Our blessing is waiting...

I have been putting off this post. Something about putting it in writing seems so vulnerable. This is so dear to my heart that by sharing it feels like open heart surgery...

I have decided that I'm not procrastinating any longer.

Ever since we have been engaged, in our pre-marital counseling Joe and I talked about adopting. Since we have been married we knew we were called to adopt and have been praying for God's direction in the timing. Since Elyana was born, we have felt that the next blessing to the Terry tribe would be through adoption.

We have started the process, have been working with our home study agency to complete the paperwork and are hoping to have our home study done next month. The process is long and challenging (so I've heard and read) and we are praying for grace and strength for the journey.

It is inevitable that when we share or someone has heard about us adopting that they want to share a horrific or tragic story about someone they knew whose child went astray or began a drug addict or worse. It has utterly brought me to my knees asking God if He was sure that this is what we are called to as a family. Here is how He sweetly spoke to my heart...

"For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]-- (Ephesians 1)

In the providence of His will he planned for us to be adopted. It wasn't plan B, it wasn't some tragic ending, It wasn't a mistake...IT WAS HIS WILL!

For some glorious and redemptive reason he is having a woman on the other side of the globe carry our baby and is going to use us traveling there to pick that sweet thing up to be one of our own to bring Him glory. Although I can't fully wrap my mind around it, Ephesians goes on to say...

[So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

This weekend, we are headed to Together for Adoption- a conference in Austin that is going to be a-mazing! I pray that I don't break out in the ugly cry when I walk in the door. There are going to be tons of agencies, ministries, church advocates, etc. Some of the sessions that we are going to be attending are "Leading your family through the adoption process," "Adopting outside of your skin color: a gospel-centered view of trans racial adoption," "Funding your adoption," "Human trafficking and adoption." I am praying that its gonna be life changing.

C.S. Ink

Back when Joe and I looked a little more like this and we were naive newly engaged ones, we talked about wanting to get a ring tattoo on our wedding finger. (This pic is August 2005)



Little did I know, he meant business. We have talked about it on and off since we have been married. Then, these cute things- Megan and Brock- were watching our kids and we came back from our date talking about our tat plans! Oh my! Here is their story.







If it weren't for Brock, Meg would have a full sleeve! So she jumped on the idea and had Brock on board before the night was over.

Let me just say that you would have thought I was going to give up my first child with how much I prayed over this thing. I am NOT a tattoo girl and had several reservations. My love for my man and our commitment to one another trumped my concerns.

Here we are at the "Poking You" in College Station. YIKES! I was nervous. I prayed over that place and if had never been sanctified to the Lord, it is now.



I got to ask my tattoo artist (Oh, I so sound hard core, right?) how I could pray for him and he responded that "he would live a long life." Joe and I got to share with him what God's word says having a long life.




Here are some of the precious people who wanted to watch me scream like a little girl.


Okay, no really, it didn't hurt at all! It felt like someone was scraping my finger.


It has faded a lot. Its like a light grey color and the longer I have it the more I really like it. Now when I am doing something and don't want to wear my ring, then I don't feel naked. It is Hebrew for "one flesh."



If you're wondering if I have plans for #2...the answer is NO!


Here's to ending my 20s by crossing some things off my bucket list!

Is This Not the Life?

Visiting your favorite horse in your undies! He told the horse on Friday, "I'm going to a wedding and I'll be right back."

date night with my first love

This is my view.

My Joseph has blessed me with a couple hours at the Normangee cafe to have some time with my first love.

I love how near He is even in the midst of the small town chatter.

I may have shed a few tears. People may have stared. I just don't care.

He is here. I am his. Correction and discipline and all.

"So, what a blessing when God steps in and corrects you! Mind you, don't despise the discipline of Almigty God! True he wounds, but he also dresses the wound; the same hand that hurts you, heals you." Job 5

He always puts together better than He found it.