Daddy And His Boys

Sorry for the delay in getting our new blog up and running. It will be ready soon. Until then, I thought I'd post a little more on this blog.

We all have been so excited about the warm weather this weekend! We've all been out on the patio and in the backyard having a great time, playing with earthworms (eewwwww), squirting each other with the hose, grilling out and roasting marshmallows at the fire pit.

After church today, Derek took Ethan and Silas out on the patio with him. They did a fine job helping Daddy play his guitar! You should have heard the beautiful music! Here are a few pics of Daddy and his boys, along with two pretty tulips that snuck in the pictures as well (Leeann and Telma)! Don't the boys look great!? They've come a long way since their orphanage days! They are really thriving, curious and into everything!!! Praise God!

Our Blog Site Will Be Changing Soon!

We are going to be switching blog sites soon, from Blogspot to Wordpress. Unfortunately, we won't be able to add all our previous posts to our new site, but you can still return to our old blog address (at this site) if you would like to view previous posts. Remember, if you would like to look at our last adoption journey, you can go to louxfamily1adoption.blogspot.com and follow along on our wild and wonderful adventure. Our new blog should be up and running by the middle of next week if not sooner. We'll keep you updated and will let you know right away when the change takes place. Thanks to all of you who have faithfully prayed and supported us throughout our adoption journeys. You are amazing! God bless you!

Beauty For Ashes

After church on Sunday, our family went over to our brother and sister-in-law, John and Tracie's house for Easter dinner. Tracie and my Mom and I cooked up a storm to feed the masses :)! It was the first time all our children had been together for a meal, since John and Tracie came home with their two newest angels. There were 15 children under one roof! Wow! By the time the younger ones were all done eating, they looked like they had bathed in raspberry jello and gravy. Elia, my adopted niece, was parked at the plate of chocolate covered strawberries, taste testing them. By the time we caught her, she had a sheepish little grin on her face, proudly smiling next to several strawberries with chew marks in them, enjoying a little feast of her own. Tracie and I decided to put all the little ones in the tub and get them cleaned up! They had a great time and we got some great pics out of it.

As I was looking at all our children together, I started thinking about God's goodness to them and to us. I became overwhelmed with emotion, thinking about what it was like before our adopted children had been rescued. Now I was watching them running around together, happily playing and feeling loved and secure. The Lord has truly given them beauty for ashes and he's blessed us with the most precious little angels, revealing more of His beauty through the precious lives of these priceless ones!

Here are some pictures of our day together. God bless you today and may you feel his presence near you!



The Loux cousins


Our Ukrainian beauties! (From left to right) our little Ethan, John and Tracie's precious Aiden, our amazing Sasha, John and Tracie's beautiful Emma and our teddy bear, Silas


Ride em cowboys!


Our beautiful girls!


Sophia


Leeann


Keyolla


Telma


Michaela


Teyolla


The bathing beauties!

Christ Has Risen!

I love celebrating Easter! To think about all Jesus did on the cross for us, giving his life, so that we could have hope and freedom in him, is just amazing to me! His love for us just blows my mind! I was reading Isaiah 53 tonight, reflecting on what Jesus did for us through his suffering and death. Many of you are familiar with this portion of scripture and know it well. In verse 5 of Isaiah 53, it says: " But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed!" Amazing!

Our beautiful Jesus, we thank you today for your precious gift of love to us. You suffered and died so we could be set free! We remember you and your sacrifice of love and we thank you for your goodness and faithfulness to each of us. We thank you that not one of us is forgotten by you. Everyone of us is on the forefront of your mind, never abandoned, never alone. You're never to busy to pour out your love on us. I pray that we would be the same. Help us to love you the way you love us.... with full abandonment... with a heart of passion! Help us to hunger and thirst after righteousness, maintaining justice, doing what is right, for your salvation is close at hand, and your righteousness will soon be revealed (Isaiah 56:1) Thank you for your promises and thank you Jesus that you mercies are new every morning!

There is none like you oh Lord, none in the heavens and none on the earth! We love you and thank you today for the cross, and for the empty tomb!

Derek's February Poland Trip

Derek spoke at a conference in northwest Poland in February and was incredibly blessed by the precious believers there. The conference theme was "Adoption and the Father's Heart". Derek was able to tell the story of our entire adoption journey and share in depth on the theological foundation for adoption. Many responded to the message and began praying about and pursuing adoption. We love the Polish believers so much because they have an incredible spirit of strength, prayer, passion, and understanding of meaningful community. Each time Derek has the privilege of ministering there he feels he's made new lifelong friends. Here are a few pictures of his time in Gorzow . Thank you Pastor Bogdan for your incredible kindness, humility, solid leadership, and hospitality! We love you guys

Our New Niece and Nephew Are Finally Home!!!

Mission Accomplished!!! Mama and Papa finally home with their two new little beauties!


Our nephew Taylor, looking on at his beautiful new brother and sister


The whole family finally together at last!


Our nephew, Nicholas, holding his new baby brother Aiden


Our daughter Michaela, kissing her new and very exhausted cousin


What a tribe!


Our niece Isabelle, holding her precious new little brother in her arms


Elia was so happy to see her Daddy again! She really missed him while he was away!


Daddy introducing his two girls to each other


Mama with her three princesses!

I am so excited to say, "Welcome home," to our new niece and nephew, Emma and Aiden! Our brother and sister-in-law, John and Tracie Loux, have finally arrived home from Ukraine with their new bundles of joy! We met them at the airport and had a great time celebrating, with lots of hugs and kisses! We are filled with great expectancy with all that lays ahead for these two new angels!

When our son Sasha, (whom we adopted from the same orphanage as John and Tracie did), saw Aiden and Emma as John and Tracie were carrying them off the plane, his eyes lit up and he got so excited! He kept saying their names over and over again.
We kept telling him the whole day that we were going to the airport to see Aiden and Emma because they were coming to America too! I think he was a little confused but when he saw their faces, he squealed with delight!

We are so thrilled that these two precious ones are finally home. They will be experiencing more love than they've ever known, in their new family and will be growing up in an environment where they will know Jesus' great love for them as well!

We love you Aiden and Emma and are so proud to call you "family!" You are so precious to us all! WELCOME HOME!!!!!