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Rebooting

LS

It has been a long time, too long, since we last updated. That certainly doesn’t mean that life has not had anything worth sharing. Quite to the contrary, life has been so busy that we have hardly had any time for anything else. This has been unfortunate as we have enjoyed keeping you up to date and have heard so many of you share how much these posts have meant to you.

So, this is our attempt to reboot…hopefully somewhat more successfully. Thankfully, with more than 3 months unpublished, there is much to share and no end to resources.

Perhaps one of the biggest developments we have been facing is how to get into the USA on schedule. We are rapidly approaching the 5 year deadline set by governmental agreements between the USA and Germany. We have to leave at the 5 year mark to avoid losing our social security for exceeding the short term worker definitions. This date for us is July 15th. In addition, we have been struggling to get the citizenship process sorted out to allow our children into the USA.

In October, upon returning home, we immediately filed the N600-K applications which are designed for children of USA citizens who are living abroad. Unfortunately, our requested date range of February for a citizenship appointment came and went with no news. As March rolled around, with our deadline starting to loom nearer, we tried to reach out to USCIS (US Customs and Immigration Services) to get more information. We then discovered that one of the downsides of advanced technology and AI is that it is impossible to talk to an actual person, and computers don’t care about your particular circumstances.

This led us to reach out to congressmen for help to try and figure out the status of our case and any potential time estimates. Thankfully, one congressman’s office proved very helpful and willing to track down any possible information. They advocated on our behalf with USCIS and started raising some concerns about our situation. The USCIS congressional liaison began asking why we had applied the way we did, how long we intended to be stateside, and why we had so many active applications. It was then that we learned that we had an open immigration visa at the consulate in Brazil which has apparently never been closed (as it should have been) when we returned to Germany. We were also told we had a non immigration visa open in Frankfurt, which was truly puzzling as we had never applied for this.

After more back and forth and assistance from the congressman’s office, we learned that Frankfurt had no record of anything in our name. Lifeline, our adoption agency, attempted to help us with the situation in Brazil, but were told that only USCIS could now close the open visa applications and the embassy wouldn’t do anything without them requesting and initiating it. Lifeline encouraged us and helped us get connected to a lawyer who specializes in adoption and immigration cases.

Last week we were able to talk with the lawyer and learn that N600-K applications are designed for people who reside overseas. Given our situation of going on home assignment, we would need to make sure we did not remain stateside for more than 6 months or we would risk having the citizenship canceled and any passports revoked. On the other hand, the immigration visas (IH-3) are designed for people permanently residing stateside and if we went that route we would need to make sure we stayed stateside longer than 6 months or risk having citizenship cancelled and passports revoked. The lawyer advised us that the best chance of us meeting our deadlines would be to request the immigration visas be transferred to Germany and completed here. Theoretically this should be a relatively simple and straightforward step.

At the lawyers advice we reached out to the National Visa Center (NVC) to request the case transfer. We also asked Lifeline to help us advocate for this transfer. Lifeline then messaged the NVC, the consulate in Brazil, and USCIS. Although we never heard back (it is amazingly difficult and disappointing how hard it is for US citizens to get any answers about their own case), thankfully Lifeline did. After jumping through several hoops to get things in exactly the format NVC wanted (including having to send 4 separate emails – one for each child), NVC finally came back with the answer that once they transferred the case to the consulate in Brazil in July, 2025, any changes or updates needed to be handled directly by the consulate and not NVC. The consulate came back to Lifeline and repeated that they will not do anything with the case (transferring or otherwise) unless requested to do so by USCIS. USCIS responded to Lifeline to say that these case file numbers submitted applied to aspects which were transferred from USCIS to the NVC and that any questions about them should be directed now to the NVC. An endless loop of finger pointing.

We are now awaiting further counsel from the lawyer about best next steps and options. Waiting for the N600-K to go through has an unknown time frame, but almost certainly after July. It also comes with a shorter time stateside than we initially intended. But the immigration visa transfer has proven to be more difficult than it should be. As you can see, we could use prayers for wisdom and much guidance. Planning is extremely difficult and there is much uncertainty with looming deadlines – above all it would be helpful to simply know what our best backup and next step needs to be.

