The LOOOOONG awaited update....

Please accept my apologies for taking so long to get anything on this blog!! We have been very busy with the day to day here at the Needles' home, and after 5weeks home it is STARTING to feel like we may see "normal" again:)

Everyone is adjusting well; God is so good and His grace is always pouring out on us!! I have learn so much about myself through this adoption and God continues to teach and change me each and every day!

Abel is 6 months old and is perfect. He is sitting up all by myself as of yesterday. He is absolutely beautiful, his smile is amazing, he's happy and content; we are falling so in love with him!! Amelia is amazing with him! She takes precious care of him; I love to watch her being mother.


Eyob is giving us so much of himself, he has the sweetest spirit ever! He is full of love, joy, fear, and insecurities. Everyday we have to pour more of ourselves into Eyob then we have the strength to pour; it is such a Jesus kind of love! I look up to our God daily and literally say "I have reached my limit please help me love Eyob like Jesus does." And everyday He helps me to move a step closer to Eyob; the reward is that God fills the gaps and for every step forward I take Eyob takes three. We have breakthroughs with Eyob that melt my heart; I feel more attached and in love with him everyday. His walls are BEGINNING to crumble and I look forward to the day that we look at Eyob and see a confident and secure little man!


Everyday we do what love does and know that true love is growing like little wild fires in our very souls; we have two amazing sons and an amazing God that sustains us through each and everyday! Thank for thinking of us; we are on an awesome journey and it's not over yet!!!

A Few Pics...

A Family ONLY God Can Create....

This picture represents a family. . . .A family created by my Creators hands. One of the most amazing moments was when we met the boys' birth mother and their older brother. The love this woman holds for her children is the most selfless love; we all could learn something from women like her! One of the questions I asked her was. . . .What dreams do you have for the boys that we could help to fulfill? What is your vision for them? The answer was so simple and will live with me forever. . . ."I come from nothing, anything is better than what I can do!" When she said that all I hear her say is. . . I am nothing! That women has no idea how amazing she is; she will truly live with me daily through the boys. I will forever feel her in my arms; I am blessed to have been able to wrap my arms around her.

The young man holding Eyob is their brother, he is nine years old. His tears broke my heart; that young man will grow up with nothing, but it is my prayer that he grows up to know that he is something! We will be sponsoring him through Hannah's Hope, he should get the care and education he needs. I also pray that one day he will make a trip to America.

I have so much to share, but in all honesty I am still digesting all I have experienced. We are transitioning pretty well. Abel is so happy and full of joy and contentment. . . . and there is a reason for this:) Eyob is a wonderful, free spirited young man. He has a lot to learn and rediscover; he is making great strides each day. These great strides are not without great, long battles though. My husband and I have committed to winning this war, because Eyob deserves it!! There will be good days and better days to come. . . .today was a good day:)

Getting Closer...

WooHoo! We are about four days from leaving to pick up our little men :) We have had a few bumps in the road to our travel date, but may I remind Satan that he can "get behind me." Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Matthew 16:23 There is nothing that is going to take away the joy and excitement I feel anticipating the meeting of our sons! It all started last Thursday as I sat at the Health Dept. waiting to get the last of my shots (and I'm just saying I think she chipped the bone with that needle, OUCH!). I had put a call into the USCIS, because I had not received my new FDL stating that we had been approved for the two children. A looooong story short, I had to drive up to downtown Chicago (6+ hours round trip) pay $585 and get this white piece of paper that had a lovely 2 in place of the original 1. We had managed to fall through the cracks; an incomplete file just sitting there never to be found until it became urgent. Ummm...hello, I'm leaving to only days to get these boys from Ethiopia! The following day we ended up at the hospital with Amelia and a horrible bladder infection. She was and unfortunately is still very sick. She has a very high fever and her bladder is causing her a lot of pain; it is really very sad. We are praying that she is on the road to recovery and feeling much better by mid week. Doctor thought it could take 3 to 5 days for the fever to go away and for her to really start feeling herself again.

On to a brighter note...We had the best time at our fundraiser this past Sunday. We had 200+ people come and celebrate the boys with us. We had asked God to AWE us with support for our adoption and that is exactly what He did! We raised over $4600 that day, which covered the airline tickets we had purchased a day earlier! Praising God, and so thankful for all of you who came to celebrate with us:) Here are some pictures from that day....

Me and my sweet hubby!

Daddy and our Elaina girl making lemonade!

My beautiful Grandma and our Miss Alison!

My college girl, Erica, and my baby girl, Amelia!

Simply Amazing!!

YAY! We have our travel dates! We will leave on March 22nd and return home on March 28th with two beautiful little boys:) We can hardly wait; I get butterflies in my belly every time I think of it.

I have yet another amazing story of how awesome God is....throughout this journey I have prayed and placed little hopes in my heart of things I would like to see happen. Small things that would make this journey that much more sweet, but wouldn't take away from the journey if they didn't happen either. Our first travel date was to leave on March 29th. By leaving on the 29th three little hopes I had would pass away, but that was fine with me because I was bringing my boys home! Well, it seems as though God said, "Oh, you really will be happy even without your hopes being made reality." So then the call comes that our travel dates have been changed to March 22nd! I'm thinking"What, are you kidding me?" Let's just say that our new travel date not only meant I was a week closer to my boys, but that my three little hopes would become a reality!

