Thursday, September 29, 2011

Home again!

Court day...with a few borrowed clothes and a few new ones. Thanks Loomans!

The Looman family...amazing people

The intense football game Paul and Tim had with the boys


The munchies

Counting down the days until we are home with them for good...17

We made it home safe and sound this morning at about 2:30am. Another 8 airplane/10airport trip without any hiccups, just sore, tired bodies. Thanks again to God for His grace.We are so happy to see Seth and Grace but now more than ever feeling like part of the family is missing. I will be climbing back on the airplane with my mom this time on Wednesday to return for the trip to bring them home for good:). Our last visit with them was the best yet. They both recognized us from the first trip and their little faces and personalities came more alive with each visit.

Our luggage still has not arrived where is should be...last reported in Uzbekistan...but we survived in the same pair of clothes all week and God made sure everything we absolutely had to have was with us in our carry on bags so it all worked out. Thanks again for all your prayers and please keep them coming for all of us. Seth was very sad tonight when he realized I had to go again next week....we are all ready to be done...

One final comment...I love America....
if we only remembered the blessing we live under...

Monday, September 26, 2011

Introducing....


Introducing...
Faith Elaine Van Dyke!!!
              &
Asher Paul Van Dyke!!!

Court went great...actually enjoyable....and we passed with
flying colors. Thank you all for your prayers, we felt them and needed them. They may have kept me from losing my breakfast in front of the judge. We are headed home in the morning. I am sorry for the bad pictures with the heads cut off but this was the best I could do without my computer and without a camera to get you some pictures of their cute little faces. Can't wait to be home with them!

Friday, September 23, 2011

Well...we are here anyway

Things havn't turned out quite like we hoped today but we are here...minus our luggage. Sounds like it would be a miracle for it to show up before we leave next week...so if you would please pray for that miracle, we would appreciate it...tomorrow would be a nice day for it to arrive. We have the clothes on our back right this minute. God is still faithful and we have all the important documents and paperwork we need for court and the computer which wasn't working until a bit ago. Still having some issues (and the camera is in the luggage) so not sure how the posts will be this time but we will do our best. We know this will all be funny soon:). Thank you all for your prayers for our family. We get to see those cute little faces in the morning...can't wait...they won't care if were in the same clothes all week;)!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Getting Ready!


 We head out for the second trip a week from today! We have spent this time between trips preparing for the arrival of Asher and Faith. Learning a bit more Russian (I've got "I love you" down now, thanks Anna), putting cribs up, getting extra dressers, digging out the smaller clothes, getting the rooms ready. This part seems to have helped make it all much more real for Seth and Grace. They spent literal hours this week playing, "Going to Russia' with Paul and I's suitcases. They would pass by me with an enthusiastic wave and a, "Bye Mom! We are going to Russia to get Asher and Faith!".




We fly out on Sep. 21st. Our court date is on Tuesday, September 27th. While you all are sleeping on Monday night (Sept 26th), we will be in court. So if the Lord wakes any of you from your sleep that night, pray for us! Please pray that all paperwork is acceptable and that God grants us favor with the judge and we pass court with flying colors. We would also appreciate your prayers for all 4 kids again for comfort and peace during all the seperations and transition. Also, that the many plane rides and travel would all go smooth. Thank you!























Monday, September 12, 2011

Reflection...

We were on our way back from visiting our kids at the orphanage. If I remember right it was our last visit. Of course after each visit there was 3 very silent hours of driving back to ponder, pray, think, worry, pray some more, and praise. The mixed company didn't allow for any real open discussion between Paul and I on the drive...that had to wait until we were back to the hotel. This particular day we were sharing the ipod headphones (one in his ear, one in mine) listening to the new Matthew West cd my friend let me borrow before we left. The weight of the whole situation seemed especially intense to me on the trip home that day. I was dieing to know what my husband was thinking too. My mind began to play through the "what if" scenarios of the journey..."what if it really is as hard as I know it could be?"...

About that time one of Matthew West's songs came on.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SDwZL5zGL8 ...I hadn't heard it before, but God used it to snap me out of my self-focused fear and anxiety and alter my perspective. Again for the millionth time, "Could I trust Him?", "Did I remember that it isn't about me?", "Hadn't He already shown Himself to have a plan bigger than I could have imagined?", "Did I remember what great lengths he went to to redeem me?", "Couldn't He do that with these two precious little lives as well?" As I listened to the words of the song and the Lord began to speak, Paul turned his head to look at me...we held each other's gaze just long enough to share a million unspoken thoughts...and with just a look, I knew God was speaking to him too.
And so... our prayer is that "two broken hearts in the world tonight" would be healed...not because they join our family, but because they come to know the healing power of a relationship with Jesus Christ who indeed has gone to great lengths to redeem us.

Waiting desperately to get my arms back around those precious babies...