What will it be like?

My Son Josh - Contemplating Canyons

I was just thinking tonight...what is it going to be like - the moment I embrace my son.  Did the Lord have this anticipation when he embraced me?  I will get to ask him someday.  But I rounded a corner tonight and saw him there (in my mind of course).  What will he do or say to inspire that one spontaneous embrace?  Will it be a joke? A dance? A mischievous something? I don't know - and don't care...but soon he's mine.  To love. To teach to marvel at what God does in the sky - in people - in...everything.


In GLORIOUS anticipation...

Marshall

Eyes Now Opened

We have always known that this adoption is something bigger than what we can even know.  Today we got to see just a small part of what God is doing here.

I have always wanted a full house - lots of kids. You see, I come from a very small family - one other sister - and I have always known that I wanted to have more than just 2 kids. I know first hand what it is like when you have a disagreement with your only other sibling and don't talk.  You have no one.  I didn't want that for my children.

There was one issue with all of this - Marshall was done...finished with children.  He had watched me go through three very hard deliveries and didn't want to see his wife in that situation again.  So, for many years - 6 at least -I kept the longing for more children a little secret between God and me.  Really hoping that it would just go away. The problem was every time I went to a MOPS Convention and Compassion International showed their video about the children who needed homes and were left as orphans my heart literally ached.  Not in the normal way at all.  So...in December of 2006 I approached Marshall and told him.." honey, I really think there is another child out there somewhere for us.  I think we should adopt."  Much to my surprised he said "OK". I must say that for a month or so before this my friend and I had been praying for our husbands heart towards more children would change.  God did it!

Into the water with a new family

It has been an amazing journey God has us on.  Not only has God given us a precious gift - Naomi- He has given us a heart that is so very huge for the orphans.  Not just here in our town, or the states, but for ALL orphans throughout the world.  God has opened our eyes and  once they are opened you are forever changed.  There is no way you can go back to what it was before.  So, in faith we stepped out and just found out about this little boy whom we call Jacob.  By faith we put in our application and waited to find out if Jacob was still waiting for a family.  By faith we started a blog and reached out to people for help.  God has been faithful!  Praise to Him!  Not only do we have all of our adoption expenses covered, we have met some wonderful new friends who are either going through or have gone through the adoption process.  But the greatest news is that God has spoken to the hearts of people who, through reading our story, are stepping out in faith and opening their hearts to the orphans of the world.  One story - many lives changed.

God has just started working in our life.  We are forever changed - our hearts are forever open. I don't know where we will be in a year or so.  But, what I do know, is that we will continue speaking out on behalf of those who have no voice.  We have learned that all you need to do is to follow whatever it is He is calling you to do. He will provide and lead your path.  If all we have done by writing this blog is given you eyes to see than it is all so worth it.

I wanted to share an adoption video that spoke to me during those beginning days of our journey.  Enjoy, and may your eyes be opened as well.
click here to watch the video that God used to change our hearts toward the orphan

Praying that you all have a blessed week sharing your life with those close to you.

Lorrie

A Call - but not the REAL one

It finally happened.  I had an adoption nightmare.  Yep, Marshall was out of town and I had the dream I had been dreading.  I knew there was a possibility of it happening, but I was really hoping it wouldn't.  The nightmares first began when I was eight months pregnant with our children.  I was SO very ready to give birth that I began having these dreams every night.  Dreams that I went into labor at the worst possible time or that our child would be born with 3 heads or something like that.

Last night I had a dream that Marshall and I had received the call to go get Jacob, however, when we ended up at the orphanage we were given five - that's right - five children all who were considered to be the "worse of the worst".  In my dream I was telling our adoption agency that we really didn't want five children and that they had been so good to us when we had adopted Naomi.  Their reply was..."well, you did such a good job with her that we thought we would give your family five."  I remember just trying to tell these children that they were loved and special and that God had a plan for them, however, I was mortified to have five children all at once.

I should have known when I awoke this morning  that something was up. I mean, I had prayed last night before bed that God would give us a sign and tell us when we were going to the Philippines.  I mean, our life has been on hold for a long time and all of us are getting sick of it.

I had just poured my first cup of coffee this morning when the phone rang.  We have caller ID so when the children and I saw that the call was from our adoption agency we yelled.  Our adoption specialist said that we have another update - not the update we really want she said.  We found out that Jacob has his medical appointment AND his visa appointment scheduled.  But....it isn't until March 3rd and 7th.  Really? Not sooner?  Lord - why so late?  I know your ways are perfect and your timing always works out, but why so late?  As it looks now we will be traveling sometime during the last of March.  Right during Spring Break and the High season in the Philippines.  Please don't get us wrong - we are so very excited and ready to have Jacob join our family.  Past ready.  However,  why in the world do we have to wait so very long??  Everyone knows it is better to travel before March and April.

So, today, we are excited that we know the dates our son will be one step closer to joining his family. What a huge blessing that is.  Please join us in rejoicing in the news and praying for God's total provision to bring His child home to be forever loved and never abandoned again.

