We Give Thanks

We give thanks for Christmas. We celebrate the birth of our Savior who came to set us, wretches and captives, free. We sing our praises to Him and offer all we have and all we are to Jesus, our Redeemer and Friend. Thank you for making a way for us to be adopted into your Father's family and making us sons and daughters of the King.

We give thanks for earthly adoption. As the greater Body, we need God to direct us and guide us, imparting heavenly wisdom to each so that we may know how to come along side Him to support orphans and families called to give orphans forever families. We thank  you, Lord, that in this crazy world of international adoption, You are sovereign, and You are mighty to save.

We give thanks for those who hear and heed the voice of God. It's not always audible. In fact, my guess is we rarely "hear" the voice of God, but our minds and our hearts hear Him clearly when we listen in faith...and when He speaks to our souls. I can tell you I have clearly heard God, and I can tell you that it isn't because I'm anyone special or "holier" than the next. He simply had a job for me to do, so He told me to do it.

There are people saying, "What you are doing is so great." Well, great or not, it isn't what I'm doing. It's what God is doing with me, in me, through me, and for me. It's what He needs to do for our Ethiopian sons. He has a purpose for bringing them to the United States and to our family. This is the way things are supposed to be, and though I can tell you that I love those boys with the true love of a Mama's heart, I can tell you in the same breath that they aren't coming home just because of my love or my desire for more children. Really, I didn't wake up one day in my 40's and say, "Wow! I feel like I can start all over with this parenting stuff, and homeschool as many children as I can, and keep up with the sleepless nights, and the vomiting little ones who get the flu every year, and the additional college funds, and the half-dozen more years of braces and retainers. Yeah! I'm ready to go, God! And, by the way, let's make this process really lengthy, really heart-wrenching, really humbling, and really expensive! Woooooo!!! I'm ready, God! Get to it!!" Really? This is hard stuff! It makes no sense, unless you know that it is God and that He will supply all you need and more. That's just who He is. He's a very faithful and generous Daddy! To be disobedient and not follow His lead in faith is just... well. It's just not an option.

We give thanks for the families and individuals who have shared of their time, energy, resources, prayers, and hearts. There are so many of you! I need to list you all, but I'm afraid I might miss someone! If I do, please forgive me, and please know that we are forever in your debt.

To those of you who gave endlessly to make our spaghetti dinner and silent auction an amazing evening of fun and fellowship, including donating food, auction items, and SO much more, and those of you who held us up and supported us financially, spiritually, and emotionally during the Two-Week-Timeline ...
Mom and Dad Lopez, Michele and Kevin Hull, Bart and Dusti Powell and family, Mike and Alisa Zoccoli, Chris Panepinto, John and Debbie Hervey, Kevin and Kathy Lott, Mark and Jennifer Sequeira, Lindsey Ozmon, Angie Kennedy, Chad and Cary Kent, Carlos and Natalie Valiente, Kari and Ruben Moreno, Kirk Pieper, Liz Mews, John and Eli Milan, Lisa Moore, Burton Howell, Stephanie Howard, Christine Heaps, Jeff Wilson, Daniela Virani, Gloria Mendoza, Eva and Jim Cionci, Morgan and Elizabeth Blitz, James and Bethany Pattie, Adam Chandler, Mark and Donna Grady, Eric and Velvet Jones, Scott and Dona Barclay, Tyler and Jennifer Flake, Skip and Normandee Ballingham, Melanie Clardy, Phil and Angie Klein, Andrea McClees and family, Amanda and Robert Hasty, Chris and Karen McCarthy, Scott and Theresa Myers, Matt and Dee Brown, George Lee, Scott Voyda, Darin and Natalie Soll, Rachael Gephardt, Bill and Vickie Frazer, Scott and Lesa Hinkle, The Van Dusen Family,  Dr. Shane Blacker (our ortho), The Brown Family in Virginia, Todd Wilson, The FamilyMan!, our church family at Evident Life, and so many other families who donated and supported us from the other side of the country :-)  ...
Our Ethiopia Director at the agency - Randi Shetley, for your unending prayer and encouragement - and for knowing that this could be done!
Melissa and Brian Snow - The Snow Bunch, for loving on our boys as they play with your daughters in Ethiopia, and for praying alongside us! Praying that your girls are home SOON! Thank you for inspiring us through your story. :-) God moved your mountain first!
Sara and Jason Gyolai - You know exactly why! :)

Thank you, Jesus! Thank you for our little boys in Africa!

