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Today is GOTCHA DAY for Mia Noelle, and we are so appreciative for all the love, support, and prayers that have gotten us this far! We will post pictures, videos, and updates on our "Mia's Place" page as we are able, so if you haven't *LIKED* it yet, please do so (click here for the page)! And bear with us, because we'll be busy and the Internet connection is spotty at best.

Know how much we appreciate your walking this journey with us as we embark on the next phase of this life-changing adventure. And PLEASE, remember Ethan and the rest of our family at home in your prayers, too.

It's Gotcha Day!

Dear Mia,

It's Gotcha Day, and about 3 hours until we are to meet you. Mommy and I actually slept pretty well last night, all considering. We got up, had a nice breakfast at the hotel, and when we got back, housekeeping had placed the crib where you'll be sleeping while we're here. And guess what, it's a MICKEY MOUSE crib!!! 

In a strange way, Disney has played a major role in our decision and follow-through in this process. Every time we go, we see many families that look like ours will, and our hearts swell. Then last January (2014), your Uncle Greg and Aunt Jenn went to Disney with us, thanks to a generous gift from one of my favorite people, Jubal. It was then, while visiting the China pavilion at Epcot, that we said, "yes."

We occasionally get teased about how much we love Disney, but it is one of those things that our family enjoys doing together. We love getting away and being in a world of creativity, imagination, and fun. For us, it isn't about silly rides and overpriced food or souvenirs, but a time for us to be able to get away from the high demands of the ministry and be family. We can't wait to share that experience with you...as family!

Before we can do that, though, we have a lot to share with you. Yes, it will be quite a while before you're ready for a trip to Disney World, but that's ok, because we have plenty of Disney stuff for you as we begin sharing our lives together. And in a strange way, it will begin in a Mickey Mouse crib placed next to our bed in a hotel room in Wuhan, China. 

Mommy and I are in that room right this minute waiting for the time to come meet you. Mommy is ironing clothes. I am working on my iPad, journaling about this experience to chronicle it for you and our whole family. We are both listening to some of our favorite worship music as the prayers of hundreds, if not thousands, of people clear across the globe are being directed our way. I am even aware that some of our dearest friends will be waking up around 3am at home in order to be in prayer for our union. That's how much our family is loved and your place in it is cherished. 

And right now, my dear Mia, you are in a car making your way from the city where you spent the first three years of your life to the city where we are anxiously and eagerly awaiting our union. You probably have no idea whatsoever about what is about to transpire, but that's ok. Mommy and I have been well trained, and we are ready to greet you and begin working to establish the trust that will be essential for building the bonds that will carry us through the rest of our lives here on earth and into eternity. 

As your journey to Wuhan will end one chapter of your life, it is also the beginning of a brand new one that we all pray will be filled with fun, creativity, imagination, hope, and faith. And it will start in a small hotel room, some 8,000 miles away from home, appointed with a Mickey Mouse crib. It might be hard for you to rest for a while, and it might be even harder waking up with people who you quite possibly have never seen before, but let me assure you of this — mommy and I are right here, and we will be, to let you know that you have a place...a place in this room, a place in our home, a place in our family, a place in our hearts, and a place in eternity. 

God made that place, and He made that place just for you. So may all the wonder, creativity, imagination, love, and fun begin when you are ready. We are here to walk you through it and remind you of this eternal truth: you have a place. 

Love, 

Dad

One More Day

Dear Mia,
I’m sitting in our hotel room in Wuhan, China, just a little more than twenty-four-hours before we are to meet you for the very first time. As I sit and reflect, one word comes to mind to summarize this whole experience: surreal. Your mommy and I keep looking at each other and asking, “Can you believe we’re doing this?” We are still struggling to put any kind of logical and tidy answer to it, but the best we can come up with is, love.

I mentioned before that a friend of mine once said, “adoption begins with tragedy.” For us, the tragedy was never being able to have another child after your brother was born more than thirteen years ago. We had a few close calls, but they all ended in heartbreak. So when we began our journey to you, we started out wanting something for ourselves; but somewhere along the way, we realized it was all about you and our call to the task of defending the fatherless (Isaiah 1:17). I’m not sure it was necessarily a conscious decision, or even exactly when it happened, but it was one where our focus shifted from us onto you, and with it, our resolve. It's hard to explain, but love did that. And love does that still.

There are so many thoughts and nuggets swirling around in my noggin right now, and some of them will make their way to this page (which the goal all along was for you in time to be able to see and feel what we were going through on our way to you). But suffice it to say, throughout this twenty-month process, it quit being about us and started being about you, or more specifically, the call of God in our hearts to care for you and give you a family. With all the children in the world, I can't say we would do this for just any ole child; it's about one: you. Otherwise, somewhere along the way with the time, expense, intrusion, sacrifice, criticism, and sheer magnitude that this process involves, we would have just bought Disney passes and visit the China pavilion in Epcot to think about what could have been.

