“When people walk closely with other people,
it’s the grace of God- and if we carry the priority
of loving and serving our friends, we’ll impart life.”
-Zeke Pipher
*****
Thank you for walking so closely with me this week.
I mean…really.
I’ve re-visited the beginning of this post over and over again since yesterday- trying to figure out how to fit the enormous amount of thankfulness and encouragement I’m feeling because of you into one paragraph.
I’ve decided it’s just not possible.
So I’ll be over in an hour to hug you. 🙂
MAN, I wish I could!!! (Local peeps- you’ve been warned) 😀
Seriously though- what an inspiring and encouraging bunch you are! I really can’t thank you enough for the time you take to walk with me here each week. XO
As for whether the t-shirt line will become a full-on new biz (on a separate website, set up for that kind of thing), I am definitely inspired to keep researching/praying about it. As with any new venture, the days and weeks that led up to this (trial) launch were a bit mind-bending (in a good way, but mind-bending nevertheless), and I don’t think I exhaled for a full hour after I pushed the publish button on Monday’s post– LOL! (#nervewracking) I’m hoping to get some more friends on board though, and maybe together we can figure out how to proceed with this adventure!
*****
And while we’re on updates…
2-26 came and went without any new adoption news, but I am SO thankful for the Peace that came along with really feeling like we wouldn’t hear anything before that date. It helped make the three months after our last “real” update (December 11th) feel a little more…expected, for lack of a better word.
Now here we are in March. Whoosh! The first quarter of the year is almost over just like that, and I’m sure it’s only a matter of time until we’ll hear about our consentment letter. There are several other Three Angels families waiting on theirs, too. Maybe they’ll all be signed the same day?
That’s my prayer this week.
That the person in charge of signing those consentments will have everything he or she needs to make everybody’s paperwork official so we can schedule our Embassy appointments and start planning our (group) socialization trip.
I’m so ready to be with my boy, y’all. 🙂
I long to scoop stones with him in the sand rock box outside the orphanage.
I long to dream exactly where he dreams…
I long to cuddle him close, and rub that bowling ball belly I see squeezed into tiny, shared shirts. 🙂
I long to jump off the pages of his photo book and into his story forever.
I’m so excited for you! Praying for you, Kevin and your sweet baby boy. Your patience and faithfulness will be greatly rewarded <3
Seriously, this makes me teary! It’ll be soon. Keep on dreaming and playing all of the wonderful things out in your head. It’ll be better than you even can imagine!
A favorite verse of mine….
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
Ephesians 3:20
IMMEASURABLY more than we could imagine!
It’s such a privilege to have a look into this amazing journey you are on. God is blessing your every step. It doesn’t get better than that.
I am sending you prayers for your beautiful journey to your son; we adopted our daughter when she was 3 from the Philippines, so I remember those days leading up to being able to hold her. It was the most excruciating! Your son’s room is so beautiful and I look forward to all the memories he will make in such a precious place!
Prayers that your INCREDIBLY long “labor” come to a swift and smooth end. We can’t wait to meet him!
Are those his tiny hands? So precious! Even if they’re not, I’m imagining them to be his 🙂
I’m so glad you’ve had peace, that’s such a gift during the waiting. Praying that your waiting ends soon so you can move on to the LIVING with your little nugget part of this journey!
Yes…those are his. 🙂 He’s pointing at Kevin’s face in that pic. XO
It is all about loving and caring for one another and even though ordering your shirts wasn’t the easiest ordering some of us have done, we still LOVE YA! I’ll be praying for the consignment papers as well. Keep strong in God’s word!
ugh! that last picture killed me! look at those little itty-bitty fingers! so precious! all the best!
What sweet words. Words similar to what my amazing mother-in-law spoke almost 48 years ago. She was so thankful to God for the baby boy that finally came. Her boy, her heart, her life. All 6ft 4″ of him to this day. Their bond is unbreakable. Praying for complete peace when you touch his little hand for the first time. Blessings!!
Wow. I am not sure how you wait so patiently. Not sure I could have the same faith.
By the Grace of God I pray that your family of three will be whole & together sooner than later.
Layla,
I spent the last week in the Dominican Republic. You guys came to mind. I thought, “Somewhere on the other half of this island is Kevin and Layla’s little boy.”
Trusting in God’s perfect timing for your family to be TOGETHER!
Kristin
Layla and Kevin,
I just happened upon your blog today and was immediately pouring over all your amazing talents, music, decorating style, photography, etc.
However I must say I was overwhelmingly drawn to your adoption story over everything else. Even as I type this comment tears are streaming down my face (in a happy joyful way!). My husband Michael and I tried for 6 years to have a child and it wasn’t the Lord’s will for our life. In May of 2012 we began praying for softened hearts to His will. In September 2012 we began the adoption process through the county we live in (San Bernardino, California).
From parenting classes to autobiographies and multiple interviews as well as getting licensed…we finally finished around May of 2013.
We then received the glorious phone call July 10, 2013 that a 6 month old baby girl was ready for us to bring her home!! I am emotionally overwhelmed even as I share this with you…
She is now 14 months old and we could not be more blessed, the process is not completely finalized and so we continue to bathe the whole process in prayer and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ sovereignty in all our lives.
You and your family are in our prayers that papers would be signed, the right people would be put in the right spots, finances would be provided, travel would be safe, and His peace that surpasses all understanding would nestle into your hearts as He puts all the pieces together.
Thank you for sharing your faith, talents, and hopes!
God bless you!