One year ago tomorrow...so thankful!

At 11pm May 1, last year our phone rang.  Carter was on a youth trip and we were told he'd fallen while ice skating.  He hit his head and blacked out and was being taken to the hospital.  We drove 45minutes to the small hospital in a suburb.  My teeth chattered uncontrollably while I drove(that is what I do when I'm nervous!).  I prayed and prayed.  The worst was not knowing what we would find.  The CTscan showed a tiny spot of bleeding in the brain and thus, he was transfered to the children's hospital in the city at 3am.  The neurosurgeon said there were actually several tiny areas of bleeding in the brain and that Carter was very fortunate.  He spent 2 days in the hospital.  I'm so so so very thankful to the Lord for protecting Carter from any worse damage!  Now we have a reason to make jokes about Carter being hit in the head ;)  Hey, ya have to laugh sometimes or you'll go nuts!!

Just sayin...

I'm not trying to be controversial, just kind of thinking out loud. Is your church adoption friendly?  I know lots of churches are hesitant to stand for a "cause" or come across as endorsing a social issue.  But, my friends, caring for orphans is not a cause or social issue, it is a Biblical mandate.  Did you know there are over 60 verses in the Bible that speak about caring for the fatherless and orphaned?  And, adoption is the ultimate  picture of the gospel.  In Adopted For Life  Russel Moore states
"Who better than those who know Christ to welcome the all-too-often unwanted and discarded among the world's orphans?  After all, our God himself gathers together "the lame" and "those who have been driven away" and makes "a strong nation" of those who were "cast off" (micah 4:6-7).  Jesus' gospel is good news for the sick and the disabled.  In fact, they are the very ones who make up the marriage feast of our Christ:  "the poor and crippled and blind and lame" (luke 14:21).

When we come to faith in Jesus as Lord, we are adopted as sons and daughters of the Heavenly Father.  We were lost and had no hope.  We didn't do anything deserving of adoption.  Our Father just loved us for us and desired relationship with us.  


Another quote from Moore's book that I love talks about valuing life and diversity in our churches.  "But if people in our churches learn not to grumble at the blessing of minivans filled with children-some of whom don't look anything alike-they're going to learn not to grumble at the blessing of a congregation filling with new people, some of whom don't look anything alike.

I'm not necessarily talking about a program or orphan/adoption ministry.  I'm talking about having a healthy vibrant atmosphere at church where adoption is cause for celebration, where people who don't look like you are accepted and loved, where the church body cares for the hurting and lonely children in the world.  If all the bodies of believers, who profess Christ as Lord, took on the challenge of adopting the waiting foster children and the 146million(yes the number is increasing rapidly) orphans in the world, would we need orphanages stuffed with kids, Waiting Child Programs, and tv programs at Christmas trying to inspire people to adopt? Ouch, it is a daunting question is it not?

If you need some info:
http://www.hopefororphans.org/Display.asp?Page=home

 


I'd truly love to hear about how different churches in the US and around the world stand for life, defend the fatherless and oppressed.  Drop me a comment if you have a neat ministry or story at your church.

Illness....yuck-oh!

