62 YEARS!

I have trouble imagining what life will be like when I am 62 years old (assuming I live that long). It is even harder to imagine being married to the same person (that would be Allen!) for 62 years. Well, my parents reached that milestone on June 27. It is really incredible to think of all that they have witnessed in their lifetime. They have seen their share of difficult times, and they have also experienced so many joys. (I would like to think that I am one of their joys!!!) :) Last Friday we met them at the Purple Hawk for a little anniversary celebration. Allen and I feel very fortunate that we live close enough to be with them on many special occasions. We are planning a family trip to Alaska with all of my siblings, our spouses and Mom and Dad. We are all very excited to share this adventure together with my parents. I am so proud that my parents have been married for 62 years. It is a rare and precious gift to us. There is no doubt in my mind that the thing that they treasure most is their family. That would include 5 children, 27 grandchildren (with our 3 on the way!), and (almost) 6 great-grandchildren! That, of course, does not include all of the beloved in-laws. I hope I counted correctly! Wow! It's hard to imagine that all of us are here as a result of my parents! Good job, Mom and Dad! We love you, and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

LAKE FUN

Yesterday was our first chance to take the boat out this summer.  It was a beautiful day and everyone was home, so...for a few hours, we enjoyed the water and the sun.  I like to be in the water doing things, but it has to be REALLY hot.  Yesterday was a good day for me to just ride in the boat.  It was so relaxing for me and fun to watch everyone else get wet.  I had a good time experimenting with my new camera.  I haven't tried the zoom yet, so next time, maybe my shots will be close-ups.  No one is very excited about a camera pointing in their face, but my family is usually pretty tolerant of my picture taking.  Thanks, guys!  Enjoy these pics! 

ATTENTION BLOGGERS!

In the latest NEWSWEEK, there is a small blurb about people who blog.  I found it very interesting and encouraging as well!   It says... " Psychiatrists are starting to tout the therapeutic power of blogging and many have begun incorporating it into patient treatment.  A forthcoming study in the journal CyberPsychology & Behavior even suggests that bloggers might be happier than nonbloggers."  Great!  That is really good news for those of us who spend too much time talking about ourselves and trying to live vicariously through the thoughts and words of other bloggers.    It sort of justifies all that uploading and downloading of pictures as well as the HOURS spent thinking about what words of wisdom to share with everyone.  Actually, it is a cheap way to avoid a trip to the psychiatrist.   Who could argue with that?  Allen is definitely my most faithful reader and biggest fan.  Now I know why.

SUMMER STUDYING

This summer, Kristin is at home.  It has been nice to have her around the house again especially these last two weeks when Steph has been at Trout Lake Camp.  Kristin realized that she would have to take a summer class this summer in order to complete all her requirements on time to apply to the nursing program next year.  She has been traveling down to Anoka-Ramsey Community College to take Anatomy and Physiology I.  Although it is a subject she really enjoys, it has been very intense.  On Monday through Thursday, she leaves at 7 a.m. and returns around 5 p.m.  The lecture part of the class is in the morning.  The lab portion takes place in the afternoon.   The 4-week course is designed to cover material that would normally take an entire semester.  When she gets home, we usually eat dinner and then she spends the rest of the evening studying.  Pretty exciting life for an 19-year-old, don't you think?   Oh well, it will be over soon.  She will take her final exam next Tuesday.  Good luck, Kristin! 

FINGERPRINT RESULTS

Did I pass...or not?  Well, I think I did.  Today we received a call from Jill,  our adoption counselor at Crossroads.  She seemed pretty upbeat as she described a call she had placed to follow up on my 2nd attempt at fingerprints yesterday.  The office she called was the NBC (National Benefits Center) which is a division of the USCIS (the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services).  This is where all intercountry adoption applications between Hague Convention countries are processed.  (Sorry if this is too much information...)   Anyway, the person she spoke with was helpful as she reviewed our file and listened to what Jill had to say about trying to expedite our paperwork - that our kids are older, and school will be starting soon.   Jill also described the problems we went through with fingerprints during the initial background check months ago. This lady then agreed to personally work on our file as it had not yet been assigned to anyone.   She volunteered to see what she could do to help move the process along.   She promised to look into it within the next few days.   Jill was very pleased as this gives her/us  a specific contact as questions arise along the way.   This person at the NBC did say that from what she could see, it appeared that my prints were approved.  Although this isn't a firm "yes", we are optimistic that either way, our case will be handled and we will proceed to the next step.  

