// January 30th, 2011 // 2 Comments » // Loux Family News
Thank you to all of you who have shown your incredible love to me and my family by nominating us for Extreme Home Makeover! We are humbled by your love and kindness and are so excited about the possibility of this amazing opportunity. How rich we are because of your love (overwhelmed)! Wow! Much love, hugs and thanks to all of you!
// January 28th, 2011 // 23 Comments » // Loux Family News
Sorry, Ne, you’ve been Hijacked!
This is Renee’s sister in law, Tracie Loux. I found out today that Extreme Home Makeover is looking for a candidate for a makeover here in the state of MISSOURI!!!
As you know that my sister -in- law, Renee’ and her beautiful children lost their husband and daddy in 2009 just 2 days before Christmas. Renee and Derek worked together trumpeting the cause of the orphan. They not only spoke out in defense of the fatherless, they put actions to their words by bringing children into their own home.
Renee and Derek’s first son, Josiah was born with Spina Bifida and passed away at age 2 1/2. Josiah’s incredible life opened their eyes and ours to the precious gift of children with special needs. They went on to have 2 beautiful daughters Sophia and Michaela. Over the past 10 years, Derek and Renee adopted 8 children. Their 5 daughters, Teyolla, Keyolla, Telma, Leeann, and Sana are all adopted from the Marshall Islands . Through Derek and Renee’s loving parenting, much prayer, and devotion to their daughters, these precious beauties have walked through incredible healing and restoration. Their 3 precious boys (Sasha, Ethan, and Silas) were abandoned at birth in an orphanage in Ukraine. Sasha has Spina Bifida. Ethan and Silas both have Down syndrome. The boys were severely malnourished, emotionally neglected and were suffering on so many levels. Derek and Renee literally nursed Ethan, a 5 year old weighing 11 lbs, unable to walk or even crawl, back to life! As a family we witness this starving, sick little boy come back to life, a true miracle of God’s kindness and his parent’s loving commitment.
After, her husband’s death, my precious sister in law, not only walked through grief and suffering with her children in such a remarkable way, she also stood tall, determined to carry on the mission that she and Derek worked passionately for- defending orphans and standing for justice.
Renee currently serves as the director of the Orphan Justice Center in Kansas City, MO with the mission to RESCUE, ADOPT, and RESTORE! The goal of OJC is to raise awareness, equip families to adopt, and establish safe, restorative communities for orphans.
In addition on a personal level, Renee continues to walk heroically, bringing orphans into her home and calling them her own. Since Derek’s death, Renee has brought a beautiful 1 year old boy, Judah, into her home, has taken in a little blind girl, Joanna to assist her parents in getting her the care and education she needs to thrive, and has opened her home and offered to legally adopt a 30 year old, Dawn, an orphan herself, who is working on the streets of Ecuador caring for orphans.
Renee has been given 45 acres in Grandview, MO to help her walk out the vision she and Derek had to build a home with space enough to personally take in 30+ orphans. Their dream together was to take in children with special needs and provide them with a loving home where they could be restored and healed. Their dream was to have horticultural therapy, equine therapy, along with traditional therapies (physical, occupational and speech).
When I heard today that Extreme Home Makeover was looking for a deserving family in the state of Missouri, I couldn’t think of a more deserving family. This precious family: Renee, her mother Flo, and the 12 children currently in their home, share a 4 bedroom home that is bursting at the seams. They have exhausted every available space and have simply run out of room. Renee doesn’t know the word “No” when it comes to children in need. Their garage and family room have both been converted to extra sleeping space, and there is simply no room left. In addition, their current home has three floors and requires Renee to lift Sasha and his wheelchair from level to level so that he can be with the family.
When someone as rare and precious as my sister Renee desires to love and live her life in a away that to some may seem extreme, extravagant, or hard to even fathom, it seems just wrong to see something like MORE ROOM hold her back from LOVING LARGE!
