A love ..

Joesph Turner's Surgeon office called this morning to let us know that they had been
talking about Joesph's case.....Gosh I wished he was here to see them in person.
They all seem so ready to help him. He wanted me to call Another Dr. to get advice on
Joesph's plane ride home. How to handle him so he will be less up-set...I suspect that
will take drugs and lots of them..LOL ...I can't imagine what
the little guy will be doing.....I feel sorry for the people sitting around us.
Anyway, working on his behalf ....
My friend Amber posted about how she didn't realize how much she was worrying about
her Henry until she got a phone call the other day about him from The staff...
That's kinda how I feel.I get up-tight or I feel distant I can't figure out whats wrong
until I realize its Joesph...It's his little face I see in the memory of my mind. It's his
tiny body that I have memorized over and over. It's the questions that can't be answered
by no-body it seems. It's the un none of it all. It's the choice to love someone before you
you know if they will love you.It's all the uncertainty of this whole adoption thing. It keeps
you right on the edge and some days you feel as though you can't take a breath least you fall.
That's how I feel. Sleep is not an option lately. You wake up knowing your house is not secure.
Not everyone is sleeping safe and sound under your roof. He is not in his bed. You can't reach
over and feel him breath. As the days go on I feel more and more out of sorts..My peace comes
from The Father but..he is preparing me for the adventure of a life time. A love story that
knows no color.

Hope you all have a weekend building beautiful memories,
Rob

What must go through their mind?

Donna the Director of Acres Of Hope state side is in Africa and she put this on her blog...
I have to say that I can't even let my mind go where this story attempts to take me.


What is it like for a child to come into the orphange on their first day? This is what I as an adoptive mom wondered and knew it would probably be more than I would want to know or realize as a mom and then did see first hand. I was there one day when sisters were brought in and the birth mom said goodbye and walked away. I am sure her heart was very heavy at that moment. The girls were terrified. One of them started running all over the court yard and they couldn't catch her she was scared and screaming. It made my heart break just to see her afraid and b.mom having to walk away. What must she be thinking. She must hear her child crying on the other side but has chosen what was best for her even through the pain. This little girl was allowed to be left alone for a little while, while we all continued our business. After some time, Bobo the monkey got out. It scared her so much that she ran straight into the orphanage where I picked her up and rocked her as she cried. It was all I could do not to cry myself. The nannies go through this on a weekly basis. I calmly rubbed her back, rocked her, and talked to her. She eventually fell asleep. This little girl went on to become acclimated into orphan life and has since come home.
I went on to hold a baby who was relinquished. He cried and cried and cried for his mama. Once again you grief the loss of this little one but yet are excited for their opportunities of a new life. As I paced the court yard that day; I wondered what his new life would be like. I also prayed for the mama who gave him up.
Let us not forget the mamas and daddys and relatives who so lovingly give up their children so that they can have opportunity that they can't provide for them for one reason or another. It is God's unconditional love in action.

A Day In The Park...I wish Joesph was here..

Open Heart Surgery..!!

Well we found out yesterday after speaking to a surgeon who will be taking care of Joesph that
there is a 90% chance that Joesph will have to have open heart surgery.
Although, this is scary sounding we are committed to bringing him the best care possible.
Please pray that he will be able to come soon and we will be able to get him the help he needs.

believing in him always,
Rob

Mark your home.!!!

How often do we forget in our tone or our looks that the HEAD of our home is present.

“Christ is the head of this home, the silent listener to every conversation the unseen host at every meal.” We do say things that we regret but most of those come, “Where nobody knows and no one sees” except the One whose, “Eyes run to and fro---“and we tend to forget that “Nothing is hidden that will not become evident---

We need a door post that says "Christ is the head of this home"........as a reminder that

all we have is His. All we do, we do for Him and all we say should reflect His love.

My prayer for today!!

Father, I know that all my life
Is portioned out for me,
And the changes that are sure to come
I do not fear to see;
I ask Thee for a present mind,
Intent on pleasing Thee.

I would not have the restless will
That hurries to and fro,
Seeking for some great thing to do
Or secret thing to know;
I would be treated as a child
And guided where I go.