We look forward to rebooting and Lord willing, sharing more soon (we promise in less time than 3 months :))!

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Changing Paces

LS

The Christmas season brings with it a mad rush that culminates is an exhausted break. For adults, we are used to the rhythm and anticipate it. However, for kids, the anticipation of Christmas can bring with much change and change is both exciting and disruptive. No one wants to go to school, but after a day or two, the change in schedule and the additional unoccupied time can suddenly leave kids feeling bored and out of their routine. Thankfully we can also see some progress being made – the feelings of boredom were definitely present, but caused less tension and stress than in the past. This go around it approached more of a “normal” level of complaints due to boredom.

And with Christmas came things which could help occupy attention. The gifts were exciting and much anticipated. We also managed to keep it at a good level and avoided overstimulation due to too much excitement. The slight snowfall also helped occupy attentions as our kids had never seen snow. This meant that Christmas was a mix of opening things inside and then playing outside. We have learned that as energy levels rise, moving kids outdoors is very beneficial.

We have been thankful for the change of pace that was much needed. In fact, it hard to say if students or teachers appreciate breaks more. The opportunities to school kids at home while we await official instructions has been very beneficial. We have already been able to make up a lot of ground in many areas that were lacking. However, there is no question that this adds a lot of additional work to our plates. Not having to teach, plan, oversee, and correct has been a nice break. It has allowed us to spend more time just hanging out as a family and even dad was able to reduce some of his workload. The lack of posting is evidence of things we have put a pause to in order to slow down some. And as for most of you, slowing down is necessary from time to time…and we often don’t realize the pace we have been running until we take a break.

Without a doubt the year closed out with much to be thankful for and much change. In many ways it is hard to believe we have been a family of 7 for 4 months. In some ways it has felt much longer than that and in other ways much shorter. Every day brings new strides, new stresses, new successes. Looking back and comparing brings encouragement even as we feel overwhelmed with how much still lies ahead of us. The Christmas day service and potluck saw us staying until the end instead of leaving early due to approaching meltdowns. This is a remarkable difference in just 2 months of potluck times. Kids are also getting more settled as is evidenced by a significant reduction in overanalyzing emotional states and a little less mischievous activity…at least that which was due to stress.

A New Year brings with it plenty of challenges. We still don’t have residence permits resolved. Nothing has ever been received regarding schooling – and while we are thankful to be able to school at home, we also are needing to walk the balance of not knowing, not asking, and also explaining to other groups (like the immigration office) why we don’t have a school enrollment paper. We are still waiting on the US citizenship process and are praying this can take place in January. Luke has a week long trip coming up (that kids are already speaking about and negatively anticipating) and then another 5 day trip to close out January. We will slowly need to start turning our attention to closing things out in Munich – downsizing, packing, etc. And with this will also come setting things up for the time in the US.

With all that lies behind and all we anticipate ahead, we are thankful for the guiding hand of the Lord. We know He sovereignly guides all that occurs and we trust He will continue to lead us and strengthen our family. The works of the Lord are great and we are blessed to see them firsthand.

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The Bus has Arrived

LS

At long last, after much anticipation and impatient waiting we were able to pick up our new car on Friday. Having a vehicle which can fit the whole family after 2 months without this is an enormous blessing. Not only can all 7 of us fit, but we can fit comfortably. The car feels twice as large and it is significantly larger which will take some adjusting to – especially when it comes to parking in already microscopic European parking spaces.

First order of business was getting the tires changed and putting winter tires on the vehicle. Thankfully, Luke was able to get a same day appointment and was told it was the last day before the holiday break. When preparing to pay, he was asked if he had the bus and if this was a company car. Nothing indicates how much we stick out as different like innocent comments along these lines. Thankfully the “bus” does fit into our driveway, albeit just barely.