But here we are, on the other side of the world, away from virtually all we know and love, for the sake of a little girl we have only seen in a grand total of six pictures and about four minutes of video. That last part seems to strike many people as odd, but to us, it is just a detail in a much broader story.

The time we got the first call from our case worker about you, to the time when you will be in our arms, will span about nine-months, or the length of a typical human gestation. With Ethan and the other babies we had, we kept ultrasound pictures on the fridge and began wondering, dreaming and hoping for the life that was to come. Even though you are now three-years-old, we still kept your picture on our fridge and thought about the wonder, dreams, and hope for your life. We know, we know, we must keep our expectations managed, but God brought us to you, no doubt about it. And since mommy and I are convinced of that, we feel we are living out a shred of God’s promise that is also contained in Lifeline Children’s Services’ mission statement: to give you a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Even though that hope did not grow physically in our bodies, it does grow spiritually in our hearts. Now, when we see you come through the door tomorrow to enter our world, a new birth will occur and none of us will ever be the same. None of us. Ever.

So while we wait in the quiet for just one more day, let me tell you that there is more. There is a powerful draw and call to this place that strangely reminds your mommy and me of our very own beginning together. It’s something that defies all logic and reason. The list of people for whom we would have embarked upon such a journey is frighteningly short, yet here we are. And while it is bewildering and more than a bit scary, it feels so very right. We have indeed stepped outside of our comfort zone and into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is, and He is holding out His hand, waiting to join our story with yours.

Since July 29, 2012, the little girl who has never heard the name our world has known you by these past nine months is about share your life with us, even with all its ups and downs. Now you have an army of family, friends, and supporters fighting to give you a place, led by your mom and dad. That child is you, Mia. You have your place. And thanks to the transformative power of heeding God's call, it seems mommy and I have ours, too.

I know that probably comes across as awful naive and romantic, and sure, part of it is. But the closest I can put my finger on it is strangely similar to an amalgamation of my wedding and ordination vows: I promise to give all that I am and all that I have, for better or for worse, to go where I am sent, to honor God and the people He has placed in my life. In giving myself to that ongoing task, I have found a Mark — and a Tiffany, for that matter — that I never before knew. And I know that there are more challenges for us ahead, but I am sure a supernatural perseverance will be there to meet us and walk us through it. For as we made our journey across the world, we kept thinking, planning, and praying for how we will make the return journey home, with you, to your place. With your parents. With your brother. With your pets. With your very own room. With your very own bed. With your very own toys. With your very own clothes. With your very own family of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and a larger family drawn together not just by blood, but by Spirit and faith.

As we wait the next twenty-something hours after the last twenty-something months, I want to return to where it all started…with mommy and me. We began wanting to do this for ourselves, but now that we have quite literally invested our blood, sweat, tears, and money, we find we are doing this for God, the One who brought us to you — the subject in this chapter of our family’s story. So I close this reflection with a teaching from Jesus (who I cannot wait to introduce you to!) that is gaining an all new appreciation in my life right now: “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” (Matthew 16:25, NLT)

Love,
Dad

One. Forever.

It has been 565 days. 565! 565 days ago, Tiffany and I officially submitted our application to adopt a little girl from China; and even then, it was a journey eleven years in the making. It's been a long road to this point, but within hours of you reading this, Tiffany and I will board a plane to fly the 7,818 miles to Wuhan, China, the city where we will be united with Mia for the very first time. 

It has been 274 days. 274! 274 days ago, Tiffany and I got the referral on the little girl who would come to be known as Mia. This came after a time I felt the urge to pray, just before answering a call from our case worker about a little girl who needed a forever family. While I was praying, our case worker saw Mia's picture and thought of us. It is true. All of it. Next Monday, the face that we have only seen in pictures will be nose-to-nose to us. We will be hers. She will be ours. 

It has been 237 days. 237! 237 days ago, China generated a letter granting us preliminary approval to adopt this little girl. It was Christmas Day, and Mia received her middle name: Noelle. 

It's been 64 days. 64! 64 days ago we got our letter of acceptance to officially adopt Mia Noelle. 4 lives changed. Forever.

It's been 13 days. 13! 13 days ago we got our travel approval to fly to China to go get Mia. The journey wasn't quite finished, because we still had some things yet to be scheduled, but we were close. 

It's been 9 days. 9! 9 days ago we got the date for when we would have our appointment at the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou, China to set in motion the events that will make Mia not only a Jordan, but a U.S. citizen. Forever. 

It's been 8 days. 8! 8 days ago we booked our travel package and the final countdown commenced. The time had come. All that separated us from Mia was one more week...one more week...until we could get to where we wanted to be some 20 months ago. 

