Class Two

This is a long post, get your coffee.
So we've been to two classes now and all they've really done is do a lot of reading to us. I have been reading to myself since, like, the tender age of 4 people. I spent a serious amount of time at the library when I was a child, I can work the Dewey Decimal System like you wouldn't even know. Reading to me does nothing for me, I understand better when I read to me. Especially under the circumstances.
Here are the major points that we've learned outside of being read at:
Flexibility - Get some. Find some. Grow some. Whatever. You will need it.
Control - You have none. Lose whatever you think you got.
Loss - You aren't the only ones in this situation dealing with loss.
All of these sort of intertwine. We need to be flexible for the BM. She is experiencing loss just the same as we are. She's placing a child for adoption. She could change her mind 100 times, this is a huge deal and we need to be flexible. After all, we aren't in control ;)
Another thing we talked about is adoption language. Like "gave her child up for adoption". I just used this and deleted it because I need to try to use better language. Similar to when you become a Christian and you start trying walking like Christ. You quit cussing, this is a work in progress for us. Another one is "real mom". As if anyone in this situation is imaginary. I have used this before as well. Oops. Someone has a lot of growing to do...
For fun in the last class we took the Briggs Myers whatever whatever test. Nick and I both scored in the ISFJ section. Here is what the ISFJ profile looks like if you care to take a gander - ISFJ . Some parts are spot on for Nick and way off for me and vice versa. If you know us well, you can probably figure them out. I was also pretty close to ISTJ, which is almost exactly the same as ISFJ. Here's a few traits that I identified with, good and bad.
...they place great importance on honesty and integrity (this is incredibly important to me)
...insist on doing everything "by the book"(probably why this whole accounting thing works for me)
...they have a tendency to take other people's efforts for granted (I can be selfish, I can admit that)
...likely to be uncomfortable expressing affection and emotion to others (anyone? anyone? maybe not affection but definitely emotion)
...they do not usually give themselves enough credit for their achievements, seeing their accomplishments simply as the natural fulfillment of their obligations (I will not ask for a raise, its my job, I just do it)
...extremely faithful and loyal (stayed at a job that made me miserable because I felt such loyalty to the founder)
...are responsible parents, taking their parenting roles seriously (HEY NOW! Here's something to get excited about!)
...Under stress may fall into "catastrophe mode", where they see nothing but all of the possibilities of what could go wrong...(who's blushing? Me.)
So there's a few interesting things about me. Probably obvious, but its fun to read.

Let me be a little more personal now. And probably a little direct and brash. I have been inundated with people complaining about their kids and lives after kids. Please stop telling me things such as "life as you know it will be over" or "say goodbye to sleeping and having a clean house and hello to being broke". Its probably the "having a clean house" statement that really set me over the edge but you people are REALLY bringing me down. Which in turns brings Nick down. And no one wants to see the eternal optimist down. Trust me. Try to remember that this whole adoption thing is nothing like what you've experienced. It is difficult in its own right. Your icky attitude sorta magnifies that. We want to be excited and happy regardless of how difficult the process is and how difficult you make life out to be after the process is over. Lets agree to something here: you will stop complaining about your terrible children and threatening to just take my mountain bike away now and I will stop almost feeling sorry for you. Your life is not over. Here are some examples of things you could say "I've seen you with our baby, you are going to be a great mom" <yes it did make me tear up. Or "When you guys talk to Ali and play with King, I just know you'll be great parents". Kids mentioned are real children and we love them so its easy for us. Which makes me think it will be 10x more easy to deal with aforementioned nonsense<3
PS - I am good at cleaning and throwing stuff away so ask me over.

What to say, what to say....

This is going to be a quick post because I'm in a weird place and I really don't have much to say. We went to the 1st adoption class. It was far (like REAL far) and in a less than fabulous location. They just reviewed some stuff and read to us from our booklet. We got home late and went to bed even later.
Perhaps I'll have something encouraging to pass on after next class!

Soup, Soap and Salvation

Have you ever been inspired to do something big? Something great? Something so powerful it could change the way another human being lives their life? Yah...me neither...

Let me tell you a wee little story about our friends Jeff and Ana. We met this couple through our small group and have adored them from the beginning. I could describe them in so many ways but what you really need to know is that they love God and have been called by Him to do something very special. In February they are traveling with our church to be missionaries in India. It kind of takes my breath away how incredible it is. I'm sure there has been a time in your life when you clearly heard Gods calling and ignored it. You probably said something like, surely that's not Gods will for me, He wouldn't tell me to (insert missed opportunity here)! Maybe you're pre-G right now and you felt something stirring in your heart and you dismissed it - coulda' been the Holy Spirit trying to break through...just sayin'...

I truly believe that we grow most when we're forced to be uncomfortable for Christ. When we're out of our comfort zone, in unknown territory, uncertain of whats ahead on life's road map and fully trusting that Christ will get us to where He needs us to be. Just thinking about how uncomfortable I would be in India makes me believe that Jeff and Ana are going to experience some serious growth! More importantly, they are going to help grow the people of India. These people worship millions of gods, its all they've ever known. To me, that's crazy. Jeff and Ana are going to go over there and tell them there is only one God< to them, that's crazy.

If you've been moved to spread the Good Word but you don't know how or you aren't quite ready to step off this continent to do so, would you consider donating to help Jeff and Ana get to India? As you can probably imagine the costs are significant but as previously stated in other posts, only significant alone. Perhaps you could skip Starbucks tomorrow or Taco Bell at lunch or skip your massive car payment this month (ha no jk, don't get silly) and send a few dollars their way.

If you are ready to do this, here's how:
Go to Cornerstone Chandler website www.cschandler.com
Click on ministries
Click on missions
Click on upcoming trips
Click on information
Below "India" and "Support a Team Member" (on the left) there is a Click Here area, do it!
(I will assume that most of you reading this tithe to your own church and not ours, so you'll have to set up an account which takes 5 seconds and no the church wont spam you or sell your information or try to take your firstborn son.) (Its fully tax deductible as if you needed more reasons to donate)
Scroll down to Jeff and Ana, select amount to give... and voila!

Literally that easy to bring the hope-less to the hopeful.

And if you're the praying sort:
+that the Holy Spirit would speak through Jeff and Ana to the people of India
+that everyone they come in contact with would be moved to salvation, fully believing and living out the word of God
+that the Holy Spirit would move Jeff and Ana to places they've never been and clearly show them what their ministry should be

Update? Nothing...

I haven't posted in a while because there's nothing to really update about but I feel like I should say something so y'all don't think I'm flaking!

We start our Infant Adoption Classes next Tuesday. They are every Tuesday evening until early December. They will probably be informative and I'm sure we will learn stuff and it will all fly out the window the second a baby arrives in our home. I think that anything anyone tells us or whatever we read in a book will not prepare us for a child, in any way, shape or form. At least, that's what I hear from those of you who have already done this baby thing...The real lessons come when the baby arrives. But hopefully the classes aren't just a big, expensive waste of time and money.

Until next week when I detail whatever happens in class 1!