If The Bible Interests You...

From Brent

My wife is writing an adoption update... after months of delays, it seems we might be getting close. And an Abby update this week too...

For those of you who find the Bible interesting (or WISH it was interesting), you might check out my latest post on my Christian blog:

http://www.seriousfaith.com/2012/05/change-your-cherry-pickin-ways/

Just Do It

I just posted some thoughts over on my other blog called "Just Do It".

Thought I would let you know about it in case it could bless you today.

http://www.seriousfaith.com/2012/04/just-do-it/

Brent

Laughter Lives At Our Friends House Too

From Brent

Our friend Susan sent us the following story which is just too funny not to share:

A few years ago I went to visit my dad and step mom in Tulsa, Ok. It was one of those trips where I came home with more than I took, so my stepmom sent me back with an old suitcase of hers that she no longer wanted.

I got home and unpacked it, then put it in the attic where it has been for a few years. I have no use for it. It's an old style with tiny wheels. It is large and taking up too much space, but I have a terrible time getting rid of anything that has useful life left.

So a few weeks ago a person posted on Google groups that she was looking for an old suitcase to take on a mission trip. She wanted one that didn't have to be returned if it were ruined or lost. Perfect! I responded right away. When she got to my house I got out the suitcase, and it was then that I realized it had a 3-digit combination lock on it. I tried all the obvious possibilities (my dad's area code, part of the zip, address, etc.) with no luck. I even called them but they didn't remember it. The woman took the suitcase anyway, thinking perhaps she could get the lock off the suitcase.

A couple of weeks later the suitcase was on my front porch when I got home, still locked. I can only assume she found a different one to take. I didn't even bother to take it back up to the attic. It has been by the front door for a while waiting for me to get rid of it! So today, fed up, I decided that there were only 1000 possible combinations and how long could it possibly take to flip through them? I started with 001. 002. 003... I got pretty fast and was flipping through them at a rate of two or three per second. It wasn't taking that long.

Finally, on my 473rd try, *click*. I opened the suitcase wondering if there was anything in it. Sure enough, there was.

Joy & Strength No Matter What

I wrote a blog post over on my other blog about having joy and strength no matter what life throws at you.

If you are interested, you can read it here:

http://www.seriousfaith.com/2012/03/joy-strength-no-matter-what/

Adoption Update and Birthday Pics...

From Michelle

Here's an adoption update and we are working on birthday party pics that will go up shortly... try to see if you can continue life anyway despite the anxiety and expectation of seeing some of our family photos. :)

Adoption Update

Our adoption agency feels we are getting very close to completing this adoption. The last steps they have been all about making sure that the child/children’s birth family is choosing adoption for their child. I love that they are being so careful.

This process has been slowed down a little because of -20 Celsius temps and a lot of snow.  Europe is having a ridiculous winter. Yikes! When it is 50 degrees outside, I wear a coat that is marketed as “perfect for 0 degrees F”. I got cold just reading our lawyers email. I am glad God called us to adopt when weather.com clocked Montenegro’s temperatures at 70 degrees F... I doubt we would have chosen Montenegro if the temps were 50 below at the time. J

I have begun freezing meals for my kids to eat when we travel and talking to my family about thing the kids will need help with while we are gone. As silly as it may sound, I am enjoying doing the little things to get ready. It helps pass the time as we continue to learn PATIENCE which is a necessity for international adoption.