The family was very excited to be in the new car and it is amazing how much car technology has changed in the last 13 years. It makes our old car look like it is from a different century. We are very thankful for the Lord’s provision for our needs in this way! It opens up a new set of possibilities for us as a family. We are so thankful for all the help we received along the way – major assistance in purchasing the vehicle at an extremely good price, many who offered us use of their vehicles while we were waiting, others providing us rides to and from various things, etc.

Adapting has been a term characteristic of our family. A bit like our car, we have promises that something grand is on its way and will arrive soon. In the short term, we are finding ways to make things work, with significant help along the journey. We trust that one day we will look back and feel like the jump in progress is a bit like moving from a 2013 vehicle to a 2025 car. There are already some great signs of forward progress. Things which show more of a settling in, less of a feeling of unsettled and walking on eggshells, and less fear of losing it all or unable to trust. We still have a long ways to go with each of these, but we are thankful to think about where we have come from. The Lord is graciously guiding each step forward.

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The Mysteries of Life

LS

Life is quite mysterious in many different ways. It is even more mysterious when we parachute into the middle of the story. This means that we have skipped the introduciton and the opening chapters. However, we are priviledged to be a part of writing the middle and altering the potential endings.

Like with many other things related to adoption, many of these things are universally true of children – just with a few additional wrinkles and somewhat on steroids. One of the mysteries of life which all parents can relate to is why do children get a boost of super hyperjuice when they are tired? And when and why does that change to an exhausted drain of all levels of energy as an adult? It seems that the end of each day has us struggle to just finish out whereas our kids are suddenly bouncing off the walls. In fact it can feel very much like the sugar high rush that parents fear from this time of year. However, the difference is that sugar is usually not the culprit. Instead, it is the product of children who are in a state of being wound up too tightly. For them, living in a heightened state of stress, fear, anxiety, and fight or flight syndrome means that the end of the day can often look like energetic crash. Interestingly enough mom and dad are (hopefully) temporary experiencing a similar thing…but rather than an energy fuel ours looks more like a rapid energy dump. In fact, if anyone could bottle what kids experience, they could make a serious dime replacing energy drinks with a rush far superior.

Another of the mysteries of life is the constantly changing interests. It is almost as if our kids become hyper fixated on a few particular things when then suddenly seem to drop out of favor randomly. The first month it was going to the park every day and now it is playing in our yard and almost never going to the park. Certain fruits and vegetables are in high demand and then suddenly they start piling up from lack of interest. It is understandable that in a world of constantly changing factors, adoptive kids will latch onto the familiar with an almost death like grip. With time, these things will lose their appeal and be replaced or as trust and time pass by, simply be held more loosely.

Now all of this likely sound familiar if you have had experience with kids. But what might not be so familiar is seeing this amongst children who range in age from 9-almost 15. Normally these things are present in children about half that age range in strong doses. This shows how adoptive children are often emotionally and socially years behind their biological age. Age simply is a number which cannot be held onto too tightly with adoption. It means we need to carefully temper our expectations. This also means that we are constantly on the look out to try to gain clues as to where are children are, what might be triggering them, and how to help them make up for lost ground.

Thankfully the Lord continues to uphold us and give us the strength we need. We are also so thankful to see signs of kids getting more comfortable and established. Little indications that their shields are dropping just a bit. The loss that is the cause of all adoptive stories takes serious time to heal. Children learn to cover up pains and hide emotions. Well meaning people think and speak about how wonderful their life is now and how grateful they must be…and they are. But this can add to the layers of cover up and feeling that releasing negative emotions is not allowed. This can cause a stuffing and ignoring the hurt, pain, and significant loss that brings a child to the point of adoption. Time and patiently building trust are some of the greatest tools in this journey. And the mysteries remain of what lies behind the massive question mark that exists before we entered the scene. Thankfully there are no question marks for the Lord and He knows every detail. And we trust He is working to bring about healing, bonding, attachment, and redemption.

