Wait. Pray. Live.

Officially started Christmas shopping today and actually got three people done! I found some great crafty ideas for a few people on my list too… there is a radio station that is already playing non-stop Christmas music… so needless to say, getting in the holiday spirit! I absolutely LOVE this time of year… the anticipation, the bustling around, the cooking, the planning, the gathering together… it’s a very homey and comforting time of year to me. I hope it will always be that way.

A few weeks ago, there was a case in our court. A guy was driving reckless on Thanksgiving Day last year and lost control of his car and ended up landing on a car driven by two teenagers, killing them both. The driver survived, barely, and then was criminally charged. He was not drunk, he wasn’t speeding, it’s subjective as to whether he was angrily weaving through traffic. His 5 year old daughter was also in the car with him, thankfully, she was not hurt. There were no winners in this scenario. Forever, Thanksgiving Day will mark a day that changed their lives forever. In a blink, a tiny moment, future hopes and dreams were but vapors in the wind.

I only mention all that because as I was typing about what a comforting homey time of year this is for me and my family, it is not so for others and for them I say a prayer because as the saying goes, there but for the Grace of God go I. Before I moan and belly ache about the obstacles in my journey through this life, I should look at someone’s obstacles in their life and be thankful for my set of problems. I don’t love them, don’t want them. But if there were a trade off, I completely recognize that my obstacles are fit for me and me alone. There are things I must face that others could not and there are things that others face that I could not fathom the courage it must take to muddle through. God really doesn’t give us more than we can handle.

Speaking of obstacles… we are in a waiting period… there was a hearing last Thursday. The mother voluntarily signed away her rights. I cannot fathom what a hard decision that was for her. I got to hug the woman that gave birth to my precious children. It was a definite moment I will always remember. She told me thank you. There is a 20 day period for more papers and proof to be filed and then the Judge gets 30 days to rule… so we probably won’t know anything until right before or right after the holidays. However, everyone involved seems to believe the filing of papers is just a formality and the path for adoption will soon be clutter free. Jimmie and I are pretty confident but can’t let ourselves hope or be happy until we hear something official. And so we pray and wait and live. We are blessed indeed.