Lorrie

13 Months and Counting

As you can see, things have been slow here on our blog.  Quite honestly, neither Marshall nor I know what to talk about these days.  We are in a period of waiting and waiting and waiting.  There isn't much else to say.  For those of you who have birthed your children, you know what I am talking about.  Those last days - the last trimester- of a pregnancy seem to go on and on. You feel as though you have been pregnant for years and just can't wait to give birth and return to some sense of a new normal.  That is the same feeling going on here - except that we really have no clue when we aren't going to be "pregnant" anymore.  The last weeks are so hard in an adoption.  The whole thing begins to wear on you something fierce. So, the Worthey family continues to run to the phone whenever it rings and check e-mail many times throughout the day in hopes that there is some news.

Fitting to see this bus while in the Philippines

In the last few days I have been looking at other adoption blogs.  It amazes me how similar other people's story is to ours.  Basically, all of us have the same thing going on; waiting for the call and then praying for a miracle in one way or another.  And, above all else, there are children who are waiting for their forever family - just like our Jacob.  And as they wait and we wait there are those who continue to be oblivious to the need.  The need that they can make a difference.  The greatest news is that YOU can make a difference and what a difference you can make!  You don't need to be rich or live in the largest house on the block or even make the most money in your neighborhood.  All that is needed is a heart to do what is right.  It really is that simple.

The day we finally met Naomi

Marshall and I want to thank each one of you.  Because of you we are able to get through the day.  Because of you we continue to share our hearts and because of you we are nearing the end of this journey and beginning a new one. You have been faithful to God and to His command to provide for widows and orphans. You have been faithful to our family.  For that, we will always be grateful.  Thank you for continuing to share our story with your friends and family.  Please continue praying as we are weary and getting so tired.  More than just about any other time, we need encouragement.  Please keep it coming.

Lorrie

Waiting...

I'm writing today because I want you the reader to understand waiting. Waiting to bring your child home.  If you've been following the last few weeks you pretty much can gather that we're still waiting on 'the call'.  We've been doing much waiting lately.  Honestly I don't know what to say when people say "how's it going?" or "any news?"  The answer as of late is either "hanging in there" or "not really".  So I wanted to see what God has to say about waiting.  Here is what I found:

• "Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts." Proverbs 8:34

• "And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body." Romans 8:23

• "...keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life"  Jude 1:21

• "For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness." Galatians 5:5

So we are watching, eagerly waiting for Jacob's "adoption as a son" and "anxiously waiting" to show Jacob - who has been waiting 11 years - mercy.

Today as you read this please consider helping us show Jacob "mercy".   Some do not define adoption as a mission but do define a two week trip to serve 'on the mission field' as missions.  Well it is but... Please understand I am not minimizing the need for these short trips - they are awesome and the Lord uses them to change lives often.

However, I have really been struggling with this narrow perspective - mission... is bigger than this. I have been struggling with the inability of some to understand adoption and see it for the mission field it is.  Think about it this way... Paul's 3rd missionary journey...he spent 2 and 1/2 years in Ephesus alone.  I would submit that mission = presence.  Being present.  When we brought Naomi home, and when we bring Jacob home we have been and will be present - until the Lord returns.  

You don't have to adopt - but you can help those who are willing to be obedient to what the Lord has asked of them. He equips and enables thru his people - and if you know him...his people = you.  Until then we are waiting.  Waiting on the Lord...Waiting on the call.

Marshall

Not The Call We Had Expected

If you have been following our journey for long you know that right now we are in a holding pattern.  Just about everything concerning the adoption journey is hard, but, for whatever reason, this time around seems to be much harder than the first time.  Maybe it is because we have already met this sweet boy .  It might be because he is older and has watched his friends come and go at the orphanage.  For reasons unknown  for sure, it just seems like all we do around here is wait for "the call" to come.

And, this week a call did come - not the call we wanted though.  On Wednesday afternoon we got a call from our adoption agency.  Just to let you know that whenever the phone rings around here the kids go crazy trying to see who the call is  from.  And, of course, they saw that our adoption agency had called.  The message on the machine said that there was some news - not the good news we want - but there was an update. "Please call my cell phone if you get this after hours."  She tried to reassure us that it wasn't horrible news - just an update.

As you can expect, hearing the news was hard. We were told that the Philippines had sent an e-mail saying that they were waiting on some official document from Jacob's orphanage.  In plain terms it means that they need the original document, not a copy.  As soon as they get that document, they said, Jacob's visa appointment can be scheduled - sometime in February is what they are hoping.  Human error.  Ugh...  So, if Jacob can get his appointment scheduled sometime in February, we could be flying sometime in the middle of March; although, it could be in April or May or even later.

We don't understand the reasons why we have to wait so long.  We can't possibly understand God's ways. We know that He is our provider and has shown His goodness to our family.  He has called people, many we don't even know, to send us funds to help cover expenses.  It is God who has called people to continually pray for our family during this time.  He is the same today as He was when we began this journey.

Naomi holding her father's finger before
she boarded the airplane

As you might expect, flying in March and later is more expensive than if we were able to fly in January or February.  Everyday the cost of airline tickets is going up.  We cannot purchase our tickets now because we have no idea when we will be traveling.  It hurts my heart to even look for tickets at this time, as I can see the price rising and there is nothing we can do.  Or is there?  We can continue to trust in our Lord's provision.  We can continue writing on this blog, sharing our story and asking you all to get the word out about Jacob.

If there ever was a time to ask humbly if you would support our family, the time is now.  How wonderful it will be when Jacob can see all the names of the people who helped him, prayed for him and loved him so much to bring him home-to his forever family - never to be abandoned again.

Lorrie