Our paperwork is on the way!!!

We sent our dossier off to the assistant stork last week and hopefully it should be in Ethiopia by the end of this week :-) Sending it off was so scary- we don't have the funds or the room for them. UHHHHHH! Lord help us and forgive our unbelief.

We had a car wash on Saturday and it was so cool to watch our sweet baby girls wash cars with their big, somewhat grown-up college kid family.... they all worked so hard along side my dear friend Lauren, my brother, sister-in-law and of course Jared. It was so neat! I praise Jesus that we made it through the heat of the day and still came out smiling. Well, maybe not my brother, he got a pretty bad sunburn. I was overwhelmed with gratitude for the help and the love that was shown that day!

All powerful...

How easily I forgot the power of our Creator... The love he has lavished upon us.... Friday I sat on the phone with a dear friend and cried- how on earth is this all going to work out. The storms that were raging in the sky that afternoon were a reflection of what was in my heart. Confusion and anxiety- things that do not come from God.... Yet I allowed them to sit there- to wrap themselves around me. I failed to take my thoughts captive to Christ, to lean on Him and to know that He is all powerful and all-knowing. Even after the encouragement I received, I wallowed in it. Sunday was a hard day, Austin left for Seattle for a month.... But that night, God showed up in the largest way at Sunday Night Dinner. We had a large crowd- but one stood out... A young man who we have prayed for many times- his sister is a regular at our home.... A sister in Christ, but a baby sister in our hearts and most definetly a "Yacy" to our children. She has been praying for him for years, he came to Jesus.... :-) Showed up at our crazy home and we got to love on him, pray for him and to see his heart and the freedom that God has given him. Only Jesus can do that!!! His heart for the Lord and his thankfulness for what he has done- reminded me that we too, are supposed to be the same way. To never lose our zeal for Christ. I remember when I became a believer, he so radically transformed my life, that many in my past weren't sure who I was anymore :-) It's a God thing- what else can you say? But over the years- I have laid much of that zeal down, struggled to trust and to believe- which then causes me to struggle to obey. Lord forgive me for my unbelief.

This afternoon- we received a phone call in response to an email I had sent requesting info on a ministry called Both Hands.... If you have a moment- please look it up (when I become computer savy, I will try to put a link up). I was so excited about the opportunity to work with this ministry to help us and others like us to fund our adoptions but also to reach out to widows who need help with their homes and projects that they are unable to pay for or complete by themselves. The mission is amazing and we are excited to begin the process. Helping with both hands, being the hands and feet of Jesus in more ways than one and getting others involved in serving. What better way to remember how powerful God is, how great his love is and to give that to others.

We received our approved and finalized homestudy!!!

We can now move on to the next step- which is sending our dossier off for authentication and then..... on to Ethiopia! Praise Jesus! The waiting is so hard. People ask all the time how everything is going- it is so hard to answer because.... well- I decided it is partly because we were raised in a generation that thinks that everything happens, now.... the microwave generation.... including Jared and I :-) God is giving us opportunities to be patient.

Our children are finished with sports for the summer and we get to enjoy a nice break, with dinner every night at home together. That makes my heart smile. Austin and KK are memorizing verses. Sure, I encouraged it a little- a quarter a verse. What better way to earn money. The younger ones are learning to swim and are absolutely fearless. I remember as a little girl, long summer days--- that drug on forever it seemed.... Now, it justs flys by...

We planted a garden and it has been fun to watch everything grow- we have our first peppers that are almost ripe :-) Yum! Our dog, Sarah, who we adopted from the people who lived across the street and moved, just had 5 puppies.... I said it, FIVE... To add to our already crazy house. The kids all think they are great fun.... Soon they will be ready to find new homes :-) They are precious though.

Our college kids are out of school for the summer, and two of them just got married- to each other. Two other couples just got engaged.... They are all growing up and it has been so awesome for our family to be a part of their lives. Each of them is a testimony to staying strong in their faith when so many are giving into their flesh. I will have to figure out how to put some pictures of Sunday Night Dinners on here.

We have the amazing opportunity to speak at our church on the 21st of June about our adoption. I am nervous but so excited to share this exciting adventure and allow others to see such a great need. Please continue to pray for us and for all 6 of our children.... That God would move mountains- everything that stands in the way of His will.... And that we would remember that "we can do all things, through Christ who gives us strength."