• The week we are gone my girls will be on Spring Break. What a blessing to the Grandparents! It makes things much easier; One hope down and two to go!


• John and I celebrate our 19th anniversary on March 25th. We thought it would be so cool to be in Ethiopia picking up our sons. Guess what? We are! Two hopes down and one to go!


• My family has planned a shower for the boys on March 29th. Yes, the day we were originally going to be leaving! When planning the shower I had said, "It is going to be pushing it, but hopefully it will work. If we happen to be in Ethiopia the girls can take my place and it will be fun for them. But, wouldn't it be cool if we were home with the boys and they could be there?" Yep, that's right we will be home and God willing we can ALL be there! That's all three little hopes becoming reality!

God continues to amaze me with His attention paid to the small details. I actually hope I never become use to it, because that probably means I'm just not looking for it anymore. We serve an amazing God! So thankful!

By the way, that beautiful head of hair I shared with you in the post before....has been shaved off :-( That's right, something about hygiene. Oh I know, I know it will grow back!

It's Official...

WOW! We are now the parents to SIX children. Yes, I know....SIX! My husband and I look at each other and say, "Who would of thunk it... that 19 years ago when we were married we would EVER have six children!" God would of thought it and He obviously did!! Oh the great plans He had for these two babies (17 years old) and we didn't even know it; we didn't really even know Him! John and I have been on an awesome journey since we married as seniors in high school; one filled with amazing moments and not so amazing moments. One filled with joy, sorrow, fear and praise God faith! We are rejoicing for the work God as done in our lives; rejoicing for the precious sons He has so graciously given us! I'm going to leave you with a glimpes of a couple of my favorites: "E's" hair and "A's" chin!

Have you ever been in AWE of God?

awe noun, having the mind fixed on something with a mixture of delight and deep emotion caused by something extraordinary. (...Something extraordinary created by my amazing God!)

I mean really in AWE of Him! Do we ever really give ourselves the opportunity to be in awe of God? I STAND IN AWE OF GOD. For the last four weeks I have been awed by my Maker. This adoption has taught me many, many things. The most important being how to let God work in my life! As I reflect on how I came to this point in my life it really all makes sense; God was working towards this place and I didn't even recognize it! I think that is the case most of the time; we fail to see what God is doing in our lives from day to day!

I stand in awe of our new toddler son; where was I the day he was born? What was going on in my life 3 plus years ago when my son was born? I know that is when the seed of adoption became deeply rooted in my heart because of some life experiences I was going through. Little did I know that my son was already in the works and was being given a name that would fit perfectly in our family. My four girls have an "E" "A" pattern with their names: Erica, Alison, Elaina, and Amelia. I stand in awe of God paying attention to such a small detail like the letters in my son's name; he was given his name with an "E" because he was to be a Needles. I stand in awe of my baby with an "A", because a little over three years later my second son would be born and given the name "A" because he too would become a Needles. AWED!

I stand in awe of how God has orchestrated my life's journey to bring me to this place, but isn't that what He does? We just fail to recognize it! I think it's like this: when we are seeking the will of God by faith then we will be awed! God desires to WOW us; we just don't give Him the opportunity to do so. I am awed by the boy's birth mother, who has made the most sacrificial decision a mother could make in this life: the decision to give up her children with the hope of a better future for them. Then God looked to me and said, "You are this mother's hope for her children." But, I feel I am so undeserving and so under qualified...however, I'm deserving and qualified because God said I am. It is because of His grace and mercy that I am. Not because I'm something special, but because God showers me with His grace and mercy.

I have to tell you though...I really don't want to let their mother down! I want to do my best for these boys and for her. I feel like I have a lot to live up to. I also know the only way that is going to happen is with God. I'm writing this so I never forget how awed I was in my Maker and for my boys. I want them to know how awed I was to receive them, I want them to know how awed I am by their birth mother. She is a special woman, a woman that will live in my heart forever. She is a woman I will pray for always and think of often, a woman whom I am indebted to because of the special gift she gave me when she gave up her precious sons, because of a hope and dream that was in her heart. I encourage us all to take the opportunity to be AWED; even by the small things this life holds!

I want to congratulate Tracie and her family; they just returned home from Ethiopia with their beautiful son, Abel! I know she is a woman in awe of her God! I am so thankful to her, as she took amazing pictures of the boys while in Ethiopia. I am staring at them in AWE!

REFERRAL!! OH, HAPPY DAY!!

Yes, that is right, the day I have only seen in my dreams became a reality for our family on January 23rd. WE RECEIVED OUR REFERRAL! Not just one son, but two!! God tells us that when we are doing His will we will be blessed beyond measure; we have been DOUBLY BLESSED!