FINGERPRINTS, ROUND TWO!

I left the house at 6:30 a.m. this morning for my 8:00 a.m. appointment at the application support center in St. Paul.  I have been using lots and lots of Crack Creme (yes, unfortunately that is the name of it!) this week to help soften my hands for the fingerprint scan.

 

I arrived about 20 minutes ahead of schedule.  The office opens at 8:00 a.m. and at about 7:45 a.m. people started gathering to form a line outside.  There were about 30 of us crowding around the door when they let us in.  I hate these situations where everyone is trying to act calm...but really, we all want to be the first one in line!  There is often a slight feeling of panic in the air.  Anyway, as I stood there, it seemed pretty clear that I was the only caucasian, Engish-speaking person in the crowd.  It was interesting.  I was wondering where everyone had come from and what their story was.  I managed to get a spot somewhere in the middle of the line, but it didn't really matter.  I was in and out of there in about 20 minutes.  My prints seemed to look better this time.  If you read about my first fingerprint experience, you will remember that I scored "zero" on four of my fingers.  This time, the lowest number I got was a 58!  Not bad for a fingerprint flunky like myself!

I should be able to find out by tomorrow if my prints were accepted.  The lady that helped me did say that usually they will ask you to come back only once.  Let's hope that is true.  I was home by 9:30 a.m. this morning and felt like I had already accomplished quite a bit!  We'll see. Check my blog tomorrow and I will tell you if I passed or not.

VACATIONS

Summer is such a great time to switch gears and do something different.   In Minnesota, it especially sweet because we get to enjoy the warm weather.  I love hearing what new places people get to see over the summer months.

 

Allen left last Saturday for the Boundary Waters with some friends and their sons.  It has developed into an annual event and they all seem to love it!  They will come back later today with numerous stories to tell, no doubt  I'm glad that Allen gets to get away with these guys.  It is the one time of year where he gets to do "guy stuff" with boys for several days in a row.  All of that is going to change very soon.  This camping group involves 7 guys.  Because there is a limit of 9 people at one campsite, there is still room for 2 more people.  Hey!  I know of 2 boys who would LOVE to go camping with their dad next year.   How exciting for Allen and his two BOYS!

Me?   I am happy to stay at home and do...whatever I want, whenever I want for a few days.  As much as I love my husband, these few days are a vacation for me too!  I usually get to do some "girl" things while he is gone which is an extra bonus!  All of this freedom ends later today when the guys get home.    I can't wait to hear about their adventures!    

DESCENDING INTO GREATNESS

Philippians 2:1-11
"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Two weeks ago, the sermon title was "Descending Into Greatness". I knew it would be good before I heard it. I also knew it would be convicting. Our youth pastor gave a very thought provoking and challenging sermon. I think it is at the core of what true Christianity is all about. The Bible says that in order to be great in His kingdom, we need to die to ourselves. That is so contrary to everything our culture tells us. It is so contrary to what we really want to do. The things that we often aspire to are money, fame, power, comfort, pleasure and self-fulfillment. These things will make us look good and feel good but it is mostly about what is good for ME.

Philippians 2 makes it clear that to deny ourselves is the only way to become great in God's eyes. God asks us to lose so that we can gain. It is a path that leads to real joy. This quote about the discipline of losing is from the book "Descending Into Greatness" written by BIll Hybels. (It is a great little book which I would highly recommend!)

"Such a call does not paint a picture of men and women drained and empty, devoid of personality and energy. God's call to lose for His sake doesn't mean we deny the legitimate needs of our human frame or the desires and passions He has placed within us. Jesus took care of Himself physically and emotionally, and He challenged His followers to embrace their uniqueness and pursue the dreams God had given them. But losing does not mean that we allow God to determine what needs are legitimate. Losing means to yield our desires and passions to His guidance; to invite Him to chip away the rough edges of our personalities; to use our gifts without seeking applause; and to allow Him to conform our dreams to His will.

Those of us who truly want to be devoted followers of Jesus Christ must learn the lessons of Philippians 2. Few other passages communicate more clearly who Jesus is, and therefore, who we are called to be. It is through submitting to the challenge of this passage that we can learn the day-by-day discipline of descending into God's greatness--which is the highest calling in life."

