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When Joy and Sorrow Beautifully Yet Tragically Collide

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The anticipation, of the last 9 months, of endless paper chasing culminating in my daughter being placed into my arms was finally within reach.  My heart ached that our kids could not go with us this time.  The mama hen in me likes all my kids safely tucked under my wings.    But alas, grandparents had arrived, detailed schedules and timelines were typed, freezers were stocked with pre-made meals, countdown goodie bags were numbered and neatly lined up on the table, to be opened each day until our return.  Outfits were laid out and labeled for each day (I know....a little much!). The kids were set.   As I handed my passport, with my visa safely tucked inside, to the tsa officer my heart pounded with excitement.  I was about to board a plane to meet the child I had prayed for for 5 years.   God's faithfulness to me, as He taught me so many lessons during this time of waiting, was so apparent.   It wasn't until my full surrender that He allowed this child to be mine.   What

3 weeks ago we needed $17,000......Where do we stand now?

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FULLY FUNDED....... those are the two words adoptive parents dream about when they begin the adoption process.  Some families are able to say those two words quickly into their process, while most have to wait.  We are one of those waiting families and let me tell you how it wrecked our family..... My God is a God that keeps His promises.  My God is a God that you can't put in a box.  My God is a God that does the unexpected and does more than we could ask or think. Back in December we were well into the process of becoming foster parents.  Although we were confident we  would adopt from China again, our plan was to save for another year so we could mostly fund the adoption ourselves.  You see, the memories of fundraising for our last adoption had not so easily dissolved.  So our plan was set: wait a year, save, and fund it ourselves.  But, you see, God's plans often times are not our plans BUT are Always bigger and more fabulous! In January, through a c

Presenting.......Fallon Grace Ai Lacock

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Tom, in his last post, shared how God worked in our hearts from his perspective.  Now I will give you Fallon's story from my perspective. In January, I called a friend of mine who works for our adoption agency to see what the upfront fees would be for starting a new adoption.  {Just trying to get info for a year or so down the road when we start an adoption again.}    She told me that it would probably be over $6000 initially to begin.  So I thanked her and in my mind was thinking.....well that won't happen anytime soon.  Before we got off the phone she said to me that she was going to start praying that we would adopt from Suixi, which was a new partnership orphanage with our agency.   After we hung up, I went online and watch a video about the Suixi orphanage and then looked at the waiting child list.  I saw our Fallon immediately and melted.   "Lord, why do I feel so drawn to this baby?"  I texted my friend and asked her if she had Fallon's file that I co

Grace given

I'm hijacking my wif'e's blog to write this. Less than 1 month ago she posted a great piece about waiting on God and experiencing "grace given in the circle of grace denied." At the time we were pursuing being licensed in Georgia as foster parents. Although for both of us our heart's desire was to adopt again from China, I didn't feel peace about it. The reasons were many - the wrong time of year to start the process because of my busy tax filing season; the relative newness of our church situation after moving from Indiana at the beginning of 2014; not believing that financially it was the right time to start another adoption; etc., etc. My wife had been reviewing and praying over the file of a little girl at an orphanage in southern China - as it turns out in the same province (analogous to US State) where our Hudson was born. For FIVE years my wife has been praying to be able to adopt an Asian daughter. We had started down that road before in Thaila

Draw me Nearer

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The last time I did a blog post I was in China……that was 18 months ago.  Boy has the time flown by!  The last 18 months have brought a lot of personal stretching and learning; a lot of praying and growing; and a lot of laughter and tears!   I am so happy that Hudson is no longer an orphan and is now a Lacock forever and ever.   The picture of what  Christ did for me is more clearer now than ever.   With a very grateful heart I reflect on His adoption of me into His family. Hudson is a happy-go-lucky 6 year old boy, that loves trains (namely Thomas) and anything electronic (the more buttons and noise the better)!  He is in Kindergarten this year and has learned to write his name and recognize the whole alphabet.   His progress is slow but steady.  We are excited to help him reach his own personal best, whatever that may be! I am not really a New Year’s resolution kind of person, mainly because I don’t like setting myself up for failure…..and let’s face it, most of us don’t ca

Day 2 {Beijing}

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The Great Wall On our way.... Look Indiana friends, there is more than corn in China too!!! We visited a Cloisonne factory.   Very cool to see how they make these beautiful vases. I love signs in China!  Too funny! Had to ride a lift up to the top of the mountain to our starting point on the wall! My Lift-mate! We went straight up! A not-so-good selfy We decided to take the hard route.... This is no joke.....it is THAT steep Honey, Im up here! Two cuties standing guard in one of the towers! Camden sporting his water squirting fan! It was breathtaking! We tobogganed down the mountain!   Soooo Fun! We at lunch at the Schoolhouse Trees made out of potted plants Tea tasting Olympic Park Tom's eaten too many noodles here in China! People were flying these kites everywhere. Keelan getting asked to have her picture taken Camd