It all started with a phone call from Julie on January 22nd....."Heather I would like to go over your parameters one more time with you!" Our first desire was an infant boy, but we had said we would be open to siblings, because we didn't know God's plan and thought well what if there are twins? I knew that the likelihood of twins was small, but I wanted to be ready. I never imagined we would be facing what came next....Julie says, "You're the next family in line open to siblings and the ages of these children work with your children. Would you like to hear about them?" I tell Julie that I need to call my husband, but would like to know the ages of the boys. The boys are 3 1/2 and 3 months! All at once I'm asking myself, Are you serious? Can we do this? The big fear was in that Amelia is 2, sandwiched right between the boys and I became fearful for Amelia! We decided to pray about it and touch base with Julie in the morning.

After the house was quiet I went to my prayer journal and started reading my prayers for this adoption from the last few months. I began to ask God to show me specific answers. I had written down so many of God's words, His truths, and His promises.

"I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-12

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9 God is the only one really in control in adoption; only God can create a family. God knows the dynamics of our family and God knows the personalities of these two boys! Only God really knows!

"Faith is: being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 Every question John and I were asking had no answers. They were questions that couldn't be answered; all the "what ifs".

My Prayer Journal on 12/15/2007: "In the adoption I ask for patience Lord, it's like the end of a pregnancy: I really desire to see the child or children you have chosen." I'm not sure why I prayed that prayer, but I did! Maybe it was because it was early in the morning;)

12/20/2007 I write: "What will his name be? I am praying a specific prayer Lord: It is my prayer for a referral on Elaina's B-Day (1/21) or my Mom's B-Day (1/23). Thank you Lord for adoption." (I gave Him a little window in there; and He hit it!)

I could go on and on....But the morning of January 23rd Julie called me back and we decided to get the written information on the boys without pictures. When she told me their names I knew God was speaking. We have the whole E and A thing going with the girls names; well the boys names are an E and an A as well. Needless to say, we then requested the pictures as well and it became our official referral on my Mom's B-Day. I received 28 beautiful pictures at 3pm and had to wait to open them until 8:15pm when the whole family could be together! Yes, major self control!! When I requested the pictures Julie told me I had better be ready for them, there were lots of them and these boys were cute! It was a long 5 hours and 15 minutes:)

I can't tell you how I feel when I look at my husband admiring his sons or how I felt when he told me he has been showered with blessings! These two boys are perfect! I can't stop staring into their big brown eyes and crying. I just keep crying! I look at their mother and I cry for the pain that must be in her heart, yet she looks so peaceful; it is crazy! They are so beautiful. I am feeling so honored today; honored that in all the world I have been chosen to mother these boys. I really can't put it into words, but as I answered an e-mail I found these: overwhelmed with joy, honored, undeserving, amazed, crazy in love, heart-broken for a mother I don't know, but seem to be able to feel in my heart! I'm a grateful woman who is not sure what she did to deserve the life given to her. I am just so thankful to my Maker and thankful that He knows my heart.

UGG...Another Week and NOTHING...

I think I can say this verse in my sleep...

"But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, be patient! For it will surely take place. It will not be late by a single day." Habakkuk 2:3

Remembering that God is telling me it will surely take place and won't be late by a single day! I am praising God for this promise.

BLOG THERAPY!

Well, here I am in need of some therapy. So blog therapy it is, not to mention a little shopping therapy. My patience are running low; I am getting really antsy! It has been very quiet these last few weeks and I am feeling it. It's been a while since I updated the blog, because there is really not a lot to say. We have been busy working on the girls' bedrooms; there is some moving going on in the house to make room for "little man." We created a bedroom out of an extra room we had in the front of the house, so Elaina moved into that room. Erica then moved into Elaina's old bedroom and Erica's bedroom turned into Amelia's. Amelia has always been in our bedroom, so we are starting the transition into her own room. "Little man" will then take Amelia's place in our bedroom:) So really we have had a lot going on. . . .but NO referrals or even moving up the latter for that matter:/ Well, I thought I would share some of the things that have been providing me some therapy over the last few weeks.....

Here is my "Ultimate Diaper Bag" from Pottery Barn (a gift from my in-laws), but mine is in chocolate. My mom then sewed on my Ethiopian Flag. I LOVE IT!

I also received the baby sling I had my eye on (also from the in-laws) from MetroBaby. Yes, I LOVE IT! I love the pattern and colors; I can just see our little man's face peeking out of it. Yes, I tried it on and did a little pretending:)

Ok, so here is where the real therapy comes in. . . .SHOPPING! I was treated by my Mom this time :-D Yes, I know I'm blessed!

I would like to add that nothing was more than $5.97

Just a cute little outfit I couldn't past up. If for some reason our little man can't wear any of these items then I guess they turn into donations at Hannah's Hope Ethiopia.

I am sure that God will grant me the patience I need. When I tell my husband I'm getting a bit antsy he replies, " In good time hun, in good time." I'm pretty sure that's what God is telling me too! "In good time my dear children, in good time!

"But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, be patient! For it will surely take place. It will not be late by a single day." Habakkuk 2:3