Today we can rejoice for the Lord has shown us favor.
The paper work in the court document now says permanency to adopt. As of yesterday it said reunification. So YES this is good news, and we only give God all the glory for this news.
This is just one more hurdle we have to jump over to get to her to be a McCain, we still need lots of prayers and lots of guidance from our heavenly father, but for now you can jump up and down saying "thank you Jesus", come all I know some of you are not participating.
Can I sit for a moment and tell you how thankful we are to have all of you praying for us and this whole situation. I hope that I have lived this life on my sleeve, that no matter what happens, we will give God all the glory. I refuse to be ordinary is what I live by, it may someday need to be on my tombstone....way later.
But I know God has asked me to live this life with letting you all have a front row seat to this show. He wants to use my family and I as a example. I pray that you all see his hands and feet as we carry out this thing we call life.
So on the way home, my husband who is skeptical of most things, said I want to name her and I want to start calling her that, not that Peanut will disappear anytime soon, but she needs a name. This is a name that God gave him years ago, we had this name before we had a face. Just like that song says...before even time began, my life was in his hands, he knows my name...
Good song huh, Amy?
So we choose to call her Marlie Claire McCain, God knows that is her name, it's just the judge and lawyers that have not written it in ink. But we know that time will come.
So, will you please join us in continuing to pray? We will see this through with your prayers and God's guidance, can't wait to celebrate her adoption day.
Love yo all,
Shelley

Well we have almost made it, the day we have waited for. It has been 30 days since our last court hearing. On that date we were surprised to hear that the judge was allowing Peanuts mom 30 more days to "get clean". If she has done that they will allow her another 30 day extension. If she has not followed what the commissioner has asked her rights will be terminated.
I feel so blessed to be surrounded by friends and family, who are daily praying for us and our little girl, we can feel those prayers, and please know these prayers are not bouncing off the ceiling, but they go straight to our heavenly father and he hears us when we call his name. Just like a child calling for a parent, we always here them, no matter how loud the room may be, we always here our child, the ones God allowed us to have.Even the slightest whimper we can hear them and know that it is our child calling out. Can you picture that with me?, God just carrying on a conversation and then all of a sudden, he stops in the middle of whatever he is saying puts one finger up as a "hold on a sec" he then tilts his head closer to hear his child's voice. He has done that friends not only to all these prayers about Peanut, but anytime you call his name, he leans in and listens to everything you have to say to him, don't you feel special someone loves you enough to hear all what you have to say? I sure do!!
I have told you all before that I'm not asking what Peanuts mom has been up too, or checking in on the progress of her and this case that surrounds this little girl we have become to love. I have heard God tell me to trust him, so I have and still am. I was driving tonight in the car when these words hit me from a song I was hearing on klove, "time after time our God is faithful, trustworthy savior, my hope is in the Lord!!! I started to tear up, these are the words I needed to here, because he is always faithful and my only hope is in him. I can email and text til I have carpel tunnel syndrome, or I can turn all those other distractions off, get on my knees and pray to the one person who matters most. So that is what I have chosen to do, trust in him.
So ponder over these lyrics with me, then go to my fb page and listen to the song, then if you will say a prayer for us, we will be in the court house tomorrow at 10:30am, we are praying with confidence that she will soon be a McCain.
Praise be to you only Jesus!!
Love you all
Shelley