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One Day at a Time

LS

It has been a bit longer than we intended since our last post. That isn’t because nothing has happened, but rather so much has been happening that carving out time is not always easy. Our days seem to fill up faster than anticipated and we feel like the things we accomplish always dwarf the things we need to get done.

We are living in the tyranny of the urgent and trying to include rest and relaxation amongst the things we desperately need to accomplish. One day at a time seems to be all we can keep in our scope. Thankfully, the Lord continues to sustain us through each day, but we also look forward to the time in which we will be able to have a longer view in mind. There are still so many unknowns and things left up in the air – residence permits, school situations, citizenship processes, etc. It adds an extra layer of uncertainty that makes planning difficult.

Over the last few days we were blessed to spend very brief time with grandparents. It was a blessing and great encouragement to see them. We enjoyed catching up and having conversations that didn’t feel strained or broken due to language barriers and which were not simply revolving around needs or the interests of children. It was encouraging to hear insights from an outside perspective. One of the challenges with anything difficult is that you can get so focused on the immediate that you lose sight of the longer term. The forest can disappear because of all the trees. It can be quite complex to notice the improvements and changes because they seem to be tiny steps…but over time tiny steps add up in a big way. We were also thankful to have great support, love, and care. We often forget that we need this too. It is a bit like the responses to emergencies – all attentions, efforts, and emotions are focused around what is most pressing. This means those giving urgent care can lose sight of their own needs and the drain that caregiving is having on them. So it is a blessing when someone else comes along focusing on their needs and helping them to stay in optimal shape.

Each day looks slightly different for us, but we have gotten some patterns established. Early morning exercise for the boys, off the school for Elijah, breakfast for everyone else, and then school work – girls with mom, boys with dad. There is a lot of catching up which is going well, but also requires more attention and energy to be able to execute. Study skills have to be taught and learned. Lessons include how to stay focused, concentrate, not lose your cool or allow frustration to dominate (and no, this doesn’t only just apply to students). Mom tries to multitask school with upkeep, while dad tries to juggle ministry and school work. So far, sermons haven’t had Portuguese terms or mathematical functions appear, but it is difficult to feel like we are running two different brains simultaneously. Afternoons provide opportunities for play, cleaning, work, grocery shopping, making up schoolwork not accomplished, dental visits (we have felt like we have been living in the orthodontist’s office…), and never-ending laundry. All too soon dinner preparation takes place, showers have to be had, food is consumed, clean up occurs, family devotions, and then bedtime…after that mom and dad finally have a few minutes to breathe and try to ignore all the many things that still have to get done, but there is no remaining energy to do. Then it is collapse in bed and repeat…

The Lord continues to be gracious to us and show His graciousness through His people. We are so thankful for all of our children and how God is molding us together as a family. It isn’t easy, but then again, diamonds are formed under intense and so we are trusting all of this will produce a valuable precious unit too. Thank you for your continued prayers for us!

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A Little Excitement

LS

Advent season is just around the corner, literally. It is a special time of year with a lot of hustle and bustle. We are caught up in the chaos of the season mixed into the chaos of our lives. On the one hand there is much marvelous about this – there are new traditions and opportunities to establish. Our kids were excited to get a Christmas tree today and were amazed that it was a real tree. They have had artificial trees in the past, but never a real one.

We were also able to enjoy a Thanksgiving lunch with some very kind friends who live close by. They took a risk inviting our hoard over and even graciously made most of the food. It was wonderful to spend some time fellowshipping with them and talking to them. The kids enjoyed the food and playing soccer afterwards. We were also extremely thankful to see how well behaved they were and how much they used good manners. Our kids were never intentionally mannerless, but growing up in their circumstances, they never had manners taught to them. We can vividly remember some dinner scenes both at restaurants in Curitiba and at home. It was encouraging to see how much they have improved in a short period of time.

