Dealing with the inevitable delays

"So she (Mary Magdalene) came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" John 20:2 NIV

HE IS RISEN!

Happy Easter! The Lord is risen indeed! I love this verse because this moment is so common in life. We can be blinded by the crisis, heartbreak, or trial that we're in the middle of and although God's already beautifully solved it in the most wonderful, miraculous, and unexpected way, we can't see it yet! It's so easy to panic and be even more upset at some new revelation because we don't yet understand the significance of what's happened. God has raised the dead! He's saved us by grace! He's miraculously crushed the Enemy and claimed victory!

Celebrating Easter always reminds me of just how deep the Lord's love is for us. How incredible it is to realize that He cares so very deeply about His babies. All of His babies. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world. Amen!

Here are all the cousins after the grand Easter Egg Hunt at our house:



The paperwork continues. We thought that we were finally done with our Home Study, but it has been delayed... again. Jackie reminded me of this old song the other day when I was getting frustrated:

Have patience, have patience
Don't be in such a hurry
When you get impatient
You only start to worry
Remember, remember
That God is patient, too
And, think about the times
When others had to wait for you

Out of the mouths of babes!

Cute kid alert: Our 5-year-old nephew Johnny tried unsuccessfully for months to convince his parents to name his baby sister Ruby (he says "Woobie"). Being not easily deterred, he decided that maybe Evangeline could be called "Woobie" instead. We assured him that, no, Evangeline already had a name.

"Well, maybe her middle name could be Evangeline and her first name could be Woobie."
"No, hun. It's Evangeline."
"Or how about we just call her Woobie?"
After we said no, he replied, "OK, well then maybe I'll just call her Woobie."
We said, "No, babe, she's Evangeline."

So, now, you guessed it, our new baby on the way has been dubbed "Woobie" by Johnny. He's praying that it'll stick. We just love that little guy!

This month we enjoyed the field trip we've been planning for literally years... two weeks in Washington, D.C.! We had such a fantastic time seeing the awesome places that have crafted this great nation. We also were able to visit with our dear Sweet family, Great-Uncle and Aunt Chuck & Margie Wright, and Great-Uncle and Aunt Gordon & Mary Alice Keller, which was so precious to us. Wow, we are so blessed to be related to these incredible people!

A few personal favorites for us were visiting Great-granddaddy, Great-grandmother's and Great-Uncle Robert's graves at Arlington Cemetery, Mount Vernon, the Supreme Court, the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, Gettysburg, Jamestown, Williamsburg, and the beauty Amish country in Intercourse (countless jokes shall remain unrepeated!) and Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania.

Thank you again to everyone who has been praying for the health of our grandparents Ray Ortlund, Anne Ortlund, and John McClure. If you'd like an update on their progress, just leave a message in the guestbook or email us.

After a tour of the White House


Jackie with former Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert (who, it turns out, is in my Great-Uncle's discipleship group!)


The reflecting pool


At the Capitol


Margie & Evie in Jamestown


Mount Vernon


Jackie (who wants desperately to be in the military) with a plebe at the US Naval Academy


Cherry blossoms


At the spot where Lincoln gave his Gettysburg address


Uncle Chuck, Uncle Gordon, Auntie Margie, and Auntie Mary Alice


We need one of these at home! (The boys in Williamsburg)

The Paperchase continues... with a little change

"Now FAITH is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
Hebrews 11:1

This month brought a new development in our adoption quest. We thought for years that the Lord had said, "China", and had pictured in our minds a precious little Chinese baby in our arms and family, but recently it seemed as though we had hit a fork in the road and weren't sure what to do about it. It was very puzzling. We sat down and talked and prayed about it, and asked friends and family we trust what they thought the Lord was saying. After a few days of feeling like the door to China was closed but that adopting a baby was still His plan, we asked, "OK, Lord, so where do you want us to go?" We asked, "Russia, Guatemala, India, Korea, Vietnam, Africa?" And without question, He said,

"Ethiopia."