Wow! I think these are great words and I totally believe it. So, why is it so hard for me to do? You would think that after 45+ years of practicing, I would have figured it out. Thankfully, God is still working on me and reminding me of passages like Philippians 2. Maybe I need to ramp up the practicing a bit!   This adoption has certainly been an incredible spiritual journey and I have had to rely on God more than ever. 

Many people tell us that our new kids are so lucky to be in our family. But I think that WE are the lucky ones! These three little people have already blessed us in so many ways and helped us to grow in our faith in ways we never would have imagined. Adopting them has helped us to look at our priorities, get out of our comfort zone and maybe even take one step closer to descending into greatness.

WEDDINGS

This is certainly the time of year for weddings. No two weddings are the same...and that is exactly how it should be. Some are short, some are long. Some are simple, some are elaborate. This last week, one wedding was indoors and one was outdoors. Both were meaningful. Both brides were beautiful. I have yet to see an ugly bride. There is something that just "sparkles" from the bride on her wedding day...and it is so much fun!

Last Friday night, Lindsay was the maid of honor in her best friend's wedding. The ceremony was next to a golf course on a beautiful evening. Angela's (the bride) father officiated the wedding. Pretty special. For those of us who have been married for a while, these celebrations make us think back to "our" day. It is a great time to remember our own vows and thank God for all the shared memories...

PATIENCE

Today Allen and I went to the immigration office in Bloomington for a 9:30 a.m. appointment with someone who could perhaps help us with some of our questions regarding my fingerprint fiasco and the I-800A and I-800 forms. (You probably don't know what that is, but we have spent a lot of time and energy trying to get these documents completed. Plus, it makes me feel important to throw these terms around!) Anyway, it felt a bit unusual as there were guards everywhere. We entered a room with many chairs and waited for our number to be called. We had exactly 15 minutes to state our case and... "failure to show up on time would result in the cancellation of the appointment". Thankfully, we arrived in plenty of time.

When it was time to go to Window #4, we brought our piece of paper with the personal identification number and started asking questions. Our main objectives were to #1-See if there was any way we could help the fingerprinting process by providing additional information.... #2-Ask about the processing timeline...#3-Inquire about a receipt number that we would need for the I-800. The I-800 and the I-800A are brand new forms and there seems to be a lot of confusion regarding these documents. (Maybe Allen and I are the only confused ones!!) Anyway, I don't know how to say this in a nice way, but our 15 minutes was a total waste of time. The person who was helping us was nice enough. He simply didn't have any concrete answers for us. He kept saying, "Well, I think this should happen..." and "Evidently, this must have happened..." and "Well, you will probably..." Unfortunately, his answers did not inspire a lot of confidence. It appeared that he didn't really know what he was talking about! The worst part was that he didn't seem all that interested. We walked out of there feeling pretty discouraged.

Later, Allen called another number we had been given by our adoption counselor. He was able to talk to a person who was actually quite helpful. There was some information that she needed to check on, but she called us back just a few minutes later. Mostly, it just felt like she was interested and cared about our situation. We appreciated her help, but were still feeling a bit discouraged. I especially feel badly (and responsible) because it's my fingerprints that have held us up. Everything else has progressed beautifully. We have already been delayed about a month because of this. Our concern is that the children will not arrive until after school starts in the fall. We have no way of knowing that, but we are keenly aware that the clock is ticking... Basically, we have little to no control over this situation and it is very frustrating. It is a good exercise in patience. You could pray that we do what we can to move this process along... and then try to be patient.

The day wasn't a total loss. It was a beautiful day, we went to lunch and we did a little shopping. I wish I had a better idea of when we will be going to get our kids, but at this point, we just don't know. Hang in there with us... and keep posted.

PAUL AND MARLYS

Today I got a call from Marlys Healy. She and her husband "run the ship" at CSC. Marlys serves as the medical director and had some medical questions for me. It was so fun to talk with her about our kids. Evidently, Romeo has indicated an interest in medicine. He and Rodrigo were recently in to see the doctor. At one point Dr. Onate turned to his assistant and said, "Romeo wants to be a doctor someday... just like his Dad." Marlys said that Romeo perked up immediately and started grinning from ear to ear. How sweet and wonderful to hear stories like these about our kids.

