Time to grow!

School has started and our two boys have some AWESOME teachers. Tom and I also have some great kids in our classes. I will still be teaching music only 2 1/2 days a week which gives me the time to work my CM business, volunteer at the kids' schools and serve at Faithbridge, our church home. In addition to his service on the TBA Board of Directors, Tom has an opportunity to be a clinician for the junior high bands at St. George's Prep School in Vancouver, BC for a week later in Sept. This is a GREAT opportunity for him!

Our 13 year old had a check up right before school started and has grown 4 inches and gained 35 pounds since this time last year! He is only 1 inch shorter than me now and his voice has dropped. He is even in need of a shave as he has a "mustache". It is hard to believe that he will be in high school in just one year...technically only about 160 days!! EEEK! How did this happen??? I don't think we even noticed all the changes that were happening the last 6 months until just a few weeks ago when I looked at him and all of a sudden he just looked like a different person!

Our younger son turned 9 in June and has been the same...his pants are too short continuously and he has been maturing in the area of "trying new things". He is our "picky" one and within the last couple months he has tried several new foods without complaining and even gone on the "Tornado" at Splashtown, which is HUGE for him! We are so proud!

Our oldest just received the honor of being named "Vice President" of the band and is first chair trumpet in the Symphonic Band. We are looking forward to watching him grow in his new leadership roles. Both boys are taking tennis lessons and we are playing more as a family, and they also enjoy video games and the History channel in their free time.

We also are still waiting to hear about the children that will come to be a part of our family through adoption...just waiting...not sure how long we will have to wait, but we are positive that God sees their faces and will bring them to us in the right time. It's possible that they are in the foster care system and just aren't available for adoption yet. We'll see. There is growth happening with us in our hearts as we pray for patience. God is good and faithful and is helping us to open our hearts and pray for ALL the children in the system...they need someone to lift them up, to find "forever families" that will come for them someday.

We went on a family vacation this summer to visit Tom's aunt and her family, and to see the New England states. What a great road trip it was! We enjoyed spending time with family so much and we also got to go whale watching off Cape Cod, walk the Freedom Trail in Boston, eat Lobster in Maine and check out family history. We added 13 new states to our goal of going to all 50 (we're up to 28 now!) and actually clocked 4734 miles on our minivan! WHEW! This trip was growth for us too because we hadn't ever done long driving days like that before...we weren't sure if it would be too much. We drove over 800 miles in one day, 4 times, but not all in a row...the most we had ever done before was going from Amarillo to Houston and that is over 500, so this was a big leap for us. Tom and I DID IT and we are glad we were able to have more time for the actual vacation instead of spending more days driving.

So all this has me thinking about something...our pastor, Ken Werlein, has spoken several times before about one of his seminary professors teaching the concept of "no, slow, grow, go" when looking for answers to prayer. I have at times, since the first time I heard him share that, looked back at when I had been praying about something and realized now in hindsight I could see what God had answered...no, slow, grow or go. I have found that I OFTEN have been told GROW when I have had to face patience and waiting on a decision...much like we are doing now. The growth that has taken place in my life during these times is indescribable. Had I not waited, or had I taken matters into my own hands, things would probably be messed up.

And what a joy it really is to be in the care of the Lord and to know that He has a bigger, better, and ROCK-OUT plan to love us and help us be the best people we can be...a plan that we couldn't imagine on our own. We read about it in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I also believe that where we are right now is a "slow" period...we do not want to rush the adoption process. We have friends that have had issues with their adoption, and not that it was a mistake, but perhaps they moved too quickly and didn't give it enough time. We want to be absolutely sure we are moving as God directs as HE really sees the big picture and knows what is best for us. We could look at the frustration that we feel sometimes with the lack of communication in this adoption process and be annoyed with the waiting, but we are limited in how far ahead we can see and how much we can control and so we are glad to be patient for the child or children that are supposed to be a part of our family...we do not want the wrong child for us and want it to happen in God's time. What a RELIEF it is to know that God is working in our favor and we don't have to worry about how it will work out!

One other thing of note: recently we had a dear college friend die of a heart attack at 45. We just found out about a former student of Tom's that has breast cancer at 25. And we have 2 church acquaintances that are facing major health issues in their 30s and early 40s. These concerns combined have reminded me yet again that life is precious and we are here but for a short time. What I KNOW and what I BELIEVE is that we are here to do something great, something of worth to impact the lives of others each and every day, in response to the GIFT that Jesus gave us through salvation. Nothing else matters more than loving our families and friends with a real love, a love that can only come from knowing the One True God. We love because He first loved us...and so each day I ask, "What can I do TODAY to add meaning to the life of someone else?" I hope each of you that take the time to read this are inspired to do the same for your loved ones and even those that are hard to love...the positive investment you make in your closest relationships DOES MATTER.

I am working on a "Faithbook" called "10 Fingerprints of God"...it's really about 10 ways I have seen God at work in my life in my first 40 years. I am excited to see the end result because I know the process itself will show me God's grace and goodness. Thank you to each of YOU that read this blog for the impact you have made in my life! Make it great!

Licensed...and waiting!

Hallelujah! We are finally, OFFICIALLY licensed for foster/adoption in the state of Texas through the Department of Family Protective Services. WHOOHOOO! Now we wait...

Have you ever heard the saying, "Don't pray for patience because God will give you something to be patient about."? Well, this is exactly where we are right now...we are praying for patience. We KNOW that God sees the faces of the little ones that will join our family...we are waiting for His perfect timing, whether it be next week, 3 months or a year from now. We are just SOOOO excited to begin this next journey...we feel we are ready, prepared, and eager to get started and love whomever is out there, needing us.

In the mean time, it was quite humorous how Gregory, our adoption coordinator, tried to get us to take 5 little girls at our meeting yesterday! He told us, "you won't have to pay taxes for like the next 5 years if you take them, plus you'll get like a $2000 monthly supplement! They are the BEST kids and really deserve to be placed together, and you could have them like this week!" My heart was yanked out of my chest thinking about them, BUT we were thinking ABSOLUTELY NOT...there is NO WAY we could even fit 5 more kids in our van, or the bedrooms, or imagine the grocery bill?? How would we all go to the movies or out to eat? We'd even have to take turns eating! We'd be like "Tom and Shelley + Seven!" (doesn't quite have the same zing to it...)

It got me thinking though...even as we're thinking there is NO way we could take those girls, there is a family out there for them somewhere. Yes, I believe that we should be open to what God wants but MAN, I just can't imagine that He would call us to taking in FIVE! GOD KNOWS who they belong to and is just going to be working on someone's heart to take them. I asked Gregory for their names so that I can be praying for them, standing in the gap for them to have a family that loves them. He's going to email me with their info, but until then, will you join me in praying for ALL the children out there that don't have a family yet?

So I am trying to get some writing done this summer...my goal is to get something finished by Christmas. It actually is hard while everyone is home but I am setting aside time to work each day. I'm just trying to be open to God's prompting...I still may find the right job to help me transition from the public school to the church, but we will see.

Tom and I are celebrating 18 years of marriage this week and so it is amazing that we got licensed on our anniversary because we are finding strength in our commitment to each other to add to our family. We are amazed at how time flies when you're having fun...and we plan on having some more fun with our new kid(s)...and many years after they're gone too! We'll keep you posted!