A Note From Stephanie . . .

Hi, everyone! This is Stephanie. You won't hear from me much, but since Jill asked me to create this blog for her, I have a little to say.

I started blogging a couple of years ago. Jill told me then that she would want a blog to keep everyone updated for when they were in China to get Mary. Of course at that time, a couple of years had passed since all of their paperwork had been turned in, and the excitement of "the time" being close was seeming to fade. The wait seemed never ending. A couple of MORE years later and here we are. The wait is over! In just over 48 hours, Jill and Scott will be on a plane heading to China to receive their precious, beautiful, baby girl.

I can clearly remember (and this won't surprise those of you who know me and my memory) sitting in my classroom at school one evening, very pregnant with our oldest daughter, Elaina, writing a "reference letter" for Jill and Scott. This letter was to be mailed to Bethany Christian Services explaining the relationship that my husband, Jeff, and I had with Jill and Scott and our thoughts on their character and parenting. We spent most all of our time with Jill and Scott and their kids, so this was a very easy letter for us to write. I remember closing the letter with telling the representatives from Bethany that in just a couple of short months, Jeff and I were going to become parents for the first time, and it was our desire and our prayer that we become the Godly parents to our baby that Jill and Scott were to their children.

It was an honor and privilege to write that letter that evening on behalf of Jill and Scott. Almost 5 years later, it is again an honor and privilege to be sitting here on my couch, creating this blog for Jill and Scott . . . and for YOU, too!

This morning at church during our service, I was so very full of joy. I sang my heart out in praise to God, thanking him for all of the blessings in my life, specifically this morning for my dear best friend and the journey that she was about to embark upon. I knew that this would be the last Sunday for a few weeks that I would be sitting next to Jill during the service, and more importantly, the last Sunday that I would be sitting next to her without Mary in her arms! I kept thinking how in just a few short days, her life would be drastically changing with such an indescribable blessing!

At the close of the service as a congregation, we sang, "God Will Make A Way." Wow! Praise be to God! I had goosebumps! For those of you who do not know the song, here are some of the lyrics . . .

"God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way

He works in ways we cannot see

He will make a way for me

He will be my guide

Hold me closely to His side

With love and strength for each new day

He will make a way....He will make a way!"

Praise God! HE made a WAY! What a long 4+ years it has been. I know at times, it has been an exciting, hopeful, road for Jill and Scott, but I also know that there have been many times over these last years that have been filled with hopelessness and sadness as they started to question if the little girl who they had grown to love in their hearts would ever really be a part of their family. God made a way! God made a way for Mary to become a precious child in the lives of Jill and Scott, a precious baby sister in the lives of Benjamin, Luke, and Hannah, and a precious gift from God to all of us who know and love this family so very much. He worked in His time and in His way. Thank you, Lord, for your never ending faithfulness, for your goodness, for your graciousness! Thank you for making a way!

Jill will be emailing me daily updates to post to this blog. From here on out, the words that you read will be her words. I will just be keeping up with the technical part of it all. She and Scott will be able to log in and see the comments that you post while they are in China, so please don't hesitate to fill their comment box up! There will be some uncertainty during their travels and of course, while getting to know an 8 1/2 month old baby girl who will all of the sudden be theirs. How encouraging it would be to them to hear from all of you!

Thank you all for loving them, for supporting them, and for uplifting them in your daily prayers.

~Stephanie