Demolition.

My mother in law can't seem to see the pictures on facebook so I am posting the demolition pictures here...The beginnin of the end for the old junk building right next to our house...woo hoo!

Adoption update

The adoption process either turns you into a very frustrated person or teaches you to wait on the Lord! I don't think adoption is easy in any country. I am really not anxious except anxious to meet our new little one. God has already picked her out and so we don't have to worry. We have one more meeting with the social worker tomorrow and then should be officially accepted as adoptive parents. We have to drive to her and Baron is not feeling good so I pray he sleeps well tonight and feels better tomorrow.
On March 1, we drive about 3 1/2 hours away to Beius where some Christian Romanians are in charge of about 40 orphans ages 3 to 13. They are excited about the possibility of one of theirs being adopted and will be good people to work with so we are praying that God works this out and this is where we will find our little girl...or boy if that is what God wants. At this point there is just much anticipation as time seems to tick by slowly!
Continue to pray for wisdom. There are so many directions we could go in with this.

This weeks prayer request.

I thought I would try to weekly keep you updated on prayer requests.

1. We may have been exposed to TB so keep that in your prayers. (the whole family)
2. We have our first activity next Friday with the kids/orphans at the mentally handicapped facility.
3. Loredana turns 4 on Monday. Pray that she will grow up to see God's love in spite of the environment she is being raise in.
4. Pray for Angelo as he prepares to be baptized in the spring. Pray also for his girlfriend Marcela to get saved.
5. A Huge praise...we had a very good month as far as giving so we were able to put some into savings for our roof!
6. Pray for Josh and Laurel Louk to raise support quickly.
7. Pray for our Evangelistic services coming up in 2 weeks. Our people are excited to be inviting their friends and family who aren't saved.

My Quiet Year

Well, my quiet year is coming to a close. I know it is only February but my quite little world is crashing down around me and you know what...I am looking forward to the chaos. God has quieted my heart this year and taught me to enjoy the stillness. He has also taught me how important it is to have stillness even in the midst of chaos! So, you may wonder, what do you mean your quiet year is coming to a close. Well, for 5 years I have had a Romanian helper. A young lady named Ramona was a God send to me. She helped me with house work once a week and baby sat so I could go grocery shopping, get visas, and do all that not so fun stuff without having to tote boys along. I knew her time of working for me was coming to a close. She needed to move on to bigger and better things since she finished school. She is going to Italy for a few months to be nanny full time and save money to take exams and get a license to practice in her field over here. She left last Friday. So, it is back to full time housework (I know you all aren't feeling too sorry for me :) ). I look at it as a way of gaining a little money that we've been asking God for. Also, last year and this year I have been blessed to have a teacher here schooling my boys. This year they are going to her place for school. So, 2 boys down 2 to go. We sent boy #3 to Romanian kindergarten this year to learn the language and come out of his shell a little. So, I was left with one little guy. What fun. I have had much time to rest in God and rest in the stillness and quiet myself and learn about God this year. I have learned much about worship and being consumed with God Himself not just with what He can do for me. I have also learned the importance of being still before Him. I believe that next year I will be homeschooling the boys again and God has shown me the importance of not putting off my time with Him. I have gained so much encouragement and strength and insight this past year in my quiet times with God. Now my prayer is that when the busy overwhelming challenges come, to be reminded to cast all my cares on Him, to come to Him with my burdens, to be anxious for nothing, to find rest in God alone!
I am thankful for this year of rest God has given me. I am excited about the hustle and bustle starting up again (ask me if I am still excited next September :) ).
One gift from God to help me with this transition is this: A dear friend from a long time ago is coming in July or August and staying through February. Her husband is going to Iraq for a year so she decided to come here and hang out with me. Just like God to say even before the hustle and bustle arrives..."Joyce, I'm sending a little something your way to help ease you through the transition phase...remember don't worry, I'm in control."
Oh yeah plus the little addition of a Howerton, that will be no small adjustment. It will be a good challenge though. I am really looking forward to meeting the child God designed especially to fit into our home. We should be approved this week and then the hunt for the child is on!
I hope that you are finding joy in the little quiet moments...though they may be short quiet moments...thought they may be few and far between...hide a verse in your ehart during your 5 minutes of peace.

