As a mom to 4 precious children by way of adoption (and 5 others who came to me through birth), I feel compelled to ask those I know to sign this petition on behalf of the world's MANY orphans..... Many of you have probably heard the buzz about a new movie that is to come out later this month call "Orphan". The movie depicts a very negative side of adoption. This movie depicts a couple that adopts an "older" child and has their life terrorized by her. It is an R rated film. Warner Bros. is the producer. There is a grass roots organization that has launched a campaign to counter the negative effects of this film. They have a petition asking Warner Bros. to give a portion of the proceeds from the film to help orphans. To sign the petition to urge Warner Bros. to give some of the proceeds of the movie to help orphans, share positive adoption stories and more go here (http://www.orphansdeservebetter.com/)! This is just one way we can speak up for those who can't speak for themselves and defend the fatherless. Be sure to watch the short video on the site, as it explains why we should be outraged about this movie AND take a stand for orphans around the world! Lisa Metzger

 

Here is our video of our new daughter, Kristina Joy, who will be home with us SOON! Her "foster mother" sent this to us this morning! LOVE IT!

Kristina from Sarah DeVries on Vimeo.

We are soooooo excited! Please read our special announcement by click HERE!

~ Mark, Lisa, Annalise, Kaitlyn, Ethan, Trey, Jake, Julia, Ellie & Judah ~

Here's a blog by SCC's manager in dedication to Maria. Click here to visit it.

Cinderella

by Steven Curtis Chapman

She spins and she sways to whatever song plays,
Without a care in the world.
And I'm sittin' here wearin' the weight of the world on my shoulders.
It's been a long day and there's still work to do,
She's pulling at me saying "Dad I need you!
There's a ball at the castle and I've been invited and I need to practice my dancin'"
"Oh please, daddy, please!"

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh I will dance with Cinderella
I don't wanna miss even one song,
Cuz all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone

She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed
She wants to know if I'd approve of a dress
She says "Dad, the prom is just one week away,
And I need to practice my dancin'"
"Oh please, daddy, please!"

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Ohh-oh ohh-oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't wanna miss even one song,
Cuz all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone
She will be gone.

Well, she came home today
With a ring on her hand
Just glowin' and tellin' us all they had planned
She says "Dad, the wedding's due six months away
And I need to practice my dancin'"
"Oh please, daddy please!"

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Ohh-oh ohh-oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't wanna miss even one song,
(even one song)
Cuz all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone

Trey and Kanye have chosen to change their names upon their official adoption in December to Trey Christian Metzger (from Kavontra J'Kai Root) and Jacob "Jake" Merritt Metzger (from Kanye Tridelle Williams)!

Christian is my brother, David's, middle name and a generally GREAT name with a great meaning (follower and imitator of Jesus Christ) and Merritt is Mark's BIOLOGICAL family's last name, which was never carried on because Mark's birth brother died young and never had children. Sooooo.....there's the big news for the week in the Metzger home!

~ Lisa

June 8th, 2007
 
We are overjoyed to announce that we now have custody of Trey and Kanye!!!
We had a 10 minute court hearing this morning and were granted custody without
a hitch! We all said an emotional goodbye to “Grandma Monica.” The boys were
very ready to go with us. We had a good indication of their excitement when Trey started 
hanging out Monica’s car window and waving at us all. Ha ha ha! 
 
It’s been a good afternoon with them of swimming, playing around in the hotel
rooms and taking naps (Well, Julia and Kanye…Mommy wanted to join them, 
but it was a little impossible!). Trey keeps hugging each of us individually and saying,
“I still love you.” It’s been precious! 
 
Kanye’s been quite the cuddle bug too! We do have to go on a shopping spree
for them, because all they came home with were winter clothes that will most likely
be too small anyway by then, and a few other items. 
 
Since we don’t have laundry access (easily anyway), we will need a few things
until we can go through Ethan’s hand-me-downs. : ) Well, that’s it for now. 
 
