Saturday, March 26, 2016

Court in the city... the homeless and what God teaches us...

Hello windy city... and that is what it was... WINDY, RAINY, AND COLD on the day we headed downtown to have our petition to adopt Kaliyah heard in court... 


When I finally put two and two together that our court date downtown would fall on the Thursday before Easter, I was so excited.  Back in Tulsa, we had made snack bags, written up Easter notes and taken them to some of the homeless in the city...

On the few occasions that we have made it downtown here,  there are always many needy people on the main streets.  So the kids and I got to working on Easter bags, getting the snacks together, and making a list of downtown churches that folks might be able to walk to on Easter.

My heart got to praying for those we might meet out on the streets of downtown... 

We packed up the crew, plus a couple of friends and headed for down town... in the POURING RAIN!  

The whole way downtown, I was praying that the storm would lift... We obviously had Kaliyah, since it was her special day... and the others little ones, Hope, Levi, and Isaiah... It wasn't going to be easy hustling through the city on a day like that with the little guys... 

We drove down Michigan Ave wondering if we would even see any new friends... But there they were in the pouring rain sitting outside.  We decided it was best to leave the little ones in the car with Greg while these 4 kids below ran down Michigan Ave with me.

 SNACK BAGS AND LOTS OF LOVE IN HAND!!! 


This picture above was right before a HUGE gust of wind and rain literally almost knocked us over and did bend up 2 of our "cheap, garage sale" umbrellas!

These 4 were TROOPERS!  Not a one batted an eye to walk right up to our new homeless friends and talk with them... Not to mention in the freezing rain...

Since working in Uganda with usually kids in the slums, my heart has been burdened for the people right in our own back yard who are hurting and in need... If I can fly across the ocean to help... I really need to be willing to do it right here as well.

One of my main reasons for blogging is to document our regular life for our kids and myself... If you ask the kids, I can't remember what we did yesterday let alone a year ago... And I can tell you that my hearts desire isn't at all to get a pat on the back.

Mainly, I want these sweet people to honestly know deep down inside that despite the tough circumstances  they might be in, that God truly does love them.... deeply... with an everlasting love... That no matter what they have done, or I have done... that Jesus forgives it all!



And as usual, God shows up and does so much more than what we were thinking might happen.  I am always amazed by the people we meet and what they share and teach me... It was beautiful...

We met Doris, Palmer and her husband of 32 years, Jeff, Roosevelt, John, and many more... 
In our bags we also put a note from me explaining about how in our time of deepest sorrow and need the Lord reached out to be with us, comfort us, and to heal our hearts. 
After hearing some of their stories, I know many of them could relate to loss for sure... 


Oh the sweet conversations we had... Honestly my heart was torn in two and so touched that they would share their stories with us... What an eye opener for the kids, and me, to see the trouble and trial that these sweet friends go through daily... And yet so many of them had great attitudes despite all that they are going through.

Our sweet new friend and sister in Christ, Palmer, has diabetes, is in a wheelchair, just lost her mother... and  has an unstoppable faith that she said she will NEVER let go!  Talk about inspiring... 

We met Jeff who had lost both his wife and son about 10 years ago... 

We met a gentleman who is still 70 miles from home, but had a made it all the way here from Austin, Texas.  The kids noticed the bible sitting next to him.  

We met an Iraqi war Veteran who is suffering from PTSD...  He has served on 3 tours of duty... He Fought for our freedom and there he sits homeless, freezing, unappreciated, and totally  humiliated... I am so glad we were able to thank him for his service...


(Even Isaiah got in on drawing pictures for our cards)

We met new friends whom I already know we will see again in Heaven... 

And new friends that I could tell didn't share our same faith as us...
How very sad that makes me... 



But let me tell you this... 
Not a single person turned us down when we asked if we could pray for them... 

And it didn't matter if we have a home and they don't... Or if we know where our next meal is coming from and they don't... we prayed together on that freezing cold day... 

 

And honestly, if any of them were being dishonest about their circumstances... that is between them and the Lord... It is not my place to stand in judgment... If our Savior would have died for just Roosevelt, Doris, Palmer, or me... It is His job to do the work in their hearts and lives... And I am praying He will do just that... I know He did mine on that chilly day... 



After walking to pass out our bags, we hit family court on the 17th floor of the courthouse to officially petition the court for custody of Kaliyah... FOREVER!!! 

Craziest thing ever... The judge that presided over our case that day, who wasn't the normal Thursday judge, actually has children that live in our same city...

She has a grandson who did his eagle scout project here in the picnic area on campus where we live...

Her kids are members of our church... Out of all the people in this HUGE city, we get a judge who practically knows us already... wild!


They were so sweet, after the court discussion she allowed all of the kids to pick out their own stufffed animal.  Illinois is different in how the court proceedings go... Here, this is the only court date we will go to with Kaliyah... We won't even go for the finalization of her adoption...  Because this was it, we knew we wanted all the kids to be a part of it... (Louis was the only one who wasn't able to make it:(


 And this judge did not disappoint... 

