One Home Study Visit Down...Two to go

We had our first home study visit yesterday and it went really well.  I instantly felt at ease with our case worker J. as she was really nice and personable.  We did some more paperwork and received our next assignments to do our auto-biographies. We even talked about different mission trips we had been on.  It was a productive meeting and we scheduled our next two visits.  Our individual interviews for April 15th and our home inspection Friday, May 6th.  Fingerprinting is scheduled for next Wednesday.  Step by step we are moving forward.  :-)

I am thankful for God's perfect peace.  God gave me this verse in Isaiah and I am writing it in the inside cover of my adoption journal -- "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you"

There is a lot of unknowns in the journey ahead, but I know if my mind is stayed on God He will give me peace in those unknowns.  Trusting God in His timing and being content with my daily portion of "Manna" and not collecting more then I need or worrying about tomorrow.  (Our small group lesson Monday night)  Being content with Just Enough.....

First Home Study Meeting

Our first home study meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday.  I am really excited but I am not sure what to expect.  She said it would mainly be paperwork.  Sent out four more pages of paperwork this morning.  Also working on scheduling our finger printing and getting appointments for our physicals.  Step by step we are moving forward.

I also set up my first fundraiser.  I love coffee so I decided to do coffee through the Just Love site.  I am hoping to raise $1,000 through this fundraiser.  For every package of coffee that is purchased we receive $5.  It is a great opportunity for people who already buy coffee, to now buy coffee for a cause :-)

My heart is overflowing today with praise as I looked at Tiffany's pictures and read about Jo's amazing connection with her daughter.  Great things are happening in Ethiopia.  I rejoice with them and am thankful for the part they played in my journey as they spoke about adoption on their blogs.

In God's perfect time I will get to share my pictures and share about meeting my son for the first time.  What a day that will be!

Home Study Begins - Let's get RADICAL!

Yesterday sent off our first ten pages of paperwork to begin our home study.  To say that I am excited is an understatement.  I  never thought I would be this excited to fill out pages of paperwork.  I am sending off a few more things today. 

Amazingly my heart has this steady peace.... from a God who is taking this journey with me....walking with me step by step.  He has given me an amazing support system, prayer warriors, an amazing church family, friends that call and listen to my every detailed account of what is going on, even if I am only recounting my success at completing a pile of paperwork. 

I also received the best compliment EVER.  My dad made a funny comment about not being sure how either one of his daughters turned out.  I cocked my head at him and demanded to know what was wrong with how I turned out.  He said,  "I guess your doing alright, living in your own radical way!"  RADICAL!  I could of easily taken that as an insult but I grabbed it and smiled. Whispering the word "Radical" and letting it roll off my tongue, savoring the sound of it.

Radical defined as: thoroughgoing or extreme, especially as regards change from accepted or traditional forms

It almost makes me want to laugh hysterically.  For how traditional and comfortable we so easily become as Christians.  Safe Faith vs. Save Faith --

I can say honestly thank you God for turning me inside out, upside down and teaching me to see as you see.  I know I have a long way to go.... but I want to keep going....

So some people don't get me, but that doesn't matter.  God gets me.  God has me.  That matters.

I will leave you with this quote from the befitting book titled: "Radical: Taking back your faith from the American Dream" by David Platt.

"Throughout this book we have explored a variety of bold claims about our purpose in life that are contained in the gospel yet contradicted by the American dream.  Claims such as these: Real success is found in radical sacrifice.  Ultimate satisfaction is found not in making much of ourselves but in making much of God.  The purpose of our live transcends the country and culture in which we live.  Meaning is found in community, not individualism; joy is found in generosity, not materialism; and truth is found in Christ, not universalism.  Ultimately, Jesus is a reward worth risking everything to know, experience, and enjoy."

This book will soon be arriving in my mailbox and I thought it a bit funny that my dad used that word since that it is exactly what I am seeking to be....RADICAL

We are "Officially" on the list :-)

I am too excited to sleep :-)

We are officially on the list.  They received our application.

My mind is jumbling with thoughts......

Now we need to start our home study.....

And then all the thoughts loom in about the finances....

Then I am reminded about what I sang about on Sunday morning!!
And I reminded of the prayer that little Drew prayed over us at church and how our church family gathered around us, loving us and praying for us.
I have peace in my heart.
God will be there every step of the way