Friday, July 10, 2009

Calling all adoptive friends/parents...

Do you remember what it was like WAITING for your child to come home?

Visiting them, holding them, breathing in everything about them and then having to say good-bye? to. your. child!?!

Having to watch your child grow up in pictures.

Do you remember being glued to your computer - hitting refresh and send/receive ALL day long - hoping, begging, pleading for any e-mails with news?

Trying to get on with life while half of your mind/body and soul lived 1,000 miles away from you?

Do you remember the community of blogs and forums that suffered alongside with you and got you through it all?

Could you imagine.

doing.

it.

for.

FOUR
.
.
.
.
YEARS!?!?


There's a very special family that has been doing just that! In May 2005, a little 7 year old boy and his 5 year old sister were growing up in an orphanage when their forever Mommy and Daddy found them.

There have been been visits.

There have been good-byes.

There have been "It's over" moments, where they were told nothing else could be done to bring them home.

And there have been moments of hope. Like 2 years ago when all adoptions were shutting down in Guatemala and all of a sudden there was a glimmer of hope, maybe just maybe a way to bring their children home, this Mommy and Daddy (once again) flew into a panic and scrambled around for paperwork and somehow managed to start the process of bringing home their children.

Again.

At the helm of this crazy story is a remarkable woman. A woman of amazing obedience and faith who serves a God she might not understand, but one she undeniably loves and trusts and gives her whole life to.

Dawn might not know it, but she really, really kept me going during my excruciatingly-long-to-me 14 month journey to bringing home my babies. When others were accomplishing this feat with remarkable speed at 6 and 8 months and bringing home babies, Dawn simply walked beside me, saying "I know. I know. It is difficult." She cheered me on. She provided strength and support and most importantly she made me feel like I was not alone.

Friends do that.

These wonderful little children of hers, now 12 and 9 ARE coming home.

Sometime.

Maybe in another few months.

Maybe in about 5 or 6 months.

It's a whole new world out there. One none of us are familiar with - the old language of PGN, pinks, etc have all been replaced. There's a small little band that are getting each other through the ever changing maze.

But not en masse.

Like there used to be.

For us.

So - would you take a moment and go spread some love? Maybe get hooked on her story. Pray for her and her family. All of them!

It's going to be a long 6 months. Sure would be nice if she had some company. Some folks to walk along the path with her.

www.prayingthemhome.blogspot.com

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Will be sure to remember these amazingly strong people in our prayers!! Wow!
Steph & Suz

Bobbi said...

ok, you should have put up a tissue warning there. What amazing people. On my way to give them some blog-loving!!!

Hugs to you for caring enough to get the word out

Greta Jo said...

Yes, praying for them!
Are you around this weekend (saturday)? We have to take Jonathan's son to Northern Va. on Saturday for Summer Camp. We would love to get together ;)
Let me know we are open to anything as I am sure Carsonw ill need a car break! gretajoann@hotmail.com

Beth said...

Geeeeeeeeeeez Donna! Thank you for sharing this family with all of us... you are so right, we were very lucky for our extended families, I often say I could not have done it without you al... I am on my way to share some prayer, hope, encouragement, and blog-love. Thank you... one remarkable woman sharing the story of another.

Beth said...

PS- Posting a link to your post and their blog on Peach/Cin... hope that's okay! xoxo, Beth

Heidi said...

You are a good friend!

I can't imagine waiting so long for my kids to come home. I'll have to check out her blog.

Rachel said...

Donna-
I work at Arby's with Gary and he sent me this website to look over. I just wanted to let you both know how wonderful the idea is and how beautifully you have executed it. Not only is it a treat to get to know "family-man Gary" instead of the usual "boss-man Gary"... the way you have updated us on the boy's day-to-day adventures is really exciting. I already know Mason and Evan fairly well, and I feel like I have gotten to know you and your boys much better through the website. I've only looked through a few months of posting, but the videos I have seen about bike riding lessons, swimming pool days, and scooter reward systems have made my day. You guys have a great system here; I look forward to watching the twins grow up via blog from now on.

- Rachel Rainer -

Tonya Brown said...

...and I thought some friends of mine were the only ones going through this. They have been waiting for their Ali for 3.5 years and just got a NOID from the US Gov. They even adopted a little girl from China and are still waiting for their Ali to get home.

http://guojifamilia.blogspot.com/

Praying for these families..