It was one of the strongest, most direct words from the Lord either of us have ever heard.

And that was that. We both felt solidly directed to change our plans to Ethiopia, and so we did so immediately! Suddenly, our mental picture of Baby Hausam is a beautiful little black baby and that surprising change from China to Ethiopia doesn't feel odd to us in any way. It feels perfectly right. It's as if that was the plan in our hearts all along. We can hardly WAIT to meet our Ethiopian princess!

So, after making that alteration, we're still wading through and making sense of reams of international adoption paperwork. This has been a very new experience for us. Gwennie and Gabbie's adoption (although incomplete, of course, it was all but waiting for a judge's signature.) and Jackie's adoption because they were domestic were totally different animals than this. We're so thankful for really helpful coordinators on the agency and social work sides.

This month we enjoyed a delightful visit from our friends, the Hollenbachs from Kentucky. They were invaluable to us and Jackie's birth mother during her pregnancy and his birth. We stayed in their beautiful home after he was born. They are our Kentucky Mom & Dad. And, now, Evangeline Hollenbach will be here attending Biola in the fall, so we get to be her California Mama & Papa!

We also busied ourselves with field trips, working on a new study for our Bible study group, piano recitals, and celebrating Michael's 38th birthday!

Thank you to all who have been in prayer for our grandparents Ray Ortlund, Anne Ortlund, and John McClure. God is so faithful! If you'd like an update on their progress, email us or leave a message in the guestbook.

Our beautiful 7-month-old, Evangeline


Ray & Evangeline Hollenbach


St. Pat's dinner


Michael and our nephew, Lincoln


Field trip to the Discovery Science Center


Michael & Mark blowing out their birthday candles


Evangeline & Mama


Field trip to the Newport Beach Nautical Museum



Michael's bday at Disneyland



Working on our homeschool tide pools project at Little Corona

Making headway

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart." Jeremiah 1:5

I feel pregnant.

Without the constant vomiting 24/7/9 months.

Now that we're getting paperwork completed and starting on this path for real, it feels like we've seen the little blue line on a pregnancy test... It's happening... For real! I remember this feeling so well when we were waiting for Jackie during his birth mother's pregnancy. It's a mixture of excitement, wonder, empathy for Baby's birth mother, and anxiety that something will go horribly wrong. Waking up in the middle of the night with thoughts of Baby on the way, feeling anxious about the birth mother's health and emotional well-being, feeling strangely bonded to and grateful for her feels so familiar.

After all this time waiting for the Lord's Green Light, He said GO! and it's really going to happen this time. Wow! It's like when we were waiting for Evangeline. Years of prayer and knowing that the Lord had another birth child in His hands for us and then nothing happened. Finally, after enduring loss and seemingly endless waiting, that little blue line showed up. Praise Jesus for His enduring promises that He never fails to keep!

Who would have guessed the path that God had chosen for us? Two birth children, one adopted, one more birth child, and so much loss and agony at times in between waiting for our family to be complete. Just as we knew that the Lord had another birth child for us, we knew in our "knowers" that He had another adopted child in His plans for us. How thrilling that His blueprints are being rolled out and we are finally seeing the beginnings of the fulfillment of His beautiful design!

This month we watched the Superbowl at Uncle John & Auntie Marilyn's, celebrated our adored Mother's birthday at our home, did a lot of kissing on Valentine's Day, went on a couple of fun field trips, celebrated Ricker's 11th! birthday. Throughout all of this fun, though, our family has been deep in prayer for Granddaddy (Ray Ortlund), Grandmother (Anne Ortlund), and Papa (John McClure II) as they are all very ill. Please pray with us for their healing in Jesus name. Our grandparents our so precious to us. We feel blessed beyond measure for their sweet presence in our lives. Praise God for such models in our lives!

