Happy Birthday, Mary-Lynn!

Happy 3rd Birthday to our precious baby girl!

 

I wish we were with her to celebrate. I hope she was celebrated at her orphanage (and that they will send us pictures soon)! We sent her a birthday box, but it was returned saying "unclaimed." Our agency has e-mailed to see if we need a different address. So hoping they will e-mail soon with that information (and updated pictures)!

 

 Here is what the box looked like after a 8,000+ mile trip, customs, and back another 8,000+ miles.

This was all that was left of the bag of suckers I sent (You're welcome customs! ***insert eye roll***) America's customs did the same thing to my sister's exchange student (now my Belgian niece) when her mom sent her a box. : /

 

 

 

 

Yesterday I spent the morning making my Nanny's Strawberry Cake recipe for Mary-Lynn's birthday.

 

Nanny gave me one of her cake holders a few years back with her name written on it. I loved using her cake recipe and cake holder for Mary-Lynn's birthday cake because she is named after Nanny...Mary-Lynn Sharles Green. You can read about her name HERE.

 

The boys all helped me out too!

 

 

Today after lunch, we made a video to show her when she gets home. She will always know she was not forgotten by us on her birthday and she is SO loved!!

 

 

We are praying by God's intervention our next hearing is moved up. We are also praying that 3rd time is a charm and we pass that hearing. Please continue to pray along with us!!

 

 

 



Court #2 Update

We had our 2nd hearing last night.
And we have a 3rd hearing scheduled for July 30 :(

The courts are closed for the month of June.

 

 

I'm in awe of God though, y'all! He prepared me. I had a devotional yesterday and then again this morning all about disappointment. God is good! He's in control!
And He loves us and our daughter!  

 

I read this last night...

"When we allow endurance to strengthen our hope, freedom becomes the song of our hearts. It's ok to feel disappointed - we all walk through it at one point or other, but even in the midst of it, His love comes in and puts to rest all the lies we may have began believing because of our circumstances. He calls our hearts to life and gives us strength and grace to trust Him in the unknown. Because of who He is and who we know Him to be, we can laugh at the days to come knowing we don't have to strive for what He has already done. With hope, we lay the battle at His feet and rejoice in the One who's already won... 'yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior' Habakkuk 3:18. Habakkuk's feelings were not controlled by the events around him but by faith in God's ability to give him strength. When nothing makes sense, and when troubles seem more than you can bear, remember that God gives strength. Take your eyes off your difficulties and look to God."

 

This morning I read this...

 

God prepared me for the disappointment of not passing court for the 2nd time, for the 3rd date being 2 months and 2 1/2 weeks away! We are at peace. Of course, we wish she was already here. We have already missed so much with her and she's growing and getting older without us. But we know God is in control.

 

 

 

 

 

We are finishing up our first year of homeschooling! Next week we are taking a "field trip" to the beach!! Perks of homeschool! School can't be as bad when it is done at the beach, right!? And Happy Mother's Day to me...Beach therapy!! :)

 

 

And just because, how cute is this!?

 

Please continue to pray that Mary-Lynn will be home with us soon!!

 

This song has been my anthem lately...