Friends, Family and Football!!!

Playing catch up on photos from our Ohio visits!

LEFT, ABOVE: It was a treat to visit my Aunt Miriam, Uncle Don, and cousins Derek and Luke (who was up from Alabama for Thanksgiving).
RIGHT, ABOVE:  Reni acting goofy with Nancy Landerholm

Below:  We were blessed to share at Faith Memorial Church in Lancaster a week ago Sunday!  This is Mom and Dad Waggoner's home church and where we worship whenever we are in town.  We received a very kind endorsement from Pastor Morgan and met some lovely new people.  It's wonderful to be at a church that values missions!

The Wednesday night before Thanksgiving Day, Steve, Rachel and the kids arrived from Delavan...  Ellie and Reni were thrilled that "The Cousins" had arrived!

 A beautiful table decorated by Mom...

I hope this becomes our new tradition... FOOTBALL after lunch.  So. Much. Fun.  For "touch" football, I fell down A LOT!  Maybe it had something to do with Nathan and I playing on opposite sides.

Relaxing in the basement, watching something (Funniest Home Videos? I can't remember)

Then brunch and 'goodbye' on Friday...

After The Cousins left, Reni was looking at a photo of all the grandkids together and asked, "Which one is that?"  Ha!  Someday he'll get their names all down. :-)  After all, we did have ten kids here under the age of 12!

Ever heard of geo-caching? This may be a new family activity while we travel on homeland ministry... Nathan had the brilliant idea to leave Albanian lek coins as our contribution at each spot.

Once you locate the cache, you can swap out items in the container and sign and date your name that you've been there.  Nathan also found a place online to document our discoveries.  We like cheap/free fun whenever it can be found!

Trying to keep my eyes up

Trying to make the best of it, but it's hard when all four of us are not up to par. Plans have changed. Sleep has been short.  I'm also trying to keep my eyes up, but it's hard for me not to wallow in selfishness when I don't feel productive and have a good case of cabin fever.  Just a few more days left in Ohio, hoping we can maybe still see a few of the folks we were supposed to see today and tomorrow but not wanting to share this with others. ; )  It hurts to have angles knocked off this Type A who has a hard time relinquishing control.  Whoever named personality types A and B were more right than they knew.

Yeah, I'm a prime candidate for culture shock.  At least I know and can make a plan, right?

Can you help us?

Since we've now made it through Thanksgiving, I feel I have permission to start planning for Christmas and beyond... I know December is going to pass in the blink of an eye!

Our next big road trip will commence in January and so we're looking at reconnecting with friends and family, and making new friends along the way too, while we share about our calling to Albania!  I have a suspicion that we have some 'lurker' friends out there who read our blog but haven't yet had the courage to say 'hi.'  This message is for you too!

Below is our tentative schedule... if you'd like to see us while we are in your neck of the woods, please send me a message at cydilwaggoner [at] gmail [dot] com!  We'd love to see you, your small group, Sunday school class, youth group, children's church, mom's group... whatever! ; )  Help us fill our calendar!  We love sharing about the passions that God has put on our heart and His story that He's writing for our family.  Our hope is that He is glorified and the Church re-enthused for the purposes God has for it in expanding the Kingdom of God locally and globally!

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
January 19-25: Central and Western Tennessee
January 26-February 1:  Central Kentucky
February 2-3:  Toccoa, GA
February 3-8:  Atlanta and surroundings
February 9-13:  Jacksonville, FL
February 14-17:  Gainesville, FL
February 18-21: Orlando and Ft. Myers
February 23-24:  Tallahassee
February 25:  Alabama

Friends in the East?  We'll be headed your way in the spring!
If you want to hear an 8-minute audio of our presentation, click here to download it.

Friends, Friends and More Friends!

Our time in Ohio has been full!  It's been a blessing to reconnect with old friends and make new ones too!  Ellie and Reni have enjoyed meeting new friends so much that it's not uncommon for there to be tears (usually on Ellie's part) when it's time to say 'goodbye.'

Here's a brief re-cap of some of the week leading up to Thanksgiving.  First up, the Wyche's small group in New Albany.  Sarah was on our very first student cabinet at Asbury in the Fall of 1999.  A few years after graduating she married her husband, Cy, whom we met on a couple of occasions when they made visits to Wilmore.  Last week was our first opportunity to meet their three children!  It was a real treat to visit their small group from church!  The following pics represent a fraction of the couples we met and all of their children!

