Beautiful

I couldn't sleep last night thinking about writing this post.  Also because a little blond guy couldn't sleep in his own bed and needed some mommy cuddle time....all night
The Lord has been speaking to me about the word.....beautiful.
I saw it this morning when my boy was still sleeping, curled next to me, looking so much like the baby he was it brought tears to my eyes.
I saw it in the not-so-perfect body that bears the scars of bringing my babies into the world.
I saw it in the paperwork strewn across my kitchen table preparing the way for Lily Song.
I saw it in my daughter putting her arm across the shoulders of her sad little brother to help him to his class.
I saw it as I sat next to my firstborn as he read a story to me instead.

I think we are all to easily mislead when it comes to what we define as beautiful in our lives....much too quickly I find fault with my family, with my body, with my home when the Lord Himself declares these things beautiful...

Catching Up

This blog has been long in coming....and I have a bit of catching up to do....

 Adventure at Beech Lake the weekend before school started....

 My watermelon plant finally produced a baby :)

First day of school for my much too rapidly growing children!

 Received  a sweet surprise in the mail...a handmade Africa-shaped necklace from a thoughtful friend. It has a pink heart over Ethiopia.

 During our home visit, Elijah drew this wonderfully accurate Ethiopian flag...I love that my childrens' hearts are in the same place!

Pack of fake moustaches and a gross afro wig...hilarity ensued....

Enjoy!

Heartbeat

There are few things in this world that move me as much as hearing a new baby's heartbeat.  In each of my pregnancies, I was so comforted hearing that little testimony of life calling out to me at the doctor's appointment.

  This past Wednesday I was blessed to hear my little niece/nephew loud and clear.  Sweet, strong, and steady it beats, reminding us that this little person will come into our lives before we know it.  In the midst of this I felt a twinge of sadness and longing....I feel like I'm pregnant with no promise of hearing a reassuring heartbeat, no doctor saying things are progressing nicely, no weigh-ins....just the promise of my daughter waiting for me much too far away. 

 I am thankful for my Lord who hears her heartbeat when I can't, who goes before me preparing the way on this journey to my daughter, Song.

 "Your hearts will burst with song, make music like the sound of flutes on parade, En route to the mountain of God, on the way to the Rock of Israel. God will sound out in grandiose thunder" Isaiah 30:29 The Message

Strong Enough

I'm not feeling very strong these days...the summer months are difficult as the wife of a youth pastor.  I will be a single mom for most of the month of July.  Plans have fallen through, hospital bills have started to arrive, it's adoption crunch time, and I'm feeling a little spiritually dry and overwhelmed.

So here I am, nearly at the end of my rope and my precious Jesus gives me a sweet word of strength through a song by Matthew West.

You must
You must think I'm strong
To give me what I'm going through

Well, forgive me
Forgive me if I'm wrong
But this looks like more than I can do
On my own

I know I'm not strong enough to be
everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up
I'm not strong enough
Hands of mercy won't you cover me
Lord right now I'm asking you to be
Strong enough
Strong enough
For the both of us

Well, maybe
Maybe that's the point
To reach the point of giving up

Cause when I'm finally
Finally at rock bottom
Well, that's when I start looking up
And reaching out

I know I'm not strong enough to be
Everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up
I'm not strong enough
Hands of mercy won't you cover me
Lord right now I'm asking you to be
Strong enough

Ten Things on a Thursday

1.  Today is Shane's birthday....he celebrated by cutting the lawn and vacuuming my van. Getting older is very exciting.
2.  Last day of VBS...awesome time, but glad to say goodbye.
3.  Raised about 600 dollars in first benefit yardsale....more to come.  Still accepting donations. :)
4.  Vacation was awesome with the Borchers....too short.
5.  Found a blackberry patch behind our fence....happy day :)
6.  Watermelons are growing much to the delight of my watermelon loving blondie.
7.  My beautiful sister-in-love is pregnant! So excited to welcome a beautiful person in a few months!
8.  Tomorrow we will have been married for 11 years.  I will celebrate by working at a restaurant to make tips for baby Song.
9.  Did I mention my vacation was too short?
10.  To relax in the evenings, I've decided to rewatch Lost.  Maybe not the best idea considering our LONG plane trip in the near future....oh well.

I hated to see him go, but I'm thrilled that she's getting closer.

Well, I broke down and just did it. I sold my entire Emmitt Smith football card collection on eBay, all 306 cards. Yes, 306 cards. And they were all different. I didn't think I could part with these cards because of there sentimental value, but it's even tougher for me to think about the absence of my little girl from our family. We're now $110 closer to getting her here! I wonder what else I can sell?!

-Shane

Shane's church newsletter article, April, 4th, 2011

Have you ever had one of those moments when a verse of scripture actually speaks to you? I’m not talking about it speaking to your intellect, but to your heart, to your inner most being. It is one of those occasions when God himself declares his desires to the soul of mankind. Well just this morning Matthew 6:25 injected an adrenaline into my spirit. I feel it was undeniably the Lord reaffirming a recent decision Ashley and I made. This is the question that was impressed upon me in this verse…Is life not more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? I felt God say to me, Shane, the life of another person far outweighs all the pleasures you could ever buy or own. Trade the burden of attaining your wants for the joy of giving a life to another soul.

