Doing a HAPPY DANCE!

Time for a HAPPY DANCE!

Well, for those of you who read the blog yesterday and my struggle and battle with the lies that Satan likes to whisper to discourage me, I got to give him a huge SCREW YOU today:)

Michelle Reed, our fabulous Family Coordinator at American World, emailed me and said that she sent our profile to an orphanage director (OD) in Haiti. This way they can be thinking about matching a child with our family while they wait on the rest of our paperwork! This will (hopefully) make the referral and waiting time for the child much quicker if they are already on the lookout for our little Oscar!!!!

Satan can try all he likes to discourage and dissuade us from moving forward, but God has other, greater plans! He put our family on the orphanages RADAR and things (even if it's a small thing) are in motion! This OD now as our names and faces in their hands and Oscar is one more small step closer to coming home.

God is good. All the time. Things sometimes look bleak, but He is there to keep moving us forward!

Thanks to my prayer warriors!

Terry

Lies the Devil Whispers

'Why are you stressing yourself doing this?'

'So much of your time is being diverted from your family, and your husband and kids need your attention so much more right now.'

'You can't do this! You don't have the drive to see it through.'

Lies.

Each one being whispered in my ear almost daily it seems now that we are full swing into paperwork and building the dossier. The deeper we get into this adoption process, the more fierce and frequent these lies become.

And to be honest...some days I almost want to believe the lies. I almost want to just file the folder and papers away and go back to my easy life. The easy life....sounds so appealing at times. One with no tracking down of certificates, photos, emails and digging up finance and employment information. The easy one where the kids and I just kick back and have a relaxed Christmas break.

Then like waking from a dream, I realize that Satan is working hard to lure me from what God has planned. I asked my friend, Angie, one day if it was rude to tell the Devil to screw off, because that is exactly what I do when I see the tricks he's trying to pull on me. I set my mind and determination on what God wants me to do. He has a greater plan and when I think of the strongest lie the devil has told me yet...'He (Oscar) won't know you if you stop right now,' I dig my feet in, drop on my knees and give the struggle to God. He is far stronger and has been carrying us through this.

Lies only destroy. They destroy what the LORD wants for our lives and Satan is happy to dish them out. Jesus promised us new life through faith in Him. This life is one with my Oscar in it. I know it. So I place my faith in Him each day. I battle the lies Satan throws at me by thinking and praying the Word.

I know Oscar is waiting for us, his family, as we are waiting for him. So, screw off Satan. God's got this battle already won for me!

Prayer for continued strength and deeper trust is always welcomed!

Thanks and God Bless,

Terry

The Special Needs Child

The link that I provided below is to an article on the website, Rainbowkids.com. It is about what one mother learned from her 2 year old daughter who her family adopted from China. This is a cool site because you can actually see pics of kids all over the world waiting for homes.

After working with Special Needs kids, reading up on different conditions and seriously contemplating bringing one home, I have learned that there is a reason that Special Needs are called that. Not for their benefit, but for ours. They teach us to love and accept on a different level. The Special Need is to change the hearts of the 'normal' to love those who already love unabashedly.

http://www.rainbowkids.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=693

Great Article on Waiting...not just for the adopting family!

http://www.awaa.org/downloads/China/Gods_Will_for_Your_Wait.pdf

Waiting strengthens our faith and I believe it also helps us to trust that God will work all things our for good and His glory.

God Bless,
Terry

A Note from Tayler

Hello this is Tayler Lacey and I just want to say that Hatian kids are cool.




But for real, when this kid comes home I'm gonna be like 17 so I'm gonna be the one that doesn't live with this child (Oscar) as much, but yet it seems I'm the child with the biggest problem with the whole thing.




But I realized a couple days ago that this isn't only God calling my parents to be parents to Oscar He is calling me to be a brother to him too. I'm not into the whole deep emotional description of my feelings but I just wanted to say that God has called us as a family not just Terry and Daniel.




This has been a public adoption announcement.

My Conversation With God This Morning :D

'So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God....' Isaiah 41:10

Wow, God, really? Do not fear? Do not dismay? Um, did You see that stack of attachments I just printed off from the adoption agency?? Did You see that all my documents have to be less than a year old? I'm 38! My birth certificate is 38 years old too! And when all these documents reach Haiti they cannot be older than 6 months! That puts me on a time frame crunch!

