Adoption-Step 4....Almost....

Hey there all. Just wanted to update you on the progress. We are coming along! We got approved for adoption through our home study and we finally got a picture approved for our letter. So, I am hoping to get the prototype of the letter made and sent by Monday. Then, we have to make about 200 copies of the letter. After that, I believe we are good to go! It's getting very exciting and to the point where I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. For those of you who are curious, here is a link to our website http://www.mattandalicia.wordpress.com/ that we set up for the birthmothers to read.
Also, one of my co-workers recently asked me the thought provoking question, "Are you praying for your birthmother?" Hmmm....probably not enough. So if you think about it when you pray for us could you also stick in a prayer for our birthmother, whoever she may be, that she is safe and taking good care of herself and child. I'm going to try to pray for her more often too. Thanks so much. This process is much easier with family and friends supporting us!

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!!

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! :)

Are we safe??

Do you ever wonder how safe you really are? Do you give a second thought to driving to work or going out in public? I usually don't and I bet the Virginia Tech students didn't give it a second thought when they woke up that morning. But we sure do question our safety now. Are we ever really safe? God is the only one who can answer that question. Resting in him is the only way to feel "safe" from all the tragedies that happen in this world. He is the one who knows when it is time for you to go home to be with Him. Aside from taking time to pray for the friends and families of these students, take comfort in knowing that God IS in control, even though sometimes it's hard to understand.