Yet, as with every kid, a bit of excitement is both wonderous and stressful. Changes can be fun, but also feel threatening. This week has been a low sleep week, which impacts emotions, tensions, and reactions. Dad having some several meetings taking him out of the house this week has had a subtle ripple effect on the kids. The recent elders’ meeting had Luke arriving home just after bedtime. The boys both mentioned they had a hard time sleeping. One of them mentioned shedding a few tears because of concerns that dad would only be returning in the morning (even though we had clearly indicated when dad was leaving and returning). These are small reminders that trust takes a long time to develop, especially when experience has taught kids that parents are untrustworthy.

The lunch today had a lot more clinginess from multiple kids beforehand, afterwards, and some during. These are more little pointers that as much as kids enjoyed the food, company, and play, there is still underlying uncertainty. New people can thrust kids into a state of uncertainty and subconscious worry. And while we are incredibly thankful for all the ways the Lord continues to bring advancements, we are also still trying to keep our heads above the water in many ways. We aren’t often cognizant of this, but the chaos our kids are working through, the chaos of the time of year we are in, and the chaos of our lives definitely impacts us and leaves us more frazzled. It is sometimes harder for us to spot this because our energies are so occupied with all these other things. Thankfully the Lord provides us with the strength and energy to make it through each day and we are even more thankful for amazing friends who graciously care for us.

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Giving Thanks

LS

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

One of the many aspects of living in another country is that country specific holidays have a very different feel to them. Thanksgiving is a great example. It is a holiday of great importance within the United States. Friends, family, food, and time off are all a few characteristic features. However, in Germany, Thanksgiving is not a reality. Work and school take place as normal. It is not as easy to find the same traditional foods and family live too far away.

For our kids this has an additional impact. Often labeled as third culture kids, children of those living overseas grow up between two worlds. They don’t fully identify with either culture because there are aspects that are missing from both. While we do try to incorporate things as best as we can, it really isn’t possible to fully replicate them.

Yet, one of the things we certainly do hope to pass on in a heart that is focused on thankfulness for the many blessings we have received. We have seen the Lord do so much in our lives. In such a short time, we have experienced personal change, family change, and many other remarkable changes – the benefit of living in the pressure cooker of sanctification for a season. We are thankful for the remarkable developments and bondings we have already witnessed take place in our family. The journey is very far from over (it is really still at the starting line), but the initial few steps have been in the right direction. This is only due to the grace and kindness of God.

We are also so thankful for the remarkable care we have received from MICC. One of the reasons we opted to return to Munich following the adoption was the community we were surrounded by. Yet, we have to say that even our greatest expectations have been exceeded. We have had people checking in on us, sending us encouraging messages, taking time to talk and listen (especially helpful when hard days seem unending), gift cards given, clothing (to where we are now out of space) donated, cars loaned, cleaning services, organizational help, flexibility with ministry, groceries given, extra eyes on kids, translation services, and so many more things. It has been unbelievable how much help has been pouring in and undoubtedly the road would have been immensely more difficult without this. We are so thankful for all the ways we have seen the hand of the Lord at work through the people of the Lord.

We are also thankful for our family. The Lord has put each person into our family in a special way – one not without serious challenges and difficulties, but one which is unique and handcrafted. We praise Him that He is a God who redeems, who rescues, who is patient, who is gracious, and who adopts His children. We pray that we can reflect Him to our adopted children.

Recently one child wrote a thank you card which included the statement – thank you for adopting me. We are thankful daily for the Lord adopting us and we are thankful that He has provided the opportunity for us to adopt others. There are still plenty of difficulties that we face and will face, but we do hope and pray that thankfulness will undergird our path. The Lord is gracious and He is good, His mercies are never ceasing and are new every morning.

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A Little Routine

LS

All kids react differently to change, but most kids crave predictability. Routines create a sense of security and stability. This can especially be true for adoptive kids for whom instability is not simply strange, but can actually be dangerous and threatening. Unfortunately, our lives are far from routine. Despite us intentionally minimizing what we could, shifting to primarily home office, and seeking to reduce whatever possible, we are still bouncing all over place with very little solid footing to be found.

