Its More Fun if You Raise Your Hands!

Today is August 6th, 2014.  If you had told me that we would not yet have traveled to meet and bring home our new kids I would have thought you were kidding.  As you know, we started out 2 weeks ago in an RV to head to the mid-west and only made it an hour down the road before the transmission began to fail.  Ever since that time I (Russell) have been working daily to find a suitable RV for us to take.  And when I say working, its the kind of work that has taken priority over all other things.  Things like work, play, the yard, the house, and yes, even having a lucid, meaningful conversation with other human beings that does not involve an RV!  At this point, we are exhausted and emotionally spent with the process.  Giving up is not an option but tell that to a set of stretched emotions that are screaming at you 24/7 and physical body that mediates the emotional pressures of the moment. 

Just when things reach a zenith of pressure something nice happens.  God shows up with an encouraging word usually delivered by one of His kids.   Like,  reconnecting with an old friend who happens to be well-versed in the virtues of RVs and provides wonderful counsel to help you avoid mistakes as you navigate toward that calling in your life.    And then, you go to a church to speak about adoption and the special place that God has in His heart for widows and orphans.  You're going to bless and educate a group of people but then something strange and wonderful happens.  Everything in the service seems to be designed to strengthen your feeble knees and encourage your weary heart.  You walk away refreshed and understanding that God hasn't forgotten you, He isn't hiding or withholding from you, and that all things "are as they should be" even though everything in you wishes to just settle this whole thing ....right now! 

That's where we are at today.  Still can't tell you when we're traveling.  As of this minute, still don't have an RV.  Still are about $4,500 short of our goal to raise the $20,000 it took to do this adoption.  But we're getting close and we know it.  God has shown up in so many crazy ways in the past 6 weeks that its hard to even express it all.  Maybe someday we'll put this entire, crazy ride into a coherent story.  Right now, its like being on one of those monster roller coaster rides at Disney or Busch Gardens...you just hold on, smile, laugh, raise your hands (because after all, the Lemur said it was more fun if you raise your hands...think Madagascar movie!) let out a few screams when it gets really, really scary, and otherwise grab your spouse, hold on tight and enjoy the thrill that comes with the ride! 

We'll be writing again really soon...right now the ride just went 90 miles an hour through a dark tunnel and I've got my hands raised & screaming like my pants just caught fire!