Adoption

We have another appointment next Monday with the adoption social worker and the psychologist. We spoke with someone locally about the orphan situation here in Romania. She is a social worker who over sees the "maternal mothers". These are homes that are hired to care for foster kids. We found out that in our county alone there are 700 of these foster families. These families are required to take in either one handicapped child or 2 or more foster kids without problems. Most of these homes we are told have more then one child so that is well over 1000 orphans in our county alone but we are told not many adoptable kids are in Romania!! We were also told that in our county that there is an average of 20 babies abandoned each month and yet the government says there is no longer an orphan problem. The problem is the EU came in and mandated new laws that may have cut down on child trafficking a bit but they do not serve the best interests of the children many of which are growing up in unstable and many of them in unloving environments. The social worker we spoke with also has been told by her superiors to hire no more "maternal mothers" and when she asked what she was supposed to do with the babies abandoned each month she was told to track down their homes and send them back. She told us she can't do that. These abandoned babies come from homes where many times there are 20 people living in one room without heat, without running water. It is still a crisis but yet no one in governement seems to see the crisis or really care about these kids who are part of the future of Romania. Please pray that God gives us wisdom as to how to get involved in ministering to orphans and also our next step in the adoption process. We have a connection with someone who over sees 37 children ages 3 to 13 and they really care about the kids and would love to see them adopted. I have contacted her and she is talking with her superiors now about which ones are considered adoptable and we will take it from there.

Happenings

Well, little Spencer is going to an orthodontist now for his crooked teeth. He had a tooth coming in behind his fused tooth and his fused tooth was not getting loose. We had an xray of his mouth and last night we went back with the xray. She pulled the fused tooth and the little one next to it. The fused tooth was rooted to the bone and she didn't think it would have ever come out on its own and if we had waited much longer it would have been a very difficult pull. In another month we will have another xray and then hopefully be fitted for the piece that will move his teeth to make room in his mouth. He was a brave little fellow.
Also, yesterday we visited the hospital for handicapped children. There are 40 kids ages 3-18 living there. They have no contact with their parents. There are about 20 more who have homes and come just during the day. The director basically told us whatever you want to come in and do you can do it. These kids have severe mental problems. Most other orphanages we try to get in to we are told you have to go through the director of child protection, you have to have an association set up, you have to put in a request etc. The director here wants help so badly that he didn't care about all that he said come on! We will be putting in a request to work in other orphan care facilities but probably closer to when Baron is done with school this spring because he has a full plate right now and can't really add anything else. We are excited.
Next week we will meet with the social worker and the psychologist towards our adoption acceptance. We hope to go speak with a local social worker today about child placement. We know God will direct the little Howerton he wants for us to us.

Things I am thankful for!

1. We had a great visit with my sister Angela and her husband Al over Christmas and New Years.

2. The boys start back to school on Monday.
3. It is getting easier for me to prepare a Sunday School lesson in Romanian.









4. Our Christmas week was so relaxing.
5. Late night chats we had with Al and Ang.
6. Jesus leaving His glorious home in heaven to come and die for my sins.
7. God's patience with me.
8. My husband and sons.
9. I am thankful that spring WILL come.
10.Angelo, our Italian friend, accepted Christ as his Savior last weekend.

11. I am thankful my grandma is a prayer warrior.
12. TGI Friday's in Budapest Hungary! (Baron is thankful for Gloria Jean's coffee).
13. Wonderful memories.
14. My friend Deb called me to get together just when I needed it most.
15. Marshmellow Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate packets my brother in law didn't drink while he was here!
16. When I trust in the Lord with all my heart that He directs my paths.
17. God's Word to encourage my heart.
18. God is in control.
19. My friends who keep in touch with me.
20. Packages