Toy Bin

I picked up this little basket recently, and I'm thinking that I'm going to fill it with baby toys. 


I'm determined to not let toys overtake our home. I love to have the house looking clean, orderly, and stylish. Bright, primary colored toys that make strange noises, quite frankly, scare me. As does the toy aisle at Target, but that's another story.

I'm sure those of you with kids are probably laughing right now, but let me live in my dream world a little longer... if I just put a few fun things (blocks, teethers, some books, maybe a stuffed animal or two) in here, that's good, right? I'd keep this in our living room and hide away all of the other toys and books in cute little cubbies (and probably more baskets) in the nursery. 

What do you think? It's possible, right? 

And besides all of this, they were practically giving the basket away! It was on sale from $32 to $7 (yes, $7.98 is closer to $8, but I like to round down in cases like this). I just couldn't resist. 

And when I heard that they were giving a $20 same-as-cash-coupon if you bought anything with your Pier One charge card, well I couldn't resist even more. So, basically, buying this toy basket not only solves my toy problems (ha!), it also earned me $20. 

Nursery Time

Well, we're unofficially 7th on the list for an infant boy. Last week was a pretty big week with 3 infant referrals going out, as well as many other families passing court and clearing embassy (meaning their children get to finally come home!). I'm still hoping for more good news tomorrow! 


We were so thankful for that encouragement. It had been several weeks since there had been any movement, and to be honest, we were thinking of jumping ship. Yes, eight months into the wait, and 18 months into this process, and we were almost ready to call it quits. The waiting had gotten that hard. [Just as a point of clarification, we were not going to "call it quits" on adoption, we were just praying about making a change- switching agencies, going with a domestic adoption, or possibly another program. We love adoption and hope to adopt many more children! Just wanted to clear that up!] On top of seeing almost no referrals for several weeks, we found out that MOWCYA (remember them?) was indeed only writing five letters a day for families in the court process. By some accounts this is a 90% reduction from what they were processing earlier. We had heard about this earlier, but then things actually seemed to pick up. We were hopeful that with new leadership in MOWCYA, the process would speed up, not slow down even more. With the announcement, we were told that there could be even more delays. Definitely a low point. 


So, we cried (well, I cried), we prayed, we fasted, and we waited some more. And you know what, God confirmed that we needed to stay put. And keep waiting. And keep trusting. 

Guess what that means? I'm getting started on a nursery because there is a little baby boy over in Ethiopia that is someday going to be our son, and I want him to have a really cool nursery!

Trying out the bedding and the lion. So far, so good. 

And picking out a paint color... (these are actually shades of gray, though they look quite green in the picture).

And now the search begins for the perfect rug and rocker. This is going to be fun!

I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. Wait for the LORD ; Be strong and let your heart take courage ; Yes, wait for the LORD. 

-Psalm 27:13-14

I'm Back

Seven weeks ago I started coaching track, and well, recently I found this in my fridge. 

And, actually, I found a lot worse than this in the fridge- think leftover chili in tupperware for multiple weeks. Gross. 

No cooking, no cleaning, just teaching, coaching, and sleeping. I think that pretty much sums up the past seven weeks. 

Track season is over, there are nine days left of school, and I feel like I have my life back. Looking forward to a summer full of gardening, reading, days at the pool, and lots of time with family and friends! And, of course, decorating a nursery (more on that later)!

8 Months

Yesterday was 8 months since our dossier was sent to Ethiopia. No change- we're still waiting. 

My Competition

I know that Don loves me, but his love for fishing is starting to become a dangerously close second. 


I may have to invest in some waders and a fishing pole... and get over my fear of all things slimy. 


Here are some pics from his recent steelhead fishing trip with his dad and brother:

They are kind of nice looking fish... when someone else is holding them!

Waiting

I think it's no accident that the week before I found out that our wait time was going to be extended again, I was reading a book on waiting. 


On Friday we found out that the wait time for an infant boy has moved from 6-8 months to 7-10 months. Each time we get to the end of the window, the window gets bigger and longer. It's hard. That's it... enough said. 


So, I went back to something that I read earlier in the week and read it again (and again and again):

There are no accidents, no glitches with God. He does all things well. Everything that comes to us comes by his hand and through his heart. He provides for our needs and fulfills our deepest desires in the fullness of time, not a moment too late, nor a second too soon. Hope assures us that in all things, even in the delays of life, God is working for our good. To know that is to be patient. 

One of the surprise "goods" that God is working for us as we wait is the forging of our character. What we become as we wait is at least as important as the thing we wait for. To wait in hope is not just to pass the time until the wait is over. It is to see the time passing as part of the process God is using to make us into the people he created us to be. 

Patterson, Ben. Waiting. Downer's Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1989.