Thursday, February 24, 2011

Losing Both

James 4:13 "Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."

Today was supposed to be a day of good news. Our paperwork was submitted today and we had waited all day for confirmation via phone or email.

The confirmation came that our paperwork was submitted. With it came heartwrenching news.

The girl, "Marlena", died yesterday during surgery to repair her heart.
The boy, "John Mark", is not available for adoption by request of his parents.

The hoped-for news has arrived, but has arrived bitter and dark. In the few lines of an email we have lost them both.

It is odd - we have not held these little ones in our arms. We have not seen them face-to-face or heard their little voices. Yet we have thought about them and picked out toys for them and prayed for them and and shared their first Christmas and loved them from around the world. The sharp pain of loss is no different than losing our own.

We are left with only pictures and ashes and questions in our hearts.

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The Hebrew alphabet has a character "VAV" or "WAW". It is shaped like a flag blowing in the wind, and can be used used to indicate a change in the direction of the writer's thoughts. I write the explanation in lieu of writing the character itself.


This is not the end.

To our friends and family who have supported us this far, we say "Thank you". Thank you for your love and care and putting up with us these last few months. Thank you for believing in us.

This is not the end of our adoption process. Our hearts are still burdened with the desire to adopt children with special needs. We still may be traveling this Spring to adopt (after all, our paperwork was submitted successfully). We will pick other children from the same area later, but for now, the grief is still too near.

--Ezra and Kelly

39 comments:

  1. Kelly... I am so so so sorry!! I have no words... please know that you are being prayed for though. Hugs!!

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  2. Your family is in my prayers, I am so sorry for your loss!

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  3. Words cannot express our grief for you on this day. We are so sorry this terrible tragedy happened. Know that you are in our prayers.

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  4. So so sorry to hear this. We just prayed for you now and will continue to lift your hearts up to our Saviour.

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  5. I'm so, so very sorry to hear this. You're in our thoughts --

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  6. Oh Sweetheart, My heart is bleeding for you... Hugs for you during this awful time- Brendamac From RR

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  7. I gasped aloud when I read the news and then burst into tears. I have no words to say other than I am grieving with you and on my knees in prayer for you. I am so sorry for all this incredible loss. And I am cheering you on as you continue to pursue your desire to adopt. You guys are amazing.

    Corbett
    www.bigvandlittlesy.blogspot.com

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  8. I don't even know how to express how sorry I am to hear that, I'll be praying for peace for you and your babies.

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  9. Thinking of you in this difficult time, and praying for you and the babies.

    Blessings

    Melissa

    journeytoonemore.blogspot.com

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  10. I am SO SO sorry for your loss :(

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  11. i am so sorry for you loss! I can not imagine what you must be going through. Prayers to you and your family to lift you up at this difficult time!

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  12. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers Kelly and Ezra, I know God has something great and wonderful in store for you as parents

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  13. I am so sorry for your loss. May God lift you up in prayer at this difficult time.

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  14. How terrible and sad! I will be praying for you! I am so sorry! Even if you haven't met them, you loved them and that makes a difference!

    Catherine
    http://wronginalltherightways-travcat.blogspot.com

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  15. Oh guys. I am so sorry. I am so so sorry.

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  16. We are so sorry. Please know that we are lifting you in prayer.

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  17. There are just no words, other than I'm so, so sorry you're having to go through this. Praying for God to heal your heart.

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  18. We are so sorry for your losses and will be praying for you.

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  19. I also gasped and burst into tears.... SO SOO sad for you guys! You are in our prayers!

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  20. I truly am sorry. Praying for you!

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  21. Kelly & Ezra, I'm so sorry. I was so looking forward to meeting my niece and nephew. I can only imagine your heartbreak. I will be praying for both of you and for the children God will be bringing to your house in His time. I will also be praying for John Mark and his family--that his needs are met and his life is blessed. There are no words any of us can say that will take away your grief. We can only cry with you and pray. For now, hold on to each other because you make each other stronger and hold on to hope because a day will come that your hearts will open to love again and your arms will open to hold the children that God has planned for you. We love you.
    <><
    sheri

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  22. Praying for the God of ALL comfort to hold you ever close during this time. Praising Him that you are still looking to Him for the strength only He can give. Many tears for you tonight.

    Grace
    faithforhope.blogspot.com

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  23. Praying for you in this trying time. May the Lord give you comfort and strength to go on. May He also direct you in the path you are to follow. Hugs!

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  24. I just had to bury my face in my hands and catch my breath when I read your post. I'm so very sorry. You are in my prayers.

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  25. oh, my Lord...... praying for you! For comfort for you grieving hearts.

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  26. Our kids are from the same orphanage so I feel like they were family. I am soooo sorry for your losses.

    Amanda
    http://justonemore4us.blogspot.com/

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  27. I am so sorry about Marlena. I am sure you will finally meet her someday in a better place.
    I do hope that John Mark has a good life outside of an orphanage. I hope his bio family then takes him home.
    I do hope that you get the other special needs kids that you so deserve.

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  28. First, prayers for you today. I hope you know God's healing and love in this time.

    Marlena is with the God who loves her more than anyone else can, and you will meet her one day. It may be bitter comfort now, but one day she will thank you for loving her--I know it.

    As for John Mark, we'll also pray for goodness and mercy for him, whatever happens.

    Peace, Susan

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  29. I am so sorry, I just started following your blog this week but am devastated by this news. I can't even begin to imagine how you feel. Praying for peace for you.

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  30. I am praying for you. I'm so so sorry.

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  31. How devastating. I will be praying for you guys. Also praying John Mark gets a life he deserves.

    SO sad about Marlena.

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  32. How painful. I am so very sorry. I will keep you in my prayers. Blessings to you.
    Gretchen

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  33. "Those we love don't go away, They walk beside us every day. Unseen, unheard, but always near, Still loved, still missed and very dear. ...Wishing you hope in the midst of sorrow, Comfort in the midst of pain."
    Ilze
    ilzeadoptionjourney.blogspot.com

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  34. We also know - the sharp pain of loss that is no different than losing one of your own. We lost Nikita on Friday. Our prayers are with you as you grieve and as you are healing!
    HUGS!
    Amy
    godsarrowsinourquiver.bolgspot.com

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  35. I am so sorry for your loss. We had a failed adoption and let me tell you the grief is real. The child we lost did not die so I have no idea what you are going through. I am so so sorry. I pray God gives you strength and peace. I pray you feel the arms of Jesus surround you and hold you. I pray that after your season of grieving God will turn your mourning into dancing.

    Be blessed
    Ashlee
    http://ourjourneytoadoption.beckfamily143.com/

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  36. I'm just a mom who pours over the pages of Reece's Rainbow daily to pray over the children and their parents as they prepare to adopt their little angels. Let me first say how sorry I am for both of your losses...I'm sure they are equally difficult. Though it is hard to see God's hand in all of this, be assured that He is there, and that there are people you've never met who will pray on your behalf for the type of comfort only He can bring. May He bring healing quickly to your hears and be preparing already those perfect little angels He intends for you to parent. Prayers in California from our whole family...
    The Sparks

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