I have been blessed to know so many people in my lifetime whom I respect. Some of them are only a memory and some of them are reading this blog. These people have helped to encourage me in my faith and shape my convictions. I am so grateful for them. I have known about Paul and Marlys Healy for a long time, but I didn't actually get to know them until we visited CSC last January. They are truly amazing people. Marlys and Paul started the Children's Shelter of Cebu about 30 years ago from nothing but a calling from God. The shelter now includes two homes for children, a teen home, and the Children of Hope School (with plans for new construction in the future). I know that they are greatly respected among their colleagues and other officials in the Philippines. They have accomplished so much and served so many people in their lifetime. But the thing that I am most impressed with is their faithfulness to what they believe has been God's calling for their lives. Their decision to live in the Philippines and care for orphans has required great sacrifice. They work extremely hard and routinely face impossible situations, but their attitude is steadfast and positive. They are indeed an inspiration to me.

When we visited the CSC last winter, Marlys picked us up from the airport. We asked her to tell us the story of how the Children's Shelter of Cebu started. She and Paul were there from Day One. It is truly an amazing story of how God provided just what they needed when they needed it. It is an incredible faith story. Later in the week, one of my daughter commented about our van ride from the airport to the shelter. She said, " I knew after just 5 minutes that I was in the presence of a true hero." I couldn't have agreed with her more. I thank God for people like Marlys and Paul who have given their entire life by answering God's call to defend and care for the fatherless. They are heroes to me.

"Do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more." Psalm 10:18

RODRIGO IS GETTING READY FOR MINNESOTA!

I went to the CSC website tonight and found a new picture of my youngest son. I had to share it with you. It was too cute to pass up. I'm pretty sure that he is preparing for the cold winters in Minnesota. He's going to need a bit more than mittens...but at least he is thinking about it, right? Poor little guy, he doesn't have a clue!! Brrrrrrrrr!

MY DOG, BERNIE

I'm pretty sure that those of you who read my blog faithfully are pretty tired of all my Bernie pictures. Oh well, here is another one. Bernie is VERY attached to ME! He follows me everywhere. He cries when I leave and yes, I hate to admit it, but he sleeps next to me. It doesn't matter where I go, he follows. My family tells me that he is very distraught when I leave the house without him. At any rate, I thought I would share this pic of Bernie in one of his favorite perches. You can find him at this post many times a day staring into the kitchen where I am busy working. It is a good view where I am never out of his sight. I have heard that people who own pets are happier than those who don't own pets. I would have to agree with that. It is so nice to have a furry little friend who patiently waits at the door for you each time you leave, who loves you unconditionally and whose favorite spot is right next to wherever you are. That's my dog. That's Bernie!

TROUT LAKE CAMP

We brought Steph to Trout Lake Camp this morning. She will be there for two weeks working in the ministry apprentice program. Steph has always loved camp, but this is the first time she will not be going as a regular camper. She is there with about 8-10 other very nice Cambridge kids who are also helping out. I'm excited for her, but will definitely miss her!! The first week she will be working in the camp store at Timber Ridge (a newer section of the camp). I'm sure she will have a great time. She has cell service and will have occasional breaks so I'm hoping we will hear from her once in a while. It is surely different from the days when I was a camper and snail mail was our only way of communication. Either way, camp is so much fun and a great time to reflect on God's goodness! If you know Steph, pray for her these next few weeks and send an email if you have a few minutes. She would love it!

HURRY UP AND WAIT!

On Friday, I received notice of a new appointment for fingerprinting. We have talked to several people in several departments about rescheduling my appointment and I finally have a date to put on the calendar. My appointment is on June 24 at 8:30 a.m. in St. Paul. Evidently, most people coming in for a repeat scan will automatically pass. It has been hard to check the mail each day hoping to find something from Immigration. They (our adoption counselor) are just waiting for the "ok" on the fingerprints to send off the rest of our paperwork to the US Immigration Office. Everything else has progressed in a very timely manner. My fingerprints (or lack thereof) has held us up for at least several weeks! It's frustrating and I feel badly that I am the one dragging the process down. On June 24th I get to have my biometrics taken one more time. Hopefully, we will move through the next immigration steps quickly. We are still hopeful that the kids will be here by the time school starts, but I guess there are no guarantees.

