UPDATE!!!

Nervousness. That strange looking word probably best describes my feelings the last few weeks. My personal code typically dictates that I will be carefree and not allow stress to take over; but, man, it has been one of those weeks!!! Colt fell, hit his head, and had to be hospitalized. The doctors ran a CT, EEG, and MRI (everthing came back ok, but he still suffered a concussion and is having to deal with all of the fallout from that- dizzyness, headaches, mood-swings, etc.) Macy Jade has a sinus infection and feels bad. It is pretty stressful to have on child in the hospital and have to take the other one to the doctor. I totally realize that our woes are small beans compared to what others are going through, but that doesn't make it any less stressful. Niki is sick and trying to keep everything together, running on almost no sleep in 4 nights. All of these things make me nervious and stressed. Another thing lurking in the back of my mind the last few weeks is "what if the whole adoption thing falls through?". Believe me, it happens. I love my little girl and I want to get her ASAP. But really nothing was offical. It was totally up to the Chinese government to accept or reject our family as a suitable home for Gi Gi Dahl. And as I mentioned before they don't have to accept. So much was riding on all of the work done to get us to this point. "Should we have done this differently?" "Do all of the numbers line-up?" "What about the wording of this or that?" I think God knows when we are doubting ourselves and he knows the correct timing and order of critical things. I have felt all along that this is our calling and we are following his will for us and on Wednesday Niki got an email from the agency. CHINA RECOGNIZES OUR FAMILY AS THE ADOPINING FAMILY OF GI GI DAHL!!!! Friday, we opened the mailbox to find a packet that on the front page read: Congratulations on your new daughter! At that moment peace filled my soul. We now must finish some paperwork in the States and will soon get the honor of traveling to China and stand before the Courts and getting our little girl. In a way, I feel that one phase of this journey is coming to a conclusion, but the most life changing is just begining. Please pray for us as we travel on.

Phil~

 

God is unbelievable!!! We are So excited!!! :0)

Phil and Niki Smith are proud to announce that they are zealous parents of an 18 month old girl!!!!!!!!  :0)
What can I say, but WOW!  God is so Great at all times, but we are in awe of Him right now!  Our entire family is SO happy!  Her name is GiGi Dahl (silent h - pronounced Dall; not everyone seems to be familiar with this name) Smith.

GiGi is 18 months old and was abandoned when she was 5 month old in the bathroom entrance of a plaza.  She has been in the orphanage since. She has been diagnosed with Scoliosis and is missing a few ribs.  Dr. Marta (our pediatrician) says her scoliosis is moderate.  LeBonheur Children's hospital (about 1 hour from us) specializes in this and does a surgery with titanium rods for children with scoliosis. And every 4-6 months, the rods have to be lengthened since children grow so quickly.  GiGi also may have to have a titanium rib placed, but we will really not know exactly what all she will need until she gets here to the U.S. They sent x-rays and pages of medical information, but until a doctor her can see her and look at x-rays done here they don't know for sure.

GiGi's diagnosis is a little more than we had originally planned on taking with a child & we were going to adopt 2 children with one trip. After many, many prayers GiGi is our child! Since she will possibly  have several surgeries a year, we will  not adopt another child at this time due to time and possible extra finances associated with her medical. I know not everyone understands why in the world we would adopt a child with medical conditions like this and it's not for everyone. A lot of people praise us for what we are doing, but we honestly don't see it as that big of a deal to adopt a child like GiGi. She is our child  and we all take care of our children. It's not exactly a choice and sure you want your kids to be healthy in all ways, but it is our calling and she is our baby girl. We have been blessed with 2 biologically beautiful healthy intelligent children and now blessed with a child born in our heart!  We always wanted to adopt a special needs child that can lead a normal life with the needed medical intervention -> surgery/medicines/therapies/etc. that we can provide for her. This child will be no different than Colt and Macy Jade are to us  now with our love, care, etc..  Did I mention  - We are all excited! 

We still have to get all our information translated in Chinese and wait on approval from the Chinese government to invite us to come get her. This is the HARD part! How do we leave OUR child in an orphanage for months? It breaks our hearts!!!  Colt and Macy Jade cried for her!   However, we knew that we would have to wait on her when we started the road to adoption and it's not in our hands!  Our adoption agency told us that it would likely be 3-6 months before we travel to China to get our GiGi angel once our Dossier is completed - we are so close to being there!  PLEASE PLEASE pray for GiGi!!!!  We cannot stand the thought of our child in an orphanage, but we have no other choices!