Tomorrow we are all traveling 4 hours to St. Louis for a change of scenery and
site seeing. We will be back here in Kansas City in 6 months for our final hearing
where we will officially adopt them. 
 
Please continue to pray for Mandi and Monica (although from what we heard
from Monica, Mandi is already “moving on”)! Also, please pray that MO and
NC can both communicate and file paperwork promptly. 
 
At this point we might be “stuck” here in MO into week #3, which is NOT good 
for Mark’s businesses and his peace of mind. We know God’s in charge of the 
timing, but we would really like to get home and get everyone settled in to the new 
environment! : ) The good news on that is that Mark was able to close on an 
investment house he was buying from here in MO! We had thought that we were 
passing that opportunity up when leaving when we did to come here, but God 
took care of it all! 
 
Thanks for praying!
 
Lisa (wife and homeschool mom to 6 ½) 

June 6, 2007

Mandy signed away her rights today (permanently) in court. She told our social worker
that it was the hardest decision she ever made, but that it was the best. It was a very 
hard goodbye.   
 
We met Mandy and the boys at the Crayola Café prior to going to the park, but 
Mandy seemed distracted all the way through lunch (understandably so). She kept 
hugging on the boys! She joined us at the park afterward with her mom. The kids had 
a great time bonding and playing! They really enjoyed themselves. Kanye gave a leaf 
to Julia and I asked him if he was happy to be a big brother and he nodded his head. 
I also asked if he would take good care of her and he patted her on the head. Aww!   
 
When it came time for Mandy to tell the boys goodbye, we gave her the photo album
that she will fill with photos that we send her. She hugged the boys and we all were 
crying. She told me, “Thank you for taking them. Please take care of them!” I assured
her (through tears) that we most certainly would. She, then, went over to Monica and 
just cried on her shoulder while saying, “Mommy, Mommy.” She walked away into 
the courthouse and that is the last we saw of her. It was heart-wrenching! 
 
The boys, apparently, really didn't understand what was going on because they didn't
seem to be bothered enough to stop playing. That is the way Mandy wanted it to be,
though, so that's great! The kids and Monica all stayed for another half-hour at the park 
and played. We said goodbye to Trey and Kanye and they asked to come home with 
us again. We explained that it would be two more days.   
 
We got a call an hour or so after leaving the park, saying that she had signed away her 
rights permanently and that she had arrived at the location where she’s staying (away 
from the boys). She is to have no contact with the boys herself for 6 months or until the 
adoption is complete (this gives the boys time to adjust). However, the adults can all 
e-mail and call each other and we will be sure to send her photos of the boys!   
 
Overall, it went very well. Please pray that the emotional healing can begin to take 
place now. Also, please pray for Mandy and Monica's salvation!!! They are most 
definitely NOT Christians and are living very worldly lifestyles. We really want to be 
able to share Jesus with them ASAP, although there hasn't been an appropriate time yet.

We will see the boys and Monica tomorrow. There is supposed to be severe weather, 
so we will wait to see what options are available as to what we will do with them. 
 
Court has been scheduled for us on Friday at 10:30 CST. It most likely will only last 
10 minutes. We should have the boys in our custody at 11:30 on Friday! We will not 
be able to leave Missouri until the interstate compact has been completed in both MO 
and NC, which could take another week (hopefully not, though). We will update 
everyone later! Please keep Mandy in your prayers, especially during the next few days!

Love, Lisa 

 

We arrived safely in Kansas City, Missouri last night, after a 15 hour car ride with 4 (1/2) kids. Overall the trip went really well!

Today Mark and I met with Amanda (who prefers to be called Mandy) her mother, Monica, and Trey and Kanye. When we arrived at McDonald's one of the two social workers came out to our van to escort us in the door. When we entered the play area Mandy was crying bittersweet tears after watching us walk in and she greeted us with hugs, as did her mother. The boys were understandably distracted by the McDonald's play equipment, which was expected. However, we did catch Trey peeking at us from a tunnel above our table and he would quickly look away or duck and the resume to checking us out again! Ha!

