Paperwork Persistence--Lots of pictures--

Have you ever felt like giving up? Or the you don't have it in you to finish the fight?  This past month of paperwork, repeated paperwork, denials, rejections, delays has made me feel like giving up.  Many people say we must be crazy to adopt again.  Seven children?  Yes, a little off, maybe! Yet there is an inkling in us that reminds us to be faithful to our calling......Our strength to go through these hard times does not come from us.

Adoption was never meant to be easy....take the broken, the hurt and deeply emotionally wounded (meeting them right where they are at) and blend them into a family....bringing chaos and beauty simultaneously.  Teaching to TRUST, LOVE, HOPE and without any strings attached, unconditionally.  (sounds alike how God loves us, Adoption is the Gospel lived out on earth.) 

But honestly..... it is exhausting! 

Would we encourage our child not to read because it's too hard to learn?  Would we say don't try to climb because you might fall?  Would we tell our children to quit in the middle of a race because you might get second place?  Do we ask the surgeon not to try repair our child's heart because he might die ?    As a parent, and as followers of Christ, we strive to bring God glory and serve him and he gives us what we need to persevere through the storms, fight hard for justice and do what is right.  He never promised it would be easy--but he promised never to leave us! 

 This month has been hard for many reasons but topping the list is not knowing how our son is doing in Ch*na.  We have not received any word on his health and of the last update, (Feb 2016) his oxygen was marginal and he was retaining fluid, his heart was enlarged, he has a loud murmur-all signs showing he was in need of continued heart monitoring. We pray he is being watched over and given the cardiac care necessary but we are also realistic that orphans do not receive care according to our standards.  Medical care tends to be reactive rather than proactive leaving their options limited because of damage done from lack of treatment.   Pray that is not occurring as we wait to bring him home.  Pray his heart remains stable and his heart tissues are not damaged by lack of treatment, medications.  Pray for him to remain free from everyday disease, as he is not vaccinated from childhood diseases.

Our 800a has just been approved, which means the US side has granted us permission to bring an orphan into the states.  Now our paperwork (our dossier) will move to the Ch*na side and be processed.  Pray for a quick Log In, translation, review and issuance of our Letter of acceptance.  Then the process will come back to the US side for specific immigration review to bring our specific son into the states.  We predict to travel by early fall if all goes well with the paperwork.


                       UP NORTH VISITING GRANDMA AND GRANDPA OEHLHOF

We spent a lot of it at the pool, playing tennis and basketball.

......And a little resting....

 ....................And one trying to keep his cast dry...........  Helmet for safety in case he falls in  ;)  Really he has become really good at riding his bike and why take it off?

The cast comes off June 16th!!!! PARTY time!!!!  He will then have a removable cast and will finally be able to "jump" in the pool!  He is walking and even running so well.  Singing praises for ability to correct the position of his leg.  We are so excited to see him walk with his leg straight!!!

Yes, God knew exactly what

 he was doing when placing her in an adrenaline junkie family!   SHE IS FEARLESS!!!

                                              WEEKEND AT TIGERTON RACING

Starting off with 20 bikes all charging for the corner!

This is why is may have a few more gray hairs these days!  Justin and Jackson are loving their racing!

Ryan found this baby deer while mowing our lawn!  He was there all day.

 The kids were able to see the baby up close.  Of course they resisted touching it, because we wanted the mama to come back for it.    The similarities parallel an orphan's beginnings.  A  vulnerable baby left helpless to defend itself in the world.   The compassion these two have for a "little baby" left alone.  They were so worried and concerned for the baby deer.  Does a 4 and 5 year old have the innate sense of this fear of being left alone?  There was a day their loved one left them helpless, all alone?  How do we ever heal that wound?  So Vulnerable, and at the same time protected by their creator, and He knew they would one day be our sons and daughters.

DON'T forget to get your T-shirt to help support bringing Wen Xiang home!  We all have HOPE!

Order them on the home page by sending me an email message.

Joseph enjoying his Smores!  It was REALLY good!!!

Apparently Dad had something to say in the middle of my picture taking.

She plays hard and crashes hard!  Life with congenital heart disease on the sidelines.....NO WAY.....  Leave NO Stone unturned.  Live Hard Girlie!!!

He is a DO IT YOURSELFER in the STyle Department!  All I can do is throw my hands up and say that's Joseph and he beats to his own drum!

JOY, UNSPEAKABLE JOY!!!

    It comes in a really LOUD
         delivery package!!!!!

Life would not be the same with this guy around :)

KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION

This picture says it all.  The light in his eyes.  The pride and joy of a once orphan, walking through his redeeming story.  He knows the love of being a treasured son, full of excitement for what life has in store!  We are so thankful for the community of New Glarus ,who has accepted him as he is.  We are thankful for the teachers and parents that have taught their children to love others as they are, not for their differences, but for their potential, and God given dignity; and the children that have embraced James as a friend and classmate without pity, but with grace and compassion.   Hats off the New Glarus!


                                                  A NIGHT at HENRY VILAS ZOO

We had the special honors of being guests at the zoo for the evening while there were special animal exhibits, shows and events.  This was all made possible by Friends of the Zoo.  Each year they invite children from the hospitals to come and enjoy the zoo while it is closed to the public and enjoy the special evening.  Free rides!! Bonus!!!  We saw seal training, petted snakes, and skunks and learned more about animals up close and personal.

That's Justin and Jordan way up there!!!  Interesting note....... our boys will fly over a jump on a dirt bike twice as high as this, going 30 mph, without any hesitation, but when strapped safely in a harness in a tree, sitting still, they are nervous!  I don't understand!

Our adoption process has been rough to start.  Doubt, fear has trickled in.  Faith is weary.  We feel like we're hanging by that little rope swinging in the tree just waiting to catch the next break or maybe a breath.  But we're attached to the tree planted firmly in the ground with solid roots.  And that tree is Christ.  Each day when I doubt that this is not going to work or we will not make it to our son before he is called home to the Lord, I think we need to fight for Him as if he was in our living room today.  We are his parents now.  We said yes and every time there is a set back or disappointment we must pray for more strength and fight for him.  Thank you to all your support, encouraging words and prayers thus far.  It takes a community to raise and bring these children home safely.

Four ways to pray:
1. Dossier (our big packet of paperwork) to be sent to China within the next two weeks and a quick         expedite on the Ch*nese processing.
2. Find a suitable, well-priced used 12 passenger van for our growing family.
3. Raise remaining $12,000 for adoption.  And secure a non profit venue for donations.
4. Pray for Wen Xiang's health to remain stable, as we rush to bring him home safely to allow the best    possible treatment options for his complex heart condition.