Praising Him!
Patty

When His People Pray...

Well, I don't know where to start! First of all, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, for standing with us through these last two weeks. For lifting our family in prayer. For devoting so much time, energy, resources, and emotion into being part of bringing our little guys home. WE MADE IT! We are fully funded for our Tuesday deadline!!! Alleluia! We serve a big and mighty God, and when He is determined to carry out His plans, He doesn't let anything stand in His way. How humbled we are by your hearts and God's faithfulness. There are so many amazing stories to share - once I can take all my little notes and phrases out of my journal and put them into a narrative that makes sense! I will post on our blog within the next few days, and share pictures of the spaghetti dinner and hopefully some of the amazing events and people that touched us since December 3rd. (And before that, even.)

A dear friend said something very inspired and important to me at the spaghetti dinner. I was sitting in my own pride feeling really uncomfortable "receiving" all the amazing blessings being poured out and over our family. She pointed her finger at me and with tears in her eyes, she said, "Patty! You just need to get out of the way! This is about what God is doing and you can't interfere. This isn't about you." It is entirely about my Daddy God who adopted me into His eternal family and loves me. I love ALL my children passionately, but you know what? God loves them even more than that! I stand in awe and thankfulness to my Savior and Redeemer. Jesus, You have redeemed two more! Thank You, God, that they don't need us. All they need is You. And we are simply privileged and called to teach them and show them this truth...and love on them. :-) Amen!

Michele ready to prepare garlic bread!

So. Now what? Now we wire our funds to our agency. They will then let the boys know they officially have a family. Yay! Then we complete more paperwork and continue some fundraising efforts as we still have two round-trips to Ethiopia and monthly "foster" care to fund. We will keep everyone updated and I'll do my best to keep our blog current. There are silent auction items that were not purchased at the spaghetti dinner, so we will update that page on our blog and run the auction online for the rest of the items.

Chef Kirk's assistants, Rogan and Lindsey.

They volunteered their time and talents for our boys.

Please continue to pray with us, not only for the remaining funds, but for return, multiplied blessings on all who are supporting us, for Paul and I as partners and best friends to not be distracted and to keep our gaze firmly fixed on the Lord, and for our children. All four of them. :-)

Many people were concerned about our spaghetti dinner turnout because of all the rain. How crazy was that?! I mean, when is the last time it rained like that here in the Phoenix area? It's been a long while, but of course the rain came down on just that specific day. I have to share that I felt so much peace. I just knew that the rain was meant to be for a reason. I JUST NOW realized something. God has put me in Psalm 68 several times this week. Here is part of it...

The earth shook; the heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

You, O God, sent a plentiful rain, whereby You confirmed Your inheritance,

When it was weary, Your congregation dwelt in it;

You, O God, provided from Your goodness for the poor.

Psalm 68: 8-10

The rain fell, and cleared, and yesterday our precious pastor and leadership (amazing friends) were able to tell us that the mountain had been moved and the rain confirmed His presence and provision.

With so much joy, love, and peace,

Paul and Patty

Our beautiful Rhyan rolling the bread to the ovens.

 

 

 

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

"Why not just adopt from here?" Why Africa?" "Isn't that way expensive?" "Aren't those kids just being used?" "If you don't have the money, why are you doing this?"...
Questions, doubts, fears, misconceptions.

