Declan’s book, “A Homecoming” has been printed and is selling well. He is so proud of helping fundraise! ‘Our munchkin’ is quite the entrepreneur! He has sold over 50 copies already and more to come. We just had our friend Cheryl print up 50 more copies so we can have some in stock. It’s a beautiful little story he wrote at school talking about his life in the Orphanage and what it means for him to find a family at last. Declan told us ‘if everyone in the whole world would buy a copy of my book then I would have enough money to pay for all the adoptions in the world and all the children would have a mom and dad”

Just some of the pages from Declan’s book, “A Home Coming”! 

Last week started out with lots of rain Lots of rain! The ground is so dry here that it really needs it. It’s so nice to see the plants growing as tender green shoots come up in our garden.

I got my flower beds weeded too and thoroughly watered and except for maintenance that is it now until fall. My heart needs rain too. Not actual rain but the softening moisture that comes from reading God’s Word and hanging out with other people who love Jesus.  As I bathe my heart in the words of Scripture I find that softening moisture flood in and God’s Holy Spirit calms me and helps me refocus. It’s so easy sometimes to get caught up in turmoil going on around me that I lose focus.  Just as I have to wait on potatoes, corn and carrots to grow, there are things that I can’t control or change or even hurry and I need to be patient and wait. For me that is often a difficult lesson to learn.

Our kids have taken advantage of Springs arrival to get outdoors and enjoy the weather, even the rain! Spring feels like it has been a long time in coming. Sunday before last was only 6 degrees! Not tee-shirt weather yet! The spring clean up in our yard is completed, grass is cut, dead branches stacked and it looks lovely!  The children have had a busy few weeks at school in the last couple of months finishing up Volleyball and Basketball and getting ready for end of year assessments.  I just got an email from Niamh’s teacher today to say that our beautiful daughter has worked so hard at reading and writing English that she has progressed 3 levels! (which is equivelant to 1.5 grades). In her teachers words ‘Niamh’s hard work and determination is just extraordinary and I am so proud of how far she has come this year, so I thought I would pass on the news to you!’ Considering that just over 2 and a half years ago she didn’t have one single word of English, this is quite an accomplishment! 

It’s sad that somethings have to finish as summer comes, not school though. It’s nice to have the children home for a couple of months. But things like Youth, where the children go every Tuesday evening to interact with friends and to have a Bible lesson and the all important cookies and juice! They miss that. We just have to do other fun things to help keep relationships with friends through the holidays when they come. Sunday past we had our church picnic in A.D.Penner Park and the kids had a blast!

(Above Left to Right) Declan and friend Drayton enjoying a snack, Granddaughters Autumn & Blayke, Sack races with Conor and Niamh and finally Declan being silly! 

Rob and I have just been so encouraged by our fundraising committee this week. (Our Mentors in case anyone actually read last weeks blog:) They booked us a night away at a hotel in Winnipeg so we could have a break as a couple. I can’t remember the last time Rob and I did something like this for just the two of us! It’s been a long time anyway. They paid for the hotel, sent me the confirmation by email and are also watching our kids for us at our home! I was in a meeting at work when I read the email and I just let out a big screech and then had to explain why.  No one minded 🙂Wow! Rob says he has never experienced this type of care from friends before. How generous and kind! They “Get” just how stressful all this can be at times and how much work goes into an adoption.

Our youngest child was not so excited by this. Declan asked if he could come too “just to have some mom, dad and Declan time” What a little cutie and what a sweet try at manipulation! We told him not this time! but probably the next one. We already do lots of things with our kids and often have our adult kids included too. Our life is busy but good!  The kids had their first swim in our pool this week. The water is finally warm enough. They had so much fun!

Our chickens love the outdoors too! Easter, our rooster looks a little rough right now. He’s a such a silly chicken sometimes! During winter another hen pulled the feathers out of him and he just stood there and let her! Thankfully they are growing again and we will soon have our beautiful boy back! The hens are free ranging it and eating dandelions and grass. Lovely eggs and so tasty! We are getting about 25 brown, green and blue eggs a day now that they are outdoors.

Rob has been so busy too. Our renovations are just about finished and on top of that, he has added another clinic to his schedule so he will see an extra 15 or so patients every month. That is good for him and busy for him at the same time but it a source of needed income at present. Our fundraising is going well and we are slightly ahead of schedule. We are about two thirds the way to our adoption goal! Praise God!. Our paperwork is out of our hands and now we wait…..and wait…..and wait.  Please pray continued favour on our process.  It is such an incredible blessing and a huge responsibility to be called to adopt orphans and something we never want to take for granted-Ever!

I love this quote from Jody Landers. The first time I heard it it actually made me cry!