Anniversaries, Rats and Home Studies

So my husband and I went to the mountains this weekend to celebrate our 18^th anniversary!  Some people at this stage in their marriage might renew their wedding vows, but for Kevin and I it goes more like “don’t you leave me with all these kids, or I’ll hunt you down!”.  It’s not quite as sentimental as a vow renewal, but it’s very meaningful to us.

On our way to the mountains we discussed how, with the prospect of having six kids in our future, this would probably be one of the last times we can get away just the two of us.  We also talked about how we will probably never fly ANYWHERE when we have to buy eight plane tickets.  We also thought that we’ll probably never get invited to peoples houses…ever again.  Then to spiral our conversation further downward I told Kevin how I was reading the blog from the orphanage we are adopting from (God’s Littlest Angels), and how they had a list of tradespeople they would love to come for a visit.  On that list, one of the trades they are seeking is “rat exterminator”!!  I wish I was joking, but I’m serious!  Because we will be be staying at the orphanage both times we travel there, one of my first thoughts was “when we meet our little ones for the first time won’t they think it’s a little weird that I’m riding on Kevin’s shoulders?”  The other thought I had is “HOW IN THE WORLD AM I GOING TO FALL ASLEEP THERE?!!”  I think Kevin’s going to have to club me over the head, or buy me a full suit of armor…I’m only semi-kidding.

These are the fears we are working through.  These are the things our brains chew on when we lay in bed at night.  But then, morning dawns and we open our Bibles and read things like “I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you” (John 14:18) and we are reminded that the heart of God is passionate about rescuing orphans and that when we join him in this work we are being the very hands and feet of Jesus.  Jesus touched lepers, you know.  Jesus travelled to the slums and ate dinner with prostitutes and outcasts, you know.  Jesus suffered and laid down his very life.  Hmmm.  I guess I can sleep with rats (I can’t actually believe I just said that).

My spiritual side is constantly battling with my flesh.  Why do I think I deserve comfort so much when most of the world lives in such discomfort?  Why do I like it so much when it is the exact opposite of what Christ has called me to?  Pretty heavy stuff.

On a lighter note…I phoned Adoption Services today to find out what is taking our Home Study approval so long (what was supposed to take 4-6 weeks has taken 8).  I mean really, our home study shouldn’t take this long to approve – it’s probably one of the most boring home studies they’ve ever read.  In fact, I cannot believe that our social worker could come up with 20+ pages of information on us – she’s good.  Anyways, as it turns out, Adoption Services was waiting for some minor changes that needed to be made that our agency thought they already sent.  So now they sent them.  It will be ready by Wednesday.  Sometimes it just pays to make a phone call : )