Our Mantel is Wonderfully Full!

Last year, I bought stockings for the four of us, never believing that we would need more so soon. I have been looking for more like them all season this year but didn't remember where I had bought them. I also doubted that last year's merchandise would be out this year, but I really wanted them all to match, so that no one felt different or like an afterthought. Garin and I went to Target today to pick up more wrapping paper, and as I browsed the Christmas aisles, I looked up and saw two, only two, stockings that were identical to Matt's and Garin's! I had to buy them for D and K, and I put them up as soon as I got home. We're praying that next year, we'll get to fill them!

The Maestro

Garin loves playing the keyboard and recently discovered he could hear it throught the headphones! Cool!

Yes Ma'am!

This entry is for Aunt Pat, who is apparently feeling rather "peachy" and a bit "plucky" tonight! Apparently, she is unhappy about my irregularity....with blogging, that is. I guess if she can spend her days at the hospital, keep up with her blog daily and still find time to tell me "it's time you got off your butt and put something on the blog," she definitely deserves a new entry! ;o)

Seriously, Aunt Pat, I know this experience has been life-changing for you. I wonder if you know how much it's changed all of us - the way we view life, each other and all of you. Thank you for letting us be there for you in whatever ways we can and for keeping us informed. I love you so much, and it has been so special to witness the love that you and Uncle Harry have for each other. The road isn't always easy, but you are both very special people, and you have proven it in these past three weeks. I am so excited to see the great things that the future holds for you both! I know that God will use this to His glory. Please tell Uncle Harry that I love him and am looking forward to seeing him again soon.

This week has been wonderful and challenging all in one. Quick rundown: Monday was wonderful because we got the great news that Karl was selected for Major, and we mailed off our dossier for translation. It was a scary day because Uncle Harry wasn't doing well. Tuesday brought MUCH better news to cheer us all up, but Garin choked on lunch and had to be heimliched. Wednesday was fun at bowling, and we had a relaxing evening. Thursday was supposed to be our OSC board meeting and social, but Garin threw up blood and spike a high fever, so we spent all morning at the urgent care center. We got wonderful news from Aunt Pat, though, that Harry was doing awesome - grinning, winking and kissing! Friday, Garin was better, and we got our INS applications turned in and were fingerprinted the same day, which is unusual but very helpful. I also got the house cleaned! (Although I'd swear this house cleans itself. I hardly find any dust or yuck around here, even when it's time to clean.) Friday night, we had an awesome time at the squadron Christmas party. Great food and friends, and Karl and I each won a door prize. Today, I have Garin's stomach bug and have been almost worthless. I did manage to get Christmas cards ready to mail and make some chowder and biscuits for dinner.

Now I think I'll go get a bath and read my new Country Living magazine.

The Best Laid Plans.....

Today's snow was some of the driest I've ever had my hands on. There was no way we were going to get a snowman out of that, but I sure did wish for a nearby mountain and a shiny new pair of skis! It would have made for awesome skiing! We did get in some good playtime, though. Garin loves the snow, as long as it isn't ON anything. We spent much of our time outdoors cleaning snow from the playset and his clothes/gloves. My sweet little OCD child.

Gotta keep those mittens clean!

What a cutie!

Snow makes a great cushion beneath the slide!

Again...mittens....clean....

Getting tired from all the hard work...

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

I got up and took a picture of our snow this morning, not realizing that Karl took several when he got up earlier. The first two are his, taken at dawn. The last is mine, taken after the sun was bright and the skies blue. I like his better. It pays to be an early riser! It looks like we got about 3 inches, maybe a bit more. I plan to take Garin out this morning to build his first snowman!

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

Yay! We're getting our first snow of the season today! It started falling steadily about an hour ago, and is supposed to continue on and off through the afternoon and evening, to the tune of a couple of inches. It isn't a lot, but it sure is pretty!


My rheumatologist put me on a new medicine, Plaquenil, yesterday. I hear great things about it from Mom and my friend, Penny, who have taken it. However, so far all it's done is make me feel nauseous and woozy. They say those side effects wear off once your body gets used to it though, and if it's as great as I'm told, it will be well worth it. Who knows? Maybe I'll lose some weight in the meantime!