This week our house felt like Grand Central Station. On Wednesday and Thursday, we saw FedEx, UPS, the mailman, Elaine's Floral, Cambridge Floral, several construction workers, 20 high school swimmers (for breakfast), HOM furniture ( two times!) and Star Glass. In the confusion of it all, my neighbors brought our wandering dog home twice. We are just lucky that so many people know who he is! It is fun to have so much activity at the house. Having the summer aquatic girls has become somewhat of a tradition. I always serve the same thing - chocolate chip pancakes. It was great to hear all the chatter and have lots of kids in the house. It makes me glad that we are adding to our family. I wish it would happen sooner than later, but for now, we will wait...

GUILTY

It is difficult to come up with something creative and clever for every birthday, every anniversary and every special occasion. But I wanted to do something for our anniversary yesterday that was sort of different and fun, but didn't cost much. I bought six greeting cards and planned for Allen to discover them at different times of the day. I had left one in the morning on the medical floor where I knew he would be doing rounds. I stopped in the afternoon to have the staff put one on his desk. I left the card on Clinic D and walked out of the building. My next plan was to find his car and place another card in it for him to find as he made his way home.

I got in my car and started to comb the parking lot. I found the spot where he usually parks. No car. I went back and forth down each aisle and couldn't find it anywhere. Strange. I drove around for about five minutes to no avail. As I sat pondering this oddity, I noticed a car coming up the street that looked suspiciously similar to Allen's car. The closer it came, the slower it went. It eventually came to a complete stop right next to my car. I could now see very clearly that Allen was sitting in his vehicle slurping down a DQ... something. The look on his face was priceless. He obviously wasn't expecting to see his wife (of 25 years) at 3:30 in the clinic parking lot. It appears as if I had caught him red-handed! After all these years of believing that he works so hard from dawn to dusk, I was beginning to wonder if the wool had been pulled over my eyes. I thought better of it and realized that there must be a good explanation. The incriminating look of guilt quickly turned to a smile and we both started to laugh. Once in a great while, Allen has a gap in his schedule. Today was one of those days and he had decided to run an errand while he had a few extra minutes. Since he was out, why not make a quick stop at DQ? That would all be fine if his wife didn't keep him on such a short leash. Too bad that today was the day I was out looking for him. Oh well... I thought it was a funny story worth telling. He had nothing to feel guilty about. It is just the kind of person he is! Actually, we were both sneaking around yesterday and we both got caught!...and it's all good. He can have a DQ any time he pleases...even at 3:30 on a Wednesday afternoon!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, ALLEN!!

Today is the day! Twenty-five years ago today, Allen and I tied the knot! The wedding took place at 1:30 p.m. in Worthington, MN. The weather was beautiful in the morning, but became windy with a few sprinkles in the afternoon. (It ruined my hair!!) I don't really remember much of the day other than it was REALLY fun! I loved the fact that both of our families had deep roots in the area. It made the day sort of a "community" event! It was a great way to start our life together!

It scares me to think I have been married for 25 years. I don't feel old, but 25 years sounds sort of... oldish! Oh well, no matter! I have a son starting kindergarten this fall. That automatically makes me... young, right?! My parents said last weekend, "Wait until your baby celebrates her 25th wedding anniversary! Then you will have a reason to feel old!" I guess it is all in your perspective.

I am a very happily married person. God blessed me when he gave me Allen. For anyone who is interested, our courtship began back in high school chemistry. Go figure! We dated all through college and then had a LONG engagement. So, we have known each other for about 30 years.

I was at a wedding shower last night. Someone asked the couple, "What are you looking forward to most about being married?". They both said that they were excited to live life together . They hit the nail on the head! That is exactly what I love most about being married - living life together! Of course, it helps to have a husband that is really easy to live with... but sharing your life with someone you love...it's the best! I don't know what God has in store for Allen and me in the next 25 years, but I'm ready to start down that path - together.

