2 posts in the same day...I know, it's crazy! On a more uplifting note than my last post, I'm happy to report that I received a DVD of La Cenicienta in the mail today. The Spanish version of Cinderella, although Cinderella is still white for some reason. Anyway, this is happy news because....well, I ordered E.T. in Spanish as well. But I was shocked when I received a huge box called a VHS! What was I thinking!? We don't own a VCR anymore, nor do I know anyone who does. Logan probably hasn't ever seen one! Well maybe that's a little far, but still. Pretty funny!
Also, tomorrow is the fundraiser that Jes Horton wanted to do for us. We are humbled and so appreciative by all the people who are lugging their kids and/or spouses to that tomorrow to support us. We feel loved, encouraged, and supported!
Friday, April 27, 2012
What's New?
Awhile back, I posted on Facebook that international adoption is as easy as nailing jello to the wall. These last few days, we definitely feel like we're walking uphill a little bit. We worked our tails off try to buy a foreclosure that we really liked...and lost to a higher bid. Disappointing, but just a house. So we kept walking. The next day, I found out that I got denied health insurance. Denied. Like a sick person or something! Terribly frustrating. And that same afternoon, the consejo came out. Our kids were not on it.
The consejo is the list that the SNA in Peru puts out periodically (usually once a month at the end of the month but not always) and it "matches" couples or individuals with a child or sibling group. Ours will say something like sibling group ages 9-16 matched with a couple from Villa Hope. We thought this was the step we are waiting for. Come to find out, there are pieces in between our paperwork and the consejo that haven't happened yet. Our agency is supposed to be researching what the status of our paperwork is, if there are any problems that need to be corrected, etc.
We didn't cry or stomp our feet or anything. We know there are worse things. And we certainly have learned to trust God's timing. We are thrilled we're not traveling in May so that Logan can get the love and attention she deserves during graduation! We know when God allows us to travel, it will be just the right time!
But there are times in our walk with Christ that it just feels like you're walking in mud. Like every step is hard and heavy. He says His yoke is easy and His burden is light. So sometimes I wonder if I am making things harder than they ought to be. But similar to carrying a child for 10 months, nausea, heartburn and swollen ankles, the journey is worth it. I believe this!
The consejo is the list that the SNA in Peru puts out periodically (usually once a month at the end of the month but not always) and it "matches" couples or individuals with a child or sibling group. Ours will say something like sibling group ages 9-16 matched with a couple from Villa Hope. We thought this was the step we are waiting for. Come to find out, there are pieces in between our paperwork and the consejo that haven't happened yet. Our agency is supposed to be researching what the status of our paperwork is, if there are any problems that need to be corrected, etc.
We didn't cry or stomp our feet or anything. We know there are worse things. And we certainly have learned to trust God's timing. We are thrilled we're not traveling in May so that Logan can get the love and attention she deserves during graduation! We know when God allows us to travel, it will be just the right time!
But there are times in our walk with Christ that it just feels like you're walking in mud. Like every step is hard and heavy. He says His yoke is easy and His burden is light. So sometimes I wonder if I am making things harder than they ought to be. But similar to carrying a child for 10 months, nausea, heartburn and swollen ankles, the journey is worth it. I believe this!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Not a Fan
Today, our pastor talked about being a true follower of Christ. Not a fan of Christ. Not someone who watches from the stands and claps and cheers, but doesn't move. And I would say I have been a follower of Christ for a long time. I made a commitment to follow Him and was truly transformed. But the passage today still kicked my rear! This is Matthew 16, right after Peter takes Jesus aside to scold him:
But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man. "
Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?
Lately, I have not been setting my mind on things of God. And NO, I haven't been thinking of trashy things or anything! :) I think I've just been thinking of myself. Even with good intentions...things I want for the kids. Things I want for my house...for the kids. Things I want for Scott and I. Do you see the theme? Things I want. The reality that if I'm setting my mind on things of man instead of God means I'm acting as an enemy makes me ashamed.
I'm standing (with all my weight) on the truth that God knows what He's doing. That He is working in the SNA on our paperwork and He has a plan. That He takes care of us and provides for us...so worrying about what house we live in or what the kids wear is silly. I don't know any more about where we are in the process than I did last time I posted. But today, I'm not worrying about the world and am setting my mind on things of God.
But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man. "
Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?
Lately, I have not been setting my mind on things of God. And NO, I haven't been thinking of trashy things or anything! :) I think I've just been thinking of myself. Even with good intentions...things I want for the kids. Things I want for my house...for the kids. Things I want for Scott and I. Do you see the theme? Things I want. The reality that if I'm setting my mind on things of man instead of God means I'm acting as an enemy makes me ashamed.
I'm standing (with all my weight) on the truth that God knows what He's doing. That He is working in the SNA on our paperwork and He has a plan. That He takes care of us and provides for us...so worrying about what house we live in or what the kids wear is silly. I don't know any more about where we are in the process than I did last time I posted. But today, I'm not worrying about the world and am setting my mind on things of God.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Wish I knew more...
... but I don't. As of last week, our dossier was in the hands of the SNA (the governing body who handles women's and children's affairs in Peru) and we should be being looked at. For those of you not as familiar with international adoption, the dossier is about 4 inches of paper that tells your life story: our pasts, our home study, our kids, our mild psychotic illnesses (just kidding). Anything you can think of that might be valuable to know before allowing us to adopt children. And a whole bunch of stuff that maybe doesn't matter. BUT, it is our lifeline to being approved for these 5 kids!
And so we wait. We wait for a handful of people to each read our life story. And we wait for the call that they are ours! Last week, I had one change to a letter that I wrote that got overnighted and arrived in Alabama where our agency is on Friday. So far, it's the only requested change to our dossier.
Our prayers are that there are no major changes required and that they will approve us quickly! I would also ask that you would pray for the kids. They know enough about the process to ask how los papeles (the papers) are coming along. And so they are waiting too. I pray often that God would give them peace and the faith to trust that He knows what He's doing. Yhonson reminded me last week that God is in control. So I KNOW the Lord is holding them in His hands. :)
And so we wait. We wait for a handful of people to each read our life story. And we wait for the call that they are ours! Last week, I had one change to a letter that I wrote that got overnighted and arrived in Alabama where our agency is on Friday. So far, it's the only requested change to our dossier.
Our prayers are that there are no major changes required and that they will approve us quickly! I would also ask that you would pray for the kids. They know enough about the process to ask how los papeles (the papers) are coming along. And so they are waiting too. I pray often that God would give them peace and the faith to trust that He knows what He's doing. Yhonson reminded me last week that God is in control. So I KNOW the Lord is holding them in His hands. :)
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