Keys to the Adoption Water Truck

Ok, crazy title to say that "Momma said there'd be days {or weeks} like this."

So, it all started with a very persistent and passionate sister about a year ago that dropped this seed of an idea in our hearts and minds about the remote, crazy possibility of fostering to adopt.  With 3 daughters of our own and a very tight, middle class budget, it just didn't seem like a reality for our family.  And I'm still not sure how much of a reality it is.  But after much prayer, many family discussions, the girls weighing in, an online orientation with the Youth and Family Services we'd be going through, and an ugly prayer time at church with a friend, I feel this peace that passes all understanding that still brings tears to my eyes.  Yeah yeah, the waterworks again...I promise no hormone checking needed.

Last week, my middle one didn't give us the kind notice of water shut off that gets hung on your front door when you forget to pay.  So, Tuesday, we all get home very late, no water at home.  Husband inspects to find a padlock on our water meter from the kind folks at the water district {said sarcastically}.  Knowing that we'd be hit with a large fee to remove it, we chanced it and cut said lock, after paying bill in full online.

Roll into this week and I stayed late Monday to complete the foster to adopt application, all 18 pages of it.  If you've ever had a child, filling out this application is a lot like having a baby.  It's very invasive, asking all kinds of questions, as they should.  It will get looked over by many eyes, like in a delivery room, and a decision will be made at some point in time, to determine if we are a fit family.  Again, there's this peace about the whole situation, knowing that we are stepping out in faith, not knowing the end from the beginning, not knowing how it will all work out.  And if you know me at all, you know these kinds of unknowns scare the living daylights out of me, which is where the ugly prayer time at church came in.  It was that fear of the unknown that lead to the entire box of tissues being used.  Ok, not really the entire box, but close.  We all (all 5 of us) rolled into the driveway about 8:30 pm to discover again, no water.  Husband inspects, and this time, the water meter itself had been taken.  We call the after hours number and they tell us we can't fix anything till 8 am Tuesday (today).  Knowing that I had to be on a field trip with my students today, my husband had to take a day off to tackle this large project.  After meeting with the crooks, I mean water district, and paying the said fee, water is restored.  You can ask me in person for more details if you want them, but I'll leave it at that.

So Tuesday morning, I'm off to school and while looking for my wallet, I notice my husband's truck keys in my cup holder.  I flat out panicked, calling frantically to see if he had a back up set of keys at home, only to discover that the oldest had taken the back up set so she could get in the house and get dressed for work before any of us got home.  So at 7:35 am this morning, with more tears, realizing that I had to be on a yellow bus to a field trip in 1 hr and 10 minutes and knowing that it was a 1 hr and 30 min round trip back home, with much prayer and breaking all speed limits, I raced home to deliver the keys so he could take care of the water district problem.  After the water district issues had been resolved, my husband decided to get my oldest daughter's truck inspected, so she could drive herself to work and school finally and quit relying on her Grandma taxi service, only to have it fail.  Why you might ask?  The power steering hose was cracked and the ball joints on the front of the truck were destroyed.  To be expected of a 21 year old truck, but the timing was just not what I would have liked.  If you aren't knowledgeable like me in car speak, it basically means she could have been driving anywhere in the next month and the front tires would have literally fallen off and she would have had no steering to help.  Not a good situation and not a cheap fix, but necessary.

And in the middle of all this, the dishwasher went kaput, but Thank the Lord for a home warranty that is covering a brand new dishwasher, not just a piddly part, but a whole brand new one.

Bottom line is that since we had the adoption thing settled in our minds and hearts, all these aggravations have crept in.  And that's all they are, irritants to take that peace away, or to try to.  The beginning of this journey has been riddled with mishaps and extra expenses, but God...

God is stronger than all that and I know we're headed in the right direction as a family towards the plans God has for us.  Plans to bring hope and a future to a child in need.  Plans to bring love and restoration to a child.  Plans to show our own children what it means to sacrifice and what love in action looks like.  Living life with another in need.  

So the keys to the adoption water truck have been crazy and I know there will be days {or seasons} like this again, but I find myself walking in faith that God has got everything under control and knowing that He's there in good and trying times.

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