I posted this on the Dillon Korea forum last night because Hudson's illnesses had me puzzled and really worried.  I think, in part, we solved some of the mystery.  You see he's been sick off and on pretty much since April 1, if not earlier than that.  He would spike a high fever(like 103.5) and not have any other symptoms.  Oh, he'd be coughing and wheezing at times, but that isn't really anything new for him.  The fever would last about 2 days, just to where I'd be thinking of taking him in to the doctor, then he'd be perfectly fine, running around like a madman, and I'd cancel our appt.  He'd be well for several days and then it would happen again, you guessed it, always on Fridays!!  He is such a cheerful and tough as nails kid that he never really appeared ill or I would have taken him back to the doctor(we'd already ruled out strep and ears lately). Plus, it is really quite common for kids newly brought into the States to be sick a lot their first year home.  Their immune systems haven't been exposed to the same illnesses.
After running fever last night of 102  not eating hardly at all since last Monday(food is his biggest love so you know something is wrong!) I took him in today.  BOY, am I glad I did!  The poor child was soooo sick at the office.  His white blood count was 20,000 which is twice normal.  His chest xray showed pneumonia and a little atelectasis, which means some of the tiny air passages had collapsed.  I felt like the worst nurse/mother ever!  He got a shot and a prescription.  We are doing nebulizer treatments three times a day and chest percussion-which he despises. 
Dillon had pneumonia a few years ago and acted totally different.  He was really sick one night and had trouble breathing.  I knew what it was and took him right in.  Hudson is a different breed--he is like a short and tough wrestler who doesn't show when he's down.  Guess next time he quits eating, I'll jump on it ;)
I just want to say this too, thank you God for health insurance, our pediatrician who saw us within 2 hours of me calling this morning, labs and xrays in the office, medicines that work quickly!  After working with people who have no access to medical care in Haiti, I hope I repent the next time I complain about insurance, waiting, meds and such.  We are soooooo blessed here!!!!!

So, this means he's cool?!

We were all surprised to wake up Saturday morning to a beautifully decorated lawn!

Those are lots and lots of plastic forks stuck in the ground!  Carter said "I'm going to clean it up right now."   I said "No!  That is so cool, let's let people see it for a while."  Mike told him that he always wished someone would toilet paper his house as a teenager, but nobody did until his sister got in highschool!  So, we felt cool for a while :)

Becoming a man!

After bath's tonight, this is what I walked in to see

Who knew that at 7 years old you need to start using daddy's deoderant??

My little prayer warrior

Tonight we watched American Idol. It was the Idol Gives Back fundraising campagain. Of course, I cried big time seeing the premature,newborn orphaned baby girl in Uganda being fed with a cup, not even a bottle. The camera pans to show several newborn babies lying all bundled up in lined up little wooden boxes, used as cribs. I was a mess already, but seeing those cribs, my heart really hurt. You see when we picked up Abby at Eastern Social Welfare Society in Seoul 9 years ago, we saw cribs like that. Essentially they looked like shelves lining the walls, with 4 sides on the top. In each "crib" was a tiny bundle wrapped in blankets, Sixty three babies were in the Babies Home at that time(and Korea is the Cadillac of international adoption-they get excellent care!). My daughter had been one of those babies. My daughter was born at 30 weeks and weighed 3 pounds. The "what ifs" can make you lose focus of the "here and nows" so I don't go there. When we said bedtime prayers, my prayer warrior daughter prayed these lines
"Please help Hudson to not be so whiney(he was super duper unhappy today) and be a blessing to momma. Please let Dillon grow and learn and do all the things that we do. Please help the people who have no homes."

We hear this remark from people a lot "Those kids are so lucky to have you." HUH!? Did you hear that prayer from a 9yr old girl? WE are the ones that God showered his blessings on! Thank you God Almighty for sparing Abby's little life and placing her in our home.

Secondary Infertility

I've been thinking about posting about secondary infertility for a while. It's one of those things that you know affects many many people and brings lots of heartache. But, it some ways, it is a condition that is poorly understood, and, to be frank not interesting to many people. Secondary infertility is very lonely. When you have a child biologically without any trouble, you are expected to reproduce again. Let's face it, by the time your first baby is turning one, people are asking "So, when is ___ going to have a baby brother or sister?" Then, by the time the child is 2.5yrs old, those same people are saying stupid things like "you better hurry up and have another baby before he gets too old." This implies that there is a magic window that children should have a sibling. When Carter was turning 5 and we were waiting on Abby's travel clearance I was told the rudest comment. A coworker told me that if Abby didn't come home soon, we'd have two separate families. That is just ridiculous! As if their sibling relationship will be poorer because of an age difference. All the while, the couple struggling with secondary infertility doesn't know what in the world to do! The plumbing all worked one time, so why isn't it working again? Doctors are hesitant to investigate for physical or chemical problems because you've produced one child without trouble. You feel ungrateful and pathetic when you are sad and frustrated because deep down you wonder if that one child isn't enough to make you happy and you realize that other people would give anything to have ONE baby! Couples walking through primary infertility have zero sympathy for you and think you should be happy with what you have.

