craziness

Well it's been a a crazy weekend, to say the least. First of all, we have a tick infestation in our house. Last week we started finding ticks everywhere! So I freaked out-totally gross, and sprayed the whole house with a home insect spray that we have. But it wasn't doing the trick, so I had to go to a pest control store and get some major stuff. So we sprayed every inch of the house and the carpet that we have (not much), then vacuumed and swept and put the house house back together. I also had to go and get some flea/tick control for the cat and dog, since we found over 25 ticks on Moose-poor guy. We had been giving him Frontline, but apparently it didn't have tick control in it. So after spraying, cleaning, washing, picking ticks off, I think we have begun to eliminate the problem. We still find one here or there, but I will be spraying frequently. The guy at the pest control place said ticks eggs can lie dormant for up to a year-nice. They haven't really bitten us since we can feel them and pick them off, but poor Moose-I feel so bad!
While I was cleaning up ticks on Sat., Kody had T-ball practice, and when they got home from practice I went to Publix-my parents were coming over to celebrate my birthday and we had no food. While I was there Kristyn called me and said that Henrietta (the chicken) was dead-she wasn't moving. She was sick a few weeks ago, I did research, thought I figured out what it was-got some medication, and she was doing much better. We had thought she was all better. Well Friday we had noticed she wasn't running up when we fed her and she wasn't acting herself. So we started the medicine again. I guess she had a different sickness though, and she didn't make it. It was very sad, she was my favorite chicken-just had a great personality-yes chickens have personalities. She was the "dominant" chicken though, Daisy followed everything she did, so I don't know how Daisy will do without her. There is talk of getting a chick now-so we'll see. We had a funeral and Bryson said a prayer for poor Henrietta, he was really crushed. I tell you what, after the weekend we had I am ready to evacuate all pets from this house!
Well, Sunday we had a tour of the new school from 2-4. The kids were so excited and really misbehaving because they just couldn't handle the excitement. We found everyone's classes and the lockers-that's all Bailey cared about! It's a nice, new, big school and I'm sure the teachers will appreciate having actual good-sized classrooms! The car line is a mess, of course, so we have to go through those pains again, but I know it will get worked out. So glad to have everyone at one place-except for Kody of course.

Also, last week we noticed some water in the garage, near the hot water heater. So this weekend we pulled everything out to figure out where it was coming from.......the wall behind the water heater-also the back wall of Kristyn's room. We had issues with a leaking pipe there before, so we knew just where to look. And as we speak there are plumbers fixing another leaky connection. So, now we add a drywalling adventure to next weekends plans! Luckily, we have had lots of drywall repair experience so we can handle that, but not what we want to this weekend! So hopefully this week will be a little smoother than the weekend was, but it's already looking crazy-so I doubt it.
Bryson has his first cross country meet tomorrow-he has to run 2 miles! This should be interesting, but it was his idea, so maybe running will be "his thing"-I just know it's definetely not mine!
We're looking forward to the disclosure meeting on Friday, so continued prayers for my sanity through all of this, please!

Disclosure

This is just a quick note to let you know our disclosure meeting for M was set for Sept. 30th at 10 A.M. This is the meeting where we will find out "all about M". We'll find out why he came into care, how he does in school, medical records, behaviors, and much more. I probably won't be able to share a lot of those details, because, well it's confidential, but I just ask for continued prayers for the weeks to come and continued prayers for M, that his heart and mind will be open to meeting and getting to know our family and that he will feel comfortable with us. I also want to thank you all for the support and prayers you have given us this far, we SO appreciate it! This is such a strange time in the process and we feel excited, nervous, and a little bit of everything in between! I will let you know how it goes and our next steps (meeting him?!).
On life outside of adoption, we are doing well. The kids' new school is ready and they will be moving to the brand new building on Sept. 26th-so exciting!

I got to go to Universal's Island of Adventure this past weekend with my sister, her treat for my birthday. It was fun and exhausting-nice to do something I enjoyed! This is Hogwarts in Harry Potter land-which is very awesome! I also loved the Hulk roller coaster-woo hoo! My legs are a little sore from all the walking-just a reminder that I am getting older!

Just wow!

Well, as of Sept. 1st, we have officially been matched with M! Lindsay called after the meeting to go over a few things and let us know our next step is a disclosure meeting ( learning all about M on paper). That may take a few weeks to schedule cause his case worker needs to get all of his info together. So at this point I am excited and scared. But listen to this.........just another example of how God has been orchestrating this adoption for a long time.........

Every month we try to attend an adoption support group meeting held at a wonderful place called the Sylvia Thomas Center. It provides training and support for families at any stage of adoption, from any place-for free. We have been going since we finished our MAPP classes-so since April or May. They have such wonderful people there and are a huge help for many families in the area. They have lost a lot of funding recently due to budget cuts, and are at risk for having to cut out a lot of programs or may even have to close and that would be a shame- so if you are ever looking for a charity to give to please consider them.
Anyhow.....we went to a meet and greet at the Sylvia Thomas Center last night. We almost didn't go, we were all tired and Bailey had to finish homework, but I had already RSVP'd for childcare and I kept feeling like we needed to go. When we signed in, the director, Sharon, asked who we were matched with and I told her it was M. She said she knew him and also that his nephew's (I'll get to this in a minute) adoptive family were coming and we should meet. Yes, M is an uncle. His nephew is 11, only 4 years younger, so they were raised like brothers.
Well after introductions, we knew who they were and they knew who we were. I had seen them there before, even heard them talk about M before. They were trying to adopt M and his nephew, but M didn't want to be adopted at the time. So after the meeting we talked, found out lots about M, and we found out this couple, the Johnson's, also attend church with us. We currently attend 2 churches(maybe that's another blog entry-not now)-this is the newest one-The Crossing. The Johnson's know M well, and he is at their house a lot, he even spent the weekend last weekend with them. Oh, did I mention the Johnson's live about 5 minutes away from us?! M has also lived at a group home near us and attended a church very close to us that some friends of ours attend. Also, the Johnson's told us that M has mostly been in Christian foster homes.
I cannot even believe how God has orchestrated all of these events to bring us to M! To be honest, it all started after we started attending The Crossing's Sat. night service. I feel we have just really strengthened our relationship with the Lord since being there, and we are better able to hear the Holy Spirit and obey. It's incredible! For those of you reading who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus, I'm sure you think I'm nuts-but thats ok! Those of you who know the Lord know what I'm talking about! I have never been able to actually "see" God working in my life as much as right now. And I have to believe it's because we are obedient to Him.
I am actually doing a Bible study right now about hearing God speak (He planned that too)-and it only confirms the fact that we are hearing from God, experiencing His blessings, because we have been obedient to Him. Sometimes it's not easy. You feel like you are nuts, or that people will think you are nuts, or that something bad might happen-we think way too much about responding to God's voice. He's got this-no need to worry. Does He not work all things for good for those who love Him? It may not seem like M and his nephew being separated from their birth family, and having to live in foster care for years is "good"......but it happened so that they could be united-adopted into their forever families, just as God adopted us into His forever family.

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.    Ephesians 1:5

I am just in awe over this! It is so beyond my comprehension, I can't even begin to understand, but I'm so excited to do God's will, whatever that may be! I love being able to share all of our journey with you. I am also writing in a journal for M, all of the details of the adoption and how I am feeling, hoping that one day it can be a gift to him and he can read about the journey and how we loved him, really before we even knew him!