How Elizabeth came Home: 1

Going back a month, I'm going to pick up the story and try to fill you in on some of the details of exactly how God made a way for Elizabeth to journey to the US and her family (that's us!!!). Here we go . . . .

Where we last left off the details, we were praying and holding on with every ounce of faith, waiting for God to come through in the last minutes and supply the document we had to have in time to travel to Latvia and get back in time for the first day of school. Well, 5 pm came and went. And I cried. Then we had to Skype our daughter. It was honestly the hardest phone call I have ever had to make, and I hope it always is. Elizabeth was so brave, but I could hear in her voice the heartache cracking.

We waited a week. Nothing. We continued to call our congressmen and federal numbers sifted from google. Nothing. God and I had some candid honest conversations. A few were raw. I began to wonder if I had misunderstood something along the way. . . .

Then we heard from our lawyer in Latvia. If Elizabeth is not out of the country before September 1st, she will have to attend school in Latvia. Game Over. So we prayed. And trusted. And didn't know for sure anymore exactly what God intended.

Then, we got a phone call. The paper was coming. And then it didn't. We waited, and  3 days later, we had what we needed! I picked up the paper and was at the airport 28 hours later! So thankful, so in awe of God's ways and the mountains He moved for us.



And it didn't stop with the documents! He orchestrated every detail and every step before us. I'll share what happened on the trip next time . . .

Elizabeth is Home!

The Davises are Happy to Announce

the addition of our 3rd child and oldest daughter

Elizabeth

to our family!

Elizabeth and I returned home together on August 31st, 2011. We promptly drove 6 hours to the beach. And she LOVED it! Watching both our oldest and youngest girls experience the waves for the first time was a sweet blessing. Jacqueline turned 2 while we were there.

She began school last Tuesday, to today we've made it one week! She is doing great, and Rob and I feel like we're in high school again ourselves with the homework sessions :) Thank you, Mrs. Jones for all the Algebra problems. They are giving us a great opportunity to bond and parent Elizabeth. And thank you, Mr. Brock, for teaching me well enough that I can remember how to graph a function 10 year out of high school!

Remember the last post? Well, God's perfect timing was about 4 weeks after mine, and He truly made a way where there was none. Elizabeth is from Latvia, is in the U.S. on a student visa, and we are her legal guardians until she turns 18. However, legal details aside, she is our daughter, sister of our children, and we will be the grandparents of her children whenever God blesses her with them. Time is short as we're adjusting to the daily school run, homework, etc along with our preschool home mentality but it is all going really well. I will write more soon about the details of our trip.

So, for those of you who might be counting, Rob and I are now legal parents to 5 children:  17, 6, 4, 4, and 2. And, now we are only split between 2 continents. Still waiting for document corrections and then travel visa stuff for our DRC daughter and son. Thank you for your prayers!

Praying . . .

Our God is so good

He changed this sweet girl's heart

He gave our girl a desire to live in America and in our family

He has prepared the way, day by day, since January

On Sunday, I'll get on a plane. With a form required by the embassy. A form that she has to have to be allowed into this country. A form I don't have yet.

Today, I overheard Anthony "reading" aloud from his Bible.

"God is always there, because God never leaves us."

he is learning, as I am learning.

Would you pray with us? Fervently?

for SEVIS to complete what is needed for our form to be available

for Rob and I to trust in God's promises and character

for our faith to be strengthened

for Jacqueline to be in her biggest sister's arms soon

At home with the Davises . . .

We're making room for more Davises!

Sure, sleeping in a laundry basket is comfy for a nap

But sometimes, even a small child needs their own bed.

So, we've been passing the waiting time by preparing for our three new arrivals.

All four of the youngest Davises (5,4,3,and 1 for a little while longer) are going to share a room classically labeled as "bonus" and positioned over the garage (Daddy has quickly adapted to not opening the garage door during naptime but rather *gasp* entering our home through the previously neglected front door)

Davises 4 and 1 have already moved in, and have given their new domain a hearty approval!

 Two sets of bunk beds, all the toys, and bright colors (courtesy of IKEA and Fisher Price designers) have won them over.

All that's left is painting a dresser, hanging a curtain in front of the closet, and anchoring the swing to the ceiling. Yes, I said the swing. Not joking. Really!

We had to pause on those details, though. We had another room to do!

Daddy took apart the crib. Jacqueline and Mommy watched, each shedding a tear. The end of an era . . . at least for a while . . .

And then, we got busy. Our oldest daughter needs a room!

And now she has one! I had a lot of fun imaging her dancing in front of the mirror headboard, and remembering sitting at the vanity when I was 17 . . . I hope she likes it!

