Elizabeth

Elizabeth was just in the shower. I had come to the kitchen to tell some of the other kids something. I heard her start to cry. I had just been in there…weird! So I ran to see what was wrong. She had cut her thumb on the remains of the shower door stuck in the hinge (that shattered just before we left for Iowa). I had not seen the sharp glass over these last weeks. I felt horrible.

I gently picked her up in the towel and laid her on our bed to dress her. I snuggled with her and held her close. I told her how much I loved her and that I was so thankful that I could be her mommy. I told her how I loved to be the one to fix her cuts, scrapes and sores and I told her how sorry I was that I had not seen the sharp glass stuck in the hinge.

I paused. I said, “Elizabeth, who would fix your cuts at the orphanage?” She thought for a moment and said, “Me. I fix myself.”

Her little three-year-old words stung my heart. Millions of kids around the world fixing their own cuts, with no mommy to love on them. No one to really care. No one to pause and say, “you matter to me.” Millions of little Elizabeths. Trying to figure out life all by themself. Waiting. Hoping. Dreaming.

And that would be precisely why Dw and I and so many of you have answered the call. Because we know that every little girl and boy needs to have a family. Every little one. No exceptions.

Could you be someone who is feeling the tug? Could you be someone who needs an Elizabeth? Could there be an Elizabeth that needs you?

46 thoughts on “Elizabeth

  1. Note to self: Don't read Linny's blog while on the air. No one wants to listen to a sobbing D.J.

    I long for the day when I bring home my Elizabeth and her sister and her brother and….

  2. I am one of those – already… and hope to be again! My husband and I have 5 children – 4 bio and 1 adopted. Our daughter is from China. She is nearly 6… home with us for 5 years! I often tell her those exact same things. I pray and pray we can bring another little one into our home.

    Your family is an inspiration. I read your blog daily. thank you for your encouraging words.

    Charity
    http://journeytokyranicole.blogspot.com

  3. Oh how that tugs at my heart. I know in my heart that we will adopt again. However my husband is unsure of when 🙂 With 5 children 9 and under he is not quite ready. I keep searching the special needs lists and praying. There are so many precious children waiting. Now to wait on the Lord to move on my better half. What a treasure your sweet Elizabeth is.

    Thanks for sharing.
    In Jesus,
    Lori

  4. YES, YES, YES!!! Oh how my heart longs for a little one or 2 from Africa. Now God just needs to tell my dear hubby it's time.

    PS OK, I have a couple of cuties I would bring home from EE too but I couldn't do the travel time with my little ones.

  5. I feel the tug Linny, I feel it. We have three adopted from China – two boys and a girl. Part of me wants more. Part of me feels there are more. Part of me can't help listing off all the reasons there can't be more: money, um money, and oh yeah, money. We are tapped out. I have told our Father in heaven "if you bring them to me, I will open my arms to them, and love them forever. But I don't have the strength to scratch together another adoption fund." I would love to know how you do it. Does the Lord just rain down finances on you, do you get grants (we've applied, not received), how do you fund your adoptions? I am seriously and sincerely curious and would love some encouragement.

    Peace be with you.

  6. What a precious moment you shared with Elizabeth…and how heartbreaking that so many children have to take care of themselves. There is such a HUGE difference in children who have been cared for by someone and children who have had to fend for themselves in an orphanage. Our two girls, adopted together…same age, but one had been in foster care, one in an orphanage. The one who had been in foster care can't do anything for herself (haha–a princess for sure). She has been used to her foster mom taking care of her and probably spoiling her a bit. Our other daughter, is extremely self-reliant and is capable of so many things it is astonishing. On the surface, it would seem good that she can do so many things herself, but it becomes painfully obvious that she suffers in so many ways. She is soooo insecure, and at every meal, she eats like she will never have another. I hope, in time, she can overcome these things, but what about all the others who wait and wait?

    I have heard people say so many times that they 'thought' about adopting. Something has stopped them…money, 'bad' timing, fear. Satan will through every imaginable roadblock at people who are considering adoption. Don't give in to him!! A little special someone is waiting for you to answer the call…to come and rescue her/him. Be the answer to their dreams.

