Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from the Hawes family.

The end of the year is a great time to reflect on what has been and look forward to what will be. For us, this year has been a time of celebration, transition and restoration! It’s been a year where we have really seen God do some amazing work both in our lives and in the lives of those close to us. We praise God for what has been and look forward to what will be. We have had several reminders this year that our days are short and our time here is not permanent. We want to praise God today and not wait until tomorrow.

Two major events standout to us about 2013.

First, would be Brooklynn’s adoption being finalized in May and then our move in late October. Many of you walked through the adoption journey with us. That season changed when the adoption became final. A few days after it was final, we had the honor of speaking with her birth-mom at an adoption fundraiser.

The other major event was our move to Oregon in late October. While Danielle and I had felt God calling us away from Nashville for about a year, we had no idea we would be moving back to the Northwest. While the roads and physical places are familiar and it’s so great being close to family, we find ourselves being strangers in a familiar place. We are looking forward to getting involved in a church, developing relationships with people we don’t yet know and serving God in ways we have never done before.

We have had several memories and experiences this year that we will take with us into the future.

Here are just a few of the highlights

-Celebrated Brooklynn’s first birthday in St. Helens, OR with family and friends

   -Celebrated our 5^th wedding anniversary while packing for our move

-Welcomed my cousin home from Afghanistan at Ft. Campbell, KY

-Enjoyed countless church services at The People’s Church in Franklin

-We grieved with dear friends as their father and husband faced cancer head-on and watched them surrender him to his savior. Their testimony remains ever so powerful.

-We observed God deliver some healing to Ryan’s Grandma who fractured her spine during a vacation to Hawaii and have watched him give her the strength to get through this challenging time.

-We said goodbye to so many incredible people in Nashville, Franklin and KY who have blessed our family in ways they will never know

-We made great memories with friends at a pumpkin patch in KY

-We had a fun visit with friends in Lexington and enjoyed a trip to Cincinnati seeing the Mariners

-Ryan’s Mom, Sister and Niece came to visit us in Nashville. We went swimming, saw Opryland, downtown Nashville, went on a carriage ride, saw Franklin, ate at Pancake Pantry and so much more.

-We had a good Thanksgiving with Danielle’s family at our Oregon home

-Enjoyed a fun day trip down the Natchez Trace to see Tupelo, Mississippi and the birthplace of Elvis

-Ryan and his Dad got to drive across the country during the move. They had a special time together seeing so much of this great country. Danielle and Brooklynn enjoyed a few days at her parents’ house.

-We had our niece over for to bake Christmas cookies and play with Brooklynn. Lots of fun memories!

-A friend who Ryan has known for more than a decade got married in Hawaii (sadly, we could not attend).

-Took Brooklynn to the Oregon Coast for the first time and she had a blast playing in the sand, watching sea gulls and “barking” at dogs that were there!

-Rejoiced from a distance as good friends welcomed their sweet baby boy!

-Celebrated as a family our nephew turning 4!

This is just a glimpse of what we have experienced this year. God has been so good to us and our families. We don’t know what the new year holds, but truly look forward to seeing what God will do in the year to come.

From our family to yours, Happy New Year.

Worlds Apart

As I was driving home tonight I pulled my old Jars of Clay CD.  You know, the one with "Flood".  But I moved to one of my favorite songs, "Worlds Apart".  This song has been one to impact me many seasons and in many ways.  This constant battle of my flesh vs. my spirit.  This longing to leave so much behind.  This prayer that God would literally take my world apart in order to draw me closer to Him.  To create a love for Him that cannot be shaken.  And time and time again I come before the Lord asking him to once again "take my world apart".  And time and time again he does.  Like this season with Brooklynn and the unknown if she would remain our daughter.  My world was turned upside down, but in the midst of the pain, I was drawn closer to Christ.

I love this song.  I have for many years.  And as I said, it's taken on so many different meanings in different times in my life.  I just wanted to share it (the bridge is my favorite part).



                                                          

I am the only one to blame for this
Somehow it all ends up the same
Soaring on the wings of selfish pride
I flew too high and like Icarus I collide
With a world I try so hard to leave behind
To rid myself of all but love
to give and die

To turn away and not become
Another nail to pierce the skin of one who loves
more deeply than the oceans,
more abundant than the tears
Of a world embracing every heartache

Can I be the one to sacrifice
Or grip the spear and watch the blood and water flow

To love you - take my world apart
To need you - I am on my knees
To love you - take my world apart
To need you - broken on my knees

All said and done I stand alone
Amongst remains of a life I should not own
It takes all I am to believe
In the mercy that covers me

Did you really have to die for me?
All I am for all you are
Because what I need and what I believe are worlds apart

[Additional lyrics:]

I look beyond the empty cross
forgetting what my life has cost
and wipe away the crimson stains
and dull the nails that still remain
More and more I need you now,
I owe you more each passing hour
the battle between grace and pride
I gave up not so long ago
So steal my heart and take the pain
and wash the feet and cleanse my pride
take the selfish, take the weak,
and all the things I cannot hide
take the beauty, take my tears
the sin-soaked heart and make it yours
take my world all apart
take it now, take it now
and serve the ones that I despise
speak the words I can't deny
watch the world I used to love
fall to dust and thrown away
I look beyond the empty cross
forgetting what my life has cost
so wipe away the crimson stains
and dull the nails that still remain
so steal my heart and take the pain
take the selfish, take the weak
and all the things I cannot hide
take the beauty, take my tears
take my world apart, take my world apart
I pray, I pray, I pray
take my world apart

Update on Brooklynn

Family & Friends,

I wanted to provide you an update on where things are right now with our sweet Brooklynn.

Next Tuesday, January 8th - attorneys for our adoption agency will present their case to terminate the birth-father's rights.

He had until December 27th to notify the court he wanted parental rights and our attorney says he did not notify the court.

That means on Tuesday, his rights will be terminated.

There is a chance he could show up and appeal, but it would be long and expensive legal battle for him.

That said, there is still a possibility.

The birth-mom is also expected to terminate her rights on Tuesday, if his rights are terminated.

She would have 10 days to take those rights back.

To our knowledge, she continues to be in support of the adoption.

The next 4 days are big, as the past several weeks have been.

I humbly ask each of you to pray with us over the next 4 days.

We are asking God's will to be done and we believe it will be.

We are also asking favor from God and that he will allow us to parent Brooklynn.  This is not a selfish prayer, this is the desire of our hearts.

We acknowledge that Satan is not pleased with what is taking place and how God is already using Brooklynn's story to impact lives.

Therefore, I ask you to pray for protection from his attacks.

Specifically for Brooklynn, the birth-dad, the birth-mom, our attorneys, the adoption agency and for us.

Thank you all for your love and support during this journey.

Your prayers are having a tremendous impact on our lives and we pray regularly God will bless you as he has used you to bless us.

Ryan & Danielle