Marg & Auntie Becky going on a date to the Salon


At the Dahlberg's unbelievable Indiana Jones themed Superbowl Party where they had a white tiger swimming in the pool, monkeys, a black bear, chimps, fire-eaters, sword-swallowers, belly dancers, henna face and hand painters, and all manner of wildness!


Golf with Gary, Glen and Trent


Nana & Marg celebrating our dear Mother's 59th birthday!


Valentine's Day



Marg riding Snickers


That's US on the Jumbo-tron at the Harlem Globetrotter's basketball game


The girls playing and giggling during a break from schoolwork


Celebrating Ricker's birthday at the Star Wars exhibit at the California Science Center in LA and then dinner at Ruth's Chris



Our nephew Johnny feeding the dragon a dollar at the Chinese New Year Parade in LA. We had such a wonderful time with Buddy, Becky, J5 and Lincoln. It's amazing to realize that hopefully next year we'll be back here with our little daughter from China!!!


My baby brother, Buddy, is one of the people I admire most in the world. I'm so glad we're friends. I hope some day I grow up to be just like him!

Getting started on our Chinese adoption

"For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will - to the praise of His glorious grace which He has freely given us in the One He loves." Ephesians 1:4-6

Welcome to our journey to our little Chinese daughter,
Mei Mei to Margie, Ricker, Jackie & Evangeline!

We are so thrilled to finally be started on this adoption after years of waiting on the Lord for His perfect plan to unfold. We are immeasurably grateful to our amazing family and friends who have been 100% supportive, excited, and encouraging. What would we do without you wonderful people?!? We are so blessed to have such a great group of people who've got our backs no matter what, love us unconditionally, and are plain ol' fun to be with, and we love you all dearly!

A little background for those of you who haven't prayed us through this decision from the beginning:

Several people have asked us, "Why are you adopting a baby when Evangeline is still so young?" Well, because the Lord planted the desire in our hearts for a daughter from the other side of the Earth a long time ago. Then He said, "Wait." After years of wondering if we heard Him right, He promised us another birth child.

What?!? TWO babies?!?

And then the Lord allowed more waiting, loss and suffering, and then more waiting. Isn't is an inexplicable challenge when the Lord makes a big, fat promise or two and then is quiet (at least to our ears)??? Finally, we took the bull by the horns and started working on adoption paperwork and the Lord laughed at our impatience. That very month I became pregnant and we rejoiced with tears and laughter! Our plans for adoption were then delayed until after our little rosebud, Evangeline, was born.

And what a joy to us Evangeline is! She truly is a gift from Heaven.



We expected that Evangeline would be the baby sister, but it turns out she'll be the older sister to our daughter from China! Margie, Ricker, and Jackie are all very excited about the prospect of Mei Mei on the way! Thank you, Jesus, for Your abundant blessing!

This month we did a lot of playing. We celebrated New Years Day with our traditional Swedish breakfast at the folks, and then a walk on the beach, rode a thousand rides at Knott's, took our folks to California Adventure, dedicated our beautiful baby to Jesus, and took a field trip up to see Uncle Nels' at the Monrovia Police Department and visit the Norton Simon Museum of Art in Pasadena. We are so blessed to have such a great life. God is so good! In the rough times, or happy seasons, He's always there. Praise Jesus!

Our little Boo Boo Bunny & Mama


Our traditional first beach trip of the New Year, January 1, 2007

Johnny & Jackie


Marg & Ricker at Knott's


Disney's California Adventure with our favorite people, Poppy & Nana


Marg, Poppy, Ricker & Michael on California Screamin'


Jackie loves how having his two front teeth gone makes him look fierce!


Poppy & Ricker


Poppy, Grams, Papa & Nana


Evangeline's dedication


Tennis lessons


Kids with Uncle Nels


with Nels, Captain Stotter, and Lou Ferrigno (remember "The Hulk"?)


At the Norton Simon