Another complicated issue is that once you have a child by birth, you are grouped into the "fertile club." You know what I mean.... at every single child's party or playdate, all the momma's begin telling pregnancy and birth stories. Then, all the other momma's end up pregnant with baby number 2 and 3. In some ways you fit in with them, but you also begin to dread hanging out with these friends. Every month is a downer. I tallied up that in a span of 8 years, I'd spent roughly 750.00 on over the counter pregnancy tests. It was easier to just take one when I was 1 hour later than my calender told me I should start--rather than get a glimmer of hope. You were so blessed to experience pregnancy and birth that you really and truly know what you are missing. You kept all the baby stuff you'd need like the crib, stroller, high-chair,maternity clothes. I remember living with intense guilt when we found out we most likely would never have another biological child. I was sad about not cherishing every moment with my baby. What I would have given to have a redo and sit and nurse and rock him, instead of being tired, impatient and wishing those times away.

Looking into options to build your family become more complicated. Do you try to adopt a child that might look like your existing child? Do you navigate the miraculous blessing, and yet, complicated waters of transracial adoption? How would your existing child adjust to that? Do you try high tech fertility treatments or wait, knowing that if it all worked once, it should work again. How long do you wait until adopting? What if your biological child is getting older and older, did you miss that window for a sibling? UGH, very complicated and emotionally sticky!

If you are struggling with secondary infertility, I'm sorry. I feel for ya! If nobody else understands your pain, I'm telling you that I do!

First babysitting gig....check!

We actually had a couple's dinner tonight! Seriously, I'm thinking that we just may have never, since Carter's birth 14yrs ago, had a couple's dinner out. Hudson had a trace of fever so I didn't want to have a sitter come over. Plus, the expense of paying a sitter to watch Hudson, Dillon, and Abby is quite prohibitive. We began talking with Carter about his feelings of being able to handle 2 hours as the man in charge. He felt sure, that with Abby's capable contribution(heck, she's 9 going on 29), he could handle it. We would be just down the road and he could text or call with any problem, plus our sweet neighbor was informed of the plan and on standby AND the firestation is literally less than a mile from our home. We had a quick training session after lunch with all the kids at the table. If you have a 14 yr old boy, you can probably relate :)

Me: So, if someone knocks on the door and you don't recognize him/her through the peep hole, what do you do?
Carter: I'll get my machete!(we insisted they pretend they weren't home and don't open the door)

Me: If you see fire in the house, what do you do?
Carter: get the fire extinguisher(I corrected him to just get everyone outside and call 911)

Me: If Hudson begins choking on a lego, what do you do?
Carter: I'll do the Heimlich manuever! (when I inquired as to how he knew the Heimlich manuever, I was not impressed with his skill level and told him to turn him upside down and call 911 and get the neighbor.

Me: If Hudson poops in his diaper, what will you do?
Carter: leave it till you get home!!!!!

So, all was great! I didn't get a single call during dinner. Dillon was fast asleep on the couch when we got home. Hudson was not, thankfully, poopy and was very happy. I think we have passed a huge milestone and Mike and I just might get to have a little time to sneak away(okay, really close by) for a few minutes and leave Carter and Abby in charge.
Oh, and for the record,when we got home we considered testing their knowledge and disguising ourselves at the door! I know, UGLY isn't it?? ;)