Wherever in the world I am,
In whatsoever estate,
I have a fellowship with hearts
To keep and cultivate .

God provided in a strange kinda way....

Ok so its been one of those weekends where your so glad you have friends...I was visiting with a friend and in the back ground I hear a scream...It's a I'm really really hurt scream and it bolts me out of my chair....On my way to the screaming child I run into my 2 year old who is crying and saying "bubba hurt" ..Ok now my heart is racing just a twinge...I get to Coop to see blood...........running down his arm and hand...He has gotten a fishing hook way deep into his finger and its past the barb....It's a huge fishing hook too ..It looked to me as though you could of caught a shark with it..Hanging out of my baby's hand...dangling there, blood dripping.Ok so its not that big.
Looking at it now it's pretty small but..
Anyway, I don't panic I just gather him up and load
everyone in the van to take him to our neighbors house.
He looks at it and says"Its deep you need to take him to the ER....Wow!! About this time Scott is driving down the road and stops. He takes one look and says "yeah we need to go on to the ER."
Cooper by this time is incredibly calm. He is being so brave..we drive to the ER where there appears to be along line......3 hour long line....So we call our friend the VET...Mr. John..he tells us to come on over...We get there to water being boiled and a fresh clean animal DR. ready to help.
He cleans Coop's hand really good and while all five of his children watch he precedes to give Coop some numbing stuff.....10 secs later its out....It was so neat watching our friends help us.
Coop never got up-set he held his daddies hand and did wonderfully.
He is no worse for the wear today..It's alittle blue but it does not even hurt..
This morning I was telling my mom what happened and she said"let me get this straight you passed up the ER for a vet for my grand-son.?" Yes mom we did.............
We even got animal antibiotics. He,He. We are very grateful to our friends and to God from whom
all blessings flow...........

The Kings Favorite Daughter!!!!!

Today was a huge day for our paper -work....God delivered in such a way that
it made people shake their head......In -stead of taking months on some paper work
we were waiting on, the lady at our capital talked to me today and she took care of it
all for us....She said I will mail this today...I was thankful, but she took it one step further
and faxed our stuff so our social worker got it within minutes......She was then able to
to release our homestudy.........:)okay you don't see my big ole smile but it has not left
my face all day......The kids and I had been fasting our daily scoop of ice-cream until
we heard from this lady and today after her call I took them and got them the largest
ice -cream I could.............I cannot thank the Lord enough...He opened doors that only
He had the key for and I'm still in shock at all He did...
I'm going tomorrow and picking up my 4 certified copies of my homestudy and shipping them to Rae
who happens to be on staff with Acres O f Hope and she and her husband are going to Africa
and she will hand deliver them to the needed places(thanks Rae)..So I am with a grateful heart
always but tonight I feel like the Kings favorite daughter>..:)ok ok I know I'm not I just feel
like it.....
Thank you Lord,
Rob

She told him she would Love him forever...

Scott and I live on 40 acres. It has been in the family since Aunt Sara and Uncle Steve Chandler were in their 20's...This is their picture..They never could have any children because of an accident that injured Uncle Steve ....(believe me you don't want to know).They always Loved kids..They worked this farm..They truly lived off this land. They farmed cotton and corn. She loved flowers and roses and every year when I see flowers poke their little head out around where their home was ,I have to stop and wonder if she planted them. She died on this property at 103 years old. To say this land was good for her was an understatement..She out lived uncle Steve by 25 years...They were said to have an incredible love for each other. She told him she would love him forever.What must it have been like to live all those years without your true love? I know she could feel him all around her. The trees they planted together the land that he so passionately loved.. I just have to imagine what she did all those years without him..We went this year and put flowers on their grave from a tree that was one they planted together. She never did stop loving him. She never re-married..
I never got to meet Aunt Sara she died before I came into the family......but sometimes when I'm sitting out side I wonder if she looked out over this land and loved it as much as I do? When our youngest daughter was born we decided to name her after this precious couple... as a reminder of their love and our privilege to live out our lives where they started......... So may our little Chandler help keep your memories
alive and well.....and may we experience some of the love you two shared together on this property......

