"When?"

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken."  Psalm 62: 5-6

My hope is only in Him.  It is not in the judge, the lawyers, or myself.  He alone in my rock and my salvation.  He is my fortress and I will not be shaken.  Yes, I am packed.  Yes, I am prepared to go get my babies but I am waiting on the Lord to say, "Amiee, it is time."  I have peace.  He will send us when we all are ready.  Praise the Lord that the burden of "when" is not mine to bare.  Thank you Lord for meeting my needs.  This is an amazing journey.  We have so many ways to serve the Lord when we go to Africa.  For me, I am praying that the "need" doesn't completely overwhelm me.  I pray that God will enlarge my territory so that I can help the helpless believe that "Jesus loves the little children.  All the children of the world."  How am I going to explain this to them when they are starving and sick that they are loved by a mighty, holy God?"  And then, I feel God gently put His hand on my shoulder and say, "you are the vessel.  I am the messenger.  That is not your burden to carry."  Oh Lord, I hope I remember this when I am there.  Please pray that I remember I am the vessel, not the messenger.  What an amazing messenger I have!  As Joel would say He is the "King of Kings...Lord of Lords"  I love to hear Joel describe God.  I have watched Joel pray, as I have peeked at him during our skyping.  I can't wait to see him preach.  Lord, when You say it's time, we will go.  When you say it's time, I will be obedient and I will go.  When you say it's time, I will be humble and give thanks.  When you say it's time, I will rejoice and praise Your sweet name.

In His grip,

Amiee

"My momma's not coming. Oh yes she is Joan!"

1 Corinthians 6:17 "But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit."

I have taken the blog off of the internet until we go and get the children and bring them home.  There are so many people that are going to Uganda for mission trips over the summer.  I think this must be becoming very confusing for the children to try and figure out "why are these "Muzungas" coming here and my momma isn't?".  Joan told Joel that her momma wasn't coming and Derrick said, "Oh, yes she is Joan".  Oh, I pray that they know us when we get there.  I pray that they aren't confused and sad to leave the only home they have ever known.  I can't imagine but I know that God has been preparing their hearts because I have prayed for Him to and when I pray for things that are in the "will" of God, he answers my prayers.  There is so much comfort for me in knowing that He hears my prayers.  He has had to listen to me a lot lately.  I have prayed for Patrick, the probation officer, to get well so he can complete the last report we are waiting on before submitting our case to the judge.  I pray for Joel every day that he can endure this process.  I know it has been a lot more than he bargained for.  He has been sick also.  I feel like he is a part of my family.  I pray that I still get to skype him and talk to him when the kids are here.  I think after they get here, it is going to be funny to skype him with the kids.  I think Joan is going to go crazy!  We were blessed to get our USCIS paperwork expedited.  There were many people that contacted people on our behalf and I can't tell you how this humbled me.  Many people say they want to help but they really don't.  The people God have put in my path during this adoption journey are "doer's" not "talkers".  I have seen the best in people, even in Uganda through email.  I never have had to wait more than a few hours for a response from our attorney and she always tells me she is praying for me.  I believe her and I pray for her.  She is a beautiful lady.  I can't wait to meet her.  I really would like to see she and Joel become "friends". I can't imagine what they could do for the Kingdom!  They would be a dynamic duo.  I am trying to unite myself with the Lord and become one with Him in spirit. I have a peace about when we go to get the children.  I pray that God prepares us emotionally and spiritually.  I pray that our family is united with the Lord before we go.  

In Him,
Amiee

This is the closest thing to a family picture that we have.  Coleman, Laurel, Todd and Amiee are in the bottom left.  Derrick, Joel and Joan are on the larger part of the computer screen.

Psalm 33: 20-21 "We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.  In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name."

Today is Mother's Day.  That means for me that I will probably get to choose where we eat.  I can honestly say that I feel like every day is "Mother's Day".  Laurel and Coleman still tell me they love me.  They still care what I think.  They don't talk back.  They are respectful towards me and to each other.  Todd always makes sure we have everything we need and more.  I told them I wanted to help with "tornado relief" for my "Mother's Day".  We went to Hayden, AL yesterday with the "SOZO" team.  I think we should have called it "chainsaw" relief.  We cut down huge trees!  The bad part was there were about 4 or 5 burn piles and today I still taste smoke.  Coleman got to spend the day with Marquis.  He's the young man we took to lunch over the Christmas holidays with Jon Brennan and Cary Baxter when Jon told us about Joan.  Cary's mom, Lynn was with us yesterday.  I enjoyed talking to her so much because she went to SOZO over spring break.  I loved hearing her tell us her experiences with Joan and Derrick and their dad.  She is so excited they are coming to live with us.  Lisa Bond was there and she has a great love for the people of Africa.  Joel always refers to Lisa as "momma Lisa".  Joel actually called me when we were on our way to Hayden to work to let me know he was sick with a fever.  I haven't been to Africa but it seems to me they treat everything that is "fever" as malaria and "the sickness" as hiv.  Joel sounded to me like he had bronchitis.  I asked him if he had medicine and he said, 'yes, yes, yes", like I was annoying him for asking him.  I love that he wanted me to know he was sick and I love that my question annoyed him.  I am old enough to be his mother.  I can speak to him in "truth and love" and even though my advice annoys him sometimes, he reflects on what I have shared with him because he always reminds me a few days latter what I have said to him.  We are all children of Christ!  We are all family and I love that God is showing me how to grow my "spiritual" family, the body of Christ.

