Finally!!!!!

Here it is!  The post I have been waiting to share with you since we announced {nearly} four years ago that we were adopting….

We've been matched with a little boy, and we're headed to Ethiopia……..China!??!! 

Just before Thanksgiving, the file of a little 16-month old boy with moderate cerebral palsy, a world away in China, popped up in my inbox.  Normally, we don't qualify for waiting children due to the ages of our biological kiddos, so naturally, he caught my eye….

Those beautiful, dark, almond-shaped eyes looking up at the camera.

  

His little pouty, down-turned lips.  

Those chubby little cheeks that just BEGGED for kisses.  

I didn't see his disability, only a little boy who desperately needed a family.  

I was in love.


We had talked China before, and it always went the same way…. No, Ethiopia is where our heart is, and…..we feel so invested…..and surely we're close, why switch now….and….and….and……

And a diagnosis of cerebral palsy at that?  What did we even KNOW about cerebral palsy?

So as I texted his picture over to Charles that afternoon, I didn't really think it would materialize into much….

BUT…

An hour later, there we were, and there we remained for several more days, in a whirlwind of medical records, phone calls, paperwork, and deadlines.  Neo-natologists.  CHOP doctors.  Parents of other CP kids.  I've never talked so much on the phone IN. MY. ENTIRE. LIFE.  And in the midst of it all, we received an email from our agency's Ethiopia program:  If the state of adoptions didn't change within the next six months in that country, our agency would be closing down their Ethiopia program for good.
{Deep breath}

And so as we talked, and prayed, and wept, and allowed ourselves to dream, we felt a sense of peace come over us that compelled us to move forward.  So with trembling hearts, we submitted our file to China.  And we waited…...for news of whether or not our family could adopt this little boy.  During that time, our emotions were all over the place.  Elated. Hopeful.  Scared out of our freaking minds. But ever praying, that although we didn't technically qualify for a China adoption, that if this were the road God wanted us to continue down, He would open the door.

And open it He did.

On December 3rd we received a phone call officially welcoming us to the China program.  And along with it, welcoming us into a whole lot of unknowns.  As Charles correctly put it, he feels like he's back at the top of the zipline this summer with Kaya.  Excited nervousness all at the same time.

And you know what I've learned a bit over the past couple weeks?  I've learned that it's ok to live in the unknown.  I didn't think so at first, but I'm learning to say, "Lord, I don't know what you have in store for me, but I'll trust you with the unknown."  I've learned it's ok to step out not knowing how the story will end.  And as I sit and ponder this idea, I'm certain another young mother felt similar thoughts as she cradled her newborn baby 2,000 years ago.  I imagine her leaning her face down to soak in every ounce of that newborn scent.  Gently caressing his little fingers.  Counting each tiny toe.  The world held it's breath, and all was silent.  And I'm certain that God in His great mercy didn't reveal to her His full plan for her baby boy on that night.  Instead, that young mother took a step out into the unknown, not fully understanding or comprehending where this road would take her, but trusting in the One who would take her there.

We are not nearly as remarkable as she, but in our own little way, we are saying yes to what we believe is His calling in our lives and taking one shaky step after another into the unknown.  One foot in front of the other.  Although we do not know what the future holds for our SON, we do know that he was fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. And more importantly, we know that our God is a God who delights in making beauty out of ashes…who uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise….who takes what was meant for evil, and uses it for good.  We know that our God is a God who places the lonely in families.  He is a Father to the fatherless and a defender of the weak.

I don't know about you, but many days I feel inadequate and unqualified for the responsibilities He has placed before me.  Daily I fall short.  But lately I sense that, somehow, that's ok too.  That perhaps that's where grace finds us.  In a place where we are forced to lift our arms in surrender and admit that we can't (and never were supposed to) do this on our own.

"'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me…For when I am weak, then I am strong."

2 Corinthians 12: 8-9

My prayer this Christmas season is that God would give us (you also, my friend) the courage to step out into the unknown, as well as grace upon grace to accomplish His purposes in our lives daily.  We will fail at times.  So will you.  Yet it is in this place of surrender where He receives the most glory.  What is He asking your family to do?  Let's make 2015 the year we step out in faith together.


We love you all!!  Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!