The A21 Campaign - Be Her Freedom

Scroll down to the music player on the right and pause it so you can hear the video.
Last night I listened to Christine Cain again, founder of the A21 campaign. Whew, I'm totally exhausted, physically, spiritually, and emotionally! My throat hurts from singing and praising at the top of my lungs and then crying! She tell of the first young lady she met in Greece who had been rescued from the sex slave industry. She, along with 59other women was shipped in a cargo container. The young lady said "Why didn't you come sooner?" That cut my heart to the core! Christine spoke of the things we are preoccupied with that keep us from being the hands and feet of Jesus to those suffering. Christine said she began wondering, just what was so darn important that kept her from getting involved sooner? Manicures, children's sports, our little church meetings, buying more food than we could ever eat at Wal-Mart? People all over the world are asking God's church, Why didn't you come sooner? 143 million orphans and asking "Why didn't you come sooner?" 200,000 kids in the US foster system are asking "Why didn't you come sooner?" Christine said "Compassion isn't authentic until we cross the street and GO to them. When we just feel sorry and don't do anything, it is just emotions!" Isaiah chapter 11 clearly tells us what God expects from his people(I'm using the Message translation here because it is so powerful and clear)

13-17"Quit your worship charades.
I can't stand your trivial religious games:
Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings—
meetings, meetings, meetings—I can't stand one more!
Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them!
You've worn me out!
I'm sick of your religion, religion, religion,
while you go right on sinning.
When you put on your next prayer-performance,
I'll be looking the other way.
No matter how long or loud or often you pray,
I'll not be listening.
And do you know why? Because you've been tearing
people to pieces, and your hands are bloody.
Go home and wash up.
Clean up your act.
Sweep your lives clean of your evildoings
so I don't have to look at them any longer.
Say no to wrong.
Learn to do good.
Work for justice.
Help the down-and-out.
Stand up for the homeless.
Go to bat for the defenseless.

So, Jesus is rockin it at PINK

Can I get an AMEN sista?!!!!!  Let's just say that PINK Impact(you can view it live at gatewaypeople.tv) is completely amazing.  I don't know what kind of worship style you're used to but imagine 3000 women, super excited, hands lifted, singing at the top of our lungs, some jumping up and down(that'd be me!) while Kari Jobe and the band are playing The Desert Song by Hillsong.  Then Christine Cain and Priscilia Shirer bring the message the Lord has laid on their hearts.  Holy Cow, it was so amazing!  The theme is not being afraid of taking risks and stepping out in faith when God calls you.  Hmmm, sounds familiar doesn't it?

Here are some of my fav quotes from last night:
Christine Cain:
The goal of our life is not to make it to death safely and then fall in the coffin

We spend our time praying for God to show us miracles and signs, then we never put ourselves in a position where God can work a miracle!

Jesus came to make us dangerous to the kingdom of darkness--not NICE little Christian women

The new normal becomes what the Word says, not what society says

W have to have purpose for our prosperity

Priscilla Shirer:
God doesn't speak because he likes to be heard, He speaks because he wants to be obeyed

Courage isn't the absence of fear, but moving forward anyway

Start acting today like God's getting ready to do something tomorrow!

"God is doing a new thang, ya know He's doin it"

So, anyone out there my age who listened to the hip Christian rap group DC Talk back in the late 80's early 90's recognized that line!   Funny how the music we listen to stays in our brains forever(as a byword, that is a lesson we teach our kids all the time, once it is in your brain, it stays, gaurd it!!).  So anyway, God is moving folks!  Isn't it soooo much fun to see Him working in little places here and there and to start piecing the puzzle together?  This kind of scenario happens to Mike and I.  We never really get some great new revelation or dream or writing on the wall.  Usually, the Holy Spirit starts slowly toiling the garden of our hearts and minds.  He makes us more ready to hear His specific word.    I can't always see what the end result is goin to be, but it is fun to see Him at work.  I'm going to Pink Impact at Gateway Church tomorrow night.  I've looked forward to it since last March.  I don't think it is any accident that I read Jantzen's Gift last year about child slaves and human trafficking and the speaker tomorrow is Chrisitine Cain.  She is a dynamic speaker from Australia and heads up The A 21 Campaign, which fights human trafficking.  Here are a few statistics.
Trafficking in women is the second largest global organized crime today, generating approximately US $12 billion a year.
There 1.39 million victims of commercial sexual servitude worldwide.

Over 25% of these victims are trafficked from Southern and Eastern Europe.

120,000 women and children are trafficked each year into EU member states, and 90 percent end up in the sex industry.