Answers... The best I can give, anyway.

Because God made it clear that our children are in Africa. If you read how our adoption journey began, you'll get a better feel for "why Africa".

YES. It's way expensive. No matter where you adopt from it's expensive, unless you adopt through the state. And that, my friends, is a lofty calling as well. In that case, be prepared to possibly have children leave your home if they aren't severed from their biological parents. And be prepared to endure what can sometimes be a very lengthy and emotionally taxing time while the courts and powers-to-be decide the fate of "your" child or children. You may also need to be prepared for disabilities and struggles that come with children who have been exposed to many ugly things - in and out of the womb. That is a precious calling and one that tender hearts may break from, but one we admire and are inspired by. Of course, our boys are in a country where malnutrition, poverty, and disease run rampant. I can't wait to bring them home!

Trust me when I say that I don't think anyone in their own strength can say yes to this mission without the love of Christ and His redeeming grace in their own lives. Who can really understand adoption if they haven't been adopted into God's family? So, the price may not be seen in a multitude of fees, but there is still a cost. (Read the blog post at this link in regards to cost! http://louxfamilyblog.com/2009/09/a-great-reminder-of-gods-goodness/) FYI - Keep a tissue box nearby. Seriously. Just do it.

All adoption - from here or there - is God's work. Believe me, Paul and I prayed and prayed about that one. Why God, do you have us going to Africa? For real? We don't have the money, so maybe we're not supposed to do this. What did we hear from Him? He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life...and I don't make mistakes. This is what you are called to. Just be obedient. Say "Yes" and see what I do. This work is up to Me!"

Are the orphans just being used? Well, maybe in a way they are being used, if you want to call it that, by God. Used to bring more love and joy to homes and families that can ever be imagined. Used to grow the Kingdom of God through spirit-filled parents who raise these kiddos to know Jesus as their personal Savior and King. Used to show the world the truth of His word; that He loves the poor and oppressed. That He sets the lonely in families. That He wants us to partner with Him in His redemptive work.

I don't ever have all the answers, and I'm sure there are those who won't agree with my answers, but Paul and I are filled with peace and joy and expectation, knowing that these answers are all we need.

We Have a Deadline!!!!!

You really need to know the story that God is writing. It has brought me to my knees - on my face - at the feet of the Almighty, my Daddy God. Really? How is it that I would be so privileged as to become "mommy" to orphans? I'm already blessed with a loving, supportive, compassionate, really funny man (Yeah. It's best not to get into that one yet. Better for a future post!) And I've been given two priceless gifts in Rhyan and Tyler. Yet, He wants to give me more??? Remember those MORES? Here they come, and all because of God's grace and love.

The Lord has done some amazing things in the last few days, and let me just spit it out and say that we have been "matched" with two sweet little boys in Ethiopia and we need help to allow us to be their parents. Here’s the deal. We’ve been given the unofficial referral, but the official referral comes with a fee that is paid to the Ethiopian government, orphanage, and other agencies that officially release (for lack of a better term at the moment) the boys as ours. . We have two weeks before they end up being sent back to the orphanage and possibly separated from each other. This is simply how things work there.

Really, we are all part of this story; the adoption story, I  mean. Haven't we been adopted into God's Forever Family through the blood of His Son? What a price to pay. The funds we have to raise are so trivial in comparison, yet the funds are the price we must pay to adopt our boys. As God has called us (the Gregersens) to become parents to orphans, He has called others to care for orphans in other ways. We believe one of those ways is helping to finance a family adoption. Our total to be able to call them ours officially and stop the ride back to the orphanage and/or separation from each other is $22,000. (I hear crickets chirping. Have you recovered yet?) I know. It’s a huge amount and is in addition to costs we have already covered as well as costs that will come after, such as: travel, passports, and visas. Our deadline is 7:00 a.m., Tuesday December 18th. So, please remember that any amount helps, and your donation is priceless to our family. Just use the donate button here on our blog and trust that whatever is given from your heart is received humbly and gratefully. You are part of the story!!!  **Please use the "ChipIn" button to donate.**