I have to simutaneously do my dossier AND my home study...really? I have 3 kids, 2 dogs, 2 jobs, 1 husband, 3 church group studies and 0 time on my hands. I am on my knees begging Your forgiveness when I am not spending my daily time with You like I should. How am I supposed to fit this in too?

'I will strengthen and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.' Isaiah 41:10

Oh.....yeah....

You squash my feeling of being overwhelmed with peace and joy. You are moving my feet, because I can't move them on my own. You give me glimpses of my 'Oscar' who is in Haiti and needs to come home. You uphold me with Your righteous right hand. You are the strength during my weakness.

Pressing on is the only option. You have instilled me with determination and love for my Haitian son. No amount of pressure will dissuade me for You are my help. You have called my family (and I know you are calling others as well) to adopt. You will open doors and provide ways. Help those of us blessed enough to venture out on this path called adoption, to keep our eyes pointed upward towards You and lean into Your righteous strong hand.

Thanks God, You are the best listener.

Your daughter,

Terry

The Sharing of some pics...

Some fun pics of the 'packed house' fundwareness dinner that we had Dec. 2nd and a pic of the cool kids who helped paint the Adopted t-shirts for the human skit performed at my home church, Shadow Mountain, in November for Adoption Awareness Month. I'm sure Angie, Carrie and Lisa agree these youth rock:)

Love those kids (Jared, Josh, Nash, Brookie and Tayler aka Vectron) and the support they show!

Prayer Request

Now that our paper work is in process and our first large payment has been made towards our adoption, I've noticed (within the last 24 hours) a sick feeling growing in my stomach and heart. The feeling that comes when you want and have to do something, (holy discontent maybe???) but your hands are tied.

I read articles about Haiti. My son is in Haiti. Many children are living in conditions there that are unimaginable to most Americans. Poverty, death caused by curable sickness, child slavery, lack of education...my son is living among these conditions. No parent can or should have to imagine their child in these circumstances, yet those adopting from impoverished countries must face that their children are. It's horror.

I know that God has drawn a line from us to our son. That He will work all things out. I trust Him implicitly. But I am a broken-hearted mother, as I think of what conditions my son may at this moment be living in or being exposed to.

So, my prayer request today, is that God hastens our process. That He works all this out smoothly and beautifully. But also, that if He deems I must wait and be patient, that I can do so with a willing heart. I also ask that if you've been thinking of adoption or even fostering, to remember that even if you think you have little to offer, it is still so much more than what that child may ever know.

God Bless and thanks you to all who have been prayer warriors through this journey with us.
Terry

And We Are Off!

Today, December 6, 2011, my family broke from the starting gates! Our paperwork and 1st initial installation payment to American World Adoption Agency for their Haiti Adoption Program is sent!! (applause, cheers and popping corks in the background, please!)

Here are the kids and I holding all the paperwork I faxed in today. One more step towards bringing home our son:)

God is Working...He just uses my hands and feet

'but you received the Spirit of adoption BY WHOM we cry out, 'Abba, Father!' Romans 8:15 (captials mine)

Well, our first fundraising dinner went down last night. I can't even begin to explain how deeply moved I was to see 150+ people turn out to support the Hendrens and our family on our endeavors to adopt. We had a great homemade dinner, we had a great response to the silent auction, we had great raffle ticket sales for the TV. We got to give the TV away to my good friend Lisa Jensen, who won the TV drawing. We (the Laceys) made a grand total of $1800 last night at our dinner!

We planned, we worked, we did...?

As I reflect today on last nights event, I have to admit that 'we' didn't really do anything. Yes, I made some arrangements. Yes, Angie came up with an awareness speech. But I don't believe those things in and of themselves are what brought people out in support.

People came to support us because God is stirring up something deep within. He is working in the midst of this and I cannot take any credit for what is happening. I can only say that I am receptive to what the LORD wants of me. He has placed a holy discontent within me to care for an orphan in their discontent (James 1:27). He is moving me. Using me. I believe that He is using my entire family. I get thrilled when I think of the future. What does God have planned for our Haitian son, that He has called us to bring him into our home? What great things will He create for us and for him?

Yes, God is at work. He uses human hands and feet like mine and Angies. But He also used a room full of people last night. People who, I believe, want to be used by God to help bring home children who may never know a better life.

So now as I fill out our paperwork and prepare to send in our first payment this week to the adoption agency, I extend thanks to all who let God use them last night. I thank you all who are as excited as I am to bring home our little boy.