  7. This just brings tears to my eyes because I know there are so many little ones just like Elizabeth who need a "forever home". Oh how I wish I was younger… We have never regretted adopting our 3. They have brought so much joy into our home.

    Beautiful post Linny. Hugs and love.

  8. Linn

    I think I've only commented on your blog once, but I read it almost daily. I've laughed and cried and gotten excited time and again over what God is doing in your family.

    There's another family I've been following.(oneeggshortofadozen.blogspot.com) They've adopted several children and just got back from Africa with their 3 newest family members. Now they have a chance to be on Extreme Makeovers and need people to send emails on their behalf. I don't know if you read their blog, but I thought I'd bring them to your attention in case you're interested.

    Love your family!

    Tinacd

  9. Linny there's been a tugging in my heart for years, unfortunately our finances are in the toilet. I was just praying today, sort of bargaining with God. Help us with our money problems and we could do so much good. I hate that everything revolves around money.
    When we were away last week we drove by a home for children, there was a little boy outside playing frisbie with one of the nuns, I could have swept him up in a heartbeat.

  10. OH Linny your words are straight from Gods heart to the world!! I live to tell the world that God wants His children held and loved just as He loved us..

    Never stop getting the message out there!!

  11. Oh yes- so well said! Our little Sarah brought home at 8.5 fixed everything for herself for all those years. Thank you for reminding me- sometimes I want her to be a 9 yr old but she has missed out on a Mommy for so many years- she needs me to help her heal from all those years with no Mommy.

    Great post! Thank you!!

  12. We need an Elizabeth! Could you pray for us, that one day, preferably very soon, my husband & I would be financially able to bring home many Elizabeth's.

  13. I started the process to adopt my baby girl from China 4 years ago. 4 YEARS!!! …and yet babies are there laying in cribs with no one to love on them…no one to fix their cuts…praying I will hold my Emma very soon!

    What a precious story – so thankful your babies have you and DW…and all their brothers and sisters to love on them!

  14. It just breaks my heart to think of all the children out there longing to feel love. We have 5 sons bio and 1 daughter adopted from Guatemala almost 2 years. I've been bit by the adoption bug again!! I pray that the Almighty blesses us with another child. I'm looking into China special needs. Sometimes I lay awake at night thinking of all the Elizabeth's, and Mia's, (that's my daughter) that cry themselves to sleep and have no one to kiss their boo boo's and it tears my heart apart.
    Bless you Linny

  15. Linny, I feel that tug so strongly! I long to find my "Elizabeth!" The only thing holding me back is the uncertainty of being single. I am 38 with no husband in sight. Seems the Lord is leading me on this adoption journey, but it's scary to go it alone and I want to be positive it is the Lord leading me and not my own desires.

    Your blog is such an encouragement, Linny! Thank you!

    Melissa

  16. I'm so glad your sweet Elizabeth has a family now to kiss her booboos.

    I wanted to let you know that i'm having a giveaway on my blog this week. It could go towards something for your new house.

  17. Pray for me. I'm almost 32 and have known since I was 18 that I want to adopt. It is my desire to raise children for the glory of God. I really believe they need a father and a mother and so I wait. Please pray that a Godly man with a heart for adoption will come along.

  18. I feel the tug. My husband, however, does not. We have 3 bio children and I long to have just one more child to hold and love. Finances are tight, but we could do it. I've been praying for three years that he would have a change of heart or that my desire for another would be taken away. Hopefully soon.

  19. As a single mommy, I answer the call. Not a perfect family, and little broken and flowing full of God's grace.

    How I reconciled myself to adopting single…..my two bio boys are greatly loved by God. He knew at their birth there would be a day when their daddy walked away. Yet, He chose to let them be born to me. To allow this broken momma to mother them.

    And I thought, if God thought it is good enough for these two, then it is good enough for more, that don't have a daddy or a momma!

    Not perfect, but present.

  20. Oh yes, I need an Elizabeth. An Elizabeth or three or twelve. My husband's scarred, battered, untrusting soul says ABSOLUTELY NO CHILDREN. I hurt. God is bigger and I still trust Him.