Between traveling to Bulgaria to teach, multiple dental appointments, and some holidays thrown in, the only thing that seems normal is the abnormal. However, despite that, we have been able to establish some routines. This has helped especially over the last week. School in the morning means that mom and dad are trying (very unsuccessfully) to multitask while keeping kids on track. There is a mountain to climb just to get caught up and it can seem overwhelming. Yet, the personalized attention is helping expedite the process. But, it does mean that dad is trying to work on ministry items while, at the same time, processing math questions and problems…and working simultaneously in two languages. So far no sermon references to algebraic formulas have emerged…but it might just be a matter of time.

Establishing predictability is stabilizing, but ironically getting to the stability can include resistance along the way. Each child has benefited from the routine, but at the same time has had a hard time adjusting. This made the first several weeks especially exhausting…now we are just exhausted…

Hidden tensions and doubts still persist. A day off from school meant kids playing outside. And yet, every so often, a child would pop into dad’s basement office to make sure he was still there, hang out for a bit watching him work, before heading back off to play again. Trips to the park sometimes include ride by’s in order to just glance at parents from afar before setting back off for the park again. Constantly analyzing the emotional status especially of dad and actions which would be normal for children several years younger are all reminders that the gaps are not just academic. In some ways, kids are subconsciously stepping back to try to get things that were never a part of their lives before. This is another reason why routine is helpful. Change and instability also means, quite often, setbacks and reversions. It can feel like one step forward and five steps back. But thankfully the Lord continues to allow us to see steps and small impacts. Our biggest prayer is that He will open hearts and minds to the Gospel and Himself. We pray the Lord brings salvation and continues to mend broken hearts. And thankfully, His hand continues to uphold us…although each day still feels a bit like a reality show of Who Can Survive, He has graciously brought us through each day.

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The End of an Era

LS

We have been so thankful to journey with you through our adoption process. It has been a journey that often feels like a highspeed rollercoaster and sometimes we aren’t sure if we are upside down or right side up. One of the more difficult loops we have had to endure has been our second adoption process.

In 2019, we were matched with a then 10 year old boy named Shan who lived in northern China. As we prepared to head to Scotland, we fully anticipated and even planned to be traveling to China a few months later. As 2020 rolled in and the world shut down, we were told our adoption process was on pause. Like with almost everything, we thought this would be a question of weeks…then months…and then it turned into years.

Throughout it all we continued to pray fervently for our son and for adoptions to resume as quickly as possible. We also sent several packages for birthdays, Christmas, and other occasions. As time continued to march on, we watched our son grow up via pictures every 5-6 months. We saw videos of a growing preteen who addressed us as mom and dad. As the days turned into years, our hopes continued to go up and down. Rumors were in that certain families were possibly be reevaluated for travel, other countries were sending a few families over, China asked how many of the original families were still in process. And then, quite suddenly, without any warning, at the end of August 2024 we received word that China made the decision to close all adoptions.

The language was carefully analyzed – it wasn’t clear if this referred to only future families or those in process too. And yet, these felt very much like desperate grabs…we were pretty sure the door had closed. Lifeline was amazingly helpful throughout this. They sought to care for families, provide all options, and empathize with the difficulties of 5 years of unmet expectations. In addition, they redoubled their advocacy efforts focusing on families who were matched. We became part of 300 families whose stories grabbed the attention of various news outlets, all in the hope that this would help generate interest at higher levels.

Along with many of the other families, we tried to not get our hopes up, while still desperately not wanting to give up on our son. While we were in Brazil, Lifeline launched its biggest advocacy effort yet. This involved a series of videos showing stories and making pleas. It also involved drafting and signing two letters – one to the President of the United States and one to the President of China. Lifeline’s own president spent significant time talking to anyone in Washington D.C. who would listen and made it up to some fairly high levels in seeking to plead for the families.