I'm so very proud of Colt and Macy Jade!  They were the very first ones to claim her as "ours".  Macy Jade came to me asking about her baby sister.  I tried to explain that at that time we were still in prayer to make sure she was our child.  Colt overheard and demanded she was his baby sister too!  I think this was the answer to our prayers speaking the loudest!  They had never claimed any other child as "their sibling".   They immediately loved her as they do each other even with only seeing her picture!  They talk about her all the time and pray for her each day!  Macy Jade has asked for a Chinese babydoll for her birthday.  She said it would be her GiGi until we were able to physically get her!  Macy Jade explained how she would take this baby doll around and sleep with her to feel closer to GiGi!  They are amazing kids and I know GiGi has wonderful role models to follow in their footsteps!  She is going to be so rotten! 



I think GiGi will fit in perfectly with our family! I've never seen our kids so emotional and immediately in love as they are with her! They HAD to have a picture where they were on the page and GiGi was on the page so they cut and pasted picture of them and GiGi on a page.  I cannot post pictures of her on the web yet until we get clearance from the adoption agency.  Her little face is just precious; we love her so much- of course we do; she is our child! Macy Jade said "Oh mommy she has my nose!" :0) How could she NOT be our child??? We love her; we love her; we love her!!!!!  Praise be to God!  THANK YOU! and Thank you to all of you for all of your prayers!  Please continue to pray; we would LOVE to have GiGi before the year is over!  What better Christmas gift????

I wanted to share to you all our excitement!  Thank you for all of your support!


Love In Christ!
Niki

^"Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.  But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.  And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence."

Matthew 19:13-15 (KJV)

'Word of God Speak'

Hello all!  It has been a crazy week - what's new? lol  I'm very tired tonight, but I felt like I needed to quickly update everyone on all that is going on.  We will have the social worker to come out tomorrow for our 2nd home visit.  Please pray all goes well. We are set up for the political speaking at the arena for Saturday.  We will have t-shirts, coffee (yes, we got some in), jewelry, and more.  You can pick up your shirts or purchase shirts there.  Also, I mentioned the coffee.  We drank some this afternoon when it came in & it was so smooth and just delicious!!!  I think you will LOVE it!


Anyone that knows us or has been keeping up with our story knows we miscarried in September. There is not a day that goes by that I don't rejoice and grieve at the same time.   Some days weigh heavier on my heart, but there isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish we had our Landon!   Recently, I have had a heavy heart.  I'm fine, I just wish our family could unite.  There is a song that means so much to me and always makes me think of our child we never held in our arms but have always love.  One day our entire family will unite and that gives me strength!   'Homesick' by Mercy Me is a song that is very special to me!  This group is so talented and we love their songs!  Another song I've been listening to during this journey is 'Word of God Speak'.  It's hard not having our baby that should be almost 4 months old.  I don't always understand God's ways, but I don't have to; my role is to follow.  I trust my God and will follow where ever He leads!  We are an extremely blessed family!  I am so thankful God gave me one of the best husbands and we can share our time here with 2 of the best children.  I cannot wait until we expand our family and meet our new children!  God is good GREAT!   He has blessed us in many ways & I trust Him!  Where He leads I will follow!



"Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know."
Jeremiah 33:3


Love In Christ,
Niki

Ethan Jostad - Please pray for this child!

Please continue to keep this precious child, Ethan Jostad , his medical team, family, and friends your prayers!  I know I've asked you all to pray for him a 
few weeks ago, but his treatments are not working.  I know I can always depend on prayers from you when someone is in need!  


Ethan's cancer has spread into more bones in his
body over the last few weeks. The chemo did nothing.  
The type of cancer he has is very aggressive and they 
are hoping to try some experimental treatments.  
They are in a fight for their child's life and time is not 
in their favor.  This just breaks my heart and I cannot 
imagine what this family is going through.  I just 
know they definitely need prayers!  If you wish to 
follow him, you can get all his information and follow 
him by face by Facebook or Caringbridge   


Team Ethan Jostad

www.caringbridge.org/visit/eth​anjostad 


“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may

have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take 

courage; I have overcome the world.”John 16:33