REMODEL UPDATE

Well, we are almost finished with our new rooms! The carpet is in and some of our furniture was delivered yesterday. There is still painting to be done, the mirror and shower door to be installed, and much more decorating to do. But overall, we are feeling good about the new space we have created for our new kids. The first room you see is going to be a "quiet" room with a couple of bookcases and lamps. (We have another big family room with TV, piano and game table-a "loud" room.) As you can see, the boys will have beds that are side by side. I have ordered bed quilts with American and National League logos. (That is definitely a FIRST!...Boy decor!) The bathroom is small, but very cute, and I LOVE the tile! A friend of ours is going to help us with closet organizers. Now THAT is right up my alley!! I can't wait! What a relief to complete this project. I've always heard that remodeling is a very dusty, disruptive and long process. Ours lasted less than two months. That's not bad. The worst part was (and is) the dust. I'm sure that with time, even that will settle down.

BACKYARD WILDLIFE

We have a few deer that have been wandering around the house this spring. This morning, one of them walked to within 20 feet of our house. These animals are so beautiful and graceful. It is fun to just sit and watch them move. Bernie thoroughly loves watching the wildlife in our backyard. You can't tell in the picture, but he gets pretty worked up about these visitors...or, in Bernie's world...these imposters.

MORE WILDLIFE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Last week my Bible study group had a brunch to finish off the year. We usually all bring something good to eat and always leave stuffed to the brim! I was the first one to arrive last Tuesday. My good friend, Sherri met me at the back door. (We are next door neighbors.) As I walked in, I noticed the ghastly look she had on her face. I immediately thought that something REALLY tragic had happened and braced myself for the bad news. The news was not bad, it was just extremely gross and a bit unnerving. As Sherri reached into the sink to finish up a few dishes, she grabbed something soft and...mysterious. It was a dead mouse and I do believe that Sherri almost had a heart attack!! Somehow, with great courage, she managed to put her hand back into the water once again to pull the plug. That was when I entered the picture.

Since I grew up on a farm and kind of pride myself in being adventurous, Sherri thought I might not mind disposing of the mouse. I did grow up on a farm and I do consider myself a bit daring, but this chore was not one that I had on my "to do" list. I would have done it, but thankfully, I came up with a better plan. The painter had just arrived at my house so I ran over to recruit his help in the matter. He gladly took the mouse out and had a good laugh. He even took a few pictures on his camera phone.

Poor Sherri! It just about did her in! A word to the wise...Never let your dish water sit unattended. You never know what might crawl in. (The poor little fellow was kind of cute, don't you think?)

LUNCH AT MY HOUSE!

On Thursday, I invited all of the administrative assistants that I work with to have lunch at my house. Although I work at the high school just one day a week, I have come to appreciate each of these ladies and consider them good friends. It is so fun for me to be a part of this great team! In spite of very busy days and difficult situations, these ladies consistently show patience and kindness to every kid that walks through the door. They make the climate at CIHS warm and sunny!

At school, there is rarely time to stand around and talk. So, on this day, I was glad to have a few minutes to just sit, relax and eat chocolate! Thank you to my administrative assistant friends. You help to make the high school a great place for kids to grow and learn. I will see you in the fall!!

CHILDREN'S SHELTER OF CEBU

Our new children will be making a HUGE transition in a number of weeks as they move to the US. Three years ago, they had to make another big transition to the Children's Shelter of Cebu. As I think about the environment that they have lived in these last few years, I am SO grateful that they have been in such a loving and supportive place. When our family visited CSC in January, we saw a place where children are nurtured and challenged to become everything God created them to be. I can try tell you what a wonderful place this is...but it might be better for you to look at the shelter's webpage. It is a very special place to us and I think it will give you a good idea of what it is all about. The website is www.cscshelter.org.

As you enter the website, there will be pictures of kids that fade in and out. You will notice a boy with goggles and a red swim cap who looks kind of silly. That's our Romeo! It's a great pic of him.

There are a lot of things you can look at on this website but if you don't have a hour or so to kill, click on the video titled THE ROAD TO CSC or A DAY IN THE LIFE. These videos are about 5-7 minutes long and will give you a nice glimpse into what CSC is all about.

Lastly, there are some videos of a recent talent show. Click on the one with Roselyn's name on it. You can see her singing!

I can't say enough wonderful things about CSC! I am so appreciative of their ministry to orphaned children. I hope you get a chance to check it out.

