We got an update from our agency this afternoon -- we are at number 3 on the wait list!!!!
We are seriously close to the top of the list!
I haven't heard a confirmation on when the next committee meeting will be, but right now, I am just flying high -- so excited to be number 3!!!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Our God is awesome!!
What an incredible week we had at Vacation Bible School! I think I am still on a high from it! It was an excellent time of Bible stories, games, crafts, snacks, and of course song and dance. I don't know who had more fun: me or the kids. Seriously, I loved it.
Our theme was Babylon: Daniel's Courage in Captivity. We studied what Daniel and the other Israelites that were carted off to Babylon went through: different place, different language, different food, different everything. But: when things change, or when you are afraid, or when you are lonely, etc., God is always with you. It was a great lesson for the exiles, and it was a great lesson for the kids to remember. No matter what, God is always with them.
The music was outstanding. The songs were great, and really complemented the lessons all week. I had some very dear teenage girls to assist me, and we had a great time teaching the kids the songs and dances. I had the music running through my head all week, and in fact it is still there. All the songs were wonderful, and those kids rocked the house singing Amazing Grace, Our God is an Awesome God, and all the new ones too. I was really amazed at how into it the kids were: the little ones definitely but even the older boys. It really brought a joy to my heart seeing them belting out a tune and doing the little moves. So totally adorable.
The tune that is especially in my head, and the one that I think was the predominant favorite for everyone, was Stand Firm. The lyrics were so great: "Stand firm when life changes, stand firm through the ups and downs, stand firm for you know that God is in control. The storms of life may push and pull, but we are standing on the Rock that never rolls." Another camp favorite: God is Watching Over You: "When you're jumping, jumping up and down, when you're spinning, spinning all around, God is seeing everything you do, 'Cause He is watching, watching over you. God is watching, watching over you, 24/7 watching over you. Your life is in His hands, He's got great big plans, 'Cause He's watching over you." My prayer for all those little kiddos, and the big ones too, that they would always remember that: no matter what: God is in control, and He is watching over us with tender care.
As we get closer to the top of the list, and hopefully closer to receiving our referral, is it comforting having the reminder that God is so totally in charge of everything. Nothing, not even the smallest detail, escapes His notice. That's the awesome God that we have!!
Our theme was Babylon: Daniel's Courage in Captivity. We studied what Daniel and the other Israelites that were carted off to Babylon went through: different place, different language, different food, different everything. But: when things change, or when you are afraid, or when you are lonely, etc., God is always with you. It was a great lesson for the exiles, and it was a great lesson for the kids to remember. No matter what, God is always with them.
The music was outstanding. The songs were great, and really complemented the lessons all week. I had some very dear teenage girls to assist me, and we had a great time teaching the kids the songs and dances. I had the music running through my head all week, and in fact it is still there. All the songs were wonderful, and those kids rocked the house singing Amazing Grace, Our God is an Awesome God, and all the new ones too. I was really amazed at how into it the kids were: the little ones definitely but even the older boys. It really brought a joy to my heart seeing them belting out a tune and doing the little moves. So totally adorable.
The tune that is especially in my head, and the one that I think was the predominant favorite for everyone, was Stand Firm. The lyrics were so great: "Stand firm when life changes, stand firm through the ups and downs, stand firm for you know that God is in control. The storms of life may push and pull, but we are standing on the Rock that never rolls." Another camp favorite: God is Watching Over You: "When you're jumping, jumping up and down, when you're spinning, spinning all around, God is seeing everything you do, 'Cause He is watching, watching over you. God is watching, watching over you, 24/7 watching over you. Your life is in His hands, He's got great big plans, 'Cause He's watching over you." My prayer for all those little kiddos, and the big ones too, that they would always remember that: no matter what: God is in control, and He is watching over us with tender care.
As we get closer to the top of the list, and hopefully closer to receiving our referral, is it comforting having the reminder that God is so totally in charge of everything. Nothing, not even the smallest detail, escapes His notice. That's the awesome God that we have!!
Friday, June 01, 2012
We've GOT to be close now!
I learned yesterday that the committee at IHNFA met last Friday May 25th (yay!!!) and made I think seven referrals! I don't know any of the details as to whether they were boys or girls or what ages the children were or if any of them were siblings or if any had special needs or anything else (though I think that about covers all the options). But wow: seven referrals!! The procedure as I understand it is that the wait list is updated after all the families have accepted their referrals, which is probably in another week from now. But holy cow: we have GOT to be close now! Best case scenario is that we will be #1 on the wait list at that point (worse case scenario is that we won't move at all -- don't even want to think about that! Not sure how we would even calculate reasonable worst case scenario [yes, there really is such a thing as reasonable worst case scenario!] so I won't worry about that either!) It would be amazing to be #1 on the list, but even if we are something like 2 or 3 or 4 or 5, we are seriously close to the top, and it is quite possible that we could receive our referral at the next committee, which is absolutely incredible to think about. Of course, it may not happen: all the children available at that point could be outside our parameters, but it is way possible that we could be one of the lucky ones!! So, May brought some wonderful news, even if it didn't bring the best possible news for our family.
Oh, by the way, it doesn't look like we will be making any change to our parameters at this point, like I had referenced in my last post. We were considering increasing the age parameter a little bit, but it was recommended to us to just sit tight, since we are so close to the top, and we don't want to do anything that that would slow down a referral. Like I said, I felt like it was in God's hands whether we made the change or not, and I am comfortable leaving things as they are and would have been comfortable making the change too.
So hopefully we will hear our big news from the next committee meeting, hopefully in June. I tell you: it is SO much easier in this wait now that school is out. My days are completely full with swimming and reading and biking and scootering and all the other fun summer stuff. And to sweeten the deal even more, next week is my favorite week of the whole summer: Vacation Bible School!! I really love it. I am the music lady again this year, and the songs are great. I am really looking forward to doing them with the kids. Our theme is Daniel: Captivity in Babylon. It is our first time doing an historical VBS, and it has been so much fun so far: learning the songs and their motions and decorating the school gym to look like ancient Babylon. It is amazing what you can do with a bunch of cardboard boxes, crepe paper, paint, and a bunch of duct tape! I'm going to wear an outfit that I got in Morocco ages ago, and even though Morocco isn't exactly ancient Babylon, I have a feeling none of the kids will mind too much. Can't wait!!
Oh, by the way, it doesn't look like we will be making any change to our parameters at this point, like I had referenced in my last post. We were considering increasing the age parameter a little bit, but it was recommended to us to just sit tight, since we are so close to the top, and we don't want to do anything that that would slow down a referral. Like I said, I felt like it was in God's hands whether we made the change or not, and I am comfortable leaving things as they are and would have been comfortable making the change too.
So hopefully we will hear our big news from the next committee meeting, hopefully in June. I tell you: it is SO much easier in this wait now that school is out. My days are completely full with swimming and reading and biking and scootering and all the other fun summer stuff. And to sweeten the deal even more, next week is my favorite week of the whole summer: Vacation Bible School!! I really love it. I am the music lady again this year, and the songs are great. I am really looking forward to doing them with the kids. Our theme is Daniel: Captivity in Babylon. It is our first time doing an historical VBS, and it has been so much fun so far: learning the songs and their motions and decorating the school gym to look like ancient Babylon. It is amazing what you can do with a bunch of cardboard boxes, crepe paper, paint, and a bunch of duct tape! I'm going to wear an outfit that I got in Morocco ages ago, and even though Morocco isn't exactly ancient Babylon, I have a feeling none of the kids will mind too much. Can't wait!!
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