Christmas 2014

#chinabound

Kirsten

10 Things I've Learned In The Wait

I've decided that 2013 was a year of waiting for our family.  God seemed silent, distant even.  Not much seemed to happen, good or bad.  We just were.

Our adoption updates seemed fewer and far between.  There really just wasn't much to write.   Nothing new.  Same old update….we're still waiting. :)

The news coming out of Ethiopia these days is not looking good for the future of international adoption, and as time has marched forward, our hearts have slowly lost hope.  I hate waiting for things, don't you?!?  Waiting sucks stinks (my bad).  But seriously, it does.

Over the past few months since I last wrote, I have found this waiting period increasingly difficult.  Along the way I've learned a few things.  Lessons, that perhaps can only be learned while waiting, though I'll attempt to share them here with you.  Here goes….


1.  I am not in control. 

     I repeat.

     I AM NOT IN CONTROL.  Enough said. :)


2.  Sometimes having faith during the wait is more difficult than the initial faith it takes to step out in the first place.  Take our adoption.  The initial act of stepping out in faith and believing that God was calling us to adopt, was hard.  Crazy hard.  Signing those papers.  Believing He would provide the finances.  Trusting Him through all the red tape.  But the continued faith it takes to persevere through the wait trumps that all.  100%.  Doubts creep in uninvited.  They linger.  They whisper.  They cause your faith to waver.  A lie reminiscent of the garden.  Did God really say......


3.  Redemption, ours and theirs, is a messy, ugly process.  The stench of our sin, both the Prodigal Son type-sin and that of his religious older brother, is repugnant to a Holy God.  The road to the cross was an excruciating one.  Gruesome, even.  For what?  To buy us back.  To redeem what had been marred by sin.  Nothing about this redemption plan was easy.  And nor is (or should) ours be any different.  The road to adoption is long.  And hard.  Ugly even.  And it is riddled with bumps along the way.  Isn't that true of anything worth anything though??


4.  The wait causes in us a desire to take matters into our own hands.  Hello, Sarah??  I seriously feel bad for that chick.  Why?  Because I get her.

I. Am. Her.

God reveals a promise to her and Abraham, and what happens?  She has to wait for TEN YEARS to see the fruition of that promise.  And so she does what any strong woman would do when she tires of waiting.  She usurps her husband's authority and does things her way.  Because surely something is amiss with God.  Perhaps they heard wrong....

Naturally though, the plan backfires.  It turns out God DID know what He was doing, and the damage is done.  An illegitimate child.  A jealous wife.  Tension.  Heartache. All because the wait was just too darn hard.


5.  Our feelings will fail us.  We will grow weary and we WILL want to turn back.  We will question whether we heard right in the first place, and we will question whether God will provide.  We will think things like this... "I know He's provided in the past, but surely THIS is beyond even Him."  Our feelings will be all over the place.  One day we will feel inspired and encouraged; the next day we will feel defeated.  Can you tell?  I know this one well. :) While our culture screams, "Follow your heart," God's Word whispers, "Follow the Truth."  

"Whatever is TRUE....think about such things."

Philippians 4:8

It is a daily act of obedience to remind myself WHAT God has called us to in the first place and WHO we are in Christ.


6.  The wait forces us to see our need for Him.  No truer words could be spoken.  The fact that we are powerless to do ANYTHING, causes us to seek Him continually.  And certainly this isn't just true of our adoption process!  Parenting, direction in decision-making, finances, relationships….the weight of it all should force us to cry out, "We cannot do this thing you have asked us to do on our own!"

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness."
2 Corinthians 12: 9

"But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead."
2 Corinthians 1: 9

And why?  Why would God allow us to walk through a difficult situation?  Through the valley of the shadow of death or through a period of waiting?  For His glory.  So that His power would be made known even in the midst of our trials.

7.  We are not alone in the wait.  Countless others have gone before us.  Scripture is chock-full of examples of men and women who have waited well.  Noah.  David.  Elijah.  Ruth.  Mary.  Examples of REAL people who were promised REAL things by God, only to turn around and wait.  And wonder.  And wait some more.

If we are to believe that God's Word is the inspired Word of God (and I do!), then we must believe that every story in there, every word even, has been ordained by the Creator.  Not one fact or detail was arbitrarily tossed in there without a second thought.  Those countless stories of waiting were meant to point all glory to Him and to show us how to do the same.

