Wow, it’s been almost three months since my last update. I’m just not good at making time to sit down in front of the computer and write! So, I’ve strapped myself to my seat with six feet of rope, fixed a ½ gallon of sweet tea, grabbed a bag of vinegar and salt potato chips and cranked up some great Chicago Blues music for what should be a great update. Ok, so maybe I made that up…but the blues is boomin’!

If this were my presidential “Sate of the Union address” the status would be “On Track” Our adoption process has continued to progress at a decent clip and things are still moving forward. Amy and I (mostly Amy!) have finished up all our paperwork and we’re scheduled to be in Raleigh in two weeks to have our fingerprinting done. That should go off without any problems unless Amy has some skeletons in her closet that she has managed to keep from me for the last 10 years!

We have sent a retainer to our lawyer in Uganda, and he should begin preparing our case soon. He will send us an affidavit, and we’ll have some documents to gather for him and have shipped then he will start to prepare our case for court. We still don’t really have any kind of realistic time frame but we’re still praying to have her home before the end of the year. How sweet would it be for me and her to get home on Christmas morning! That would be the best Christmas present ever!

Renovations on all the kids’ rooms are finally underway. We have moved Cohen (2) into his own room and he took to his new “big boy bed” like a champ! Caleb has been moved to Kealee’s old room and the girl’s room is getting a new addition. Some very special friends of ours have donated all the materials and are installing a closet in the bonus room where Kealee and Joyce will be roommates! Kealee is sleeping with Caleb in the meantime which he absolutely loves…NOT!

This Monday night our family is having dinner with a guy who has spent the summer at GSF doing an internship. I emailed him when he first got there and told him that we we’re adopting Joyce. He played with her everyday and took a ton of pics for us. I can’t wait to see them! It is so cool that God led us to an orphanage that has so many connections in Greensboro! I’ll be sure to post some of the new pictures soon…really….no seriously, I mean it!

So, as I said earlier, the “state of the adoption” is on track! We still need to raise $8-$10,000 but we’re moving forward on that as well. We have applied for an interest free loan and a grant, and we would greatly appreciate your prayers for favor with both organizations.

We would also greatly appreciate your continued prayers for Joyce. She is at a crucial age and lives with some older girls which she is beginning to be influenced by. Nothing serious, mostly attitude type stuff, but stuff we would prefer she not pick up! Please pray for her protection from everything seen and unseen and that God would protect her innocence and childlike faith. Pray that God would give her an awareness of his love for her and a sense of the coming change in her life and that she would commit herself to him in thanksgiving for both. Pray that in “The space in-between” (see previous post) she would experience the presence of God in her life in a very tangible way.

Thanks for all your continued prayers and support!