DRIVE THRU DIFFERENCE

Today Steph and I were out shopping and running errands. We kept hearing about "Drive Thru Difference Friday" on the radio and thought it would be fun to play along! The idea is to bless the person behind you in the drive-up lane by paying their bill. I've heard about it for a while but never seemed to be in the right place to do it. Today was perfect. We stopped at DQ on our way home. We had to wait a few minutes to insure that someone would actually be behind us. Then she came...a middle-aged woman driving a Lexus. I suppose it doesn't matter what kind of car she was driving, but for some reason, we thought it was kind of funny. As we approached the window, I felt sneaky, like I was going to do something...underhanded?? Steph and I were both kind of giddy. We were wondering who she was and what she was doing. What if she was on assignment from her office to pick up lunch for everyone?? Did I have enough money?? The girl who took my money gave me a strange look when I asked if I could pay for the lady behind me. Of course, it was totally fine with her! I don't think the woman behind us ordered much because I got a lot of change in return. As we slowly drove away, Steph and I tried to catch a glimpse of what happened next. Unfortunately, we couldn't really see much. I'm sure that our friend behind us was confused, but happy to think that someone today was looking out for her. It doesn't really matter who she was or how she reacted. Steph and I had a great time "blessing" her! There is something really good about giving something away without any expectations or strings attached. I need to do it more often. If you haven't ever made a "drive thru difference", do it sometime. It will do your heart good!

BIOMETRICS

Today Allen and I had our fingerprints taken (once again!) and one of us passed with flying colors!! That is the good news. As expected, my fingerprints did not scan well and I will be making another trip to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Support Center sometime in the future. I watched the screen as the tech scanned each finger. The numbers that kept popping up were in the 50% range. However, the readout for both of my pinkie fingers was 0%. The woman helping me informed me that I would no doubt fail the FBI test and would receive notification of a new biometric appointment sometime in the next few weeks. The second biometric scan is automatically approved so I am anxious to just go and get it over with. Arghhhhh! This is so frustrating! I did make a few phone calls and sent an email to USCIS explaining my situation. I asked for another appointment in the near future. We'll just wait and try to be patient. (By the way, Allen's fingerprint scores were well into the 70% range.)

Meanwhile, our remodeling is almost finished. The carpet will be put in tomorrow. The bathroom tile, sink, toilet and shower are in and working!! On our way home today, Allen and I stopped by HOM to purchase a bookcase and two beds for the boys. The furniture will come next week sometime. I will post some pictures soon so you can see the (almost) finished product.

BEN AND PHYLLIS

Twenty years ago, Allen was in medical school. Lindsay was just a toddler and I was working part time at Bethel. Allen and I were always interested in raising our family in a small town, so when the opportunity came for Allen to study with rural physicians in Marshall, Minnesota, we jumped at the chance. We moved to Marshall for 9 months during Allen's 3rd year of medical school. It was a great program and Allen learned a lot! The biggest challenge was to find housing as we prepared to move back to the Twin Cities for Allen's final year of medical school. We were on a waiting list for married student housing, but we could see that our names were not going to reach the top of the list by the time we needed a place to live.

One weekend, we came back to the Twin Cities for a visit. We visited our home church in Roseville and were reconnecting with some of our friends there. Ben and Phyllis were a wonderful couple who seemed to take a special interest in our lives. When they heard that we were in need of temporary housing, they immediately offered to share their home with us until the student housing was available. They didn't have to think about it for even an instant! Their generosity was overwhelming but after some thought, we decided that it would be the best option for us. Our plan was to live with them for 4-6 weeks and then move into student housing. Well, it took 4 months before our name was called to move into university housing!

We learned so much about generosity and grace during our time with Ben and Phyllis. Our "home" was downstairs where there was a pull-out couch, a sitting area and a small kitchen. It was just what we needed and we were so appreciative! We would often go upstairs to share a meal with them or just talk at night. They took us under their wing and treated Lindsay like she was a princess. They never made us feel like we were a bother. I've never seen anyone work so hard at sharing their time, resources and encouragement with those in need. I was amazed at their gift of hospitality. They both had demanding jobs and would be up early on Saturday and Sunday morning preparing a meal for a group of people they had invited. It was fun to live with them and was bittersweet when it came time for us to move.

I remember trying to think of a gift that we could give them for the gracious hospitality they had shown us. Two problems - we had NO money and they really didn't need anything. The best thing I could come up with was to make them a cross-stitched Christmas ornament. It seems sort of stupid now, but it was really the best I could do at the time. As Allen and I talked about this more, we came up with another thought. When someone gives to you sacrificially, maybe the best way to repay them is for you to demonstrate that generosity to yet another person. We vowed that we would someday do something special to help someone else in need.

