difficult to describe

We had a date night and some very dear friends of ours met with us. 2 of their children babysat the kids while Tanya and I had some valuable time to talk, connect and laugh together. I say laugh together because that is what felt so good. So often when we are home together, the busyness of our house doesn't allow us to really connect, be goofy and just enjoy each other. It was good to do that tonight.
The couple that met with us was encouraging to us in a deep way. They too have experienced adoption and the difficult to describe emotions that come with it. They understood so many things and graciously, lovingly ministered to us. Here's some of the verses God used in our conversation tonight:

Matthew 5:39 Jesus teaching us about being "non-reactive"
John 8 --- Jesus gentle handling of the woman is a testimony to his kindness and truth.
Romans 2:2-4 - 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
Leviticus 19:34 You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. 35 “You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length or weight or quantity. 36 You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. 37 And you shall observe all my statutes and all my rules, and do them: I am the Lord.”

Dueteronomy 8:2 And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. 3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. 6 So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. 7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, 8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, 9 a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10 And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.

What a gift of grace to have these people who care deeply for our souls and for the spiritual well being of our children. They acted out 1 Thess. 2:12 by Exhorting us and encouraging us to walk as parents in a manner worthy of God.

Levi and the bike

Ever since we got home last July - Levi has loved riding his bike with training wheels. It was a sad day last winter when we put it in the shed and said goodbye to it for a few months. Well, now that it is getting nicer outside and he is 5, I decided that we would try to get him to ride without training wheels. I really had built this up in my head to be a major event. Full of hardship, tears, possibly bleeding and bruises. Perhaps some real powerful teaching moments about perservering and then, in the end accomplishment, joy and success! Almost metaphorical as to what we have been through together in the last 8 mos. I had Isaac help in the process. He used the crescent wrench to remove the training wheels. I held the back of the seat for balance as Levi got on the bike. I reassured him that I wouldn't let go and not to be afraid.
However... His feet merely touched the pedals and he sped away from me across the front lawn. perfectly balanced, quickly- like he'd done it a million times. He attempted to turn and gently fell to the grass. Levi turned to look for me as I came running towards him. I exclaimed " You DID IT! you can ride your bike!!" and he looked up at me with that HUGE Levi smile and said "Yup, and you didn't even help me."
There went my metaphor, right out the window. Or did it?
I told Tanya this story and she explained that maybe what God is showing me is that I just need to "Let go and let God" and she's right. I tend to try to shape things into what I think they should be. I know that I'm guilty of this with our kids. Trying to get them to behave a certain way so they look right, instead of really addressing their hearts and encouraging them.
The bike, well, lets just say the tires are going bald and were putting some serious miles on during these sunny days! He rides like a champ and keeps up with Isaac, which is no easy task.

Layne

Spring Game

I got tickets and I took Isaac and Levi to Lincoln, NE. Home of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Tanya's dad and sister went too (It is Wally's Birthday today!)
It was an amazing time, the boys were really good and we had FUN!
I tried to make a little slideshow (below), but it's hard to read the captions :(
Just look at the pictures and ignore the captions, you'll get a better idea for how the day went!
It's a little more than 2 min. long.
Mom and Dad, you are going to hate the end!

Layne

It's been over a month

We haven't really blogged at all in the last month. We are bad bloggers!
There's been a lot to blog about, but no time to do it.
March 27th, 2008. One year previous, Levi and Jesse were spending their first night in a strange place. I can't imagine the confusion and emotion they have had to encounter in this past year.
April 16th was the 1 year anniversary of our referral for Levi and Jesse.
The emotions of that day are still so clear in our minds and hearts, and yet what a ride our family has been on since then!
Soon we will be experiencing another milestone. We will be finalizing legally our adoption. This process is something that we are a little nervous about because we don't know exactly what to expect. Many have assured us that it is simple and nothing to worry about. We have a lawyer and the steps are in place to expedite the process. Hopefully, everything will go smooth.
1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your burdens on Him, because He cares for you"

Layne