getting closer

as we get closer to travel time to bring emma lael home i remember God's promise to us...He will provide! we still are fundraising and will continue until we meet our goal for the adoption...God has been very faithful! Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Genesis 22:14 ~ And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”

Matthew 6:32b ~ For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

1 John 5: 14-15 ~ Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petition that we have asked of Him.

Loved and Accepted

Lord, i pray that You would help me to LOVE this child unconditionally the way You do, and enable me to show it in a manner EMMA LAEL can perceive. reveal to me how i can demonstrate and model Your LOVE to EMMA LAEL so that it will be clearly understood. i pray that all my family members and friends will LOVE and accept EMMA LAEL, and may EMMA LAEL find favor with other people as well. with each day that EMMA LAEL grows in the confidence of being LOVED and accepted, as she comes to fully understand the depth of Your LOVE for her, make her a vessel through which Your LOVE flows to others. in Jesus name i pray.

in this love, not that we loved God, but the He loved us and sent Hi son to be the propitiation for our sins. beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 john 4:10-11

the power of a praying parent
by: stormie omartian

adult, teenager, toddler CHANGE

ADULT: according to the world garrett is now an adult because he is 18 years old...to me he's still a 2 year old running around in his underoos ;)...we took garrett to freshman orientation today he'll be there for 3 days...as normal garrett style this isn't a big deal...walked on campus liked he's been there already for 3 years...same thing he did when i took him to mother's morning out when he was 3 he turned to me and said "mom i can walk myself in"
i said "oh no, mommy is taking you in your class on the first day"
he replied "mama i'm a big boy"...somethings never change.

garrett going away to college i honestly didn't think it would be a big deal because he's been away at boarding school since he was a sophomore in high school...it does make it easier that he's so comfortable in his own skin...takes on challenges better than most adults i know...he's a natural leader...goal oriented...dedicated (in certain areas)...with all that said he's still a "KID" dog gone it...how can he really be going to college...if i'm ready or not he's going that's that!

the sisler household is about to change...
* college student (aka adult, yeah right)
* high school student
* 3 year old toddler
i don't honestly think we have any idea how things will change but kent & i are both up for the challenges...being older parents for emma lael hopefully our last 18 years of parenting we'll use some of the same parenting tools... tweek others...learn something new because as you parents well know what you did for one child doesn't mean it will work with another child.

we're waiting for our LOA (letter of acceptance) when we get this document we'll be traveling to china in 8-12 weeks...pray that our LOA comes soon like TOMORROW would be great!

Thank you God for your son Jesus dieing on the cross for my salvation, my children, my husband, my parents, my friends and all those other people you've placed in my path to teach me more about YOU.


Lord, I pray that You will grant me Your peace at all times and under all circumstances, whatever comes. II Thessalonians 3:16

emma wear

emma wear t-shirts are showing up in several states ga, sc, nc, az, mi & beijing china...thank you very much to those of you who have purchased an emma wear t-shirt or tank top.
if you or someone you know may be interested in helping us bring emma lael home please contact me at akgn1234@aol.com
$20.00/shirt all proceeds go towards the adoption of emma lael.
available in childrens, youth, adult sizes...is't emma cute wearing her "emma wear"

payton paintings

this is payton holding emma lael june 2009...payton painted a beautiful picture for emma lael's room a fancy pink girly ladybug if i had to image emma lael as a ladybug this is exactly how she would look...this picture is perfect for emma leal's room.
i had an idea that i wanted a mural painted on emma lael's wall the image is from a chinese pattern quilt i had purchased in december 2009...i knew that payton was coming to ga to visit family and i knew she was a fabulous artist...i asked her if she would like to paint this certain image on emma lael's wall...i told her if you don't no big deal (between you and me i really wanted her to)...she agreed YEAH ;0)...can you say PERFECT... while she was painting it i said it looks "child like" "fun" emma lael could color it... as if it is was a page out of a BIG picture coloring book...thank you payton so very much.
later that day payton tells me she can't accept the check...she's decided to send the money to new day foster home the foster home emma lael is at...my heart melted at her kind gesture...it's a breath of fresh air to have a teenager look beyond themselves and want to help others...payton God is smiling down on you.

