Rick arrived home from Chicago today around 4pm. I'm so happy he is home and we're together. I have hoped and ask the Lord to allow us to experience this together. However, if that does not happen, my cousin says "You can put your big girl panties on and do this without him if you have to" and she is right. If the end result is bringing our little girl home then I won't mind, but in my heart of hearts I don't want him to miss this and I know he doesn't want to either.
He is scheduled to leave for Romania on Thursday, July 17th! Pray for the team and all those they will be serving. They'll be staying in an orphanage!
Im on the edge of my seat in excitement and still a bit cautious, hmmmm!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Jehovah Jireh'...Our Provider
We received another answer to prayer today; we will not incur any medical fees for the birth mom as her insurance will be caring for her needs. Thank you Jesus for being Jehovah Jireh'...our Provider!!!!!!!!!
One of the other request that Rick and I started praying about months ago was my job situation. I need to work right now so I was going to look for something where I could work from home. Rick encouraged me to give the guys I currently work for the chance to offer me something that would allow me to be home!
In my heart thats what I wanted, I just didnt think in Real Estate that I could. So I presented it to them before vacation. Then while on vacation they let me know that they would do whatever they could do to keep me and would allow me to work from home. I'm ecstatic that God intervenes in peoples heart before we even ask Him to!! Its amazing!!!!!!!!
One of the other request that Rick and I started praying about months ago was my job situation. I need to work right now so I was going to look for something where I could work from home. Rick encouraged me to give the guys I currently work for the chance to offer me something that would allow me to be home!
In my heart thats what I wanted, I just didnt think in Real Estate that I could. So I presented it to them before vacation. Then while on vacation they let me know that they would do whatever they could do to keep me and would allow me to work from home. I'm ecstatic that God intervenes in peoples heart before we even ask Him to!! Its amazing!!!!!!!!
Please Pray
Dear Friends
God has answered many prayers and grown us tremendoulsy in our walk as we have waited on Him to lead each step of the way in this adoption opportunity. We trust Him, if we bring this little girl home or not, we'll still serve Him.
As we get down to the due date, which could be any day now we covet your prayers.
Please pray that our birth mom will be protected from the enemy, pray that God would continue to give her peace and she would make the final decision that He has lead her to.
Pray for her to be surrounded by those who will encourage her and love her. Pray that her husband will know how to listen and meet those needs that women have during post partum.
Surrendered,
Rick & Michelle
God has answered many prayers and grown us tremendoulsy in our walk as we have waited on Him to lead each step of the way in this adoption opportunity. We trust Him, if we bring this little girl home or not, we'll still serve Him.
As we get down to the due date, which could be any day now we covet your prayers.
Please pray that our birth mom will be protected from the enemy, pray that God would continue to give her peace and she would make the final decision that He has lead her to.
Pray for her to be surrounded by those who will encourage her and love her. Pray that her husband will know how to listen and meet those needs that women have during post partum.
Surrendered,
Rick & Michelle
"No Way We Will Wait"
This past Monday we were presented with the question, "If I make it to the 16th, do you want us to call you the day before so you can be here that morning or would you want to wait until after she if born for us to call you?"
My heart fell as Rick and I had previously discussed this and we thought that it would be best to wait until the 72 hours had taken place.
Here we are being confronted with another opportunity, another faith step. So, were we going to walk away from the opportunity to protect our hearts or would we kick ourselves later that we were invited and missed out on everything. Sure its a difficult decision as we all know the birth mom has the right to choose to parent this baby girl and may do so.
Rick and I talked and I wanted to immediately respond from a former fearful broken heart and say "no way we will wait".
My husband, in the way only my husband can with his wisdom and discernment said..."if this will make it easier for her to place the baby in our care and this is what the birth mom is most comfortable with then I think we should be there." I'm now thinking, I was hoping you would say that cause I didn't know how.