 (Below)  Sarah and me

The next evening Nathan's parents hosted a wonderful dessert reception for us.  We were extremely touched  by all those who attended, many of which we had not seen for over ten years, including some of Nathan's former teachers from school and church.  I appreciated the chance to have faces for the names of individuals whom Nathan's told me about for many years.

Below is a smattering of photos from some of those who attended...

We kept telling the kids we were going to a "party" that evening.  Right as we were getting ready to share, Reni piped up in a skeptical voice, "Is THIS the party?"

The next evening we visited with some dear friends, the Cooperriders.

 Reni and Sam just being boys...

 Ellie was thrilled to meet yet another dog...

So thankful for all the wonderful relationships that we've enjoyed in our lifetime and the opportunity to reconnect before we leave!

Six years later...

Six years ago today we met and held our Els for the first time.  It's hard to imagine life before this little girl was in it!

Daily she keeps us laughing with her insights and unique view of the world we live in.  She is growing more mature and I am so proud of the little girl she has become. Together we have learned how to "set the table" each day for optimal success and Ellie has gotten so much better in moderating her reactions when life gets overwhelming.  While we mourn the loss that 18 months of institutionalization rendered, God has been faithful to bring healing.  A few years ago I wouldn't have believed how well she has rolled with all of the changes that the past six months have brought and the crazy schedule (or lack thereof) that is typical of our new life.

While there is much I want to remember about Ellie, age seven and a half, some of my favorites are these:  I love how much her little brother looks for her approval.  I love how much she loves people and how good she is at making those around her feel special.  Truly. It's a blessing as her mom to stand back and watch her interact with others, never leaving without giving a hug and learning their names.  Ellie girl, we're crazy about you and thank Jesus every day for the gift you are to our family!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving 2012

Through these doors we are celebrating Thanksgiving with the Waggoner clan.  We have much to be thankful for this year, not the least of which is celebrating together with family.  It struck me this morning that this may be our last Thanksgiving in the States for a while!  

Thanksgiving has long been a special holiday, but made even more so six years ago when we landed in Albania on Thanksgiving Day 2006 to meet our Els.  The holiday and that event will forever be intertwined for us!  

I regret that this holiday is quickly getting passed over with sights set on the commercialism of Christmas.  I love my Christmas lights as much as anyone, but before Thanksgiving?  And starting Black Friday on Thanksgiving Day? Really???  I will never forget a lesson I learned when we were leading English camp in Ch*na 11 years ago.  We were teaching American holidays to a group of middle and high school students and on the day when we discussed Thanksgiving, we asked them to go around and share something for which they were thankful.  We received a bunch of blank stares in reply (from a normally talkative group).  After much thought, a few said they were thankful to their parents for giving them life.  Afterwards we concluded that without faith in God, Creator and giver of all, gratitude is not natural.  It requires acknowledgment of One outside yourself.

In closing, I'll share a familiar hymn sung in church on Sunday (a favorite of my middle sister, Bug, a mother to two 20th generation Mayflower descendants!), including a few verses which may be knew to you:

 For the beauty of the earth, 
 for the glory of the skies, 
 for the love which from our birth 
 over and around us lies; 
 Lord of all, to thee we raise 
 this our hymn of grateful praise.

 For the beauty of each hour 
 of the day and of the night, 
 hill and vale, and tree and flower, 
 sun and moon, and stars of light; 
 Lord of all, to thee we raise 
 this our hymn of grateful praise.

 For the joy of human love, 
 brother, sister, parent, child, 
 friends on earth and friends above, 
 for all gentle thoughts and mild; 
 Lord of all, to thee we raise 
 this our hymn of grateful praise.

 For thy church, that evermore 
 lifteth holy hands above, 
 offering up on every shore 
 her pure sacrifice of love; 
 Lord of all, to thee we raise 
 this our hymn of grateful praise.

 For thyself, best Gift Divine, 
 to the world so freely given, 
 for that great, great love of thine, 
 peace on earth, and joy in heaven:  
 Lord of all, to thee we raise 
 this our hymn of grateful praise.

Text: Folliot S. Pierpoint
Music: Conrad Kocher; Arr. by W.H. Monk 



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Extreme Makeover: Tirana Pallati Edition

I will pause from reporting on our days in Ohio to bring you some photos from the ongoing construction work on "our" future apartment in Tirana.  Really, it's Planters' guest apartment, but we'll enjoy calling it home for the first year of our time in Albania before we move to Vlashaj.  I mentioned in a previous post that my mom was hosting a team from Vermont which, along with a professional contractor, was working hard to make some modifications to this space to better suit our needs, as well as the needs of future guests.  The biggest change is the installation of an interior staircase to connect the guest apartment with the office and guestrooms on the floor below.  The photos are pretty self-explanatory.