Red Tape

Just stopping by to say howdy. It's been a terribly windy day here, and everyone is having to bring in their outdoor decorations, etc. They were starting to take off on their own to visit the neighbors. The wind advisory is supposed to end at 7 am tomorrow, thankfully, so we should be able to redecorate.

I have spent the entire day trying to finish up the dossier. Interestingly, no matter how much you get done, the last little bit always takes hours longer than you expect. It's the story of adoption, I'm afraid. Tedious, time-consuming and worth every second! I keep having to remind myself why I'm going through all of this. When I think of D and K, where they are now and where I want them to be, I don't resent the process as much. Although, if I'm perfectly honest, it still seems insane to me that it can take so long to get two children home to their family! Of course, there is nowhere really to lay blame. It's just the nature of the beast. They have to be sure that we're safe and will provide the right kind of home, and then there is the red tape that must exist but still annoys. If you know me well, you know how I hate the very concept of money. I wish it didn't exist. But it does, and I have just filled out the fourth financial report since this process started eight months ago. Everyone has a slightly different form that wants slightly different information. Of course, when you space them apart every few months, the information that goes on them also changes. Our investments grow, our car loans shrink, life insurance options become available and are purchased, etc. Basically we get to start all over, counting our money every couple of months. It's like Monopoly on steriods, and it's getting old!

Ahhhh....now I feel better! Just needed to put it out there. Life is good....great, really!

Garin spent over three hours in his room trying to stay awake by wreaking havoc. I think it's time to give up on a nap and have some play time. Maybe he'll fall right to sleep tonight.....HAHAHAHAHAHA, that's a good one!

Christmas Cookies!

Garin made his first batch of Christmas cookies tonight! We had such a great time! As you can see, he was dressed (again) as the Christmas Dinosaur. We may have to make this Halloween costume "disappear" eventually, but for now, we'll just laugh about it and be happy that he enjoys it so much. Working hard....
Every time we cut out a cookie, Garin grabbed for the remnants and scarfed them down...

Smile! A picture to remember by... The "beautiful" finished product...
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!

My Big Boy

Garin is taking his first unconfined nap, and he has a big-boy pillow too. It took him about an hour (during which he played with toys, read his Bible, locked his door and had to be rescued) before he finally fell asleep, but I think that's not too bad for the first time! I just checked on him, and he was so precious that I had to grab the camera.

Growing up.....

Hi! It's been busy week, and I've been fighting a yucky cold, which I'm happy to say is almost over. I haven't posted on Harry's progress, as Aunt Pat has started a blog of her own to keep everyone posted: http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-QDh_BeUherK6jFS17r5J Please feel free to visit the blog to keep up with their progress, and thank you to all of our friends who are praying with us!

It has been an emotional morning for me. I hadn't expected such nostalgia to hit me when we turned the crib into a toddler bed today! I would like to keep him in the crib forever, but it was getting a little crowded that way. And since he's almost two, it's time for him to start learning how to stay in his own bed. He has shown in recent days that he fully understands most simple instructions and is able to recognize what we require of him. We decided that he is up to the task and that the time has come. (sniff-sniff).

As an example of his understanding of rules: The other day, he had apple juice from Sonic that was in a cup with a lid and straw. Because he wouldn't let me put it in a sippy cup, I told him he had to keep it in the kitchen, on the tile floor and couldn't cross onto the living room carpet. He walked right to the edge of the carpet and started creeping his toes to the very edge and looking back at me, testing to see exactly where the line was. Once I said no, he figured that out immediately. So he then set down the cup, walked over and started inching toward the line again to see if he had to stay because he was holding the cup or if I just expected him to stay in the kitchen, period. It was such fun to watch him testing the waters, trying to discover exactly what I intended and why!

The Christmas decorations are all up. Garin is enjoying the music of the season as much as we do, and this Christmas promises all the joy and fun that toddlers bring to the celebration of Christ's birthday! Garin finds the candy canes adorning the tree to be irresistable. He has eaten more than a couple and comes out of each experience and sticky as flypaper, head to toe, but boy he is having fun!

