ONE DOWN...

ONE AIRPLANE DOWN...    

We counted.  Between the FIVE of us (Rob, Julia, Ben, Elijah and AARON), we will be flying on 12 different planes.  We have one down.  Eleven more to go.  Can I just say for the record that I don't particularly enjoy the seats on a plane.  A bit like sitting in a dentist's chair.  You have to be there but you would really rather be anywhere else.  I also have to say for the record that I am a lousy sleeper.  Lousy.  Last night our air conditioning unit in the upstairs went on the blink.  It's a bit hot in Virginia right now so sleeping upstairs was not an option.  I had been looking forward to one last night in my comfy bed before the next six weeks where getting a good night's sleep will be one of my biggest personal challenges! 

     Not to be.... we camped out in the family room.  I didn't get much sleep last night.  Oh well, I'm just started a day early on the 'struggle to sleep' part of this trip. 

     This morning we flew from Richmond (VA) to Chicago where I am typing this.  This afternoon we will fly to Dusseldorf, Germany and after that... Aaron's country.  With time changes and what not - it will take us 26 hours from start to finish... A whirlwind of stuff awaits us on the other side. 

     One of the best parts of this trip will be the opportunity to meet other Reece's Rainbow families who are already there and who are in different stages of their adoptions.  We were having fun trying to figure out who we may see in the next few days in the capital city.  I am so hoping to see some of the children who are on their way home.  I know that we will be getting together with the other family that is coming in tomorrow!  Our SDA appointments are only a day apart.  We will be the newbies on the block.

     One special highlight for us - we carry in our bags a very special pack of papers.  The dossier for the adoption of one precious little girl who happens to live in Aaron's country.  I LOVE that I am a very small part of someone else's adoption.  I am guarding these papers with my life!!  Hopefully their dossier will be submitted quickly and they can get their little one soon!!  This is the ONE picture they have of her...

     LOOKING AHEAD...If all goes well - on Thursday - we will meet Aaron for the first time.  He does NOT know we are coming.   It is not going to come soon enough...

   

ONE DAY!

A little over 7 months ago we stumbled upon a picture of the cutest little boy on the Reece's Rainbow website.

This was listed below his name:

Aaron (23)

Boy, Born 2004

HELP, I HAVE ALREADY BEEN TRANSFERRED!

Aaron is a darling, blonde haired and blue eyed boy who was born with arthrogryposis. He is very high functioning, cognitively normal, and is able to walk on on his own. His feet are nearly normal, and his hands are only minimally affected. He stands straight and tall and is very active! Aaron has recently been transferred to the institution, so we need a family for him FAST! He deserves to have a loving family, not to be stuck behind 4 walls for the rest of his life!

My heart felt like it had been yanked out of my chest when I saw him and read that he had been transferred.  Within two weeks, after much crying, praying and a whole lot of soul searching we realized that little boy with the cute dimples and piercing blue eyes needed to be a part of our family. 

Tomorrow we leave.   It is not going to be an easy trip but we know that we are not alone.  We rest knowing this -  God has gone before us to pave the way, is behind us to guard our path and will surround us in His loving care.

THANK YOU for standing with us. 

Please keep us in your prayers. 

After tomorrow we will be in a world where hearing English will be music to our ears.  Our beds will be different, the food will taste funny (especially for dear Elijah), the customs and culture will confuse us and we will be lost and dependent upon our drivers and facilitators. 

To keep us grounded and not quite so lonely, we invite comments, e-mails and Facebook messages.

THANK YOU!

TWO DAYS...

Lists...lists...lists... Unfortunately my lists are growing and not getting shorter.  The more I do the more I think of what needs to be done!  My brain is starting to fall out! 

