november = adoption awareness

november is here.  hard to believe -

however, it's great because november is national adoption awareness month.  we figured it was the perfect time to request our initial application and plan to do that on friday.  we're excited to finally be at the point where we feel we are ready to fill this out, and seriously get the ball rolling.

God speaks in whispers for most of our life, but lately He has been yelling (hollering if you are from the south) at us.  friday night we found out about a haunted house alternative that was focusing on adoption.  we arrived saturday night and found tables filled with pamphlets, brochures, and informational cards about sponsoring women and children who were needy, helping to foster, and adoption.  also this weekend we saw the sweetest thing - a dad with four pre-teens at dinner.  each of the teens was of a different ethnicity.  each one of them called him daddy.  they all laughed, hugged, and played games with each other.  the daddy was teaching them about vegetarianism and what they could order off the vietnamese menu.  two of the four were rocking mowhawks and i told will that i hoped that was a snapshot of what was to come.  he agreed this is where we want to be in 10 years.  sunday morning we got in the car on the way to church to hear a radio show about adoption in nc.  we both just looked at each other and smiled.

we heard all of this because we are aware.  we are in a place where we are open to what is going on around us and are paying attention to everything adoption related.  we pray daily for the mother that will carry the child we will adopt, the child that is probably not even born yet, everyone in their lives, and orphans around the world.  it's opened our eyes to a new way of seeing things.  we're seeing more and we're seeing more clearly.

we know God has gotten us to this place.  the most wonderful feelings of satisfaction with our choice, but not really that - more like the satisfaction in knowing that we are finally listening to God, and following the plan he has for our lives.  we are stoked.

you cannot wrap up october without an obligatory pumpkin posting, so here is a smattering of what happened.

here is the tale of our halloween pumpkin.

i am the drawer of the designs.

will has mad knife skills.

will surgically removes the guts.

then, together we carve the designs.

this year's trick-or-treat message:

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:
to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
--- James 1:27

Encouraging everyone to adopt and find the love that we see is on the horizon.  If you are not in the position to adopt, please sponsor a needy child or assist family in your area or overseas. 

Sponsor a child through Bethany Christian Services

Sponsor a child through World Vision

Cosponsor a refugee through Church World Service

Support children's disaster services through Church of the Brethren