Fall Festivities

Fall is my favorite season, and while it's not really a season in Mississippi, it's not 100 degrees anymore-and for that I'm grateful ;) I thought I would update you on what we've been up to during this fun month...pumpkin patches, fall round up's, the fair, soccer, visits with friends, and always thinking about our girl while we update all our paperwork as October marks our two year anniversary of being on this adoption journey!

Our taco soup is pretty tasty (at least our friends and us think so). Here's the EASY recipe: In the crockpot put 2lbs. ground beef, a pack of taco seasoning and dry ranch dressing, 2 cans of corn, 1 can of light kidney beans, 1 can of dark kidney beans (drain the beans only), 1 can of rotel, 2 cans of diced tomatoes. cook on low for 3/4 hours and serve with cheese, sour cream, and corn bread!

This is my best attempt to get a picture of him at soccer! He is loving it almost as much as Michael is! :)

We had our best buddies come stay with us for a night earlier in the month and the Myles and Mac duo were back in full force!

The fair was fun since we just went during the lunch time hours and he got to go on rides!

The pumpkin patch has become one of our favorite family traditions! We went this year with our good buds, the Elam family:) Myles and Sam loved the train ride together!

Myles and his school buddy, Cole! These two are such cuties!!

At his preschool 'Fall Round Up' riding a pony for the first time! I couldn't believe he actually did it, but with positive peer pressure from his friends and me standing beside him he did great!

radical generosity

I almost entitled this post 'the local adoption giving bandit', or 'the mystery envelope', but this encompasses what I wanted to share...a recent story, and the faithful God who is providing every day with supportive friends and family who are doing the work of Christ by interceeding and encouraging us. Now onto the recent good news... On Sunday afternoon I was checking my facebook when I saw a picture of a simple envelope with a blue post it note on a local fellow adoptive families page. The note said, "to help bring *your daughter* home", and inside was an amount of money that floored them! I got giddy with excitement for my friends :) They are earlier on in their process than we are, just finishing their paperwork, and settling in to wait as long as it takes, but money has been a stress for them in this stage. So what a blessing when they knew their adoption wouldn't be held up because of finances! Well, I went to check our mail on monday afternoon and lo and behold there was a very familiar looking envelope with a blue post it note stuck to it reading, "To help bring Marlee Joy home"!! To say I was shocked is an understatement! I quickly peeked inside, saw a flash of green, and quickly shut it back with a squeal of delight! I rushed inside and went through so many emotions for the next hour that I finally decided I had to shut it down and take a nap :) (excitement proved to be predominant and that didn't happen!) I texted Michael and he was stunned too. We shared the news with our small group and family that night-they were full of Joy! But God showed me something as I was looking at the faces of those I have sweet community with...I'm constantly surrounded by 'radical generosity'. now, none of my small groupers and immediate family (that I know of) gave us that amount, but they give us love, encouragement, their money, and especially important prayer all the time! Many of the girls I shared this story with monday were wearing jewelry that they had bought from my last fundraiser! I'm not saying I'm not thankful for this big amount-I AM! and God used a servant to bless us so that we are funded for our next big payment, and money will not be a thing preventing us from a referral (matching us with our daughter). But I don't want to say this gift was MORE important/special than all of the others have been, just because it was more money. As I look back on all of the ways God has provided for us financially in this adoption, I think every gift was unique because each giver was unique and that made each one so special in it's own way! From my very first check from a sweet lady that I don't know in Virginia for $25 that taught me God is going to use whoever He wants, to our local church coming together to secretly raise money for us by supporting an orphanage in Mexico at the same time and showing me the way the body of Christ should operate. God's got this, and always has. Philippians 4:19 "And my God will supply ALL your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." And when He does verse 20 should be our response, "Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever"!