Thursday, May 5, 2011

Friends.

We've been blessed to live in multiple cities and three states in our 14 years of marriage, the friendships we've made along this journey of life are lifelong friendships. I feel so blessed. Add in the blog world and some of my online friends have become close friends because of where God has us in life, adoption, fundraising, etc. What an amazing gift.
Over the years I've realized more then ever what a gift friendship is.

When we adopted Silas there was a huge Ethiopian community in Phoenix as well as a transracial group that was incredible. Silas' biological cousins were adopted in Arizona as well - incredible! When God moved us to Florida I prayed for an existing Ethiopian community, one we could integrate into and meet new friends. God had other ideas. He called us to become apart of a community that had a heart for adoption but hadn't made the move to action. God allowed us to be apart of that from the ground up. He allowed us to be apart of helping bring children into their forever families. When we started our journey to Zahra we didn't know who God had in mind for us or the other families. We didn't know our timelines. God did. He saw fit to bring TWO little girls from the same transition home into two families who are already good friends, are in ministry together, and who live just a few miles apart. That's a story only God could write.

My kids' friendships are important to me. I may even say more so for Silas and Zahra. They have things that they'll struggle with that I won't get in the same way they'll "get" each other or the way Zahra and her friend Abby will get one another. These are such gifts for my children.

I was extremely excited to see my kids when we came home from Africa. I was anxious to have us all under one roof. After that I could not WAIT to see what Zahra and Abby would do when they saw each other for the first time since Abby came home in January.

I think the picture below speaks for itself.
It has been so much fun to see these two together......
New memories together.
Celebrating Birthdays.....
Learning new things......
New friends......
Mall walking......

So much more to come........to God be the glory!!

4 comments:

Home Project Manager said...

That is AMAZING...all just a few miles away!

I thought of you yesterday as I was in Tampa. Our company just started working with three hospitals in Tampa and I was doing a site visit. I am an ER nurse, but do Health Care IT (aka...computer nerd for the hospitals...LOL).

the 275 at 8:30 am....wooooo....thank goodness for iTunes playlists!!!

Have a good one!
the other FL Erika...ha!

Pixie's mom said...

This is AMAZING! My heart is so happy for Zahra and Abby! We, too, are sort of pioneers in our small town in the area of African adoptions. I'm hoping that through what God has called our family to, others will feel "the nudge" to adopt as well. I'd LOVE to hear more about how God worked to create the community of Ethiopia adoptive families in your new hometown, and how you helped to facilitate!

Carla said...

What a special blessing from a loving heavenly Father! So sweet to see their friendship continue as they both begin their new lives in America. What a gift! I love seeing all your pictures and following along as you live out God's heart for orphans. We love our t-shirts and think of Zahra and your family (as well as God's heart for orphans) whenever someone wears it.

Rachel said...

Catching up on your blog! Love this! I am so happy that these girlies have each other!! what a wonderful blessing!!!