Celebrating Lasts

Today was the first day of my son's last year of high school...(well, actually, it was his second but he missed yesterday b/c he was hunting with his Dad).

Off he went with his lunch and leftover school supplies. Drove himself to school and back.
When it's time he will tell me all about his day and how he needs to go get all new supplies :)

We often celebrate firsts..first tooth, first steps, first day of kindergarten, first date...you get the idea, but we don't think about the lasts that are happening.  A few years back my Mom got me a book, Let Me Hold You Longer by Karen Kingsbury, that reminded me not to hurry through life wishing for the next stage :) I should have gotten this book back when my first 4 boys were little!
"I've watched you grow and barely noticed seasons as they pass. If I could freeze the hands of time, I'd hold on to your lasts."  (Kingsbury)

This is what I've been thinking about today with Nick and wanting to really slow down and enjoy the time we have together as a family. I think this time around with Micah I am finally learning how to do that!

Now about where we are in our adoption journey... :)

We are in the stage call paperchasing. We had our first visit with the social worker last week. She came to our home and visited with Nick, Micah, Randall and I. She was here about 2 1/2 hrs. She will be doing our homestudy. That is made up of financial statements, complete physicals, marriage/birth certificates, personal reference letters, police reports saying we don't have a police record :), proof of life insurance/health insurance and a whole write up from the social worker about us. During this time we also have to be watching a 8 hr. class on international adoption.

We have paid our first big fee to our agency and then when we complete our dossier (which is a whole bunch of paperwork as well as our homestudy) then a whole bunch more will be due. I will put a timeline what is due when up when I figure it out!)

I have lots of ideas for fundraising in my head so we will see comes out! :) We will be applying for grants after the homestudy is complete.

That's a snapshot of what is going on in our lives at this moment. Some other day I will tell you more about our boys :)

Please PRAY for us during this time. Thanks and have a great Thursday!