It's been a while...

but I've been busy WAITING.



Actually, the last 2 weeks have been jammed full of all kinds of activity. We had a CRAZY, fun 80s party with some of our absolute favorite people in the world. We ended up on the 10 o'clock news, in the newspaper and in our local magazine. When 30 people head downtown dressed like this there is NO WAY that you won't cause a stir. The boombox on the shoulder blasting "Hard Habit to Break" didn't help either. LOL.



The next day we discovered an undeniable bulls-eye rash on Caleb. After confirming that it was indeed Lyme's Disease, our beloved friend and doctor Vicky, got us the medication he needed to begin treatment. Caleb's first night was difficult with aches and fever, but since then he has had absolutely no trouble. Praise the Lord. The rash cleared up within 3 days and now he just continues with his meds 3x/day for 3 weeks. Thank you Vicky for your amazing help and reassuring words for a worried mama.

It really is no surprise to me that he got Lyme's, we have pulled off well over a dozen deer ticks from the boys since May. We considered making the boys stay out of the woods, but I really felt like I would be asking them not to breathe. They love building, creating, climbing and discovering in those woods and I just cannot take that from them. That is what being a boy is all about. It is such a huge part of their childhood. We have instead decided to be even more vigilant with our tick checks each night.

I was also incredibly busy preparing for, organizing, and setting up a garage sale with friends, Christy and Megan. It was an insane amount of work. Christy's family is in the early stages of adoption and we, as you know, are at the end. All of our earnings were going toward our individual upcoming adoption expenses. It was a great success. Despite the predicted forecast of intermittent thunder showers all day, the Lord provided perfect weather - NOT A DROP of rain. We sold A TON of clothes and as always, there were a lot left on hangers. So, I am still in the midst of donating and distributing all of the remaining things. We made a little over $700 that we will put straight toward our upcoming travel costs. Christy's family made over $1700 which will help immensely with their homestudy costs. God is good. I think I can safely say this was my last garage sale, but it does feel good to have so many empty bins.




Then we celebrated Father's Day...I am so grateful for my father. He is a good man and a great dad. I have so many wonderful memories from my childhood with him and he is just as important to me today. I am also thankful that Steve has a wonderful father, my father-in-law. He too is a great dad. We have been overwhelmingly blessed by the famiy that the Lord chose for us. Finally, I am unbelievably thankful for my husband, the father of my children. I have grown to love him even more as I have watched him father our kids. He is an incredible father...

He is patient and kind.
He spends time teaching them,
playing with them
and pointing them toward the truth, love and grace of Our Savior, Jesus Christ.
I am thanking the Lord for all of the wonderful fathers He has placed around me.

Even more so, for the incomparably great Heavenly Father that HE IS.

In the midst of all of this...we are still waiting.
Waiting for that piece of paper...that says TRAVEL APPROVAL.
We still do not have travel dates.
That means we do not know when we are going to China.
Please pray with me that I will wait on THE LORD - where my strength will rise- and NOT on that piece of paper.

In His Perfect Timing,
Karen

P.S.
Enjoy the pictures below I promise they'll make you laugh.
We rocked the 80's like no other. =)

Thank you Lord for laughter.
And friends.
And fun.
They are gifts from You that make the wait so sweet.