As we started having children we have
kept this alive as a vital part of naming our children, and sister
six is no different.
We chose her name, Heidi Grace, with
tremendous care and some friendly debating.
Trent's first Hess ancestors who came
from Switzerland were Hans and Magdalena (yes, this is where our
Magdalena/Maggie got her name). Hans's mother was called Adelheid.
Some of you may know the beloved book “Heidi” by Johanna Spiry.
Heidi's Christian name in the book was Adelheid. Fun fact, it wasn't until after this book was published that the name Heidi began to be used instead of Adelheid.
It was my desire that she
be named Adelheid and we call her Heidi as a nickname, just as all
our other daughters have a formal name and a nickname.
This is the part where much discussion
and debating came into play. Trent felt that Adelheid sounded too
Swiss for a Chinese daughter. I argued that Ruth is about as
un-Chinese of a name that there ever was. We both absolutely love the
name Heidi, though, and we could agree upon that. And let's be honest, Trent deserves some significant say when he's going to be surrounded by girls forever.
As a compromise, all of her documents
will say Heidi, but I reserved the right to call her Adelheid
(especially when she's naughty, which of course will be rare). Much
in the same way that our other daughters have nicknames, but in
reverse.
Can't wait to fill this frame with Heidi photos! |
Grace is a name that we have both
always loved but many of our friends and relations have already used
it as first name. We felt that Grace sounded good with Heidi, we have
relatives on both sides of the family tree with the name.
However, most important to me was the
biblical connection. The Holman Bible Dictionary defines grace as
“undeserved acceptance and love received from another, especially
the characteristic attitude in God providing salvation for sinners.”
We hope, more than anything, that our Heidi Grace will one day know
and accept the grace that God offers. In her short life she has gone
through so much that few of us in America can fathom our children
going through. We hope that we are able to shine the light of Jesus
into her life and that she will know that God created her, Heidi
Grace, with a plan and a purpose in mind. That the suffering she has
gone through is not in vain, because God has always had her in the
palm of his hand.
Now on to our adoption update.
I think most of you know that I'm an
optimistic person. I live my life in a way that I always believe that
the best is not only possible but that it's going to happen.
Unfortunately, this situation with
immigration has knocked me down. I understand the need to make sure
that every family is appropriate and prepared to take a child with
special needs. It hurts my heart that we are being held up while we
claim that our young children do not have a criminal history.
There are a couple of things that are
very difficult for me right now. One is the timing. I know in my head
that God is in control. I have seen the evidence of his work over and
over in my life. I know that He is good. I know that He loves me. I
have faith that He is working all things out the way that they should
be. And yet. I'm like that father in the Scripture who wants to
believe that Jesus can heal his son but in the same moment doesn't
believe.
“Lord, I believe! Help me overcome my
unbelief!”
I had worked out in my mind that we
would travel mid-August. It meant missing one of our children's
birthdays but she was okay with that, knowing it was for the greater
good of Heidi. The challenge is that we now have these two lambs that
our oldest girls are supposed to show in the Solanco Fair
mid-September. We feel that we couldn't put that responsibility of
transferring lambs and encouraging the children in something they've
never done before, on someone else. But we also are torn because if
we wait until after the fair to travel that is so much extra time
that our daughter waits for us in an orphanage.
When our travel to Ruth got pushed back
we didn't feel as bad about it because we knew that she was with an
amazing, loving family. We knew she was being fed, loved, and cared
for. We had regular communication with her foster family and with
Ruth. We get none of that this time around. It breaks my heart that
my daughter is in an orphanage. It hurts me that she may not be
receiving the love, care, attention, and nutrition that she
desperately needs.
We have no idea how long it will take
the immigration department to approve us. Today they should have
received the evidence they asked of us but I don't have any timeline
of when to expect approval.
So my friends, I would ask that you
pray for us. There are many things I would like to see happen, but I
think what I need most is for you to pray that I can trust more fully
in God.
I'm so thankful for these verses from
Psalm 121:3-4
“He will not let your foot slip-- he
who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over
Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”
I'm so grateful to serve a God who
never sleeps, who always hears us when we call.