If you would please help spread the word and nominate Renee Loux for this amazing opportunity to be considered for an Extreme Home Makeover. If you have been touched by this story, I would also encourage you to blog, post on FB or share in anyway possible.
DIRECTIONS:
Email nominations to CastingMissouri@gmail.com
Each nomination must include the names, ages of everyone in the house, a description of the major challenges within the home and a short description of the family story. (Feel free to copy and paste some of the information above if you need, but your own connection to Renee would be great to share as well!)
Here’s a list of their names and ages if you’d like to copy and paste, though I encourage you to write a personal description of this sweet family if you know them at all.
Renee-mother (49)
Flo- Renee’s mother (72)
Telma-Renee’s daughter, adopted from the Marshall Islands (19)
Teyolla- Renee’s daughter, adopted from the Marshall Islands (19)
Keyolla- Renee’s daughter, adopted from the Marshall Islands (19)
LeeAnn- Renee’s daughter, adopted from the Marshall Islands (16)
Sophia- Renee’s daughter (13)
Michaela- Renee’s daughter (10)
Sana- Renee’s daughter adopted from the Marshall Islands (9)
Sasha- Renee’s son with Spina Bifida adopted from Ukraine (8)
Ethan- Renee’s son with Down Syndrome adopted from Ukraine (7)
Silas- Renee’s son with Down Syndrome adopted from Ukraine (4)
Judah – Renee’ son adopted from the Marshall Islands (1)
Joanna- a blind girl under the legal guardianship of Renee (from the Marshall Islands) age 13
Deadline is March 31st. Additional Details HERE!
// January 20th, 2011 // 14 Comments » // Loux Family News
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted on our blog. Thanks to those of you who have been so patient with me in waiting for updates on how our family is doing.
Life has been quite a roller coaster ride for our family this past year. December 23rd marked one year since our most precious Derek was in a car accident and went to be with Jesus. In some ways it’s so incredibly hard to believe it’s already been a year….in other ways it seems like it’s been an eternity since we’ve not had him with us. The pain is still very real but we are so thankful that we know Jesus and that our hope is in him…… ONLY in HIM!
I want to run my race well in this life. In order to do that, I must feed on hope. Without hope, we perish. As my children and I face the future, we have to feed our spirit by continually returning to God and his Word. We have to sit with him, wait on him, struggle with him, pray, read, talk with others who encourage us…..HOPE. I am so reminded in Hebrews 11:1 and in Jeremiah 29:11 of the hope we have in Him. In times of crisis, it’s natural for us to try to make sense of life. We crave perspective for our minds and relief for our hearts. We need our worldview realigned by God’s inspired Word. Our pain here on earth is very real and that’s why God’s Word is so central to gaining an eternal perspective.
I’d like to share an excerpt from Max Lucado’s book, The Applause of Heaven.”
Being Right Before God
“We are thirsty. Not thirsty for fame, possessions or loves that we think will satisfy. We’ve drunk from those pools. They are salt water in the desert. They don’t quench….they kill. ”Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…” Righteousness. That’s it. That’s what we are thirsty for. We’re thirsty for a clean conscience. We crave a clean slate. We yearn for a fresh start. We pray for a hand that will enter the dark cavern of our world and do for us the one thing we can’t do for ourselves-make us right again.”
The only ultimate disaster that can hit us, is to feel ourselves to be home on earth. As long as we are aliens (1 Peter 2:11), we can’t forget our true homeland. Unhappiness on earth cultivates a hunger for heaven. By gracing us with a deep dissatisfaction, God holds our attention. The only tragedy is to be satisfied prematurely…to settle for earth. We aren’t ultimately happy here because we aren’t supposed to be. We are like foreigners and strangers in this world. We’ll have moments of joy, catch glimpses of light, know moments or even days of peace, but none of that could even begin to compare to the happiness that lies ahead. We must keep our eyes on Him.