I praise God for His goodness and look expectantly to Him to continue to guide us through our adoption journey.

God Bless and my love to you all!

Terry

A Church Family Like No Other

Today I saw firsthand what a church family is. This is not the first time I've seen them come together for a great cause but a wonderful reminder about why I love Shadow Mountain Church and it's peeps:)

I saw my church family unite and come forward with amazing support for my family's adoption process. They had 'secretly' been taking up a collection of loose change into a large pottery 'Haiti jar'. (How 250 people kept this a secret from us, I have no idea!) But they managed it!

When all was counted, it was nearly $300!

As I sat and counted money, I couldn't help but think about our son. The nameless, faceless little boy who we have yet to select, but who is somewhere in Haiti. I can't wait to see his face. I can't wait to visit him. I can't wait to bring him home, love him and give him the best life we can. I can't wait to take him to Shadow Mountain Church. Mostly, though, I can't wait to introduce him to the dozens and dozens of people who are chipping in, digging deep and helping us to finance this adoption. I can't wait for them to hug him and meet him, to see the fruit of their assisted effort. Our church family is as huge a part of bringing our son home as we are in having the hearts to open our home to him.

So a deep and profound THANK YOU to everyone who helped fill the Haiti jar. I look forward to the day, after our son is home, after all is said and done and we can pass it on to another family and offer prayer, support and love to them on their adoption journey.

Blessings to our church family. You will never know how much you mean to us!

Terry

Application Finalization...Say that 10 times fast!

Drum roll please!!

Our application has been finalized and our family has been welcomed into the American World Haiti Program! Yay! It's taken...hmmmm....awhile. But it's done! I was so excited, I got the call at the end of the school day yesterday and just blurted it all out for everyone standing around to hear! I'm officially an 'expecting' mother! Woohoo!

Sooooo....what's next, you ask???

More paperwork! Here is a list of the attachments that was emailed to me yesterday after our finalization call:

-American World Adoption Agreement

-Schedule of Fees-Haiti

-Haiti Pilot Program Disclaimer

-Haiti Presidental Waiver Disclaimer

-Client Grievance Procedures-Updated

-Clients Rights and Responsibilities

-Haiti Program Adoption Overview

-Haiti Program Family Service Plan

-Haiti Program Home Study Agency Agreement

-Haiti Program Post Adoption Agreement

-Privacy Notice

Now I know why they call adoption a 'Paper Pregnancy'!! I am excited to begin filling it out...of course, finding time to sit down and do it all will be the biggest challenge!

So now the 'paperwork' time consumption, financial crunch and real strain on my family begins. It may sound harsh, but it's true. I have heard enough stories to know that this is not an easy process. I'm not naive enough to think that this is going to be a walk in the park....BUT...

But I know that there is joy to be found in trials. There is joy to be found in doing what God wants us to do, even when it is not easy. I know that there is joy to be found in a small boy who God has already ordained to be a Lacey....I am ready to tackle the tough times as well as embrace the good! But mostly, there is joy in being called out to fulfill the Great Commission as we "GO" and bring home a child who will be raised in a home hearing about Jesus and what He did for us.

So a plea goes out for continued prayer to my friends and family. Pray that this next step in the process goes as smoothly as possible. That God opens doors for us, leads us and strengthens us. Prayer for Tayler as he still struggles with not wanting to 'share' his parents and brother and sister. He is working through it, but has trouble understanding sometimes.

Thank you, God Bless you all for all your ongoing support!

Terry

We Are On The Same Path

I feel very blessed to have been able to participate in training through Canyons School District last month. (I am employed at Granite Elementary, working as a Paraeducator to a class full of wonderful special needs children.)

Because of completing the training that the district offers, I was rewarded with a raise. I had decided that because we do not depend on that extra money from the raise to live comfortably right now, I just wanted to give the money away each month. My idea: Sponsor a little girl from Rwanda and add to our tithe at church.

The amazing, God-thing about this story is as follows: I had not even spoken about this to Daniel. Not a word. Not a peep. I was waiting to receive the first check with the raise added in to bring up the suggestion to him.

Yesterday morning, Daniel said the following to me: "I think we should do 2 things with your raise. First, sponsor a child. Second, give more to the church."

Um, anyone else getting chills at seeing God work???? God has united Daniel and I on many fronts over the last few months. It is drawing us closer as a couple and solidified our resolve on bringing home our son from Haiti. We are of the same mindset and on the same path...the one God has laid before us.

