A little refreshment from the hot weather

Olivia grabbing for the camera
Popsicles for everyone! They were a "hot commodity" in 98 degree weather

Hmmmmmm. . . how does this work?! Every time the water turned off, she'd look around with her hands in the air asking who had done such a thing.

Ezra's getting more and more brave in the water. He's finally starting to catch up with his sister who is fearless.

A Rough Week for Olivia

Last Sunday- Still getting over colds picked up on vacation

Monday- Found Olivia in crib time sucking on the blind string that pulls the drapes up. Noticed a metal piece missing from the tassle and haven't found it since. (I've checked every poopy diaper since and still no sign)

Tuesday- Olivia fell off Ezra's bed head-first. Thankfully, no broken bones. . . . yet.

Wednesday- Had to call poison control because I found Olivia feasting on a tub of Vasaline. Thankfully it's not poisonous, just causes vomiting or diarrhea because it's so greasy.

Thursday- Olivia fell down 3 stairs and ripped the gum part between her two front teeth. Lots of gushing blood:( Poor thing!

Friday- Fell off the tricycle at nanna's house today. Found by mom on her back still clinging to the bike handles up-side-down with bike on top.

Needless to say I'm I little worried about what will happen tomorrow, much less in the next 5 years. But if she makes it alive that long and perhaps without a broken bone, I'll be pleasantly surpised and know she must have a guardian angel. (Did I mention that her mom had 3 broken arms by the time she was ten?)

Please Lord, protect this family

Family 'Vacation' and more news...(Heidi is pregnant)

It has been too long since we posted, but we were suprised by the Lord a few weeks ago to find out that Heidi is pregnant! We were very shocked at first, but equally excited and in awe of God's plans and His workings. We talked to our adoption agency and they told us that we are going to indeed have to put the adoption on hold until after the birth of the baby. We were initially discouraged that our adoption from Ethiopia is going to have to go on hold, but we know the Lord is infinitely wise and His ways are always best. Below are some pictures from some of our time spent up at Loon Lake with extended family. Papa Greenup was able to rent a cabin and was gracious enough extend to us the opportunity to join them up at the lake.
Heidi's due date is: January 20th (or somewhere close to that date).

Woodland Park Zoo & Visiting relatives

Last weekend we took a quick trip to the west side of WA and visited with some family and friends and visited the Zoo. The kids did great and loved seeing the animals...though most of them were lifeless because we got there right after lunch.

The kids loved having 'Uncle' Greg push them around in the wheel-barrow.

These next two pictures were taken 5 minutes after we left the zoo!

If you look closely at Ezra's hand...you'll see he is holding a sea shell he found earlier that day. He later dropped it on a tile floor and that was the end of that.

Greenup Family Prayer and Plea

Dear Family and Friends,




Some of you know we have felt called and directed by God to adopt “fatherless” children into our family. We are adopting another child or children from Ethiopia sometime in the next 4 – 8 months!

You may be wondering what has prompted us to adopt again. Primarily, we’ve felt so clearly directed by God to adopt that we want to obey Him, and we also desire to give an orphan child a family that he probably won’t otherwise have. God desires for orphans of all nations to be loved, cared for and adopted into Christian families – ultimately so they can become saved, and be adopted into His eternal family through Jesus Christ! There are so many things God has used to prick our hearts and move us to adopt, here are a few:

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction… James 1:27

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will – Ephesians 1:5

The facts are staggering how many children are orphaned each day- we’re talking thousands! 43,000 children become orphans each day & nearly 11 million children die each year before their 5th birthday. Ezra Abera has been a joy to have as our child and we are wanting to live a life of faith and extend our home to more children who are in such desperate, life-threatening situations.

The biggest challenge for us is not opening our hearts and home to another child, but it is in finding the finances to make this happen. Thankfully we serve a Great and Mighty God who will supply everything we need to live the life of faith He calls us to. We estimate our total cost for adoption fees, document preparation, home study, airfare, travel, attorney fees, etc. to be between $22,000 - $26,000- that’s certainly money we don’t have, but we know God is faithful and is leading us to trust Him. By God’s grace $10,500 of the total $22,000 to $26,000 has already been used to start this long journey of international adoption.

Honestly, it is difficult (because of our pride), to make our needs known to the Body of Christ around us, but we also know it’s very biblical to do so. We appreciate your love and friendship very much and would like you to pray & consider helping us by taking part in this adoption. There are two ways you can help:

1. Prayer – Please pray God would continue to encourage and exhort our hearts to live a life of faith and to be risk-takers for the glory of God. Also, please pray for our hearts to sacrificially love the child or children God graciously provides for us.

2. Financial support - Will you please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us pay the remaining $11,500 - $16,500 in adoption expenses, to bring our child(ren) home from Ethiopia?


If you would like to be a part of God bringing our child(ren) to Himself through our family, you can send your tax-deductible donation to our adoption agency. Christian World Adoption is a trusted organization administering the funds on our behalf, and will pay adoption expenses out of funds received. If you want to learn more about the organization we are using in our adoption, please visit their website @ www.cwa.org .

1. Please make checks payable to: Christian World Foundation. You may preference how the donation might be used by writing “Greenup family Adoption” in the memo line of your check.
(*Note: In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to Christian World Foundation, which retains full discretion and control over its use.)


2. Mail checks to:
Christian World Foundation
Attn: Greenup family adoption
777 South Allen Road
Flat Rock, NC 28731

3. Online Donation: If you would prefer to give via the internet,
a. Click this link or type it into your browser https://www.cwa.org/DonationForm.aspx
b. Fill out ‘Donor Information’ Section
c. Under the ‘Specify Donation’ drop down menu, select ‘General Fund’
d. Next, under the ‘optional’ menu, select ‘CWA family’ and input the information below

Dustin & Heidi Greenup
2827 W. Sanson
Spokane WA 99205

If you have any follow up questions, please don’t hesitate to call us, email us, facebook us, text us!!!

Thank you for investing in the Kingdom through prayer and finances – it will be an investment with an eternal return!

For the glory of Christ Jesus,

Dustin, Heidi, Ezra and Olivia

Watoto Children's Choir

This past weekend our church hosted the Watoto Children's choir for a concert on Saturday night and Sunday morning at church. Both sides of our parents the privilege to host some of the choir members for a few nights. Yesterday, we went over to the Sawatzky's for a BBQ and to get some time with some Ugandan believers. It was a true joy to hear how God is working in Uganda and was fun to spend some time with them. Check out their website to see if they are going to be doing a concert in your area. Their concert is very Christ-centered and very African!!!

www.watoto.com

Auntie Linda, Uncle Alex, Ian & Dovin

Dovin loved playing with Olivia...and Olivia quickly warmed up to him
Ian was very gracious and played with Ezra and kept him busy

Aunt Amy Visit

Sorry it has been so long since we posted last. Amy, Heidi's sister, came and visited from Portland a few weeks ago. We had lots of fun showing her around...Manito Park, pictures with the kids, etc.

Ezra getting his first bite of a Domini's sandwich

Aunt Amy reading story to Olivia
Ezra with Aunt Julie & Aunt Amy


Ezra is very happy with his first the chance to wear his mama's sunglasses

The kiddo's with Aunt Amy again