Time to smile

     The morning of this picture I had all three boys and Jeff lined up for a hair cut.  We wanted a recent family picture because the last one we had was when Ian was a year old.  Ian is smiling because he was looking at my mom holding the camera and his Aunt Jenny making faces behind her.   The rest of us were looking at my dad because he had a camera also.  We figured the more cameras the better.  One shot would be sure to turn out alright for our Scotland post card.

     We are all still smiling because we have heard good news after good news in the last couple of weeks.  First, I ended up ordering some luggage that was reduced 75% and came with free shipping.  As the boxes came in we unwrapped them chattering about what was going in each.  Lined up against the office wall makes me feel as if this is really happening, and soon.  

     The next great news was that a very important meeting happened last Sunday in Scotland.  It is the first stage of approved funding from a Scottish church. We will be working with this same church directly and they have been a wonderful help in many areas.  This is a big piece of our fundraising that has nearly clicked into place.  

     Just on the heels of that we agreed on the next family to fill these walls with love and laughter.  We officially have renters and they are a really neat family of five.  When my heart was anxious about what our next home would be like in Scotland I would pray for the family that would take ours.  That this home would be a place of peace and a sanctuary from the craziness of life.  To finally meet the family is exciting and encouraging in so many ways.  Now the last few things on the list left to do will be done with a lot more joy knowing who it will bless.

     The next surprise was our cat "Jub Jub" having three kittens in one of the empty luggage boxes.  We had originally thought we would just foster her until we moved to Spain.  Then we didn't move

and we failed to register that she was the first female cat we have had and we were letting her out every night when she meowed.  Needless to say, she was not just filling out from cat food.  Every morning and afternoon and evening I can find three unusually quiet boys laying on their bellies with chins resting on the box watching the miracle of life.  We know we don't have long to watch them but it has been incredible to watch with the boys.

     And now, for me two of the most prayed about, fretted about, handed over to God again and again issues.  Our future home and school for the boys in Scotland.  There is a beautiful house in Wormit, Scotland being held for us now.  We were fully prepared for a two bedroom apartment for the first year because Wormit is a small town and there is not much that comes on the market.  But this is a wonderful fit for us and more than we could have imagined.  

     The Primary school in Wormit looks fantastic also.  There is only one and it is ages 3-11.  All three boys will travel a mile and a half to get there.  From the school you look across the Tay River and the train bridge that crosses it into Dundee.  There is much more to tell you about what schooling will be like for the boys in Scotland but that will have to be its own post. 

     We are still waiting on our visas arrive.  Any day now!  And plane tickets are on hold for a price half of what we expected it to be.  We are overwhelmed with gratitude.  The community in Wormit has been a wonderful support already!  So friends and family that have prayed and wondered how all these big and small pieces would fall into place, they are doing just that.  Today my make up is off and all the guys are dirtier than the picture above but we still have the silly smiles of thanks plastered on our faces.  

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