I can't say that we have decided to adopt because of these friends. However, nothing would make us happier to think that our adoption is in some way a tribute to the generosity and compassion that Ben and Phyllis have shown to so many people, including us.

By the way, we are still in contact with Ben and Phyllis. They are very involved and supportive of the Children's Shelter of Cebu and of course, are very excited about our news. Although we don't see them often, I know that they are consistently praying for each person in our family. They continue to work hard at sharing the things God has blessed them with those in need. We have been so blessed to know them!

WHEN ARE THEY COMING??

"When are they coming??" I get asked this question several times every day. Believe me, I wish I could give a date and start making plans! If you know me at all, you know that I am a calendar freak and love to know when and where I am going (at least six months out)! We were told that it often takes about four months after receiving the referral from the Philippine adoption board. That happened at the end of April...which would put us near the end of August. That does not account for long delays in paperwork or unexpected roadblocks that might come up. On the other hand, (except for the fingerprint fiasco) the whole thing has been moving along more quickly than we might have expected.

This week we will be sending paperwork and legal documents (sent from the Philippines) to begin processing the immigration piece of this process. If you remember, we are heading down to the US Customs and Immigration Services in St. Paul to get our biometrics taken tomorrow morning. This is also part of the immigration paperwork that has to be processed and approved. To be honest, when I talk with our adoption counselor about all the hoops we need to jump through, I still get a bit confused. So basically, we just do what we are told as quickly as we can and wait for the next assignment. It is the "hurry up and wait" drill. Having said that, it is very good that we are now talking about customs and immigration. This step can take up to 90 days, but recently, it has taken some families closer to 60 days. We'll see. I would like for our kids to come sooner than later, but I also believe that God's timing is perfect, and either way, it will all work out just fine. We are still very hopeful that they will be here for the start of the school year. Thanks for your interest and keep posted! As we get closer to the "pick-up" date, we'll have a better idea of specific dates.

COMMENTS

Several of you have found it difficult to comment on my blog. We have adjusted the settings to make it easier for you to let me know what you think. I love getting comments, so if you have something to say, please do. Hopefully, it will work better now.

CARIBOU COFFEE

One morning last week, I was in the drive-thru at Caribou when I noticed some familiar looking people inside of the store. It was Pastor Bob and Jarad (the senior pastor and youth pastor at our church). As I looked more intently, I could see that it was the entire pastoral staff from First B. There were about six or seven of them and I immediately had warm, fuzzy and happy feelings as I watched them interact with each other. I wanted to run in and give them all a big hug and thank them for what they do. (Just so you know, I didn't.) Allen and I feel so blessed to be a part of a church with such great leaders. They each have special gifts and passions. They each have different strengths and weaknesses. But I have no doubt that each of them is committed to the call that God has given them. My family has been touched in one way or another by their efforts. As we add to our family, I am SO thankful for the staff at FBC. I know that they will love and accept each of them no matter what. I know that they will walk alongside each of our kids to help them know and love Jesus. These people are a HUGE part of our support system and I am so grateful that they are a part of our lives.

PADDLE, PEDAL AND RUN

Yesterday morning our family participated in a triathlon. Sounds impressive, doesn't it? Well, it was lots of fun and a great thing to do together. If you sign up as a team, it is very doable (even for those of us who aren't as in shape as they should be)! The race consists of a paddle around Spectacle Lake (about 1+ miles), an 11 mile bike ride and a 2+mile run. Bjork joined our ranks so we could have two teams of three people. I love the race because it is good for a wide range of people. There are several serious athletes and those who just want to get some exercise and have a good time. I was assigned to the biking portion of the race. Lindsay and I biked the 11 miles together. Unfortunately, Lindsay's bike was not working very well. Every time she would go up a hill, her gears started to shift on their own. It made riding very awkward and it definitely slowed her down. I felt badly for her but really... it was to my advantage and allowed me to sort of keep up with her! Considering that I have not ridden a bike since last summer and that she is 25 years younger than me... I think I did quite well! I'll post a few pictures to share. It is a fun, local event that happens at the beginning of June every year. Think about getting a group together next year. We plan on being there. We may have 3 Mork teams!!