Moving along...

Some good friends of ours have a condo at the beach that they let us use every year. It’s an incredible gift. No matter how far ahead we schedule the trip, when the time to go arrives, we always seem to be in serious need for a break.

Tomorrow is that day this year. And we are definitely ready for a little R&R.

Last week, both vehicles and several major appliances decided to throw a temper fit. Bobby got called for jury duty. And we’re coming off a semester that has been sweet, but hectic. (I was a little overwhelmed and grumpy yesterday, in fact.) Soooo, the thought of sitting somewhere quiet, sleeping as much as we can, and taking some long beach walks sounds about perfect. My only sadness is that our child across the sea can’t go with us. Maybe next year?

As for the adoption, some of you know we sent in our agency application this week. This is now a, “hurry up and wait" situation on our end. Since this application is what determines our “start date” on the long wait for a baby, we are eager to hear from them.

We’re also working through the in-depth home study packet that we will give to our social worker. Those questions range from memories of our childhood experiences to discipline techniques that we use with our current kids. Thinking through all of this has actually been interesting. I’ve noticed several triggers from my past that have, over time, opened up my heart to this adoption.

I’ve been thinking about how my family kept foster kids when I was a child. Once we hosted a “failure to thrive” baby. His parents had given him so little attention, that he had lost his will to live. He was physically and cognitively delayed, and acted months and months younger than he was. After a month of living in our home, the child was strong enough to do so much more. His little personality blossomed under the love of a family who cared about him.

It was so sad to return this baby to a family we knew had not treated him well. But through this experience, I caught a vision for how much the human body and mind can recuperate in a safe environment. Maybe this is part of the reason why I am so looking forward to watching our new child grow in and atmosphere of safety and love that he/she won’t ever have to leave.

Finances are coming along. We’re over halfway toward being able to cover the homestudy. That’s great, because once the homestudy is complete, we can start applying for grants. If God would provide another $700-$800 in the next few weeks, we would be so grateful. I'm also looking for a part-time job next semester (starting in August, during school hours) to help fund this endeavor. So thanks for your prayers toward that end.

I was also deeply encouraged by a phone call that I received this afternoon from a new friend. She is one of those people who just “gets it.” I was so moved by her enthusiasm, and I can’t wait for our new child to meet her when he/she arrives!

Also, several friends are now wearing Willow jewelry while praying for our child and other orphans around the world. It’s so encouraging to have their support! Thank you! Thank you!

Well, I should return to packing. Thank you so much for keeping in touch with this journey! I'm not sure I'll be able to update next week, but your prayers are a treasure!