Faith, Football and just being boys!

"Dad!  Did you just see that hit?  I smoked that kid!!" were the words my son Isaiah victoriously yelled as he ran off the field last night.  It was the final play of the game and Isaiah, all 60 pounds of him, plays offensive line for his fifth/sixth grade football team, the Knights.  The final play of the game concluded with Isaiah and the offense on the field and a 90 yard touchdown pass...to the other team.  And here, on the sidelines, as the clock ran down and the score read 38-0, was my boy running to me to let me know that he just knocked a kid off of his feet.  At that moment in time it didn't matter that for the sixth straight game the Knights had not scored a single point.  It never registered that a kid his size should not be playing offensive line against opponents twice his size or more.  And it certainly never sank in that when you are 0-6, scoreless, and undersized you are absolutely NOT supposed to have fun playing football!

Yet this is how all of our athletes left the field!  Focused on their one or two plays that they "rocked"!  Excited for the Gatorade and Rice Krispie bar waiting for them.  Not at all concerned with scores, records or yards.  On this night they were eighteen 5th graders, our only 6th grader out with an injury, that in two months had literally moved mountains just to stay vertical in this game.  For most this was their first experience with pads and helmets.  It was their first time learning that football hurts and the little guy has to work harder.
I've learned a lot from this group of boys, and I use the word boys respectfully. As a teacher to many of them and a dad to one of them I have never learned so much from 10 and 11 year olds.  In a society and culture where our news is riddled with negative images, school violence and religious debates about everything under the sun, these boys have been a breath of fresh air.  They have given me energy on Monday mornings with their excitement and recollection of the previous nights game.
  I don't bring a lot to the football coaching arena.  I'm what you might call the "get back coach" or the guy that yells the obvious stuff at the wrong time.  My goal when I agreed to help coach was to make sure my own son didn't get obliterated, so far so good!  Yet over the course of the last months I have learned so much more from these boys than they have learned from me.
In a league founded on the values of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes I have watched our team meet before every practice and devote a few minutes to connecting with their faith and each other. Isaiah, our prayer warrior at home, even volunteered in pregame to pray over his teammates.  An experience that every dad should have!

Boys like my own have had to pour every thing they have physically into a game that most would say is not built for them.  Their biggest asset has been their effort and attitude, something we preach to them daily!  Boys that when they stand across the field from their opponents they make the phrase "men among boys" ring true, just that we are truly the boys!
I've seen boys scared to death to take the field and yet when called upon to go slay the giant, their inner David comes out and they give the best their body can muster.  Not many giants fell this year with the Knights on the field but a lot of Davids have been showing up.
If football and life could be combined into one simple package, and a victor be named they would call on the Brandon Knights to take home the honor.  Being the underdog week in and week out has been a frustration for everyone on the sideline, but these boys!  They have tackled every obstacle, not necessarily every ball carrier, with a smile and sportsmanship like I have never seen.  Blow out or not they are ready to shake your hand and congratulate you on being the winner, not necessarily the better team!  Because we all know the Knights are the better team!
The way I see it, when you stand back and watch a group of boys, that are allowed to be boys you can learn an awful lot.  You see the simple things in life.  Where adults see failure because of a scoreless game, these boys saw success in their sweet new helmets.  When the adults were frustrated that another loss hit the books, these boys were happy to "whip the nae nae" to the music blaring overhead.  And where the adults were busy trying to find less than acceptable ways to win or score, these boys were excited for the hit the smallest kid laid on the biggest!
You see, I love the spirit of these boys.  By all adult standards they should be down and out.  They should be mad, disappointed, discouraged and definitely NOT dancing!  As much as society says they should not be...they are!
They are champions!
They are fighters!
They are boys!
They are Knights!

One final thought.. I always enjoy the drive to the game with Isaiah.  It gives us a chance to talk and for me to see where his head is at.  Yesterday he didn't want to talk about football.  He wanted to talk about recent happenings in the news.  Some school violence only 10 miles from our door, followed by a horrific situation on an Oregon campus.  He knew details because of the news and he knew that people in Oregon lost their lives when they were asked if they were Christians.  He wanted to talk about that!  He just wanted me to know that he would have done the same!  He would have answered that Yes, he was a Christian, despite knowing the outcome.  What?! Did we just have this conversation?  At 10 years old my boy is making that decision?  It saddens me that he feels he has to make that decision but it gives me great pride that he has already made it.
I don't want my boy to grow up too fast, as I love to watch him be 11.  But I know that the lessons he is learning now from the other boys and men in his life are making him into a great person. Our world has put a lot of pressure on these boys as they grow into adulthood.  My prayer is that we can slow down and enjoy them for who they are and what they are, boys!
For today, as we get ready to celebrate an 11th birthday in our house I hope my son, and his little brother, always know and believe...
He is a champion!
He is a fighter!
He is a boy!
He is a Knight!
And...more importantly, in his own words, "#IamaChristian"

Gracie meets Mother Nature!

And LOVES IT!
We have been home just over 4 weeks now and have already experienced a lot of firsts.  I will write more about them later but the biggest one we have been waiting for was the first snow fall!

Everyone has had an opinion on whether or not she will like it, love it or just want to stay inside until summer.

So today we took her to meet Mother Natures best!  Attached is a video of the festivities.  We strapped the GoPro to Gracie's head so you can get a first hand look at what she saw!  We stayed out for over an hour and had to drag her back into the house!
Enjoy!
Click here to see...
Gracie Loves the Snow!

Gracie!

For starters I want you to know how much I love you.  From the moment I first saw your picture I knew you were supposed to be our daughter. And then a few weeks later your mom and I got to hold you and love on you for the first time.  They told us you were a “failure to thrive” baby and they weren’t sure how that would effect you as you got older. That we should expect some delays. But as soon as we first touched you we knew that you were going to be just fine.  As small as you were physically we knew that nothing would slow you down.  Perfection was the word we used!  You instantly won our hearts.  

I am sure you don’t remember our conversation, but on that trip I promised that I would do anything to protect you and give you the life that you deserved.  I told you that we wouldn’t be apart for much longer and that as soon as we could get you home you would be welcomed into a house with two big brothers that were so excited to help you grow.  You were loved before you ever even knew it.  You were guarded by prayer and love on levels you could never believe!  So many people loved you before they ever even met you. 