our ladybug

reagan

reagan is a child currently at new day foster home in bejing, china...she needs a forever family...you can read about reagan at http://newdayfosterhome.blogspot.com ...it may or may not be you who is interested in adoption but maybe someone you know is...let's come together and help find reagan her forever family...fyi: reagan and emma lael are in the same preschool class together
;0)

father day

garrett & natalie have a wonderful dad...kent is a wonderful father, husband & provider...garrett bought kent 1/2 dozen chocolate donuts for his father day gift... his very favorite...it may not seem like a big deal but around her it is...i rarely buy junk food and in my book donuts are 100% junk ;)...natalie made him a collage card...she also made him a card from emma lael (both posted on blog)...we all went to church then went out to lunch to kent's favorite place georgia shrimp.
we sent emma lael's birthday package this week in her card kent wrote "i can't wait for you to be daddy's little girl"
kent asked me everyday when he comes home from work..."what's did my girl do today?"...as if i have a clue what she's done...i reply she went to school and played with her friends...gotta love a man who loves children...we thank you Lord for the wonderful father you've given garrett, natalie & emma lael.



May the Lord direct your heart into the love of God and into the steadfast and patience of Christ and in waiting for His return. II Thessalonians 3:5

sweet natalie

i'd have to say natalie will be the BEST big sister ever...emma lael is one lucky girl to have natalie as her big sister.

All things work together and are for good for those who love the Lord. Romans 8:28

daddy's girls

natalie made these cards for Father's Day for kent...he LOVED them...natalie is so talented.

emma lael and her foster grandma

how do i begin to thank emma lael's foster grandparents??? that is a constant thought that runs through my mind 24/7...emma lael has been with them since she was 1.5 year old they've nurtured her after her 2nd open heart surgeries...emma lael loves her foster grandparents and they love her very much...the books i've read say that if a child has bonded & attached to someone that they will bond & attach to their adoptive parents also...i thank God in my daily prayers for emma lael's foster grandparents...i get very emotional when i think of the day when we will take her home with us...leaving them forever...that is the start of her life with us a day we look forward to...counting down the days...it will be the end of all she's ever known her entire life...i know her life with us will be great but she can't understand that at 3 years old...how could she ever "get it" she can't nor could we ever expect her to...this is what is so incredibly sad to me...knowing she'll not understand WHY she is leaving everything she's ever known to go with total strangers...i pray and ask God daily to help emma lael know that we are her parents...this i know can only come from God...God i'm really counting on you to comfort emma lael during this traumatic time in her life...i trust God will help emma lael during the transition...meeting her family and leaving the only family she's ever known.
i would like to ask anyone who reads this blog to please pray that emma lael will be accepting of us and allow us to comfort her during the initial transition...i ask that you'd pray that God will prepare kent, natalie, my mom & i for the events to come when we arrive in china...we'll be in china for 2 weeks i know God your every place at all times...time zones no problem for You...God i'll be calling on You quit a bit while in China to give you Praise for this precious little girl we are now calling our daughter, sister, granddaughter, friend, cousin.

"When you look at your life, the greatest happiness’s are family happiness’s." -Joyce Brothers

"WAITING ON GOD REQUIRES THE WILLINGNESS TO BEAR UNCERTAINTY, TO CARRY WITHIN MYSELF THE UNANSWERED QUESTION, LIFTING MY HEART TO GOD ABOUT IT WHENEVER IT INTRUDES UPON MY THOUGHTS." ~ELISABETH ELLIOT

the sunsets are breathtaking in cozumel

cozumel, mexico

garrett, justin, natalie & lynsey enjoying snorkeling the infinity pool on our vacation in beautiful cozumel, mexico.