No-one can tell me I'm doing wrong when-ever I see his smiling face...

Acres Of Hope Sewing day.

This was our sewing day that some friends put together for the kids In Liberia.
We ended up making 32 dresses and lots of laughter.It's so much fun getting
together....Alot of love went into making these dresses and I know the girls will feel beautiful in them....Thanks to all who helped.........:)

*a special thanks to Emma who is not pictured*
she was taking care of Channie and didn't know we were taking pictures.

love,
Rob

Sometimes you have to take a chance..

Well I have to say that I had a very emotional night. Donna, our Acres Of Hope contact person calls us last night and needs some of our paper work that has been held up for a couple of months now.
We call our social worker and she is super nice but says there is not awhole she can do.
I sleep until 2.00am and then I'm wide awake as the hours tick by.So many things going through my mind. What if Joesph dies while I'm waiting on paper work. Should we allow another family to adopt him so he is not held up by us....( keep in mind this is at 2.00am) I woke up with a resolve to go to our state capitol and stand on the steps of the capital building if I must with Joesph's pictures and try to get some answerer's....Scott, of course thought I had lost my mind..It's almost a 3 hour drive and I have five kids to drag along with me. I had no-idea who to talk to or even where I would go, I just knew I had to go. I had to able to tell myself I had done everything I could......I call my mom and tell her my plans and she says I'm going with you. I couldn't believe her dedication to me and to Joesph...I told her It may be a wasted trip mom because I don't know where to go or even if they will see me..She said that's ok at least you can say you gave it all..On the way, I called my social worker and asked her for any thing she could give me.She said It has never worked before but I will try and get a number for you. She called me back with a number and she said"you will not talk to her just leave a messages "..Keep in mind we are about 1 hour from the capital at this point. So with an anxious heart I dial her number. She answered.!
I bust out in tears and start telling her about my boy in Africa. How he NEEDS to get home so he can have surgery..She said "your going to Africa" I say yeah if I can get all of this stuff together..
She gets all our info and says to hang on.She comes back and tells me she has Scott's stuff and she is expediting it as we speak.She tells me that I need to come to the capital so she can get me a live scan. She tells me to come to her office first and then she will send me where I need to go.
We spend 2 hours at both places and I get several opportunity's to share about Joesph ...I hand out his picture so that they have a reason to get this done. I'm so grateful to God for giving me this chance to change something. They assure me that this will be handled and I believe them.
Sometimes you just have to step out there. It's not always the most popular thing to do but...you never know until you try. I have alittle fellow counting on me and I will not let him down... I will do whatever it takes to bring him To the United States and get him the surgery he needs...This may not be his first chose for a home but I hope we're a close 2nd......................

I love ya Joesph Turner hang in there and know that help is coming in the form of a crazy white woman..:)Soon to be your crazy mama........

A weekend update....

We had a very busy weekend. God is so good..On Friday night we had three couples over for alittle hospitality..It sure feels good to have good food and good friends.. These friends are some of the best...The kinda of friends that help you along this path we call life...
On Saturday we helped my mom move out of her house and she had given Taylor her bed-room suit. It was a great day for Tay. She got all new furniture and curtains and pillows and just everything..She was one happy girl. It took us all day to get all of her new stuff in her room but she is sleeping like the princess she is now on a very comfortable mattress....:) Thanks mom..
Her brothers helped put her bed up and everyone was happy for her..We went for pizza after that and then a movie at home and piled up like puppies....
On Sunday morning we got a call from some of our friends saying to pray because their prodigal came home...We were so excited to welcome him with open arms and love...at church. That was a high-light...Thanks for coming home Josh.:)
On Sunday night we went to our bible-study where we met with some great families.


They just posted on AOH about a boy who is 12 years old and he has heart problems. The father is pleading for someone to take him and help him....How must it feel to be a parent and to know that you can't give your child the medical help they need?He went as far as putting a plea in the newspaper for help for his child but no-one offered to help him. He took him to AOH and pleaded with them to help and they said they would...The more I find out about this family called Acres Of Hope I'm so thankful to be a part of it...If we didn't have our own special needs little man coming home soon who knows..

