Opportunity

Thank you to everyone who has left supportive comments and sent emails, especially in regards to the reaction (or lack thereof) we have had to our adoption news. While we have peace in our hearts and know beyond any doubt God is FOR us, it does also help to know others have walked similar paths and faced some of the same circumstances.

Through it all we are seeing opportunities we can use to teach our children about love, God, grace, and helping others...these opportunities are everywhere. After our daughter passed away we started a foundation to help families who have had children pass away or have a child with a life threatening illness. Our children have helped other families and seen things most children never see. I have watched our son step without hesitation or fear over tubes and wiring from a ventilator, gently pat a little girl with SMA (spinal muscular atrophy) on the head and whisper "Happy 2nd Birthday." With tears in my eyes we have listened as our daughter prays for sick children and their families. I have thanked God over and over for giving our family both heartache and joy. For each has stretched my image of what is truly important in life.

As we continue on our road to adoption the P's are learning more about love and God's heart for ALL His children. I am so thankful to be on this journey. In one week we have our home visit appointment for our homestudy. This is both exciting and makes me nervous. Why I have no idea but it does. The homestudy is really preparing us for welcoming another child into our family. We have been reading, doing required education, collecting tons of documents, pouring out our entire autobiographies,and  answering MANY deeply personal questions all the while preparing the P's for another sibling. We have always been very open with the P's and welcome their questions or concerns. Having a sibling pass away has created many opportunities for us to talk to them about things most children never encounter. We approach everything age appropriately and with love. Because of all they have walked through we see amazing little people with compassion filled hearts. But they are still typical children and siblings who get grumpy, argue, tease and generally annoy one another on a daily basis.

I mentioned our church in my last post - I am blown away by the support we have seen. I am humbled, grateful and thankful for all the prayer, support and offers of help we have seen in both our church family and some of our friends/family. We will be making an official announcement to our church congregation this coming weekend. I can't stand talking in public. I get all shaky and nauseated but over and over God places me in situations where I have to get in front of crowds and speak. Viewing them as opportunities to show how God is working through our lives is the only way I don't pass out.

I may break out in hives and possibly throw up but I will keep y'all updated. This week we are finally getting more of our home study things done. The snow has melted and we are on a mission to get it all FINISHED!

This year we will meet our newest child...and we couldn't be more excited about all God is weaving for His glory. Follow us there!
**Yeah! We don't have to talk at church! Our preacher is going to make the announcement!