​As we began the process to bring you home our hearts were ecstatic with all of the possibilities for your life.  We prepared for a process that could take a while and supported you from afar.  During that “waiting well” period, things began to unravel and we feared losing you.  However, I kept holding on to our little chat.  That one about doing anything for you.  So as things went badly you were surrounded by even more prayer and love.  People from all over the world knew you by name and were praying for your safety and health.   People that we didn’t even know were praying for you and asking God to make a way to bring you home to your family.  ​

​It’s amazing what prayer and faith can do!  

        Over the course of the almost 2 year process to bring you home there were numerous times it would have been much easier to just walk away.  But your mom and I couldn’t do that.  God led us to you and no matter what people said or how badly our feelings were hurt it was never even an option to give up.  The doubters had no idea how hard I would fight for you.  They had no idea that at times we agreed with them, that this process was crazy and seemed like it would only end with disappointment.  Yet we clung to our faith.  We did our best to let their words and actions roll off our backs.  All because we knew that you were waiting on the other end of this fight. 

​That “light at the end of the tunnel” was every picture and video we received of you.  It was plastered on fridge doors, screensavers, picture frames in countless rooms and just about everywhere we went.  You never left our side even though we were an ocean apart.  You were with me every step of the way as I trained for a half marathon and you were there when I crossed the finish line.  Your big brothers prayed for you every night.  They wanted to know everything about you and when they finally got to meet you they instantly knew it as well.  They knew they were supposed to be your protective brothers and right from the first moment they took their job serious.  

​I want you to know today how much you are loved.  You are loved by the parents that gave you life and you are loved by the parents that are giving you a life.  Both sets of parents sat in hot Haitian court rooms and signed on blank notebook paper to give you the best life possible.  One mom and dad signed stating that they could not provide the proper care you deserved.  And the other mom and dad signed on stating that they would give you the life that you were destined to have.  A life filled with anything that your heart desires.  A life filled with love beyond anything you could have ever imagined.  A life surrounded by people that will always be there for you.  A life where if you can dream it, it can become a reality.  And a life where above all else, you will know that you are loved by a maker that created you to be someone amazing!  A God that knew before any of us did that you would cross an ocean and become part of a family that would walk through flames for you.  A God that loves you unconditionally and doesn’t make mistakes!

​So today, little one, as we celebrate your “gotcha day” and finally can say our family is complete, I want to share just a couple things with you…

1. God Loves you!  

2. I love you!  Your mom loves you! Your brothers love you!

3. You won my heart the first time I laid eyes on you!

4. No matter what anyone says, you are perfectly made and will do great things!

5. Life is going to be tough at times, for all of us, but together we will get through it!

6. Your smile is beautiful, use it for good things!

7. No matter what you say or what you do, I am always going to be your dad and I will always be here for you!

 

Finally, the last thing you need to know as we prepare to be a forever family… I love you!

 

It's Time!! And You are invited!!

In June of 2012, Anne and I made a decision that would forever change our lives.  The thought of adding to our family excited us both, but at the same time it brought reservations.  We were excited at the possibility of sharing our home with a child that would otherwise miss out on the life we could provide, and yet fearful that we were not at all prepared for the journey of adoption on many levels.  

​Many family and friends stood up beside us and decided to join us on the adventure.  Adventure may be the most accurate word I can come up with at the moment.  Although the decision seemed so clear to us at the time, we would be challenged beyond belief over the next two years.  We originally planned on adopting a little boy, and when that fell through we were devastated.  From there we thought we would adopt through the Congo, and when that became clearly not the path, we were again disappointed.  

​We were ready to give it an A for effort and enjoy our family of four.  And yet that thumping on our hearts just kept coming.  God kept telling us that He had a big plan for our family and we just needed to have a little more “faith”.  And so this became our mantra…FAITH!  We decided we couldn’t put our expectations of others so high on our list.  We couldn’t worry about the way others reacted when we told them of our plans.  We couldn’t go through this process and not be an example of how awesome our God really is!  He made a promise, and we needed to trust Him.  Faith.

​So, in May of 2013 we traveled to Haiti and met the most beautiful girl in the world.  Gracie quickly stole our hearts and instantly became our daughter!  As a dad I made a vow on that visit that I would do anything to protect her and provide for her the life she deserves.  I didn’t know at the time that making that promise would involve more than going through a routine adoption process and bringing her home shortly after. 

​Sometimes when you make a promise or say something out loud with your faith, I think that God accepts your challenge and makes you prove yourself.  I know that God enjoys watching His followers fight for Him and His people!  My simple words to Gracie were accepted by Him, and our faith was just starting to be tested.  

Over the summer of 2013 our adoption process began to fall apart.  Things weren’t as they seemed, and we were in jeopardy of losing everything from finances to Gracie.  Thankfully we only lost money and a little time.  It was a lot of money, but in the end we were able to walk away with the relief that Gracie was now somewhere safe, and our adoption would be allowed to move forward.  

​This past April, Anne and I were able to travel to Haiti andbe present for court appointments and paper filings that declared us as her legal guardians.  We met her biological parents and watched as they signed away their rights.  It was one of the most surreal feelings in the world to see one mom sign a notebook stating she could not provide a quality life for her baby girl, and another mom pick up the same pen and sign on stating that she would do anything she could to give this little beauty a life she will never forget!  Two moms and two dads, all at the same spot in time but declaring their best intentions for one little girl that meant the world to all of them.

​From there our process has moved rather quickly.  We were blessed to become great friends with the people that run Gracie’s crèche and to be in touch with them regularly about her care and needs.  A number of our family and friends have been able to spend time at NLL with Gracie and see what an amazing place she is currently calling home.  Both Grandmas and her two big brothers have even been able to enjoy loving on her.  

​Which brings us today!  The day we have all been waiting and praying for.  The day that your prayers and support have literally made possible.  The day that a year ago looked to be so far away, and even impossible at times.  

​It is with great joy and tears in my eyes, that we are able to share with you that...GRACIE IS COMING HOME!!  She has one more appointment to get her official Visa in two weeks, but she is coming HOME!  On October 16, at 4:20pm, Gracie Peters will be the newest resident of Brandon, South Dakota!  We will land in Sioux Falls at that time and would love to share the moment with you.  If you have supported this journey in any way we would like to invite you to be a part of Gracie’s homecoming at the Sioux Falls Airport.  If all travel goes as planned we will glide down the Sioux Falls escalators and hold our baby girl, and your prayers, high in the air!  

