Adoption

I'm posting an email I sent to my family this weekend about our recent adoption adventures. My brother got together a couple of good links for me. http://www.shaohannahshope.org/ (the Shaohannahs Hope website) http://www.americanprofile.com/heroes/article/5477.html (a story about the Chapman family)

We've had a great couple of days and I just wanted to fill everyone in on what's been happening here. First, I have to tell a great story. A month or so ago I was riding in the car with the kids, listening to a Steven Curtis Chapman CD. Christian asked me, as he often does, if this artist was a Christian. I told him yes, and that, in addition to that, he and his wife had adopted three little girls from China and now had a foundation to help folks with the financial burden of adoption (we have applied for a grant from them). He decided he would love to meet him and asked me where he lived. I laughed and said I didn't think we could just show up at this house and introduce ourselves. Later that afternoon, I got a call on my cell phone from a lady in his organization, Shaohannah's Hope, asking if our family would like to be their guests at the Steven Curtis Chapman concert in Austin and get up onstage with him to highlight adoption. I never cease to be amazed at the ways we see God working! Well, the concert was last night. We decided to leave Brian at home with Gammy and Great Grandma, which proved to be an excellent decision, as we arrived at the concert at 6pm and left a little after 11pm. We got there and the band manager met us at the door and ushered us to a spot at the front in the center. I don't think I've ever sat this close at a concert before! All of the details were a bit sketchy, but we were told to come out and meet the band manager again during a particular song towards the end of the conert. The entire concert focused on adoption and they had big bins where money was being collected to benefit orphans. People were asked to put their change in there. It was a beautiful concert--great music and many moving images of orphanages in China and different families getting their children. At the appointed time, we headed out the back to meet the band manager and were ushered backstage. I know I've never been that close to a concert while it was going on! We stood right on the edge of the stage and watched the band perform their last number. Then, Steven Curtis Chapman invited us on stage. He said the whole night had been leading up to this moment where they would be able to help a family in the process of adoption--US! My legs were shaking--those lights are REALLY bright and there were a lot of people staring at us! He announced that they had collected $5600 in change during the concert and they were giving us a $4000 grant!!! What an incredible blessing--we can't even describe how amazing we feel, being the recipient of such generosity! He asked everyone to introduce themselves and everyone "aaahed" over Faith when she said "Hi" on the microphone--what an angel! Christian was so brave and didn't even hesitate to go up on stage with us or introduce himself on the microphone! Steven Curtis Chapman told everyone about Michael's military service (everyone clapped and whistled, which made me tear up) and asked me some questions about our adoption. I told them about Hannah Li and that we hoped to go get her by this summer. He then said a prayer for us and for Hannah up on stage. My nose was running during the prayer because I had tears in my eyes several times! After the end of the concert, he went backstage with our family and we talked with him and his son (who is in his band) for quite a long time. He seems like a very humble and easy going guy and we thoroughly enjoyed visiting. He said he had written a song, which is yet to be released, about soldiers and their families. He said he wanted to give a little something back to all of them and the families that stay back home. He wants to send Michael a copy of the CD with that song on it. Unfortunately, the night before, Christian accidentally dropped our digital camera onto a concrete floor with the lens fully extended into zoom mode, so it is unusable now. He offered to let us use his disposable camera he had gotten for Christmas to take some pictures at the concert. So, we got a couple of shots with that camera, but it will be a little while before I can show them. It was a wonderful night and a great testament to the fact that God honors our desire to serve Him. We haven't always known exactly how we would save the money for the different stages of the adoption, but we know that it is what God desires for our family, and He has proved faithful over and over and over again!!! We can't wait to have Hannah Li here, running around with everyone, just being part of the family and the love!