We got our official letter from Buckner today, saying, "We understand and support your ideal preference of adopting the sibling group of K and D as long as they remain available for adoption in Russia." Feels good to see it in writing! Of course, the journey is far from over, but one small step after another...

Blessings to you all!

Uncle Harry

Please continue to keep my uncle and his family in your prayers. The doctors were able to clean up and repair the right arm, and he has moved that hand, but they were unable to close up the left shoulder where the arm was severed. It was too dirty, so they left it open for a few days. Later, they will do another surgery. They will have to take skin grafts because there was not enough left to cover the hole. They drained something like 750 cc of bloody fluid off of his right lung last night, and he has had 8 units of blood and some platelets. He has not been able to move his legs, and the doctors are concerned that he may also have spinal damage and may be paralyzed.

Please Pray

My uncle was seriously injured today in a farming accident. An auger ripped off his left arm at the shoulder and also injured his right arm. He was taken by helicopter to the hospital and is currently in surgery. They were unable to save the left arm, but they will clean it and sew it up and also repair the right arm. Please keep the whole family in your prayers. My aunt witnessed the accident and was able to call for help and keep him from bleeding to death, but I cannot imagine how traumatic this must be for her as well. My mom and cousin have gone to the hospital to be with them, and my dad stayed home to be there with my grandparents, who are also rather shaken up. I will post an update when I know more. Thanks for your prayers.

Another Day, Another Dinosaur

We finally got Garin out of his costume at nap time yesterday, so he was dressed as a human for our Thanksgiving dinner. Unfortunately, he found it again this morning. After several attempts to put it on himself, Daddy finally helped him into it.

This morning's activities? Well, I think these pictures say it all. We could use a little more estrogen in this household. Even our cat, Harvey, is a boy. Lord willing, I will have a daughter in the house next Thanksgiving, but I sure do love my boys!!!

Thanksgiving Day Fun

The boys play (Everyday, even Thanksgiving, is Halloween to Garin).....
Mom cooks....
The Macy's parade is riveting....
And brother hung the moon...

God continues to speak....

If you haven't read the previous blog, please start there and then come back. God has given me an amazing day of comfort and confirmation.....


I received this message in an email from Dad a few minutes ago:

"I heard Pastor Tim's sermon this morning about being thankful. In the sermon he quoted Proverbs 3:5-6. I immediately thought of our conversation this morning while you were driving to church. On the way home, I mentioned this to Paula and she commented that she had prayed these verses for D and K just a few days ago.

"In reading those verses after getting home, I also noted three others that have some degree of relevance to the situation. It is your power to act on behalf of the adoption and it in within our power to act to help you as you act on their behalf.

"Proverbs 3: 5-6, 25-27 (NIV)
'5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, 26 for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared. 27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. ' "


The last few verses there remind me of the closing song in worship this morning, "Healing Rain" (http://www.christianlyricsonline.com/artists/michael-w-smith/healing-rain.html). I stood with joy, my hands to heaven, as we sang, "Healing rain is falling down. Healing rain is falling down. I'm not afraid! I'm not afraid!" What a blessing that we don't have to live in fear.

Fearless Faith

This is the title of our pastors' message series for the last few weeks, and it has been very timely and appropriate in our lives as we take this adoption journey. Today was no exception.

After months of work to make it happen, our home study was completed and approved, and we have the opportunity to be the parents of D and K. Praise God! Within 24 hours, we began to see the hand of the devil at work in our lives, trying to discourage us. We became worried and fearful, which is just what the enemy wants. He would like nothing more than to see us abandon these kids. Really we had two options, trust the clear call that God has placed on our lives or tuck tail and run, basically telling God that we don't believe He has the power to accomplish His will. We choose to stand on faith.

But still I was afraid, steeping in sinful worry all weekend. Last night, I told God that I needed another sign from Him that we were still on the right path. I told Him that I was committed until He told us otherwise, but that I needed Him to calm my spirit and reassure me. I told Him I wanted to hear His voice the way my pastor, Kari, did when she argued with Him about whether or not He was really calling her to minister to the people of India, but that I would appreciate any clear word or sign from Him.