In the beginning of all this, I promised God I would follow Rick every step of the way. Therefore whatever God directed Him to do I would support. Most would not believe when we women do things as God created in the first place, it makes life much easier. Rick was designed to lead me and I have not always followed as I should. This time, I am and God has answered, directed, provided and given us insight as to what He desires...through Rick.
So, on Monday night we said we would take the next 24 hours to pray and then talk about it again on Tuesday.
Remember the last word God gave us about opportunities and those we have are more important than those we wish we had?
We decided that we have this opportunity, we will continue to trust in God alone for our hearts desire and be a part of this opportunity.
So we wrote:
Dear Counselor,
Rick and I have talked and prayed about the opportunity that our birth mom has offered.
We would love to be a part of the birth. We do not want to miss out on anything with our little girl.
Please inform the birth mom that we would like to be there. We would appreciate a call as she has first notice of going into labor or the day and time she is being induced, if
time allows us to get in the car and be there we will be.
We belive that God has given her clear signs and direction that adoption placement is the best thing for this child
So, we trust, in God alone that He will lead her to this choice.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Lovingly,
Michelle & Rick Nicely
My heart fell as Rick and I had previously discussed this and we thought that it would be best to wait until the 72 hours had taken place.
Here we are being confronted with another opportunity, another faith step. So, were we going to walk away from the opportunity to protect our hearts or would we kick ourselves later that we were invited and missed out on everything. Sure its a difficult decision as we all know the birth mom has the right to choose to parent this baby girl and may do so.
Rick and I talked and I wanted to immediately respond from a former fearful broken heart and say "no way we will wait".
My husband, in the way only my husband can with his wisdom and discernment said..."if this will make it easier for her to place the baby in our care and this is what the birth mom is most comfortable with then I think we should be there." I'm now thinking, I was hoping you would say that cause I didn't know how.
In the beginning of all this, I promised God I would follow Rick every step of the way. Therefore whatever God directed Him to do I would support. Most would not believe when we women do things as God created in the first place, it makes life much easier. Rick was designed to lead me and I have not always followed as I should. This time, I am and God has answered, directed, provided and given us insight as to what He desires...through Rick.
So, on Monday night we said we would take the next 24 hours to pray and then talk about it again on Tuesday.
Remember the last word God gave us about opportunities and those we have are more important than those we wish we had?
We decided that we have this opportunity, we will continue to trust in God alone for our hearts desire and be a part of this opportunity.
So we wrote:
Dear Counselor,
Rick and I have talked and prayed about the opportunity that our birth mom has offered.
We would love to be a part of the birth. We do not want to miss out on anything with our little girl.
Please inform the birth mom that we would like to be there. We would appreciate a call as she has first notice of going into labor or the day and time she is being induced, if
time allows us to get in the car and be there we will be.
We belive that God has given her clear signs and direction that adoption placement is the best thing for this child
So, we trust, in God alone that He will lead her to this choice.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Lovingly,
Michelle & Rick Nicely
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
May My Faith Outweigh My Fear
"Im praying that your faith will outweigh your fear" was the prayer of a dear friend today as I began to be emotional at the thought of Rick not being around when our baby girl is born. He's currently in Chicago and will return on Saturday morning the 12th. Five days later he leaves for Romania. I have prayed and told God that I would really love for us to be together and that is the desire of my heart. I trust Him to work this all out as He has done with so many other details.
The birth mom is to be induced on July 16, 2008. We did have a small glimmer of Hope today as the birth mom had another Dr's appointment. However they decided not to induce and send her home. We thought it would be so cool to have her born tomorrow, July 9, 2008 which is Gabriel's 3rd birthday. The Lord knows when this baby girl will be here and we trust that His plan is perfect, trustworthy and comforting.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding, but in all my ways acknowledge Him and He will direct my paths." Im praying that Rick and I will follow the path as God lays out His perfect plan!
Monday, July 7, 2008
Meeting the Birth Mom and Her Husband
Anxiously we arrived at the church of a friend who has been meeting with the birth mom and encouraging her on a weekly basis.
