Celebrations, Moves, and New Dogs... Oh My!!
Posted by Candace
Whew! Just got finished teaching school for the first time in over two weeks and boy did we have a time in our new schoolroom. Before it ended, all three of us had shed tears and none of us were speaking to each other...and I am BEAT!
Yesterday was spent setting up the room that we are now doing school in. It is the only room in the house that is completely finished, but it had to be done so that we could make today happen...although it might have been better if today hadn't have happened. Especially coming off such a glorious weekend...
Sunday was Kate's 3rd birthday... first birthday with us, but she turned 3 years old. We decided when she came home to wait to have her dedicated to Jesus until this special day because it happened to fall on a Sunday. I know now that this was the plan from the beginning of time. As I sat among family and friends, I was completely blown away by God's perfect timing as the Pastor spoke of the hope of a baby born 2000 years ago...God's plan to redeem not only Kate, but all of us. Our journey to Katherine Hope had come full circle... it began with God's Word to us through Pastor Rick Shockley at this same church as he preached on hope almost 2 years ago. In that service, as Pastor Rick touched on Abraham's hope for a child even when there was no reason to hope and how, after waiting, he received the promise...during this message, we received the call to walk forward into adoption (I still have the Scriptures that he printed out for his notes). On Sunday, a totally different pastor spoke on hope, as this same church celebrated the lighting of the Advent candle of "Hope" on Kate's birthday...the day we planned to dedicate her to the Lord. None of this was coordinated...as a matter of fact, I learned later that the pastor had been out of town the weekend before when they were supposed to light the "hope" candle and so they had moved that particular message. Before the beginning of time... Wow!!!
As for the actual service, it was completely beautiful, perfectly arranged, and thank God that Pastor Rick thought to give me a copy of the words that he spoke over our daughter... because she was in rare form...
Thoughts on Kate's God ordained day...my first thought that morning was "I don't know what time she was born..." I always make a big deal about the actual time that my boys turn a year older, but I can't do that with Kate. I don't know... I try to picture in my mind her birth... I bet she was yelling quite a bit as she entered this world and was ousted from her birth momma's belly. She probably fought tooth and nail, the cold world that she was forced to face head on. That is just my Kate... she is a fighter... and Praise Jesus, she is our fighter. I am sooooo glad that I was chosen to be her Mom. I wish I could thank her mother for giving her life. Our daughter is indescribably amazing and we marvel at her every day.
Kate also recently celebrated her first Thanksgiving. There were a few weighty moments as her name was drawn out of the gift exchange pile. She's here! She's home for Christmas!! She's ours!!! She will never be alone again (at some point, she will undoubtably resent this fact :)!!!! She loved Ma Maws mac and cheese... couldn't get enough! And our hearts overflowed with Thanksgiving for what God has already accomplished for His Kingdom through Kate.
Kate had her (hopefully, last) cast removed right after Thanksgiving!!! The doctor announced that he had never seen a bone grow so quickly and that everything looks really, really good. It should, I guess, since she now has a $13,000 piece of metal in there :). We may try to hauck it when they have to change it out...or at least trade it in. She is happy as an active 2 year old can be and I caught her climbing up onto her bed this morning, so really, really praying that the rod does its job.
Kate also got a dog!!! Myla is seemingly perfect for our family. She is a husky. She is gentle. She loves us. She doesn't bark... perfect! We are so excited.
Last thing that I want to share... I think it has been quite obvious that this move has been difficult in almost every way... leaving family and friends, downsizing, owning two properties, and then just the amount of stuff that needed to be moved 3 hours away. Over the past 3 weeks I have found myself marveling at the strength that God has provided... and the answers to heartfelt prayers. He worked out two specific impossible situations that I directly asked Him to help with...both just in time. He also has provided every step of the way... more than once, I have been on my face begging for help with one thing or another and He has given the might to walk forward. Next year, when I look back on this period of my life, I know that I am going to be completely amazed that it did not include a nervous breakdown of some kind... I'm not special... He hears you too... He answers... He loves you more than you could ever imagine.
