Halloween, Homestudy & Crayons

We had a very fun Halloween serving 250 hot dogs and 400 goody bags as a homegroup. It was even bigger than last year and we are shooting for the moon next year. Here are a few costume pics:

We had a rose fairy, red ninja, blue bonnet fairy and rockstar. We had plenty of glitter, pink hairspray and weapons!!

We completed our homestudy today. Craig feels great about it ... I'm a little contemplative - just thinking over the questions and answers. We have a few more pieces of paper to gather and then our dossier will be complete and we can move forward. Thank you for all that prayed for us today - this journey is in God's hands and it is when I pick it up again that I feel anxious. How timely that our study at church this morning included not only Psalm 82:3 "Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless" but also James 1:27 "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." God knew that we needed to be reminded of our calling and His confirmation on it.

Now for something a little lighter ...

What do you get when you combine a glass bowl + wax paper + broken crayons + microwave=a mess!! Craig decided to tackle a 'craft' project while we finished cleaning the house for the homestudy and get 4 kids dressed for Halloween. Unfortunately, he started the microwave while he went outside to spray Hannah's hair pink and when we came in the wax paper was on fire. A little water on the mishap and the glass bowl exploded and melted crayon erupted all over the microwave. The melted crayon in the microwave wasn't even the worst of it .... the burnt crayon smell was terrible!!

The enemy may have thought this was enough to get me goin' ... WRONG .... backing over the cooler on the way to church this morning - that didn't get me either! Luke showing his pocket knife and sword to our social worker .... that ALMOST got me. But I refuse to let the enemy speak lies to me. I will trust in the Lord!

Psalm 138:8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.

Thank you to all who covered us in prayer today. We pray that we God will allow us to be His vessels of service and love through this adoption. We are humbled, grateful and blessed for His calling our lives.

Homestudy

Our Homestudy has been scheduled for Nov 1st (Happy Birthday Boba). I am not sure what I was thinking scheduling it the day after Halloween, but it was the first available date in November, so there you have it. We may be hiding costumes and candy in the car - not sure what to do about the sugar high all the kids will be on .... but perhaps they will just appear to be joyful, happy, jovial kids :)


I have been reminded recently of the parallel between the journey of adoption and the journey of pregnancy. I am so grateful I have experienced pregnancy and I am grateful to now be experiencing the pregnancy of adoption. Just like when I have been pregnant, I find myself thinking about our next child(ren). What they will look like, what our family will be like when they are here, what their little personalities are going to be like, and wanting so much to hold them. I praise God that He knew our children before they were born and He knows those that are yet to be Porters. Thank you God for the miracle of motherhood - both biological and adoptive.

Psalm 139:14-16
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Next step ... Dossier (silly amounts of paperwork)!!!