The stairs are actually being covered in the next few days with paint and mermere.  I can't wait to see it in person!  This will make life so much more convenient for our family!

Dayton Part 2

We have a day free of appointments today (unless you count the Ohio State/Wisconsin game an appointment) : )  so I want to try to catch up on some photos I've been wanting to share!  Last Sunday we had the joy of reconnecting with a college friend we hadn't seen in more than 15 years.  Thanks to social media, we've watched each others families grow, but it's not the same as a face-to-face meeting.  Shannon and I lived on the same hall in the dorm and it was through her that I first heard of Nathan.  I guess you could say she knew us before Nathan and I knew each other!

Shannon's husband, Steve, is on the pastoral staff at Way of the Cross church in the Dayton area.  They were gracious to have us share in their Sunday evening service.  We were very blessed and encouraged by everyone we met there!  They had great questions and were very interested in learning more about Albania.

Afterwards, we went out to eat at Godfathers.  Steve and Shannon's three girls were amazing with Ellie and Reni.  You can tell a lot about people by their children.  Those girls are a great credit to their parents!

 Just over a year ago, Steve and Shannon and the girls were blessed to add a baby boy to their family through domestic adoption.  Praying baby boy #2 into their family in the Lord's timing! Shannon's parents as well as her sister and her children were also part of supper and made for a wonderful dinner party.  I love the body of Christ which makes friends feel like family.

Baby J conked out before we called it a night so he missed the family photo below.  Thanks, T family, for a wonderful evening!

#1,000

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
    incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
 I will open my mouth in a parable;
    I will utter dark sayings from of old,
 things that we have heard and known,
    that our fathers have told us.
 We will not hide them from their children,
    but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
    and the wonders that he has done.

 He established a testimony in Jacob
    and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
    to teach to their children,
 that the next generation might know them,
    the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
     so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God,
    but keep his commandments...

Psalm 78: 1-7 ESV

Little did we know the journey the Lord had for us when we started this blog 6 years and 1 month ago!  But here we are and on this one thousandth post, we want to thank Him for His faithfulness to our family.  We hope this blog serves to remind us, as well as Ellie and Reni, of His goodness both in this generation and the one(s) to come.  What started as a means of keeping our family and friends updated on the process of bringing Ellie into our lives turned into a recurring online journal of our family's experiences and lessons learned in our walk with the Lord.  We know the children of Israel were prone to forget all that Almighty God had done on their behalf so this this has been our attempt to remember!  It strengthens our faith!

There have been many times the Lord has made His involvement in our lives evident.  Sometimes those moments have been quite evident, others more subtle.  Every moment though, is a gift from Him and I thought I would take the opportunity of this, our one thousandth post, to share some of the biggest moments in our lives since we started this journal in the fall of 2006. 

Here are my "top ten" posts:

1.)  Introducing Ellie -- the inaugural post, you can sense our giddiness at the news of our first child as I recount the moment we got 'the call.'  Perhaps one of the most emotional days of my entire life.  I love that it's become a part of Ellie's story that she requests we share with her.  Her favorite part is that 'Mommy cried.'

2.) Meeting Ellie -- This features photos and a slideshow from our first moments with our girl.  The post is actually quite brief on text which wasn't a good disguise for the shock I was experiencing reconciling my expectations with reality.  I also misspelled her name!  Ouch!  

3.) We're Home! -- my thoughts and feelings on coming home with Ellie after 5 and a half weeks in Albania.  After all the waiting and waiting, the last 8 hours were a RUSH, and of course full of emotion!  We were really parents!

4.) Big Steps 'n Little Uns -- named after an episode of All Creatures Great and Small, this photo essay showed Ellie taking her first independent steps at 25 months old.  After tremendous delays from institutionalization, walking served as evidence to us that Ellie was indeed making progress. While it has been easy to get discouraged when progress felt slow, this blog has been a great means of referencing just how far Ellie had come. If we forget where we came from, we can't praise Him for the miracle of growth!

