Catching Up!

I have had a terrible time getting to write in my blog lately. Could it be a busy 2 year old that keeps my time full? I think so! :) She was getting so much better about sleeping through the night and then I went to Georgia! Oh well, it was so worth it. I needed that time away at the Created for Care Retreat to be filled up and God used the trip in so many ways! I met 2 awesome gals from South Dakota in the airport bathroom...LOL! I had my Simply Love India shirt on so I was an easy spot for two moms heading to the retreat. Loved having lunch with getting to know Jodi and Teresa! They both have adopted from Ethiopia and Jodi is adopting again. 

Then I met Danielle in the shuttle line and ended up hanging out with her right up to catching our different flights at the gates. Was so blessed to meet her. They are sitting at 18 on the AGCI Ethiopia wait list for Little Sis! 

Danielle and I then met Heather and Kim at the retreat and we had such a blessed time together. 

Danielle, Heather, Kim and myself:

 One of my favorite memories from the weekend happened Sat. night at the restaurant. Kim, Danielle and I decided we just couldn't have our heartstrings ripped out anymore by watching the Uganda orphan movie (or maybe that is just my feeling) and we had a conversation that led to the Lord moving in such a powerful way. God is SO GOOD!

 Since I only had my phone, this is all the better I can do right now to show this awesome blog friend, Amy. Amy's daughter, Taylor, really touched my heart during our process as she truly prayed for Abby to come home! God heard her prayers and answered them in mighty ways!!!

 My room view...so awesome to see grass again (even if it was brown). 40-50's felt so warm compared to the negative temperatures we were having in MN!

 They had an amazing time, called "Date with God" where we used painting and playdough as a part of time to express ourselves and listen to the Lord. I was amazed at what the Lord showed me. The hand picture literally just started coming as I pick up the brush. For someone like me that has anxiety when faced with painting...it was a God moment!  

 EVERY DETAIL was amazing from the adorable centerpieces to the give-aways. I was so blessed to win this bracelet! It says one of my favorite scriptures, "Better is one day in your courts, than a thousand elsewhere."!

This is a very sweet gal, Kristi, who has such a big heart for orphans and was someone who was so encouraging to me during our very long wait! LOVED meeting Kristi! Another fun moment was asking her about her agency for her 2nd adoption now from ET, CCI and then the Lord using that same agency to help my friend's adoption the very same week!!! Speaking of which, have to point you to the blog that my sweet blog make-over lady created for our churchs' ministry in Hosanna, Ethiopia! My friend, Marybeth, just got back from another mission trip and I am so excited for all that God is doing and how in the future, we will be helping orphans there!

So much in my mind and I really have a hard time putting it all in words. Maybe I'm just not suppose to have them. In a way, I feel like I have been put in a cocoon since bringing Abby home. This cocoon for me is very good and the Lord is using it to have me grow in my knowledge, love and trust of the Lord. I know that I am being prepared for the "next season". During a prayer time, a friend saw 2 pictures. One was of me being in a tunnel (good way) and very safe and protected. She said the Lord is preparing me and teaching me (she didn't have any idea that I was feeling this way as she had been in Africa for 2 months and we hadn't talked!). The next picture was of Pixie Sticks. Remember these?!

She said she saw them all dumped out and I was trying to pick one up at a time...very careful as to which one I selected. This was such a confirmation as in many ways. I just can't do all the things I use to do and I am learning to be okay with that. This season has been full of different ministry (and parenting is the highest calling!) coloring (learning to like this...even busting out some creativity blending colors..ha), playing with Abby's dollhouse, ECFE drop-in play-dates, and BOOKS-BOOKS-BOOKS...all with pictures! Doctor visits, speech therapy appointments, and 2 boys in travel basketball all fill in the empty spots on the calendar AND IT's GLORIOUS!!! I am loving every minute of it!!!!

However, while I am first a child of God, a wife and a mother, I also know that I have a calling on my life to the orphans. What exactly this looks like, I don't know. I could guess, but I really am okay just enjoying each day and learning to live for the Kingdom. Learning more and more, that "My life is not my own" and I need to let go of everything to truly live. That is the beauty of the upside down Kingdom principle....I let go and HE GIVES! I am BLESSED and so incredibly THANKFUL!

Abby is up...no time to proof. Please excuse errors! Please pray for Abby....she is on day 4 of respiratory sickness and I am in the decisions of wondering if we can wait for the doc. until Monday! :(