Annoucing our Newest Addition - Olivia Hope-Gao Fisher - Part 1 - How Did We Get Here?

Well obviously our blog will need a facelift and we are working on that, but I could not wait until then to announce our newest addition. So I know you all want details. It is a great story but a bit long. So sit back and get your favorite beverage and enjoy a testimony to the greatest of an incredible wonderful God! He gets all the glory, all of it. We are humbled that he is allowing us to have a part in the story.

September 2010
So as many of you who are part of the adoption world in China know they came out with a program in September of 2010 that said if you adopted a child again from China within a year of the last adoption (for us that would be accept another child by June 2011) you could use your dossier (which is most of your paperwork) that you used with your last adoption. This saves time and money. The children also had to be "special focus" which meant they had more severe needs and/or were older children. I thought about it at the time it came out, but honestly that was about it. Life is busy, hands are full and we continued on.

February 2011
Now we are up to February and I just could not get the thought of MAYBE going back to China out of my mind. It wasn't something that consumed me, but it the only way I can explain it is to say I did not have a peace that we were done. This surprised me because I thought Grace was our last child. I did not know if we were to adopt again or not. I was on the fence. Guy was in the yard (no more children!). So I approached Guy and said I know as a mom I will be sad to be done having children no matter how many I have but that sadness will pass. It is normal for a mom I think. But in the midst of that I should have peace and I don't. I said I think we need to fill out paperwork and turn it in with what WE (hold that thought okay) are open to and than if God choices to bring us a child by June 28 then we know and if not we know. Maybe this is our Issaic (Remember God had Abraham lay down his Issaic but never made him surrender him). Maybe we were just to be willing like Abraham to surrender our will and that was it and I would be okay if that was the case (though I am sure a little sad, but I would have peace). But if God was calling us to another child. If we had a child out there waiting on us, how could we close the door to her or God? What gives us the right? Now I can give you every excuse in the world in the a "natural" of why we don't want any more children, we do have 5 from ages 25 to 2 and lead very busy lives, but I wasn't put on this earth for "me".

Okay so Guy was NOT there. My cynical husband said "God gave Moses a burning bush. If he wants me to sign that checklist" he will give me a forest fire.". I was not happy. But remember NOTHING is to big for GOD! If this was his will IT WOULD HAPPEN! So I about hit the floor the next day at 10:00pm during the news when splattered across the news was this "Forest Fires Out of Control". The were spread from Lancaster, NC to Raleigh, NC. We live between that. I began to weep and hit my knees...oh GOD I cried. He reminded me in his Word of what he would do for "1" lost sheep! Guy was still not sold, SHOCKED yes, but not sold it was God. He said Moses saw the fire with his eyes not tv (of course I reminded him Moses did not have tv). The next day on the radio news on the way home from work was this "debris has caught on fire at Hwy 77 and 85, firefighters are trying to get under control". This happened at exact time Guy drove home through that area...yes Guy saw the fire with his own eyes! He came home and said ok fine...I still don't want this but God does, give me that piece of paper before he burns the whole town up. I asked him for a fire and he gave me many fires all week!

May 2011
Okay so now we are up to May. I would "Stalk" the website. I inquired about a few but it did not work out. Then the day came when I saw this little girl. But there was a problem. She did not meet the criteria we were open to. She was older than we wanted and her need was something we were not open to either. You see she is 5 years old AND she has spina bifida. Guy grew up with a brother with spina bifida and it was very hard to say the least and not something he could endure. But I was drawn to her. I remember Kelly (my sister) asked have you prayed. Uh, no why would I pray she doesn't meet my criteria...as soon as the words came out of my mouth the Lord say "You said you were opening a door to me, but you have only cracked it. Do I have access or not? Things don't always look like you think. But they are better" His word does say that , his ways are not our ways, but are better. Oh did I trust him to this degree? I could not even finish vacuuming my house. The Lord said stop now and inquire about her. I did ....but a family was viewing her file and their was a waiting list. So I pray God take this from me or move these families out of the way and bring her to me. I was in love with her. Only God could do that for a child I was not open to right?

The next day, 18 hours later, I get her file! There are so many stories here of God's confirmation over that week it took us to accept her. But in the essence of time as this already a novel, I will try to be brief without squelching the glory God deserves. Okay so I have talked a lot about me. Well Guy, he is still very,very much closed to this. I cried a lot, I mean a lot, sometimes that kind of cry where you literally cry out loud and can't breath. I went before the Lord a lot. I didn't understand why Guy was not there and couldn't see God in this if God was telling me she was mine. Why was this desire suddenly so strong? Why was I in love, if she wasn't mine. I wavered between walking in faith and trusting and God with Guy and that he would bring her to us AND I am going to lose her God what are you doing? I am going to have to turn her away. Thank God for my sister, my anchor in my life who helps keep me grounded. The call with the doctor was incredible. He gave us so much hope. He said in fact, I know I have thrown a lot at you. I know this is overwhelming for a non medical person. But I want you to hear this. This little girl is not Guy's brother. It is completely different. She can walk and she is in school and goes to the bathroom and many other things. In fact if I would have had her file at 1 0r 2 years old I would have said this was high risk there are too many unknowns. But I have the privilege of 3 years of history since any procedure and have gotten a wealth of information which is not typical from China. She is thriving and doing well. Listen he said, this little girl has had so many bullets shot at her, and she has dodged every one of them and I stand back impress. Okay so folks yes I was in tears. Guy still not sold! Remember he doesn't want any more children. So how did we get to where we are?

Friday the day we had to decide, Guy goes to God and says okay God I don't' feel and hear you like Dawn, I have to see you. So show me today in a message. I am going to go to my devotion today and in that if this is my daughter speak to me so I can't deny it. Are you ready folks? This was his devotion which he came home and shared through many, many tears (and of course I was in tears too as God had shown himself faithful and was bringing our daughter home)

"Christ calls us to welcome the stranger, to look after the widow and orphan, to bring comfort and welcome to those whom society ignores. God challenges us to make a difference in the lives of those near us who are in need"


" to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."- James 1:27

So Guy says, Dawn I know that would have done it for you. But I thought could this be coincidence. So I said God if this is you please confirm. I just can't do this. Our lives are full, crazy and stressed. I am going to go to the other devotional site I visit please speak to me.....hold tight I hope you have bared with me here.

Job replied to the Lord: "I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you." Job 42:1-2

The apostle Paul cheered that he was competent because of the Holy Spirit's em­powering. "I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need," he proclaimed (Philippians 4:13). The emphasis isn't on what Paul can do but on what Christ-the source of his strength-can do. Paul attempted great things for God because he expected great things from God. And so can you, because your com­petence comes from God (see 2 Corinthians 3:5).
When you are empowered with the Spirit, you are teamed up with the God who can do everything. Don't doubt that he's in you. If you believe in Jesus, he is. He will stick with you and do all that he has promised to do. No fooling. And no leaks!
REFLECT: Are you allowing God to do his great work through you?
PRAY: Invite God to change inside you whatever he sees that needs changing.

So with that said, we welcomed into our lives and our hearts our beautiful daughter Olivia Hope-Gao Fisher! Enjoy some photos we have of her, some updated since our acceptance. She just celebrated her 5th birthday May 8 and they sent us pictures of her at her party, with her cake and opening presents, so blessed we are!

Olivia getting ready to blow out her candles at her 5th birthday

Olivia in a new outfit she just received

It wouldn't be China without the "peace" sign, or maybe she knew we needed that!

A little younger here, so adorable! This was in our match file.

Another younger one in our match file. Precious