Many blessings have come this year in the form of new relationships, drastic changes, taking risks, making mistakes, fixing and forgiving, and growing, always growing. November 23, marks the first published post on this blog. I’m dragging my feet on changing it over to my domain (that means $17 a month, which is fine, but my cost-effective heart stops when I have to pay money for writing free words). Please don’t send money! We’re fine. I’m just stubborn.
As I reflect on our year of adoption, I wanted to pull one or two highlights from January through December of 2024. Think of it like tying loose shoelaces together or organized chaos (whichever suits the compilation of verbiage about to be divulged).
January: Our first adoption provision was a breakfast burrito fundraiser. “Marta prayed for 120 burritos, and Pepe’ encouraged her to go for 300. Frank aspired to reach $5,000. We aimed high, with hopes and dreams, and God gave us above and beyond! For the event, 411 burritos were made, and over $ 6,500 was raised.”
February: We turned in our final piece of adoption paperwork, and Erin Gilmore took gorgeous pictures of us for our adoption profile.
March: We finalized our profile webpage, and I (Rebecca) resigned from teaching kindergarten in the fall, to prepare to stay home when we finally adopt! We also finished renovating our dining room.
April: We completed our home study (yay!), became active (meaning a birth family can choose us), activated our profile online (link here), created a Profile PDF, and finished fundraising (we have paid off our home study & Lifetime Adoption)! Frank smoked our first pork butt on the smoker-yum!
May: My kindergarten class graduated, and we also uploaded our adoption video to the webpage. I traveled to SC at the end of the month to help my sister’s family transition from three to four children.
June: I see a shift in the blog content geared more towards recipes tried, books read, and projects attempted (or finished). That month, I started sourdough, which I am still doing to this day! I finally ordered my banneton baskets on sale (yes, in December), as I felt I needed to have spent time pursuing this hobby before investing more money into it. Also, I started my homemade vanilla extract, and last week poured it into amber glass jars affixed with labels cut from my Cricut. You probably saw my decluttering trend (ha! A real crutch of mine, but something I have made great progress towards at the end of 2024). Friends visited us from Missouri, and we took a few days to camp and explore our great city.
July: A lot of sourdough recipes tried! My dad traveled in his car to come visit us for a while. Frank and I celebrated 17 years of marriage with ice cream! Takoda (chocolate lab) turned 4 years old! We also created adoption cards to pass out to family and friends who may hear about a prospective birth mother and/or family. We went to our first rodeo with friends, and had a blast! Frank also transitioned from flight nurse to PACU (post-surgery), and can be in church every Sunday, as well as sleeping every night.
August: I traveled to Washington D.C., Shenandoah National Park, and Detroit with my brother’s family! While in Detroit, I celebrated my Grandma’s 94th birthday! During this month, I made nostalgic desserts such as Strawberry Rhubarb pie, and Sticky Toffee Pudding. I also started walking three miles a day.
September: On the 10th, I turned 39, and Frank passed his check ride to officially become a licensed private pilot! Towards the middle of the month, our friend, Hector, visited us during his time in the US. He is a missionary in Zambia, and when he mentioned it would encourage his wife if I came to visit, God performed an amazing feat by allowing me the privilege to plan for seven weeks in Africa, and the opportunity of a lifetime. We also went on a day trip through the mountains to Aspen, CO with Frank’s mom & sisters. It was a memorable and beautiful day!
October: Before leaving for Zambia, I attended the Ladies Conference on Abiding with Joy, and left inspired to read Elizabeth Elliot’s biography of Indian missionary, Amy Carmichael in the book, “A Chance to Die.” I left on October 6 for Zambia, and my life changed completely. I fell in love with the universal church, community-oriented culture, and simplicity. During October, I attended the ladies’ conference, went to Livingston, and experienced safaris with dear friends. We saw the African Big Five: lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and buffalo. I also went to Lusaka for a swim gala and experienced a smattering of delicious foods, friendships, and fun experiences. I started my time volunteering at the Conquering Concepts School and attended the 1 Corinthians Women’s Bible Study.
November: Continuing to learn valuable lessons, I became less materialistic, learned to be content, and felt the joy of living in a community by discipling, meeting other women, and the joy of serving others. It was extremely difficult to leave, but I was so blessed to spend time with friends who are missionaries over there (Sarah-highschool friend, Laura-dorm supervisor in college, and a friend). It was also precious to love Paola’s family and learn how to better pray for them. I traveled home on November 23rd, and arrived safely in the US on the 24th. For Thanksgiving, we got to spend it with two sets of friends, one for dinner and the other set we watched the new Bonhoeffer movie at the theater. The next day, we had dinner with Frank’s family as well.
