and now, we are almost 24 hours in, in the U.S. at least and I know everyone wants to know how we are going and after much debate I thought it really would be best that I told you. In the last 24 hours we have had some of the sweetest moments in our lives. Mercy L-O-V-E-S Cross (roll your “r” when you say it and it will sound just like her “Closs). And Cross likewise loves her. He has been the kindest gentleman of a brother and I have had moments where I wanted to just sit in awe of how Jesus has rocked our world. But because we live on this side of Heaven, I knew, somewhere deep down even, that the “fun and games” would probably have to come to a screeching halt. And they did, when we got home last night. Our daughter was sound asleep from the car ride home, I think she was still smiling even from laughing at her brother and then she saw her not-so-bff, Snicker girl. Snick was thrilled to see Mercy but Mercy was not so thrilled to see Snick. We knew that was a possibility because in Ethiopia dogs and pets are not really in the same sentence, especially not INDOOR. We had tried to prepare her with pictures but it was a disaster. An all night disaster, the kind where you think to yourself I am so exhausted that I am beyond the point of making rational decisions and you are praying for Jesus to get you through the night alive. So today, thanks to Jesus and my sweet man, we are alive, we have the house somewhat pulled back together, Mercy will now at least walk on the floor sometimes without even holding your hand but not often and everyone (but me and even Snick) napped. I had that same struggle when Cross was a newborn. I am so tired but I am listening to every single peep to make sure she isn’t crying so I am praying tonight I will get a nice 12 or so hours in and be a new woman tomorrow. This is real life, Mercy is a real orphan, she is from a third world country and she is experiencing joy like none other, but also fear and pain for certain. She is beautiful but she is also a sinner and a two year old one at that.

So as if you have not prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed, I am going to ask for some more. Pray that I know which battles to pick. That tern is almost always used for ones that you don’t pick but those are the “easy” ones. Pray for me on the ones I do have to fight and pray that I “win” in terms of her feeling more safe and secure. Pray for me that I have NO expectations, none, it just works better that way. Pray we lavish Cross with love during this time as well. That is a very hard balance but so far God is nudging us often in that area and I am so thankful for the Holy Spirit speaking, man am I thankful. And finally, pray for Mercy girl. Pray her mama isn’t selfish and stays home until she feels at ease. Pray she sleeps good, at night and at naps. She HAS GOT to be exhausted, especially considering she has been on a different time zone for her entire life. And pray she feels Jesus, even more than mommy and daddy, He is really the only one that can truly comfort.

We love you guys and we promise, if time allows and I am not neglecting my two, very small disciples, I will write as often as I can because there will be no shortage of stories that I am certain!

K