Playing catch up...again!

We found ourselves smack dab in the middle of spring break last week, and we didn't do anything as a family. As much as that is a bit of a disappointment, it is also very needed for our family to sometimes spend lazy days at home. So many days we find ourselves as parents in survival mode....surviving until bedtime.

Raising children with childhood trauma and other various issues has been the biggest challenges of our lives. And no matter how good we may look to others on the outside, we fail daily in some way, and that can be draining. We have school issues, kindness issues, behavior issues, respect issues and on and on. But...when I survey the whole picture...WOW! What a blessing. God never said, "hey, believe in me and things will go smooth!" Ha, pretty much the opposite. Does that mean God strives to make our life difficult...NO...He merely wants to "sift the wheat" for the best product. We are created in His image and He wants us to follow endlessly after Him, all the while He is making us stronger, kinder, wiser, softer, and more loving. What amazing power it is to look back in my life and see where I used to be...and where I am now! So yes, I fail daily, but I am having some pretty amazing growth too, and for that I am blessed beyond measure!

Soooooo, update!!!! I have decided not to shave my head this year. I desire to celebrate my niece and so I am still praying and thinking things through for the possibility of next year. I would love to create my own fundraising section of the event and have Lucy be the child sponsored, but with the support of her parents too. I guess I want to make this a bigger deal than just me honoring her by shaving my head. That means I am excited to see where this takes me over the next few months and hopefully will have some sort of decision/plan by fall. Thanks if you lifted this up in prayer on my behalf...I certainly felt it!

We are anxiously awaiting the finalization date for our adoption!!! Waiting and waiting and waiting!! Thankfully the petition was filed on the 10th, so we are literally only waiting to find out the date. Funny thing about this life...27 months ago when we were told about her, we were told she was going straight to adoptions...hahahaha, the system can be aggravating sometimes, but we are so close I can almost see the signed order in my hand!

That is a quick little tid-bit of our life in recent weeks...enjoy a few pictures too