Living and Learning as I Go: March 2014

I'm thinking that the subject title possibly got your attention... Emoji

Although this is technically a Christmas letter that seems to have gotten lost in the mail for a few months, I thought I'd better send it now before it is next Christmas! Like the man at the post office said when I bought stamps and sent off my fingerprints to the FBI, "I don't judge. I just sell stamps." But I'm getting ahead of myself.

After almost 16 years of marriage, years of longing, several struggles physically, emotionally, financially, prayer, fingerprints sent to the state and FBI, filling out what seems to have been an entire ream of paper work, we are in the final home study interviews with Bethany Christian Services to adopt an infant domestically! :) Although it has been a long time coming, we feel that God has led us here on purpose and His timing is always the best even if it really doesn't seem like it along the way.

We are trusting that our baby is out there - possibly not even born yet - waiting for us too. That is a crazy thought! Although we are so close and have been anticipating this moment for so long, everything seems to be happening quickly all of a sudden. It's kinda weird. Possibly the new normal? There is a crib that Ryan got on clearance at ShopKo - one of the perks of having a job at a retail store - that is now sitting in the box in the dining room waiting to be put together when the nursery is painted. There is also a Pack and Play waiting to be used (also on clearance). Fabric purchased for a baby blanket that is waiting to be sewn together. A tub of frog decor that is waiting to go in the nursery courtesy of Julie's former classroom and student gifts. And paint waiting to get put on the walls that will make the room look lovely. There is a lot of waiting going on!!! And praying, and wondering, and more waiting.

But then there is the craziness of life that happens. School is in the middle of the year and this seems to be when teachers and kids get a little out of sorts and grumpy. My cute little 1999 VW Beetle that I have loved forever now has 120,000 miles on it and seems to need to go to the shop on a monthly basis for something. Ryan may be getting a promotion to salary and an assistant store manager position in Sturgis (20 miles away). And Max can't figure out how to navigate the mess as we are painting and fixing cracks and remodeling from the ground shifting under our house causing me to see cloud through the roof. Literally. It was a little weird that morning. It's okay now, but there has been a lot of stress. All of that to say, we are still here! :) Just trying to keep going. One of the final upcoming things is our home study interview IN OUR HOME!!! YIKES!!! Although it looks much better now than it did a few months ago!

I hope that all is well with you and your families. We enjoyed getting cards letters and emails from all of you. Thank you. I did find it interesting that the older generation was the one that chose email. Who would have figured that one? We would ask you to keep us in prayer as we continue on this journey. Also if you know of a young lady who needs to give her baby up for adoption from your church, friend of a friend, friend's grandchild, etc, please let us know. If we are able to find a birthmother on our own, we would not have to pay part of the adoption fee which is large. However, we know that God didn't bring us this far to let us fail. Hopefully, we will be able to send a similar message soon that has a picture of our little family and the subject of this email will be true. Max could argue that it should say "and baby makes 4" but he isn't usually that articulate.

Ryan, Julie, Max, and the baby

PS> If you happen to win the lottery or the Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes, keep us in mind! Emoji

PPS> If I forgot anyone, please send this on to them. Thank you

Before...