As several of you have heard, Ashley is with child. However, it is not my child. Nor is it hers. It is the child of a mother and father who did not want it. It is a child whose parents are no longer alive due to war, disease, AIDS, or malnutrition. It is a child whose parents could no longer provide for her and chose to abandon her in the ally near an orphanage. Although she is not growing within Ashley’s womb, she is being wonderfully and fearfully made in the heart of our family. Aware of this child’s desperate need of a loving mother and father and strongly feeling called by God, we proceeded several weeks ago and began the journey of adopting internationally.

Over the past several weeks, I have naturally questioned myself as to whether or not this is truly God’s desire for our family. I have three happy, healthy children. Why would I want another one? There will be diapers to buy, diapers to change, and diapers to expose of. There will be another person to feed, another person to take to school, and another person to put to bed. I’ll have to wait longer to purchase that vehicle we’ve wanted for several years. I’ll have to eat more peanut butter and jelly sandwiches instead of the honey chipotle ribs at Chili’s. So do I need another one? Not really. But does that hopeless child need an amazing, caring mommy? Yes! Does she need a cool daddy like me? Totally! Could she benefit by being raised in a Christian home with three happy, healthy siblings? Absolutely!

Immediately after reading this article, I’d like to ask everyone to stop and simply pray. First pray for this child. Pray for her health, her safety, and her endurance. Pray for her care takers and for the orphanage where she lives. Secondly, pray for our family. Pray that Ashley and I have the wisdom, patience, and stamina needed to strongly complete this lengthy process. Pray that God provides all the grace and resources we’ll need to bring our little girl (or boy) home. Thank you in advance for approaching our Heavenly Father on our behalf.

Living in expectancy,

Shane

God began penning a story of adoption years ago

Hello everyone, Shane here. I've decided to finally begin contributing to our adoption blog. I thought it would be nice to disclose how this adoption all came about, to share some of the events that led up to this moment in the life of our family. The following remarks are found in my January 24, 2011 church newsletter article. I write one every week for church. If I ever become discouraged during this process, I remember moments like these...

I met my wife Ashley at Union University in the fall of 1998. We met for the first time through the Student Activities Counsel and I learned very quickly that she was very different from most of the girls I’d ever encountered. She wasn’t shallow. She had faith and character. She loved Jesus and was actually one of the funniest girls I’d ever met, not to mention she was a hottie.

I decided to randomly call her on the phone one afternoon. After finally figuring out who I was, Ashley chose to not hang up on me and our first real conversation literally lasted for two or three hours. We talked about everything! We were like reunited friends catching up on all that we had missed while apart. Above all, the thing I recall more than anything else was our discussion on international adoption…I told you we talked about everything. Ashley and I both felt strongly that at some God-appointed time in our lives we would each adopt a child of another nationality into our lives. I didn’t imagine then that God would lead us into marriage, but he did. And even now, after three beautiful children of our own, we both still have a desire to adopt some day.

As I drove my children to school this morning, my seven year old son Elijah and I talked about the importance of saving money. Emma, my six year old girl, joined in the conversation too. They decisively concluded during our commute that they wanted to save up their money to help mom and dad “buy a baby sister.” Now I can envision Emma wanting a little sister, a new playmate, an ally in her fight against her two brothers and their nerf guns, but Elijah! Wow, even as a young child he’s beginning to understand the value of life, the worth of a person created in the image of God. He’s seen the mission’s videos at church, the children that are plagued with poverty, suffering, and sickness. Ashley and I have spoken to him about his peers in other countries that are in need of a Savior and his love. And Elijah’s response…he wants our family to reach out and raise up one of those children. How cool is that!

Now the Groves’ won’t be filling out adoption applications this week, but there’s no doubt that God has given our family a common craving to embrace the addition of an international child. It may be a year. It may be five years from now. But I’m confident that God is close to opening this new and exciting chapter of our lives.

Thank God today for his sacrifice and that he made it possible for you to be adopted into his kingdom.  

Living in expectancy,

Shane

He is Able

I'm a little overwhelmed today.  The past few weeks have been in a word...interesting.  An unexpected hospital visit, plans falling through, expenses adding up more quickly than we can keep up.  However, He is able. I cling to the promise that He is able to provide all our needs...that He has called us to bring Lily Song home.  There are days I really don't know how this is going to happen.  But we pray...and we work...and we trust.
He is Able.

Perfect day

The sun was shining, kids were in a good mood...made for some pretty pictures. Enjoy!