     Last night I had a blast watching Ben's swim team win against a division rival.  The contrast between the two teams was striking.  We don't have a team pool and though last night was a 'home' meet, we had to borrow their pool to host the event.  They have a pool and a facility that is state of the art.  Lush!  Yet our little country team (actually we are 200 strong) can out yell, out cheer and outswim almost every team in our region.   I was proud to stand there and watch those kids.  We swim with heart and passion.  We don't just cheer for the fastest either.  I watched team members yelling for the kids who were coming in last place with as much passion as if they were winning the race.  It warmed my heart.  Each person on our team has value.  What a concept.  I can't wait for Aaron to be part of that world.  So many came up to me last night, letting me know that they are praying for us.  It felt good.  We know that Aaron will be cared for tenderly by the coaches and the families on our team.   It is an incredibly loving group of people.  I'm going to miss watching the meets in the next weeks.  I'll have to root from afar.  

   

Soon...

     We leave on Saturday!  In Three Days!!  I finally have started to pack.  More like making piles, putting stuff in suitcases and then taking it all out again.  This is going to take awhile! 

     One of our BIG prayer requests has had to do with what we are doing with my dear sweet Ben.  He's staying behind until his big swim meet is over and then he will fly out to us/me.  The plans have been very loose (drives me up the wall) but this week we have had some pieces fall into place which makes me very grateful indeed.  Rob's 20 year old nephew, Spencer, is going to come down and spend the first two weeks with Ben to keep him company and to give me some peace of mind!  Spencer is an awesome choice for us.  He's just a great, all-around Godly young man!  It is a real answer to prayer.  Dad is going to still oversee Ben's schedule and they will figure out meals together but it should be a bit easier for everyone to have another person helping.  Ben is looking forward to time with his cousin!

      Flying Ben out has been the second loose end but this morning that piece may have fallen into place.  Another wonderful Reece's Rainbow family has offered to have him fly alongside them on July 31st.  Ben swims July 30th so he would be able to get his swims in before flying out.  We are arranging tenative tickets for him before we leave.  Praying hard that all will fall into place with those plans.

     Financially, we are just trusting God.  Though we are short some funds, we rest in His promise that He is going to carry us through.  Dad is going to mat and frame Aaron's puzzle for us after we leave so that we can add names of those who still want to help "Love Aaron Home"!!   The pieces all have names on them, but Dad will be putting the extra names on the mat board.  It's been an amazing project.  I look at the 500+ names displayed on that puzzle and I see an amazing testimony of how the Holy Spirit has moved and worked in this adoption. 
     This adoption has truly been the work of God's hand.   We are just vessels He has been using for His glory!  We give Him all the praise and honor.  In a few short days we step into the unknown.  How grateful I am to know that we do not go alone.   We are blessed beyond measure.  We have a whole host of family and friends standing behind us, praying, encouraging and cheering us on.  We have a God who loves and cares for us.  We have a great team of facilitators who are going to meet us on the other side.  Finally, we have the amazing realization that across the globe, a little boy waits, longs and hopes for someone to love him.   We are coming soon, Aaron.  Soon.

Standing in Prayer

     I am SO GRATEFUL for the many e-mails/facebook messages and comments on our blog that we have received in the last day from people who want us to know that they are standing with us in prayer.  It means the world to know that we are not alone as we cross the globe to bring home a lonely little orphan.  I feel like we are swimming in the surreal.   Knowing that we are not alone keeps me from spinning in the craziness of the moment.  Thank you.  Thank you for letting us know that we are being bathed/covered/immersed in prayer.  Thank you.

P.S. - WE LEAVE IN 4 DAYS.....

FIVE DAYS...

     We leave in FIVE days.  I am NOT ready.  I have NOT packed, prepared meals for Ben, written lists for Dad, signed POA for Dad, arranged people to take Ben on the weekends, made lists for packing or anything.  I've instead been trying desperately to get as much written on the history curriculum  before we leave. 
     Yesterday and today we are ENJOYING family time.  Rob's whole family is here - lots of noise, kids, adults and craziness surrounding us.  It is good to be surrounded like this because it takes my mind off the anxiety of the coming trip.  I dearly wish Aaron was here to enjoy his cousins who are already talking about him and excited for him to play with him (lots of little ones his age).   Soon. 

