Christmas Surprise!

We've been looking forward to a visit from my brother and sister-in-law for Christmas, but when they arrived tonight they brought along my parents, too!  We thought they were spending Christmas in Hawaii using their airline miles, but they are spending Christmas with us instead!!  Jeremy and Amy met them at the airport and made a special delivery to us.  With our family events of this last month, Dad and Mom changed their plans, knowing it would mean a lot.  We are blessed!

Our family has been known to pull off lots of surprises on each other, so I was already suspicious that Jeremy might arrive a day early or something, but I never thought he'd show up with Dad and Mom.  Fun!

There will definitely be more family pictures to come.  We're very excited to have Amy here for the first time.  It's also been several years since I've spent Christmas with one of my brothers.  I think I'm a bit emotionally worn out with all of these ups and downs lately!

The patient is doing all right.  He's been a bit uncomfortable and has had some swelling.  He spent a good part of the day on the couch with his leg propped up and a heating pad on his toes.  We're praying he rests better tonight and is feeling more himself tomorrow.

For Linny

When we began our first adoption journey we were just setting out to bring our daughter home.  Little did we know that God was about to abundantly bless us with friendships upon friendships with other people that have a heart for adoption.  Many of these people we have met in person along the way, but many more are bloggy friends. 

One of these special people is Linny, an amazing mom of many.  She has inspired me and blessed me and our family in more ways than I can count.  One thing that you all have seen as a result of her influence is our Memorial Box Monday posts.  (Can't wait for this next Monday--I think you all know what it will be about!)  Another cool thing is that one of her daughters lived in the same orphanage where Elijah did.  He remembers Jubilee and we rejoiced together as we "watched" through Linny's blog when Jubilee was brought home.

 (Our Memorial Box, filling up more and more!)

I had hoped to meet Linny in person this summer when we were through Durango. Sadly, that weekend their family had a terrible tragedy when her daughter's boyfriend was in a motorcycle accident.  Linny, our family has prayed and prayed for Karl.  We've rejoiced with you as you have shared of his progress since the accident.  You have also been in my prayers through different circumstances...fire, adoptions, health concerns, spiritual concerns, moves.  It has been a privilege and a blessing.

For my friends that don't already read Linny's blog, I encourage you to take a peak.  You will be encouraged, you will be inspired, you will be challenged.  You will laugh, you will cry, you will be blessed.  Hey, I even just pull up her blog sometimes to have her playlist going in the background while I do other things on the computer!  :)

So Linny, whether we meet here for coffee someday or There, thank you for your bloggy friendship from afar.  We wish your family the best this Christmas as you settle into your new home.

From the Wolfes to the Saunders......MERRY CHRISTMAS from our neck of the woods!!

All Praise to Him!!!

We received the absolute best news possible today.  Benjamin's tumor was removed completely!  The doctor said that it literally peeled right off of the nerve, that would be the sciatic nerve, yes a very important one!

PRAISE HIM!!

It could have been growing from inside the nerve, but no, it was on the outside.  The surgery was short, could have been much longer.  Benjamin tolerated the anesthesia very well.  We were on the road home before noon, could have been there over night.  The tumor is GONE.

PRAISE HIM!!

We still await the biopsy report, but the doctor really feels that it is a benign tumor.  Regardless, the tumor is GONE, so any possible follow up will be minimal.  Did I tell you?  It's GONE!!!!

PRAISE HIM!!

So, here are some pictures of the day.  Before:

And after:

Got the wheelchair treatment:

Learning how to use crutches properly:

Going HOME!

Snuggled in and very happy to be home:

Siblings at service :)

We are very thankful to our good friends that kept our other four kiddos overnight last night and were ready to keep them a second night if need be!

The Red Plate treatment:

 (Benjamin's stomach has been a bit woosy, so just a light dinner of tomato soup and grilled cheese.)