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

2 Timothy 3: 16-17

8.  Scripture is also full of promises specifically FOR the wait.  

Psalm 40 - U2 anyone? 

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

2 Peter 3:8-9

Read the book of Psalms.  Read Job.   Read His Word for yourself and see how God speaks to your heart on the issue of waiting.

9.  When our faith is struggling, look back.  How has He provided in the past?  As I read through the Psalms, I see a trend lifting off the pages.  As we pray to God and spend time in His presence, our focus shifts from ourselves to Him.  I love the truth that is told in the Psalms of Ascent.  As the Israelites would travel the long, arduous journey to Jerusalem to participate in the Holy Days each year, they would sing the Psalms of Ascent to God (Psalm 120-134). These journeys were plagued with danger, and as they would pilgrimage, these words would ring true....

"I lift my eyes up to the hills - where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth."

(Psalm 120:1-2)

They would recall the long days spent in Egypt, and how their God had faithfully brought them out.  How He had turned the Nile into blood and wreaked havoc on those Egyptians.  How He had parted the seas of Red and led them out into the promised land.  When their faith was struggling, they would look back and remember God's faithfulness throughout the ages.  Recalling His goodness, would give them the faith they needed to wait well.

10.  Pray THROUGH your circumstances.  This is the newest lesson that God is in the process of teaching me now.  I've been convicted lately that my tendency is to pray and pray and pray for something to happen, and the moment I see the horizon……the moment I see a tiny glimmer of hope, a small glimpse of God moving in the direction towards answered prayer…...I quit praying.  It's as if I'm saying, "You've got this God.  I'm all done.  I'm all prayed-out."

The concept of praying THROUGH something reminds me of Aaron holding Moses' arms up during the battle with the Amalekites.  Even when his arms probably ached with exhaustion, Aaron and Moses held strong.  And God is asking me to do the same.  To press on in prayer, even when things seem to be going my way.  This is a difficult one for me.  The flesh is always seeking to slip back into the comfortable place of complacency.   Maybe you also? 

"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…"
Isaiah 40

So I encourage you to wait well.  And pray that I would have the grace to do the same.

Kirsten

We're Almost There!!!

It has been a long, slow process, but we're just about ready to be wait listed again!!  After Charles lost his job this summer (and then found a new one in the fall), we were frozen right at the number we were at  - #53.  Before we could continue on, we had to update our paperwork and complete a new home study.  For this paperwork-challenged, busy mama of four, that was no small feat.  It literally felt like a towering mountain of clearances, medical records, fingerprint appointments, and financial statements were standing before us.  Some days I felt defeated just THINKING about all that had to be done to bring us to where we are today.

But here we stand.

Paperwork in.

Signed.

Dated.

Notarized.

Home study written up.

Ready for the next step in our adoption journey.

And what is that you ask??

Currently, we are waiting for re-approval to continue moving down the wait list.  Last week we had our dreaded home visit (again).  Momentarily, it looked like perhaps things would end right there.  We ran into a couple obstacles THAT MORNING regarding immigration expiration, followed by child abuse and criminal clearance expirations.  The threat of having to start all over at the very beginning of this entire, crazy process loomed in front of us.  And literally....the thought of THAT.....of having to start all over again.....made me cry.  I literally shed tears of frustration, sadness, panic, and fear.  GOD!!  WHERE ARE YOU??   HAVEN'T WE DONE WHAT YOU ASKED OF US?

But as history proves, He is not a God who backs down from obstacles.  He doesn't shy away from mountains that may rise up in our path.  Instead, He many times uses those very obstacles to bring Himself maximum glory.  And so, as we prayed.....as we begged.....just like those Israelites did......for God not to bring us out into the wilderness just to allow us to be boxed in by the Red Sea on one side and the Egyptian army on the other.....God moved.  Providentially again.  Not with the miraculous hand that we had witnessed last year, but in the steady, seemingly-coincidental hand of providence.

And we were humbled.  And ashamed.  That again, we had doubted.  And again, He had made a way.