​This adventure has taken our family to places we never could have imagined.  Across oceans, into dark hallways, and down paths of fear and doubt.  Yet in the end it was the prayers, support, phone calls, hugs and ultimately the “faith” of so many that has made this all possible!  

​GRACIE IS COMING HOME!!!

Thank You isn't enough!

What do you say and where do you start? How do you put into words, what is swelling your heart?

At a time when the battle was breaking you down, a community rose up and helped stand the ground.

At the beginning we knew we couldn’t do this alone, We prayed and we begged for God to show us the road.

A road that led through dark paths, and then out into light, A road that at times was pure joy and sometimes just fright.

But every time it got dark and we felt so incredibly small, A note would show up or the phone with a call.

The battle at hand was not ours to bear, because when times would get tough you were always right there.

Some people don’t get why and we completely agree, But God called us to take part and provide a family.

We will fight to the end and take our lumps as they come, and at the end of the day we hope to hear “Job well done”

So what do we say to the people that stood, to those that have promised to do all that they could.

Thank you is so small and we love you is true, we look for a way to acknowledge all that you do.

To walk in front of and beside us and shield all the blows, Means the world to our family, more than most people know.

At the end of this journey will be a great prize, A beautiful princess with the biggest brown eyes.

So as we try to say thank you for blessing our family, we stand tall right beside you and live for our baby.

Soon there will be a plane ride that brings an end to this part of the story, It will close miles between us and show us all of God’s Glory.

Again, thank you is small for all that you do, so from our hearts to yours all we have is “We Love you”

What a day it will be when we all come together, and Praise God for completing Gracie’s family forever!

There are truly times when thank you just doesn't seem to cover what we so badly want to say.  This would be one of those times.  This past Saturday we were blessed beyond measure and our family was extremely humbled.  We never expected the outpouring of love and support that filled Calico Skies, and we were blown away every time we turned around and saw a new face in the room.  Somewhere between 250-300 people showed up to support our efforts to Bring Gracie Home! 

It is never an easy thing to have a spotlight put on a situation like this.  The amount of stress, unknowns and straight up fear of losing our baby girl has been out of this world.  However, we have been graced with a community of family and friends that have realized that this has all happened in spite of who we are.  And we are standing strong today because of their commitment to Gracie and our family!  

If it simply was about money Gracie would have been home a long time ago!  However, it is about more than that.  The story goes deeper than even we know.  But by the grace of God those around us have been able to walk that path with us and share in the amazing testimony that is Gracie's life!

Since there is no easy way to thank the amazing amount of people that have shown their support; financially, prayerfully and by simply just being there as a shoulder to lean on, we once again turned to paper and pen.  Please, if we don't reach out individually right away, accept this as our thank you for the time being.  Our big  "Official" thank you will be when are able to step off of an airplane and introduce you to the pretty lady with an incredible story!

Peace and Grace!

Praying in 5P!

There I stood!  Smack dab in the center of the large room.  A few others were there as well but oblivious as to what was about to happen.  Without hesitation he grabbed my hand and began to pray.  A prayer that wasn't just a "wimpy" request for God to do something. It was a prayer that, as I think back on it, laid out the facts and asked God to get rolling!  It wasn't a quick one either, it lasted!  It stuck!  It had that power that catches you off guard and draws strangers in.  It was amazing!
And it didn't happen in a church, or at a Bible study or where you might expect something like that to happen.
It all went down right in the middle of my fifth grade classroom!  In the middle of our parent teacher conferences!
I had just gotten done meeting with a mother and son about how great his year had been going.  The mother knew of our adoption process and was asking some of the usual questions about timeline and all of that.  Our conversation ended with just a simple explanation that we were once again back to ground zero with some things, but were ever so grateful that we were allowed to preserve our match with Gracie!  Our main priority now was to focus on the good things and get our baby girl home.  God would take care of the rest!
As I turned to leave that conversation I was immediately stopped by another parent.  A dad that I had met for the first time just a few minutes earlier.  He stood there staring at me and said he had a question to ask me.  That type of thing, during conferences, always gets a teacher a little nervous but I had to say yes!
His question was definitely not one I was expecting, at all!
"I just overheard your conversation with that family and I am wondering if I can pray for you?", he boldly said.
Without even thinking I agreed and was quickly swept up into one of those God moments!  Standing face to face, he grabbed my hands, took off his stocking cap and bowed his head.  Not worried one bit about the family still sitting a few feet away or the other family just across the room.  He broke into one of those prayers that would make my momma proud.  And it was bold and Loud!!

The view from my desk! 

He prayed for Gracie, the baby girl he had never seen.  He prayed for my family and our hearts through the process.  He prayed for the people in Haiti that are making life changing decisions as we wait.  For the many people involved in trying to help figure out the messy situation, and he prayed for God's grace and love to pour down on all of those involved.  Finally he simply just thanked God for all of the blessings and for bringing Gracie to our family.  Amen.
The prayer took a minute or two but oddly seemed like it was longer.  One of those prayers that you don't want to leave because the emotion, heart felt passion and the love is just right there.  I hope you can relate.  Those types of prayers aren't always easy to come by.  I am not a master of them by any means but when I get the privalege of hearing one, I am all in!  I am a big time fan of the powerful prayer!  No "wimpy" prayers for me, as a great friend once said!  Prayer has played a large part in my past and continues to be a powerful factor as we move forward with this adoption adventure.  Prayer got me through the passing of my father, exactly 26 years ago today.  It healed our oldest son when we thought we were going to lose him.  And it continues to break down walls and bring hearts together!  And one day it will bring Gracie home!
Shortly after the prayer ended this prayer warrior exited and I stood there for a second wondering what had just happened, and in complete awe of how God works.  How in the middle of a public school classroom I had just stood with a complete stranger and prayed!  Those types of things just don't happen and aren't supposed to happen!  God just seems to show up at those times when we least expect it and He shows himself through the people we would never assume He would.
God rocked my world last night while I stood in a 5th grade classroom, with a handful of people standing silently by.  For a small moment in time it felt like my room; filled with exercise balls, dirty desks and broken pencils, was a safe spot that two brothers could come together and get real with God!  I got served, as my kids would say!