And now we look forward. 

5 more days. 5! Only 5 more days until the little face we saw in those pictures every day for 9 months will be nose-to-nose to ours. 

6 more days. 6! Only 6 more days until we sign the paperwork to say we will be her forever family. 

13 more days. 13! Only 13 more days until we take the oath that will set in motion the events that will result in Mia not only being a Jordan, but an American. Forever. 

16 more days. 16! Only 16 more days until we board a plan that will carry us the 8002 miles to bring us back into the United States. When that plane lands at JFK in New York, Mia will be a Jordan and an American. Then it's on to Atlanta where a whole new journey begins. 

581 days. More than 17,000 miles. 1 little girl. 1 family. An eternity of difference. 

It's been a long journey that at times has been hopeless and filled with hope. Seeming to last forever and flying by. And here we are. In just a matter of days, we will be able to fulfill our mission to bring Mia home and then begin the long and intentional process of helping her assimilate into our family and culture. It won't always be easy; in fact, there are times that it will be tough and heartbreaking. As a friend of mine who adopted once said, "Adoption begins with tragedy." But there's something to be said about the love of God. God's love brings hope out of the hopelessness that invades our lives. Throughout all the difficulties, Tiffany and I know it would not be possible without the love and support of our friends, our families, and our precious church. 

So now we're down to 1. 1! Only one more day until we board the plane. Though it is just the two of us that will buckle up, there will be hundreds if not thousands of people who will embark on that journey with us. From buying t-shirts and crafts, to giving monetary gifts, running miles, to praying us through this process full of ups and downs, so many people and gestures of love will board that plane with us. All for one little girl, abandoned as a newborn in July of 2012, who has never known a mom and dad, yet now has a huge and loving family. 

There is so much more to say, but I have bags to pack and a plane to board. I have an ocean to cross and a daughter to claim. And while I do, I will remember and celebrate the God who claimed me as His own, welcoming me into His forever family. I will carry with me the love and grace of my own forever family that has helped us get to this point in our lives. And I will look forward to being back together with you so we can celebrate what God has done in all of our lives. But until then, remember Tiffany and me as we travel; Ethan as he stays behind with his grandparents to stay current with his school work; and Mia as her life is about to change. Forever. 

One little girl, brought into one family, by one great God, who wants for us all to be together. 

One. Forever.

Back to School Survival Kit

Can you believe that the start of a new school year is upon us? By the end of the week, the majority of our students and educators will be back in the school grind. There are so many opportunities for a new school year, but a bunch of challenges as well. That being the case, I thought I'd share this "Back to School Survival Kit" with you, to offer some encouragement as the reading, writing, and arithmetic resumes in earnest:

·       Toothpick: To remind you to pick out the good qualities in others.

ü  Do not judge, or you too will be judged. (Matthew 7:1)

·       Rubber Band: To remind you to be flexible, things might not always to the way you want, but it will work out.

ü  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

·       Band-Aid: To remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours or someone else's.

ü  Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:12-14)

·       Pencil: To remind you to list your blessings every day.

ü  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)

·       Eraser: To remind you that everyone makes mistakes and it's okay.

ü  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

·       Chewing Gum:  To remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything with Jesus.

ü   I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)

·       Mint: To remind you that you are worth a mint to your Heavenly Father.

ü  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)

·       Candy Hugs: To remind you that everyone needs a hug every day.

ü  Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7)

May the items in this “Back to School Survival Kit” be of assistance to you at the start of this new school year, or for your next lesson in the proverbial school of hard knocks.

The Journey

As you are probably aware, Tiffany and I are awaiting word for when we can go to China to bring Mia home. To say this has been a journey is an understatement! Since we filed our application and initial paperwork in January of 2014, we have been on a road of ups and downs, zigs and zags, and now find ourselves waiting until we get to travel.

The support we have received from friends, family, and complete strangers has been awe inspiring and humbling. From the time we made our official announcement, to the sales of the t-shirts Ethan designed, to the ongoing fundraising and baby showers, to the RACE for the Orphans, and simple random acts of kindness, people have rallied around our family in ways that can only be comprehended in light of God's grace. It has been nothing short of amazing!

While we are in this waiting phase and preparing to travel, Tiffany and I are beginning to learn more about the culture and area where Mia has spent the first 2+ years of her life. From the landscape to language, we are working to familiarize ourselves as best we can to help facilitate her transition to our family and an altogether different environment.

During my research and study, I discovered something intriguing about the Chinese proverb, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Since one cannot perfectly translate the Chinese dialects into English, there is a nuance that seems to be missing. Based on what I have read about this proverb, it is probably more accurately translated, “A journey of a thousand miles begins before a single step.” The implied message being that before one can begin a journey, he or she must decide from a position of stillness that this is the journey to take.