I just spent the last couple hours reading over our old adoption posts from the last two years.  Minuscule and monumental roadblocks alike that God had hurdled over. Left me in awe of Him all over again.  And so tonight I praise Him for this journey.  This crazy journey that He has had us on for over two years now.  This journey that I had thought would be over by now (surely, right??).  And yet I know God is in control.  I know that in ALL things He is working together for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose...even when times are tough and things don't seem to make sense.  Even when God shows you things that you don't think will ever come to pass.  Even though you wait...and wait some more.

And I wonder....is this a small glimpse of what it was like for Sarah?  For David?  For the Jews anxiously awaiting their Messiah?  Promises and callings that took what may have seemed a lifetime to see the fruit of.  Yet in some strange way, knowing what I know about how THEIR stories end, it brings me some solace as I stand in a place of waiting myself.

He is God, and He is still on His throne.  No matter how our story ends.  Nothing is out from under His divine control.  The wait.  The struggle.  The ups.  The downs.  All of it.  All for His glory as He weaves our story into His master plan.

So wait we do. Yet as we wait, we set our eyes on the One who is not limited by timeframes and immigration expiration dates.  The One who is above all things.   And we thank Him that we can confidently say, we are almost there!!!



Kirsten

What a Difference a Year Makes

Epic.

That is what my mother-in-law is calling this Christmas.  And truly it was.  This year, Charles and I surprised the kids (and his sister) with an early Christmas present - a trip to California to spend the holidays with Anna and her family.

The planning had begun four weeks prior to Christmas. We booked our flights. We researched car rentals. We filled Charles' parents and Brian in on the details of our little plan.  All was set.  And then, the hard part started.....keeping the secret from both our kids and Anna. :)

Oh the excitement as we waited with anticipation!!!!  As the month progressed, I had to giggle to myself as our kids talked about Christmas and what gifts they were hoping for. Their sight was so limited, as they could not even imagine anything better than a new Lego set.  A couple days before we unveiled our big surprise, I hinted to my four littles that this Christmas was going to be pretty awesome.

Candy!

A Lego set!

Movie night!

Ice cream all day long!!

These were a few of their guesses. :)

I couldn't help but to think that it's the same with God.  He, in His infinite wisdom, sees the whole picture.  We only see in part. It's hard for us to comprehend the things of God and all that He has planned because His ways are not our ways.  His thoughts are not our thoughts.  They are always higher, always better.  We set our sights, like my kiddos, on menial things of this world.  Everyday that I settle for less of Him, I invite more worry, bitterness, discontent, and pride into my life.  He has a plan, and it requires me to DAILY trust in Him and His ability to SEE.

Finally, after a month that had inched along, the moment came.  Charles came home early from work, and we gathered our little ones around.  It was time!!  The next several minutes consisted of clues that led them around the house on a scavenger hunt.  Oh the cheers when that final present was uncovered!!!  I'm surprised Anna didn't hear the screaming all the way to California. ;)

But the surprise wasn't over.  Oh no, it had just begun!!  An hour later, we were on our way to catch a flight from Philly to San Fran.  Upon arriving in San Francisco,  we rented a car and began the three-hour trek to their home.  Despite the many trains, planes, and automobiles we had to endure until reaching our destination at 4:00 IN THE MORNING, our kids did so awesome!!  What a blessing!  I think they were just as excited to surprise their cousins as we were. After a quick couple-hours of sleep in the Peterson RV, we were refreshed and ready to go again. With four kids in tow, we walked across the yard to their front door and KNOCKED!!

"Merry Christmas!" we shouted as Anna peered out the front door, still in her jammies.  Mission accomplished.  :)

Isn't God AMAZING??  I mean, really, if you know the history of our family, and the year we have had, then you understand the awesomeness of this Christmas.   Just like my kids, my sight had been limited.  Had you asked me over the summer while my hubby was unemployed what our holiday plans were, I would have laughed at the idea that we would have been able to go, let alone FLY, our entire family to California.  Had you gone back even six months prior, when Charles' sister lay in a hospital bed for the first few weeks of 2012 fighting for her life, the thought of planning anything other than a funeral, seemed pretty far off.  Yet God, in his infinite wisdom knew better.  He knew the end of the story before it ever even began.  Long before our eyes could see.  He knew the joy would be that much more complete having first been through the struggle.

