Our Current Situation

Dear Friends,

We are in need of prayer again as we set out on our next journey in life. For those of you that have not yet heard, the county is taking our house through eminent domain. When we first heard about their project to widen Bear Valley Parkway they assured us not to worry and said that everyone on the street would be taken care of all the way through the project. There was even talk talk that they may not have to demolish our house even though the blueprints clearly marked two traffic lanes going straight through my living room. About a year ago we had our first meeting with the relocation company in which she promised us that "by law" the county was under obligation to make sure that all of our needs were met and that we would be put into "comparable housing" when the time came to move. As more meetings went on, it was made very clear to us that first of all, all of what she said in that first meeting was a lie and secondly, with what they were giving us for our house it was not going to be enough to get us into another one. We have also learned that their so-called "negotiations" are not negotiations at all. It comes down to the fact that we could take this all the way to court and the law is still on their side. It amazes me that we can live in a country where you can "own" a house, pay on it faithfully for 10 years and have it taken away from you and be given nothing (or at least a place to live) in return. I still remember vividly at the second relocation meeting asking the guy on the other side of the table, all five boys standing around me with tears streaming down my face asking him " what am I supposed to tell them?" His response... he looked at me and shrugged his shoulders. Since there were no housing options left, I asked him about apartments in which he replied "I would never live in an apartment with five boys, not after they have had a house with a big yard like yours". Anyway, I could go on and on about the injustice of it all or the ridiculus comments that he kept making like "We will need to sign off on your next housing possibility to make sure that it has suitable living conditions for your family." To which I replied sarcastically "Is my van suitable housing?" but it still comes down to this; our family is once again in very unfamiliar and scary territory. It is hard to comprehend packing up our family of seven and not even know where we are going. Our family is again desperately in need of prayer not for housing because we have amazing family and friends that have been willing to help us out, but prayer for strength and courage as we go through this tough time. It is not easy to leave the only home we as a family have ever known. There are so many happy and wonderful memories that we have made in this house. It is heartbreaking knowing that all the blood, sweat, and tears that we have put into making this our home is all for nothing. It would be one thing if we were selling and another family could come in to enjoy the house we have made but to have everything demolished to dust is sometimes too painful to think about. I keep telling myself "It's sticks and bricks" and that's all it is, but it's still hard. We are supposed to be packing up the first load in the U-Haul trailer today to bring to storage and I just can't get up the strength to do it. I see Jeremy struggle to get up in the morning trying to put on a face of courage to hold the incredible load that is on his shoulders to lead this family. I see Isaac who in his 12 year old innocence doesn't see why we can't "just buy another house". He is torn up about having to leave all of his friends and activities and his biggest passion of all his drums because there is now no place for him to play them. What can I say to him besides "I'm so sorry". It's heartbreaking, and I know he is in a time of his life when he is starting to formulate opinions (especially of his dad) and I would hate to think that he thought we weren't doing everything in our power to provide for him. And then there's Elijah. I can't even begin to write about all that is happening inside that poor boy's head. I have been packing for weeks now and still everyday he will ask me what I am doing and why. He is so confused and obviously no matter how many times I try to explain it he still doesn't get it. He asked me the other day how I was going to get the paint off to the wall to pack it. He walks around the house in a daze not knowing what he is supposed to do. The other day he took a baseball bat to his wagon because in his words "he needed to ruin something". And the other boys... Well, Benjamin puts on a very brave face and tries to encourage everyone and yet I know inside he is hurting, Ethan cries at the drop of a hat, and Micah is just 2 and into EVERYTHING. Every box that I thought I had just packed is suddenly unpacked or missing items. I am so sorry to be writing all of this, I am usually not so vulnerable with my thoughts and emotions but it seems the enormity of the situation has got the best of me this morning and I have suffered a bit of emotional diarrhea.

Anyway, I just wanting to update everyone on our situation as it stands right now. Our move out date is Dec. 3. After selling a good deal of our possessions to try to pay for our moving expenses (the county doesn't pay for this until AFTER the move) we will be storing the rest of our stuff in storage until we get back on our own again. Our future is unknown to us right now but, I know that we serve a strong and mighty God, and I KNOW that He still has a plan for our family. I can't quite see that plan clearly yet, but what I do know is that He is still in control. The plans that we have made or have tried to make may have all fallen apart, but He holds it all together. Our family could really use your prayers right now especially around this time of year making things even more difficult. Thank you again for supporting us through the years praying us through another journey in our life where ever that may lead us.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

Sara

Many Kinds of Hooves

Day 1

Now

Two days ago, it was exactly 1 year ago that we met Micah for the first time. I can't believe that it has already been that long! So much has happened. Yet it has all happened so fast. So many things have changed. New, major changes are on the brink. This journey most definitely continues. Our family is preparing to embark on another adventure. More about that later. For now, know that we are still trying to follow that "light unto our path" to the best of our abilities.

Micah is doing extremely well (praise God!). He is the funniest, naughtiest, cutest, smiliest, cuddliest, goofiest, naughtiest, exasperatingest (yeah, I'm making up words), busiest, chubbiest, playfulest, naughtiest little moose ever to clop his hooves on American soil. We love him like crazy, and he returns the favor (the crazy part and the love part). Our family wouldn't have been complete without him. What a joyful, bumpy road we ride.

While the adoption chapter has been closed, we have quill and ink to the parchment and are beginning to scratch out the first few pages of a new chapter. I thought that when we finished the adoptions we were going to have a little time to relax. A "siesta" you could call it. But apparently God's kingdom isn't anything like Mexico (though I hope to find "California Burritos" on heaven's menu). I keep reading the Bible to find the part where it says that we can stop working, but every indication is that I'm going to have to stop breathing to reach that place. While sometimes it seems like I'm on the fast track to arriving there sooner than I had expected (I'm already bidding farewell to the hair and the circles under my eyes aren't getting any smaller), I'm guessing I'm still a long way off. There's work yet to be done. There's a world of blank pages out there to be filled. May the words it contains be words of Truth. Words of Life. Words of Hope...

JP