There is an estimated 20,000 women and girls trafficked into the Greek sex industry, earning Greece the title of, "the centre of trafficking in Europe."

Tragically, only 1-2 percent of victims are rescued, and only 1 in 100,000 Europeans involved in trafficking are convicted
It is no accident that my mother recently met an Asian women who had been rescued from the sex slave industry.  It is no accident that my youngest sister, Katy, is headed to Greece in November with Christine Cain and will participate in brothel rescues.  It is no accident that my neices, on 2 separate sides of the family packed gift shoeboxes for children in Haiti and then I got a crazy last minute trip to Haiti  delivering those boxes.  It is no accident that I'm reading a new book, Adopted For Life by Russell Moore, and this was the paragraph I read yesterday.
    "Think of the plight of the orphan somewhere right now out there in the world.  It's not just that she's lonely.  It's that she has no inheritance, no future.  With every passing year, she's less "cute," less adoptable.  In just a few years, on her eighteenth birthday, she'll be expelled from the orphanage or from "the  system."  What will happen to her then?  Maybe she'll join the military or find some job training.  Maybe she'll stare at a tile on the ceiling above her as her body is violated by a man who's willing to pay her enough to eat for a day,"
 
Do you see where this all stems from?  This world doesn't value life!  This world views children as a burden, special needs people as defective, the elderly as a drain on society, the poor as stereotypical welfare nuisances, ethnic minorities as people to be avoided and kept on the other side of the tracks, women as objects for throw away pleasure.
It's sick isn't it?  Man, I'm so pumped about this conference.  I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

Prayers answered

Hi guys!  I just wanted to give quick(well, you know how long-winded I am!) and sweet update.  Hudson is a pure delight and joy.  I really can't believe that in only 7months he has become our sweet and funny son, not a new kid who we are supposed to love off the bat but needed time to bond and felt kind of like we were babysitting.  He is solid-rock OURS!  Remember how he didn't like Mike at first?  Well, now they are best buddies.  In fact, every single cotton-pickin time that Hudson walks in the room where Mike is, Hudson yells out "Hi Daddy!"  He has no soft button, it is all loud, gregarious, bowl you over with personality.  Tonight I asked Hudson who he loved....Mommy or Daddy(I know, I know, parents should never ever make their child choose this)... all 3 times he pointed at Mike :(

Is that not the most precious picture?  I wanted to share something.  God hears our prayers.  He doesn't always answer them in the way or time-frame that we think is best.  However, His timing and plan is perfect.  I save my prayer journals from the last 10 years or so.  I was flipping through one tonight and found this from 4-13-2007  "Im praying for huge miracles, Mike to want to adopt a waiting baby boy in the future and the money to be able to do it without getting super into debt."
See how amazing that is?  Three years later to the day, we are in that exact position!!  I never cease to be grateful and excited when I see  how my God is my  Jehovah-Shalom(God is my peace), El-Shaddai(my all sufficient one), El-Roi(the God who sees), Jehovah-Jireh(God who provides).

And just for cuteness, here is Hudson's first Easter egg hunt

Hooray

Little Bob is out of the hospital!

When the going gets tough....

 I keep thinking about this concept over and over.  There is no Biblical basis for us to believe that when things are God's will, then they just come together smoothly--Poof--like magic.  The Bible tells us point blank that in this world we will have troubles.  The absence of strife, difficulty, sadness, tight finances, illness, hardships does not always mean we are in God's will.  In fact, at times, the absence of those things can mean we are NOT in God's will.  You see, if we are not doing anything that requires great faith and perservence, then Satan has no need to get after us.  Paul prayed 3 times for God to remove the "thorn in his flesh" but it remained. Paul says that the Lord basically told him tough cookies, you are going to grow and realize that in the hard times God is your strength. I'm going to mull over this concept for a while. It certainly is counter-culture. 

In, The Organic God, Margaret Feinberg says "God isn't a fan of shortcuts when it comes to spiritual growth.  God places us in positions that are sometimes tougher than we would naturally choose, but they're designed to make us stronger and healthier than we would otherwise be."