So today I continue to ask for your prayers!  Above all we need to thank God that Gracie is in a safe place and being taken care of so well.  We also need to pray that those representing us in Haiti will be shown grace and wisdom as they try to clear up the dirty road laid in front of us.  Pray for Gracie's Haitian family and her family here that is just waiting for the day that we can snuggle up with her on these frigid South Dakota days.  And finally we boldly ask for God to continue to provide in big ways so that we can get our baby girl home!  Amen

Right now our biggest obstacle is sadly re-raising funds to bring our baby home.  We have been blessed by so many and continue to be but we truly can't do this alone!  Please continue to pray, we appreciate that more than anything, and if you feel at all led to help support us in bringing Gracie home please check out a few of these options...
1. On the top right of this page is a link to our family page at Adopttogether.  You can use this site to make a tax deductible donation!
2. Save the date, March 8th, at Calico Skies Winery.  Some great friends of ours are organizing an evening out full of shopping, raffle/auction items, supper and live music!  We will be posting more info on vendors and other details soon.
3. Support Vibella and Gracie.  By clicking here you can shop on the Vibella website for amazing jewelry made by some incredible Haitian women.  Not only do you help us bring Gracie home but you will also be helping to support the ladies that create these great masterpieces! Be sure to use the code FST09 when you checkout to make sure the Gracie Adoption Fundraiser gets credit. Together we can make a difference!

Our good friend Kayla with Gracie and her daughter Wishla!
Kayla is the Hands and Feet of Jesus in Haiti! She also
works with the Haitian ladies creating jewelry for Vibella!

A note to Gracie on her Birthday!

Today you turned two in a land far away,
I don't know if you were spoiled or heard the song for this day,
You probably don't even know it but this day is so sweet,
Because there is so much love out there just waiting for you to meet,
A mommy  that needs to hold you and touch your soft skin,
A daddy that longs to protect you from all the chaos that you've been in,
Two big brothers that wait in wonder at when you're coming home,
But they love you to pieces and they won't let you go,
We have loved you in person and we have loved you from afar,
We have sat up late at night and wondered if you see the same star,
Gracie, I want you to know how much you are loved,
That even though we aren't with you today that you are being watched from above,
Someday soon you will come home and be a part of our world,
You will join us forever and be Daddy's little girl,
So today on your birthday we pray, thank God and celebrate,
The little beauty that God led us to and for your homecoming we can't wait,
You are loved by so many that to describe there is no way,
So tonight in your honor we

sing Happy Birthday!
Love you Gracie Marie Peters!

It takes a village...

This post is truly a long time coming.  To some of you it will be new information and to some it will not be a surprise.  It is time for us to finally give you a true update on our adoption process and where things stand today. It is an opportunity for us to let some weight off of our shoulders.  It is time to give you a true glimpse into the crazy world of international adoption and some of the behind the scenes drama.  It is time for a chance for us to once again swallow our pride and reach out to our family, friends and community.  It is a time for us to dig in deeper and fight harder for a beautiful little girl, and her friends, sitting in an orphanage thousands of miles away.  It is time to share the truth.
For starters, we say thank you!  Thank you for all that you have done for us and Gracie up to this point.  Above all, thank you for the prayers.  You would not believe the times that they have literally been felt and answered.  Thank you for the support, both financially and emotionally.  This is not a journey that we were ever prepared to embark on by ourselves, and with God's help you have lifted us out of the muck and mire several times.  Thank you!
Now for the update...That moment when we swallow our pride and share the truth...
One year ago Anne and I decided that we were truly going to put all of our eggs into the adoption basket.  We scratched together all of our savings and told God that if He truly wanted us to go to Haiti that we trusted Him. We invested everything we had, along with donations from some amazing people, and the journey began.  As you know we were quickly matched in April and traveled to Haiti in May to meet our beautiful baby girl, Gracie.  This was one of the most incredible experiences of our lives.

At that same time we had called upon all of you to ask for your assistance.  We knew that this was not something we could do alone and needed to reach out to those that had already offered their help.  We sold bracelets and paintings, had garage sales and held other small fundraisers.  In the end, with our savings and your help, we raised enough to pay the full amount to Giving Hope Rescue Mission to make our adoption official.
 We were on
the road to bringing our baby girl home!
Then over the course of the summer months we started to hear grumblings out of Haiti that things were not as they appeared with our situation.  At first we were inclined to defend the actions of those in charge of Gracie's care.  We wrote letters to senators, the Haitian government, and anyone that we felt had enough pull to help our situation.  There was a real fear that some "crazy parents" were attacking and trying to stop our adoptions out of hatred and malice.  We fought hard and believed we knew the truth.

Over time though, things began to unravel and the truth came to light.  Things were not adding up.  Simple questions were left unanswered.  Money was disappearing and not being accounted for.  And ultimately the welfare of the children was being challenged.  As school began here in South Dakota, things quickly changed in Haiti.  We learned of several things that would make your stomach turn. The children were being neglected.  Some adoptions were being legitimately questioned as to whether the children were even true orphans.  The stories were disturbing and broke our hearts, and most were true.  We worried for Gracie's safety and our process of adopting.
We began to dig in to the details and joined a group of parents that were wanting to find answers to the hundreds of questions that were going unanswered.  How are the kids?  Are my kids even adoptable?  Is my paperwork legitimate?  Where has all of my money gone?  Can I transfer my child to a new orphanage?  The list went on and on.  Thankfully for us, we were surrounded by some amazing family and friends at the time that allowed us to cry on their shoulders, to yell at the top of our lungs, and to be angry, but not vengeful.
We continued to dig in.  We were upset with how things were going and were truly scared of losing our baby girl.  At a few different times were told that the Haitian government was freezing our adoptions, and not planning to continue with them due to the fraudulent activities involved.
All the while we tried to show grace, give the benefit of the doubt and keep open lines of communication with those responsible.    Jon took 6 days off of school in November and traveled to Haiti to move Gracie to New Life Link Creche.  The process while there was scary and unpredictable. There were dark hallways, a major protest in the streets, the same khaki pants for four days in a row, and the uncertainty of will we even get Gracie moved.   By the grace of God only, another family and ourselves, were allowed to move our children. At the very last minute, literally, God stepped in, and in a cramped office our baby girl was handed over with just the clothes on her back.

