Prayer

Thank you for all of your prayers.  Let me fill you in on a few things going on. 

** VERY IMPORTANT:  As you all probably already know, there are many embassy closures due to the terrorist threats.  Please pray for safety for us.  Although, we have no reason to believe there are threats here, we still would appreciate prayers.  Also, we have our embassy appointment on Wednesday and are praying that the US approves us to adopt the boys.  Since some of the embassies are closing, we are praying that ours does not and that we will not have any delays. 

Chris is doing much better now since he's been on the antibiotics, but is still not 100% yet.  

My mother-n-law is coming to Uganda tomorrow night!!!! She is currently waiting for her plane to board.  We are so excited to have Mimi here to meet the boys. They can't wait to meet her.  

Yesterday, was our 7 year anniversary!!!  Chris and I planned to celebrate by going out for a quiet dinner, while a friend offered to babysit. BUT...we had a change of plans.  

One of the other fathers, who partners with a local NGO that focuses on reunifying and resettling abandoned children, needed some help.  He came home with 2 abandoned babies, after trekking nearly 8 hours by car to pick them up.  Both children had been abandoned at a hospital at the time of birth.  For the past year and a half these two precious children have only known the walls of the hospital and the arms of hospital staff.  Finally, the doctors and nurses felt they couldn't care for them and that these children needed another placement.  Our friend is working with his organization to find a permanent domestic solution and already has a foster care placement lined up.  However, it is temporary.  Pray that God will provide a forever family for these adorable children.

When the car arrived at dinnertime with these two children, it was all hands on deck!  I instantly grabbed Josephine (18 month old little girl).  It was then, that I caught little "A"s eyes and I could see it.  

Fear.

His eyes glanced downward and away, and then back up at me. 

He started grabbing my leg and wanting me to pick him up, and put her down.  

Then...the tears began. 

The last time I saw those tears, it was when we went to visit a friend at a nearby orphanage and "A" cried and cried as we pulled into the compound. He so deeply feared that we were going to leave him there.  

This time the fear was that another baby would replace him.  

We also realized that the guest house we are staying at probably feels very much like an orphanage still. There are tall brick walls and a big iron gate.  Many American families coming and going with their adopted children.   And here are two more children arriving, needing attention. 

Needless to say, I did put her down for a bit and picked up my "baby"!  I kissed him over and over to reassure him that Mommy and Daddy love him and that these new babies were not our babies.  

This is just one of many stories that we are experiencing on this journey.  

Each day we have faced various situations that sometimes I feel completely unprepared for.  I read a blog today titled "Somewhere between who I was and who God is making me into" and thought that's exactly how I am feeling. 

I am learning each day how to be a better mother.  

Sometimes, I second guess my decisions on how I handle different fires that arise.  Today, I had another "battle of the wills" with "M".  During the "battle",  Chris and I had to go to the bathroom (only private place) to discuss whether we handled it correctly.  Needless to say, after 2 hours, we won!

But, what I'm realizing in these moments, is that God is training me.  He is making me into something more than I already am.  A friend said today that in those moments when "M" is making me so mad to the point that I don't want to draw him close to me, I need to be leaning on God even more.  I need to pray to God to show me in that exact moment how to teach my son and how to love him with unconditional love. 

Here are some photos from our Uganda Cranes football game (last Saturday)! 

Little "A" and Mommy

Our dear friend Francis (oh, and he's our driver!)

Little "A" with Daddy 

"M" (left), Kasozi (his buddy), Jennifer