- Troy got on an airplane and moved to Haiti - The weirdest day of his life.
- Tara questioned every decision she had ever made in her entire life as she hugged and kissed Troy goodbye.
- Britt, Paige, Isaac, Hope and Noah capitalized on the misery and confusion of their mother and spent a wonderful day at the Mall of America soaking in every ounce of American culture available to them.
At the time, it all seemed like a really big risk. Now, looking back, it does not seem like it was that big of a deal.
Today, we enter a new phase of risk, that feels big ... As we believe in the Lord for Phoebe and for a successful and completed adoption. We did not know how it would work out when we moved. We do not know how/if/when the adoption will work out. It is scary.
There are no guarantees in life - EXCEPT this: God loves us and He will always give us what is best. The difficult, the scary, the uncertain: He is in it all. We're thankful for that.
My calendar this year looks just a wee bit less insane. Troy's looks busy, mine looks like this: Wake up, support the family, teach some science, cheer for Britt, cheer for Paige, do laundry, play shapes and colors bingo, discipline a wild two year old, clean-up, remind Troy of a few things, hang out, do more of the same. Every day. I love it. I do not miss going, going going, dentists, doctors, sports, lessons, more sports, more events, and general insanity.
BUT, on my quiet calendar, I do note a birthday today.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICOLE VIK.
- Phoebe Joy slept from 7:45 pm until 5am. She ate and went back to sleep by 5:30. She then slept until 7:30. She's going to be a whole lot of trouble, we can tell. ;)
- As if things could get any better, I've won the UK lottery and my long lost relatives with a fortune in Cameroon have located me to collect what is rightfully mine. It's about time.
- That's all fine and good, but I really hope I actually win the trip to see Jack Bauer and a taping of the show 24. I entered a Circuit City contest. Mark my words, I will win the 24 trip. I am not sure who I will take with me when I go, but I am considering Tina, Beth, and Jennifer J. They are each equally obsessed with all things counter-terrorism-intelligence and Bauer. If for some strange reason I do not win, I will do what a few people here did when they did not win the Digicel Four-Wheeler. I will stand around and argue about how many times I entered and that it is not fair that I did not win. I will stage a mini-protest of sorts.
- We officially have a new family preparing to move to Haiti to work with Lifeline. They happen to be on the top of our list labeled: "Coolest people in the South-East quadrant of the USA, specifically North Carolina." Just after them, it is Billy Graham, Soupy Sales, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Clay Aiken . In that order.
- Every time I look over my shoulder to peek at sleepy Phoebe, Hope is standing right next to her grinning ear to ear. It is the cutest thing ever.
- After the last round of Malaria I pulled out of the Miami Marathon officially - I had this sense/realization that A.) training and running *here* for super-long distances sort of sucks and I am not able to run more than 8 miles before I begin to hate everything and everyone - so because as a mom I am required to like people, specifically my children it began to look like a bad idea B.) that a baby would show up at a time that would make it difficult to depart on January 26 (I had no idea how right-on that would be) C.) that I could face letting Beth down even if it was really, REALLY hard to do.
- It seems like I made a wise decision, which is rare and wonderful.
- Beth runs the Miami Marathon in ten days. She is the toughest woman I have ever met. Pray for her.
- Running is fun when there is no pressure. Britt is a runner now, so that is pretty fun for both of us.
- Troy is still decompressing, but he promises to share how it all went down and details about our thoughts and plans and the way God showed up to save the day.
