Saturday's Blessings

        

I would love to have had this graphic when I was in  Mexico.  The name of our ministry was (is) Let the Little Children Come . . .  There's nothing better than having a lap full of the Lord's most precious ones to make your life fulfilling. 

We have our laps full here this week as well.  Kayla and Lupe will be staying a few days longer than planned.  Mom Angie is being transferred to UCLA for further work-ups on her liver.  She's very tired and weak.  We are all praying for her and hoping that she will be able to come home soon. 

Now the challenge will be to get these girls back in school on Monday.  They missed 3 days this week, but we're trying to make arrangements to get them back to a regular schedule.  We are asking members of our church to pitch in and help. 

We are all tired this evening.  It's been an emotional day for the girls who expected to be able to go home.  Kayla is carrying the weight of the world on her 11 year-old shoulders.  She is terrified she will lose her mom, but wants to keep it together in front of others.  I held her for a while and she cried.  It's hard to find words of comfort for a little girl who has seen her mom so close to death before.  Please keep her in your prayers.

I only have one day off this week.  I guess that's the way it works sometimes.  I really liked those 3 and 4 day weekends.  Now it's famine just when I need the time to take care of things at home.  Poor Robert is coping, but it's difficult to be in a tiny house with 3 bored pre-teens.  Thank goodness for church activities.  The girls went to an outreach for 3 hours today.  Tomorrow is Sunday School and church.  It will be a good day for all of us.  I need time to stop and talk to God again.  We've been praying together, but sometimes our heads move so fast that we leave the Lord out of the equation for a while.

Good news!  Andrea finally has a type of identification that will allow us to get her a Social Security card!  It's been nearly a year and a half waiting just for this ID - and it's only good for a year.  We have an appointment with immigration in LA on March 3rd for her permanent residency petition.  We filed all the papers and now we have an interview.  What a pain, but of course we will do what is necessary.  Whoever told us that citizenship was automatic when adoption was final was all wet! It's a long and expensive process.  I can't wait for it to be over.

I've been trying to get to your journals and make comments, but my progress is very slow.  I'm reading as fast as I can, but find myself "chair-weary" very quickly.  Laptop may be home next week or the week after . . .oh joy!  I can compute while laying down. 

With all of its craziness, this has been a week of true blessings.  Robert and I have been reminded of the joys and frustrations of working with diverse children and as well how good the Lord is to us in the midst of all of this.  We have taken the time to be grateful and to pray for our friends and family.  What more can we ask for?  We love you all.

                

                  . . . Penny