Pictures to come as soon as I get this house in order.
Thanks be to Our God.
Yesterday was spent setting up the room that we are now doing school in. It is the only room in the house that is completely finished, but it had to be done so that we could make today happen...although it might have been better if today hadn't have happened. Especially coming off such a glorious weekend...
Sunday was Kate's 3rd birthday... first birthday with us, but she turned 3 years old. We decided when she came home to wait to have her dedicated to Jesus until this special day because it happened to fall on a Sunday. I know now that this was the plan from the beginning of time. As I sat among family and friends, I was completely blown away by God's perfect timing as the Pastor spoke of the hope of a baby born 2000 years ago...God's plan to redeem not only Kate, but all of us. Our journey to Katherine Hope had come full circle... it began with God's Word to us through Pastor Rick Shockley at this same church as he preached on hope almost 2 years ago. In that service, as Pastor Rick touched on Abraham's hope for a child even when there was no reason to hope and how, after waiting, he received the promise...during this message, we received the call to walk forward into adoption (I still have the Scriptures that he printed out for his notes). On Sunday, a totally different pastor spoke on hope, as this same church celebrated the lighting of the Advent candle of "Hope" on Kate's birthday...the day we planned to dedicate her to the Lord. None of this was coordinated...as a matter of fact, I learned later that the pastor had been out of town the weekend before when they were supposed to light the "hope" candle and so they had moved that particular message. Before the beginning of time... Wow!!!
As for the actual service, it was completely beautiful, perfectly arranged, and thank God that Pastor Rick thought to give me a copy of the words that he spoke over our daughter... because she was in rare form...
Thoughts on Kate's God ordained day...my first thought that morning was "I don't know what time she was born..." I always make a big deal about the actual time that my boys turn a year older, but I can't do that with Kate. I don't know... I try to picture in my mind her birth... I bet she was yelling quite a bit as she entered this world and was ousted from her birth momma's belly. She probably fought tooth and nail, the cold world that she was forced to face head on. That is just my Kate... she is a fighter... and Praise Jesus, she is our fighter. I am sooooo glad that I was chosen to be her Mom. I wish I could thank her mother for giving her life. Our daughter is indescribably amazing and we marvel at her every day.
Kate also recently celebrated her first Thanksgiving. There were a few weighty moments as her name was drawn out of the gift exchange pile. She's here! She's home for Christmas!! She's ours!!! She will never be alone again (at some point, she will undoubtably resent this fact :)!!!! She loved Ma Maws mac and cheese... couldn't get enough! And our hearts overflowed with Thanksgiving for what God has already accomplished for His Kingdom through Kate.
Kate had her (hopefully, last) cast removed right after Thanksgiving!!! The doctor announced that he had never seen a bone grow so quickly and that everything looks really, really good. It should, I guess, since she now has a $13,000 piece of metal in there :). We may try to hauck it when they have to change it out...or at least trade it in. She is happy as an active 2 year old can be and I caught her climbing up onto her bed this morning, so really, really praying that the rod does its job.
Kate also got a dog!!! Myla is seemingly perfect for our family. She is a husky. She is gentle. She loves us. She doesn't bark... perfect! We are so excited.
Last thing that I want to share... I think it has been quite obvious that this move has been difficult in almost every way... leaving family and friends, downsizing, owning two properties, and then just the amount of stuff that needed to be moved 3 hours away. Over the past 3 weeks I have found myself marveling at the strength that God has provided... and the answers to heartfelt prayers. He worked out two specific impossible situations that I directly asked Him to help with...both just in time. He also has provided every step of the way... more than once, I have been on my face begging for help with one thing or another and He has given the might to walk forward. Next year, when I look back on this period of my life, I know that I am going to be completely amazed that it did not include a nervous breakdown of some kind... I'm not special... He hears you too... He answers... He loves you more than you could ever imagine.
Pictures to come as soon as I get this house in order.
Thanks be to Our God.
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