Mandy and Monica were very open and talkative. They enjoyed telling us about the boys and telling us of how much her boys would enjoy the different things about our family, house and lifestyle. Trey looks forward to having a dog and we found out that he calls Annalise the "Big Sister" and the other three, "the kids." Ha! They are very excited to meet the kids tomorrow evening over dinner! Mandy has done an excellent job of showing the kids our photos every night for some time now. She has been telling them that they would have a new Mommy and Daddy (as well as a brother and sisters) very soon. She even told them last night that they were to call Monica, Grandma Monica and herself, Mama Mandy. She said that she wouldn't mind them referring to her as an aunt as they transition.

There is much to tell...like how Kanye's hair was cut this morning (after an aunt and uncle that he'd never met thought he was a girl and so she decided to cut it this morning!) and how Trey loves to "karate chop," which made Mark so happy! HA! We also were happy to find out that they told Mandy that they would LOVE to go home with us today. :) But to make a VERY LONG story short(er), I'll get right to the point - below is the schedule!

Tuesday
2:00 - Mandy signs all the court papers and signs away her rights.
5:00 CST - dinner and kids all meet each other at the Rainforest Cafe

Wednesday
2:00 - We all meet at a park and Mandy says goodbye to the boys for at least months (the court requires that she not contact them at all until the adoption is complete). We will be giving Mandy a photo album for future photos of the boys and our family at that time. Mandy's mother, Monica, will take the boys to a new location until after our court date to make a clear transition apparent for the boys.
3:15 - Mandy goes to court

Thursday - We meet again with Monica and the boys.

Friday - We have court sometime that morning and we will have custody of the boys from that point forward. We must stay in MO until the "interstate compact" is approved by NC. So, we will most likely go to St. Louis for sightseeing until we're cleared to go home. We hope to visit Answers in Genesis' BRAND NEW (opened last week) Creation Museum in OH on the way back, as well. :)

We are feeling all the prayers and we sincerely ask you to KEEP everyone in your prayers, especially during those above times. We will update more as we have time! Thanks!!!

Love,
Lisa (soon-to-be mom of SEVEN KIDDOS!)

  Oh, little girl, your life was planned.
Right from the start from the Father's hand,
He fashioned your frame in ways so grand,
And loves you in ways you don't understand.

And since the day we held your tiny frame,
You captured our hearts and we longed to give you our name.
We thank God for you, a gift so sweet and pure,
And pray for you, to know His Son for sure.

“Pray without ceasing…” 1Thessalonians 5:17. 

As you prayerfully consider your adoption, the following verses may help you.  We know that all good things happen in God’s time to those who trust in him.  May God grant you His grace as you travel along the path He sets out for you.  “We prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted what we asked of Him.”  1 Samuel 1:27

On Adoption and corporal acts of mercy:

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27

“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.” Mathew 18:5

“…learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of fatherless, plead the case for the widow.” Isaiah 1:17

“A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling.  God sets the lonely in families…” Psalm 68:5-6a 

“Vindicate the weak and the fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and destitute.”

Psalm 82:3

“I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me…Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me---you did it to me.’”  Mathew 25: 35-36, 40 (MSG)

“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”  Romans 8:15

On taking action:

“Be doers of the word, and not hearers only…” James 1:22

“A man makes a plan in his heart, but God directs his path.” Proverbs 16:9

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.” Proverbs 3:27

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.”  1 John 4:18

On God’s plan for your family:

“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Jeremiah 29:11

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”  Proverbs 3:5-6

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power at work in us, to Him be the glory.” Eph 3:20

“Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.”  Isaiah 43:5

“Orphans get parents, the homeless get homes. The reign of terror is over; the rule of the gang lords is ended.”  Psalm 10:18 (MSG)