"But God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if he doesn't come through." (Crazy Love, Francis Chan)

july 5th

emma turns 3 july 5 we're sending her a birthday package...this will be the last birthday without us...new day foster home is great about taking pictures of the children when they receive packages...we will get pictures of her opening her birthday package which is great...we cherish every picture of emma lael and are forever thankful to new day foster home.

emma

more pictures of emma opening her package...karen at new day said she enjoyed looking at the photos of herself more than anything "silly girl"
we're hoping and praying we'll get LOA (letter of acceptance) in the next couple weeks... when we get that document we will travel to china in 8 weeks...we can't wait to bring her home.

emma

emma received her package yesterday that we'd sent to her...this morning i was given a gift of 15 pictures of her opening her package...
i made "emma wear" t-shirts for emma, her foster grandma, karen & carrie employees at new day...don't they look awesome ;)

i read this recently on a blog of another family who is adopting a child from china...i found it very profound and wanted to post it on my blog to share it with you guys.

I think there is no greater calling than to be a mother and that is what God has called me to be. Jean Fleming wrote the following and expresses this calling beautifully:

"Webster's defines "call" as a "divine vocation or strong inner prompting to a particular course of action." In every generation mothers must answer the call to BE what no one else can BE and to DO what no one else can DO for their children. It isn't that mothers can't do many other things, but if they refuse to accept their calling as mother some child ends up short changed. The empty space that mother leaves echoes for generations.

Mothers are neither the cause of all society's ills not the saviors of the nation. But the future of society does depend, in part, on what we do with the children under our care. What calling could be more glorifying to God?

God calls us to bring to our mothering a high level of commitment and a right perspective born out of a clear vision and a Biblical value system. "
Will you answer His call?

emma lael's room

after several months of doing bits and pieces of emma lael room is almost done...i decided to use furniture & items we had and to limit buying new things...i did buy a few items from a local consignment store...it has been so much fun making things work...every piece in her room has a story...i just love that!

*soft celery walls
*cream distressed iron bed...had been natalie's bed since age 5
*pottery barn bedding with matching crib bedding (great consignment find)
*white rocker i was given as a gift when i was pregnant with garrett
*chandelier with light pink & clear crystals (not hung yet job for kent to do this weekend) yes, the chandelier is in the closet how cool is that ;)
*round floral rug (from natalie's room)
*window seat apostles with a soft pastel yellow small corduroy
*sweet blue end table (from natalie's room) a glass lamp with a white oblong shade...ready for bed time stories to be read to emma lael
*book shelf filled with books that have been read hundreds of time to garrett & natalie
*a beautiful handmade quilt drapes over the white rocker made my monique a dear friend of mine
*closet full of clothes most given to emma lael from our friends...thank you so much everyone
*handmade child's rocker made by a co worker of kents in 1992 for garrett
*pictures on the walls are from garrett & natalie's nursery...i can't tell you how many times i've said to myself WHY? am i keeping these things...now i know...two pictures are framed cards i received while pregnant with garrett and natalie
*glass end table next to bed gift from amy hart
*origami Flowers in glass vase made by Hillary our neighbor...one flower stem has a ladybug on it...adorable.
*the decorative painted boarder above the chair rail i'm not sure about yet...it comes from the trim on the hanging quilt...it is hard to see in the pictures but it does tie the quilt into the room nicely...still not sure if i am going to keep it or not.

you may be wondering what about natalie's room????
*she has our bed that we had when we first got married in 1990
*an end table that was my grandmother's that is actually a sewing table very cool piece
*old mahogany mirror from our attic
*her room has gone from kid to young lady with sweet blue walls and dark mahogany furniture

in 5-6 months we will have the most precious 3 year old occupying this room...seems far off but as i reflect back to october 2009 when we began this adoption time has flown by quickly...i look at garrett preparing for college, natalie going to high school...when did they grow up??? i remember when i brought them home from the hospital...i've committed to not rush the days to enjoy them preparing for emma lael to become part of our family... i know emma lael is in a wonderful foster home at new day...she's loved, healthy, happy, nurtured while at new day.... i am trusting God with the months ahead knowing His plan is perfect in every single way...now that doesn't mean i wouldn't jump on a plane tomorrow to china to bring her home if i could...i guess you could say i'm at peace what a great feeling this peace brings me...this peace could only come from God...thank you Jesus.

emma wear girls

natalie,lynsey, ayden, amy & i wearing our emma wear