     Please continue to pray.  There are SO MANY things that could go wrong in the next weeks.  We beg you to stand with us on this journey.  Pray for us.  We need to know that we are being lifted up to the throne.  Please pray!

Sequence of Events..

     In one week, July 10, Rob, Elijah and I will leave for Aaron's country.  Ben will stay behind.  If all goes as planned we will arrive in his country the next day - Sunday, July 11.  We have a day to get our bearings, adjust to the time change and MAYBE get some sleep!  On Tuesday, July 13 we will have our SDA appointment.  At this meeting we will be given a referral that allows us to meet Aaron.  The referral takes about a day to write up so late the next day, July 14, we will get the referral and take off for Aaron's part of the country. 
    If all goes as planned, on July 15, 2010, we will walk into Aaron's institute.  We will meet with the orphanage director, the doctor, the caretakers.  Then they will bring Aaron for us to meet.  From what we have gathered, this first meeting is fast, a bit wild and very emotional.  Aaron will have no idea who we are.  We will be emotional basketcases as we see our son for the first time.  After only a brief visit (based on other families experiences), we will then agree that we want him and will begin a whirlwind of paperwork in order to get a court date.  We will receive visitation rights to see Aaron.  Each day we will visit with him for a few hours.  The rest of the time we will be doing paperwork or just waiting for the next day to go see him again.  We are taking work so that we don't waste our time.  We also hope to do some sightseeing and learn more about Aaron's world during this time.  Our court date could be in a week or 3 weeks or more.  We will stay until we have court.
    In court, we will stand before a judge and state that we want Aaron as our son.  We will be asked questions about how we plan on caring for him, why we would want a special needs child  etc. etc.  If the judge likes our answers, Aaron will become our son. 
    It isn't over after court.  In Aaron's country there is a ten-day waiting period before the adoption is finalized.  Some judges waiver the waiting period.  Most likely Aaron's judge will not.  I will stay during the waiting period and when it is over will finish the paperwork and bring Aaron home.  That will take 2-3 weeks.  Rob and Elijah will leave after court.  When Rob gets home he will put Ben on a plane and Ben will fly out to help me in the last weeks. 
   We have learned that in the adoption world - to always expect the unexpected so even though this is the typical process - it may not be our experience.   Thankfully we have Reece's Rainbow facilitators who will walk us through every step of the way.  They WANT Aaron to be adopted and they are going to do everything in their power to help it happen. 

Our leap of faith continues... 

The Kindness of Strangers

     Today we received a check in the mail.  From a church we have never attended.  In a state that isn't ours.  The kindness of strangers who found out about Aaron and decided to put love in action.  It is another reminder that God continues to meet our need.  Knowing that there is a church in New Jersey, led by a pastor with a passion for God and for missions, touches us deeply.  Thank you Jamie.  Thank you Carlis Corner Community Fellowship! 

Holding tight...

     I am holding tight to my Father's hand.  I honestly didn't think that the week before we left that I would be feeling like I do.  Scared.  Overwhelmed.  Excited beyond words.  Longing.  Unable to sleep.  So full of thoughts and emotions that I can hardly think straight.

    We have a lot on our plates.  Rob's frantically trying to get as much done on the house he is building.  It is our livelihood.  It is going on the market in the next week so we need to get papers drawn up.  Dad will have power of attorney while we are gone.  Praying that a buyer will come soon.  A bit overwhelming on the business end to think of Rob leaving for 3 weeks.

    Leaving Ben behind is killing me.  I know that Dad is next door and we are arranging different people to get him where he needs to go but this is my son.   I am doing a lot of praying on this one.  So many questions swirling on how to arrange for him to fly out to me.  Who will watch over him... will a Reece's Rainbow family be able to escort him?  I'm struggling.  One son is waiting for us to rescue him and one son will be left behind.