Men will try to rule the world You made

But we know power is Yours alone to give and take

A day will come when every knee will bow

And every tongue confess that You are Lord both now and forever



Day after day our God is reigning

He's never shaken

My hope is in the Lord

Time after time our God is faithful

Trustworthy Savior

Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
My hope is in the Lord



The fear of man and what they plan will fade

When we know you alone are God of everyday

Like the flowers man will rise and fall

But you are everlasting never-ending God eternal



Let the songs of adoration rise

Our God is reigning up on high

He's worthy to receive the praise and the glory

5 Days til court.
We found out that our sweet social worker will not be there, she is out of country on a mission trip and someone will have to fill in for her....boo hiss. I know her though, she will be praying for us!
So, here is something I'm pondering on. I was dusting my photo albums yesterday, when one I came across one I did not recognize, so I opened it. It was the trip that my whole family took in January 2009, by whole family, I mean my folks, my brother and his family, my aunt and uncle, Jamie Mason and I.
My dad was turning 60 this year and was also retiring from hallmark cards, he was there over 30 years, but my memory escapes me on how many over 30....let's just say...A LOT of years.
So we planned this surprise for him , we all flew to FL and booked our cruise without him ever knowing we were coming. Mason even knew for 6 months before we left and never made a peep about it to PaPaw (he's use to be good at secrets, not so much now...lol)
We all got on the cruise ship and were waiting for him, when my mom checked them in, the lady behind the counter said "oh welcome Mr. and Mrs.Kornis, the rest of your party is already here" She ruined the surprise, 2 minute from walking on the boat and the lady blew it. She did not know and of course we forgave her, she did not know this was a surprise. Anyways, we had a great time on the cruise, but as I was looking at these photos, I saw one that caught my eye, one day at the beach I carved 1/28/2009 into the sand. I took a picture of it and put it in my scrap book.
This was the second day on our cruise and we were getting off to go to the beach. Out of all the times I went to the beach, why did I draw in the sand this date?, why did I take a picture of it?
Maybe a coincidence? Do you believe in that? I'm not sure I do, I'm pretty sure my heart stands firm in that God puts us where he wants us at the right moment and the right time, that is if we are listening to him and we have a personally relationship with him. We have free will, so we can depart from his path if we are not careful, been there done that.....ALOT.
But now that Peanut's birthday is this Friday I started thinking, let's see....1/28/2009 would have been before Peanut was conceived, 1/28/2010 she was born and 1/28/2011 she is in our home celebrating her 1st birthday. Even if it's nothing, I choose to believe it was not by coincidence, I choose to believe that she is here because God chose for her to be here. And only because of us and the Paulsens being obedient to what God told us to do, is she here.
So you can make a post on your thoughts on this, but these are mine. I pray that she is here, because God wants her to be a McCain, we will find out all in his time ;)
Love you all
Shelley

8 days til we go to court.
I have had a lot of people ask "how is Peanut's mom?"
We don't know, ever since I fasted I felt like God was telling me to trust him, so I felt like I needed to obey that and not ask how her mom is doing.
It's a little bit of a roller coaster when I know where she is and how she is doing, it's a great opportunity for satan to find a way in to my mind and let it wonder away from my focus on Jesus.
So please be on your knees with me this week as we are so excited about Peanut turning one and have a great time to celebrate, but in the back of my mind I know what is around the corner...COURT...Yikes...lol
Best case for us, is that mom's rights are terminated and we go hire a lawyer to adopt her (love the sound of that )
Worse case, the commissioner gives mom a extension to get her life back together, and to get Peanut back.
I know A LOT of people are praying for us and for Peanut, please keep those prayers coming, God can do anything, so let's dream BIG!!
God has told me to daily ask in his name for what is on my heart, so that prayer is always "Oh dear Jesus, in your name Please let her be a McCain!!"
Simple and to the point right?
So that's all for an update for now, keep praying with us and we will keep you updated!
Love you all
Shelley

Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.