    Sarah

  21. how touching!! i know that i am called to adopt & i can't wait for that day when i can bring a little Elizabeth into my family & love her, care for her and be her mommy.

  22. I can remember when we first brought our daughter home from China, I prayed that she would understand and speak English quickly. I wanted her to talk to me before she forgot her life in China. I yearned for her to tell me something personal about her foster mother, maybe even putting into 2 year old words what it felt like to be loved by this precious woman. It hurts my heart that our girl with a repaired cleft palate can still only put a few words together to talk to me about things TODAY…not thoughts, not memories from YESTERDAY. I am so thankful that you have that. Though it is heartbreaking to hear Elizabeth share some of her former life, what a blessing you have both been given.
    Thanks for sharing, Linny!

  23. I just wrote a similar type of note to my family and thought I would add a small part here for all the Elizabeth's and Susu's in the world waiting for their family.

    Susu recently got over 48 hours of hives which was the end result of a cold virus she had (according to the doctor). She was covered in hives at points and we moved her mattress to the kitchen so she could be as cool as possible in front of the AC. It has been 90+ degrees this week which is not good for hives! We were so thankful to have the AC and Susu dealt with her very itchy hives extremely well. She can be very melodramatic about smaller short lived hurts and loves band aids, love, and attention but she also has an amazing ability to withstand chronic pain and discomfort with a good attitude. That is what happens when you spend your first two years in an orphanage and you get used to comforting yourself and also when you get used to having untreated cavities for a couple years. I was thinking about all the children in orphanages who get hives or other things and don't have Moms and Dads to hold them, put them in front of an AC (luxury that does not exist), give them baking soda baths, wash them with cool wash clothes, rub cream on them, give them medicine every 4 hours, and let them have extra icecream to make them feel better. Susu called the hives "dots" and when her medicine would start wearing off she would tell me that she had dots again. We are happy that the dots left a couple days ago and we are glad that Susu and Elizabeth will always have a Mom & Dad to take care of them and comfort them when they are hurt or sick.

  24. We are taking the dive ( a very high diving board) and will be trying to convince a certain government that our income will support another child.
    Pray for us.

  25. Linny,
    I have read through all of the comments here, and my heart constricts for the desire of so many here. I am the same. We tried fundraising for our second adoption, and God closed the doors there. Instead, he has led us down the troubled and scary path to foster care adoption. There are so many children in our own country who are scared, alone, neglected, and they need someone to champion them as well. Maybe someone reading my comment might be inspired to look into it! It's hard, it's difficult, unthankful work. Yet, when the worst happens, these kids need someone too. We are almost finished with our training, and I can't wait to meet my new Elizabeth or Elijah or Josiah or three or four! 🙂

  26. Well that breaks my heart. I'm so glad Elizabeth has you to take care of her boo-boo's now. I can't wait to kiss the boo-boo's of my own baby girl. Hopefully SOON!

  27. Linny,

    Thanks for your post..my heart beats for the orphan. I am praying the Lord will lead us to where He wants us to go. Please pray for us as I go over hurdles towards God's answer toward adoption. We had some heartache years ago with our first adoption, but God is SO good. Mountains HE needs to move for us. I know HE can!

  28. Where do I sign up! I have not been on here in a while and I just read your can a single women adopt! I have tears in my eyes as I think of the passion God has given me for children! I love them and I want to be a mommy! Not someday but today! So here I am typing you saying can you help me become a mommy Linny! I don't want to wait for Mr. Right to hold my little Elizabeth! What do I do??? What is the first step that I need to take! My arms are open and my heart is full of love! Now all I need is a little one to hold and love on! 🙂 Please help! 🙂

  29. Linny- I am feeling the tug so much I want to bring more home now and I am already in process for two- I am just trying to figure out what is God saying to me.

    I think I may know and I will share it with you sometime in the future.
    Praise the Lord!

  30. Thank you for posting what so many of us who have been blessed to adopt feel! Yes on the answer to the tug question! Her name is Lindsey!

    Blessings,
    Diana

Leave a Reply to Denise Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>