We went in, made a cup of coffee and were very much at peace to be where we were, waiting for our time with this couple.
There really wasn't any one topic of conversation. We talked about our lives and where we live, a little bit about our families and details concerning the birth of this baby girl. The baby girl that that Rick and I long to lavish our love on and the same little girl that this birth mom loves and under any other circumstance would have no doubts in parenting.
We shared why we were there and what word we heard from the Lord that lead us to visit Ohio.
It was evident that both the birth mom and her husband had not made a final decision whether to place the baby or parent the baby. Rick and I know not to look for signs or evidence of anything. We are well aware that birth moms make their decisions when the child is born. Although they may contemplate adoption they cannot make a clear decision until the child arrives.
In my heart of hearts I was extremely happy that we went and met this family. Under any other circumstance they are people we would enjoy having as friends and hope in years to come we can go back to Ohio and be a blessing to if they so choose for Rick and I to adopt this baby girl.
We went in, made a cup of coffee and were very much at peace to be where we were, waiting for our time with this couple.
There really wasn't any one topic of conversation. We talked about our lives and where we live, a little bit about our families and details concerning the birth of this baby girl. The baby girl that that Rick and I long to lavish our love on and the same little girl that this birth mom loves and under any other circumstance would have no doubts in parenting.
We shared why we were there and what word we heard from the Lord that lead us to visit Ohio.
It was evident that both the birth mom and her husband had not made a final decision whether to place the baby or parent the baby. Rick and I know not to look for signs or evidence of anything. We are well aware that birth moms make their decisions when the child is born. Although they may contemplate adoption they cannot make a clear decision until the child arrives.
In my heart of hearts I was extremely happy that we went and met this family. Under any other circumstance they are people we would enjoy having as friends and hope in years to come we can go back to Ohio and be a blessing to if they so choose for Rick and I to adopt this baby girl.
Our 1st Trip to Ohio
Earlier in the week we discussed the possibility of going to Ohio to meet with the birth mom and her husband. We knew if we made the trip it owuld have to be this weekend.
My heart was so heavy in wanting to and not wanting to. Rick was at camp so we discussed a few things over the phone and decided we would pray, seek God's face over the next twenty four hours then we would talk again.
I was scared to do this. I knew however that the birth mom would not make a decison unless she had met us. I decided to open my Bible and I clearly ask God to speak to my heart. I opened to the story of Mordecai since he had adopted Esther, I thought there may be some life lessons in there...and sure 'nough there was. My study Bible gave a lesson from Mordecai's life that states, "the opportunites you have now are more important than the ones you wish you had". I looked up to heaven and said you're right Lord, this is a great opprotunity to meet and encourage her.
Rick arrived home from camp on Friday at 2pm, I finished my work day with several closings and we headed to Ohio. We had a great time in the car talking for three straight hours about our week apart. ..then we he/we slept on and off the other four and a half hours.
At 2:30 a.m we arrived in "Longabergerville" where our friends welcomed us and provided a beautiful place to lay our heads.
My heart was so heavy in wanting to and not wanting to. Rick was at camp so we discussed a few things over the phone and decided we would pray, seek God's face over the next twenty four hours then we would talk again.
I was scared to do this. I knew however that the birth mom would not make a decison unless she had met us. I decided to open my Bible and I clearly ask God to speak to my heart. I opened to the story of Mordecai since he had adopted Esther, I thought there may be some life lessons in there...and sure 'nough there was. My study Bible gave a lesson from Mordecai's life that states, "the opportunites you have now are more important than the ones you wish you had". I looked up to heaven and said you're right Lord, this is a great opprotunity to meet and encourage her.
Rick arrived home from camp on Friday at 2pm, I finished my work day with several closings and we headed to Ohio. We had a great time in the car talking for three straight hours about our week apart. ..then we he/we slept on and off the other four and a half hours.
At 2:30 a.m we arrived in "Longabergerville" where our friends welcomed us and provided a beautiful place to lay our heads.
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