Merry Christmas to our friends and family close and far! We are excited to update you on all that is happening in the Sullivan household – although this year I have quite the challenge to condense it onto one piece of paper! Well, let’s get to it...
I’ll start with an update on JJ and Jayla. JJ is now 3 ½ (!) years old and he is a talking machine. He is very, very observant which brings a lot of questions, constant commentaries, and trips down his 3 ½ year old memory lane (yes, this kid remembers everything). One of JJ’s most favorite things right now is going to the tournament trips with Jake’s teams on the weekends. He loves packing his suitcase, he delights in the anticipation of the car ride to whichever destination we are headed to for the weekend, and he absolutely cannot wait until we get to the hotel. For JJ, being at the hotel means getting to do lots of swimming with Dad and lots of exploring of the hallways and hotel rooms. Can you imagine the fun in this for a 3 ½ year old? It’s like a crazy adventure to him every weekend. On weekends when we don’t travel JJ often plays pretend hotel trips at home. His suitcase is always packed and sits at the end of his bed, ready to go on an adventure – whether real or imagined. Who knew the couch could become a car, and some beach towels a swimming pool? Imagination is never lacking here at our house! Jake has also taught JJ to dribble this year, and of course this proud momma has taken video after video after video of him sporting his new skill. JJ also has started to really like to play UNO, matching card games, and Old Maid. As he puts it, “Somebody’s gonna win, and somebody’s gonna lose.” The man speaks truth!
And now, on to Miss Jayla…oh, where do I begin? Maybe with her smile that lights up a room so bright it could put a Christmas tree to shame. Or maybe I could tell you about her sassy independence that is so opposite of her brother in every way that it boggles our minds! Yes, it has been quite interesting just how completely different our two kids’ personalities are. This of course, leads to a few fights over toys, and who can sit on mommy’s lap, and who gets to flip the book pages, and who gets to click the mouse on the computer game, and who can get into the bath first, and who gets the _______ (just insert something in the blank and I guarantee they’ve fought about it) :) But, it’s all part of being siblings (or so I am told) and I am sure it is God’s way of teaching Jake and I some patience and to think a little deeper than to just say “who had the toy first?” Raising children, it seems, grows and refines the parents’ character at about the same rate as it does the kids. Anyways, where was I? Oh yes, Jayla is now 19 months old and she loves playing with her baby dolls, chasing our cats around, and she is slightly obsessed with Elmo. In fact, whenever she is told she gets to watch an Elmo movie she jumps into the air (both feet off the ground) and puts one fist up into the air at the same time while also squealing with delight. She’s quite the Elmo fan. She also gets the award for ‘quickest at learning little sister role’ as she already knows exactly what to do to push JJ’s buttons and send him into an all-out emotional uproar. If you need some entertainment bring a lawn chair and come over….you’re bound to see quite a show! Of course my little jokes are all in fun and we love, love, love having a little boy and a little girl who are different in every way, but oh-so-loveable!
Oh boy, I am definitely not going to get this onto 1 page of paper!
Next up, let’s talk adoption. So, it’s been over 1 year now since we started in on the adoption process with the country of Ghana, Africa. We had often heard that adopting could be quite the roller coaster, and our journey thus far could certainly attest to that. But, we’ve also seen God grow our faith throughout this journey in such detailed and touching ways that it would be silly to say we would change one thing even if we could. I personally, have never seen God work in ways like he has done within our adoption journey. There are things that have happened that are so undeniably from His hands that I cannot help but just stand in awe of all that He has done. This clarity has been confirmation to us to continue trusting His guidance in our adoption, and walk where He leads us. At this point He has led us to a 6 year old boy named Samuel who we are currently pursuing for our adoption. We ask for your prayers, especially during the days of December 30th through January 6th as we will be traveling to Ghana, Africa to meet Samuel and to also work on some other things which I will explain below. During this trip we will not be able to bring Samuel home yet, but we will be attending court dates to get things moving with the adoption process. Please pray that God would continue to guide us through the rest of this adoption journey, and that He would prepare our family for Samuel to come join us. Please pray for Samuel’s preparation as well. :)
Through the adoption, God has also stirred up our hearts for the country of Ghana, Africa. Jake took his first trip to Ghana back in February of this year. After his trip he came home with a full mind and a full heart to help this impoverished country whose residents live on less than $1 a day and who often times are going 2-3 days in between meals (and not the size of meal you or I would think of). Of course, Jake has been able to use his platform of basketball to get things rolling, and draw attention onto what he is calling Project:Ghana. Specifically this is Jake’s vision to build a school, orphanage, and basketball facility in Ghana. Jake did tons of research all summer long of how this academy of sorts would look, and in October he began laying out specific details of the facility and started getting in touch with those who could help to make it happen. Jake was blessed to find a ‘go to’ man in Ghana named Mark, and we will be meeting up with him on our trip at the end of the month to secure the land that will be purchased for the facility. Other things planned for our trip are to meet with the educational administration branch of the Ghanaian government, meet with the Ghana Basketball Association to create a plan on how to grow the sport, and Jake will also be putting on a national coaches clinic at the Sports Institute in Ghana. It is sure to be an exciting trip!
Also, you may have noticed an unfamiliar face in our family picture this year….this is Nana Yaw, our student that we are hosting from Ghana. Jake was able to start up a hosting program this year as well (yes, he’s got A LOT going on!). Jake met Nana Yaw on his first trip to Ghana in February, and because of Yaw’s story Jake was inspired to start a study program through his 501c3 non-profit organization (Kingdom Hoops Foundation). Within a few months Yaw had a student visa and has been living with us since the end of March. It has been an unmatched experience to have Yaw with us. He is kind, well-mannered, so appreciative, great with our kids, and has been a huge blessing to our family (did I mention he even does his own laundry?). Yaw is a keeper, although we won’t be able to keep him much longer as he will be off to college next fall!
Now, you can consider yourself caught up on our lives. To stay caught up, tune into our family blog at http://team-sullivan.blogspot.com/
To catch up with Jake’s basketball program visit http://www.kingdomhoops.com/
These 2 pages of our life are nothing compared to the greatness of knowing our Savior, Jesus. He, who came into this world over 2000 Decembers ago, not for the perfect ones, not for the righteous ones, but for you and for me who need him most. In him alone we find ourselves in a salvation unearned and free. In him alone we receive access to God. In him alone we can find new life here on earth, a second chance. A life filled with an everlasting peace, an unmistakable joy, and eternal hope. This is the promise for those who would believe in the name of God’s one and only Son - Jesus.
Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry CHRISTmas!
-Jake, Janel, JJ, Jayla, & Nana Yaw-
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