Number 4

In the midst of our moving craziness, Jeff and I found out we were expecting. We had a week of wondering if I would miscarry again (after 3 prior miscarriages) and a week of hoping and praying that this one was going to happen. It didn't. I'm sad. So is Jeff. But, we are resting in knowing that God has a plan in this!

I'm sharing this because I'm wondering if there are any of you who have gone through multiple early miscarriages and found out a cause for it? I'm wondering if there is a health reason, perhaps it affects other things going on in my body? I'd really like to get it fixed, whatever it is. And I'd LOVE to hear if you have any ideas! (And, yes, I will be seeing a doctor and picking her brain, as well.)

On finding birth parents

After a conversation with a fellow adoptive mother today whom I love dearly, I was wondering what the rest of you (esp. the adoption community) think about adoptive parents finding birth parents while adopted children are still young? I honestly have no opinion at this point. I didn't know it was even a possibility for us to find Selah's birth parents, but, apparently, we have that choice. Just curious what everyone else is thinking and why you're thinking it.............

The first of the lasts

Our time in Calgary is coming close to ending. Not for good, I am certain, as I know we will back to visit. We have too many cherished friendships here and love this place too much to not come back! We feel very blessed to have had the privilege of living in another country for a while.

Saturday, we spent our last day as a family in the Canadian Rockies. I tell ya, there are no mountains I have ever seen that are as dramatic and breath taking as the Canadian Rockies. It was a sweet day as we reminisced about our time in Calgary and watched our children enjoy the outdoors as much as we do.

Saturday evening was bittersweet as the girls from my Thursday morning Bible study had a going away party for me. I can not tell you how much I love these girls. They have put up with me from the beginning. Through my tears and frustrations and quirks they have loved and accepted me. I have learned much about Jesus through the fruits of the Spirit that these women showed towards me and every other girl that walks through their doors!  And the food was YUMMY!

Sunday morning was what our church deems "Showcase Sunday." It's a Sunday dedicated to the children and all they have learned in their Bible classes. One of the sweetest moments for us was when Selah hopped off of the stage after her song and, unsolicited,  went straight to our friend Trevor, who was sitting on the front row, and gave him a big ol' hug. Thank you to those of you who "adopted" our children! You will never know what that has meant to us.

After church, the young adults small group that Jeff and I have been a part of for the last year and a bit, had an end of the year BBQ. Unbeknownst to us, part of the plan was to honour our family. We love this group of people and have been blessed beyond words by the relationships we have developed through it. We ate a yummy cake and were presented with some gifts that we will cherish forever- hockey sticks for the kids and a Canadian ice hockey calendar for us- WOOHOO!!! We will have a special place for this calendar at our new home in Denver. And the kids have all decided they would like their hockey sticks mounted on their bedroom walls. (And we will be cheering for the Calgary Flames when they play the Colorado Avalanche, BTW.)

There is so much going on in my head right now. So much we have learned here. So many amazing times. A lot of really hard times, but I am thankful for what God has taught us! It's going to be hard- really hard- to leave this place that has become our home.

Tuesday

Goofy kids. I love 'em.

Dead Tree

We have a tree in our back yard. It is dead. Or, at least, we thought it was dead. It was ugly. It had no leaves. Just dead, ugly branches that seemed to always crack and break off. We thought we'd eventually cut it down and put it- and us- out of our misery. But, we never did.

A few mornings ago one of the kids came running in to our room. He was screaming, "The tree! The dead tree! It's not dead! Look at it! Look at it!" I begrudgingly hauled myself out of bed and, to my surprise, this is what I saw at the top of the "dead" branches:

Beautiful blossoms. We never even saw a green leaf on the tree. We never noticed any buds. But, then all of a sudden we have hundreds of huge, white flowers. Perhaps it was the original ugliness that made it's blossoms so strikingly beautiful.

What a wonderful, tangible lesson the Lord provided us in observing our dead tree: He makes all things new. He turns the ugly into the beautiful.

And, sometimes, it's the ugliness that helps us appreciate and cherish the beauty all the more.