The Beautiful Minivan

There has been a new theme in our household lately...."Do you really need that?"  This question is asked of everything we purchase.....EVERYTHING. It has been a new way of looking at our spending and measuring what is important to our family.
There was a time in the not-to-distant past that I was set on saving to buy a new car. The Kia Sorento. The kids would see one when we were driving and say, "There is mommy's car. Mommy LOVES that car." And it was true...I wanted to drive around in that shiny new car with all the bells and whistles. This would mean I had finally arrived. Shane and I had worked hard and we deserved this new vehicle.
Wow! What a change a few months can make. The thought of spending the same amount of money to buy a car as we are spending to bring a child out of poverty and starvation makes me sick. My paid off minivan has been looking pretty good to me lately. We have all found that there is very little that we really need. We have each other, we have enough to eat, and a safe place to sleep.  And that is more than enough.

Dark Before the Morning

Driving to work this morning, a song came on the radio that I've heard many times but understood anew. 

"Would you dare, would you dare to believe
That you still have a reason to sing?
'Cause the pain that you've been feeling,
It can't compare to the joy that's coming!"

I believe this is true...these daily trials and stresses can't even compare to the joy that is coming. 
So hold on my child, wherever you are....this darkness will break for you...we love you...we are coming.

APPROVED!

Got the word this morning that we were officially approved from the Ethiopia team! So to celebrate...our favorite Target Lady. Enjoy :)






Saturday Night Live - Target Lady - Video - NBC.com

My Cup Runneth Over...with Coffee

Shane and I are addicts....completely....to coffee.  When I'm tired...coffee....bored....coffee....stressed....coffee...happy...coffee.  You get the picture.   I know that many of you are like me and have to have that warm comforting cup in the morning.  Here's our challenge. Trade the coffee you normally buy anyway and buy from us. We get some proceeds from every bag which will go directly to baby Song's homecoming fund.
This is the link to our store.  Check out the credentials...it's a great company.
http://www.justlovecoffee.com/TheGroves

Love to you all! Happy (coffee) drinking :)




 

Always reading...

I can't seem to read enough these days. In between filling out paperwork and researching, I've been reading everything I can get my hands on to help prepare for the coming months...I've found some really amazing resources!

Sunburns and Yard sales

After a long week, a yard sale is not on my top three activities for a Saturday morning. Nonetheless, to help fund the summer youth events, we set up shop bright and early in our driveway. About an hour in, the kids started to bring out some crafts they had been working on the night before. Emma brought out a jar and Elijah made a sign saying "help us bring our afrikkan baby home" :)
Shane and I were humbled, and with tears in our eyes watched our children fearlessly ask strangers to help. Although $55 doesn't seem like much in the face of what's ahead, we are excited to see how the Lord has united our family in a common, and beautiful goal.

Narrowing our Focus

Well, I guess the ultrasound picture was a little flawed. It seems that our little girl is in Ethiopia....not China. And I love her. Despite some recent changes in their adoption policies, we are believing that the Lord will deliver her to us in His time.
In anticipation.....

Pink Palace Adventure

It was raining all day but we could not have had a better time! Spring break with my sweet babies and adoptive (almost adult daughter).

The End of August

I was told today that we should expect to pay almost $8000 by the end of the summer in this process of adoption. It is daunting, but believing that the Lord will provide beyond what we expect or imagine, we ask our friends and family to join us in prayer as we seek to get little Song home. You'll probably be hearing more from us than you'd ever care to in the next few months...please consider joining us financially as we rely on our Lord for $1 at a time. We would be amiss if we didn’t also ask for help from families and friends who may be willing to donate to get us one step closer to our baby girl– no amount is too small! Our plan is to apply for as many grants as possible and pray that doors will open for the money to come through.
More details to come. I've added a PayPal button to our page to assist in this process. Every cent raised goes to pave her way home.
Thanks in advance for your love, prayers, and support.
Love to you all!
The Groves

The. Longest. Pregnancy. Ever.

So I am pregnant....in a way I wouldn't have imagined. Preliminary paperwork is filled out, sent in, and we wait. We are expecting the Lord to deliver our daughter into our arms within the next 24 months.....and I am scared to death. But without a shadow of a doubt, I know the time has come to begin this process of adoption. We are focusing on a few countries, but are waiting for Jesus to sharpen the image and direct our focus. The details and costs are staggering, but we know that every obstacle will be shattered by a God who is bringing the orphans into families.

Some of you know the journey I've walked since Isaiah was born. For a long time I've felt that there was another child that was waiting at the edges of my vision, waiting to be brought into our family. I thought this would be another child of my womb. Due to complications with my last delivery, pregnancy has proved to be very elusive....with tears and frustration I have handed this over to the Lord again and again. But this child has not departed, still dancing and laughing and waiting for me in a place I didn't know how to reach. I thought I couldn't love a child that I didn't nurture within me, didn't feel the precious kicks and hiccups, didn't bring into the world.....But oh. Praise be to the God who changes hearts, changes plans, and changes dreams.
"God is always working to make His children aware of a dream that remains alive beneath the rubble of every shattered dream, a new dream that when realized will release a new song, sung with tears, til God wipes them away and we sing with nothing but joy in our hearts."
So with much delight and anticipation I ask you to join with us in prayer as we step onto a path that is unfamiliar.....however the destination is known. Our God is victorious and for now He will hold my daughter until I can. There are times I can almost feel her kicking...our little Song.
"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." John 14:18