The next day miracles began to unfold.  Jon was able to meet Gracie's Biological mother.  At the end of the conversation she handed Gracie over and said, "Gracie, here is your father".  Probably the biggest moment in our lives. That conversation could have gone in several directions, and yet God placed a woman who wants nothing but the best for her daughter directly in our path.  She wants her to go to school, to college and to do something successful with her life.  We are able to provide those opportunities, and she trusted us.
After that, Anne, the boys, and Grandma and Grandpa Thomas arrived for a week long stay, and we all had the opportunity of loving and spoiling Gracie.  It was truly one of the most remarkable times for our family.  It was just right! It was perfect! Gracie was amazing and bonded with all of us in incredible ways.

We left Gracie the day after Thanksgiving in the amazing care of the New Life Link Staff.  We have received updates from other visiting parents and Jon's sister Missy. (previous post)  Gracie is thriving and doing well.  She will turn two years old on February 5.  This is a day that will be hard for us here in South Dakota, but we know she will be loved!  We just pray that birthday number three is celebrated in the snow!
As for now we wait!  We don't know what the timeline for anything is at the moment.  IBESR and our friend Dr. Bernard are currently digging through dossiers to make sure things are legitimate and are fixing anything that raises red flags.  Once that is done we are told they will meet with Biological parents and proceed.  It's a slow and arduous process that no one has a true plan for.  These are uncharted waters, thanks to a whole lot of deception.  But we continue to pray and stand tall in our FAITH!
Other than the waiting game right now, our biggest obstacle sadly involves a lot of you.  Like mentioned above there were a lot of unanswered questions about funding.  These people are not willing to provide any type of accountability for the money that was given and entrusted to them.  Long story short...everything that we had saved, all of your donations last year, and all of our monthly support we paid for Gracie's care is gone.  15,000 dollars plus is gone!  We have struggled with how to let people know that the money has disappeared.  Was it our fault?  Were we naive?  What could we have done differently?  Deep down, though, we know that through this God blessed us with a little girl, and she is worth more than all of it.  With adoption fees paid, travel costs, homestudy work and dossier preparation, we are further into this than we ever expected.  We have given, and are giving, every cent of our own money that we can, while still trying to provide a decent life for our two boys at home.
So today we are swallowing our pride.  We are admitting that we were snow balled.  We were lied to, blindsided, and our trust in the system was rocked.  BUT, we still have a baby girl in Haiti.  She still has a mom and dad that love her.  She still has two brothers that literally ache to hold her.  Mikah cried true tears of pain as we said goodbye to Gracie in November.  His heart was broken and he literally begged to just stay with her.  Their hearts are in this, and we cannot back out simply because of some misguided people.  We pray for them daily that their hearts will soften and do the right thing.  But those days don't seem to come.
So with a lump in our throats and tails between our legs, we very reluctantly come back to you.  The people that truly "get it".  Our friends, our family and those of you that understand we are doing this for the least of these, we thank you!  The Bible calls us to take care of the orphans and those in need.  Numerous times it says that they need us to stand up for them.  We need your help today friends.  We have lost all adoption funds due to this mess. Praise God today though, that we were able to keep our match!
The hardest thing to do right now is ask for your help.  We are "fixers" by nature, and if there was a way that we could do this on our own, we would slip quietly into the background and do it.  But we can't.  God has given us a call that is real, and her name is Gracie.
With that said we are asking for you help.  We have been blessed with some great people in our lives that have been able to witness the joy, the pain and the triumph in this situation.  They have felt Gracie's skin and they have hugged her tight.  Once again, they have offered to walk with  us on this journey through all of its thorns and ledges.
We have been blessed with a great opportunity to help raise funds for our new fees.  Being that we moved Gracie to New Life Link, which is 100% legitimate, we are back in the same boat.  We need to pay another $12,000 for the adoption fee and her care.  There will also be some travel and other paper work involved while clearing up the mess.  And of course a ticket home in the future for a beautiful baby girl! We were fortunate to have someone offer us a no interest loan for the first half of the payment that was due when Gracie arrived, but beyond that we are in quite a sticky situation. We do have a grant that will cover a portion of the fees, and we are thankful to the Show Hope Foundation for continuing to walk with us through the mess.
With all of that said, we want to keep you posted on some upcoming fundraisers that friends and family are helping us with!
Mark your calendars for March 8, 2014.

Our friends at Calico Skies Winery, outside of Inwood, Iowa, have graciously offered the use of their facility!  What a blessing they are!  We will be holding a vendor fair on the afternoon of the 8th, and then that evening we are excited to announce that the music group "Too Drunk to Fish" will be performing for anyone that wants to hang out!  An amazing duo and led by our friend, Scott Jendersee, they will be signing all of your favorite tunes!  There will be vendors like Frassy Girl, Tupperware, 31, Usbourne Books, Childrens Blankets, ViBella, Scentsy, Pampered Chef and more.   There will also be some raffle items that you won't want to miss out on and of course the opportunity to listen to some great live music!
Please mark your calendars.  More details about March 8th will be coming soon!
We will keep you posted on here as we learn more info about times and other additions to the evening.
Please continue to pray for Gracie, her friends and those taking care of all of them.  This is a tricky situation with a lot of uncertainty, but we all trust that God has His hand on it all. We have been blessed beyond measure to be able to be on this journey, and we are excited for the day that our baby girl comes home!  What a day it's gonna be!

Build-A-Bear and Ms. Gracie!

For starters I need to apologize for the silence of this page.  We have had quite a crazy and unexpected last few months, and the silence has not been easy.  A lot of crazy and unforseen things have taken place since my last post and a whole lot of God has shown up time and time again.  He is just really, really cool and faithful that way, which is why we all wear our Faith bracelets every day.  It's a great reminder that God's plan is so much bigger than our own. So through the silence we also want to thank you for the prayers and support.  Without all of that we know that this message would be a little different than it is today.  God truly does "Got It"!

I have a whole lot of personality!!

You see, this past November, amidst a whirlwind of uncertainty and whole lot of chaos I took a trip to Haiti to move my baby girl to a new creche(orphanage).  Gracie and one of her friends from her old creche were graciously allowed to move to New Life Link, just outside of Port Au Prince. This made it possible for us   to successfully pursue completing their adoptions.  The old place was not meeting the requirements that we had to follow, and a good friend and I left on a week long mission to transfer our babies.  By the grace of God we got them moved and settled in and our process appears to be back on track.  We pray the next steps go smoothly, and that Haiti will allow us to bring Gracie home sooner than later. The hard part is waiting and realizing that we are starting over in a lot of different areas with the process but in the middle of that we rejoice that God has allowed our match with this little beauty to stay intact! (More details on this to come)

We were even able to bring our two boys to meet Gracie for the first time after she was moved to NLL.  They were the best big brothers ever and are so excited to have her in our home forever someday.  