The next time you find yourself alone in a dark valley, facing the undeniables of life, don’t turn up the TV or turn to that all too familiar drug of choice (alcohol…food…porn….whatever it may be) to numb the pain. Instead, stand still, whisper his name and listen. He is nearer than you think.
Thanks again to all of you who have prayed for us. Your prayers are sustaining us. We love you and are in awe of all that the Lord has blessed us with through your love.
As you scroll down on this page, you’ll see recent pictures and read updates of each of our children. All photographs were taken by our precious friend Shelley Paulson. Please go to her sight at shelleypaulson.com to see more of her beautiful work.
Our Tribe
We are so very rich in love!
Our little Judah (from the Marshall Islands) is such a joy bug! He is now 18 months old and he loves to be loved! His favorite thing to do is snuggle! He’s growing up so quickly and is very strong and healthy. ”Jude” is such a little beauty and we are very blessed to have him as part of our family! He can already say a few words, his favorite word being “baba” (he loves his bottle)! Looking into this little ones eyes would brighten anyone’s day! We love loving you precious one! You are a priceless gem from heaven!
Handsome Silas (our angel from Ukraine) is now 4 years old and very healthy! Once he had his heart repair surgery, he’s become a new little man! Silas has an upcoming surgery in April, to remove an extra thumb on his hand. He’s going to miss that little thumb, it’s been a bit of a friend to him. Silas loves music and likes to dance! He is really enjoying pre-school (3 hours a day) and all his friends and teachers. Silas also likes to pray for people. It’s a beautiful thing to watch him lay his hands on people, bow his head and begin to speak a language all his own ( I know God understands what he’s saying)! Wow! What a precious little lamb our Silas is!
Can you believe this is Ethan (another one of our angels from Ukraine)? Ethan is now 7 years old and is absolutely amazing! He is our beautiful little champion and has come so far in every area of his life! Many of us often fill up with tears over God’s goodness to Ethan. We often talk about all the obstacles Ethan faced when we first adopted him and are in awe at all God has done to restore, to heal and to strengthen Ethan’s body. Ethan walks, sprints and is almost on his way to running now! That’s a far cry from the little boy we brought home (almost 2 years ago) who retracted his feet and legs anytime they would touch the floor. Ethan is a very happy child. He loves going to church, attending Kindergarten and playing/wrestling with his friends. He also loves music, dancing and getting “up ups” (thrown up in the air)! Ethan has brought so much joy to our family. We can’t imagine our lives without him!
Our strong and handsome Sasha (our third Ukrainian angel) is another miracle in our lives and has brought our family more joy that we could begin to express! Sasha celebrated his 8th birthday in November . In May of ’09 Sasha had a major seizure and is now on meds. He also overcame a serious infection in his spine and had an extended hospital stay while healing and recovering. Sasha will be having corrective spine surgery sometime in the Spring. Sasha’s least favorite thing to do is to eat….well… if it’s chocolate cake that’s another story. Getting this little guy to eat has been an enormous challenge for us and for awhile Sasha had to have an NG tube inserted (as you can see in this picture) to give him the extra nutrients he was lacking. Getting this tube put in was incredibly traumatic for Sash, so much so that he has made great gain in the use of his fork and spoon. Although this picture shows him with a feeding tube, he is now tube free. Sasha loves his school and the new friends he’s made there. One of his favorite things to do is to build things out of Legos. He also likes to sing at the top of his lungs in the prayer room at IHOP (the International House of Prayer)! Sasha is a child with the most beautiful heart of love and a great sense of humor. He is sensitive and has great compassion for people. We love you our sunshine boy!
And now…on to our girls!! Gorgeous Sana (one of our princesses from the Marshall Islands) is 9 years old. She is such a happy child, as you can see by her beautiful smile! When Sana became a part of our family, just 5 months before Derek’s death, she fit right in as if she’d been a part of our tribe her entire life. Sana is very smart and although the only word she knew in English when she first arrived in the U.S. was “hello,” she is now fluent. She’s had much emotional healing take place in her little heart and is very loyal to those whom she loves. Sana is learning much about God’s love for her and it’s changing her life in dramatic ways. Sana loves to draw and has a very compassionate heart for the poor. What a beautiful gem she is!