The recent meeting between the two presidents was seen as the best hope. China Lifeline staff and the Chinese Child Welfare Protection Agency indicated the only chance would be if intervention happened at the presidential letter. All the efforts amazingly did net the information and letters being placed into the preparation packet that was handed to the President. Prayers were that it would come up as a part of the discussion. Unfortunately, a few weeks out the indications demonstrate that this topic was never broached. Due to this, this week Lifeline made the very difficult decision to suspend their China adoption section.

Although none of the families on that call were shocked or surprised at this decision, it was the thing none of us wanted to hear either. Lifeline, without a doubt, took this as far as possible and then some. And we knew it would probably come to an end sooner or later…in fact, last year was the fairly sure nail to the coffin. But this certainly marks the end of an era – a long, very drawn out process. In some ways, the deaths that you see coming a long way off are some of the most exhausting. It is the train you cannot stop, but you try to delay it in any way possible. The deaths that come sudden and unexpected pack a stronger gut punch, but there is an aspect of the swiftness that brings a different set of pain than those which never seem to end.

We don’t know why the Lord allowed our second adoption to end this way. We hate this most for Shan, who longed for a family, was told he had a family, and is left without a family. Furthermore, we aren’t even sure if he knows why. We pray that God will bring the truth of the Gospel to him and that perhaps one day we might finally be united in eternity if not before.

It wasn’t a shock, it was to be expected, it was already a truth our hearts knew…and yet, the end of an era has come with much sorrow. In His grace, we know the Lord is near to the brokenhearted and remains sovereign and good…even when this era dies a thousand deaths.

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It’s the Little Things

LS

When it comes to the state of our lives right now, it’s the little things that count. And amazingly, the little things seem to count in both directions.

It’s the little things that can push us over the edge. Perhaps it is because we often don’t see those things coming. The big things sometimes seem more predictable in terms of bracing for impact. And it seems like the little things come in more of a rapid succession. How often do you have to tell people to turn off the lights before they will start to remember? How often can things be hidden as a “joke” before it is no longer thought to be funny? How many times can scissors seem to disappear and then other things end up decapitated? How often can the things which get under our skin keep driving us up the wall?

And in the midst of the little things it seems like there is a little lack of logic…but it does at least provide some comic relief. Or perhaps it is laugh instead of cry? Kids racing up right after dinner and then fighting over who is first to brush their teeth. Mind you, this is not because they actually care about dental hygiene. Rather it is because they don’t want to be the last person who then has to turn off all the lights. The laugh/cry part of the logic for us? If they would just recall to turn the lights off right away (the subject of which seems to be on the forefront of their minds already), it wouldn’t take hardly any more effort or time. Or the protestation from an upset child who on investigation is angry because another child is “antagonizing” them. The antagonization? The one child is declaring that they will eat all the pineapple. Now mind you, the pineapple was already dished out on everyone’s plates and everyone had an equal amount. And so we are struggling to figure out why such a bold claim even is bothersome since it obviously can’t be true.

But it’s the little things that that we also hold onto. The little baby steps in the right direction. The small times when a child remembers that going into a dramatic display over a disappointment won’t help them and actually leaves mom and dad more stressed. So instead, they stop mid step and reverse direction. Or the little action of seeking to be helpful or at least a little less stubborn. It is the little things we hold onto…the ones that seem few and far between.

We are still just managing to make to to the end of each day. And we are still getting asked multiple times a day if we are sad, angry, or tired (indications of emotions that have been deeply impactful in past histories). But God is still graciously sustaining us and He is using His local body in amazing ways to do so. We continue to be the beneficiary of so many who call, write, ask, show up, help, care, and loan. And the little things along with the little steps are ever so slowly taking us in the right direction.

We still have a lot of prayer requests and things we are trusting the Lord with – the schooling situation for this year is still not clear and appeals will still need to be launched. Residence permits still have to be applied for which will involve more explanations and complications. But we are thankful that the registration with the local city was finally completed. The citizenship process with the US is still underway with no news surfacing…but we trust God is working through that. Thank you for praying with us! We are thankful that though we don’t seem to know anything, we serve a God who knows everything.