Now, can I introduce you to someone very special?  Her name is Tabitha.  She is just over a month old and already has quite a story to tell.  She is adorable, furry, extremely Frassy, likes sparkly things and when she shares her message it is always straight to the point.  No we did not get a new pet in our house!!

We went to Build-A-Bear! I had always walked right past this store at our local mall and vowed that with two boys we would not be entering!  As a dad it was my job to protect them from the wild world of building your own stuffed bear and dressing it up in cute clothes!  That was until my heart started to see Pink!  Until my heart started to beat for a little girl in Haiti!

We stood in that Build-A-Bear on our Christmas break.  Picking out the perfect one was not going to be easy.  This bear, whichever one the boys chose, was to make a journey that I am not sure another bear of its kind had made before.  It would pave new paths and bring healing to broken hearts.  This bear would have to be cute, obviously, but also durable and able to handle the love that would be poured into.  So there in the bins of hundreds of bears was the ONE!  Mikah found it after scouring the many different options.  He knew it right away and Isaiah, like his dad was too cool to be there, agreed and the process began. 

We stepped up to the waiting Bear Builder, not sure if that is what they are called, and started to follow her lead.  She was amazing.  She engaged the boys and asked questions.  Why? For Who?... Then it started.  Mom began to cry.  Dad began to cry.  And two little boys answered questions with tears in their eyes.  This bear was being created for our sister/daughter in Haiti.  It would be traveling to Haiti inside of a giant glass vase, another long story! Its name would be Tabitha, the name that Gracie's biological mom gave her. 

As we stood there with tears flowing, and a long line of bear builders waiting, it was time for Tabitha to receive her mission.  Placed ever so gently in her foot was a simple little message - an "I love you" from each one of us.  A quickly recorded message for Tabitha to deliver to Gracie.  

Frassy Shoes!!

Frassy Shoes!!

After that came her hearts.  Each of us picked a little cloth heart out of the basket.  We rubbed it on our noses, so it would have our scent for Gracie.  We placed it over our own hearts so she could always feel our love.  We kissed them ever so gently so that every time Gracie holds her she gets a kiss.  Finally we placed them inside the bear and Tabitha was sealed up tightly, with all of the love in the world! 

We spent some time scouring the shelves of the factory for the perfect outfit.  A nice t-shirt with LOVE across the front, a black TuTu like the one Gracie wears on our visits and finally the same exact shoes that her Aunt Sissy bought her in November.  Tabitha was all Frassied up and ready to make her trip.  

We said some prayers over Tabitha and gave her a little extra loving and then sent her on her way with Aunt Sissy, Uncle Rob and Alex.  They were headed to Haiti for a wedding and at the end of their stay would be visiting Gracie for the first time.  Aunt Sissy would finally get to touch, feel and love on the one that we have fallen head over heals in love with.  Due to the craziness of Haiti and it's traffic Aunt Sissy was able to spend just over an hour with Gracie.  Nothing else in the world mattered at that time and it was all about Gracie and the bond between an Aunt and her niece.  The only way I can describe it, from an outsiders view, is that it became "real" that day!  Aunt Sissy has given me permission to show you a small portion of her visit that she and Tabitha made to Haiti!  To be able to witness this and see Gracie looks around when she hears the message is heart melting.  Our prayer is that she continues to grow, be loved and know that she has a family waiting to spoil her rotten.  Thankfully a little bear from a silly factory was able to close some of the miles between our hearts and hers.  

We don't know when we will be able to go back to Haiti and visit or how long it will take to complete the process from here.  A lot of things were drastically effected this past fall and the resolutions are tedious and costly.  We simply ask for your prayers and support as we wait.  We are so fortunate to be working with NLL and the director, Dr. B right now, and we ask that you pray for all of those that are caring for Gracie and her friends at the Creche.  Now that things have settled down and we are back on track, we hope to keep you more in the know about updates, prayer requests, praises and even some fundraising that we unfortunately will have to take on.  Please know that we are so grateful for each one of you and can't wait for the day that we can share this little beauty with you in person!

Two Boys and their little sister!

When Anne and I returned home from Haiti about a month ago the question of the day, EVERY day has been, "When can we go see Gracie" or "Is this the day Gracie comes home?"  We have tried our best to explain the length of the process in 8 and 5 year old terms but it just doesn't seem to help.  So we have resorted to saying "If you want to go see her, you need to get an airplane ticket!" 
We thought that would deter them for a while as both boys tend to spend money faster than they can take it in.  Usually on LEGO's or candy or something completely lame that breaks within a few days. 
This time though they were really listening and have taken a little action of their own. 
The word on the street from our agency is that at some point this fall they will be doing another family weekend like the one we just attended.  Our boys are dead set on going along this time.  They can't wait to see and touch and play with little Gracie!
And they are going to make sure they are along for the trip!!
So today we sat down and put together a little plan, inspired by our friends Anna and Lydia.
Isaiah came up with the captions and told Mikah exactly what to do!
We hope you enjoy their little video... Bring Gracie Home!
Please feel free to pass it on!
If you want to know more about the pictures please contact us for details, They actually have a couple different ideas for pictures if you look at previous posts, here and here!  Those will give you an idea of what they have in store!  Isaiah has actually used his own money from a Hobby Lobby giftcard to start buying his own materials! Thanks Sissy!
And if you want to know more about the hats, and the story behind them click here...Isaiah 40:31
We have a couple different sizes and they are pretty incredible, we think!

If you have any questions or anything please feel free to contact us at jon.peters@k12.sd.us

We obviously could not be doing this journey without all of you and we are so grateful for all of the love and support!  Please keep praying for Gracie and her health and that we can bring her HOME soon!! 

Doubt, Faith and Gracie!

Sitting in the Chicago airport watching flight after flight get canceled, I could feel my blood pressure start to rise and my attitude start to change, for the worse!  Just a few short hours before we had boarded a plane from Haiti headed home and were eager to hold our two boys in our arms and love on them.  We had just spent the past 4 days loving on our "hopefully" future daughter and saying goodbye had been tough.  Spending those fours days completely devoted to her and loving on her had been one of the most incredible experiences I have ever been a part of but saying goodbye was quickly becoming more devastating as we sat and waited for our last of three flights home.  Just one hour separated us from our boys, our bed and a schedule that would help keep us busy with the last week of school.  We needed to get home and quick!

