My Story Part 1

I am following in my mom's footsteps and starting my own blog!  I am doing this sort of as a 15th birthday thing (which is today!) so I figured I would start off with my story written out for all to read:). 

       I grew up the only girl with two brothers.  I accepted Jesus as my Savior when I was 5.  I was a happy little girl, except that I HATED being the only girl in a "sea of boys" (my cousins on both sides were also boys) I and really wanted a sister.  Truth was, I didn't mind so much being the "princess" of the family and being a bit spoiled.  It was kind of nice.  Looking back now, I realize God must have placed the desire for a sister in my heart from early on for a reason.  That reason's name is Meribeth. 

       When I was around 7, I think, I asked my mom if she could have a baby, preferably a girl:).  Mom said that I would have to take it up with God.  I knew that God gave people that loved Him the desires of their hearts,  so I decided I would take it up with Him.  I prayed everyday that God would bring me a sister.  And He did, just not the way I thought He would.

     In the fall of 2007, my mom called me into her room one morning.  I crawled into her bed to peak at her computer screen.  On the screen was a picture of a little girl.  She had dark hair, dark skin, and dark eyes.  She was from Colombia.  Her shirt had the word, "Candy" written across it.  Her name was Luz Mery.  She was only 4 months older than me, 10 years old.  My mom started to explain to me that perhaps God was asking us to adopt her, and wanted to know my opinion.  I totally thought she was talking about a sponsorship through World Vision or something and replied, "Well, yeah, I'm all for it.  Don't you think you're making a big deal out of a sponsorship?" She looked a bit stunned and said, "No, like adopt her.  She would be your sister."  My heart skipped a beat and my stomach did some flip flops inside of me as I gleefully replied, "YES!!!!  A thousand times yes!!"  I ran out of the room and started jumping around.  Mom called me back in and we talked about how I wouldn't be the only girl anymore and I would have to give up a lot of things.  I was still 100 percent positive that I wanted to adopt Luz Mery.

       The next year flew by in preparations to bring Luz Mery home.  I was so excited to be sharing a room and bed and everything I could with my new sister.  We flew the whole family to Colombia in November of 2008, and actually got asked in the airport if we were moving because we had so much luggage!  The first day I met her, I was so nervous.  We were waiting in a small room for her to arrive.  Finally, Luz Mery, my beloved sister whom I had prayed for for so long, walked in the room.  Shy, timid, and so small.  I ran to her and hugged her tight.  As I embraced the sister I had for so long wanted, tears of joy streamed down my 10 year old face. 

       The days and weeks and months to follow were anything but easy.  There was no way I could have prepared myself for such a shock, and neither could she.  We were both thrown into unchartered waters and had to navigate blindly.  We made a lot of mistakes and had a lot of teary nights spent with a pillow between us to give us our own "space" in a bed we shared.  God was stripping me of my selfishness, and softening her heart.  God was also teaching me to accept Jesus as my Lord, not just my Savior.  Despite the language barrier, and our fights, she clung to me like glue.  She was much smaller than me and would literally hide behind me as I would translate for her.  Luz Mery asked us to call her 'Princesa', but God asked us to change her name to Mery Elizabeth (Meribeth), which means 'beloved, wished for child, chosen by God'.  I'm sure all of these changes were super tough on her.  I got pretty sick of her never leaving my side.  I must have forgotten how bad I had always wanted that sister!  Six months after she came home, she went to a camp and accepted Jesus.  She was changed from the inside out.  Jesus had come into her heart and was doing big things.  

       Things were going pretty well, and just when we thought our perfectly balanced, two girls, two boys family was working out, God called us to adopt again.

                                                             To be continued........