Well, we wish this could be another fun post. To be honest, the last week has gone from complete bliss to an utter nightmare.
Over the last five days, Alex's behavior has become uncontrollable. All day long we are constantly bombarded with fits of rage, 30 minutes screaming sessions, him constantly hitting us, etc. Some of this is to be expected of an orphan due to all the change in his life - but this is ALOT more.
Honestly, we are spent. We are in a foreign land, trying to parent a very hurt little one, and our only disciplinary tool is the word 'no'. Nothing else seems to be working. We are without flesh-and-blood support. We are tired. We are almost done.....
Please pray for us. The next few days will be very important.....
Welcome to the Journey
This blog spot will chronicle our adoption journey. Thank you for joining us in this great adventure!
Dave & Jaclyn :)
Dave & Jaclyn :)
Celebrating Two Cultures
At the 2006 Olympics Hockey Game - USA vs. Kazakhstan
Blog Archive
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2009
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May
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- Audition #1 - Alex
- Step by Step
- Ethan's new clothes
- A Crisis of Faith
- Hope
- Tough Week......Please Pray
- Our Little Munchkin
- Miller Genes??
- Boys & Cars
- Alex finally gets to ride in the car
- Why Communism Failed
- They are officially ours.....almost....kinda.....soon
- Our Apartment
- Birds of a feather...
- Victory Day
- Happy Mother's Day
- Clever Boys
- Building Trust
- Bonding Period Completed
- Life in Petropavlovsk
- Our Family & Friends
- RAD
- Honeymoon is over...
- Boys Will Be Boys
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11 comments:
I know it is hard. Keep up your spirits. Try to get outside and get out of the house. It helps if they can burn off some energy. Play games outside, run around, any playgrounds in the area? Can you find a frisbee or ball? If you can do this once or twice a day it might help. We are praying for all of you.
Scott and Amy
Strengthen you feeble arms and weak knees...so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed!! (Heb. 12:12,13)
WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!
Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.
"Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
That really sucks. I am so sorry.
I thought of your situation today while reading from Romans 8.
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?.....No way, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, neither height nor depth, neither longitude nor latitude, neither RAD nor language barriers, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (The kind of love that He is painstakingly showing you how to unconditionally offer).
We will be praying for your strength and for peace for Ethan and Alex. Although you have been making sacrifices and planning your lives around them for a long time, to the kids you represent an incredible dream-- and Alex may be afraid that one day he will “wake up” and it will be over. Each time that you continue to forgive them and show unconditional love, you are cementing in their hearts the fairly new (to them) notion that you actually will still love them when they are bad, and will always be there for them.
You WILL make it through. We love you and are so proud of you. And we are all looking forward to welcoming Alex home—even if he is still learning how to manage his feelings without using his fists. We are looking forward to helping you love on him.
We are praying! God has you in his hand.
I see such inspiration and support already from your brothers and sister of faith...what else can be said?
I reflected for awhile and then I found the words.
And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love
-1 Corinthians 13:13
Love is steadfast and strong. Loyal, despite tantrums and frustration. Love, patient and humorous. Love, offered without strings. Love,invested without requiring guaranteed return.
God of promise, send love upon this family, let it land softly upon their outstretched hands. Fold your love around these children so they may embrace and experience your great and unconditional love.
This is what I have asked of God for you: that you will be ...knit together by strong ties of love.
-Colossians 2:2 TLB
Children test you for a number of reasons. Just keep responding in unconditional love!!!! Before long they will be capable of trusting in all the love you have to give them.
Fall upon your strength and faith to carry you through this dificult time. HE will be with you always, to the end of time!!!
Love, prayers and peace be with you ,
all4odies
God doesn't always call us to 'easy' things. He often calls us to difficult instead. Noah suffered ridicule and physical stress, Moses the emotional difficulty of leading people who didn't want to be led to God, Naomi's husband and sons died to prepare the way for David's birth, David had to suffer from Saul, Elijah from Jezebel, Jeremiah from Zedekiah, Paul from the Judizers, he even was shipwrecked and spent a couple days just floating in the sea, talk about hopeless.
Lastly consider your Lord. He came to this earth with one goal, to suffer and die. He is leading and setting the example of what the 'normal christian life' will look like.
D&J you are in great company. God loves you, cares for you, 'We know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to his purpose' You have been called.
Don't give up. Trust in His strength. If you guys are exhausted, then what a great time to let God's strength step in.
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you"
Susan and I have been praying and it is so hared to know just how to beseech God for you and the children. In the Word this morning I was led to Rom 8:26-27 26 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." I journaled that this is imensely helpful in this situation that you are faced with. The Holy Spirit is in your corner! He is interceeding for you! James 1:5 tells us, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." I am praying that for you as well. Lastly, I Cor 10:13, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." God does have a way of escape for you and He will reveal it!!!!! We love you. Paul and Susan
You are both in our thoughts and prayers continually. We know the battle. It is difficult, but God is still in control. He has not forgotten you. Think of Jesus in the boat with the disciples during the storm..That always gave me such comfort. Even when He seems distant..He is there and all is in His hands.
Mary and Ethan
We are in deep prayer for you guys, and calling on the Holy Spirit to give you comfort and rest. We also ask the Lord for wisdom for this week, and for the confirmation in your hearts that you are in His will. We love you very much and will "pray without ceasing."
Dave and Jaclyn,
We are praying for all of you. Even though you don't have flesh-and-blood support, you have an army of people who love and praying for you. We've learned that parenting is a marathon, with new and different challenges every day. So many times, we have counted on the promise in Lam 3:22-23: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
Every day brings new challenges, but also fresh hope and a fresh start! We pray that God refreshes you constantly and gives you the energy to be loving, patient and consistent with the boys.
Love you both -- Chris and Peggy
We can't imagine what you might be feeling right now. You've come so far and to be faced with such hurdles at this stage...
We're praying for the four of you, for wisdom, and for guidance.
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