Our time in Haiti had been amazing.  Filled will love, reassurance we were on the right track, confirmation that our "faith" in God had led us to this point and some blessed time with others on the same exact journey.  At one point I sat around the pool talking with another adoptive dad about our faith and how doubt still creeps in.  We decided it was okay to have that doubt, to a certain degree, because God truly wants to rock our world in those times.  We sat and told story after story of how doubt had shown its nasty face and then God swooped in and showed us exactly how in control He really was!  It was some of the best moments with complete strangers I can ever remember. 

Then our trip home began.  Coming off of an extremely emotional goodbye our day in the air started to unravel...

Let me give you an example of just how much God was in control even though I doubted him!!...

~In the Miami airport I was quickly stopped going through TSA because I had packed a brick from the Creche(orphanage).  It was a cool reminder of where these kids are coming from.  Apparently on an x-ray it looks a lot like another type of brick that is NOT allowed in the USA!  All was well though and I got to keep my brick!

~Once to our gate in Miami our plane was delayed.  Great!! Our connection in Chicago was shortly after landing and this was making it look improbable.  On top of that a message came from our agency asking for Passport photos.  So we quickly downloaded a passport photo app on the Ipad and took our pictures right in the middle of a busy terminal.  Done!  The delay had given us time to breath and take care of this pretty major task! Still doubting though...

~Once in Chicago we booked it to our departure gate and were greeted by a plane that was still waiting for its crew.  An hour passed, then another.  Our chance of leaving on time was shot and it was now 10:30pm.  The crew finally arrived but to a plane with no power, we waited for the power to be restored and boarded.  Upon boarding we notified that the air conditioning was out and we would now have to exit the plane and wait for word on the next steps.  The next steps came at 1:30am when we were told we were not flying home that day, given hotel and meal vouchers and sent on our way. 

We would have to take the following day off of work without pay and I was NOT happy about that.  Our profession really dings us when we take days off like this and just thinking about that got my heart racing!

~We slept well that night, knowing we didn't leave for home until 3:15 the next day.  However we were woken by a phone call from our agency again.  They needed a picture of our actual passports immediately as they were presenting our paperwork to Haiti for approval.  I quickly sent picture after picture until we got ones that looked good and we packed and headed for the airport. 

~At the airport we killed time eating and just hanging out and waited for our flight to board.  Boarding time came and our flight was delayed...another air conditioner problem.  Fumes shot from my ears and tears ran down Annes cheeks.  It was more than we could handle and that doubt crept in big time.  Why is this happening and what is God trying to say.  This whole time I kept getting messages from my mom saying things like, "God just doesn't want you on that plane at this time, keep the faith".  Shortly after the last message like that we boarded a new plane and were ready to head home!

~~Sitting on that last plane, ready to fly home our lives changed forever and our faith in God truly became reality again!  Just as the pilot asked for electronics to be turned off we checked our emails, text messages and of course Facebook one last time.  Right there in our Facebook messages was an update to our adoption families that the Peters family had been approved by Haiti to adopt Gracie Marie!!  We shouted, scaring everyone on the plane, and cried!  It was the perfect end to a day filled with doubt.  God came through in one of those perfect moments like He always does!  I can just picture his belly laugh, shaking his head and saying, "You crazy kids, you make me laugh, I told you it was going to be okay.  Look at this beautiful little girl and enjoy!"

Amazing.  A quick recap on our flight home went like this.  The delay in Miami allowed us time to get our passport photos in.  The cancellation in Chicago put us in a hotel and made us cancel work for the following day.  Not being at worked allowed us to be in a hotel room, with our passports at the exact time we needed to be sending them to Haiti.  If we would have been at work we would not have had those documents.  If we would not have had those documents to send we WOULD NOT have gotten in to the Haitian system called IBESR. 

And finally if we would have been on time for our flight home we would not have found out about our acceptance until we got home to Sioux Falls.  That would have been fine but with God's perfect timing we were able to spend the entire flight reflecting on Gracie, God's beautiful orchestration of this all and soaking up His ability to renew or strength and faith! 

So with great excitment we are able to say that we are expecting a baby girl.  Gracie Marie is 18 months old, 16 pounds and amazingly beautiful!!

Because of our doubt AND our faith we are able to be constantly amazed at how REAL and TANGIBLE and EVER PRESENT God really is.  He is here Hallelujah, He is here Amen!

Doubt + faith= Gracie!!

Wish List

Here we are!  In the final stretch before our first ever visit to Haiti.  We will be leaving Wednesday night and coming back soon after on Sunday night.  A great trip, but much too quick.  We will be meeting the children at Giving Hope Rescue Mission and taking part in lots of fun activities.  They will be having birthday celebrations, time on the beach with the kids and just a lot of loving on all of these special little folks!
Since this is our first time traveling to Haiti we are excited but also nervous.  There are a lot of people that have helped coach us through this maiden voyage and yet the uncertainty of it all still leaves a knot in my stomach.  Maybe it's nerves but more it is probably just straight up Excitement for what God has in store. 
We have asked you all for a lot of prayers and support and we thank you immensely for that!  Without you we certainly would not be at this point in the journey and we owe you all more than we could ever repay!
Dancing with the Staff was a great time and a big success!  Our current garage sale is going great and it is fun to share our story with so many strangers!  And the pure randomness of God providing is unbelievable!!
It is all crazy!!

But like I said we are leaving on the 15th and are wrapping our heads around the trip.  One thing that we keep hearing and getting are requests from the orphanage in regards to their needs.  Unlike us they do not have the luxury of running down the street to a Target or WalMart.  If they need something they generally have to ask someone to bring it with when they visit.  And we are taking this opportunity to ask for them!!
This time it is ALL ABOUT the people that take care of these incredible kids!
We are filling four large suitcases with supplies and other requests from the missionaries and the children.  If you have any desire to drop off any of the items listed below please let us know as soon as possible so we can pack things in the best possible way!! We hope to have our big bags packed Monday night so we can enjoy our boys on Tuesday night!


Some of the items requested:


Soccer balls
Basketballs
Balls can be used or new and we will flatten then before we go

Beef Jerky
Fruit Snacks
Dried Fruit
Prepackaged snack foods that won't melt
Hard Candies

Lotion
Baby Formula-Up and Up- Found at Target
Diapers
Baby wipes
Bibs

Clothespins- wooden
Snake for a toilet- This one should be new, ha


Thank you and God Bless!

