We have tickets!

We just purchased Phil's ticket to go to Congo to get Mark Joseph. Phil will leave August 27th and be back on September 9th. We are busy getting all the paperwork ready and preparations done for him to go!

We have the huge blessing of knowing the other adoptive family, the Wilmarth's. We met Gabe and Josie Wilmarth about 14 years ago at the first Bible Study we ever attended at Grace Community. They moved up to N. CA a few years before us and attend a local church that has become like a sister church to us. In March they decided they wanted to adopt the twins that had just arrived at the orphanage. We were overjoyed to be able to share this experience with them. Now they actually get to travel together, with Phil to Lubumbashi to get their children!

Right now Pastor Didier has taken Mark and the twins to the capitol of Kinshasa. They needed to go there to get passports and to go to the Embassy for their Visa appointments. It would be like us traveling to Texas to get a passport. But it was the only way.

They have Embassy appointments August 18th and 22nd to turn in all the required documents for the Visas. We are so thankful to Pastor Didier, he is doing all of this for us so that we don't have to spend so much time in country.

Pastor Didier is such a faithful, hardworking, committed man. He is so dedicated to getting these children adopted that he never stops. Right now he has malaria, typhoid, and an ulcer. Please pray for him. Pray that he gets better and has the strength to endure.

We recently got Mark's passport picture. It was the first clear picture we have seen of him. (There is nothing on his chin, just a dirty lens.)

So the long awaited day is finally coming. We see the light at the end.

And yet, it is all just beginning... :)

Adoption (part 2)

More details on the adoption and our experience...

Last June 2010 a native pastor from Congo (aka DRC) came to share with our church. He was (probably) one of few "black" people to ever walk through our doors.

His accent was thick.

He was hard to understand.

He spoke for only 15 minutes.

It was riveting!

It was life-changing.

He spoke of the despair and devastation in his country. He came to ask for help to build a well. They had to walk 4 miles (one way) to fill their water jugs...every single day! And we complain because ours isn't purified?!

The life expectancy is 45 in DRC.

They do not have more than one meal a day.

Babies are discarded on the side of the road.

Life is bare and hard. But this mans hope is not in this world. His hope is in the Lord. He lives each day for the hope of glory!

His name is Didier Mutkoshi. He is a pastor of 2 churches, father of 6, and has opened his heart to orphans. When he came to visit our church he asked for help with the well because it was necessary to have it to open the orphanage (by January 1, 2011).

I knew I could take a baby from the other side of the world, give love, home, family, care... the Gospel. I knew this was not beyond our physical and emotional capabilities. But I did not know how.

We started the process of a "Independent International Adoption." It took tons of time, research, reading, questioning... to understand what that is and how we were going to do it. There were only about 10 adoptions in the DRC in 2009.total.

Our goal was to have the American homestudy process done by January 1, so we could take the first baby available. We did! We had all the piles of paper and requirements ready. We had prayed about age, sex, number of children to take... We felt a boy, under two would be best for our family.

So we waited. First a little girl came to the orphanage, then another girl, then twins! (boy and girl). Praise the Lord that almost immediately these four children were wanted, spoken for, and loved! They were being adopted! (By two families in a local church!)

On May 23, Pastor Didier wrote and said, "There is a baby boy who was abandoned at the hospital. Do you want him?"

**It was the email we had been waiting for, praying for! Do we want him? We had wanted him before he was even born! YES!**

His mother went to the hospital to deliver him. Then, later fled. This is common in DRC. When we told the girls the story about the baby Ella said, "I would never leave my baby!" It was a great opportunity to explain a little about the desperation of life in DRC.

His mother loved him enough to have him at a hospital, where he would have the best care, and food. Things that she could not give him. She did not leave him where he may, or may not be found. She wanted him to survive! I am thankful I can share this with Mark someday.

The Lord blessed greatly. We were able to name him on his original birth certificate he is Waleza Joseph LAYTON. He will never have another name, he will never have another father, he will never know another family.

He was taken by Pastor Didier and his wife Annie into their home. She told Didier to assure me that, "she would love and care for him as if he were her own, until he is in my arms". He will never know unloving arms. We know where he has been every.day.of.his.life. What a blessing!




Pastor Didier, Annie, and Mark

The children at the orphanage. Pray for Zephanie (4) on left that God will bring a family for her.

Our prayer requests:
-Pray for Stuart who is in DRC right now getting his two little girls (liveoakhome.blogspot.com)

-Pray that they will be able to get the passports and required docs to apply for Mark's visa.

-Pray for the health and strength of Pastor Didier, he is battling malaria right now.

-Pray that Phil would be able to travel with the Wilmarth's (parent's of the twins) to DRC.

Adoption part 1

What is adoption? Why do people adopt? Should we adopt? These are just a few questions that most people would answer differently.

Phil and I have thought, prayed and struggled through these questions, coming to the conclusion that just as our adoption in Christ was with great sacrifice, so we too can have a earthly glimpse of the Father's love through a physical adoption. Why would we deny opening our hearts and home to another blessing?

We all want blessings, right? Should blessings only come in pretty, little packages? Or do they also come with sweat, tears, and sacrifice?

A earthly adoption is a sacrifice... time, money, fear, tears, unknown... Was not Christ's sacrifice on the cross SO MUCH more?

It's hard to put ourselves in a vulnerable place. Which basically means, "Do I really trust God, like I say I do?" With all the children God has given, I constantly have to remind myself, these little people are not mine! They are God's, I am just responsible to raise, train, and care for them. Is it any different with a child I have never met before? This little one with no future, no home, no father... is still His.