Benjamin has done so well with all of this.  He has been laid back and not anxious.  He was a STAR patient today, so mature and polite with the staff.  He has not been a complainer or demanding.  He has just gone with the flow.  He'll be on crutches for two weeks with the knee immobilizer, then we'll head back to STL for his follow-up appointment.  We'll get the biopsy report at that time and hopefully he'll be good to go.

We cannot begin to express our thankfulness to the many people that have been praying for Benjamin and our family.  We are truly overwhelmed and humbled by the outpouring of support.  People we don't even know have been praying, we've been on numerous prayer chains.  We believe with all of our hearts that God was in this, that His hand guided the surgeon (love B's doctor!), that He heard the prayers of everyone.

A friend emailed these verses to me as we waited at the hospital this morning:
Lamentations 3:22-26, “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’ The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD."

His hand has sustained us, it has guided us, He has been good to us.  We give all praise and glory to Him!!

PRAISE HIM!!

Tomorrow

This evening Benjamin, Chris, and I head to STL.  We are ready to get past the surgery and find some answers.  Surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning at 7:30.  We hope it will be under the two hours that have been blocked off for it.  Our ongoing prayer has been that the doctor will be able to easily remove the tumor as a whole and that no nerve will have to be sacrificed.  We are also praying that the tumor is benign.  We are so very grateful for the many expressions of love, for those that are praying, and for the encouragement we have received.

Benjamin is doing well, but of course there has been some building anxiety as we get closer to surgery.  I couldn't help but look back at pictures of him as he has grown.  Thank you for keeping our second treasure close to your hearts.

Boys Will Be Boys

Earlier today I heard Benjamin say to Elijah, "Come on, let's wrestle before I can't for two weeks!"  Elijah was more than willing to oblige.  I don't know what it is about this pink blanket, but they love messing around with it.

I tell ya, never a dull moment around here, never.

Memorial Box Monday - A Healed Heart

It has been quite a while since I made a Memorial Box Monday post.  If you are unfamiliar with what a Memorial Box is, you can click on the sidebar for our archives and look for the Memorial Box Monday posts, or you can click on the Memorial Box sidebar link that will take you to Linny's blog.  It's basically a way of keeping visual reminders of how God has been faithful and working in our family.  We regularly retell one of these stories during our family devotion times on Mondays, I just haven't kept up with the habit of sharing them on our blog.

In light of our current circumstances with Benjamin's tumor, I thought it would be appropriate to look back at a story of God's healing.  With the outcome unknown, and at times feeling quite a bit of anxiety and uncertainty, it has been good for me to look in our Memorial Box and remind myself of the many, many times that God has been faithful to us.  He has carried us through, and I'm certain He will again.

So, on with a story that I posted about a couple of years ago.  In June of 2009 our family had the opportunity to take a vacation to Ohio and on up through Canada then back home.  Our main reason for the trip was to participate in the Philip Hayden Foundation reunion that Salem Church of God was hosting.  This amazing church more than covered the cost of Elijah’s heart surgery that took place in China shortly after he arrived at PHF.  Here is what we shared with the congregation:

It is a blessing and an honor for our family to be here today.  It was just over two years ago that as a family we chose to sponsor a special young boy, half a world away, that was in need of much healing.  At that time we were unaware of you and you were unaware of us.  But through His guiding hand and the obedience of each of us to His calling, we are now all together in one place.

On June 20, 2007 Elijah underwent  major yet very successful heart surgery.  Just two months after that God began to work on our hearts and plant in us the desire to be more than a sponsorship family for Elijah, but to be his permanent family.  I began to scour the Internet trying to make connections with anyone and everyone connected to the Philip Hayden Foundation.  I received an email from a lady who’s congregation had raised funds for Elijah’s heart surgery and who said that they continually prayed for Elijah and a family for him.  That lady was Heather Bench.  I distinctly remember feeling an instantaneous and overwhelming debt of gratitude towards this congregation.  You had taken care of our son in a time of his great need, when we were unable to do so.  I wondered how we would ever be able to thank you, and imagined that one day we would to travel to Ohio to thank you in person.

