3 Things: A Special Day!

Today... was awesome.

Reason 1, which isn't really a reason, is it's the 15th. And you probably know if you've been reading awhile that the 15th of the month is a special day to me. :)


Now for the other 3 things.

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Today started way too early, when half of us and Rachel left to go to a church over 2 hours away.

We went to see one of our favorite Ukrainians preach - MAX!

He wasn't able to get it in his schedule to come to our church this trip to the States, so we went to see him.

The church he was speaking at is the church our friend Alice pastors. Alice has known us for probably 8 years now, and she led the mission trip my dad and I went on to Ukraine to work with Max. She has been over to Ukraine 14 times to work with Max, and is a great friend of ours, even though we don't see her often enough!

After the service we got the special treatment and got to go out to lunch with Max and Alice! It was a great time to catch up with them, and just spend some time with them we never get to have.

So grateful we got to see them and grateful they took time to visit with us!

If you don't know who Max is, go read here about the last time he came. You are missing out if you don't know who he is and about his AH-mazing ministry! Visit his website HERE!
(Side note: While going back and reading that blog post to link it here, I realized I was wearing the same shirt I am today. Whoops.)

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The second thing.

One year ago today, on September 15th, Lyla Spitz came home!

It was actually after midnight on the 14th, but I count it as the 15th, because ya know, I like that day.

After the three hard but awesome weeks as I took care of Lyla's siblings, Dave and I headed to the airport in the middle of the night to for him to pick up his wife and bring his daughter home, and for me to finally meet the baby girl I had prayed for and blogged about hundreds of times.

It was emotional for sure. I couldn't believe she was actually HOME with her family and I got to witness it! I blogged about it here.

I've seen Lyla twice since then, and my oh my is she doing well!

Welcome home Beanbean! One year! You rocked it, now rock the next one!

*Visit her mama's blog to see how she's doing!

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Third.

Today, someone has a BIRTHDAY!

Maxim is 9 today!!

Max, not the one we went to visit today, but our other favorite Max, has been special to our family for a long time. But he waited and waited and waited for a family.

But then he found one, the Nance family, and I ended up taking care of Max's siblings too while his mama was gone. 3 weeks last December, and another 4 in January and February.

It was by far the hardest 7 weeks of my life. But so incredibly worth it.

Sick day, for me and the kids, and definitely was not the only one!

Because Max got to come home. When I held him for the first time and looked into his eyes... all the pain and hardship, all the sickness and struggle of the previous weeks faded away. Because he was worth it.

I would do it all over again to get him home.

Because today, for the first time in his LIFE, he got to spend his birthday with a FAMILY. Who loves him soo very much. He is learning and growing, and changing the world, because a family said yes, I will love you.

Happy Birthday Max-a-million!

*Visit his mama's blog to see how he's doing!

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What a day! Happy 15th to you all!!