I just want to be with you...

I try to be patient. It is hard, but I try. But the other day I heard this song on the radio. I must say my tear ducts in general aren't over flowing, but they are filled with dust either. As I was listening to this, I couldn't help but think about my child(ren) out there that are not with me. I did start crying. I did get a lump in my throat and was missing my little one(s). The sentence that God used last October came to mind, "If you are called to adopt, your child is out there not getting the love and care that they could be getting if they were with you." This of course is different as a natural pregnancy, you know where your child is. Thanks to this book you know what is going on during pregnancy. We are only into month 5 of our adoption, but there is a strong chance the newest member(s) to our family is in this world. They are active, breathing, learning, but not being physically loved on by their mommy, daddy and brothers. I really miss them as crazy at that sounds. I have not met them, but I love them, I pray for them, my heart aches that I am not with them. There is no definite date at this time and I can't imagine how much more I will miss them once I actually see their faces and we are matched.
It seems like each day that there are changes in our adoption plan. That is not uncommon, but it is not welcome either. As I listen to others about their adoption there is one common denominator, no story is the same. God is making our story a special one as well. We do trust that his timing is best and our prayer is for patience.

PS: I know the song "Smile" by Chris Rice is about seeing Jesus for the first time, but I could help of thinking about my present circumstance. Although I can't wait for that day either!!

Check out these tees!!

We have had WONDERFUL success selling the Ugandan necklaces.  We actually should receive another order of them any day now.  So THANK YOU!!  And thank you to everyone that has purchased coffee through Just Love Coffee Roasters as well.  We have received a check each month from those purchases:) 

We recently found out we received approval to fund raise by selling Wild Olive t-shirts!!  If you know me well at all you have seen me wearing these t-shirts, so I am over the top excited:)  I love these shirts!!  They have Scripture on them without being cheesy and they are comfortable and soft and trendy....they are simply great!

We still hope to offer, at some point on this journey, a t-shirt specific to our adoption from Africa but for the next few weeks every time you purchase a Wild Olive tee from this page...we receive a portion of the profit! At checkout you click on coupon code and then put this code, CHAPMAN0518, in the space for coupon code, and then we will receive credit and a portion of the proceeds.  The more shirts we sell, the greater portion we receive!!  We can only fund raise through Wild Olive until the end of June so think ahead and purchase for birthdays and Christmas!  I love getting these shirts on my birthday:)

The shirts are $30 each and there are 11 styles to choose from!  So go here to check out your options and don't forget to put in the code CHAPMAN0518. Thank you ahead of time, and as always let us know if you have any questions!!

You are a blessing and thank you for joining us on this journey!!

...in the waiting

We are in a waiting period.  Waiting to hear if our home study has been mailed to the right office so we can mail money to the right office and on and on and on:)   Definitely God is doing mighty things in us as we wait and that is one of our prayers...that we would become who He wants us to be through this process.  We do believe that none of this journey, especially the waiting, is a mistake.  There is a purpose for each day.

There are lots of days now where there is NOTHING physically that I can do to make things happen any faster.  So I trust and He is teaching me to pray.  I do love to pray and have seen the power of prayer.  However I am learning anew that prayer is not really about changing God's plan but about aligning my heart and will with what He is currently doing and about to do.

So I wanted to share some of the verses that I am newly praying over this adoption process, over our family, over our child/children.  These are just a couple but we would LOVE it if you would join us in praying.  And if the Lord gives you verses to pray for and over us...we humbly ask you to share them with us.  It would be such an encouragement:)

Right now we are praying for God's favor with the judges and lawyers in Uganda.  There are so many wonderful Ugandan officials, judges and lawyers that have so much on their plates right now.  We are praying FOR them and that the families that are in line before us waiting would be processed soon as well...then we can move forward on the list.

Matthew 21:21-22

" Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.  If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Matthew 17:20

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

We are asking Jesus for great faith, and for Him to move mountains on the behalf of these sweet children. 

As I pray for the children throughout the day I pray these for them...it brings me comfort too:)

Psalm 17:8

Keep me as the apple of your eye;

hide me in the shadow of your wings  

I just picture Jesus covering them with His protective wings, so they feel safe and love and protected.  I pray that they will have strong identities in Him.  They will understand in their spirits that they are the apple of His eye!! That they will not feel abandoned or forgotten, but secure...deep down secure.

Psalm 27:5

For in the day of trouble
   he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
   and set me high upon a rock. 

I pray for their safety.  That emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually He will place a hedge of His protection over them and that He will set them high upon the rock.  He is the Rock.  That they will be in His shelter and safe in His dwelling.  As they sleep, as they eat, as they play, as they learn, as they grow.

So this is where we are at the moment in the waiting...thanks for letting me share and thank you for praying...we covet your prayers!