     My computer is dying.  It's taking its last breath even as I type.  It makes writing hard because it has an annoying habit of just shutting down.  Dead.  No warning.  Rob revived it for a few months but we have come to the realization that it wants relief.  One more expense.  It's my livelihood.  Just having to hold tight because the water is deep in that department.

     We are so excited yet so nervous.  We leave in 10 days.  10 days.  Holding tight to my Father's hand.

     

ELEVEN DAYS....

ELEVEN DAYS UNTIL OUR PLANE TAKES OFF FROM THE RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...

ELEVEN DAYS...

I'm going through a whirlwind of emotions.  Sleep is completely eluding me.  Thus, I'm tired.  That increases the emotional whirlwind.  It is in these times that I am driven to my knees.  Late at night, in bed, whispering prayers. 

Praying.  Lifting up to God the burdens and joys of our hearts.  Since January we have begged prayers from everyone we talked to about Aaron.  Pray for him.  Pray for us.  Seemingly a simple act, but oh, so powerful. 

Yesterday I read a blog that touched my heart.  I am 'borrowing' it from the author...Lu, She's from Britain so when you read it, as I did to my family last night, put the British twinge in your voice!  I don't think she will mind.   It was titled "Beethoven's Fifth" and it is all about prayer....

After reading it... please take the time and pray for Aaron.  Pray for us.  Pray for me. 

I ask for a lot of prayer. Well, not specifically for me, but I do ask my readers to do a lot of praying. I have asked for prayer for families and orphans and yes, my daughter too. I suppose I've asked you to pray for nearly everyone now!

So much so, do I ask you to pray, that I've been asked why it is so important that so many pray. Why isn't just one man's prayers enough? (to be fair, I actually mentioned this which is what prompted the question). The Bible says in James (5v16b) that 'the effective and fervent prayers of a righteous man avails much.'* So why ask everyone to pray?

 I sat and thought for a moment and I do believe that this could be answered a myriad of ways... as many answers as there are people on earth probably! lol


But this is my reply...

 God is an emotional being... not like we are, human emotions are flawed to say the least. But He loves us and just as we, as parents, enjoy the company of our children and enjoy hearing them talk to us, so does He. So, anything that puts us in communication with Him is going to please Him. This is also why our petitions should never come without first praising him. A bit like 'buttering dad up' before asking to borrow his car lol!(only a joke)


But, that said, No two people are the same. Each one of us, through genetics, circumstances and our life experiences and educations is so completely unique. Never will two people completely see things the same. This is probably why 'lovers quarrel' there is 'sibling rivalry' and more restaurants and shops than you could ever count!


So, when I ask you to pray for my friend Lyndi; who is adopting Freddie and they now have been told due to his being born in Russia, not the country they are adopting from, they have an additional $3000 they need to complete his adoption; out of all of those who read this then go to their blog and then on to pray no two will pray the exact same thing. I may pray that the Heavens release the funds to them (I can sound so dramatic, can't I? lol) whilst another of you would pray for their safety, whilst still another praying for Freddie that this won't affect their being able to adopt him. Each one of you will consider a different part of what we need to pray for him.






We are like a Symphony (were you wondering what the title meant?). Each one of us is a different instrument, played a different way by a different musician. We all have different sounds that we make when played, some reach very high notes whilst another may rumble such low notes you can feel it in your belly. Each one playing their own melody, their own notes, in their own way but all of us together are playing the same song. That song is prayer... we are each, all over the world praying in our own way, our own sounds, our own abilities, the very same song and God is our audience.


When I look at it this way, I feel honoured to be able to be in this Symphony. To be playing this song with other joint heirs of His Son. It is no small thing to have an audience with the King... the Creator of the Universe in fact.


I also, then, consider that my asking you to pray is really an invitation. The chance to sing a song to the Holy of Holies with me and the others also praying sounds so much better than just 'please pray' doesn't it?


