Just checking in to say hi!

Hi, I'm sitting here while Kevin is doing bookwork, kids are in bed minus two anyway. My two oldest girls were invited by a friend to go to the Home School Day at the Capital tomorrow. I'm quite excited for them. There will be visits with the Governor and many others. North Dakota is one of the strictest home school states and they are working on legislation for 2009 when the laws are going to be changed, and we are praying for the better. Tomorrow is a chance to make a difference and influence some of the lawmakers. I'll be praying they are on their best behavior. Isaac may have passed his parasite, something happened anyway. It wasn't quite the way the doctor said it would happen but we'll find out Monday when he goes for a check-up. I'll be so happy, he can be on the road to gaining weight and getting some good nutrients in him. Isaac could use the 11 pounds that Hudson gained over on http://steppingoutoftheboat.blogspot.com. Way to go baby Hudson!!

I am taking some animals to the vet for their shots tomorrow. I have to leave the house at 8:15 a.m. and I have no older girls to help me!!!! What was I thinking? I have to do it for my daycare license.

Here's a cute kid saying (I know I've told a few people this one). When Gideon went to bed the other night he asked if he could have his sister Riah's phone number. It all goes back to a couple nights before this when observing them being so kind to each other I told him I hope you are close to your sister when you are big and when your married you call her up and say "Hi, sis, how are you, I love you. How are your kids doing? etc." He wants her phone number so he can call her some day. I told him I'd make sure he got it when she gets a number. She's only 3. That's our life right now. Our agency wrote and they want our profile books so they can send them out to some other agencies. Other than that no new news. God Bless.

Prayer Cover

"In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence." Ephesians 3:12

We've let our church family know our needs for our adoption so this week many prayers should be going out to the Lord on our behalf. What a wonderful thing that is to think on. We are continuing to pray for the birthmom to contact the agency. I am trying to get clarification on her due date too. The medical records say a different date than I've been told. We heard from our agency today and praises go out that a family has come forward for the Florida baby. Part of me felt sick that I may have made the wrong choice in not taking her. Did we lose our chance at a baby? But, quickly enough I know that I'm not in control of this.

Please pray for the birthmom to call. Pray for the baby's health. Pray for God to show His hand to us and to find another baby if this Alabama one isn't for us. Pray for grants we applied for to come in sooner than they estimate so that we could be ready when the call comes. That is a lot to ask I know. If you find the time when you're reading this to take a moment to pray these things I would be grateful. May God receive all the glory for this adoption and the journey he has brought us on to get this far. Thank You!

Pray without ceasing. 1Thessalonians 5:17

We are going to wait it out!

We are planning to wait for the Alabama mother to either call and say no or wait until the baby is born and see what she will do. We said no to the other baby for now. I did say we would consider her again after we feel more sure about the Alabama baby. So, we are praying for God to show us what will happen with the first mother. We might be being naive since our agency has a lot more experience with these things than we do but that is where our heart is right now. Sometimes I want to feel so anxious for it to happen for us but then I feel a peace that says wait and see what I have planned for you.

James 1:4-5 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Just another step in the process. God uses these situations to refine us. Sometimes we say we don't want to be refined, we've been through enough but then we look to the cross and can anything we go through ever be comparable.

Does anyone know about....?

Do any of you know about genetics linking schizophrenia in both the mother and father to a baby? We've been presented with another baby due Feb. 9. The mother is self-diagnosed schizophrenic with cerebral palsy and the father is diagnosed schizophrenia and has mental and emotional problems so much so he lives in some sort of care facility. I looked up schizophrenia and am having trouble finding an article I can actually read about the genetic predisposition for an infant. The Alabama baby's mother isn't communicating with anyone so she has probably changed her mind. Now what though? I am praying for clear direction in this. Will the mother in Alabama call and tell someone yes or no so we can put that out of our mind? And how do we know what God's wants with this new situation. If you could think to pray for these situations I would appreciate it. I am praying for His clear direction. Praise the Lord a possible family is found for a little boy with a serious skin condition.

Fundraising skirt project.

The Queen and her children came over Friday for a skirt making day. Jana had made these skirts for our girls and hers when we went on a trip together to the Black Hills. We decided they would make a good fundraiser for our adoption. Jana showed Jordan how to do it because frankly I can't sew. I did get a D in home-ec for the sewing part. I get a headache looking at it. Jordan is a natural of course, takes after her father in the fine arts department. We are making about 7 different patterns. Some are shown on the left and as we get them made I will post more. We will be linking to a blog of it's own. So, please spread the word and we'll start sewing.

I haven't heard from our agency today. Sad news is the birthmom has fallen off the radar for the time being. She could show up again after the baby is born but at this point we don't know. It is a bit up in the air which is the way of adoption anyway, it could change at anytime. We are praying for God's will to be done and are praying for the mother to make the choices that are right for her and the baby both for adoption and healthwise. She is very depressed and I believe this could affect her decision if she is not thinking clearly and thinking only with emotions.

Facing the Giants

If you haven't seen the movie you must. We just finished watching it and what a moving movie and message. We all truly enjoyed it. I faced a giant of sorts this week and am seeing God at work. He gave me the verse Matthew 11:25 And wherever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. I was not letting God have something and he kept showing me in a lot of different ways what I was to do and I kept thinking I couldn't do what he asked but, he gave me the courage and now I can move on from that and know that I am in fellowship with Him again. It is hard when we try to be in control and keep failing but stubbornly think we still have control. It can be a lie we keep telling ourselves. Sometimes I have the hardest time with the phrase "letting go of something and giving it to God". I'll think I have done that and it will keep coming back to me again and again. It is what I allow to keep happening. We need to take captive every thought and I know that I don't do that when I let something keep coming back to me. I am praising the Lord for not giving up on me.

Please pray as we continue to face challenges in the adoption process and in other areas of our life that God would have us grow some more in. I have to keep remembering His ways are not ours and we need to trust Him in the good and the bad. Like in the movie, they were going to Praise God for the wins and Praise Him for the losses. Blessings!