I loved this post last week on our adoption agency's blog. I can't really say it any better so just read this link
http://dillonadopt.blogspot.com/2010/03/if-something-is-hard-does-that-mean-we.html

Asking for prayers for a sweet little boy

Please pray for sweet little Bob!  Bob is one of the 63 orphaned children living in the All God's Children Orphanage in Haiti.  I was there a few days before the earth quake.  Bob has special needs.  I got a text from Christie this morning saying to pray for Bob.  There aren't any details but he's been taken to the hospital.  I'm just so heavy-hearted for his situation.  Try to imagine this:  you are a 5 yr old little boy with special needs living in an orphanage in Haiti.  On a daily basis, your nose runs, you can't communicate, you hold your hands up to be held by the visiting mission teams.  Then, you get sick and go to the hospital.  No parents to pray over you and rub your back.  No balloons, no flowers, no mommy lying in bed next to you meeting your every need!  Please pray for sweet Bob!  Please pray for the 143 million children in the world without mommies and daddies.  Ahhh, so sad, my heart just hearts.

The sister compromise

Funny, Abby never wanted a sister before.  For a couple of years, when we were thinking we might adopt again, we would ask Abby if she wanted a sister and she always said no.  I'm thinking now that she's outnumbered 3 to 1, she's changed her tune. Recently she started asking about a sister.  Oh boy!  Well, we informed her that we didn't feel God was calling us to adopt again, and we are quite full and happy.  So, a compromise was reached.  We signed up to sponsor a 9yr old girl in Ghana, Africa with Compassion International.  Rebecca lives with her 3 siblings and mother and had been waiting for a sponsor over 6months!  We let Abby pick what country, age, child and all.  Bless sweet Rebecca, she is a beautiful girl.  We will pray for her and write her letters.  I'm so excited that Abby picked Ghana because that is where Touch A Life works(You know, Jantzen's Gift, the book you HAVE to read!!!!!??) to rescue child slaves.  Also, our adoption agency, Dillon International has a new program in Ghana.  So I feel more connected to Ghana now.  We would love love love to take Abby to visit someday.  Hmmm, that's a lot of faithwalking and saving for that trip!

 For only 38.00 a month(one meal out!) you can change a child's life!

The moocher family

Yep, we are one of "those" families!  Today we had to have Mike's dear old Honda Accord serviced in the city.  We dropped it off and headed to run errands and waste about 2 hours.  We were hungry but didn't want to spend the money on eating out(we had eaten out Saturday).  So, what's a big hungry family to do?  Head to Central Market!!  We slowly walked around and tried all the free samples;  everything from fresh pineapple to smoked salmon.  We weren't complete schmoozers--we bought a loaf of sourdough bread and a carton of delicious cheddar cheese curds.  We sat on the patio and ate our goodies and sharing a large bottle of water. It was quite funny to us(well, except 14yr old Carter who was hanging his head down low praying he didn't see any cool teenagers!).  I tell ya, my kids are gonna have plenty of ridiculous family stories to tell their spouses someday. 


AND, speaking of Central Market, any of my adoptive family friends near our city(sorry, can't say the name but you know who you are) are invited to join Hudson and I at the Central Market play area Wednesday morning April 21 at 10:30 for a time of play and fellowship.

Our friend Marcus and his story(long)