So, here it is, your slightly less than gold embossed invitation to be part of a Heavenly Symphony to play the grandest song that's ever been heard. Will you join me?


As it says in 2 Chronicles 7v14 'if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.' What a powerful force we can all be when playing together! 

Brotherly Love!!

TWO BOYS AND A PILE OF DIRT.....

 

 

 

 

 

14 days...

     We leave in 14 days.  FOURTEEN!

     I'm taking time off from my incessant writing to say.....

     So much to do.  So very much to do....

     I'm frantically writing this history curriculum to get as much done before we leave.  I am to the point where I am sick of looking at the computer. 

This afternoon I promised Ben I would take time off to watch the World Cup game today with the UNITED STATES playing against ??   That's pretty bad that I am so out of it that I don't know who is playing.  I LOVE soccer and I LOVE the World Cup and I have yet to watch ONE game. 

DID I MENTION THAT WE ARE LEAVING IN FOURTEEN DAYS??? 

One quick story... on Thursday I was SICK of writing so Ben and I decided to clean out the garage.... Actually I decided to clean out the garage and I decided that HE would help me....

     So with brooms in hand, a bucket and scrub brush (to clean out the fridge) - we began to tackle the beast.  Not fifteen minutes into the job... out from behind the fridge slides a looonnnngggg BLACK SNAKE!

    I hate snakes.  They are so NOT my friends.  I don't mind spiders, bugs, mice and every other creepy crawly thing but snakes.... NOT!  I don't care if the think isn't poisonous and is a good deterrent for other beasts etc. etc.  I HATE SNAKES!

     I called Rob (20 minutes away) to come home and get that snake out of my garage. 

He laughed. 

He'd get it that night! 

Not soon enough! 

 I wanted to clean the garage because I DIDN'T want to look at the computer and have to write. 

SNAKE... HISTORY WRITING....SNAKE....HISTORY WRITING....

That was my choice...

I CHOSE THE SNAKE!

    We scared the thing enough so that it slid back under the fridge.  Knowing where it was allowed us to clean out the garage.  Yippee!

I didn't have to sit at the computer for several hours!!

When Rob came home to get the SNAKE out of the garage.... it was NOT to be found!  

Sigh!

  

Please help the Shupps...

     Earlier this week I saw on Facebook that my dear on-line friend and supporter, Lyndi Shupp, was asking for prayer as something was 'terribly wrong'.  Nothing more than that but Lyndi has been my hero throughout our adoption.  The boy she is adopting, Freddie, is one of my all time favorite RR kids and our paths have crossed too often to not be worried when I saw her post.  I prayed.  I've prayed a lot.  I worried.  I was afraid that something had happened with Freddie.  He's 15, epileptic and beyond the age of anyone else adopting him.  The Shupp family is his LAST SHOT.  In a year he will be out of the orphanage and on the streets if they do not get him.  I was terrified that something had derailed his prospects of a loving, Christian home.

    Just a bit ago I found out what was wrong... they received news that Freddie was not born in the country he is currently in (same one as Aaron which is why I am NOT naming it).  This throws a major curve ball in the adoption.  The Shupp's can still adopt him (PRAISE THE LORD) but after they have court, someone has to travel to Russia (where he was born) to get his original birth certificate.  This will cost a lot of money.  3,000 more dollars.  Money they don't have.  Last year they adopted Patrick and that stretched their pocket books to the max.  Freddie's adoption has been HARD on them financially.  They were just barely scraping funds to go before this happened. 

     Please consider dropping 5, 10, 20 or more in their hat.  They need it.  They don't have any more options for borrowing.  I want to see the Shupp's when we go.  They are scheduled to be there a week before us.  We are both so close.  I want to rejoice with them in their adoption.  Please pray and please give..

    YOU CAN CONNECT TO THE SHUPP'S BLOG HERE  - GO TO THEIR CHIP-IN ON THE RIGHT AND HELP THEM OUT!

OH MY!

     Today I feel very old.  Ben has his learner's permit.  I'm a bit in shock.   

