Gift #1

My hubby takes me on a date every weekend, it's the highlight of my week. On our family blog I am going to start doing a little piece each week on the different restaurants we've been too. It is fun to rate the foods and atmosphere and such of local places, no chains, I promise. But needless to say, this past weekend we had a great dinner and then we did my absolute favorite thing, we went shopping! Not expensive shopping, but look what we got.

This is the first gift we have gotten our african baby(or babies)! Our first present to them. It is for their room. I will have to wait to get a frame for it, because it's huge, which means money money money! BUT, isn't it darling. (If you don't know why Elephant are so special to us, read this.) David found it, and I started crying when he showed it to me, so he had to get it.

I FORGOT!

Here is another present given to us by my Grandma, one of her favorite lamps. It will be perfect for our baby(babies) room!

Communion

Look what I got for communion today.

A little Africa straight from my papa God! A little encouragement to me, that He knows where my heart is and He promises to bring our little baby Africa home!

Garage Sale!

Just so you know, we are planning the bomb-est garage sale ever! All of the proceeds are going towards our adoption! If you know anyone in the Denver area who wants to get rid of their stuff, tell them to email me! Right now I am asking that people keep their stuff till May. But if for some reason they can't I'm taking it. Today I was able to put three beds and a cool trunk on craigslist! All proceeds, strait towards our fees for Gladney! And next weekend I am picking up some more stuff! I have the best friends and family who are helping us out in amazing ways. This process has began to show me how God provides through His people. It is a humbling and amazing position to be in. Spread the word!

Love in the Driest Season

I just finished this book last night. It was really good. I would compare it to "There is no Me Without You" in that it is a story about a family adopting from Zimbabwe but it goes back and forth from their story, and the political and societal challenges in Africa during their adoption. So when you're done reading, you have read a wonderful story of how God brings families together but you also have more of an understanding of Africa and specifically Zimbabwe during the nineties. Read it, it's an easy quick read that is great.

I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

(The guy with floatie in the pic is me, minus the facial hair and big nose!)

This song came on the radio last night as I was driving home from a great dinner with a wonderful friend. I started crying after the first verse. I kinda feel like this is us right now...

Oh,what I would do to have

the kind of faith it takes

To climb out of this boat I'm in

Onto the crashing waves

To step out of my comfort zone

Into the realm of the unknown

Where Jesus is,

And he's holding out his hand

But the waves are calling out my name

and they laugh at me

Reminding me of all the times

I've tried before and failed

The waves they keep on telling me

time and time again

"Boy, you'll never win,

you'll never win."

We stepped out of the boat, out of our comfort zone and into the realm of the unknown. I just have to remember that that’s where Jesus is, holding out His hand. Another preacher said it this way: (Or at least this is how I remember it, I don’t remember who said it though!)

Peter didn’t start sinking until he looked away. He didn’t start sinking until he took his eyes of Jesus and looked into fear. Fear for him was the wind and rain in the story of Matthew 14. My fear is something different when it comes to our adoption and where we are standing right now on top of the water. I started to sink because I looked into my fear, I took my eyes of Jesus.

But the Voice of truth tells me a different story

The Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"

And the Voice of truth says "this is for my glory"

Out of all the voices calling out to me (calling out to me)

I will choose to listen and believe (I will choose to listen and believe)

I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth

Home study

Home study is written up! I go and review it today and it has been sent to Gladney for their approval! Now we wait for our I-600 and FBI clearance and then, we're ready! One small step complete!

Pray

David was contacted today and has been asked by a group of doctors to help them get a plane full of themselves and medical supplies to Haiti. Pray that this works out. I would love to tag along and help get some orphans home who have obtained their "humanitarian parole" status as well as do some crisis intervention and help out in any way I possibly can. Pray~

Mom and Laurie you might be needed for child care!