Today God's timing was amazing. Sit back with me and see how God was in on this.
A friend of our gifted a chair to us almost a year ago. When they purchased this chair for us, they got a warranty on it, for a fabric protection. Well one of my furry friends had a accident on it a few days ago, so we called and made a appointment for someone to come out and clean it. This man came to my door yesterday afternoon and was a man about the same age of my father. He came in thanked Mason for letting him in and went to work on cleaning the chair. We talked just small talk, in the conversation he did find out we were foster parents and his neighbors are too, so we talked a little about that. Then he cleaned up his supplies and off he went, as he left he asked if we needed him again not to hesitate to call.
So this morning when I woke up, I noticed the odor was not fully gone from the chair, so I called up my friend and asked her to call him back.
You must remember that this is now today, which was a icy morning, I told her it did not have to be today, but he said"nope, I will be there with in the hour" So my friend came over also this time, so I could show her what I was talking about. He arrived soon after and began cleaning again, this time we took the back of the chair off and got down to the root of the issue. I was sitting on the floor with my lap top and just having open conversation with her. I was online booking a HUGE pizza for Peanuts "friends" party. I asked her if after church she would take me to get the pizza.
Our cleaning man said "oh, where do you go to church?" We told him first baptist of blue springs, he said "oh I go to a church in Independence. We had a little more small talk and he finished cleaning the chair. He stopped looked at us both and said" normally I would not do this, but because you are church goers, I'm guessing you pray?"
I said "of course" He said than can I ask you to pray for me?" I found out Friday that I have cancer" he has to decide by this Friday whether to do radiation or surgery. He began to tear up. I told him "I'm willing to pray for you right here and right now" He said, "I would really appreciate that"
So there in my living room we lifted up to the father the cancer this man has, this man that because of a smelly odor from an accident my animal left, we were by no accident met right where we were to ask Jesus to be the healer of this man's cancer, a father, a husband and a grandfather to 14 grand kids!!!
At the end of the prayer he wiped away many tears and said I know for sure that you have helped me more than I have helped you. I told him it was not me that helped him, but it was our heavenly father that did. He then gathered his stuff and left.
So just like that friends, we can have a encounter with ANYONE and because of being willing and obedient, God's timing was perfect!! I know that we have free will and I know things happen that are not in his plan, because of our free will, but what my prayer is, is that I would be listening close enough to our heavenly father to hear him when he calls me to be his hands and feet. What a blessing.
Please pray with me for our new friend who has prostate cancer and needs prayer.
Thank you Jesus for today, thank you for using me, I pray that I listen closely to your will.
In Him-

Well I finished my fast and it went better than I expected. Thursday night was rough. I think all my friends in small group thought I was going to pass out, but praise the Lord we have a paramedic in our group....lol.
I went and bought a juicer Friday morning, but before I spent that money, I prayed that God would supply the money for it,on Thursday I got a call from someone who owed us $150 dollars, the check was going in the mail. Great!! Thank you Lord.
After making my first two pitchers of juice I was feeling like a million bucks. So I decided to keep up the no sugar,except for one day a week, I will allow myself a, if you want to call it a "cheat day"
I call it "I deserve it day".
So things have been going well, I have been praying everyday for our little Peanut and for many other things God places on my heart.
We found out the time for our court day today. It will be January 31st at 10:30am.
Our social worker, who we love will not be there, she will be flying home from a mission trip that day, by no accident is our social worker a Christian. She has been praying for us and this whole situation, she also blew me away when she joined me as I fasted. What a amazing person she has been in this situation.
So, if you would please continue to pray for our little Peanut and her future.
We would like for you to personally pray for us and this whole situation on Jan 31st at 10:30am.
Wherever you might be in that day, may God stop you and remind you to pray for us.
Well that 's all I have to update on, have a blessed day.
Love you all
Shelley

Just a update on my fast...
It is going pretty well, my pants are even too big, so I love that!!
The best part is I have really been reading my bible and taking time to pray, and a lot more. I find myself just praying all day long.
Jesus has asked me to ask in his name for the request that I'm asking for.
In my quiet time he also has said to me "trust me and see me"
Great huh?
So I'm doing that, usually I would text our social worker to ask about updates about mom, but I'm not, I'm trusting him :)
Now to focus on seeing him. I will let you know when I have boldly see this, I'm looking, and I'm looking deep, I know I can look all around and see him, but for those of you who are Christians, you know what I mean, I ready to be blown away by what he has in store for me to SEE.
Have a blessed night
Shelley

