Treasure in the Brokenness

It has been a while since we've updated the blog!  So much is going on and we are getting closer and closer to meeting our sweet boy! Paperwork is almost done...we are now just waiting to be approved by US Customs and Immigration. It is so hard to wait on others once our portion is complete!  Please pray for patience for us, but also for our case to be assigned an officer soon so that we can get the approval quickly and be officially submitted in Toby's country.  If all goes well, it still looks like we could be traveling in December. We are beginning to prepare not only for Toby's arrival in our family, but for our trip.  We are going as a family, so planning for winter gear (but limited luggage) for five of us is a challenge!  Our plan is for Kameron to stay with the boys in country after the court date while Josh returns home to work. Still working out the other details...but we covet your prayers for wisdom and safety as we plan what to do. God has pro...

I apologize for the lack of my blogging recently!  We hit our 2 month mark (September 2nd) from seeing Toby and committing to be his family...and in that 2 months MUCH was accomplished!  Our Home Study is finished and has been sent off for U.S. Customs and Immigration approval.  That process could around 2 months...but sometimes it happens quicker, so we cherish your prayers that our paperwork would get there quickly, get assigned a case officer and be approved in record time!!!  Our God can move mountains...and that means mountains of paperwork, too! Now we wait.  We've sent off everything we can possibly send off, including several grant applications.  I think that perhaps the waiting is harder than actually completing the stacks and stacks of paperwork!  Now we have to rely on other people to get things accomplished on our behalf.  But our waiting isn't nearly as hard as our sweet boy's days and weeks and months and years of waiting for a fam...

We made this video in an attempt to try to capture a little of the wonder we have as God unfolds the story of our family.  Sometimes, there are no words to describe it.  So maybe photos and music can do it for us! Song:  "Glorious Unfolding" by Stephen Curtis Chapman, Copyright 2013

We have been so moved by the ways we have seen God so obviously at work in this adoption process, even in just a little over one month!  Every up-front expense has been covered and all the paperwork fees have been paid.  We've seen hearts moved by this in ways we never could have anticipated.  Things are moving so quickly and with such support from our social worker, home study agency and others...the overflow of support we've received has been amazing! Sunday was one of the highlights.  Josh and I were asked to speak at church a little about our adoption story.  I made a few Power Point slides with Toby's picture and some prayer points.  Many regular families were not there and we saw many new faces.  As we prepared, I wondered if I'd be able to hold it together, talking about our boy up in front of a crowd of people.  Well...I did hold it together.  But my sweet husband couldn't.  He began talking, took one look at sweet Toby'...

We have been drawn to the Gospel of Matthew again and again in the last month since starting this process to adopt Toby.  Perhaps it is because Matthew 13:44 has become such a poignant verse for us as we see our Toby like the treasure in a field that is the image of God's Kingdom.  Adoption is a beautiful picture of what God's Kingdom on earth is all about.  But words in Matthew chapter 6 keep pulling at my heart.  Familiar words that we've read many times, but now seen in with a new perspective in the light of adoption. "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and money." Matthew 6:24 Josh and I have long ago decided to not be devoted to money.  God has always provided just enough for our family and in the lean times, He has drawn us so close to Him in new ways, that we count it as a gift.  We do not make money - the colle...

This time, we are auctioning four different baby quilts. Each quilt will start at $30 and can increase in bids by $5. I will post this on our Facebook page as well, and will keep updates on which quilts have bids and for how much. All four of these were hand made. ... Quilt #1: Made by my friend's mom. Measures 39" x 65" and shows scenes of bears doing sports activities in pastel boy colors. Quilt #2: Made by my friend's mom. Measures 41" by 52" and shows cute scenes of safari animals. Quilt #3: Made by me. This one measures 21" x 41" and depicts a reproduction 1930s vintage baby quilt design called "Off to Dreamland" with scenes from nursery rhymes. Quilt #4: Designed and pieced together by my step daughter Sarah and quilted by me. Measures 28" x 34". This one is in the cute and trendy color scheme of black, pink, white and green with owls and geometric patterns. Perfect for a baby girl! ...

Our hearts were filled with encouragement today, praise the Lord!!!  He is so gracious!! We were blessed by some more financial support.  We sent off the first of our paperwork to get the apostille for our dossier.  We were encouraged by those who continue to share our story and raise awareness for Toby's adoption.  We heard an amazing answer to prayer.  And...we came across some photos of our sweet boy when he was only four years old.  Isn't he just the most precious thing???? He has been waiting so long for a family!  It broke our hearts to know how long...and to know how very aware of it he is!  Please, Lord, whisper to his heart that his family is coming!!!  We also saw this more recent photo - another view of our son's sweet face! We are just beyond in love with him.  He is constantly in our hearts and minds and conversations and prayers.  Jack (age 6 1/2) prayed at lunch today, "Jesus, please let Toby know that w...