Adoption-Step 2

Thank you all who have been praying for us and keeping our family to be in mind over the past few months! I was hoping to be a little further along in the process now that it is August, but God's plans are not always the same as mine! :) We did finally get the last of our paperwork mailed today! After some set backs from blood tests and fingerprints, I think we have that part complete. Now as we are waiting to schedule the home visit with our counselor, we need to finish our birthmother letter, which is in the final stages already, and put a website together, which we know very little about! :) Through all the set backs I have been so very thankful that I have been off of work to be able to have the extra time to run all these errands. Please keep thinking about us and I hope to have another adoption post soon!!

Harry Potter and Dale Hallow

So, back to real life. I just finished reading the last and final book from J.K. Rowling's series Harry Potter and let me just say WOW! What a talented writer to be able to write for young and old alike and to be able to tie seven books together is just amazing. What a blessing for her to be able to get people interested in reading books (even if they are written for kids!) and teach others about important characteristics just as courage and love! I'd recommend the series to anyone, no matter what your age or level of love of reading!

And now that all my time is not being consumed finding out what happens to Harry...I have time to post pictures and comments about our recent trip to Tennessee! If any of you are looking for the most relaxing vacation, I would definitely suggest a houseboat. It was so peaceful out on the lake and beautiful. We had time to spend with one another and just take it easy. Below are a few pictures from the trip:















Matt took a few hours out of each day to try out his fishing boat and when that didn't work, he started to improvise! He did catch enough fish for each person who wanted one to have one on the last night!





















My lovely family (Why we decided to take a family picture on the last day of the week when we had only had "lake showers" is a mystery! :) )

Loving well

I am blessed this summer to be in two Bible studies with friends and co-workers. In one of the studies I am learning how to love others...no matter how difficult some may be to love! :) It is a Beth Moore study called Loving Well. She uses 1 John 4 as the basis of the study and comes up with 4 key points to loving anyone. They are:
1. God is perfect love.
2. Nothing can separate me from God's perfect love.
3. God pours His perfect love into my imperfect heart.
4. Accessed, I can love anyone through anything.
I was challenged to memorize these key points to use when I come across someone who is difficult to love. God calls us to love EVERYONE!! And because we are humans, it is beyond our capability to love some people, but with God's love in us, we can. I thought I'd share and I hope to keep these points with me...especially once school starts again because it is much easier to love people in the summer! HA! :)

Heads Carolina, Tails...

We had a great time visiting my sister, Kristina, in Fayetteville, NC over the past week. She was a wonderful hostess, even though we had little time to "chill" :) ! The area is beatiful, although hot and humid. We spent one day at the beach in Wilmington where we also went shopping, visited a Serpentarium (see pictures below), and got to eat fresh steamed crab.

Kristina and I also got to do some "girly" things like go shopping and lay out at the pool while Matt played Xbox at the apartment. Don't go feeling too sorry for him though, we did find two disc golf courses to play! We also got to attend church with Kristina, play some mini-golf, and tour Fort Bragg. Luckily Matt came along because he helped Kristina fix some things around the apartment and saved us from the killer cockroach in her bathroom! :) I feel very blessed for the opportunity to visit, but I'd much rather have her closer by!

A bushmaster and reticulated python at the Serpentarium. They had some pretty cool and DEADLY snakes there!

Kristina enjoying her first whole steamed crab. Watch out...they may bite!