3boysand1ladybug

Friday, May 26, 2006

What a day!


Well the last 24 hours have been a whirlwind! Our brave soldier, Major Bill, is home on American soil, reconnected with his family and friends. Words fall short when trying to explain the emotion that was in that place! So many families were reconnected. What a moment to rejoice! Families were also being made yesterday! People who were logged into China through June 15th received their referral phone calls yesterday! Some of these sweet people became parents yesterday for the first time! This wait time much like being pregnant for 11 months has been tough but they all said that as soon as they got the "call" all the anxiety and frustration over the wait just passed away. Much like child birth. Well.... I just can't wait for our call now! I truly do think we are next! Oh! I just can't wait to see her face! Until then.....
Summer starts here at 11:45. The boys have a 1/2 day of school! We are so excited for Summer! We just know that the Lord has so many things for us, and we are waiting on Him to unveil all of these things! Praising God- Stephanie
God's loyal love couldn't have run out,
his merciful love couldn't have dried up.
They're created new every morning.
How Great is your Faithfulness!
I'm sticking with God ( I say it over and over)
Lamentations 3:22-24 ( The Message)

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Our soldier is coming home!



For the past 12 months we have had a very dear friend of ours fighting in Iraq. It has been the toughest journey we have endured with another family so close to us. Kip and Bill go hunting together, Tina and I go to Bible Study together, and our families just do life together. We celebrate holidays and birthdays, joys and sorrows, good times and bad. This past year has been one to check off the list and sign off on. Last year on Memorial Day weekend, Tina kissed her husband good-bye and Dylan and Kylie hugged their daddy, unsure of what the next year of their life would look like. Kip and I have never had someone we knew go off to war. It was a scary thing. Bill's verse is Joshua 1:9 and we just claimed it as God's promise over our friends life. It says "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Well tomorrow afternoon we will get to finally see our sweet, strong, and brave soldier face to face! We are meeting up with them in Jefferson City for a celebration event for all of the soldiers in his unit! We are so thrilled! We have been witness to God's provision and faithfulness during this year. And we are so grateful that OUR soldier is home! We are so very proud of all of the soldiers and the amazing work and progress that they made in Iraq! The Crawford Family is so proud to be Americans and that the freedom that we profess so boldly has been hard fought by soldiers. We do not take the sacrifice of our American solders lightly. From the bottom of our patriotic hearts The Crawford's say THANK YOU!

Just enough light for the step I'm on


For those of you who know us, you are familiar with our present circumstance. And for those of who are just getting to know us, please know it is not adoption related. It's a personal place where God has placed us. He didn't ask us ahead of time if it would be okay, but He is the Almighty and doesn't have to ask. Ahead of us, just down the road is our Divine Moment. Our problem is that we are not sure how long it is going to take to get there, what else is out there, and if the road is smooth or filled with potholes. Today, I had a moment of anxiety. This is nothing new but I was having a good morning then BAM..... Old fears on a new day start to creep in! So, what is a girl to do? Well I got on the elliptical and started running. I am not a runner by nature and not very fond of being sweaty, but this is a part of my daily routine, okay I don't always follow a rigid schedule either. But today (and everyday this week!) I was determined to stay on track and started my praise and worship CD and started to run. I really feel like this is time to focus on the Lord and worship Him, it is an amazing time. But I kept replaying in my mind my present dilemma. I kept asking the Lord to reveal something, anything to me. I just kept running, praying, asking, and worshiping. At one point I looked down and I only had 1:11 seconds to go. "Not bad" I said to myself. Then an amazing song came on "All I want is You" by Planetshakers. Here is a few of the words that captivated me "When all the things around me have fallen to the ground-I am thankful for the love that I've found in you-Take me to the secret place-Where I can only see is Your face-Desperate for your touch-Never needed it so much- Because all I want is you" I found that in my soul this is what I really needed. Just Jesus. Then the song was over and I looked down and had ran way over my time, didn't even know it. Most of the time I am doing a count down 3!2!1! But today I didn't realize the time, I wasn't exhausted, my legs didn't give out,and I still had air in my lungs! That is when I felt the spirit of God whisper to my heart " You have it in you to do this thing too... You can do it IF you keep your eyes on me. Stay focused on me, take My hand. Before you even know it you will finish this journey."
He sees my circumstance. Just because I can't see anything ahead doesn't mean that He can't. He can and does. He knows where I've been. He knows where I am headed. He knows where I am supposed to be going. If I have just enough light for the step I am on right now. It is enough. It has to be enough. For I have Him, and He is all I need.
In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul.
Psalm 138:3
You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thoughts from a far. You comprehend my path and my lying down, You are acquainted with all my ways.
Psalm 139:2-3
Refusing to be afraid of the dark, Steph

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

1 week short.... But it feels like forever!


