Thankful List for December: -a decision, a crazy hard decision, offered to us by our agency... forced us to do some serious praying and evaluating of where we are in the process (a blog post about that is coming) -"I can either be consumed with my unmet longing or trust the plans of our loving God." -Lysa Terkeurst And a few random things that have nothing to do with adoption: -Libby's love for decorating our napkins (and forks) based on the nearest holiday -Tucker's love for traditions -Advent season and the beautiful countdown wreath my parents gave me -Tucker and his success in the spelling bee. He got out on the word "thaumaturge." -Libby and the way she makes faces at herself in the mirror. -Approximately 10,523 pictures taken of the kids... about 10 really good ones -having students in our home -thankful for our friendship with the Lindseys (but we don't like goodbyes) -Tuck and Ben being able to serve with students at Mission Arlington -sweet time just Libby and I while the boys were gone -friends helping with Libby while Ben was gone -a sweet boy and his desire to buy a surprise gift for his sister... love his thoughtfulness and generosity '-getting to celebrate our Savior's birth with our kids -the tradition of the kids picking out gifts from the dollar store for all of our extended family... it's so fun to watch their excitement over giving their gifts and it's so funny to watch what they pick out. So proud of them for using their own money for this tradition this year. -lots of time together on our drive to Georgia -and our first Christmas morning ever spent in a hotel (I need to work on getting pictures of my kids actually smiling and looking excited when they open gifts) -time in Atlanta with Ben's family -time in Fitzgerald with my family -Libby's love for Barnes and Noble and Tucker's love for Auburn “...And then, just when everything is bearing down on us to such an extent that we can scarcely withstand it, the Christmas message comes to tell us that all our ideas are wrong, and that what we take to be evil and dark is really good and light because it comes from God. Our eyes are at fault, that is all. God is in the manger, wealth in poverty, light in darkness, succor in abandonment. No evil can befall us; whatever men may do to us, they cannot but serve the God who is secretly revealed as love and rules the world and our lives.” -Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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Thankful List for November: -a homestudy update -possibilities -wrestling through hard decisions -getting to prayer for others' adoption processes (even those I don't know) And a few random things that have nothing to do with adoption: -thankful leaves -Tucker's 3rd grade program -fall leaves -painting projects -when asked what we should get her teacher for her birthday, Libby: "well, she REALLY loves nouns and verbs" -collecting eggs with Emma Kate -dinner at the King's house -Fantasy of Lights -dinner at the Henry's house -We got to tag along with Ben on a work trip to Waco- we went to the Dr. Pepper Musuem (which was extremely boring despite the pictures but we are SUPER thankful that we bought the tickets on Groupon), visited the suspension bridge, saw the Baylor bears (Libby's favorite part), asked for permission to walk into McLane stadium (Tuck's favorite part), ate some yummy food, and I had birthday money to spend at Magnolia Market (Mom's favorite part)! - watching the new Gilmore Girls with friends -Time with Mimi and Pops. They did so much for us while they were here- planted pansies, painted cabinets, took kids lunches at school, helped clean out a shed, fixed outdoor lights, and so much more. -a Thanksgiving day warm enough to eat outside- so glad we had family and friends with us "We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing, He chastens and hastens His will to make known..."
Thankful List for October: -sweet friends who are still faithfully asking/checking in on how our process is going... 5 1/2 years later -“To love God is to love His will. It is to wait quietly for life to be measured by One who knows us through and through. It is to be content with His timing and His wise appointment.”-Elizabeth Elliot And a few random things that have nothing to do with adoption: -two kids with two separate rooms who can't seem to sleep seperately -shopping with Krista -Kasi bringing me lunch -friendship -Waco girls trip with my mom, sister, and sister in law... so much fun, special memories created, and such a needed getaway for all of us -Operation Christmas Child's: Telling My Story event, hearing Anabel's shoebox testimony, watching our students lead worship, sitting with Mrs. Charlotte and Mrs. Nita -lunar golf and low ropes course with the church staff -free Red Robin -time with college students in our home and in our lives... they love our kids well -Tucker and his every Saturday attire- Auburn gear -Libby losing two teeth in 24 hours -these two awesome kids and how God made them both so uniquely and wonderfully different -voting early -celebrating Michael and Sam and their wedding day -the Gill's taking us to the Young Life Round up and the testimonies we heard -fun with Halloween- pumpkin carving, pumpkin painting, dressing up, trick or treating with friends “I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."
-L.M. Montgomery Thankful List for September: -changes within our agency... ironically, they said it could mean a longer wait for us. We are choosing to see the humor in that. -being able to sit over lunch and talk with a friend who is hurting in the adoption process... I'm not thankful that she's hurting but thankful that my own past hurt means I can understand her current hurt slightly better. -"We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be."-C.S. Lewis And a few random things that have nothing to do with adoption: -celebrating September birthdays (God gave us lots of friends and family to celebrate in September) -STEM night at Crockett -Ben teaching Libby checkers -disco ball sparkle -little boys and magic tricks -bowling -lunches with Samantha, Krista, Charlotte, and Stacy -the large amount of imaginary friends that frequent our house (and the one named Chubby who signed Tucker's birthday card) -tea parties -celebrating Mark and Kinslie -Texas sunsets -watching Ben and the kids wrestle and how that is their special thing with their dad -kids getting to play at the Newberrys' -getting to watch Tuck play baseball, getting to watch Libby do gymanstics -every other Friday phone calls with Dianna -celebrating 9 amazing years of this incredible kid "Open the door and run outside, your little boy heart alive. Into the morning light, into the deep and wide... Take a ride on the mighty lion, take a hold of the golden mane. This is the love of Jesus, so good but it is not tame...so come to the Father. Come to the deeper well. Drink up the water and come to live a tale to tell."
-Andrew Peterson Thankful List for August -in the midst of more disappointment, He is faithful -progress for the Hurt family -"But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of Your steadfast love answer me in Your saving faithfulness." Psalm 69:13 And a few random things that have nothing to do with adoption: -time together in our home before the crazy fall schedule began -Candy Land playing -finishing Whole30 -kids who like to help in the kitchen -Welch's over for dinner -a Frozen dance party class -Nana and Papa visiting- Olympic watching, family olympic playing, continued work on our bathroom: with lots of hiccups but also lots of shiplap, thankful for all their work -Quick trip to Dallas for a getaway before school starts -the gift of a putt putt date with Tuck. -having breakfast with Meegan, Aydin, and Calyn -Tuck and Libby choosing to spend their last weekday before school having "cupcake wars" in our kitchen -a great start to 1st and 3rd grade -celebrating Austyn's birthday -friends and college students in our home -Carly loving and caring for our kids 9 hours a week during the summer... grateful for this beautiful college student and friend and babysitter I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples. For Your steadfast love is great to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds." Psalm 57 |
AuthorWe are a family of five (Ben, Beth, Tucker, Libby, and Zane). We started this blog during our 7 year journey to bring home a child through adoption. This is our story of how God is faithful in the good, the bad, and all the in between. Archives
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