Now fast forward to this last January when our family traveled to a very special place in Tianjin, Shepherd’s Field, to meet our son.  In our one and half years of pursuing Elijah we saw God move many mountains to make this adoption possible.  We were continually amazed at His faithfulness in working to give Elijah a family.   Without a doubt it was part in thanks to the prayers of faithful ones like you who shared in God’s calling to care for orphans and the least of these.  On January 8 of this year our desire to have Elijah as a part of our family became a reality.  Our hearts were very full.  We continue to be blessed as we witness great transformation taking place in Elijah’s life.

It is with humble and grateful hearts that we are here to express our thanks to this congregation, to the children of VBS 2007, and to the leadership of the orphan outreach ministry team.  Your love, prayers, and practical outreach to cover the cost of Elijah’s heart surgery have transformed his life both physically and spiritually.  May you be blessed and encouraged by seeing the fruit of your efforts here today.  May you continue to do His work faithfully and earnestly to make a real difference in the lives of children in need.

Elijah stood with Chris and I as we shared with the congregation.  After Chris was done speaking, Elijah said, “Thank you for helping my heart.”  I don’t think there was a dry eye in the audience!  We now have a Salem card in our Memorial Box as a standing stone to remind us of God's care through Salem.  A heart healed, in more ways than one.

So, as we anticipate Benjamin's surgery on Thursday to remove the tumor, it is good to be reminded of God's care over our health concerns.  He healed one son and now we are begging him to heal the other.  These boys, both life loving and full of energy, bring much joy to us.  We know God has a great plan for each of their lives.  We are trusting in Him, for we know no other way.

The boys in 2009:

The boys in 2011:

Christmas Lights

Last night we did our traditional drive around town to seek out and rate Christmas light displays.  It took stopping at three different coffee shops before we found one that was open so that we could get our hot drinks.  Why do coffee shops have to close at 6pm?  Anyway, with warm bellies, we enjoyed oohing and aahing and driving through neighborhoods in search of the "perfect" house.

The Magic Tree is one of our perennial favorites.  Really incredible!

This house had an awesome LED light changing display set to music on a radio station.  

We would have rated this house a perfect 10 if the garage doors had been closed.  :)

Joseph

Elijah's best buddy at the Philip Hayden Foundation in China was Joseph.  We have several pictures of the two of them together.  He is the same age as Elijah and now has less than two years before he ages out of the system and then will no longer be available to have a Forever Family.  His paperwork has been on China's list for quite some time now, he is ready and waiting, asking his nannies for an American Family.  We have prayed for Joseph from the time we started to pursue Elijah's adoption, knowing that it would be hard for him to be left behind.  Will you please join us in praying and advocating for him before time is up?

A  fellow PHF friend set up a blog for him:  http://hejustwantsafamily.blogspot.com/.  Feel free to pass the link on.  We have much more information about Joseph that we can pass on to anyone who feels their heart being tugged towards this sweet 12-year old boy.  EVERY child deserves a family.

Gingerbread Yumminess

Tonight was finally time to break out the gingerbread house kits and get to building.  The kids finished up school this morning, we got the house cleaned, got some shopping done this afternoon, and now we're ready for two weeks of Christmas break.  Woo hoo!

Ami started licking, nibbling, and eating from the get go!

Benjamin said he wasn't going for looks, he was just trying to pile as much icing and candy on as possible!

We're looking forward to spending some more time in the kitchen baking and decorating cookies in the next few days ahead!   

Christmas Concert

This evening Johanna had her first band concert.  She did a great job!  She's been playing the flute for four months now, and goes to band twice a week at our local Christian school.

Here she is with her band director.  Unfortunately I didn't get a good shot of her during the performance.