Remember I mentioned that an old friend of ours passed away a week ago?  Here is a little about Marcus.  Marcus had a horrible wreck when he was a young man.  In all reality, the wreck should have killed him.  But, Marcus lived.  He was a quadriplegic and confined to a wheelchair, but his mind was sharp as a tack.  Marcus didn't know Jesus at that time.  He came to know Jesus after suffering from anger, bitterness, and depression.  Jesus set him free from that.  Come to think of it, that is what Easter is all about--not gifts, pretty dresses, bunnies, egg hunts candy, more candy, more and more candy!  Easter is about the work of the cross bringing freedom, life, victory, restoration!!!!  Happy Easter!  Anyway, back to the story.  We met Marcus when he was at a university in the town we lived in.  He began coming to our church, the one where my mother is the Women's Minister.  He and his caretaker and friend, Lindsay(who became his wife-sweet!), started coming to the small group at my parent's home.  They were so fun and enjoyable.  Marcus had to be fed.  He'd sit in his chair at the table and my dad would often feed bites into his mouth.  One time my dad took him to a men's campout.  Marcus couldn't regulate his body tempature and was always cold.  My dad parked his chair right by the campfire for Marcus to keep warm--a little too close.  They began smelling burnt shoe leather :)  Marcus got baptized at our precious country church.  It took many men, but they lifted him out of the chair, dunked him in a cow trough and out of the water he came, grinning!  Carter was about 3 when we were hanging out with Marcus and Lindsay.  He loved riding on the back of the power wheelchair.

So, as I reflect on Marcus' life, I wonder how many people passed by, staring at his broken body and deemed him worthless?  How many people made a quick judgment and didn't take the time to get to know Marcus?  What if my family had done that?  We never would have known the amazing testimony of faith, choosing to live with joy and gladness, despite very difficult circumstances?  What lesson would Carter have missed out on?  Carter is the most kindhearted and sensitive teen I've ever seen. I think Marcus helped Carter realize that a person's worth is on the inside--not the outward body.  I wonder, did God put Marcus in our path to teach us many other lessons?

It all reminds me of when David was chosen as king.  Samuel kept thinking David's older brothers were the candidate based on looks.  God tells Samuel

1 Samuel 16:7

 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

So, in honor of Marcus, when you see someone like Marcus, smile and say hello.  Better yet, treat that person like a worthy potential friend.  You have no idea how your life can be changed by knowing someone like Marcus.

And, that segway's to our son Dillon.  I've never really given details about him, just that he has some special needs, some minor health problems, and a moderate to severe language disorder.  There really is no need for details, but as you can imagine, the older he gets, the harder it is.  Right now we are making a decision about letting him play baseball.  You see last year he played tball with kids age 3-6.  He stunk, but he didn't know it or care, and a few other kids stunk too!  This year, at age 7, he would be on the coach pitch team.  I'm really torn about what to do.  Do we let him play, even though we know he will not be able to perform like the other children(his reflexes are slow and he has low muscle tone and some mild asymmetry in his legs according to our neurologist and orthopaedic surgeon) and thus set him up for frustration and other kids being frustrated with him?  OR, do we not let him play, and put him in an individual sport like gymnastics class?  Please, if you are a parent of a special needs child and you've walked through this, leave me a comment saying what you've experienced.  We all know how cruel kids can be(heck, usually adults are cruel too) and it breaks my heart to think of someone being ugly to my sweet Dillon.  Just yesterday Dillon said a big kid at school called him a weirdo.  Mike said he was ready to go visit school and find that kid! :)  Love that defender daddy of mine.
Anyway, this whole post is a reminder that God made people in His image.  We are all fearfully and wonderfully made(psalm139verse14).  Some people have special challenges and they are to be loved and respected as whole persons, not viewed as broken and faulty. 

Huge, Wonderful, Awesome news for adoptive families

  I copied and pasted this from Rainbowkids.com(my favorite adoption ezine).  This will help even more families be able to adopt. 

With the signing of the new health care bill, adoptive parents received some very welcome news. Not only will the adoption tax credit be extended until December 2011, but it has also been increased from $12,170 to $13,170 for adoptions occurring after January 2010. And for the first time, the credit will now be refundable. Families may receive a refund for documented expenses for the adoption of their child.
The tax credit is important to both international and domestic adoptive families, but it's greatest beneficiaries are the children who will now have permanent families thanks to adoption being more affordable. Many groups and individuals have successfully lobbied to help extend this tax credit beyond its original expiration date of December 2010, and are still seeking to make the tax credit permanent. As we celebrate the extension of the deadline to December 2011, we must also remain vigilant in seeking to make this legislation a lasting gift to the children who wait.