I want him. I want to know him. I want to hold him. I want to stroke his soft checks. I want to love him.

This is our son... MARK JOSEPH WALEZA LAYTON

We don't know him, but we love him.
We can't touch him, but he has touched our hearts.

In God's sovereign plan He did what only He can do, before there was time, earth, or life, He ordained this child to be one of our own.

WE ARE SO BLESSED!

Forever

I know it's been so long since I've written. This was supposed to be for the benefit of my children. To document and remember their lives. Oh well, I can only do so much! I don't even think I have taken a picture of them since Christmas.
Speaking of which, we had ALL the Laytons with us for almost two weeks. It took me almost two weeks to recover! You can tell by the picture, they are a crazy bunch! It was a great time. Lots of laughing, games, food, kids, stories! It will be a Christmas we will always cherish.

Now we are back in the swing of things, well after our post-Christmas/winter break, break. We took a trip down to So. CA. Phil and I attended a conference at The Master's College, and my mom took the kids. Best three days ever (well, you know, without kids). Then Phil and I drove down to San Diego to join them. We even took a trip to the Wild Animal Park, which I did not have a camera for. :0 But, it was a most beautiful day and a great visit with my mom and step dad.

Ella Mae

Yes she is 7 going on 8, but it often feels like 18. She wants to be so grown-up and since she is the oldest it is hard to remember that she is only 7! She still draws a hundred pictures a week (which amazingly disappear in the recycling bin) and she writes lots of stories. But she would say her favorite subject is Science because she loves science experiments. We have a kind lady from church who comes over every week and teaches her a sewing lesson. It is such a blessing to me and so fun for her.

Annalee Joy

She loves her new glasses. She has become a great reader and will be our child who probably hides a flashlight in her bed so she can read all night. Her favorite subject she says is "Math". I think it's because I let her have a recess after it. It is fun to have her and Ella learning together at home. Today she asked if she could wear her uniform (from Kindergarten). She has started to draw a lot and write "stories". She is my best babysitter and always loves to play with Adam.

Georgia Grace

Her name fits her so well. She is so fun. Always laughing and making others laugh. She is in pre-school and loving it. She tells the other girls she gets to go to "real school". I guess she doesn't think homeschool is real school. She loves going to Cubbies. Her favorite song is "Jesus Loves Me" which she asks Phil to sing every night at devotions. Her favorite past-time is annoying her brother and making him scream, for some reason she finds much excitement in this even though she doesn't like the consequences she receives from it.

Adam Timothy

Yes, 730 days have passed since his arrival into our lives!! It has gone so fast, and has been so fun. He is loving his trains and cars. Which Phil is really glad that he has some "boy toys". He is fun to be around, but he is also 2 which = lots of work! He loves helping in the kitchen and often pushes the stool over to the blender (for a smoothie) or the mixer and points at it which basically means lets make cookies!

Adam turned 2!

I need to update this blog, as usual!! But just wanted to send this little video. Adam had a fun and uneventful second birthday!

Sun Protective Wear - giveaway

I am entering this giveaway, and said I would post it to my blog, so, here it is! http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/07/20/natural-sunscreen-review-do-mineral-based-sunblocks-work-2/

Ella Mae

Ella - is 7-and-a-half (as she would say). Is ending first grade, and can't wait for summer vacation (me too). It has been trial and joy teaching her this year. It's so fun to see her learning (and retaining), and to be apart of her life on a daily basis. She is by far the most creative being I have ever been around. Just today I told someone that she is so creative that she ends up destroying almost everything, because she has big plans to turn it into something else. She is always drawing, painting, outside, bike riding, or asking to sew, plant a garden, or make a kite (all of which I have tons of time for). She usually says that she wants to be a Artist, but today I heard her tell Annalee that she wants to be a dentist. It will be very interesting to watch what she becomes.

"Annie"

Annalee - is about to turn the corner to 6 years old, almost done with Kindergarten, and can read full books. It's pretty amazing how quickly it all goes. She has blossomed this year, and it has been such a blessing to see. She has decided to be a teacher when she grows up. Often after school and on Saturdays she will set up a "class" for Georgia and "teach" her. She even writes letters and words for Georgia to copy and trace. It's pretty cute. She is a big help around the house and is great at playing with Adam.

"G.G."

Georgia Grace - is almost four and I can hardly believe it! She has the brightest spirit and often makes us all laugh. She loves playing princesses, and barbies, but is by far the biggest daredevil on her bike. I think there are actually times that the training wheels are about to fly off. She tells me everyday, and often how much she loves me, and everyone in the family, but to me she says, "Mommy, I love you morester." She has decided that she is going to be a Mermaid when she grows up. Ella said she would sew her a tail to put over her legs made out of waterproof material. Now we just have to get her breathing underwater and it will all be good.

"The Adamnator"

Adam - is officially a year and a half, but has decided to enter, what the world calls, the terrible two's a little earlier than we were expecting! We just call it sin. He is super cute and sweet, but makes it well known when things aren't going his way. He loves to climb (especially the play structure), blow bubbles, and just mainly be outside. He says so many words, LOVES the neighborhood cat Texas, and is the best smoothie maker I have.

Spring 2010

Yes, I realize that Spring is almost over. It has already "sprung". But I still need to catch up on time. If that is possible. The girls have done and said so many things already this year, and Adam is becoming a little man. As you can tell, it's no easy task to take a picture of all four of our darlings!