Jean and Big Rebecca

Yesterday the 2 little girls (Eissa and Cass) were sick. Guessing it was just a little 24 hour thing...they are both back to normal today. But, yesterday was definitely a take-it-easy day. We did some homeschooling amongst the high fevers and 'spilling,' but mostly I just had 2 sick little girls piled up on top of me. :)

And then today, Grady was up and dressed and ready to go with Joel to work by the time we came out this morning. We had not planned that at all. But, he never does that. So, we figured that maybe he was just in need of a 'guy day.' :) Besides, it was a great day to do that...Asas de Socorro is hosting a commemoration party celebrating 55 years of work here in Brazil tomorrow, so everyone is working hard there at the hangar getting things ready for that. We are having a girl day here. Fun. We've watched a princess movie, Gigi, and we will paint our nails of course. We might even make some cookies for our men later. ;)

Yesterday we got the call from the social worker handling our case (to adopt) that the required classes they give to couples hoping to adopt will start on Monday. We'll have classes the next three Monday nights and then we'll adopt the next week. :) Not really. Who knows when it will happen (except God), but we'll be ready and it could happen any time after those classes are done. So...pretty exciting. (insert squeal)

Remember this little guy? Well, from day 1 of meeting him, (they called him Jean, pronounced more the way the French pronounce it...Jay-uhn with a soft J and a nasally 'uhn') on the day this picture was taken (June 2008), I just loved him and we've always asked about him. He was just stuck there forever in the process of being cleared by all family members. I was starting to wonder if God was keeping him there for us...our processes and paperwork seemed to be running along the same speed. Well, we called to ask about him again today. Guess what? He's adopted!! He was cleared to be adopted a month or two ago, he went to 'visit' a family (like a trial period type thing...there is no foster system here), and never came back to the orphanage...he found his family. We're so excited for him that he is finally in a family in a real home. Be praying for our family as we go through these classes and just that God would make it perfectly clear and the process smooth concerning the children who are supposed to be in our family.

And finally today, my friend Rebecca (Miss Beautiful there in the middle) is having major surgery as I type this. She was one of my roommates in college...such a wonderful group of girls that I was blessed to live with during college! So funny...I had never really lived with girls before. And what a few girlie girls they were too. So fun...and it was good for all of us I think. ;) Tomboy meets girly girls...lots of learning and laughing and fun times. But, please be praying for her and her family and loved ones. This specialized surgery had to be done in San Diego. Well I'll be doggonit (more Southern) if her best friend (and another one of our roommates) didn't just get all moved out to San Diego a couple of years ago (also named Rebecca...the San Diego Rebecca is mighty short and the surgery Rebecca is mighty tall...so people just ended up calling these best friends Big Rebecca and Little Rebecca...hence the reason for the 'big' in my title of my blog today). Interesting how God works all these little things out. Anyway, if you could be praying for my friend, Rebecca, that would be great. You can follow her progress here. You can go to the 'journal' for her blog posts and updates.

The following are just some more pictures that I took of 'our little boy' that has now found his family. These were taken June 2009, exactly a year after that first picture. Wonder what he looks like now. So very, very happy for him.

Not too jazzed about having his picture taken right after waking up from his nap. ;) But still such a cutie, even when unhappy.

With some of the other kids there at the "kids' house" as our kiddos call it. Some of the many who are waiting for a home and family of their own.

Again, November is National Adoption Awareness Month. How cool that we are taking our classes to adopt, our last step in the process before actually adopting, in November! What would God have you do to help kids like Jean find their families? Are you a family that one of these children could find their home with?