Our beautiful Michaela (one of our biological daughters) is now 10. She has a deep love for Jesus and really enjoys helping to care for her siblings. “KK” has such an incredibly compassionate heart for orphans and children with special needs. She has been so moved by the needs of others that she has literally broken down and cried as she petitioned God for his help on their behalf. Michaela is doing very well in school. She loves to draw, sing and cook! She is such an amazing blessing to our family and we love her joyful spirit! Michaela is always ready to bring another child into our family!
Sophia (biological daughter) turned 13 years old in November. She is our beautiful ballerina and has been dancing from the time she was in my womb until now. She has an incredibly passionate heart for the things of God and is also an amazing artist…she loves to draw and paint! Sophia loves to read and is also a born actress (loves drama). She is wise beyond her years and is very loyal to her friends and family. Sophia loves the Word and enjoys memorizing Scripture. What a beautiful and amazing daughter she is!
Joanna (also from the Marshall Islands) is a new little surprise that many of you may not know about. Some of you have been wondering who this new little beauty is, in our most recent family picture . Joanna’s parents are precious friends of ours. They love their daughter very much but are unable to provide the care that she needs. Joanna is blind and although she is 13 years old, she is the size of a 5 year old child. Joanna will be living with our family for many years while she receives the medical and emotional help she needs. We are so excited about being entrusted with Joanna’s care. She is a very happy child who loves to dance and listen to music. We are praying for Joanna’s healing and trusting Jesus to be all Joanna needs him to be on her behalf. She is learning about Jesus’ great love for her and we are seeing great gain in her little life. We would really appreciate your prayers on Joanna’s behalf!
Leeann (another of our Marshallese princesses) celebrated her ‘sweet 16th’ in January. Leeann loves to read and journal her thoughts. She has come so far in her emotional healing. We are so thankful for all God has done on her behalf. Leeann is a very sensitive young lady and a great listener with a very compassionate heart for her family and friends. She loves family time and enjoys talking about her feelings. She has grown so much in her understanding of God’s love for her. Her beauty (inside and out) is evident and we are so proud of the heart she carries before Jesus. What a beautiful blessing she is to our entire family!
Our beautiful Keyolla (Teyolla’s twin and one of our Marshallese angels) is 19 years old. She is an incredible help to me and her siblings. She has an amazing heart of love and is a very compassionate and sensitive young lady. Keyolla has a great sense of humor and loves to make us all laugh. She has a beautiful voice and enjoys singing! She has a deep love for Jesus and desires to know him even deeper through his Word. Keyolla has the patience of Job and I catch her many times in what could be very stressful situations responding with much grace. What a priceless gem our precious “Key Key” is.
Teyolla, Keyolla’s twin, is strong and beautiful! Tey has a strong sense of justice and has a very compassionate heart! She is also an incredible help to me and to her siblings. Teyolla has a natural gifting when it comes to caring for children. She loves babies and looks forward to the day she has her own. Teyolla is a beautiful singer and we all love to hear her sing. She is blessed with the gift of humor. If you’re having a hard day, just call on Tey and she’s guaranteed to make you smile. What a beautiful blessing from Jesus our Sweet-T is to us and all who know her!
Telma (one of our Marshallese beauties) will be 20 in February. She is attending IHOPU right now and is learning so much about God’s love for her. Telma is amazing and has a great love for the poor. She is very compassionate. This past year, Telma went to Rwanda with Youth With A Mission. She was blessed to be able to work with orphans there. Telma loves to read and is especially interested in the lives of those who work with the poor. She was blessed to be able to visit one of the orphanages that Mother Theresa began. Telma is a beautiful example of Christ’s love. She exudes joy and is a great friend to all who know her. What a huge help she is to me and her siblings! How blessed I am to call her mine.
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