Here is a little bit about our guys. The boys are 6 and 3, and as a new friend and Sister in Christ said, they are “through the roof sweet!” She and her husband were in Ethiopia a couple weeks ago meeting their three daughters for the first time, and they got to meet the boys!  I’m shaking as I type. Again, how can God be so kind and generous as to choose ME to be their mommy, and Paul to be their Daddy... and Rhyan and Ty to be there siblings!?!? Surreal. FYI –  Age alone makes our 6 year-old special needs, as he is not as “adoptable” being considered an “older” child. Really? Yes. Ugh. They are also harder to place because there are two of them – and not girls. This is just how things roll in the adoption world, folks.  

Okay – please continue to pray! I can honestly say I’m nervous. Nervous for what these next two weeks hold, and even for the changes that are coming to our family. We are all super-excited, but the unknown can also be scary. This is a huge step in obedience for us, especially knowing that it’s impossible for us to make this happen. Only God can make this happen. We feel the obedience thing just as much as we feel the emotion. I look at the faces of many orphans and I love them all, so I asked God that if that’s the case, how would I know when I see “my” children? He clearly told me that it’s because He’s given me His heart for orphans, and He loves them all too – more than I do. But we can’t “rescue” all of them. He’s called us only to parent these two...plus the two who are home now! He told me to say yes and see what He does! Oh, I LOVE GOD SO MUCH!!!! We’ve prayed for our adoption to be such a “not-us-all-Him thing”, and for Him to get all the glory. This certainly will show His sovereignty! Faith of a mustard seed, right?

A Whole Lot of Mores

My head spins at the realization that God calls me His. Wants me to partner with Him for His will. Fills me with the knowledge that my true place is at His feet in adoration. And brings me joy in ALL of this! This is what I call to mind when I find myself questioning what in the whatever am I doing!

Two more children means a decade or more of parenting dependents. It means more years of homeschooling. Aiyaiyai. All the lesson plans and grading. It means more braces, more muscle rubs with Vick's for growing pains, more bloody noses and tummy aches, more co-pays for well-checks and ear infections, more driver's tests, college tuitions, and more dirty socks on the floor. But, it also means more missing teeth ear-to-ear grins, more twinkly eyes, more tear-stained faces asking for prayer, more goofy jokes retold completely wrong, more giggles around the dinner table, more baseball or soccer or dance, more "I love you!"s, and more of God's babies in our home. I would say it's more than a fair trade. I'll take all the daunting "mores" for all the other "mores" any day.

We have connected with another agency and a pair of bright-eyed little boys that need a home. Could they be our sons? We're praying that God reveals His plan, and that He provides the funds we need to bring them home, should that be His will.

For now, we enjoy a short break from baseball and dance. Preparation for Christmas is our focus and an exciting one at that. It's our first Christmas in this home, and we still find ourselves having to replace and repair things here and there. The latest - the new sliding arcadia doors. So wonderful! We can actually open it without smashing our fingers or throwing out our backs. Our Christmas trees are up and this favorite season for the Gregersens is in full swing, including not having a clear day on the calendar. Gotta love it!

We officially were placed on the wait list on May 10, 2012! It was the same day our friends had their court date to legally become parents of the little guy they adopted domestically. Could we ask for better Mother's Day gifts!?!?

God is busy growing His family and settling the lonely in their forever families. There are no orphans in God's world, and His economy is beyond sufficient for those of us who are called to His purpose. I pray for the day that I see no more orphans in this world, either. I know it may be the day of His return, but it will happen. God's thoughts are deeper. His ways are higher. Isaiah 55:8, 9

He placed the stars in the sky. He counts the number of grains of sand on the beach. He knows the children He has planned for our family. He knit them together and molded them with His own hands, even before they were in this world.