a lil' bit of everything

First and foremost: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!!!!!!! This is the first birthday I've been able to spend with my mom in years. Chuck and I drove to MI yesterday to be here for her birthday and Thanksgiving.

Secondly, Happy Thanksgiving! We have so very much to be thankful for. In case you're reading this and just not feeling it, I encourage you to think hard about this, especially if you live in the US. I have met some of the poorest people in the world and I have found them to be ever thankful. It's not about what or who you have. If your hope is in Jesus, you have eternity to be thankful for. If your hope is not in Jesus and you want to know more, please email me at ittybitties@msn.com. I'd love to talk to you about that.

It's been a week since I've posted because I've been beyond busy. I'd like to share some highlights from our week, though. On Sunday we had a BBQ for the people who helped get our church campus started. What we thought would be 20-30 people was actually 74 people. It was awesome. We had so much fun. Thank you to all of you who came out on Sunday. We appreciate you and the sacrifices you are making so much. Lives are being changed for eternity because of you. Chuck and I love you all!!

I have to take a moment and just share how thankful I am for our new home. The weeks leading up to our move were torturous because we weren't sure if our old house was ever going to close. I barely remember it, though. We are so happy in our new house that the weeks leading up to it are a dim memory. I've been told it will be this way with the adoption. All the pain of waiting supposedly becomes forgotten. Back to the house. We NEVER EVER could have hosted a shindig such as the one we had Sunday at our old house. Never. Now, don't get me wrong - it was crazy at our house with all those people (nearly half of whom were kids), but it was manageable. We are so thankful for our house. Did I say that already? God has been so amazingly good to us.

Tuesday I got to spend a good part of the day with a great friend. It was so nice to hang out and relax with her. We had plans to organize her apartment, but quickly decided that a relaxing lunch and some light shopping would be a better way to spend the day. It was great and just what I needed. Thank you, Nicole, for being my friend. I love you!

Tabitha is on the mend and was discharged yesterday from the hospital as planned. Please keep her in prayer as her hip continues to heal. Please pray especially for her family and even more specifically for her baby son, Hayden. It's never easy when the mommy is out of commission.

In adoption news: There is none. We now get our pictures mid month and our updates at the end of the month. Pictures are going to be late this month, so I'll post them once we get them. Our update should come on 11/30. Please join us in praying that our update this month is that we are out of 2nd Legalization and that they have our adoption decree. In fact, you can pray that they email us a scanned copy of the adoption decree. After all that happened with miscommunications about where our paperwork was at, it would really build trust if we had a copy of our adoption decree.

I think that's all. I wish you the best this Thanksgiving!