     You would think with all my expertize at paperwork stuff after navigating through this adoption that I would have quickly and professionally helped my dear son get his learner's permit without incident... Not so!  We arrived yesterday at the DMV only to discover that we needed a BIRTH CERTIFICATE.  Not an issue if you only live 5 minutes from the DMV but definitely a headache if you live a lot farther than that!  So back this morning we went WITH THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE and the first question out of the attendant's mouth was 'May I see your Social Security card....'  ?????  Double goof.  Fortunately they only needed the number so I called my dear, dependable Dad to go run over to our house, dig out the file and read off Ben's number!  Honestly, what would I do without Dad next door???  

     So my happy son has a piece of paper that says he can drive and Rob and I are looking at each other wondering where the time has gone.

    

17 days and counting

In 17 days we leave for Aaron's country.

 In 17 days we begin a journey that will change our lives and Aaron's forever.

17 days.

It truly doesn't seem real!

THANKS LYNDI!

Quiet

     My blog may be a bit quiet in the next week or so.  I write history curriculum for BIBLIOPLAN  for Homeschoolers, Co-ops and Christian Schools.  For this year's major project I am writing the Companion e-book for Medieval history. (Last year I wrote the 350+ e-book for Ancient history).   I have to write 34 lessons for the e-book and normally they take about a week for each lesson.  I'm teaching it this fall to a group of Homeschoolers who come to my house and by next year it will be on the market.  So I am in a race in the next 2 weeks to knock off as many lessons as I can in the midst of cleaning my house and getting ready to leave the country for quite a number of weeks!  Yikes!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR US AS WE PREPARE FOR THIS JOURNEY!  

MOST IMPORTANT - PLEASE KEEP LIFTING AARON UP TO THE THRONE! 

 PRAY THAT THE LORD WILL PREPARE HIS HEART FOR THE DAY WE ARRIVE.

Father's Day

     I am lousy at holiday stuff.  I'm supposed to give tribute to my husband and Dad and Father-in-law and I'm not great with tribute.   Everything I try to write gets too mushy and doesn't truly capture what I feel deep inside.  So I'm not even going to go there.  Suffice to say - I love them way beyond words.  

     Partly I'm lousy today because I am in that reality state of being where I am starting to get terrified.  Rob and I are going to be adopting a son in a few short weeks. 

     Okay - you knew that and I know that but... oh, how it is hitting me.  He's almost six years old.  He's disabled. He has spent his entire life in either an orphanage or a mental institute.  He doesn't speak English.  Oh my gracious!  'What if's' are assaulting me.  What if he is so developmentally behind that we can't reach him.  What if he is disabled beyond what we can handle.  What if he doesn't like us.  What if we don't like him.  What if...

     That's where I am.  Scared.  Hanging on for dear life that since it was God who brought Aaron into our lives, then He will not abandon us in the long-term.  The battle to GET Aaron is only the beginning.  We can't send Aaron back.  He's going to be our son for better or worse.  We had no idea what we were going to get when our boys were born.  They are not perfect and our life has not been a romance since the Lord entrusted them to us.  But we treasure them.  Every part of them.  Their strengths AND their weaknesses. 

     In my deepest heart I know that I will treasure Aaron too.  Not the romance version.  Not the pretty picture with the dimples.  The real Aaron.  The Aaron that may not walk.  The Aaron that may throw fits.  The Aaron that may not learn easily. The Aaron that may not smile or easily shake off six years of institutional life.  The Aaron that will need to learn what love is.  The Aaron that can't speak English.  The Aaron that may act strangely at first and may not stop acting strangely for a very long time.  The Aaron that will have to learn to be a part of our family.  I know that we will come to treasure him.  All his quirks.  All his disabilities.  We will come to love and treasure him.

