oh so very thankful
/
Today was an exhausting day, but the sweet encouragement I received from each of you carried me through. I have loved reading your texts, emails, and comments about our news. I am moved to tears right now even thinking about it. Y'all have reached through the computer and virtually hugged us, and we rejoice that our Zoe Amanda is being covered in prayer by you already.
Thankful.
Last night I had the opportunity to chat with one dear friend on the phone and two others over a latte at Jubala, allowing me to take a break from the paperwork and the cleaning.
Thankful.
After posting yesterday that we could use a crib, I had seven offers of cribs.
Thankful.
A friend stopped me in the hall at Bible study yesterday to offer her daughter's baby girl clothes to Zoe Amanda. I'm not sure we'll need them, because Jocelyn had a plethora of baby clothes and we've saved them all, but it was still touching.
Thankful.
Lee's bosses gave him today off so we could spend all day on adoption paperwork and so that I could attend a meeting a church.
Thankful.
Precious friends of ours cared for Jocelyn and Robbie while our social worker came to evaluate our ability to parent the girl we already consider our own.
Thankful.
Our social worker scheduled us right away and will have the first draft of our completed home study ready on Monday for us to review to make sure everything is accurate and for our adoption coordinator to review to make sure it includes everything the Taiwanese courts will want to know.
Thankful.
The project leader for the Treasuring Christ curriculum included lunch in our team meeting today, which was the first food I had all day in the midst of all the busy-ness.
Thankful.
Our pediatrician and our family practice doctor each made sure we got the paperwork we needed right away to complete our home study.
Thankful.
GPS helped me get to the pediatrician's office after I discovered that it has moved. (Jenelle, when did that happen?)
Thankful.
The planning team for this weekend's special needs ministry respite event has stepped up in a major way, so that we can focus on bringing Zoe home instead of concerning ourselves with every detail for this weekend's event.
Thankful.
This gift arrived in the mail today. Taitung City on the southeast coast of the country - just labeled "Taitung" on the map below - is where Zoe Amanda lives now, and now I can wear it around my neck until I have her in my arms.
Thankful.
And now? I think a warm bath, a hot mug of coffee, and a good book are in order, followed closely by an early bedtime.
Thankful.
But before I go, know this: thankful doesn't cover it. You all are rallying around us while we fast-track everything to bring home Zoe Amanda, a baby girl we love now but we didn't know existed two weeks ago. While we are heeding God's call in these verses,
Thankful.
Last night I had the opportunity to chat with one dear friend on the phone and two others over a latte at Jubala, allowing me to take a break from the paperwork and the cleaning.
Thankful.
After posting yesterday that we could use a crib, I had seven offers of cribs.
Thankful.
A friend stopped me in the hall at Bible study yesterday to offer her daughter's baby girl clothes to Zoe Amanda. I'm not sure we'll need them, because Jocelyn had a plethora of baby clothes and we've saved them all, but it was still touching.
Thankful.
Lee's bosses gave him today off so we could spend all day on adoption paperwork and so that I could attend a meeting a church.
Thankful.
Precious friends of ours cared for Jocelyn and Robbie while our social worker came to evaluate our ability to parent the girl we already consider our own.
Thankful.
Our social worker scheduled us right away and will have the first draft of our completed home study ready on Monday for us to review to make sure everything is accurate and for our adoption coordinator to review to make sure it includes everything the Taiwanese courts will want to know.
Thankful.
The project leader for the Treasuring Christ curriculum included lunch in our team meeting today, which was the first food I had all day in the midst of all the busy-ness.
Thankful.
Our pediatrician and our family practice doctor each made sure we got the paperwork we needed right away to complete our home study.
Thankful.
GPS helped me get to the pediatrician's office after I discovered that it has moved. (Jenelle, when did that happen?)
Thankful.
The planning team for this weekend's special needs ministry respite event has stepped up in a major way, so that we can focus on bringing Zoe home instead of concerning ourselves with every detail for this weekend's event.
Thankful.
This gift arrived in the mail today. Taitung City on the southeast coast of the country - just labeled "Taitung" on the map below - is where Zoe Amanda lives now, and now I can wear it around my neck until I have her in my arms.
Thankful.
And now? I think a warm bath, a hot mug of coffee, and a good book are in order, followed closely by an early bedtime.
Thankful.
But before I go, know this: thankful doesn't cover it. You all are rallying around us while we fast-track everything to bring home Zoe Amanda, a baby girl we love now but we didn't know existed two weeks ago. While we are heeding God's call in these verses,
learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow's cause
{Isaiah 1:17}
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this:
to visit orphans and widows in their affliction,
and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
{James 1:27}
you are doing so as well as you pour out encouragement on us. You are expressing your love for an orphan on the other side of the world. You are affirming with us the meaning of her name - "life worthy of love" - as you pray with us. When you gush with us over the chubby cheeks in the pictures we have of her and accept with us the unknown prognosis stemming from her diagnosis of cerebral palsy, you are agreeing with us that she is - in the words of Psalm 139:14 - fearfully and wonderfully made.
I said I'd be posting today about ways you can support us, but that will wait for another day. Because y'all have overwhelmed us with love and support already.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.