The beginning of last week seemed like a lot was going to happen with the progress of the adoption but again, it's hurry up so we can wait.  God doesn't intend for this to be convenient for us.  He has us on a "need to know" basis and so far, we don't need to know "when".  I feel like it's going to be soon but just like giving birth, you aren't in control of when.  I'm thankful for that because I know His timing will be perfect.  I know if we have to wait, it's because that is God's plan for Joan, Derrick and our family.  Today, I am content waiting.  I am content knowing that He is going to meet our needs.  I know that whatever is happening in Africa, we are going to use it to glorify the Lord.   Todd and I got to see them for the first time in a few weeks last Thursday.  I am sure they haven't forgotten us.  Joan started jumping up and down with her hands over her head.  I hope she's that excited when she meets us.  Joel said Derrick asks often, "when is my mom coming to get me?"  I can't tell you how that makes my heart ache for them.  I'm praying God continues to protect them and prepares them for all of the changes that they are going to experience.  I know we think it's going to be so much better and in the long run it will.  But, we are expecting them to grieve.  We are expecting them to need time and space to adjust.  I'm so thankful they will always have each other.  They have shared experiences that don't include us.  There are incidents in their lives that we will not be able to comprehend, like being hungry, sharing the same clothes every day and many other undesirable conditions.  I have seen them wear the same three or four outfits for the past 5 months.  They don't care that they wear each other's clothes.  Suzanne keeps telling me they could care less about clothes.  They want relationships with us.  Nothing more.  Nothing less.  God is preparing us while we are waiting.  The Lord is my shield and He is Joan and Derrick's shield.  In my heart I rejoice in Him.  I trust His holy name.  Happy Mother's Day to everyone.  Being a mother is an amazing journey and I am blessed.

In His Grip,

Amiee

"I don't believe in luck."

Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

It's been a couple of weeks since I have updated the "blog".  I think we are in the "hurry up and wait" stage.  Isn't that how all adoptions are?  I guess that means we are right on track.

This has been an amazing week in the South.  God has showed me how mighty He is.  The devastation in Alabama and other southern states is incomprehensible.  The sadness is overwhelming for the loss of life, for the ones that are still missing, and for the ones that have lost everything and I mean everything.  There are still many that don't have power.  We were the lucky ones...I don't really believe in "luck".  I find myself saying that out of habit but I do not think for one second God was not in control of this entire event.  With that being said, I don't understand it but I will praise His name from whom all blessing flow.  Please pray for the ones that have been directly affected by this storm.  Many are still in shock.  After you look at the "disaster" look at the people that are reaching out to those in need.  You will see the hands and feet of Christ all around.  They are in all of the pictures as well as the destruction.  "God works for the good of those who love him".  That is why I don't believe in luck!  I believe in God.  I don't know how He makes his decisions.  I have thought about that a lot lately.  I trust in Him.  My faith is growing in Him everyday.  My heart aches to be with Joan and Derrick.  I pray for them constantly.  There is much unrest in Uganda.  Their government has already planned to close earlier this summer than usually.  They could decide at anytime to shut down.  If that is God's plan, I will accept it and I will praise His name.  We have done everything we can do to be diligent with our paperwork.  We have contacted every representative in our area.  We have put the word out that we need help with our immigration paperwork.  God has shown me through this frustrating process that people that don't even know me are contacting who they know on our behalf.  People that don't even know us are going out of their way to petition on our behalf.  "God works for the good of those who love him."  I have only seen Joan and Derrick for about 30 seconds in the last 2 1/2 weeks.  I am trusting my loving, heavenly Father to protect them with angels and put an extra hedge of protection around them.  I believe He will.  I believe His timing is perfect.  I believe He is reminding me to live "one day at a time".  Here's a miracle...I am doing it and for those of you who know me know it's not easy for me.  God is so patient with me while I am figuring this out.  Living one day at a time is bringing me a peace and comfort that I haven't really known in my life.  I'm such a "planner" that sometimes I get caught up in the details and I miss some of the "blessings".  I hope everyone has a blessed week.  Please if you feel led, pray that we get our USCIS paperwork ASAP and that the unrest in Uganda becomes peaceful.  Pray for the one's in the South that are "still in the storm".  Pray for the lost to be found.

In His grip,

Amiee