I can't give awhole lot of info but if you guys could pray for a mission trip to Africa and a a guy named Tim I would appreciate it. The Lord knows who and why we are praying so just lift it up to him...It has the potential to affect a few lives so just pray...I'll let ya know more when I'm able..It's always good to know friends in high places.....:)

Ok so tomorrow is AOH sewing day with some friends of ours who is making the kids out fits..
They are making the girls dresses and the boys shorts..I will post pictures after I get home...

Sleep tight love ya all...
Rob

Reasons to be Thankful.....

I have to say that these pictures really took me by surprise. This is a common home in Liberia.They still wash clothes the old fashion way.Since the civil war they have no power or running water. Please pray for the Liberian people and their nation that it may recover from the devastation of the war. May we never think we have it so bad...........

He has moved me!!

Ok so I thought I could handle waiting..I lied! I can't. This is one of the hardest things I've ever done. I'm very emotional and I can't seem to keep my mind from wandering. I keep telling myself that if I stay busy it will be better I have tried that and it doesn't work.I have tried not thinking of him at all but that doesn't work either..Everytime I go to eat I wonder if he is being fed. Everytime I buy the kids ice-cream I wonder what flavor he will like. I have bought him shoes but then wonder if he has any now? I go to sleep at night and dream about him. I have the most vivid dreams of his sweet little smile. I have only seen his smile once on one picture,how can I dream about it.How can my arms feel so empty when they are in fact so full with all the kids.
He is missing I can't explain the feeling of KNOWING he is out there and I can't get to him yet he needs me. I have such a peace about his health issues. One thing I know is #1 he has to be a tough kid. I love his spunk already. I keep going over in my mind meeting him for the first time. I will have had all this time examining his picture and he will have no time to take me in. I believe its hard also because my youngest daughter and Joesph are 18 days apart. So everytime I walk out of the room and she crys it makes me think of him.When she doesn't feel good and wants me hold her and comfort her I think of him. Where must he think his mother went. How can I step in and be that for him?Can I possibly fill that void? I know that the Lord will equip me and our family to be Jo's new family but I'm a thinker and imagine how he is going to feel. He is scared and sick and he is going to need an operation fairly quickly how do you prepare.......
I'm distracted He has driven me to Distraction and I can't wait until he is here and I'm able to feed him and keep him safe and make sure he knows that I may not look like his real mom but that he will see her in me when I hold him and rock him and feed him and tickle him and love him....Forever.(yes even when he is a 30 year old African man I will still call him my baby..:)

You move me.
You give me courage I didn't know I had.
I can't go with you and stay where I am so
you moved me.

Joesph you have moved me.

:)

A weekend full of memories...:)

Well another weekend building memories with my family. Here in the south every year there is the World's Largest Yard Sale..It goes through three states down one highway. You just yard sale until your heart is content...It was very hot but it was alot of fun giving the kids some money and seeing what they deemed worth a good buy..
We met lots of neat people and look forward to next year.:)
Channie has decided she does not like car washes..She gets pretty up-set when the lights start flashing and the big blue rollers come toward the car..I guess if I was 1 I would be scared too..Thank good-ness for her she has a brave daddy who will protect her from those big bad car washes.......I hope she realizes that he will always protect her and I hope she always feels safe in his arms....I know I do.
It's so much fun having the three little ones grow up together. They always have a friend to do something with and they never have to worry about being bored.I pray the bond between my children will continue to blossom and grow as the years go by..I hope they stay close and I pray they will never take each other for granted..(hey all things are possible with the Lord...:)
I hope their memories of growing up together will forever be with them and they will cherish this time they got to be so close.

Robin

When things get rough..

Hello all, we just found out that the person in Liberia who is responsible for getting
our children's visa is really holding up the process. She is new in office and apparently
is trying to make a stand on being in charge..Of course all of the families waiting on their
children are nervous and emotions are extremely high. We would ask that you pray for this particular lady. She is an American , pray that Acres Of Hope will find favor with her.

Rob