Rewind - Nursing and Adoption

So, you may be wondering why I haven't mentioned anything on here about school, which started a few weeks ago. It's not because I have been so busy with class and studying, but actually because I turned down my acceptance. Yes, for the second time! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little embarrassed. For months I had been agonizing over whether or not I should go, especially because I felt like it was what God wanted for me at the time. I was sure I had heard God correctly, so why was I not feeling peace, and why was I suddenly encountering all these God-seeking people speaking words of truth that didn't line up with me going back to school in this season of my life? Ugh.

So, Geoff and I decided to continue to walk it out and take steps toward going until we heard differently (e.g. the door closed). And boy, did the door close! Maybe it wasn't my first choice since it was financial circumstances that arose which closed the door, but alas, it made the decision, and honestly, I haven't looked back or regretted it. That really surprised me - how much peace I felt in not going. Discerning God's will is never easy, but when you find it, you know it.

So, I know it was the right thing even though school, and especially nursing is such a worthy pursuit. For me and where I am right now though, it really is secondary to the mission field and priorities God has put in front of me right now - our family.

So, despite an ugly year with Uncle Sam (oh, the joys of being a small business owner) and uncertainty with my job, we will continue to attempt to live wisely with our finances and pursue what we know for sure we have heard from God because it's been in our hearts since before we met. It's also confirmed right there in His Word - look after orphans. We have started our homestudy again to prepare to adopt a sweet, precious, beautiful little girl in Niger. Her name is Leila, and she is 8/9 years old. I can't ask for enough prayer as this is not going to be an easy process and has already led to many tears. Her birth mother is still alive, so please just pray God would change her heart and circumstances to get her out of the orphanage, so that she can take care of her daughter or that God would soften her heart to say yes to allowing Leila to join our family. See this precious girl with Geoff from a few months ago (February). She is the smaller of the two.

Geoff and I have both spent time with her on our trip(s) to Niger (she is in this post with me here - 5th picture from the bottom painting fingernails). She was drawn to us as much as we were drawn to her. She had been sponsored for years by a good friend of ours, so we have know of her for some time. There have only been 6 adoptions out of Niger. Ever. So, this is kind of unchartered territory. We don't know how long it could take, but we are doing all we can on our side to be ready. Please, please, please pray! For her health, her birth mother, the process, our hearts and that others would want to take care of these sweet children of God. It is not an accident that Paul describes love first as being patient in the 2nd letter to the Corinthians. This will likely take a while, but we know God can move mountains, too!

I will post more soon, but this is our very big news we have been wanting to share! We have had our first of the three meetings with the social worker, and our second one is Monday. At our house! With our children! Awake! Did I say we needed prayer?! We do. Please pray. And don't judge if Mary-Michael tells you she was bribed to be on her best behavior. We just might do that.