Getting Close!

This will be a short quick blog. Just wanted to update you all on our recent progress. We only need a little more!!! WOOOO HOOOOO!!! I got out our dossier and made a to do list because I want that sucker ready to go when the time comes! God is so good. He never ceases to amaze me.
We are also having a garage sale on Friday and Saturday August 22-23rd at the Tanaka's house. So if you want to help, have donations or want to come shop and need directions! Give me a call!

Back from Camp

I got back from Summer camp on Sunday. Our youth group spent 4 days camping at Donner Lake. We had a great time. Four students accepted Christ as their savior. I had such a blast hanging out with the staff and students. We went rock climbing and boating and swam in the lake etc. Camps and retreats are what keep me going in youth ministry. There's just something about spending several days with students away from their normal life that gets them to stop and think. This was our 4th summer camp with Westside and I think it was the best. This was also my last summer camp with Westside Church because we are going to be attending Carmichael Bible Church starting in 2 weeks. This week is my last youth group and our last sunday.
I cannot express how sad I am to see our time at Westside end. God has used our time their to teach me things I may not have otherwise learned. God used Westside to expand my world vision, to more deeply understand worship, to see what it means to follow and support our leaders, to follow each step God sets before us without needing to see the whole path, to serve our community, that church isn't about me, to grow more in love with God's word...etc. I could go on and on. I am honored to be a part of their family and to have served alongside of them.

Some things God's been showing me.

If you haven't heard, our shirts are in! We have small through XXLarge. So if you've been waiting to get your shirt until we got some more, the time has come! :) We have now had 101 shirts ordered. That's all the actual adoption updates I have.

But let me tell you a little bit about what I've been thinking about and what God is teaching me. A couple of weeks ago I went boating with my family. I was riding on the boat, zooming across Folsom Lake, holding my niece against my chest as she somehow managed to fall asleep, watching my nephew laugh and giggle in complete glee as he held his hand in the spray of the water with my mom. I sat there and soaked it all in and felt like the richest person in the world.

Through this whole adoption process God has really been opening my eyes up to how much I have and how ungrateful I have been. Not only do I have a roof over my head, a closet full of clothes and excess food in my cupboards, I have 2 cars a cell phone, a computer a laptop etc. And yet I complain and ask for more. Sometimes I think I am entitled to these things. As long as Im not being excessive. But who says buying my 10th pair of jeans isn't excessive?

My pastor gave this silly illustration at church a few months ago and it really stuck with me. What if I decided that I really liked toothbrushes. And I had 100 toothbrushes. And I made toothbrush necklaces, and used toothpaste for makeup and wore dental floss as a bracelet and in my hair. And toothbrush earrings. That would be silly right? Why, because toothbrushes and floss are for taking care of your teeth. Not for adorning ourself and hoarding.

Yet that's what we do with the things God provides us. I collect more and hoard. And use my money and my things to make myself look better and more comfortable and more and more and MORE. When does it stop? Do I have the right to have exact pair of shoes for every occasion when people all over the world and even in my own town dont have any? I try to convince myself that God overlooks these things because I live in America and that's just how everyone lives. But deep in my heart, I know that's not true. Paul says in Phillippians that he has learned the secret of being content in plenty and in want. I want to learn that secret. I want to truely honor the Lord with my money and things He has given me. I don't know how this looks. But I know it doesn't look like how I have been living. Just because it's hard to define what's okay and where the line is doesn't mean I am excused from trying. And I can start by seeking Him...

So this isn't intended to put anyone else down. For He has also been showing me that it doesn't matter what other people are doing. He wants ME to look to Him. I dont want to be like Peter when Jesus told him how he would live and Peter said, Well what about John? So anyways, these are just some of the things God has been showing me lately.

Our 8th Anniversary

Today is our 8th Anniversary. It's hard to believe we've been married that long. When we got married we thought we'd wait 4 or 5 years to have kids. Interessting how things don't go how we plan sometimes! But I do hope that next year at this time we will be holding our beautiful african daughter.
It has been an amazing 8 years. If I could go back in time, I'd marry Sam all over again. He is truely my other half. Nobody makes me happy the way he does. Sometimes I just look at him and think, how did I get so lucky? I loved him so much when we got married, and yet it pales in comparison to how much I love him now.
Happy Anniversary Sam.

Waiting waiting waiting...

Today I got an email from my case worker that said lately families are waiting about 6 months for a referal for a baby girl. So based on that information, it's looking like it may be next spring before we bring home our baby. It's really hard for me to accept that the wait is going to be that long. I was SO hoping to have her by Christmas. I am really trying to stay positive though.
As for our journey. We are about half way to being able to send our dossier! Yay! And we have delivered tons of shirts. For those of you who have requested one and haven't received it, I apologize. We had a mix up with the printing. So they'll be here soon. That's it for now. I'll write again soon. My brain is really scattered today, so next time I'll share more of what God's teaching me and such.

Sam's Birthday

Today is Sam's birthday and so a great day to write a blog. :) I am hoping that this will be Sam's last birthday without Violet. Which by the way I emailed our agency and asked if we could change our request from female preferred to female only. They said that was fine, so we do know now that it's a girl! :) Now if we could just go get her!
Some updates on the fundraising. We have now sold 85 shirts. Praise the LORD! And here is a fun bit of info for you all. Last night we celebrated Sam's birthday with my family. In the card from my brother was a check to purchase 5 more shirts. And he wrote a note saying that in order to raise awareness and encourage support of our adoption he is committing to wear our adoption shirt five days a week for 8 weeks! Isn't that awesome.
I hope you are all doing well. We have about $5500 more to go in the fundraising. A big THANK YOU to everyone who has either donated furniture, sent money, bought a shirt and especially all of those who are praying!

Perspective

It has been a week since we got our shirts and we only have 2 left! Praise the Lord! But don't worry, there is still time to get yours if you haven't done so! I am going to place another order this week, so I will have plenty!
Yesterday I was feeling so discouraged about the distance we have left in the adoption. I was looking ahead at the what we still needed and it seemed so daunting. I have been really anxious lately about the whole adoption. I feel like my baby is laying in a crib in an orphanage in Ethiopia just waiting for me to come get her. I feel a sense of urgency to get to her and take care of her. I realize that it's a bit ridiculous for several reasons. First of all, she is in the hands of my heavenly father and He cares for her more than I ever will. (not to mention I don't know if she's born or not!) Second, I know that God called us to this, He is making the way before us, and He will provide for us in His time...the right time. (at least I know this in my head) The thing is, I pray about it every day, but I don't really give it to the Lord. I never really realized the difference until now. It's amazing the things God has taught me through this whole process.
Today I am looking behind and seeing all that God has done, all that He has provided. It puts the future in better perspective. He has been so faithful and I don't know why I ever doubt. We serve a big God and he cares for his children, even when we don't deserve it.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7