Week 13, Marta's Gotcha Day

                                                                                      

Week 13, Marta's Gotcha Day (GD), April 23rd!

Six years ago, God placed this beautiful little girl into my arms.  I had no idea how she would change my life.  We've been through many ups and downs since April 23rd, 2007.  Marta is now thriving and bloosming into a child who loves the Lord.

She had a foster family when she was in Guatemala for approximately 8 and a half months.  They took such good care of her.  We have a picture of Marta with her birth mother.  She has seen it and sometimes

she carries it to school with her (she keeps it in her backpack).  She's told me that she loves all 3 of her mothers, but she knows that I'm her forever mother.

I'm thankful to God for putting Marta in our family.  I'm thankful to her birthmother who was brave enough to let her go.  I'm thankful to our Pediatrician who discovered her defective heart condition and for her Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon who performed her heart surgery.

We celebrated on Tues (GD), after school with cupcakes and a few small gifts.

It took me over an hour to explain to Jake & Joy what we were celebrating.  Now, they know that they will also have a GD to look forward to in Jan 2014.  Plus, it helped us start working on geography.

Here are some more Marta pictures!  WE LOVE YOU, MARTA!   

The picture below is from a family trip that we took in 2011.  She's 4 years old.

                                                                                



The "Monkey Bars" is her favorite thing to do at the playground!  Grace loved the monkey bars also.



Please continue to pray for Marta.  The "big change" is still happening for her and all of us.  Even though positive changes are now happening with regards to Joy's behavior, Marta is still needing prayers for her spirit and heart.  Please pray specifically Romans 15:5-6 for her:  "God, give Marta and her siblings endurance, encouragement, and a spirit of unity as they follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth they may glorify you, precious Lord." (from Jodie Berndt's book, keep reading) 

This week we found out that Jake has won an award for an art contest.  The art teacher at school entered students into a contest at the local Water Works Department and he won!  On May 20th, we'll go to the presentation of awards to find out what award he'll receive - 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.  The picture below was taken by Joy.

Thank you again to all those who are praying for us.  Bringing Jake and Joy home from China has not been an walk in the park.....and I knew that it wouldn't be.  I thank God everyday for His wisdom, direction, and guidance.  I've started a new prayer journal which has 5 separate sections, one section per child (5-section spiral notebook).  I'm trying everyday to pray specifically for one child in writing.  God provides the 10, 20, or 30 minute time periods here and there so that I can be with Him to pray quietly.  My outside resource is Praying The Scriptures For Your Children, by Jodie Berndt.  She does a nice job in her book of the different prayer categories.  I use her thoughts sometimes in my written prayers.  I even found it at the local library! 

Stay tuned!  Week 14 is now happening.....