I (Chris) keep re-reading Psalm 40...
Verse one:"I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry."
Verse four: "Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust..."
Verse thirteen: "Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me!" and Verse seventeen: As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!"
I miss my girls...I can't wait till they can come HOME. During the day it's not as bad because I keep myself so busy...but at night when I'm getting ready for bed- that's when it hits you all over again. Consequently I never really get to bed till after 12:30...or sometimes 2. Missing Lindsey is like an ache in my heart that never quite lets up. We were made to be together, so this being apart stuff is rough.
I cannot possibly tell you how proud I am of Lindsey and her ability to manage life in Guatemala! She is taking excellent care of our baby girl without Target right up the street! (When she needs groceries she pushes the stroller to the market, loads up the stroller underneath or hangs bags off the handle and pushes it home!) Lindsey is such a good MOM! She's constantly teaching Eliana and playing silly games with her and investing in her! I jokingly tell Linds that when she gets home I'll take care of Eliana till she's 16 to make up for all her parenting alone right now!
Please pray for comfort for my precious wife. We miss each other so bad and as much as we're grateful for this time Lindsey's had to spend with Eliana in Guatemala, we're really ready for them to come home!
We're still in RENAP (the office recently created that issues Birth Certificates). Please pray we get out of RENAP this week! We have been in for over 3 weeks and got kicked out this week. (A "kick-out" is like standing in line, getting to the front and being told you have to go the back of the line and try again.) No one knows exactly when they'll look at our file again...so we're waiting and praying that it's soon.
Pray also for Eliana's cough. She still has this same croupy-wheezy cough that her little body can't kick (though she's been on medicine for several weeks).
Lindsey and I are both more dependent on the LORD than we've ever been in our lives. Or to rephrase that, we're both now so keenly aware of just how dependent we've always been.
Thanks for all your prayers and encouragements- they mean so much to us!
Grace and Peace
-Chris
P.S. Polly Esther (our Pomeranian) says Hi... she so wishes she could type.
20 comments:
Hold on to the promised that "He will NOT be late". The waiting is the hardest part, but victory is at hand. God has heard your cries and answered your prayers, your just waiting for the manifestation of it. Earthly time is different than heavenly time. He will carry you through this. Blessings, Susie
I am praying for your family. I know how difficult it is to be apart from your family.
God is faithful and His timing is perfect. I am relying on that myself!!
Debbie
Um, yeah, I don't know why it has taken me so long to "get" your dog's name -- Polly Esther, polyester. Hilarious. I just now got it!
Praying for you guys to get home sooooooooooon!!!!
A fellow Guatemala mom (and OBU alum) --
Valerie
Chris, I am not even sure what to say...except that I am continually praying for the three of you!! I cannot imagine how hard this is for you and Linds to be apart. I love you guys so much and am trusting that you will get out of this stage soon and get Sweet Girl home!!!
Your love for each other is a blessing to all us blogees. Thanks for being open with the yuck of the situation. I know it sucks. I also know that Russ and I's marriage hasn't been the same since our process in Guate. The Lord knit us together in a stronger way than we'd been before and I'm so grateful for it. The Lord knows the date your girls will come home and until then He is faithful to complete a work in your family that can only be done in this way.
You guys are awesome, it's such a blessing to be alongside you in this journey!
I am praying for you guys!!!! This process is soooo hard. And as much as I want to get out Renap ourselves, I want it first for you guys. Being separated until it happens must be so difficult. I am so proud of you Lindsey for being down there with her. And I can't wait to hear you got your birth certificate!!!
Kelly Griffey
I wonder if they can put Eliana on Albuterol breathing treatments?
Chris,
I am so grateful for where you are going for your comfort! Eliana is so blessed to have such a godly
Daddy who knows where to go in the midst of his pain. You have no idea
how much that part of who you are will bless her throughout her lifetime! You are giving her a heritage of faith which is priceless!
We prayed for the Lord to turn the
"kings heart" to complete the
Renap process suddenly.