5.) Ellie Has Some News to Share -- this post is one that isn't complete (for me) without reading the comments.  What a joy to share of our pursuit to bring Reni home and read the congratulations of our friends!  It was Nathan's idea to share the news in 'Ellie's voice'.  I thought it was a sweet way to share of the big change coming our way!  Of course, we had no idea what an amazingly awesome little boy was about to join our family! ; )

6.) Meeting our Son -- unlike my post about meeting Ellie, this one was full of much more description about those first moments together.  In re-reading it just now, I smiled to see how much of my first impressions of Reni were spot-on.  I'm also reminded that no two adoption experiences are the same, even from the same country. There is no hiding the fact that Reni's adoption trip (though holding its share of stressful moments) was much, much more enjoyable for us... there were so many factors which impacted our differing emotional responses in each adoption: one was in the winter, one was in the summer; one was as a brand new, very insecure parent-to-be, the other to one who had had a few years of parenting under her belt; in one we were very much alone, stuck in a hotel during long, dark nights;  in another we had visitors and met new friends with longer days for exploring a new-to-us city;  Ellie was in an incredibly depressing state orphanage (which probably contributed to the overall feeling of heaviness) and Reni was in a group home full of love and warmth from lovely Sisters intent on loving as Jesus loved... I could go on, but I think you get the idea.

7.)  Revisiting Vlora -- while re-reading journal entries is a good way to revisit moments, there is nothing like a bodily visit back to a sacred place to remember where we've come from.   "Revisiting Vlora" recounts our summer 2010 visit to the city and orphanage where Ellie lived her first 18 months of life.  Sometimes we think the passage of time might exaggerate past experiences, 'Was it really like that?"  In this post we share about taking Nathan's parents and Ellie back to see her first home.

8.) Reni's First Independent Steps in His Legs -- We can't overly express our pride!  This has to be SO hard!  Yet, he overcomes his fear and goes for it!  Of course, after this post he gets much more confident and walks greater and greater distances, but this was on GRASS, people!  Lumpy, uneven, grass!  And always with a grin.  Just a sign of things to come...

9.)  Big News from the Waggoners -- after 13 years in campus ministry, we announce a MAJOR CHANGE!  The exit ramp we didn't see coming! Pack up your bags, kids!  We're moving to Albania!

10)  To Elbasan and Back -- a special day that was a true love gift from the Lord to experience.  I imagine many adoptive families would love to return to their child's first home and show their child's caregivers that he is thriving and growing.  Many would love to say 'thank you for caring for my child before me', or give their child the opportunity to see the place from which they had come.  For us, it was a little of all of the above.  With frequent staff turnover, we knew our window to re-visit Elbasan was closing before many there would remember Reni anymore.   Eighteen months after taking Reni out, we returned for a very emotional visit.

In looking back over this list, I see that the majority of these memorable moments took place in Albania.  Is my heart already over there, ready to live?  Probably.  
We want to thank you, our family and friends, for loving and praying for our family!  You are very much part of this story.  Thank you for your interest and love.  We hope that in some small way we can encourage your faith as we live life together.

Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

On the Road Again: Dayton, pt 1

We are back on the road again, this time in the Buckeye state!  On Saturday we arrived in Dayton and had lunch with our friends, the Colemans.  The Colemans ran the OMS Student Center down the street from us in Wilmore from 2005-2011.   It was our first time to visit since we've both left campus ministry and we enjoyed catching up with them and gleaning from their years of experience in missions, and more specifically, language acquisition (Rachel has taught Spanish for years).  We enjoyed our first taste of LaRosa's pizza!  (If you've been to a Reds game, you know LaRosa's!

We decided to take some time while we were in town to stretch our legs before our next appointments and learn a little bit more about what this part of the country is famous for: aviation!  We all really, really enjoyed the National Museum USAF. So. Many. Planes.  The kids were consistently pointing, "Look, look, look!"

We then headed over to the Allens for a great visit and incredible supper of barbecued ribs and chicken.  David A and my mother are first cousins.  He and his wife, Janet, are parents of four (my 2nd cousins?).  Their son, Ben, and daughter-in-law, Sarah, joined us for supper.  As you can see, Sarah was a BIG hit with the kids.

The next day we Ellie was thrilled to check out Uncle David's bee hives... We were glad that Sarah Jane was able to spend some time with us too!

A little walk down to the back field where we could check out a (safe) dead hive.  Ellie "suited up" nevertheless. : )

 After all that hard work, we enjoyed some homemade oatmeal cookies on the front porch!  Thank you, Allens, for your wonderful hospitality and helping us make some great memories!

Next up!  A visit with the Todd/Saunders families and Way of the Cross church!