Well, as God does, He delivered in a mighty way today! As I was making breakfast for Garin, my flesh was saying, "Are we insane? What are we doing? Are we going to take the risk of shelling out thousands of dollars and fall in love with these kids only to stand before the judge and have him break all of our hearts by saying no?"

On the way to church this morning, the autumn leaves were magnificent. I don't think I've ever seen a fall scene that was so beautiful. I said (I talk out loud to God in the car.), "God, if ever there was evidence that you are the creator of the universe, this is it. You are awesome. I wish I could just fall down on my knees and magnify your name right here. Just two weeks ago, on the way to church, I told Karl that it didn't look like the leaves were going to be pretty this year because it was getting too late and we hadn't seen much color. I was just too impatient. I guess I was trying to rush you."

And then, in perfect clarity, He whispered, "Then don't rush me. Why do you want to rush me?" It was like a lightning bolt between the eyes! He made the leaves beautiful in His time, and He will accomplish His will in our lives in His time.

I called Mom and Dad and told them about what had happened, and they shared with me that their financial investment in this adoption is also an act of obedience to God's call and that they are also unwilling to be diverted from God's plan. That was a huge feeling of responsibility lifted off of my shoulders, as I realized that I wasn't deciding for them, but they were also making the choice to stand in unity with us to accomplish God's vision.

I had already received more than enough of a sign for me, but there was more! Worship was so very Spirit-filled. We sang about how our hope is in Him, and there was such an atmosphere of praise. Then Kari and Alan spoke about fearless faith. Today's sermon was about Jairus and how he risked everything - his status, his financial stability, his reputation - when he asked Jesus to heal his daughter because he was a leader in the synagogue, and the Jewish leaders were plotting to kill Jesus. In fearless faith, he risked EVERYTHING....FINANCIALLY...and God delivered because of his faith. Lightning Bolt Number 2!

Later in the sermon, Kari and Alan said, "With God, all things are possible," and then they had us all repeat it with them. Now, how can you proclaim that and not live it?! Lightning Bolt 3!

An interesting point from the sermon was from Malachi 4:2: "But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings..." The Hebrew word for "wings" is the same word used in Numbers (chapter 15?) for "tassels". They were referencing this because the bleeding woman in the verses we were studying in Mark wanted to touch the hem of Jesus' garment, the tassels, to be healed.

When I got home, I looked up Malachi 4 and read. Then I thought I'd just like to read about God's power, so I looked up "power" in the concordance. I saw a reference to Ephesians 1:19. Well, I never read one verse, so I started at the beginning of the chapter. Although I've read these verses a million times, I didn't make the connection when I turned to them, but there was Lightning Bolt 4! I think it's important to note here that I am not a believer in the open-and-point approach to Scripture. I don't advocate picking a verse and then finding a way to make it mean what you want it to say. This is just one of those times when God's Word was right on the money and consistent with His promise, and it was an additional assurance of his sovereignty.

Ephesians 1: "1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Spiritual Blessings in Christ 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. 11In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory. 15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."

God is so faithful and so caring and so very generous in meeting our needs! What we ask within His will, He provides abundantly. I could not at this moment be more certain that He will be glorified because of and throughout this wonderful adoption journey we are on together!

And even more house pics!

Garin's Room:
Matt and Dima's Room:
Kristina's Room:
Our room:
Our sad little neglected sitting room:

More House Pics

Den:
Gameroom/Playroom:
More gameroom/playroom:
Great room/kitchen from upstairs:
Entryway from upstairs:

Almost Done Moving In....

I've had a few requests for pictures of the new house with furniture in it, so here they are! Keep in mind that I'm not done decorating, and there is nothing on the walls yet. I'm hoping to take care of that this week, so we can have a more attractive Thanksgiving (haha).


