Stateside Post # 1: Waiting...waiting...waiting...

Since we have been home, I have sat at my computer countless times trying to wrap my head around what exactly needs to be said in this blog update, only to walk away feeling overwhelmed at the task before me.  The reason that it has taken me so long to write an update was because words that usually flowed so freely from my mind, were not there…at least not any good ones.  Ask David and he will tell you, "my wife is a true English and Writing teacher who loves to write, but at the same time takes the written word very seriously.  She is also, sometimes to a default, a perfectionist.  She will not allow anyone to read her writings unless all i's have been dotted and all t's have been crossed [I often add the words "both literally and figuratively" to that last statement – thank you very much!!!]." 

Before I continue, I must make it perfectly clear that David is in no way at fault for me not updating our blog.  He has dropped a million subtle hints about updating the blog since we landed back on American soil.  Of course, these hints did not matter because I have been in search of the perfect piece since September 4^th and remained adamant about not posting anything until words would flow from my thoughts.  I wonder why I have yet to complete the novel series (yes, you just read SERIES) I have been working on for a few years now.   All of that changed this morning…

This morning was the first day of a women’s Bible study over Jonah that my church is having.  I really wanted to join the Bible study, but I knew it wouldn’t be very practical since David and I are in the middle of adopting Teague, Maclayne, and Trenton; and when I say “middle” I mean middle!  We have come home from our first visit to Ukraine and are awaiting news about our second trip.  Although we have a tentative date of 9/22 to return to Ukraine, we really have no idea when we will be returning.  (God really blessed us with a great round trip itinerary from Ukraine to SA and SA to Ukraine that will only cost a little over $100 to have the dates changed!) 

God really laughed when I played the “adoption card” as an excuse to not join the Bible study.  He, and not so subtly I must add, told me that He has things to tell me about our family through the study over Jonah.  This goes without saying, but I could not say “no” to God since He is the one that has so perfectly built David’s and my family.  From the moment He gave us Copeland through an adoption that only He could have orchestrated, we knew that He desired us to grow our family and our ministry/service to Him through adoption.  Three years ago, he added “Down syndrome” to the word adoption as He brought our precious Silas to us.  Then, last November He added the words “Orphan” to adoption and Down syndrome.  By mid-December, He added an “s” to the word orphan.  So, it was abundantly clear that our obedience to Him must include service/outreach concerning DOWN SYNDROME, ORPHANS, and ADOPTION.  Our ministry will not stop once we bring Teague, Maclayne, and Trenton home. 

God made that abundantly clear to David and me as we have continued to pray about the special needs ministry we want to start that will reach out to individuals with DS, their families, and their church families through the love of Christ.  We desire to minister to both the churched and un-churched.  The un-churched, of course, will be taught of the love of Jesus Christ and the necessity of having a personal relationship with Him and a support system that will grow them in Christ.  The churched will be ministered to in a variety of ways.  It could be through education, respite care, specific resources, inclusion in differing church classes/activities, training of church workers who will be involved with special needs members and their families, etc.

So, as you can see, God has A LOT in store for David and me.  It became abundantly clear to me that He has chosen this Bible study over Jonah as another way to speak to me.  How did this great realization finally hit me over the head?  Let me count the ways:  1.  I called the church yesterday a few minutes before 5 pm to “sign up” in hopes that it would either be too late to sign up or the church office would have already closed.  2.  I would need childcare during the Bible study times and it would be too late to reserve a spot for Silas.  3.  I would miss SO MUCH of the study while David and I were back in Ukraine.  4.  For once in my life, I could not think of any back-up excuses and justifications as to why I couldn’t join the study!   

Needless to say, the church office was not closed, there was still room in the class, Silas was added to the childcare list, I will be able to access the Bible study online while we are in Ukraine, and God FREEZED my brain for 24 hours so I could not possibly come up with any excuses/justifications!

So, Jonah and learning to navigate a life interrupted here I come!  You know, I have always enjoyed fishing and David grew up deep sea fishing, so maybe I’ll be able to pass on a few nuggets to him while I’m in the belly of the whale with Jonah!       

On another note, there is no news out of Ukraine as of today.  There are a few documents that are being completed in order for us to have a court date.  As soon as we get the court date, I will definitely post it on here.  We are praying that it will be VERY SOON because it was really hard having to leave our babies in Ukraine and return to the States empty handed.  We are trusting in God’s timing and praying, praying, praying…