Room For Two

Greetings, Everyone!  No news as of yet on the adoption front.  As always, the waiting continues.  Joel spent last week in California traveling for the seminary.  While he was gone Clarion and her sisters got to work on the boys' room.  Most of it was set up. It just needed some paint and a little bit of decoration.  We decided to go with a sports theme.  We'll continue our search for some more wall hangings and the like, but for now the room is ready for our two boys.  And so are we!!!  What do you think of the room?

A blessed Easter to you all!

Joel & Clarion

Weekend in Houston

Things continue to be very busy for us as we wait for a court date in Vladivostok. Students visiting the Seminary, Joel's deliberation with his call to Freistatt, work, and preparing the house for the boys has left little free time. To add to the craziness, we had a surprise trip to Houston this past weekend. 

We were in Houston for the funeral of Clarion's grandfather. He was a beloved minister in the LCMS and a fantastic man. He was 94 years old and died peacefully with his children surrounding him. It was a sad time because he will be missed but it was good for us to see many extended family members. 

All of our family members were so excited to see pictures and video of our boys. We kept hearing how adorable they were and how excited everyone is to meet them. Hopefully, they won't have to wait too long. We ask for continued prayers that we will be heading back to Russia soon. Our prayers are with all families who are waiting, especially those who are traveling. 

Blessings,
Joel and Clarion

Lord, help the time pass quickly!

Throughout the LONG periods of waiting in the journey of international adoption, one of our prayers has certainly always been: "Lord, help the time pass quickly!" Well, He certainly tends to give us things to keep us busy. Yesterday it was a snow day.

I (Joel) just spent the weekend in Houston where the temperature was in the upper 70s. Even in St. Louis, the temperature got into that 70s range on Sunday. But then, on Tuesday...SNOW DAY! What do you do on a snow day? Well, if you're Joel and you have bronchitis, you sit home at the computer all day catching up on work (e-mails, planning, etc.) then read all of your favorite adoption blogs. If you're Clarion, you play outside with your dogs in the snow, then cozy up with them in the recliner and study some Russian.

Also, to help pass the time during the waiting period, I have received a call to serve as pastor of a congregation in Southwest Missouri, about 4 hours from St. Louis. For those of you who don't know, I am a pastor. I have served as a parish pastor in Wyoming and in Texas, but for the past almost three years I have served on staff at the Seminary from which I graduated in 2000. In our church, the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, when a pastor receives a call to another congregation, he takes some time and prays for the Holy Spirit's guidance in where he should serve. Anyway, that's where we're at. We'll be adding that to our prayers over the next few weeks. If it is the Lord's will for us to move, then we will wait until after we've come back from our second trip and have brought our boys home. We welcome your comments and especially your prayers. God's blessings to all of you who are waiting!

In Christ,

Joel & Clarion