The month of March was fast and furious. As always, much is always happening behind the scenes. This month was a roller coaster of high highs and low lows.
We often take for granted to things we hold as routines. For example, I wake up, exercise, get ready for school, and spend my day teaching kindergarten. Then, I come home, make dinner, and veg out. I’m often exhausted by the time Wednesday hits, so sleeping in on Saturdays, soaking in fellowship at church on Sundays, and resetting for the week. Every once in a while, we take the dogs to the dog park, sell or declutter a few more things, bake weekly sourdough, and create margin to fellowship with others.
We were set to complete our homestudy this month. We had our third home visit, another phone call with my Lifetime Adoption coordinator, and completed all the necessary paperwork. Then, it all changed with one phone call.
On Friday, March 20, we got a phone call that our adoption homestudy agency in Colorado is closing. We had completed everything to renew our home study, and with one phone call it was over. They sent us over a few options for other agencies, but it would mean starting over and spending $7500+ for another one. We talked with Lifetime Adoption on Monday, and decided to freeze our adoption (put it on hold) for now.
Also, on March 20, we learned that Frank will be undergoing hip labral surgery and needs a 12 week period of time off. This means he will be off work for three months.
Immediately, my mind went to Psalms 23
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
My heart was calmed in the midst of the chaos by the goodness of God, proven again and again, through the many valleys we have gone through. There is a peace that passed all understanding, and a quiet confidence in knowing that in the hard things, God is working all things for His glory and my good.
Another passage that came to my mind is Isaiah 43:1-3
But now, thus says Yahweh, your Creator, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel,
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are Mine!
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
3 For I am Yahweh your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
Yes, my heart is grieving, processing, pressing into the Lord, and questioning many things. But, Frank and I have always maintained that we are content with whatever God has chosen for us: being parents or being just us, committed to one another in sickness and in health, and above all wanting to press into learning through these trials how we can learn to be more like Christ, in our responses, and learning how we can love others going through suffering (yes, even you, who is experiencing pain and suffering, spoken or not).
Thankfully, after receiving such news, we had a full week off, because I had spring break. We started off with a Missions Conference at church, reminding us of the beautiful gift of the gospel, woven into history with John Calvin and Geneva. One of the remarkable testimonies was of a French Huguenot, Marie Durand. I linked her incredible testimony with her name.
Then, we decided to go on an adventure! We woke up early on Monday morning, looked at the weather, loaded up the pups, and drove to Moab, UT. We stopped for coffee in Idaho Springs, lunch in Grand Junction (with a mandatory visit to Engstrom Toffee), and a drive through Arches National Park. With Frank’s hip, we limited our walking, and did a lot of view points and sight seeing. We did climb a short distance to see the Arch from a distance. Then, we ate dinner, perused Moab, and spent the night in a hotel. The best part of this, was watching Tahlia light up like a Christmas tree, when she realized she was going to get to stay in a hotel room. She jumped on the bed and smiled from ear to ear. Frank and I both failed to realize how much of an adventerous spirit she has.
The next day, we visited Canyonlands National Park, after breakfast at the Jailhouse Cafe (yes, it really was the first jail in Moab), but they didn’t detain us, which is always a bonus! The drive around was incredible. We both thought we need to camp there, and it reminded us of The Grand Canyon. We drove to Ouray for dinner, and had a fancy dinner surrounded by the mountains, before driving home. Our favorite parts of this vacation were spending time together, talking about the deep theological and practical subjects, laughing at silly antics, watching the world through our pups eyes, and spending slow uninterrupted time being just us.
Wednesday, we woke up to a gloriously slow and methodical morning. With the gorgeous weather, we took a chance on Rocky Mountain National Park. Wow-to have this epic place just a few hours away was amazing! We ended our time with the most amazing mouthwatering dinner at The Rock Inn. The food, service, live music, and love of being together made this an epic evening! We still can’t believe we got to enjoy this evening together!
Thursday, I enjoyed a hike at Garden of the Gods with a friend, and dinner with a family from church. We also just needed to recover from our whirlwind adventures. Friday, we enjoyed dinner with friends that evening. Saturday, we tore down the janky deck and had dinner with family. Sunday, we had dinner with friends, and Sunday evening threw a last minute birthday dinner for dear friends!
We were so blessed to be able to soak up time together, before we headed into the last few days of March.
While this is a different update than I was hoping to write, I am deeply grateful for each and every one of you. Thank you for your prayers, love, and support. Please let us know how we can pray, love, and support you.
We will continue to keep you updated on the adoption journey. For now, we pause, breath, pray, and wait. Waiting is always where the greatest lessons unfold, the nearness of God presses into our souls, and where we see Him work in the places we are not yet able to see.
Through tears, trust, and hope, continue to press on, lean in, and remember who Your heavenly Father is.
Love,
Rebecca Chrisinger
Rebecca's Joy 
Leave a comment