Thank you friends and family for continued prayer and support during our experiences! I just had to share that one! (Thanks for pointing out that I should, Angie:)
Blessings to all!
Terry

Glory in the Paperwork and Set-Backs!

So I've finished what is (hopefully) our last financial statement for the application process. Mind you that this is just the application process. We still need to go through home study, prepare a dossier, apply for visas and passport, do background checks...etc. (I will keep posted what we hear from the Agency on the finalization of the application process...)

It can seem overwhelming. It is overwhelming, honestly. But I feel compelled in a way I've never felt before. I pray and God shows me. He shows me that there is a boy, and even though I cannot quite see his face, I see that he needs me. He needs Daniel. He needs a family. But mostly he needs the chance to hear about Jesus. My feeling of being overwhelmed is nothing compared to the fire God has lit for me to pursue bringing our son home. I am tired. I don't know how things are going to get done. I will keep praying. God will send us what we need through grants, fundraisers and hopefully, His people.

I praise God for his goodness. His faithfulness. Things look bleak. The car broke down. Almost $700 later, we have transportation, but back to square one on raising money. The roof started to leak...another upcoming expense, I'm sure. But I still praise God for His goodness. He brought us to the decision of adoption and He will find us a way to succeed.

I just want others to know, keep glorifying and praising Him through diffuculties. We have faced so many in the short time we decided to adopt. It only proves something great is in the works. Satan is fighting hard against God's plan for us but he has no power over those who look to the LORD. Keep looking UP!
God Bless,
Terry

Video that I ABSOLUTELY Love!

Walking in His Will Even During Obstacles...

I've noticed (as I'm sure many of my Christian friends have as well) that when you have faith in Jesus, recognize Him as the epi-center, the Lord and Savior, of your life, that Satan doesn't particularly like that. He does all he can to destroy that faith by attacking anything and everything that will cause you to stumble and fall into sin. But, in my opinion, his favorite vicious efforts, is his attacks on families by causing animosity, discouragement, despair, mistrust...you name it and he will use it against you and your family. Anything for you to give up your faith in Christ, turn away from God's will and turn to him, the prince of this world.

I have noticed that in our recent plans to adopt, he is well at work again. Of course, Daniel and I are wise to his schemes and realize that we are truly doing God's will by pursuing this adoption because of Satan's miserable attempts to derail us. Let me share a few things that he already has thrown our way in the short time we've decided to adopt:

It began with a small oil leak in our car. Within a short week and a half the small drip turned into Old Faithful! Using 5 quarts of oil in 4 days. I was sure that a seal had broken and we were looking at least a $600 repair cost. That would definitely set us back on our attempts to save up for those intial adoption fees. Discouragement began to set in. I was afraid. Afraid that maybe we would never raise enough funds. Never get this started. Never see our son...due to too many financial obstacles making it impossible!

Praise be to God, as the fix was a $40 oil filter. But I saw, quite clearly, what Satan was trying to do. It isn't the incident itself that he was using to derail me, it was the discouragement, fear and heartbreak he was using through this trial to try to get us to shrug off the idea of adopting. He wants us to believe that the idea of adoption was insane! We are middle class! We can't afford this! We have too many other obligations...instead of trusting that God will make it all work, will pull things together and we must be patient and wait on Him.

Another immediate obstacle we faced, was sparks shooting out of an outlet in our kitchen! Yes, terrifying and discouraging. I began to think that we would have to have a total wiring make-over, but again God came through! The microwave we had was the culprit and we just needed to replace the outlet with a safer one, a mere $16 fix and our wonderful friends, Matt and Carrie, gave us an extra microwave they'd had in storage, so we didn't have to spend anything on replacing the flamethrowing, fire hazard threatening our home!

Satan doesn't stop at using these kinds of things to dissuade us from following God's will. I have seen that he's slithering in between Daniel and I. Small arguments over things that are insignificant. Snapping at each other and not keeping respect and honor high in our marriage. After the first day this happened, the same day as the flame-throwing outlet incident, I realized that we were under attack. And severely. So, I prayed. I prayed that God would not let me forget that He was standing firmly beside us during this time. That He was the anchor in this endeavor and that we are his vessels. That there is a small boy out there somewhere that the Lord wants to come home to our family and I prayed for strength against these attacks so that our son can come home, as God wills it to be.

