Wednesday, November 7, 2012

The Beginning of the End.

Is it not bizarrely cool to be a little piece of an unfolding plan that is obviously happening all around you? If you don't know what I'm talking about, you have GOT to meet your Creator. His plan for you is way outside what you could ever hope for yourself.

If you've been following our story, you know that Cary and I are just a super-normal 25/26 year old couple. A music teacher. An engineer. And that in the past 6 months, God has turned our world upside down - and that has all been for the better. From the beginning of our family story to now we have had no part in directing the most climactic season of our lives; God has lined EVERYTHING up to make this adoption happen. The best is being able to sit back and say with certainty, this is His.

Similar to how the beginning of our adoption story came out of nowhere, the beginning of the end caught us by surprise. My week at school has been crazy. My 8th graders were snowed out of their October concert last Tuesday night (yes - record-breaking events happening all around us), we threw together the costumed band "Peep and the Sheep" for "Light the Night" at our church last Wed, and Friday was the jazz band's performance/dance I've been working on for the past month. I've been writing purchase orders like Santa writes checks at Christmas. (Does Santa do that? Stay with me...) Our assistant band director was out for two days so add subs in the midst of all that's happening at school, and... needless to say, Friday in the bandroom was a whirlwind. IMAGINE my surprise, when the band room phone rings (again), I answer "Band room-" as always, and hear our adoption coordinator's voice on the opposite end of the line. (I confess, my first reaction was a bit of panic. Was something wrong?) But she said to me... "Obviously I wouldn't be calling you at work if I didn't have good news." (And my heart LIT up.) We had not even hoped for this phone call any time soon. (God, You are SO good - SO full of surprises!)

That's when she told us that we have a court date. NOVEMBER 28, 2012. (November. Like, the same month as... now. As in... not 3 weeks go by before we are THERE! Yeah. That November.) I was speechless. And then I was probably obnoxiously high pitched. We didn't talk long. I ran into the band office to call Cary. Our substitute teacher and lunch detention prisoner watched curiously from outside as I paced and jumped and squealed...

What does this mean? Thanksgiving with my sons. Parental custody. Snuggling. Reading and singing... Holding those sweet little bodies!  A little piece of closure, a big step toward all being home together. Praises.

So now we get ready to go. We're looking at travel arrangements now, we'll be collecting orphanage donations to fill 3 of the 4 50 lb bags we are allowed to carry, we get packed, and the Lord leads on! Our church is studying the life of Moses. This passage won my attention tonight, and has gripped my heart:

                                       "And the Lord said, 'My Presence will go with you, 
                                          and I will give you rest.' Then Moses said to Him, 
                                                   'If Your presence does not go with us, 
                                                        do not bring us up from here.'"
                                                                   -Exodus 33:13-15

Can I get an Amen?

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