Now, to pick up all the spare pieces littering OUR room :) 

I hate to leave a messy bedroom behind when I travel . . .

and I might be traveling to Latvia soon :)

Please keep praying for God to move hearts, bureaucracies, and time lines for Liza. Her first day of classes at Covenant Christian Academy is August 5th! I have faith that He will get her here on time!!

Saved . . .

Thank God for technology! We get to talk to our oldest daughter every week or so on Skype. Hear her voice, practice her English, joke together, and share details of daily life. And we get to pray over her. Our dear Liza always  asks for us to pray with her at the end of our calls. What does she ask for prayer for? Not her, not her friends, not her schoolwork. She always asks for her brother and sister in DRC. And for Anthony and Jacqueline, and us. And sometimes, when she is feeling bold, or just a little bit more lonely, for her to be home with us soon. I love her heart.

A few weeks ago, she wrote me a message. Checking in, on her family, on her siblings. And do you know what she asked about her newest brother and sister?

"How are they? Are they saved yet????"

Her exact words. Are they saved yet. Not are they safe, or are they home, but are they saved yet. Wow, her words I immediately snatched up and tucked away in my heart to ponder.

You see, my Liza knows much more than I. Like them, she has lost a parent to death at a young age. Like them, she has been abandoned by her other parent at a young age. I grieve over their losses and pain, Liza knows it. And Liza chose the word:  saved.

As a white, American adoptive mother, I would be shy of using that word. Who am I, many will ask, to "save" a child from their culture, from Africa, from their race. Selfish, naive, deluded? Who am I, to inflict on these children another loss, when I could fund their meals and electricity until 18. Sometimes, I might be tempted to listen. To doubt my own motives . . .

But then I hear Liza's perspective. The "many" have not experienced my children's circumstances. She has. So I'll hold on to this gift of wisdom from my oldest daughter, as I hold on to this gift of purpose from my God, who planted these three in my heart as He has planted two before in my womb.

And I'll answer her, "Yes, Liza. God has saved them, and we'll all be home together. Soon"

Then Job replied: 

"How you have helped the powerless!

How you have saved the arm that is feeble!

What advice you have offered to one without wisdom!

And what great insight you have displayed!"

Job 26:1-3

A Visit with Liza

Yesterday, some dear friends who are on a short-term mission in Latvia, went to visit Liza and meet her foster family. Thank God for these men who took time from their other work to minister love and connection to our dear girl. Just seeing you there, in her (for now) home, makes me feel so much closer to her.



Kevin, Sandis, Ventis, Craig
Liza, Inna

 We are also thankful beyond words for Inna and Ventis, Liza's foster parents. They are parents to 4 biological children and have also raised 6 foster children. They are supporting and encouraging Liza to choose the opportunity God is offering her to come to our family and pursue a college degree from a U.S. university. We count them as our biggest advocates!

We now have a lawyer in Latvia who is working on Liza's visa case. Pray with us that Liza will be able to travel to us as soon as school is out. There are many questions about whether orphan court will allow her to come on a travel visa for the summer and how that will work transferring to a student visa. And while you are praying, please pray that our school's SEVIS process will speed through all the government bureaucracy.

And if you are interested in more about Craig and Kevin's mission trip in Latvia, follow http://www.thehelffamily.com/ They have an awesome giveaway running through April 6th, too . . .

Grateful, as always, for your prayers!

10 days until Liza comes!

Our lives always seem busiest between Halloween and Christmas. Always.

So many preparations, so much rearranging, all to welcome the season of giving and remembering God's gift of sacrifice personified to us. This year is just the same. Except . . .

We have yet to put up a red or green decoration, anything that jingles or smells of evergreen pine. This year we are busy preparing our home, rearranging our rooms, all to welcome Liza. 10 days until we meet her and I cannot wait to become a small part of the plan I know God has for her life because He has chosen her to spend this sacred season with our family and our church. I love her already, because I know that Jesus loves her immensely!

Now, with 10 days left, we still have to pay $1,650.00 for her travel costs. You can help us by donating here http://www.active.com/donate/Christmas2010/Liza2010.  And she will need clothing and a warm coat. Lip balm and a hair brush. I hope God will provide resources to take her bowling (she mentioned she would like to go bowling in her bio) and do a few other fun things.

If you and your family have a few of these things used, we would truly appreciate them. She does not expect things with tags and most likely has never had new clothing anyway. If you would like to give her a giftcard to somewhere like Walmart or Target where she could pick out a few things for herself, she has probably never been able to shop in a store for herself before. A giftcard would also help her buy presents for her friends and caregivers/teachers to take home with her.

If you don't feel God leading you to give to her in that way, would you please consider sending her a Christmas card? Something to welcome her and encourage her?

Thank you, friends!