In Between

I need some serious lessons on how to get pictures where you want them on a blog. Anyway, here are some pictures from a few recent important days. The first few are from our 10 year wedding anniversary party we celebrated with our close friends. It was a hoot---the most fun I remember having in a L-O-N-G time. The 4th picture is our family eating at The Blue Nile Cafe in the River Market downtown Kansas City. It's one of the 2 Ethiopian Restaurants here in KC. The last several are of our birthday girl, Claire. We have quite a few happy memories lately! Read on for an adoption update (ish).

Hurry up and wait!!!

Our family has been on cruise control for the past several months. We have been enjoying the "hurry up and wait" period of our adoption.

However, our hearts are starting to stir again. It's becoming more difficult to wait. This weekend, I was listening to a great song by a good friend of our's, called In Between. It was the perfect description of how we feel these days.

We spent a great deal of time this weekend moving furniture and hanging coat hooks (looks pretty neat to see 6 coat hooks and anticipating them being full of coats and backpacks.). We feel like we are readying the Rust home for change. We are doing everything in our power to streamline and ease all the things we do every day. We moved couches and tables to allow for better "traffic" flow through the house. We cleared a room to make space for a child work/play space on the main level of the house. We put a couch in our bedroom, to prepare for children who need to be within sight/touch at night time to develop a strong sense of trust. It was pretty exciting. We took an online test after the kids went to bed and reviewed some important tips we need to research in order to be the parents all our children need and deserve.

In church, tears streamed down my face as I held hands with my son who is safe and warm and worshipping God right next to me (while kind people take care of our girls in the nursery). I was thinking about our little ones who are on the other side of the world and how we just can't get to them. Are their tummies full? When was the last time someone combed their hair or trimmed their nails? When was the last time someone told them they are the sun, moon and stars? When was the last time someone told them how much their heavenly Father loves them? When was the last time someone looked at them and took pride in their character? When was the last time someone held their hand and told them everything will be alright?

Adoption is so different from pregnancy. We knew in pregnancy when to expect our children's entrance to our world. With adoption, I don't know if it'll be tomorrow or next summer. It's like the coming of Christ. We know it's coming. No one knows the day or the hour----not even the angels.

God is in control, thank goodness. We are sure of that. We are just feeling the lonely He has set upon our family. We are not complete until our dinner table is full of children eating and laughing and even arguing. Let it be.

In Between

by Tyrus Morgan and Anthony Snape

No expectation, no insight

Without illusion or fear

With no regard for a history

All I want is you here

A single soul in a landslide

Bringing the mountains to dust

Taking the space out of distance

We will learn to love and trust

I'll keep coming til there's nothing

In Between
Nothing seperating you from me
An unrelenting gravity
I'll keep coming til there's nothing in between.

The rumble of a collision

Brings me down to my knees

A shaking realization

This is more than just a dream

closer come closer

step by step by step

There's no rock I won't break down

No walls hold me now

Thanks, Ty, for putting into words what this process has laid on our hearts.