My sister and I say, "If you want to see God laugh, tell Him your plans." Well He must be laughing hysterically at me right now!
It all started last summer when I was introduced to Suzette Davie and her Ukrainian orphans. I had no idea how these precious children would captivate my heart. Sammy and I have known for a while that we wanted to adopt, but we have always said it would be a younger child. You know, between the ages of 2-5. Also, she would be a girl. We have 3 boys and 1 girl so naturally we would adopt a girl. And with adoption, you control what you get, right?? (Can you hear God laughing?)
After meeting and hanging out with them a few times, I knew changes were coming in my life and I needed to get ready. Through Suzette, and Grace to Ukraine, I met Brandy who introduced me to Project 143 and their hosting program. Through the hosting program you are mostly hosting older children who are more likely to age out of the orphanage soon. If you host younger ones, its because they are a part of a sibling set that has older siblings. Sammy and I knew we wanted to host this summer so we did the pre-authorization process in Jan or Feb and began praying about which child we should host. Then we found out about Hudson's skull and thought we were moving so we knew that our hosting plans needed to be put on hold. Well, praise God, Hudson did not require surgery and we decided not to move yet. I was scrolling on Facebook one night on my computer (because I had taken it off of my phone (another blog another night)) because I had not been on in a few days, when I see a post from "Grace to Ukraine" advocating for a girl that needed a host family. I immediately sent Brandy a message asking if we were still eligible. I just knew we had missed the window. She said we were. We were so excited! Just what WE had wanted, and 11yo girl! (still laughing)
Well, in good God fashion, we find out we are not able to host the young girl. The program did not feel like we were a good match for each other. So after this blow, as I sit on the couch thinking, "Really God? Here we are, willing, and ready, and we get nothing?".... Then Brandy types these words that would change our lives and hearts forever...
"Would you consider Y?"
I knew right away it was a boy. I just sat there staring at the computer. Then I looked at Sammy and I said, "Would you consider hosting a boy?" His answer is when I knew, this was God's plan. Sammy said, "How could we not?".
That is how God introduced us to Y. An orphan boy from the Ukraine.
It's never how we think it is going to look. It is always way better!
If we had any doubts that this was God's plan, he curbed those in the first 48 hours, because that is how fast we raised $2100.
Sammy and I did not have a penny to spare the night we agreed to host Y. We had to come up with $200 to pay that next day and then $1900 the following week. I wasn't worried about the $1900 as much as I was the $200 because our bank account was empty. Here is the thing about Sammy and I, we are not wealthy. We don't just have money sitting around when we need to grab a couple hundred here and there. It's just not the life God has given us. I am sure because He knows in His sovereignty that we wouldn't have gotten where we are in our relationship with Him if he had allowed us that luxury. He is good like that and knows our hearts better than we do. :)
Well, I sent an email and posted on Facebook about what we were doing and what we needed. Before morning, we had $500. Within 48 hours, we had it all. When I say I am amazed by God and how He showed himself faithful through our friends and family, I mean, He showed OFF!! He truly has a heart for the orphan. All He wants is someone willing.
I have heard Sammy say several times throughout this process that "we say we have faith, that we trust God, that we want to follow and obey Him, but when it comes down to it, and He ask us to step out, will we? Do we really have faith, or are those just the words we say?"
Sammy and I are trusting God to guide us. He has not failed us so far and we have no doubts that He will not fail us in the future.
Y is here! He is precious.
I saw him right away, coming up the escalator. I knew it was him. I recognized him from his pictures. I watched him. I stood there, in awe of my big God and how He has already given me a love for this child that I had only just now seen in person. It was really like the world stopped for a minute and I just stared at him. I wondered how he would change our lives, all of ours, and how we would change his. I wondered how I could love him, really love him, the way Christ calls us to. I wondered how I was going to show him who Christ was and when I could put that jacket he had on in the washing machine.... It was a long moment. haha Our last name is "Tice" and they went alphabetically. I watched him stand there next to the lady with the list. He kept pointing and talking. I knew he was wanting to know why she wasn't calling him. There was so much going on around me, but I couldn't take my eyes off of him... My kids were talking, arguing, whining, but I barely noticed. I was just listening for my name... Then it was called, and I pushed my way through the crowd, because I was in the back. The whole time screaming at myself "DO NOT CRY.... DO NOT CRY!! You are going to totally freak him out if you cry!!!!" When I got to him, it was awkward... I'm just being honest... We hugged and I was snapped back to reality of here I am, an American mommy, and here he is, a Ukrainian orphan, and he is coming home with me. I immediately went into "fix it and make it better mode".... I started barking orders at everyone. One thing they kept reiterating at P143 was not to wait around after you met your child. Get your picture made (Ukrainian government rule) and get out. So I walked Y over to the kids, they introduced themselves and Sammy shook his hand. Then he shook McKains hand and went and stood beside him. (and pretty much hasn't left it since). Then the bag fiasco... One of the things they told us to ask them was if they had checked any luggage. Well I don't speak Russian. (The language we thought he spoke) I took him to a translator and she told me he did have luggage. She said to go to baggage claim #2. Easy enough right? So, off we head, Sammy, myself, our four kids and Y. We make it to baggage claim 2 and he walks around the entire thing.... 3 times.... no bag. He starts to panic. Obviously we don't know what he is saying, but we can figure its about his bag. He starts to walk off. I yell for McKain to follow him (which he already was)... I begin trying to call people on my phone who may speak Russian or know someone who does.... My first few calls give me voice mails.... Okay, so here is where the calm, I've got it all together Michelle leaves for a few minutes and allows, I'm freaking out, this is terrible, I just want to crawl in a whole and cry Michelle to come in.... Sorry for all of those who had to encounter her for those few minutes.... Very long story short, we were at the North baggage claim and needed to be at the South. We found his bag! He was thrilled! We were thrilled!! Off to the car we went.....
There is so much more to this story, but it's already so long and I am so tired. I will write the rest tomorrow.
I am writing this for myself and Sammy, for Y, for my kids and for anyone who loves us and wants to remember how this journey began. I don't know how or to what extent, but I know our lives are changed forever now because of this precious Ukrainian. I do know that I want more than anything to be obedient to my God. It's the least I can do.....
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