     It won't happen overnight.  We read too many blogs to know that the first weeks/months are hard.  It is the rare adoption where the picture matches the child.  Most families have to learn to love the child.  We know we will be shocked and even dismayed in those first weeks.   We will all be disoriented as we try to assimilate a six year old disabled child from another country who doesn't speak our language or understand our rules into our well-established home.  

    So for today - I am a bit scared.  Rob is too.  We are not looking back but we are being honest.    We jumped off a cliff in January and continue to free fall into the arms of the only ONE who can bring us in for a safe landing!   It is scary. 

    Continue to pray for us.  Please continue to pray for Aaron.

    

Winnie the Pooh

DEEP IN THE HUNDRED ACRE WOODS....

I fell in love with Winnie the Pooh in college. 

His sayings.  His philosophy.  His friends.

He makes me laugh. 

     When I was pregnant with Ben, it was a NO-BRAINER how I was going to decorate his room.  My kids were going to be 'Pooh' kids.  The only problem with that idea was that Winnie the Pooh was NOT in fashion when I was pregnant with Ben.  There were no Pooh items for sale at the store.  You couldn't get sheets or curtains or mobiles for the crib.  I don't remember what was available but it was NOT Pooh.
     But Winnie the Pooh had captured my heart in college and so I was not giving up on having Pooh and his simple, funny philosophy on life surround my kids.  I scoured yard sales and found crib sheets from 20 years before.  I found an old Pooh Mobile and old Pooh wall hangings.  I even found the bumper pad for the crib.  My son's room was decorated with Pooh and the only thing I bought new was his Pooh bear that we took to the hospital and put in his bassinet the day he was born.  His first baby picture was taken with Pooh at his side.  Each year for Christmas and his birthday he received another pal from the Hundred Acre Wood until he had the entire collection.

     When Elijah was born Pooh had come in style (actually only a few months after Ben was born which is why he is wearing a Pooh outfit in the picture).  You could get Pooh items everywhere you went.  But we already had our Pooh world so the only thing Elijah really needed was the Pooh for his bassinet that we gave him on the day he was born.  Each year for Christmas and his birthday he received his own collection from the Hundred Acre Wood.

     Can you see where this is going? 

Aaron needed a Pooh Bear. 

The day we received our SDA appointment and we knew without a shadow of a doubt that we would be going to get our son... I ordered him Winnie the Pooh.

Because his sixth birthday is so close .... I also ordered Eeyore.

Aaron's Pooh and Eeyore are bigger than Ben and Elijah's. 

I find that a bit appropriate! 

They will fit him just right! 

In 22 days we leave for Aaron's country... because according to the wise and wonderful Winnie the Pooh:

You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.

 

Swimming....

      We are swimming in decisions. 

Swimming! 

Literally!

     Ben wants to finish out his swim season with his team.  We do too.  He swims every weekday.  Year-round.  That is a lot of swimming!  He is unbelievably dedicated to the sport.  He loves it. 

The end of the summer swim meet is the highlight of his swimming.  Sixteen teams in our region swimming against each other in one big fun swim-fest!  Our little old country swim team which has only been in existence for 4 years came in 3rd place last year. 

That was BIG news! 

Fun times! 

OF COURSE the scheduling of our trip lands right smack on top of that swim meet. 

We want him to be there.  He has worked too hard to miss it.

    It means leaving him behind.  For three weeks.  It means that after Rob gets back he will send Ben alone... on an International flight... to Aaron's country. 

Yuck...double yuck...

     I know that kids fly alone ALL the time. But this isn't just any kid.  He's MY son!  My firstborn. 

     We want him to go to Aaron's country.  I NEED him to help me at the end of the trip.  I HATE the thought of leaving my son home.  Yet we TREMBLE at the thought of him flying alone, INTERNATIONALLY, to another country. 

    We are praying....hard... that we will be able to find another Reece's Rainbow family who is traveling at the same time (beginning August), from the East Coast, who would be willing for my sweet, well-behaved son to travel with them! 

How's that for a major prayer request??

Entrusting it all into God's able hands in prayer.