Bringing Home Bryant: October 2017

Wow, seven years old. You are getting so big. This past year your Daddy and I have seen so much growth in you mentally, spiritually and physically. We are so proud of the young man you are becoming.

In school you have overcome many obstacles with the help of some awesome teachers. School is hard for little wiggly boys but with patient understanding teachers it can be really fun. Kindergarten started out a challenge and ended up with you loving school, your teacher and your classmates. This year in 1st grade you have continued to blossom. You are a great reader and love math. Still working on that left-handed writing but getting better! You love baseball and soccer. You enjoy going to church. You love the lake, being outside in sunshine, and anything that involves water. You were definitely meant to grow up in the South. Russia was way too cold for you. You have a big heart and some serious dance moves which the girls will love one day. You are contstantly in motion during the day and crash at night. You live life to the fullest each and every day. Most importantly you are surrounded by love.

One day a few weeks ago in car rider line Bryant started our daily prayers before school. After we pray some days I read "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young, my favorite devotional. As I started to read the devotional I realized it was the same passage that moved us to adopt Bryant six years ago to the day. I had chills and the tears started. The kids thought I was crazy. That message meant so much to me at the time when we had to make a decision whether or not to move forward and travel to adopt Bryant or decline his referral and wait on another baby. Now this child was sitting in my car as I dropped him off at school. God spoke through this devotion. He intentionally placed these words in my hands. Without them my life and Bryant's life would have been vastly different. This one message was life changing. God spoke and he spoke loudly to me. HE knew one day this orphaned baby would be sitting in car rider line saying prayers with his momma and hearing the message that led me to him. It felt so comforting to know that when God spoke that message he already knew the outcome. God always amazes me at his goodness. I know he was smiling down on us that morning. Here is that message that will forever be in my heart.

"Be willing to follow wherever I lead. Follow Me wholeheartedly, with glad anticipation quickening your pace. Though you don't know what lies ahead, I know; and that is enough! Some of My richest blessings are just around the bend: out of sight, but nonetheless very real. To receive these gifts, you must walk by faith not by sight. " Walking by faith alone with no control of the situation was one of the most difficult things I have ever done but the blessing I have received was so worth it.

My original "Jesus Calling" devotional with that message has since been given with love to a young woman I met when she was 16 years old while volunteering at our local children's home. Her parents were no longer able to care for her. She became very dear to my heart. A few years ago she was at a difficult decision making time in her life. As I was trying to help her sitting in my car I stared down and there was my devotional. God was telling me to give it to her but my selfish self wanted to keep it. This feeling overwhelmed me and I knew it was not mine to keep. I gently handed it over to her with tears rolling down my face. I explained how important this book was to me but I knew the Gospel is meant to be shared not kept. That is the purpose. I told her I loved her enough to share one of my most precious possessions in hope that she finds all her answers here. She has not been given many sentimental things so I asked her to keep this and pass it along to her children one day. My heart was full.

An update on the rest of us - we are at a busy stage of life. Sara Kathryn (13) is a JV cheerleader and it is competition season with practice every day of the week, football games and competiton on the weekends. She is a flyer again this year and has had a great season. She is a very talented tumbler and flyer and amazing to watch. More importantly though she has been a straight A all honors student for three years who works very hard at everything she does. Her dedication, work ethic and resilience amaze me. She is a kind hearted, good girl during a hard middle school time. She is an old soul and has a good head on her shoulders. I wish I was more like her at that age. Macie is almost 11 and entered imtermeadiate school this year. It was a bit of a transition with new school and a new soccer team but she has adjusted and is doing great now. She made the Elite Club National (ECNL) soccer team as a defensive player. She worked so hard to make this team. She is the youngest and smallest player but of course super fiesty, quick and aggressive. She has a talented team and coach and is loving it. She is such a unique, artistic, fun loving child who you can't help to love. She is so athletic and competitive but her heart is huge. Amelia (8) is still tumbling and taking ballet. She really is beginning to love ballet. She was cast for two parts in the professional ballet of the Nutcracker. She will be a Mouse Captain where she tumbles on stage and a Bon Bon performing a ballet scene. She is very excited and proud of herself. Amelia is the baby girl and she can rule the house with her smile. She is so cuddly and sweethearted. She is smart as a whip and is in the academically gifted program this year. They all make me so proud not only by their accomplishments but more so by the way they treat others, love our family and love Jesus.

Jeff an I are so blessed to have all our children happy and healthy. Even though we are extremely busy with sports and travel, I know one day I will look back and wish these days were here again. Cherishing these moments.