December: Frank celebrated turning 43 with three different birthday celebrations! Then, we came to Michigan to spend the week with family and indulge in several Christmas events. As a surprise present, Frank took me to Washington D.C., to experience the Museum of the Bible’s Keith & Kristyn Getty’s: An Irish Christmas Concert in the front and center row! I will never forget this memorable day or concert! Then, Frank encouraged me to come back for Christmas, so I flew back on December 23, and am so grateful to have celebrated a quiet Christmas in the presence of my grandparents and Dad. The time together has been priceless.
December has come and on the eve of a new year and a new month, I felt this year, the word that kept whispering to my heart, was “abide.” Abide in Christ, to be specific. Dwell in his presence with a quiet heart, sipping my coffee while rubbing my bleary eyes and taking snapshots in my mind, as I catch glimpses of grace before I can fumble my phone out of my pocket. Finally, I abided by implementing rest and quiet pondering of Scriptures memorized or being put to memory, Scripture reading, fumbling through deep theological discussions with my husband, learning to serve without expectations, and repentance for the sins once again sabotaging space meant for Christ alone.
I’ve cried over, criticized, and contemplated my flaws, but grace and forgiveness from God continue to cover and allow me to slowly edge towards sanctification. I can look back and see growth. For that I am grateful. Always grateful for grace in growth.
We’ve waited for a phone call for nine months, concerning an adoption placement. Some flickering hopes came and went, but the stronghold we cling to, like a rock wracked with ocean waves in a storm, is God. Whether we have a child or not in 2025, our only desire is to glorify God, whether through tears or by leaping for joy, we will secure ourselves with the hope of Christ drawing us back to Him! I have felt much peace reflecting on the imagery of a timeline. I imagine my life moving along a timeline, and that God has designated key points along this line where we will possibly meet our future child. At this point, we have not come to the crossroads on a timeline where we have met our child.
Some anecdotes from this month:
Recipes tried: If you want to know where I have lived for the past month, you must check out Farmhouse on Boone! Her recipes truly are straightforward and full of thoughtful simple ingredients.
Books read:
A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael by Elizabeth Elliot A missionary biography written by a missionary. What depth of story and character! Elizabeth Elliot describes the whole-hearted dedication Amy Carmichael exchanges for the immeasurable joy of serving Christ. It took me a while to get into the book, but I was deeply satisfied once it was finished.
Joy Will Come: Exchange Shame for Redemption by Lindsay Pepin, Scarlet Pepin, & Bethany Pepin A young teen from a strong Christian family finds out she’s pregnant, and through a radical shake-up, God challenges her own faith, as well as that of her family, as they grow in grace, shed flawed thinking, and embrace the beautiful future of a little girl, whose adoptive mom was already being prepared for such a time as this.
Movies I recommend:
The White Bird From the heart of the book, Wonder, an inspirational testimony draws a hardened teenage heart into the setting of WWII, where his grandmother, a Jew in France, illumines his heart with the touching singular act of an unlikely boy, mocked for his post-polio legs, risks everything to save a girl who never even knew his real name. This story will uplift, encourage, and inspire you to open your eyes to unlikely kindness and undeserving love that ripples down to melt an icy heart.
The Grinch A ridiculous character, beloved in the 1966 animated version, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” is adapted into a modern, funny, relatable grouch, who is sure to bring laughter, entertainment, and joy.
Things tried:
-I know I keep saying the word, declutter, but it’s a process and I made a lot of progress this month. I will probably continue to do this throughout the new year, but I am determined to keep going, and seeing how I have made this a habit over the months, I am excited to continue keeping on.
-Traveled with Frank to Michigan to see family. We also spent a day date in Washington D.C., seeing the Megiddo Mosaic at the Museum of the Bible, Lunch at The Lincoln (smoked salmon grilled cheese), The Post Office Museum, running into Kristyn Getty at the Museum of the Bible bookstore, before getting ready for the Keith and Kristyn Getty: An Irish Christmas concert, front and center, at the Museum of the Bible, and an endcap dinner at The Old Ebbitt Grill.
-Traveling back to Michigan, 5 days later, to spend Christmas with my grandparents, as well as my grandpa in Tennesee.
-Dusted off my Cricut Maker machine to create “Vanilla” labels for my homemade vanilla extract
-Eating less sugar and curbing my portions at meals.
Love,
Rebecca and Frank
Rebecca's Joy 
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