Well so far without sugar, it's been ok. Today harder than yesterday, but when I had the sugar craving I prayed for our little Peanut, I was holding her at the time, so I kissed her little head over and over while I prayed and at the same time could not stop smelling her hair (the little she has)
After I prayed for her she looked up at me and smiled, she usually says momma, momma, but today she looked up and said "mom". Blessed my soul so much, thank you heavenly father for that today.
I broke that sugar craving with an apple, I filled my fridge with healthy snacks so when I felt the urge to grab something sugary I can grab a better choice. I have nuts, fruit, hummus, hard boiled eggs and even a few avocado's. Mason and love to just slice one open and eat them with a spoon. So filling my fridge and cabinets with things that are healthy has been very wise.
Ever thought about doing the same for your spiritual life, filling it with healthy choices and making sure you have scripture with in reach, so when tempted you have it right there to grab and use?
It's a lot easier to make the bad choice, than the good one. I truly believe making the good choice will lead you in victory in the end, even as much as it may hurt now. Same with the food, making healthy choices at first is hard, but pretty soon we crave those things that are healthy for us, because it's what are body needs, in the same way I tell you that making the right choice is what our soul needs, it's what God longs for, for us to draw close to him, to never be completely full of him and to always thirst after more.

PS. A prayer praise, my friend that is in the hospital was doing great yesterday, we left there after a few hours of just a great time of worship and fellowship, I left feeling peace and what a great feeling that is, made worship this morning at church even a little bit more, (if you don't mind me saying....SWEET)
Love you keep praying!!
Shelley

There are not words for how blown away I am right now.
When you have a baby from dfs you have a social worker, this social worker is in charge of the child in your care. They usually have more than one child they are assigned too. They work on their cases from the time they go into foster care to the time the case ends, weather that is going home or being adopted.
So I was texting our social worker yesterday about an update, to hear how Peanuts birth mom was doing.
She asked if she could do anything for us, I told her just to pray.
So today in a update text, I told her I was feeling like God asked me to fast.
She said she wanted to fast with me, anything to help out Peanut and her future, she sent me a verse that I love.
"For when two or three gather in my name, there I am with them" Matthew 18:20
I was blown away, I feel humbled. I can not believe that she is going to do this with me, she said she takes fasting very seriously and is in this with me.
So why not ask you to do it too? We are fasting from sugar, we are starting tomorrow and ending next Saturday. Pray about it first, if God tugs on your heart and says do it too, join us. If not, than please just keep praying for her and us.
Thank you,
Shelley

This is just a update post, which there is not much.
As far as we know Peanut's mom is still in rehab, if she makes it through today, this will be the longest in 10 months that she has stayed. I would like to say that makes me nervous, but God says "to be anxious about nothing, but by everything in prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God"
Ok I have prayed it a million times and will pray it a million more,

Dear God, I have a request, there is this little girl, you call her your own, we call her Peanut.
I know you hear me every time I call, I know you catch every tear I cry for her. Would you please while she is here on this earth let us call her a McCain? That's all for today.
We love you God and you know our hearts, even if we don't get to call her McCain, we will still call you savior.
Love you too Lord,
Amen

I will be fasting as of Saturday one of my hardest things to give up...SUGAR. I will be doing this for a week, so please pray for God to reveal himself to me during this time and please pray for my strength. We do not fast to go tell others about what we are giving up to give us the glory, it's a time to focus on him, and give him all the Glory!!
Love you all
Shelley

Well the holiday season is now behind us. We have had a lot go on here.
First we found out today that Peanut's mom checked into rehab on Dec 28th and is still there that we know of.
A friend of mine is very ill and in the hospital.
We took in a foster baby for the long weekend and was suppose to be adopted today, the birth mom changed her mind and wants to parent.
And... we have all been sick, and still fighting it.
So in church service the other day Randall spoke on prayer, which I do everyday, sometimes by routine and sometimes on my knees in tears moved by the holy spirit.
Then I started reading the book,"the boy who came back from heaven"
Also a very prayer filled book. They around the clock had someone who came and prayed for there little boy after a horrible car accident.
So the last week I have felt prayer heavy on my heart and then had it confirmed to do it many times. So I'm asking you to partner with me in these prayer request?
Get out a piece of paper and write these down, then during your quiet time (if you have one and if you don't, make one)
Let's lift these prayers up to him, I will keep you posted on the situations.
Let's see God move, he has asked me to ask you to do this with me.
So will you pray with me?
Here are the items we need to pray for

Friend in the hospital who is very ill.
This baby in our care
The birth mom and her choices to parent
The adoptive family
Peanuts mom
Peanut and her future.
health

I will post soon
Love you and thank you for praying with me.
Shelley