This morning I had a chance to check the computer before the boys came down for breakfast! I was shocked to see how many e-mails I had received since last night. I am an early to bed kind of girl, and last night Tucker and I crawled into bed before 9! Kip says I would have made a good farmer except all of the hard and dirty work! I am just not an outdoorsy kind of girl. I love to plant my flowers and water them but past that I would rather not be dirty. I like the pool and the park... But I am off track now! Anyways... The CCAA has updated their website to say that they have matched families through June 15th. Again we are a June 22nd family. So, we missed it by one week. The "rumor" is that we will make the next batch. I am praying we do. We have talked about our sweet little one so much and have so many things ready, (except the bed and dresser I keep reminding Kip!) but at times it feels like I am just playing house. Like I am just living in a pretend world. It has been a blast going to the Gymboree and the Gap and shopping on the girl side, thinking about tea parties, and praying that God will train us up and lead us on raising a daughter, but at times it just seems like when I was a little girl playing house. Please don't get me wrong, I am having a great time "pretending"!

Monday, May 22, 2006

A small insight into my daily life.....


I wanted to post this song that was sent to me by my dearest friend. I hope that everybody has a friend like this, I am truly blessed to call her friend. I was having a really bad day on Friday. It was actually carried over from Thursday night. And in all honesty, we have been in this "place" for a couple of months. Just a bump in the road, a small glitch in what we thought was our well-oiled machine. This issue will not define us but make us stronger. God's Word is full of people going through trials and persevering. The Word shows the LORD leading His people with a cloud by day and a fiery pillar by night. He has parted the sea, provided manna for 40 years, stopped the sun, tumbled down walls with a shout, turned water into wine, healed the blind, cured the lame and the leper. Of course there were many other things like the apostle John said, "if all the things the Lord Jesus did were recorded there wouldn't be enough books to hold them all. Amazing thought. Sit on that one for a while. I did. Then I heard this song and had my "ah ha!" moment. I didn't need any of the big things from God, I just needed Him to be small enough to remember me and hear my humble cry, "is everything going to turn out okay?" Here are the words to this song, I pray that it tenders your heart to know that the God of the universe, who hangs the stars and knows them by name, who gave Saturn it's rings and made Venus sparkle... LOVES YOU.
SMALL ENOUGH
O Great God
be small enough for me now
There were times when I was crying
from the depths of Daniels den
and I have asked you once or twice
if you would part the seas again
Tonight I do not need a fiery pillar in the sky
Just wanna know you're gonna hold me if I start to cry.
O Great God
be small enough to hear me now
O Great God
be close enough to feel you now
There have been moments
when I could not face Goliath on my own
And how could I forget we marched around
our share of Jericho's
But I will not be setting out a fleece for you tonight
Just wanna know that everything will be alright
O Great God be close enough to feel you now.
All praise and all the honor be to
the God of ancient mysteries
Whose every sign and wonder
turn the pages of our History
Tonight my heart is heave
And I cannot keep from whispering this prayer
Are you there?
And I know you could leave writing on the wall
that's just for me
or send wisdom while I'm sleeping
like in Soloman's sweet dream
But I don't need the strength of Samson
or a chariot in the end
Just wanna know that You still know
how many hairs are on my head.
O Great God, are you small enough to hear me now.
(Lyrics by Nicole Nordamen)

Thursday, May 18, 2006


3 Boys and 1 Ladybug

3 Boys and 1 Ladybug




3 Boys and 1 Ladybug

The Crawford's


You are invited to the Crawford Family journey to Hope. Tatumn Hope. In true Crawford fashion this journey will have a lot of bumps and giggles along the way. I am so thankful to have you journey along side us.
It's better to have a partner than go at it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. And if one falls down the other helps, But if there's no-one to help, tough! By yourself you're unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped. Ecclesiastes 4:9,10,12. The Message
I believe this with my whole heart! This journey has been one that if we didn't have friends and family walking it out with us, I am not sure we would be where we are today.
Update: The CCAA has sent referrals out to families that were logged in (LID) by June 6th. We are a June 22nd family. As are our dearest friends the Massey's. So..... The new rumor out is that the CCAA will send out referrals for families with LID's by June 20th. Yep, we will miss it again. But if this is true than we know that we are NEXT. A little something to hope for..... But still holding out that we may be squeezed in there.
This is my first attempt at "blogging". It is such a popular thing in the adoption community that I was starting to feel left out. Not really. The boys are still in school and I had a free morning to try it out. IF this works than I will be more creative with the next one! I also hope to add some pictures and stories in the daily life of the Crawford's. You guys know that life is always interesting around us. I am not sure why but there is always something....
So, as we journey into Summer, referrals, travels, and walking this road of faith and not by sight thank you for joining us. I hope to keep you entertained, I may throw in a Bible Study lesson, but also just updated on our lives. Please keep praying for us and we will do the same!
Loving you- Stephanie