From the front:

From the back (you can't see it, but we actually have regulation horseshoe pits!):

My dream kitchen (from great room):
The dining room (from great room):
The great room (from kitchen):

Adoption Developments

We have now begun the process of preparing our dossier to be sent to Russia for translation and registration. As we look at the dossier requirements and the regulations of the Russian government, the elation of another step behind us has quickly given way to the worries that accompany the next phase of the adoption. We are finding this to be the pattern. Concerns, roadblocks and feelings of helplessness are worked through as we accomplish each step. We begin to feel comfortable and confident about the adoption as we overcome them and then experience utter joy and elation as we pass another test and move on to the next phase, only to find a whole new set of issues to deal with. It is disappointing to move from the highs to the uncertainty again, but we know that God is in control and is guiding this process from start to finish. This is where faith is exercised and God is glorified, and that is always exciting! If everything went smoothly at all times, I am quite sure we'd get comfortable and cocky and forget to see God in the details.

If you are praying with us through this journey, please pray specifically for these things now:

- that the Russian gov't will grant accreditation to Buckner in December, as expected.

- that God will make a way for us to meet the requirements for the dossier with minimal headaches and without any time delays to draw out the process.

- that God will provide the right words, doctors, translators and judge for our case. Because of an unnecessary medical decision that was made years ago for prophylactic treatment of one of our family members in order to prevent any possible future issue, it is crucial that each of these people understand the situation, the reason for treatment and the fact that there was not and has never been evidence of disease. It all comes down to wording, how that wording is translated into Russian and how it is understood by the judge.

- that God will continue to encourage us with His promises, His Word and His signs that we are following the path He has laid out for us.

We move forward with confidence, knowing that Buckner has confidence in us. More importantly, WE KNOW THAT GOD CAN DO ALL THINGS AND THAT HE WILL ACCOMPLISH HIS PURPOSE, AND WE GO FORWARD IN FAITH THAT HE IS IN COMPLETE CONTROL!

The Blessings Flow!

I had the amazing opportunity to speak today with Becky, the foster mother in the family who hosted D and K on their visit to the U.S. in 2005!!! She and her family are already a blessing to us, and we are so excited about getting to know them more in the months and years to come! Becky had some wonderful things to share about our kids, and I am more eager than ever to be their mom.

Until we are officially matched with D and K, we cannot get their background information, but Becky was able to share her observations with me. She shares our belief that these kids were part of a family in the crucial bonding years, which is wonderful news for being able to bond with them when they join our family. She said that they function very well in a family situation and seem comfortable just being themselves. She said that her Russian neighbors told her that both kids had very good speech, grammar and pronunciation of the Russian language, which also indicates that they were not in an institution while they were learning language skills. Both children are very intellectual and good readers. D loves to draw and play soccer. Becky says he is immature in a most wonderful way, as in he is innocent, playful and not at all street smart. She feels that he has been watched out for and protected. He loves America and wanted to stay so badly. K really receives love well and will try any food she's offered. Doctors aren't sure just what is wrong with her knee, but they believe it my involve blood flow issues and that she may be healed with a knee replacement. Another option is arthritis, but either way, it doesn't slow her down. Becky also said that they did deal with the common issue of hoarding, which is typical of institutionalized children, but she said that their institutional behaviors were much milder than those of the other children her family has hosted.

On to other blessings/prayer requests....I received this email from Irina today. Please pray fervently!

Dear Buckner Families,
We covet your prayers! We heard from our Director in Moscow feedback after she met with officials at the Ministry of Education today, that there is a strong possibility for Buckner to be reaccredited in the December group. Our paperwork has been signed off by three ministries so far! We are still waiting on some final approvals, including one from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which was the cause of recent delays with the other agency's accreditation process.
Please pray specifically that the Ministry of Internal Affairs has resolved their review process and will sign off on Buckner's paperwork without delay and that all the final approvals will be in place by December. Please pray that Buckner is in the next group of agencies to be reaccredited. We need your prayers as never before!It would be a wonderful Christmas gift to all the waiting families, children, and Buckner. Please join us in praying!
The Buckner International Adoption Team.

Home Study Approval!

Our local caseworker and the Buckner Adoption staff had a conference about us today, and our home study has been officially approved by Buckner! This means that we will start getting our dossier together and that we will be able to get an official referral for the kids as soon as accreditation is complete! Another huge milestone behind us!

