Will

The first night we were in Guatemala, after the attorney, translator, and foster mother were gone we were finally left alone with the kids for the first time. As it began to get dark and the newness and excitement of the hotel room wore off, the kids became quite scared and were missing their foster family. I can't imagine how afraid they must have been. JoAna began to cry first, but let mom hold her and comfort her. I was holding Will, sitting on the bed where we had been watching TV. He had grown so quiet and still that I thought he was asleep, and I was trying to keep from ‘losing it’ as I listened to JoAna cry. When I looked down at the little guy in my arms, I saw a look on his tiny, young face that seemed to me much in pain, fear, and lost. He didn’t move at all, didn’t try to cuddle or cry on my shoulder, he just lay there silently with tears coming out of his closed eyes. He did this for quite a while as I held him and just prayed as best I could that God would help all of us. As JoAna finally fell asleep he began to cry softly, and as my mom took him and held him he cried out and let her hold him and comfort him.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. ~Psalm 147:3
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families....
~Psalm 68:5-6



As our hearts were all breaking, I think God was really opening our hearts to each other through it all and taking us to a new place in His love for us. Though their open, occasionally strong emotions sometimes annoy my more hidden feelings, I am learning so much from their honesty. I have become so much closer to my parents through the adoption and learned to cherish my family and it’s love so much more. God has used the kids to soften and open my heart so much more to allowing other people to love me and to truly love others.


The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all: he has compassion on all he has made.... Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
~ Psalm 145:8-9,13-14