Archive for January, 2010

Here is an excerpt from the Smalley Christmas letter describing the story of Annie ….

Well, you might be thinking that this doesn’t sound like an eventful year; however, this is where our quiet Arkansas life changes!  Many of you know that we have felt called to adopt over the years, especially since I was adopted.  Approximately 5 years ago, when we were speaking at a family camp in Wisconsin, we felt a deep burden to adopt from China. We decided that we wanted a little girl and we would name her “Antoinette Rose” after my precious mom “Rosalie Antoinette”.  We have prayed for our “Annie” regularly over the years; however, since nothing materialized we just assumed that God had other plans for our family.  At the end of February, our dear friend shared about his visit to an orphanage in China. He told about a precious little girl he had interacted with who had a “special” left hand.  We even prayed for her over the next several nights. But never in our wildest dreams would we have guessed what would occur over the next week.  Through an email that our friend had sent to China to introduce us to the American orphanage directors, we learned that this beautiful little girl’s name was Annie….the name we had been praying about for the past 5 years!

We have since had the honor of learning a whole lot about Annie and we deeply desire for her to become our daughter.  Annie is 2 years old and is in an amazing orphanage in China.  She has a few special needs; however, she has already had several surgeries to correct a cleft lip and palate and a club foot.  She will need surgery on her left hand.  We are overjoyed at the thought of adding to our family—the fourth child we always wanted.  We have been “indoctrinated” rapidly into the adoption process…which lives up to everything I have heard about it…difficult. We have been trying to save the needed funds rapidly…and we are currently preparing bedrooms, and toddler toys! We would covet your prayers and support as we continue on this unbelievable adventure.   We will keep you updated on our journey back to China to bring our daughter home!  We are hoping this will happen by late spring, early summer.

This has been my prayer over the past several months….to “wait well.” Everyone is waiting for something…Christmas; a loved one’s return; healing from an illness; a check in the mail; reconciliation in a relationship; to go on a trip. Although I am waiting on several things, the main thing I am waiting on is a referral call from China. If you’re reading this blog entry, more than likely you have read the Smalley Christmas letter and you know our story. We are waiting to know that “Annie” will officially be part of our family. In every sense she has already become a part of our family…yet she is not here with us physically. In our hearts, we love her very much; we have begun to dream of her future with us; we can see her playing in the backyard. In matter of fact, we purchased this swing for her and we deemed it the “faith, hope, and love swing.” Faith that she will be ours; hope that she will come soon and in the life we hope to offer her; and love…the love we feel for her already that will only continue to grow. In so many ways, this is the identical to faith, hope and love in the Lord. We have faith to believe in Him, hope for our lives and future because of Him and we are able to love as a result of His love.

I know that I try to “wait well.” But often, I fail. I try to take things into my own hands by making phone calls and sending emails. Sometime these are ordained actions, however, more often they are my own actions. How about you? Do you try to take things into your own hands? Join the club if you are struggling. In our culture, we are so used to getting everything right here and now. However, we have waiting a short 10 months for this call and it feels as if it’s been a lifetime. When I see the precious pink “faith, hope, and love” swing hanging on the swing set in the back yard—it reminds me to “wait well.” Although, right now it is covered in snow—it is has already been through several seasons—burning hot in the heat of July and August; September, October, and November brought beautiful leaves and colder temperatures and December has brought the fluffy white snow. Each waiting experience has seasons to it. As I look at the snow today it makes me think that next winter Annie could be sitting in the swing—laughing, giggling and enjoying life. The swing helps me to remember to not take things into my own be my focus. As we fumble our way through this season of anticipation and waiting—I know that I can only“wait well” with Him. He has to be my focus, my comfort, my strength.