She asked us all questions (even the kids and our company),
And she let each child pick out a beanie baby and sucker.... 
She was very kind... 
She made it memorable... and I love that... 



As we left the court house... The sun was actually shining for the first time all day!  We are praising God that everything is in place to make Kaliyah a Hintz forever.




Saturday, March 19, 2016

Company!!



Company is like a bright light in the busyness of our days.  We are so thankful when someone comes to visit!  

We were so blessed these last couple of weeks with sweet friends from Oklahoma gracing our home. 

 First Miss Shiela, Pseudo grandma, came for a visit.  Oh my goodness... she was over the top fun for the kids.  Even though the littler guys didn't remember her, it didn't take long and she had won them over.  

Jojo words the first night after she left, " I miss Miss Shiela!  I think she is the best encourager I have ever met!"  And it is true... she was like a cheerleader, pointing out the good in everyone.  What an example and gift to me to have her here.  She was a huge help with the kids and the kids loved playing with her!  She has Levi totally hooked on looking at the license plates on all of the cars we pass every time we are out! They had so much fun checking them out in the IKEA parking lot... then he was hooked!


Volunteering at FMSC (Feed My Starving Children) with Miss Shiela!


And last night we had a reunion of sorts with our Oklahoma small group friends.  Oh the fun and laughs!  It was great and did my soul good!  Old friends, that you can pick right back up with are a gift to my heart for sure!


My sweet friend Shelley... aka Shell-dog as we call her, came with her two older kids earlier in the week.  Again we went to FMSC:) But mostly we held babies, cleaned, cooked, and talked and talked.  It was such a treat! Seriously, I miss her so much! I am sure our crazy house and lack of order may have driven my amazingly organized friend crazy, but she never let it show:):)  

I have always called her my cheerleader... She encourages me so often in all I do as a homeschooling mom, pastor's wife, and friend!  I am so thankful for the time we had together! Come back soon friend!

Monday, March 14, 2016

Kaliyah's big day...

Have  you ever seen a more beautiful baby girl?
I am seriously blown away by God's goodness in making her a part of our forever family!

Yesterday this sweet pumpkin was surrounded by the love of her family, friends, and our church family as she was baptized into the family of God!

Our church allows the parents to give a family blessing to the baby and since Greg did the baptism, I was able to read the blessing...

I am always struck by the connection between our adoption into God's family and Him making us His children and the real life journey of adopting children... So yesterday held special meaning to me...



This was the family blessing that was read for Kaliyah...

Kaliyah Joy Hintz, Just as God our father adopts us as His children, God in His infinite wisdom and faithfulness has brought you to our family through the loving sacrifice of your birth mom and the miracle of adoption.  We are so grateful that God chose you to be a part of our forever family.  We plan on helping you grow in your faith by doing family devotions, teaching you Bible stories, praying for and with you, retelling stories of God’s faithfulness in our lives, and always making sure you know how much Jesus loves you. 

We have chosen this bible verse for you: 

For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  Psalm 139:13-14

On days like yesterday, the sacrifice of her birth mom is ever present on my mind... God did knit her together in her birth mothers womb... so beautifully... so perfectly...
And He knit her together in our hearts... 


Our family and all but 1 of Kaliyah's sponsors who will pray for her and help her grow in her faith!








My two nieces loving on their new God child... Such a cute picture of all three of those girls!

Our dear friends the Nyquists who are also sponsors for Kaliyah... Our family baptismal outfits were missing in action in our house... I am sure they are here somewhere but need to be dug out... 

So Kim, allowed Kaliyah to wear her dress, which was gorgeous!  It was perfect for her! It was also so special for her to wear a dress that had such special meaning attached to it as well! 

It was a beautiful day as we celebrated this beautiful girl and the work that the Lord will continue to do in her life!









Wednesday, March 9, 2016

He is his son... He is my son...

Last week would have been this little boys 35th birthday...


That little boy is actually this little boys (below) biological father... Isn't the resemblance amazing?


The stories I have heard of Levi's biological daddy are wonderful and so very special to us... ( I am so very thankful to have a relationship with his bio mom and grandma and other extended family!)

Thinking about Levi's Ryan's biological dad Ryan evokes a crazy amount of different emotions...

Awe over the type of personality he had and how he lived, given that he had the terrible disease Cystic Fibrosis...

Wonder as I hear story of his selflessness... (He turned down his first wish with the "Make a Wish" Foundation because his whole basketball team couldn't come with him to practice with the Chicago Bulls... He didn't want anyone to feel bad, so he ended up with his second wish, being a park ranger for a day...)

Joy as I heard of how he and his wife felt welcoming his twins into the world, Levi's full biological siblings...

A sweetness in my soul when I watch Levi and know that some of his character traits come from him...

