"If-Then"

I mentioned in our last post that I had more I wanted to share, but I didn't have time right then.  This will be a long post, so go ahead  get comfortable.  As we drove home from our Spring Break trip recently (March 17, 2017), I was enjoying the view out my window and thinking.  I was thinking about March 17th, 2003- fourteen years ago. We lived in Albuquerque NM and Adam and I had dropped Hannah and Brooklin off with a friend and driven to the hospital, where I was scheduled for a D & C. It was the same hospital I had delivered both the girls at.  We had not planned to have a third child, but we were thankful.  We had gone in for an ultrasound and I knew pretty quickly that it did not look like it was supposed to.  So here we were, facing the loss of our unborn child. I remember laying in pre-op, hearing people chattering around us and just feeling so sad and alone.  Even though Adam was so sweet and he was right there holding my hand.  It was so hard to wrap our minds around the fact that we had lost a baby. It was surreal.  During that same time-frame Adam received a phone call for a job offer back in Texas.  We had interviewed only a few weeks before that.  He accepted.  10 days after my first D & C, late at night, we headed to the hospital where I would have to undergo a second D & C, the first one was incomplete.  A week later we were pulling out of Albuquerque, moving to Texas.  Our heads and hearts were reeling. Happy. Sad. Busy. Old Chapter. New Chapter.  Hellos.  Good-byes. So much in such a short period of time.  God was faithful through every single thing!

After getting settled in to our new city and job, we knew our family wasn't complete. After several months of trying and praying, fear and doubt began to creep in.  Would we be able to have another child?.  I then remembered three little outfits I had packed away back in 1997.  Three little boy outfits that we didn't need since we found out our bundle of joy was going to be a girl (que Hannah).  I found those three little outfits.  I placed  them on three little tiny baby hangers. I hung them in the front of my closet as a reminder of God's faithfulness and I began to claim the promises of God's Word that spoke of His faithfulness and health.   November 2004 brought huge exciting news-we were pregnant.  We were excited, but I felt fear as well.  I chose to be like Sarah-to judge my God faithful. And He was.    July 28th, 2005 our sweet baby Jack made a grand entrance and our life has  been so full and blessed by all three of our children on this earth.  We know we have a little one waiting for us in heaven too.  

So, back to my looking out the window and thinking, as we drove home at Spring Break.  My mind went to "if-then".  If we had not lost a baby, then we would not have Jack.  If we did not have Jack, then we would not have been sponsoring Fang Tao.  If we had not started sponsoring Fang Tao then we would not be adopting him........ God is in ALL of it.  We know that.  My mind was blown.   He took a hard, sad situation and He has brought beauty from it-all these years later. March 17th, 2017.  Three beautiful children who love and serve God.  And one we are working hard to bring home soon.  OH, I know God loves writing these stories.  He carries us through the dark times, and dances with us through the good. He provides what we need through each and every season.  

Maybe you are in the midst of a full on happy dance or in the throws of the deepest, darkest storm.  He is there.  Judge Him faithful Who promised.  He will not leave you.  Do not forget Him in your joy or curse Him in your sadness.  Grab hold of Him and DO NOT LET GO-He's got you.


God Bless,

The Harris Half-Dozen

LOA Please!

And thank you so much!  Yes!  We have received the official Letter of Approval or also know as Letter of Seeking Confirmation from Adopter!  This means we have been approved to adopt Fang Tao!  There are still a few steps ahead, but this is a big deal and we are rejoicing.  We received word over Spring Break and boy did that just add to the fun!  I have some more I want to share, however, I need to go get things organized as we head back to school and "normal" routine this week.  I will leave you with this line from Need To Breathe's new song Hard Love-"But there's a reason that the road is long, It takes some time to make your courage strong..."  This entire song is awesome, but those two lines really got me.  This has been a long road, but it is paved in faith and trust and lots of prayer.  We all know that some of the best things in our lives were not easy, but well worth it.  God is faithful and good.

                                                                           ~LOA~