We recognize the attempts for what they are: Opposition to God's Will being done. Adoption is God's plan. Not just for the children who find themselves without homes, but for those of us who follow Christ. Through His blood, the faith that we have in it's power to save, we have become the adopted sons and daughters of the Lord. I can not, now that I have begun on the adoption journey, turn aside. If God loves me enough to bring me into His family, I must do the same for the faceless boy who God has already destined for us.

So I stand firm, although the ground often feels shaky. Psalm 27 is my comfort in these days of daunting challenge. Verse 14 reminds me to stay courageous, 'Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, and He will strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!'

God Bless and thanks to those of you who are in prayer for us Laceys:)

Terry

Application Submitted and some other thoughts

So after filling out 13 different steps on the AWAA website, we finished the application, submitted a family photo, sent in our letter of request and paid our processing fee we are now invested and on the official journey of adoption!

I filled out as much as possible during the day and had Daniel review all the info after he got home from work. (He only had to make one change so I thought I did pretty darn good!) Off it went and we will hear in approximately 10 business days from the agency that they have processed our information.

I feel exhausted and we've only just begun!

We did specify that we were interested in the Waiting Child Program. This means older children (usually 3 and older) or a child with special needs. The wait time on these children is shorter (hopefully) because they are 'harder' to place. The fact that a child is 'hard' to place, breaks my heart. How do you look into the eyes of a special needs or older kid and tell them they are less loveable than a healthy infant?? That they aren't as 'valuable'as a healthy child?? Aren't all children equally valuable to those who love them?

On another note, the Yard Sale was a HUGE success! We made $426 in 6 hours! Thanks to all the families that donated stuff to help us along with our adoption. I can't wait until our son comes home and you all can see the fruition of your support!
God Bless,
Terry and Daniel:)

The Journey Continues...

Well, it's been a couple weeks of trying to pinpoint some things, but Daniel and I feel that, though the need for homes for children worldwide is great, Haiti is calling our names. Approximately half the population of Haiti is under the age of 16 and 80% of the population lives in poverty. ($2 a day poverty, not $12000 a year poverty).

Also, our good friends, Ray and Laura Hulse, have served several short term missions in Haiti and through their stories, we feel a bond to the people and the land of Haiti. Their trips and experiences have touched our hearts and we strongly feel the urge to welcome a Haitian cutie into our home! We love you guys and admire the work God does through you and your mission work!

I also want to shout out praise and thanks to God for rallying such an outpouring of support for our first upcoming fundraising event! So many families from our church home, Shadow Mountain Church, as well as my family, the Moranos from New Hope Church, have donated tons of clothes, furniture, electronics and other goods, that we will have a massive yard sale this coming Oct. 8th! We love all who have been supportive and donated.

Ongoing prayer for our experience is much appreciated, especially since Tayler has expressed some small concerns about having another sibling. I did not think for one moment that, for our kids, it would be all smiles and sunshine when we decided to adopt. So prayer for an easy transition for them as siblings. Prayer for their hearts to open and their eyes to see that when God called their parents to a great, yet scary, experience, that we weren't afraid to tell Him no. (not that a mere mortal really could!)

Blessings and thanks to many! We love everyone who has given support and items! We love the Hendrens for their continued promptings forward! (no, Angie, I still LOVE all the info you email me! Keep it up).
Terry

Decisions, Decisions....

I have noticed over the past few days that the beginning processes of adopting is this: DECISIONS!

What sex of child do we want, a boy or girl? (this one has been decided! It's a boy!) What age range to we want? What agencies are reliable and which to use? What country do we want to adopt from? Do we adopt a special needs child?

And although some decisions are sliding into focus, it feels like we should be taking more defined steps forward, but somehow, I have felt stuck in decision mode.

This morning as I lay praying and thanking the LORD for all the insanity in my life right now, I realized that these decisions are just as much part of the process as all the upcoming stacks and stacks of paperwork that we will be filling out soon. I also realized that the LORD will provide all we need, will place the perfect child into our hearts and eventually into our lives as we travel this road. In essence, He will guide our decisions.

So as is, we are still in decision mode and need prayer for the LORD's guidance towards the child that He has ordained for us.

My excitement and fears of undertaking an unknown of this magnitude are abundant! I have already fallen in love with a child that I have never met and pray that the LORD will soon bring all answers to us, make our path through the maze of processing, selecting and waiting as smooth as possible so that my son will be home to us sooner than later!

God bless those who are praying and supporting us on our adventurous journey of adopting!

-Terry