cue the rain

Clean house, chocolate chip cookies baked. Enter social worker. Now, cue the rain.

It was the perfect setting our for first home study visit last night. I wouldn't have thought I would prefer our visit to be during the middle of a pretty hefty thunderstorm but it made everything feel right. I even prayed against it thinking it might postpone our meeting. Thank you Lord for knowing what we need and providing.

I knew I was excited to have our first visit with Amanda Tovey, our social worker with Amazing Grace, but I didn't know how I'd feel after. Perhaps a little emotional and impatient? I did not expect to feel giddy. But that's the best way to describe it. She was WONDERFUL! She's a solid Believer, pastor's wife, mother of 4, and thankfully, our social worker.

The three of us chatted for awhile about adoption and financials, and then walked through the house as she made safety suggestions that need to be done by our third visit.

I'll admit, it has been easy in the past for thoughts to start to creep in such as: Why does someone have to come ask us a bunch of questions and walk through our house to make sure the smoke detectors are operating, we have carbon monoxide detectors on each floor,  we have appropriate cabinet locks and our dog doesn't bite? Isn't almost anything better than life in an orphanage without a forever family? Ok, maybe a dog that bites would not be a good thing. I am quickly reminded that this is the process the Lord has us going through for a reason. And she is worth every single bit of it. And I am so glad to do it for her in order to bring her home. Hey, now we know all of our smoke and carbon monoxide detectors actually work! That's comforting ;-) And having an escape plan in case of fire is something we should do anyway. So, if all of this makes us a safer family and gets us one step closer to being ready for her, I'm all for it!

I cannot say how much I appreciated Amanda. Andy described her as being a good mix of "business" and "heart". I know she cares and she even said "It's going to be fun to walk through this with you guys and to be able to see her."! Her job is technically finished after these 3 visits are over and the report is written. But I think she's interested in more than that and I love it.

girl cousins

The majority of our weekend was spent cleaning the North Star office - about 12 hours total! It looks great but I am trying not to think about the fact that I now need to clean our house for our first home study visit on Tuesday. We'd love everyone's prayers as we'll be meeting our social worker and learning more about what's next!

We did fit in a lot of fun around all the cleaning however. "Cars 2" on Friday night with our super cool North Star staff, having the privelege of hearing Dr. Russell Moore, author of Adopted for Life, preach in Durham (which also involved meeting him and having him pray over us, our little girl, Julie Cratty and their future child - what a blessing!) and lunch today with some lovely Lynch ladies (and Grandpa Lynch of course).

Cousins Claire and Rachel

Little one, you'll soon meet these two sisters. They are your girl cousins and oh how excited they are to meet you! Claire has already informed me that she'll be coming over on Fridays to help me out. Nevermind that she lives in VA :-) She's concerned about how I'll get by taking care of both you and MaeBelle. Rachel, the one with the big bright eyes in the precious pink dress, could very well be your age. She turned 6 months old today! I like to watch her and think about what you might be doing right now. If only we could know!

Happy Father's Day...

...to a guy who makes my life one big adventure!

So, I know you're not technically a daddy yet. But, Lord willing, you will be soon. And what a super dad you will be! I imagine our little girl perking up at the sound of the garage door opening around 6:00 pm and running to greet you with a smile and a kiss (if she can beat me to it, of course).

I know you'll make life fun for her like you have for me. And I'll be blessed to share you with her as the man in our lives.

Happy "Soon-to-Be" Father's Day, Andy!

Love,
Sheryl

Happy Birthday Grandma Lynch!

Little One,

Today is your Grandma Lynch's birthday! You will love her instantly just like everyone else who meets her. She will let you play house in her basement, put on all of her jewelry, wear her shoes (high heels, flip flops, you name it). She'll decorate her house during the holidays with you in mind. She will no doubt bake you all kinds of treats and let you help. She'll be sure to sew up any teddy bears that need mending. But most of all, she'll love you to pieces. She's good at that. And we know you'll feel the same about her!

Happy Birthday Grandma Lynch!

Love,
Andy and Sheryl

Finally!

We are happy to report that our social worker has contacted us regarding our first home study visit! You can be praying for us as we prepare for our time with her on June 28th! There will be 3 visits total, all in our home.

Get ready little girl...we're that much closer to coming to get you!

More lychee, please!

 Andy and I visited Gene and Tina tonight, our Chinese friends who own the Japanese restaurant in Mebane. After a delicious meal, Tina brought this fruit out for us to try. Lychee! I was a little unsure at first but we inhaled them! It's like a really big, very soft grape once you peel off the outer shell.

God is so good to give us Chinese friends who can introduce us to new things like this. We're looking forward to bringing our little one to their restaurant so they can teach her more about her culture. We won't be waiting until then to have more lychee though!

What do Hillsborough and adoption have in common?

Nothing really. It's just  happens to be a great halfway point to meet Julie Cratty and her daughter Lara to catch up on our adoption journies!

In May I found out Flynn and Julie were in the process of adopting from Uganda. We've been trying to get together ever since to swap stories and encouragement. Julie brought to my attention today that we both submitted our home study applications on the exact same day...March 31st. Neither of us had any idea what the other was up to. I just love the Lord's graciousness to us both in allowing us to go down this path together at exactly the same time. As sister's in Christ. Adopted into HIS family by the grace of God. Now sharing in the blessings and hope of earthly adoptions together.

squat surfing

After a weekend of fun in the sun with the Utesches at Smith Mountain Lake, I am left with this glamorous photo of me trying to wake surf (I have NO upper body strength). I gave in and created a new sport - squat surfing!

Thanks Barry and Victoria for a relaxing weekend! We'd love to bring our new addition next time :-)

How not to wake surf

Now that's more like it!

This is more my speed

Andy diving from the upper level of the dock

Boat riding to get ice cream. Does it get any better?

Ladies and Gentleman....

Start your engines!!!!!

I cannot believe I escaped child hood and high school (namely from Southern Alamance) without ever setting foot into a NASCAR event. But now that I'm 30 years old, mature and can make my own "wise" decisions, I have. For the first time. This past weekend!

Nathan and Kim were able to come up with free (need I say more?) tickets to the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte. Being Californians, they decided they could not leave the south without knowing what all the fuss was about. And who better to join them than some true southerners? I mean, we even wondered what all the fuss was about!

And what a cultural experience it was. For the Mahs, of course. I already knew all about "red necks", southern draws, camoflauge and "hooping and hollaring". Just a day in the life of this Alamance County girl...especially the younger days. Thanks Kim and Nathan for a good 'ol time!

*Small update: Andy and I finished our online videos and turned in our homework. We have been told we may get a call from our social worker within the next week to schedule our home study visits/interviews! I'll keep you posted. Please pray this is a smooth and quick process. They have 90 days to complete it so I would love for it to take less time than that!