I Will Get You Here!!

So, nearly a year ago I went to a Student Life Missions Camp with the youth group from our church Newspring. At that camp many things happened to change the lives of the teens in our youth group called Clayhouse. They were wonderful things, that caused them to grow and streach in their Christian walk as we ministered to kids in a low income apartment complex. I was blessed to lead two little girls to Christ on that trip.

I feel horrible that I can't remember both of their names, but one of them was named Sarah. She's the one in the baby blue t-shirt! I just can't remember the name of the little indian girl in the pic. But when I talked with Ashley Matz, the lady we worked with from the church that provides lunches for these kids each day during their summer vacations; she told me it was HUGE for her to finally accept Christ as her Savior! And it made my day, week and well...even my year!! And this trip streached me in ways I couldn't imagine as our youth pastor at the time, Sean Sorensen, asked me to be in charge of the Bible story we told the kids each day, and the craft project. I guess it was right up my ally since I work with the 4 & 5 year olds each week at church and at the time I was still working at Michaels. But one of the kids was a challenge to deal with...his name was Cole. Cole was cute! And really, he just wanted to be loved on! Once I knew the way into his little heart, we got along just fine. I think it helped that I had helped when him when he cut his foot. In this picture I'm helping him with the craft project for the day.

The way he looked actually reminded me some of my own nephew, Mako. Who is my brother's little boy. He was even the same age as Cole was when we were there working with them! But this post isn't just to let you know about what I was doing last summer at this missions camp, it is leading up to tell you how I came to know of a very talented man of God named Aaron Ivey! He was our worship leader for the week we were at camp, and for the first time since we started attending church at Newspring, I felt at home some where that wasn't home, while Aaron was leading worship! And to be honest, I'm kinda picky about how someone leads worship because I LOVE TO WORSHIP!! And I'm not one to stand still....I move, I jump, I dance and I sing my heart out when I worship my LORD!! So I bought one of his CD's before I left camp that week. I have to be honest and say, I've listened it to it, and I liked it, but things have changed for me after I have had the chance to learn more about Aaron Ivey and his special family!! I started out by friending Aaron on facebook! And he would share fun little snippets into his life and family there, and on twitter. So, as I result I discoverd his wife's blog. And learned way more about their fun, happy and very blessed family. Aaron works as one of the worship pastor's to a church in Austin, Texas called The Austin Stone Community Church. They have 4 kids, one biological son, 2 adopted sons, and one adopted daughter. One of the boys, Amos and the daughter, Story were adopted from Haiti!! And back in 2009, before they got to bring them both home to Texas from Haiti he wrote a song for them called "Amos Story." I had listened to the song before, but really hadn't LISTENED to the lyrics before. But before I get too far ahead of myself, I need to back up a little. And tell you that after I started reading Jamie Ivey's blog, I started following her on Twitter. Then since we started our journey of trying to become foster parents to Mia, and quite possibly her adopted parents I thought I'd should friend her on Facebook too! Which leads me to why I wanted to blog about this today!!

Aaron & Jamie Ivey had been in the process of adopting their son Amos from Haiti when the huge earthquake struck back in January of 2010! Even though they had started the adoption process with their daughter Story after, they did with Amos; Amos was still in Haiti when the the earthquake struck! I know it was very scary for them, and you can watch an amazing video about their homecoming with Amos here. The song playing in this video is the song that Aaron wrote and is called "Amos Story." And Jamie posted this video on her facebook today. Now, anytime I get to see people bring home their adopted children to their forever home it makes me cry, but today, was the first time I really sat and listened to the lyrics! I was just bawling because it made me miss Mia with all my heart!!! Now, just thinking about it I'm ready to bawl like a baby again!! So first I'll share a couple of my favorite pictures that I took of me with Mia sleeping on me.

I love these pictures so much!! Mainly because there is nothing like having a baby fall asleep on you! The only camera I had anywhere near me was on my phone. So these were taken with the Retro Camera app on my Droid2 phone. I actually LOVE this app, and if you have a Droid based phone I highly recommend you download this nifty app!  (You can see more of my fav shots using this app on my flickr.) But what kills me the most about these pic's are her sweet chubby cheeks and the way she is holding onto my shirt. She's always loved to hold onto your shirt whenever you hold her. But while I was listening to the music in the video, I knew I needed to blog about these amazing people God has brought into my life, from going to camp as a youth leader/counselor! Who knew, that an adult's life could be changed by going to church camp?! I was surprised!! I also knew I needed to share the words of Aaron's song with the blogging world! So other's that are longing to bring their forever children home, can be encouraged by the words of this song! And not just adoptive parents, but to encourage foster parents...to encourage foster to adopt parents and too also encourage those parents, that for whatever reason have lost custody of their children to work hard to BRING THEM HOME!! So here are the lyrics first.

AMOS STORYAaron Ivey. ©2009 IVEYMUSIC. (ASCAP)

Another photograph to wrestle in my head
Another sleepless night on concrete featherbed
These thoughts of you like bullets to my soul
We’ve got to find a way to get you home

I’ll find a way to get you here
If it takes my fleeting breath
Another sunrise hits the ground
And it’s a dark lonely sight
Lightyears away I hope you know
There is somebody searching
For the way to get you here
I will get you here

Throw the clocks away and run out to the street
We’ll fly to distant clouds where it’s just you and me
A day will come when all of this is gone
You’ve got to find a way to believe

I’ll find a way to get you here
If it takes my fleeting breath
Another sunrise hits the ground
And it’s a dark lonely sight
Lightyears away I hope you know
There is somebody searching
For the way to get you here
I will get you here

Close your eyes and dream of a better day with me
As angels hold you tight, may you sleep in peace tonight
So dream, dream, dream my child
Hear the whisperings of hope

It’s a song that you can sing, as you sleep in peace tonight


And now I'd like to share the music video that Aaron made for this song! It makes me cry too....but not quite as much as watching the video of Amos' homecoming.

And even though I had to take a huge break in the midst of this blog post to go to my foster parent classes tonight, I'm encouraged! Today I got to see Ashley, Mia's mother. And she willingly took my hugs, and hugged me back! I miss her so much!! Not just because she's not here, with her baby, but because...she is just a child herself still, and needs a mother's loving touch and ear! She was in really good spirits today. And she is realizing now, that I'm not intent on taking her baby away...but in doing what is best for her precious baby that we all love!! Things went so well today that she is actually allowing me to take her to her scheduled visit with Mia tomorrow! And I won't lie....I'm so OVERJOYED!! GOD IS SO GOOD!! Much more than I deserve!!

And so, on that note, I will end this post! Thanks to all of you that have been praying for us!! We can definately feel them working and see them working!!