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| If you return to the Main Page, we hope that you will sign our guestbook. We hope to share the encouragement and kind words with Maria someday. |
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| 6/18/2006
Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Happy Father's Day! I think this picture says a lot. Just like Maria will learn to love her daddy, we love our Heavenly Father. I am so blessed to be married to a man who is dedicated to teaching his children about the Heavenly Father. Many of you know, Mark didn't have his daddy daily in his life. His father was very important to him, but they lived in different states and saw each other occasionally. Then tragically, his father passed away when Mark was in college. I regret that I never had the opportunity to meet him, and that our children will never know who was such an influence in Mark's life. Mark has often said that the Heavenly Father WAS and IS his father the many times his own earthly dad could not be with him. If you ever have the privilege to meet my husband, it is very evident whose child he is. Not just James Cloud's son. But also God's. I am blessed to have him as a husband, a best friend, and the father of all THREE of my children. I also want to wish a Happy Father's Day to my own dad. I believe I am more like him than I will ever admit to, but I couldn't be prouder to call him my dad. He is a man of integrity, honesty, and conviction. He has always worked hard for our family yet he was the dad who took me to the museum or chaperoned a field trip. Thank you, Daddy, for being my daddy. I love you. I am so grateful that my children can call you "Grampops". Finally, I want to wish "Papaw" a happy Father's Day too. Papaw is married to Mark's mom. And he is the only "father in law" I have had the privilege of knowing. Even though the world would say "stepfather", I would disagree. He is a true grandfather to my children. He leads a life dedicated to God, and we are fortunate to call him family. Happy Father's Day! |
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| 6/19/2006
Psalm 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. Happy birthday today to our sweet Maria Elizabeth! Oh, how we ache to be with you on this special day. The day God set aside for you to come to earth as His precious child. And God knew before you were even knit together that on this day, June 19, 2006, you would spend your birthday in Guatemala, while we celebrated your birth and life here in Arkansas. And only God knows what day He has appointed for you to be here. I don't know when it will be. I had prayed so many times for it to be before now. But God has always been faithful. He sees the "big picture" while I only see the little puzzle pieces. It is just not the right time. But, sweet Maria, we continue to pray daily for you to be officially joined to our family. And until then, we know God's hands are protecting you and loving you when we cannot. I hope today is a special day. We love you! 6/19/2006 Postscript (Original entry below) Just in case I sounded very spiritually mature earlier, I need to clarify. I am NOT. :( I am SAD. I wanted SO badly to get that phone call today (and yesterday and the day before that...) I had such HIGH hopes that TODAY was the day. Now that I know it is not, I am sad and discouraged. I do trust in God's timing, but I sure don't understand it. And it is very easy to start questioning, "Is it something I have done wrong? Is He mad at me? Has He forgotten me?" I know He hasn't, but I cannot lie and say those questions never run through my mind. Anyway, I felt a bit like a fraud earlier sounding so upbeat. I am not. I have cried minimally today but my heart is crying big teardrops. Please continue to pray for PGN. Not even specifically for our case, though we are praying for that daily. Just for the director and the staff. Several people from the boards have mentioned getting "kicked out" for missing documents that weren't missing UNTIL they entered PGN. So there is a setback for something they aren't even responsible for. And very few cases are being released right now. I understand checking paperwork for safety reason. I just also know that there are a lot of children waiting to go to homes with waiting parents. One last note...please pray for my sweet friend Cole. He is not feeling well and is supposed to be traveling this week to Disney World. |
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