Clear As Mud Again!

If I hadn't already used my boys picture, I would have used it. However, I chose this fun mud picture instead. 

So... today's MRI wasn't as clear cut as we had hoped. It wasn't bad news, it just wasn't very clear. So, I will do my best to explain. Last MRI our Dr. saw what she felt was scar tissue for lack of a better term. However, she had hoped that by this MRI the "scar tissue" would be smaller or would have shrunk. On this MRI it was the same size as the last MRI. So, now she is scratching her head trying to figure out if it is scar tissue, dead tumor, or new tumor. The technology is so good, and you can see so much, and that can be good. However, it can also cause you to be concerned about things that you don't necessarily need to be concerned about. 

We are not at all discouraged by this. We are just living day to day, trusting God has an amazing plan and we are happy to walk this journey alongside Him. Greg will continue with his chemo next month and then he will have another MRI in 4 weeks instead of 8. So on September 8, we will return and pray that this little booger she is seeing is smaller and not bigger! Smaller would mean for sure it isn't anything to worry about, bigger, would NOT be what we want. SO please pray for it to shrink! Thanks so much for your faithful prayers and your support of our family as we walk this path. We serve an awesome God and we are thankful for each day we have together! Hug your family and don't sweat the small stuff! Love you all, Greg, Missy, Jerod, Alex and Annie

Clear As Mud!

I have always loved this picture of Jerod and Alex. It was taken after a week long youth event of lots of mud activities. They had a great time and made lots of memories. I am using this picture to say my last post was probably about as clear as the mud on their shirts. I apologize. 

When it comes to money, there is really no easy way to talk about it. Especially when it isn't your own. In my last post, I wanted to explain about our adoption funds, however, I didn't do a very good job. Let me try and make it a bit clearer. 

When we decided to adopt we knew it was going to take a lot of faith. We prayed about how we should go about raising money for the adoption. Needing $35,000, was seemingly impossible for us. However, we decided if God called us to adopt, He would provide the funds for us to do that. We applied for many different grants and scholarships. We were awarded several and then we saved every dime we had. We took money from our savings and every time there was a bill due, we had the funds needed. I tell you this so that you will understand that with  International Adoptions there are things you must pay for throughout the process.  It isn't one big bill, but $2000, here, $500, there, and it all added up. We had to pay our agency and Colombia a fee just to start the process. All the while we knew it was non-refundable. However, who would ever think that would be an issue. I mean how many  people go through all of their doctors visits and have everything in order to pick up their little girl, only to find out... you can't go through with this adoption? Probably not many. 

After having yard sales and other fundraisers, we came to a point where we knew we were going to have to ask for donations in order to pay all of the bills. So we had an account set up specifically for the purposes of paying adoption costs. I want you all to know that is where your money was spent. In my last post, I mentioned the money was all spent. I neglected to mention that the money was all spent on ADOPTION costs. We didn't spend your money on anything except for adoption expenses. My heart breaks that we don't have a sweet little girl to show you what you helped bring home. We don't understand it and if we could give each of you your money back, it is the very first thing we would do. When all of this happened, Greg and I were extremely  concerned about how you all would feel. I mean, you did give a lot of money, and we have nothing to show for it. I pray with my entire being that this will not hinder you from giving to other great causes in the future. 

We thank you

for your generosity. We just want you to know that your money wasn't given for nothing, it showed us that God will provide for our every need, He is faithful, He cares, and we have some of the most amazing friends and family. I hope it is a bit clearer now! We love you!

They are a bit cleaner in this picture! (But still just as goofy!)

One last good-bye picture from our sweet little Ali! Please pray she has an amazing life with her family in Italy. She will forever have a place in our hearts! 

Our Month in Pictures

We have had a busy and very emotional month. You may have seen some of these pictures on Facebook, but some of them will be new. I hope you can get a glimpse of what we have done this month through our photos. Thank you for your continued prayers. Greg goes for his next MRI on Thursday the 11th of August. 

At the airport before Alex and I left for Mexico. 

Alex and I with J'Lee. She was squeezing us so tight it made our arms hurt! 

Moving our things out. 

Going through our things was definitely a  lot of work. Trying to decide what to keep and what to get rid of was something I never want to do again. 

Like throwing these things out, was really, really tough. 

Annie's dolls were all excited about their future. The 3 on wall were all going to an orphanage to meet their new mamas. The one standing was boarding a plane to meet Annie again. 

We had a lot of fun J'Lee time!

Alex ate everything he could get his hands on that his tastebuds had missed! 

One day we were in a store and a man came up to us and asked if we were the son and wife of Gregorio. He said he had heard Greg give a Bible study once. He explained that at the time he wasn't a believer in Christ but that over the past few months he has come to know Jesus as his Savior.  He said he has been praying for Greg ever since and knows that God has big plans for Greg. I broke down right there in the store and sobbed. Just knowing a sweet man who doesn't even know my husband is praying and believing for his healing.  I was blessed for sure! 

Got to visit with my sweet neighbor. She definitely reminds me of what suffering truly is. 

Our gas station attendant sent her best to Greg and wanted to make sure he was staying positive. I love these people! 

My neighbor blowing kisses as I drove away. 

Even the local police, (which I had to blur out for their safety) came by to see how he was doing. Greg made a big impact on all those he met! He will be missed in Mexico! 

Celebrated my friend, Melissa's birthday while I was there. 

Visited with lots of amazing friends! 

Saying Goodbye was not fun! 

Alex and I saw 3 movies while in Mexico b/c they are so cheap. They are cheap and the theaters are so much nicer! Even the concessions are extremely cheap and organized. Look here how they have a number showing for the next available cash register. It was like a well oiled machine! 

All of that for $10

Made it home with all of our bags! 

Greg filled in for a pastor at a church in SC. 

After the service was over, we met this sweet man who had the same surgery as Greg did. He had it one week after Greg had his, they have the same amazing oncologist and they are both doing great! We were blessed to see how God is using Greg to encourage others who are walking the same road he is. 

Annie was able to connect with one of her camp friends. 

Jerod surprised us with a visit! We really miss him! 

Here he is with two of his campers. 

Then we got news that our sweet little Ali has been matched with a family in Italy. We are so thankful that God has provided a family for her. We desperately wanted to be that family, but we are happy she has one! Through all of the trials we have faced over the past year, Ali was one of things we just didn't understand. We couldn't wrap our heads around why God would lead us to adopt, allow us to raise $30,000, only to spend it and never be able to adopt her. We didn't understand why he would allow all of that $ just go to waste. We know so many people donated hard earned money and we didn't take it lightly that it was all gone. Then the Lord brought the story of Abraham and Isaac to my mind. Abraham and Isaac prepared quite a bit for their hike up a mountain. Abraham had to cut up some wood for the offering, they had to travel to the appointed place, then they hiked up to this place with the wood, prepared an alter, and Isaac climbed up on the alter. As Abraham raised the knife to sacrifice his son, God provided the ram for them. This lesson was to see how obedient they would be. So maybe, we were just asked to adopt, asked to raise money, those who gave were asked to give and all of that was done just to see if we would and then to show that God would provide for our every need. He will provide for us financially when we need it, he will provide a family for us when we need it, He will provide for us healing when we need it. God cares for every detail of our lives. That is what the Lord has shown us. We pray that our situation will not hinder you from giving to adoptions in the future. We also pray the Lord will bless all of you who gave and you will know that your giving blessed us as we were able to see His ability to provide even when it seemed an incredible amount that needed to be raised. We love you all and ask that you would pray for our future. We still have a desire to adopt in the future but have no idea what that will look like, or if it is even possible. For now, we will just be obedient to God. We love you.