2011

'Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.'  -Ephesians 3:20

I think this may be the theme of our last year.  It has been the year of watching God do immeasurably more than all we could ask or even try to imagine. 
Our first big movement came early in the year.  We scheduled surgery for Abigail to have her tumor removed.  We knew we would have to raise the money since the surgery was considered 'elective.'  One morning in March we woke up and Abigail's tumor had more than tripled in size overnight.  Literally.  We were scared, and didn't have enough money raised to move the surgery.  We needed around $30,000 and probably had about $500 at the time.
So in an act of faith we moved surgery to April fifth.  One month away.  And our God, being able to do immeasurably more brought in enough that we paid for everything up front.  Not only that, but we also had a house to stay in instead of a meal.
At the end of our ten days in Chicago we got another little surprise.  At the time I was mostly just perplexed, but as time has moved on I can't help but look back and be so thankful.  Abigail's tumor had NOTHING to do with her NF.  It did give us the definitive diagnoses of mastocytosis (a second disorder).  First of all a mastocytoma is a much easier tumor to deal with.  Secondly, we had been hearing about masto for some time so to have something solid to go on meant we could figure out a little more of the medical puzzle that is our oldest daughter.

While I don't talk tons about our finances on here, and some of you probably don't know this, we are also (loosely) following the money matters steps from Dave Ramsey.  If you are unsure what that is you can google it.  We are on step two though, and closer every day to being completely free of consumer debt.  This year we were able to pay off two more debts and continue to put more money towards our other debt.  We also were able to pay for all of the adoption cost outright (a HUGE blessing)!  If an outsider looked at our income they would probably think we didn't have much.  Somehow, God still always provides above and beyond what we need.  Even with things outside of necessities. 
We had been wanting a ipod for a few years.  It had been on our Christmas list, but not something we could afford, or validate just buying.  A friend got a new one, and gifted us his old one along with the docking radio for it.  An ipod was not something we needed, but I believe God likes to give us good things because He can.  More than we could ask or imagine.

And lastly, or course, is the sweet little girl my husband is holding right now.  We had originally thought we would wait until Abigail was closer to five before adopting again.  Over the past year, I had really started to feel the draw of being called to adopt again, and specifically a child with Down syndrome.  We prayed, had lots of conversations with each other, and some other parents of kiddos with Ds.  Jason just wasn't ready, and I wasn't willing to force the issue.  I prayed that God would change his heart or mine.  All it took was a few minutes of Jason holding a sleeping newborn baby girl before he decided he 'might' be ready.
From the moment we started, I could feel God placing this urgency in my heart.  He was telling me that it was going to happen quickly.  I started freezing meals here and there as we were working on our homestudy.  We had a finished homestudy for three weeks before we had a daughter.  Our first one was close to three years.
I had hoped, imagined, and prayed, that it would go quickly.  I still can't believe we have a seven week old daughter.  And while I don't, and won't, reveal everything about our daughter's stories, I know that God has not finished writing things, and I can't wait to see what He is up to.  Because if there is one thing I have learned this year, it is that God really can do more than I can imagine!

I hope you all have a Happy New Year!  May 2012 be another year of God showing His people what He is able to do.

Jason, Andrea, Abigail, and Shilo.