So, as I giggled at my kids, knowing that I knew a secret that they would be so excited about, I also couldn't help but to laugh at my own foolishness and lack of trust that God too, knows secrets that I cannot even begin to imagine or comprehend.  He is so good.  So worthy of all praise.

I won't bore you with all the details of our Christmas extravaganza.  It was awesome.  Epic, even.  It was a celebration of life and love and family.  But mostly, it was a celebration of our God and His awesomeness.

Our God who heals.

Who saves.

Who provides.

Who is faithful.

Thank you to everyone who followed our story and prayed for our family this year.  We are eternally grateful.  Anna is doing well.  Today marks exactly ONE YEAR from the day Micah was born and her fight for life began.  To say that it has been easy, would trivialize the suffering that she has had to endure.  It certainly has been a difficult year, but every day she is getting stronger.  And, most importantly, SHE IS HERE TO TELL HER STORY!!!  To read her story from the beginning you may go here, or check out this link of Anna sharing her own story in her own words.

On the home front, Charles' new job is going well also.  He has been very busy with work this month, and our family has been well-provided for.  So many details about his new job have left us in awe of our God who knows best.  Our adoption is still under-way as we wait to be matched with our forever-child.  We have been really blessed despite hardships.

Truth be told though, I am happy to see 2012 off.  Between the loss of loved ones, loss of jobs, and family members who have struggled, it wasn't our greatest of years.  ;)  Yet, I wouldn't trade it for anything.  The sorrow and uncertainty has made the miraculous and providential hand of God that much sweeter.  It has taught me truths about God that I may have missed out on otherwise.  It has taught me about His overwhelming faithfulness.  His perfect timing.  His grace.

So as 2012 makes it's exit, and the New Year looms around the corner, I leave you with some memories of OUR monumental Christmas.

I believe the word was epic. :)

Giant Sequoia Trees in Yosemite!!!

Sophie and Meghan

Spending the day in Yosemite National Park, CA

Me and my little love....

Sophia in front of Half Dome

The view from here......

The kids had fun playing on the frozen creek bed. :)

The gang in front of the roots of a fallen Giant Sequoia tree.

My love  <3

Giant Sequoia trees

The Peterson clan....

My girls :)

Charles and I in Yosemite.

The kiddos...Christmas Eve

Jackson celebrating his birthday in California!!!

The hospital where Anna spent the first few weeks of 2012 sent Christmas presents this year for all the kids.

Nightly Advent readings with Uncle Brian.

Jackson's pollyanna gift to Charles......Oh! The rivalry was in full effect this week!!!

Sweet Sophia

Christmas morning!!!

My sweet Kaya

My four littles

Baby Micah celebrating his first Christmas!

Cousins

Spending the day in San Fran before heading home.

Alcatraz

Watching the Sea Lions off of Pier 39 in San Fran.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years from the Gregoires in California!!!

Happy New Years from our family to yours!!!  Thanks for being a part of our 2012!

Kirsten

THANKFUL!

I realize it's been awhile since I've updated.  Two months to be exact.  :)  Between dishes, laundry, school work, home study updates, birthday party plans, sewing Halloween costumes, and well, just LIFE, my blog has kind-of taken a back burner.  And really, I'm OK with that.....one less thing on my "list" is fine with me right now.  Buuuutttttt...... many of you have asked about Charles' new job and the status of our adoption, so I thought it was time for an update.

Here's how life has been treating us.....

ON THE JOB FRONT - Charles working again has definitely been an adjustment for the entire family, but we are so THANKFUL he has a job!!!  His new job comes with very early mornings, however, it (most days) leads to earlier afternoons as well.  THAT makes mama happy. :)  Overall, we have seen some wonderful things come from this new position.  Things that we may not ever have thought to have prayed for.  Things that we know could only have come from a detail-oriented God.  So, so THANKFUL!!!  THANKS friends for your prayers!

IT'S A PARTY!!! - Since my last post, we celebrated a birthday around here!!!  My second oldest, Joseph, turned SEVEN!!!  We are so proud of the little man he is becoming.  This year he celebrated with a Star Wars themed birthday party in our backyard.

A Death Star Birthday Cake for one very special Jedi

I had a gazillion more pics, but unfortunately they were lost to an untimely incident between a mug of hot chocolate and my MAC book.   Ahhhh......life with kids.  :)

Joe's most favorite present (besides the gobs of Lego Ninjagos he got)???  Losing a tooth right before bed.  And then, he literally LOST it.  So......he wrote the tooth fairy this little note......

