Jaline (friend) Marie Line
I’m sure it comes as no surprise to those of you following our adoption story that we have decided to adopt Jaline’s sister, Marie Line (MARE-A-LEEN) as well. After my trip to Haiti, it didn’t seem like taking one without the other was an option. Emotionally raw from that experience, it wasn’t should we, it was how can we make it happen?
Funny thing how God let’s you go through something, almost as if you are watching a scene from a movie where the movement has intentionally slowed. That’s how I felt, as if things were happening in slow motion. When we returned from Haiti, Todd and I were a mess.
As both Todd and I recounted our visits to you, you will remember how difficult it was for us to see her sister at the orphanage in Barbencourt. Though I had heard stories through Todd, nothing compared to experiencing it with all of my senses. The sounds, the smells, the touch and the sights I couldn't erase from my memory. If you remember back in the Fall when Jaline entered our lives, we were aware of her sister, but processing one adoption filled my plate. Two girls? Not a chance.
Until I met her. That was enough.
When we returned to our modest house in Michigan, I found myself looking in my garage, noticing that it was larger than the homes our team painted in Leveque. Each home we painted had two small bedrooms, and a larger main room. That's it. Three rooms for one family. With that comparison, my garage seemed huge, despite the plethora of sports equipment, and my sense of “normal” began to change.
There were these unspoken thoughts going on between Todd and me upon returning. We both knew what the other one was thinking, but nothing was said to each other or anyone else for that matter. Processing it all still seemed a bit confusing. Todd did a check on what the added expenses would be to adopt another child and the expenses were just shy of double. No 2 for 1 deal here! So many friends and family have been so generous with donations, how could we expect more? No doubt the answer came soon after I happened upon a blog from another family of five who adopted a little girl from Ethiopia. I was stuck by something the dad posted. At the beginning of the excerpt, the dad is quoting author Rick Warren, then the dad responds.
"God doesn't owe you an explanation or reason for everything he asks you to do. Understanding can wait, but obedience will teach you more about God than a lifetime of Bible discussion. In fact, you will never understand some commands until you obey them first. Obedience unlocks understanding." (Warren) So remember, we are not amazing or extraordinary. I would just say that we are obedient when it comes to some things, like increasing our family; ultimately seeking to be obedient in all things. You too have something today that God has you to do, it's called purpose. It's called the Holy Spirit living within you, which was promised and delivered according to His work. Go forth in the spirit's power.
That was exactly what I needed to hear. God was asking us to trust and move ahead without understanding the details, but still, a sign, Lord...just a teeny sign?
Then, that movie scene in slow-motion suddenly accelerates and before you can take it in you’re wondering, “what is happening?”
On Wednesday April 20th, 5 days after we returned from Haiti, a check arrived in our mailbox. Wrapped around a $1000 check were the words, "The Truth Is...I want you to bring Marie Line home more than I could want anything for myself." This out of the blue gift was from a dear friend of ours who has been a tremendous support for both of us since the beginning of our adoption journey.
On Friday the 22nd, I received a message via facebook from a friend that I have not spoken to in over a year. She inquired on our adoption expenses and what our status was on donations. I replied. She responded, "I made out a check to Lifesong for $2000 yesterday before I talked with you because God had placed Marie Line on my heart." She had no idea we were thinking of adopting her as well.
On Thursday the 28th a friend handed me an envelope and told me to open it when I got home. The front of the envelope said, "We have no idea what God has in store for your family or the future of Marie Line. Please take this and use it for whatever needs you have for the adoption." There was $1000 in cash inside.
That same evening, Todd told me that someone had offered to cover Marie Line's expenses if we chose to move her to the creche that Jaline is in right now. Yearly expenses for her care is $3000.
I think God got our attention, but because admittedly we are slow, he topped it off with one more. We got a call from Lifesong that we qualified for an additional grant for Marie Line. They deposited $3000 into our account.
Absolutely incredible! $10,000! In just over a week, a deluge of God’s provision flooded us. There was nothing to think about. He had made it clear. We were adopting sisters. Two at once.
I remember going to my ultra sound appointment with all three of my pregnancies. My silent prayer was, "Lord I know and you know that I am NOT the mother of twins!" I was always relieved when there was only one heart beat. But in thinking about Marie Line, the thought of adding two to our family didn't frighten me like the idea of twin babies. In a sense, it is like having twins - two come at once. Though Marie Line is 6 and Jaline is 4, it will still feel like twins. And with all the changes they will face how great is it that they will have each other to experience them together. Because when I look back on own my life, my sisters and my cousin Marsha (my fourth sister) are really the only ones who know my whole history and my story from beginning to end. They laugh at things that no one else understands. They have cried with me. They tolerate my irritating personality traits. And they have repeatedly offered me limitless forgiveness. The familial bond is woven into our family through experiences. We all come with our own unique stories. Likewise, Jaline and Marie Line have their own stories but now their stories will become part of our family’s story.
On May 4th Todd and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. Who knew standing at the altar, that we would be ushering in our 20 years of marriage with two little girls from Haiti, making us the parents of five children!! I always wanted to be a mom and remember praying that it would not be difficult to start a family. If I only knew then what I know now....
In my previous post I had mentioned that Marie Line had asked for my bracelet and I had indeed placed it on her ankle. For mother's day, Todd went to buy me another one to replace it. The word on my charm that I had given Marie Line was "grow". By no coincidence, he found instead a charm that said "sisters". How apropos!
