The Dunn family is home:: how bringing home mercy reminds me so much of... MERCY

I was connected with the Dunn family when we realize we were both adopting from Uganda and we lived in the same general vicinity (and,in fact, had a bunch of mutual friends).  Their friendship has been a godsend as we walked every step of this adoption journey side-by-side. Our Ugandan court dates for our girls were even three weeks apart from each other. Why would God be so gracious to give me the sweetest of friends to laugh with and cry with as we walked almost identical steps to Uganda. The difference in our stories is that my judge ruled that I could take custody of Milla pretty much immediately and I was in and out of Uganda in a little over 2 months. Their judge however, gave them a ruling that stated they needed to be in Uganda for three years if they wanted to take custody of their daughter Mercy (the judge was obviously not a super huge fan of international adoption). Virginia and Jason left all their comforst in America to fight to bring home their daughter.
They left their home in Southern California, their three amazing doggies, all their friends and family, their normal

healthcare, their normal food...and all the comfort that we take for granted every day here in America- they left not knowing when they would come back.
But yesterday, after about a year of waiting, fighting, and praying in Uganda- they came home with their daughter!!! There were beautiful highs, and definite low's-but they persevered through it all. 
Why did they do it? It seems like an aweful lot to go through and give up for the betterment of just one person's life.
They got through it all because of their love for their daughter and their obedience to God's calling.
Sound familiar??
I can't think of anything else but how Christ was obedient to God's calling and how He loved each one of us so much that He was willing to leave everything in Heaven to come to get us- to bring us into His family. He came to where we were. He fought for us. And He waits for each of us however long it takes to bring us home with Him!!! What a good God.

Milla & Mercy in Uganda

It's so easy to hear Jason and Virginia's story and admire them- so why is it so hard for the world to admire God?
I know so many people think Christianity is just a giant set of rules. Or another misconception is that God sits up in heaven and just allows cruel things to happen to wonderful people for kicks. Or He looks down just waiting to condemn people who aren't perfect... But if you believe any of those things I think you have lost sight of who God really is and what He has given up to adopt you.

I bet one day Milla and Mercy will have moments when they think we (their parents) are being unloving or unfair... Milla already thinks I try to take her fun away a lot of the time (you know, not letting her run through the streets whenever she wants to or dance on the roof of our car). But we would never have walked the path of adoption if we didn't want the best of the best for these children. Jason and Virginia have given up so much to call Mercy their daughter and our Lord gave up exponentially more to call us His own. 
See Him for who He is, a loving Father and a MERCIFUL God.
I'm so thankful to have been a small part of Mercy's adoption story and so very thankful to have MERCY be such a

huge part of my adoption story.
Welcome home Dunn family!!! I can't wait to live life physically side by side again!!