Apparently in our house, if you lose a tooth ON your birthday, it gets you $5.  Lucky dude.  :)

HURRICANE NEWS - Unless you live in a hole, you've undoubtedly heard about a little Hurricane named Sandy wreaking havoc up and down the East Coast last month.  Fortunately, we live far from the coast and didn't experience any damage in terms of water.  The biggest concern where we live was the wind.  More specifically:  trees falling down due to the wind.  And OH!!  were there a TON of trees that fell!!!  During the height of the storm, we took our flashlights, pillows, and blankets down into the basement and camped out for the night.  Despite losing power early in the evening, we made the most of it by eating ice cream (Hey!! You can't let that stuff go bad!), playing Pictionary (by candlelight!!), and reading Detectives in Togas.   Memories were most certainly made!!

When we awoke the next morning, it seemed that everywhere we went, trees were down.  Blocking roads, on top of houses and cars, and resting precariously upon telephone wires.  In my brother's wooded backyard, approximately 20-30 trees fell, all piled up in a neat, not-so-little stack.  This is actually where we spent the week.  Our power went out on a Monday night and wasn't back on until the following Sunday afternoon.  With temperatures drastically dropping, it made for one really cold house.  :)  Honestly though, seeing the stories of the victims in New Jersey and New York, we felt quite fortunate that we merely experienced a slight inconvenience.  We spent the week at my brother and sister-in-law's house. My nieces had off from school for the WHOLE WEEK due to the storm, so we got to spend time with cousins.  It was an instant party!  So THANKFUL for family and friends in the area who helped during this time!!!

IT'S HALLOWEEN!!! - Really, I'm not sure where the year went!  Just a minute ago it felt like the beginning of 2012!!  Before I knew it, Halloween was here, and with it came the costume demands.  So......out came the sewing machine, and with a little bit of creativity, here is what we came up with.....

An Egyptian Princess...

A red ninja...

A green ninja...

And a princess....

SCHOOL - As if hurricanes, birthdays, and job changes didn't keep us busy enough these past couple months, there is always school!!  Our year has gotten off to a great start.  We have managed to keep quite busy.   Here are a few of the highlights so far....

Making mummies using paper mache.....poor Barbie. :)

Haha.  An attempt at marshmallow pyramids....

Class trip to Crystal Caves

Inside the caves with my little love bug.

Apparently soaking a raw egg in vinegar for 72 hours creates a "naked egg" (the shell has dissolved) that you can hold in your hand!  Who knew??!  My kids had so much fun with this experiment!

Field trip to the local dairy farm....

followed by a hayride out to the pumpkin patch.

Gearing up for the Presidential Election....took a tour of the Capital Building in Harrisburg, PA.

The outside was beautiful, but OH MY, the inside!!!!  So fun!  We even got to tour the Senate, House of Representatives, and Supreme Court!

Voting Booth!!!  Tonight's decision??  Honey, I Shrunk the Kids or Orphan Annie and brownies or ice cream for dessert.

 (for the record, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and ice cream won)  :)

The three oldest stayed up late watching the results come in and coloring in their Electoral College Maps.   

Philadelphia Art Museum field trip!!!

By far, the kids favorite was the Arms and Armor room.

Taking a break to play some chess.....

ADOPTION - And finally, our adoption.....all is trucking along there as well.   Due to Charles' new job (and the fact that 18 months are up), we are having to update parts of our portfolio.  Financial statements, insurance information, medical records, FBI fingerprints, clearances, and such.  I'm not at all excited to be back doing paperwork again (it's A LOT!!!!), however, THANKFUL to still be in the process! Once we finish up with our updates, we can be added back onto the wait list at the number we were "frozen" at.  Looking forward to moving DOWN that list again real soon!!!

THANKS again friends for all your thoughts and prayers!  We are certain that without them, we would have struggled much more than we did during this time.  We have so much to be THANKFUL for going into this season of THANKFULNESS.  We even managed to steal away last month for a little date night:

Dead Sea Scroll Exhibit - Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA

Have a wonderful THANKSGIVING!!!

Kirsten