Dad and I are praying for all 3 of you!
Love Mom
Chris,
Your devotion to both the Lord and your girls is inspirational!!!
Praying your girls will be home soon!!
I will be in Antigua next week. If Lindsey needs anything from the States please have her email me
velbanc*aol.com
You have my prayers-all of you! You both are an amazing testimony of Jesus!
God bless you guys!!!
Chris,
Thank you for sharing your heart. In some ways we should all want to be where Lindsey is...less earthly distractions and more dependence on our creator. On the other hand it is more difficult to be away from home and learning to be a new mom at the same time. These are moments that most parents get to experience together. Hang in there! God will give you all the strength that you need to make it through this.
Also our son had a very croupy cough when we came to pick him up. The foster mother said he had a little cold and we thought that he had something worse. He was on breathing treatments for all most a year after he came home. He is so much better now. I really think that they live in such a moldy climate that this is something that many of the babies are treated for once they are home.
the victory is already won!! God already knows the exact date and time your girls will be with you again. i think you've got the right idea to embrace all that God is teaching you through this waiting period. I'm praying for you all.
I just love the way you write about Lindsey, and Eliana. It just touches my heart!!
God will get Eliana home! Hopefully she will get out of RENAP and home to her Daddy and puppy VERY soon! We just now got THE CALL that Ella, our sweet baby girl, is out if PGN! So, I know how you feel and I will be praying that both of our girls are home to the USA very soon!
Chris-
I totally understand what it feels like to be without your spouse. Those times when Matt is on the road a lot- whew! (and we've had a lot of those times lately) You're so right, it definitely hits at night when there aren't those distractions.
I will say though from personal experience that being apart from each other is a really good thing. It deepens your love and appreciation for each other, and it makes you that much more thankful. That makes it worthwhile. Fun to see you tonite! ;)
By the way, Eliana's symptoms do sound really similar to asthma- Nyah had a lot of sick/respiratory issues until we discovered that she had a slight case of asthma...something you may want to look into. If so, something as simple as breathing treatments help tremendously. I know exactly what that croupy cough is like...its so hard to hear it, especially at night- I'm sure that's been wearing on Lindsay.
Our prayers and thoughts are with you guys...
xoxoxoxo!!
the Stanfields
I do hope you get good news soon...my heart aches for you both. After just a few days away from my husband, I miss him like crazy, so I cannot imagine. I am so very proud/impressed with her staying in Guatemala on her own to be with your daughter. Oh, our son from Guatemala had a chronic cough when he came home. We tried everything. The doctors stopped just short of saying he had asthma. We started doing a small dose of Benadryl (we tried Claritin and he had a bad reaction) with the doctor's recommended dose every night coupled with two puffs of inhaler (via the doctor's prescription) each morning and night. HUGE difference. Hope Eliana's will clear up once she is home too.
Reba
Hi Lindsay & Chris, We met you in Guatemala in June at the Grand Tikal and hope to hear from you soon. We think about you often and love reading your blog. You are always in our prayers! Hope to hear from you soon.
Matt & Stacey
www.littleprincessameera.blogspot.com
I can't imagine how hard this is on you both. Sorry you got sent back to the end of the line.
Praying you are all together forever soon. Get some rest---you're going to need it.
Hey Chris,
I'm glad Amy and I ran into you guys tonight b/c it reminded me to keep praying for you and Lindsay, and Eliana (as well as Polly Esther of course- oh my gosh, I just got her name...lol...). Anyways, know that we're praying for you guys and I can't wait to meet the little one one day soon! :)
-Mel
Lindsay is an amazing mom but Chris, you are an AMAZING daddy and faithful follower of an amazing and perfect Lord! Hang on to those verses and know HIS timing is perfect.
Now I can close without saying....Polly Esther! OMG what a cutie and AAAH-DORABLE name! Give her a beso from me and Bella!
praying for you to get through that line! our God is a God of miracles, and i'm praying He will bring your family back together!
blessings,
sarah [[and mark]]
[[adopting from ethiopia]]
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