New Information on the Scott Family

I got an email this morning from Shauna, and the news is worse than I expected. Apparently, JT had been having leg pain for awhile, and the doctors thought it was growing pains. This week, he was having trouble breathing while sleeping, so Shauna took him to the hospital. One lung was collapsed and filled with bloody fluid, and the other was half-full of fluid. He has several malignant masses on his lungs. The doctors said it was a form of bone cancer in his leg that has now traveled to his groin and lungs. It is Stage 4, but they are praying for a miracle. The doctor reminded them that children have recovered from Stage 4 cancer before. JT has had three surgeries this week already, and he will start chemotherapy tomorrow.

Shauna's mother just passed away in September, and she is still struggling to get over the depression she has suffered since Hurricane Katrina wiped out their possessions. Please pray for them.

Prayer Request

Please keep the Scott family in your prayers. Some of you may remember that Shauna Scott worked with me last year on the craft show. They were previously stationed at Keesler AFB in Mississippi and lost almost everything in Hurricane Katrina. She has had a hard time since they moved here, and her husband commutes several hours to a base in VA, only coming home on weekends. Her 15-year-old son has been having leg pains, from what I understand, for quite some time, and the doctors were telling her it was growing pains. They finally got someone to dig a little deeper and got horrible news. He has Stage 4 cancer. I do not yet know what kind - leukemia? something in the bone? I don't have a medical background and can only guess. I tried to call Shauna, but she was at the hospital. I left a message with her husband and hope to hear from her when she has the time and energy to call. This news makes me literally nauseous. In addition to the gravity of the situation, having a 15-year-old son myself makes it all a bit too close to home. Just please pray that God will give them strength, peace and healing.

Sunday at the Shore

I love the footprints behind them!

Garin had a great time chasing the seagulls.

Time to Regroup

After several very busy weeks, Karl, Garin and I are enjoying a lazy day at home before Karl leaves tomorrow on his first mission since the deployment. We dropped of Becky and Jonny at the airport last night, and they are safely back home. It was a difficult goodbye for me. I told Karl that the more children you allow into your heart, the more heartache you face. Of course, you also face many times more joy as well!

I will post some photos from their visit. Garin is very fond of his Halloween costume and asks to wear it almost every day. Sometimes he gets his wish, as evidenced by these pics. Becky and Jonny saw the ocean for the first time on Sunday. It was so cool to watch her excitement and joy as she stood on the shore and watched the waves roll in. It was high tide, and the waves were breaking right up at the shore. A couple of times, they surprised us, and everyone but Garin managed to get their feet, shoes and pantlegs completely soaked. Brrrrr! We also got some salt water taffy on the boardwalk for the ride home. It was a great day!

One More Box Checked

As of this morning, our home study is complete! We had our home safety inspection and had the opportunity to read the draft of our home study report. The draft was faxed to Irina, our Buckner caseworker, as soon as our home study caseworker got back to the office. Once Irina looks it over, the final draft will be signed and notarized by the home study agency and will be sent to Buckner. Once Buckner receives it, there will be a conference call to discuss our case, and hopefully an official referral will soon follow. It is very possible that we could have one (or should I say two!) more amazing things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving! Keep on praying!

Also keep praying that Buckner's accreditation will come through soon. God has proven to us over and over again how perfect His timing is, so we are trusting Him to bring everything together just as it should be.

We are having a wonderful visit with my daughter-of-the-heart, Becky, and her son, Johnny, who flew up on Monday from St. Louis and will be here until this Monday. It is so good to be together again for awhile! The boys are only 2 months apart in age and are behaving like brothers - playing hard and fighting hard. I am thanking God He didn't give me twins!

This house is incredible, and we are so blessed to be here. Karl had a good mid-year performance review at work and got some great feedback. He deserves it, and I'm so glad he is back in the squadron again. We did learn that we will definitely be here until the summer of 2009. The AF changed the time on station for most everyone to 4 years from the 3 years it was before. We had thought that we might get around that because he is up for Major, but the squadron needs its more experienced pilots badly. Most of the pilots we have now are young and not yet qualified to be Aircraft Commanders or Instructor Pilots. This is good news and bad news for us, depending on how you look at it. But we're okay with it, and as always, God knows His plans for us!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! I'll be back soon!