I know, I know, I’m a little bit late to be talking about Thanksgiving and things that we can be thankful about. I’m sure that we’ve all gotten our fill of turkey and pumpkin pie and have packed up the fall decorations and have trimmed the Christmas tree already. But, I would like to go back and recognize some things that we are thankful for, especially at this time during our adoption.
On November 22nd, NewLife Community Church held a Concert for Adoption. Scott and I would like to personally thank every person who attended the concert. I know that it takes a lot of effort to get yourself and other family members out of the house for extra church events like this. Scott and I were very excited to share our story with you and to have you become a part of our journey. There were so many hands behind the scenes that made the night possible. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all the people who brought desserts, served, cleaned up the church afterwards, those who gave sacrificially, those who shared their talents with us, those who told their own adoption stories, and to those who shared the evening with us. We feel that adoption is truly at the heart of God and we enjoy sharing that excitement with other people!
The second thing that Scott and I are truly thankful for is the staff and leaders at NewLife. This church has brought us so much closer to God and aided us in attaining a more intimate relationship with Jesus. I truly respect each of the men on our deacon team and trust my spiritual development to them. I’ve never met another group of men that were so dedicated to the cause of Christ. It is a true privilege to be a member of a church that has such a strong leadership team.
Thirdly, we are thankful for the role our friends and family play in our life. We would not be able to do the things that we are doing each and every day if we did not have the support of our friends and family standing behind us and praying for us. It’s so nice to see our friends each Wednesday night and to share our joys and struggles with them. Our family members are always just a phone call away and their love for us is so evident.
There’s so much more that Scott and I recognize in our lives that we have to be thankful for. Even though you have changed your holiday decorations and started wrapping Christmas presents, I would encourage you to think of the things that you are thankful for in your life and then go and find someone to tell those things to and share in the joyful feeling that it brings both of you.
As far as the paper pregnancy is concerned, we are still in the waiting phase. The Time Warner Cable guy is supposed to come on Wednesday to set up a home phone line and then we’ll child proof the house and be ready for our fire inspection. Our CPR training is scheduled for Monday, December 21st. We are still waiting for our Ohio child abuse report to come back. The only other paperwork that needs to be done is to get an employment letter from our employers, get a signed copy of our tax returns, and prepare a copy of our personal financial statements. I suppose I’m in charge of the last two things on the list. :) Keep praying with us for each step of this process, the child whose life will change next summer when we bring him/her home, the other couples in NewLife whom God is pricking their hearts for orphan ministry, and the orphanages in the Ukraine who are being hit hard by the flu epidemic.
I thank my God every time I remember you! Thank you for your goodness and love towards Scott and I.