As I reflect over that proverb, the simple addition of the word, before, is truly significant. From the moment when Tiffany and I separately felt God calling us to this, through the stages when we were busy reading, writing, and attending classes, and even through the waiting periods similar to what we are experiencing now, we each have that sense that we are called to this journey. This has helped motivate us when we were overwhelmed with things to do, as well as keep us focused during the times when all we can do is wait.

God has called each and every one of us to some form of journey in our lives. The individual burdens and passions we bear are what reveals to us the ministry God has called us to in order to serve the world. This ministry/journey is not merely for the ordained or the vocational Christians, but each and every one who professes faith in Christ. Think of Jesus telling Peter he was going to teach him to fish for people…this is the essence of using our lives in service to God.

Where are you in your journey? Are you standing still, waiting on a word from God as to where to go? Have you already begun your journey and see yourself actively working to serve God by serving others? Or are you perhaps in a transitional period where you might be shifting gears or changing lanes? May we continue our journey with faith and perseverance, regardless of how far along we are or how much farther we still have to go. We might be standing still waiting to take that first step, or somewhere between miles 1 and 1,000, but through it all, we can be bold and courageous because God is with us and promises never leave nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6).

May we all press on in our journeys...the ones we have been called to for the cause of Jesus Christ! I thank you for being such an integral part of our journey, and I’m eager to see where it takes us next.

See you along the road,

While I'm Waiting

Perhaps you heard that we have experienced a bit of a delay in our adoption process. Nothing bad has happened, but after the Chinese government made some changes in international adoption policies and procedures, our original travel target of April or May has been pushed to August or September. Initially this felt like a kick in the gut since we put so much emphasis on the spring timetable, but hindsight being what it is, we see God's hand all over us.

Waiting typically isn't easy, is it? We don't like waiting in line, waiting in traffic, or waiting for someone who is running late for an appointment. When forced to wait we can get anxious, look around to see if anyone else is moving at a pace we'd rather be moving, or even begin to wonder if we are at the right place at the right time. Waiting isn't easy, but some pretty special things can happen in the time we are forced to wait if we open ourselves to the possibilities and God's presence with us through the process. Keeping our eyes and heart open to what God wants to do with, in, and for us can help to mitigate the fatigue and frustration we undoubtedly will experience while we wait.

Isaiah 40:28-31 is perhaps the most well known passage that provides guidance for us in the times we are forced to wait: “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (NKJV)

Interestingly enough, the RACE for the Orphans we participated in, and received a generous adoption grant thanks to everyone who supported the cause, came shortly after we realized that we were going to have to wait a little longer to bring Mia home. It was good medicine for my body and soul as I participated in my first official race. I started off strong, but must admit that I did get tired and thought about walking the remainder of the route just past the second mile mark. Something came over me, though, as I started thinking and celebrating through prayer not only why I was running, but also why I was waiting. Reorienting my thoughts gave me the perspective I needed to channel that inner strength to finish the race and continue to wait with purpose and perseverance. After the race, I was tired and sweaty, but exuberant.

Tiffany and I were afforded the opportunity to meet Christian recording artist John Waller, who was there to perform at the event. As an adoptive father himself, Waller was very interested in our story and he offered his support for the rest of the journey. He asked where we were in the process, and I led off with the fact that our timeline had been pushed back a few months, and he acknowledged that waiting can often be the hardest part. He told Tiffany and me that he would sing his hit song, “While I'm Waiting,” in our honor and as a prayer for us to be faithful to God while we wait.

Honesty, I had heard the song quite a bit, but the lyrics for the chorus struck me in a way they never had before: “While I'm waiting, I will serve You; while I'm waiting, I will worship; while I'm waiting, I will not faint, I'll be running the race, even while I wait.” That last phrase — I'll be running the race, even while I wait — proved to be so inspirational to me after running my first official race while waiting for the word to travel to bring Mia home. It brought the Isaiah passage into the forefront of my consciousness to remind me that waiting is not always a bad thing.

BIG things have happened in the midst of our waiting since that morning in early May. Even though I have gotten fatigued and frustrated with things not going my way, I can clearly see the work that God is doing in our adoption journey, in my family, and in my heart. Admittedly it feels like I'm running uphill at times, but there is power in continuing to serve and worship God in the midst of waiting. So now as we (hopefully) make the turn toward the last leg in this waiting process, I am bearing down to channel that inner strength, and prayerfully celebrate all God has done, is doing, and promises to do for us in order to finish the race. That way, when the time comes to board the plane and soar across the world on wings like eagles, I will not be weary, but rather empowered by our omnipotent God. I might be a sweaty mess by the time we get there, but I know I will be stronger for it.