Dancing, Garages and the Internet!

Wow!  What an amazing few weeks we have had!  The support from our community, family, friends and even some outstanding strangers has left us in shock!  We set a goal a few weeks ago with the help of an anonymous donors matching funds and by the time the smoke cleared (from my sweet dance moves) we reached our goal.  We are completely overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support from all of you!  Turning in our payment to VOTO was an unbelievable feeling!  To know that we are that much further along in the process truly makes this feel just a little more real! 

Before I go on though we need to thank some people...The staff and students of Brandon Valley for thinking of us and supporting us with Dancing With The Staff!  It was a blast!  Thank you to the many people that supported us with our matching funds drive and especially to our Anonymous Donor!! What a blessing you are! And a big thank you to the many people that have stood beside us on this journey and watched it unfold in only ways that God could think up!

Now down to some exciting stuff and updates!  In just two short weeks Anne and I will be traveling to Montrouis, Haiti to visit the Giving Hope Rescue Mission (Facebook Like them).  We will have an opportunity to meet the children and staff and get to spend some very special time with them!!  It will be an amazing time for us and one that will provide some out of this world experiences I am sure.  If I had time to write a book I would tell you about all of the unbelievable things that have happened to make this trip a reality and why we are so excited for it!  Please stop by or give a call for the details if you are interested!  We won't disappoint you, promise!

Along with that we are praying that our paperwork will miraculously make it into the doors of the Haiti Offices!  It is an up and down time for them but we have high expectations that God has got this one taken care of also! 
Once we make it into IBESR we will be "official" and the games begin!!  That is when we start the next phase of this crazy journey and put even more Faith in God to do his thing! 

It may sound crazy but our fundraising is going to be an ongoing thing for a little while yet.  There are fees all throughout this process and although we have covered a huge percentage of them already we are trying to be prepared for anything that Haiti may throw at us.  Between future payments, travel costs and "closing fees" we expect we will need around $4,000 to $6,000.  And with the every lingering possibility of a certain young boy becoming available we need to be prepared as well.  We have a start but also have a few super simple ways for you to help if you are interested.  Check them out below...

Garage Sale- May 9-11- Our garage is quickly filling up but if you have any items just laying around you would like to get rid of please let us know!  We will be having a free will garage sale with the hopes that people will support our mission.  The boys will also be selling popcorn and lemonade which they are pumped about!  And a good friend of ours has given us some golf accessories to sell so please come check things out also.  Our address is 1612 River Oak Ave in Brandon.

THIS NEXT ONE IS HUGE AND AWESOME AND EASY AND UNBELIEVABLE!!!

Pure Charity- This may be the easiest way in the world to help out!  Do you enjoy shopping?  How about shopping online?  Then we have got the ticket for you!!!!  When you register with Pure Charity the businesses that you order from online donate a portion of your purchase to the charity of your choice.  We have have set up a link to the right-----> that will take you to our site.  You simply sign up, choose to follow our fundraiser and then when you make purchases those businesses donate a small amount.  Old Navy, Gap, Best Buy, Verizon, Nike, Walmart, Home Depot, Target...You name it and it is probably on there.  You really don't have to do anything other than register.  It is that easy and you get to feel even better about your shopping experience!  If you have any questions please let us know.  But also please SHARE our page with your friends, family and facebook world!! Together we can shop our way to Haiti!!

God Bless!

Dancing With the Staff and Garage Sales Galore!

While we patiently sit in this season of waiting for things to move in Haiti I just wanted to update you a little bit.  We have been spending our days praying for movement like always but also completely trusting that God is in control of our future! 
A very exciting future, but still one that is always developing, and taking crazy twists and turns. 
While we wait though, we are still trying to prepare our house and lives for the changes that will take place in the future and that always seems like it brings it's own challenges.
The biggest challenge for us has been trusting God to take care of everything!  I am generally a "doer" and if there is something that needs to be done I just figure out how.  This situation doesn't allow for those opportunities so sitting back and allowing others to "do" things has become my norm!  We have been blessed with amazing friends and family, and even strangers that have chosen to walk with us on this journey, and we have leaned heavily on them.  Thank you to all of you for the prayers and support. 

Since I haven't updated in a while I just wanted to let you know of a few things happening in our lives:
I know these all deal with finances, and I apologize ahead of time for that (feel free to stop reading now unless you want to find out when I make a fool out of myself dancing), but currently that is what takes up most of our time with the process!  The sad truth is that adoption is not free and it takes a small army to get these kids home.

Currently
Matching Funds.  An extremely generous, anonymous donor put up matching funds of $3,000 for our adoption expenses.  We will be taking a trip to Haiti in May to visit the orphanage and get a feel for what we are really doing on this adventure, and our big payment is due before we leave!  We are so close to matching those funds with the help of a bunch of you and we just say thank you!
 Also, if you haven't gotten a "faith" bracelet yet and would like one please let us know!  We just ordered another batch, which means right now there are over 250 people showing some "faith"!!!


4-18-13
Dancing with the Staff-
 I(Jon) will be participating in this crazy event at our local high school.  A group of about 40 teachers, matched with high school students will be involved in a dance contest similar to the TV show.  We have practiced for two weeks and I am ready to unveil some pretty awful dance moves! Truly, I am a terrible dancer, all elbows and thumbs! 
The really cool part of this is that the proceeds from a free will donation will be given to our Job Jar account that the boys set up.  I am not sure who caught wind of this and made the decision but this community is truly remarkable and we couldn't ask for a better place to live! 

5-9-11
Brandon Rummages
We will be having an Adoption Rummage sale!  If you have any gently used items, big, small or whatever please consider dropping them off!  All money from the rummage will be used to bring a beautiful child home!  We will take anything you have to offer, and what does not sell will be donated to charity afterwards.  We have a passion for the St. Francis House in Sioux Falls so anything they can use will be given to them also!  If you have anything you want to get rid of please give us a shout and we can leave a door open or even come pick things up!  


Again, thank you so much for all that you do for our family.  This process has been amazing but also something that we never would have been able to do without all of you!  God has a crazy sense of humor and you only have to look at our family to realize that!  This is completely above our heads!

If you are just curious why, Check out this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U64bongHqYU