And at the same time a feeling of overwhelming longing... longing to TRULY know him... see him... get an even clearer picture of who this man was, who makes up half of who my son is...

And a sadness when I try to resolve in my mind all it took in getting our son to us...

If this sweet man had not passed away, Levi would have been his and his wife's son... That would have been the plan all along had his life not ended at the young age of 27... Knowing and Living with grief and loss, my heart literally ached last week on Ryan's birthday... I know how much he is missed... I know how much it still hurts even years later... I know the longing for heaven...

I can't help but go there... and think of the hurt and pain his young wife went through when she was widowed so young with 2 small children.. and to think of the hurt and pain that his parents and siblings went through when they had to say goodbye... Not a moment of that is lost on me... 
  


This sweet little boy would never have been ours if Ryan had lived a full life... It is hard to resolve it all in my mind... Ryan had to die for Levi to become ours... And literally my heart hurts at the thought... 

Yet... EVERY SINGLE TIME I look at this beautiful boy I know with out a doubt that...

God created him for us... 
God breathed life into what was frozen for 5 years, for us...
God allowed that sweet tiny embryo to take hold and make a warm home inside of me for 9 mos, for us... 
God sustained his precious life while I was on bed rest in the hospital for 7 weeks, for us...
God brought forth this boy that healed so much hurt that was inside of me and our family, for us...

God knew exactly what we needed and he gave us Levi Ryan... 

God took the very best of his biological parents and wove them together to make the most amazing, sweet, joyful, funny, little man, FOR US... 


I don't think I will ever be able to fully understand why Ryan had to die... why Samuel our son had to die... I don't think it is really God's plan for me to understand this side of Heaven... But what I do know...

Is that God has taken the hurt of 2 families and brought forth the life of the most amazing little boy who will turn 5 in less than a week...

God creatively has knit our families together in the most beautiful way and my heart is FOREVER thankful for the gift of being this sweet little boy's mama... 

I will never forget a conversation I had with a dear friend weeks before we did the frozen embryo transfer with Levi... She had walked through a lot with us and loved us.  She was SO concerned for me and the fact that the odds weren't in our favor for the embryo to take... We had already suffered the loss of 3 babies during pregnancy... 

I remember just looking at her with total peace in my heart and saying, "I know there is no guarantee, but I have a peace about it... and for us, IT IS TOTALLY WORTH THE RISK!" 

Levi is worth every second of worry, fear, uncertainty, joy, thankfulness, elation, and overwhelming awe in the gracious plans of our amazing faithful God! 



(Ryan at the cubs game where he threw out the first pitch:)
( I have to laugh because we aren't a big baseball family, but Levi is a cubs lover... His biological dad loved the cubs!)

And this all just makes our family bigger... I can't wait to meet this amazing man in Heaven one day... I often can't help but think of the fact that he is a daddy up in heaven with his kids down here... and we have a little boy and 2 other babies in heaven with their parents down here... Maybe they have all met:) 

Levi is his son... He is my son... He is our son... Really He is God's son... And with it all my heart falls deeper in love with a Savior who makes this all possible... 

Astounding to me really!  This story will never get old... 
As we prepare for holy week and the death and resurrection of our Savior I am continually reminded that we believe in a God who really has made this all possible...
He  redeems what was lost and hurting, breathes life back into what was once frozen, and resurrects what was dead... 

What a gift for all of us!

Saturday, March 5, 2016

Happy 7th to our Hopie girl!

Here is our  Hopie girl turning 7 just a couple of weeks ago... 

Life has been busy and I am just getting to posting about it now:)
She loved being Queen for the day and picking all of her meals:)  Pizza and soda is a favorite in this house, as well as ice cream for breakfast:)


Welcoming Hope into our family came clear out of the blue one Friday morning...

"What are you doing this afternoon?"  our agency asked Greg.  "Could you make a trip to OKC to pick up a 10 month old baby girl?"  
I will never ever forget getting a phone call from Greg to fill me in on the call he had just received.

We didn't expect to have to tuck her in bed every night for 7 months wondering if she would get to stay...  
Our hearts were tender...
 We had just 14 months before left a hospital with out our newborn son Samuel who was stillborn... and just 4 months before we had to plan the funeral and bury the baby boy we had been planning on adopting... 

Our hearts were more than tender... 
And there she came... our hope!

She came quietly at first... 
She came sillier as time went on...
She came with her own degree of sass, spunk, and naughtiness at times... 


But we loved her anyways:)  
We had been longing for a little child to hold in our aching arms... 
We had been longing to show her our full devoted love...
We had been longing to make her our own!



The agency director, Hope and I signing saying she was now home forever...  We were overjoyed!



Hope and Anna on the day of her finalization:)  Anna was beaming! She finally had a sister!




Happy Birthday Hope Jubilee Marie Hintz!
We are so thankful for this special girl!!  We celebrate her precious life!