As we’re turning off the lights in our house tonight — possibly, probably the last night these walls will hear peace and quiet for another decade at least — I feel the need to pinch myself.
Is it really here?
In the past 21+ months I’ve discovered the send/receive button on my email — and used it. Frequently. I’ve stalked the mailman, made friends with bank tellers, and learned to find out quickly if someone is a notary. I contacted my congressman …and my senator. And, even more recently, I’ve become reacquainted with 3 o’clock in the morning. This time without diet coke and class notes.
Most imporantly, I’ve found God. Again and again and again.
Sometimes in an instant and other times days later … but never late. I wouldn’t trade this time for the world and, if anything, I’m having difficulty searching Him out in the midst of blessing. I read the last chapter of Job today. How did he feel when God gave him twice as much as he had in the first place?
It’s awkward. This new place of blessing. I’ve gotten comfortable in the trial, if I can say that. My turnaround time from disappointment has lessened. I’ve had a taste — even if ever so small — of His goodness when all else fails.
So as we pray tonight that there would be no hindrances to retrieving the news of Eden’s TB test results in the next 8-10 hours (and that those results would be clear), I am convinced that if they weren’t — even in my darkness — His presence would be thick. And you know, once you have a moment in that presence …pretty much everything else pales in comparison.
Nonetheless, we move forward with expectancy that our car — now crammed full of bags that have been packed and unpacked several times so as to meet the exact weight limit — will be pulling out of our little neighborhood tomorrow morning. And just as I have found Him when my hope was waning and my vision impaired, I am certain I will find Him when all seems to be well.
Although we’ll try to post tomorrow afternoon and then while in Ethiopia, no news may very well mean good news. For those of you who are friends with Nate on facebook, we’ve heard this is a great way to keep family/friends up to speed with our travels. It works in Ethiopia. (And no this isn’t a ploy for Nate to get more facebook friends. At least I don’t think.)
For those of you burning the midnight oil, please pray tonight for our sweet child Eden. That she would march with zest into that medical facility and show those people her healthy little self. Pray also that there wouldn’t be an obstacles to us getting the word.
We’ll post something in the morning.
I can’t wait to tell Caleb and Eden about the small army that came together to bring them home. I wonder if one day I’ll get to see what the “prayers of the saints” looked like from heaven on behalf of my children.











Our house is beginning to show signs of a new era. Bins of child paraphernalia have replaced what once was the storage space for our DVDs, photo albums and flower vases. My clutter-free existence is getting crowded with hand-me-downs and donations for the orphanage that have been flooding in. They are coming …





In my mind there are two types of desperate prayers.
