Dust in the Wind...

Kansas sang "All we are is dust in the wind".
Jars of Clay sings about how we are earthen vessels...

As we get closer to our departure to pickup E2, stress levels in the house have risen. Going over what we have packed, or not packed. Trying to confirm reservations over less then reliable Internet communication with businesses in Ethiopia. We are both trying to tie up loose ends as work. J's Birthday (Happy Birthday J!!) T is struggling with contemplation about a new position at work, at the same time that some of his colleagues will be leaving next week due to yet another R.I.F (Reduction In work Force.. aka the ALU hatchet men are back..) Finances are as whacked as they been since we've gotten married.

All said, it has been a rough week. And so I thought that a verse from yesterday's daily reading was oddly appropriate. Especially for T.

Reading of the Day...

James 4:14
you have no idea what your life will be like tomorrow. You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears.
Instead you should say, "If the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that."

Its easy enough to say "I trust in the Lord", or say that you know you can't do it all yourself. But when faced with immediate circumstances to test that. How will you fare? In our house, gulp, we're talking the plunge and trying to walk the walk. Trying not to think about that "what if's" and how bumpy the ride could get very quickly, and focus on the blessings that we have... and to simply have faith and hope.

Peace

Yirgacheffe. What did you call me?

Its been awhile between posts from J and I. Our home has been a hub of activity lately. So lets jump right into it.

Bone dry, was the coffee bin...
It seems fitting that the first coffee I've purchased myself in years, is an Ethiopian Yirgacheff (your-gaa-ch-eff). As our adoption travel day approaches, its nice to get a head start by drinking a cup (or a pot in my case) of smooth Ethiopian heritage each morning.

Construction is over...
My 2008 Team World Vision sponsorship page is up and running! I'll post separately about that. Gone is the "under construction" picture that graced the right hand side of this blog, and in its place you can now find the link my TWV (Team World Vision) sponsorship page. Children and Families lives are at stake, please take a look and prayerfully consider helping out.

Its showtime...
The right margin of the blog has a new element. Its one the Team World Vision motivational video clips. I still get goose bumps watching it. Maybe its easier for me to get into the mindset for this type of athletic sacrifice, but I still find it very moving.

Destination Ethiopia...
As you can see the mileage in "Destination Ethiopia" doesn't quite add up. It was a monumental task to try and cover 7563 miles in just over 1 year. However, the trial is not yet over. J and I will continue to log miles until we reach that 7563 goal. We'll post more on "Destination Ethiopia" shortly

That's the news, thanks for hanging with us, and we ask that you stick around, there is MUCH to come...
Peace

First Event is in the books...

With all the adoption related news, there has not been much in the way of Event updates. Well here it is...

The first event of the year was the Great Western Half Marathon. This was the second year I've participated. Last year my time was a surprising (to me) 1:40:19.33 (104th overall, and 94 amongst males, and 20th in the 35-39 age group).

My running/training partner set some lofty goals for this race. Not only for a new PR, but the idea heading into the race was to try to average a 7:30/mi pace. That is a pace I found I can hold for about 7 miles, but never attempted for 13.1 miles. As all runners know, some day you "have it" and some days "you don't have it".

In the end, I shocked myself with finishing in 1:37:36.9, with a 7:27/mi pace. Shocked didn't really capture my thoughts, perhaps stunned was more like it. For those bean counters, that time was good for 55th overall, 51 amongst males, and 11th in the 35-39 age group.

It was a nice sunny day, little wind, and the temperature was about as perfect as it could have been. Thanks to our World Vision Cheering section, know that it helped both of us to see you out there!

Peace
Ted

p.s. whats next? Well there are no triathlons planned for this year. Adoption activities will consume enough time that triathlons will be on hold until next year. I have two more half marathons planned, as well as the 2008 Chicago Marathon. I'm putting the finishing touches on the 2008 World Vision fundraising/sponsorship page, that will be ready in another day or two.

9 Years and counting...

To my lovely Bride J...

About 18 1/2 years ago we attended our first Dance together

About 18-1/2 years ago (coincidentally at that same dance) you realized that I wasn't the sharpest pencil in the box, and that in order to catch any signs from the female sex, they pretty much needed to be written on paper, thrown at me, and hit me in the face

About 13 years ago, we met up, face to face, for the first time in almost 12 years, along the lakefront, only to meet again a few days later where we shared (in my book) our first real kiss

About 12 1/2 years ago, somewhere over the plains of Oklahoma while in an airplane, I realized that I really loved this woman, and wanted no life without her

About Twelve years ago in the Scottish Highland City of Perth. I asked if you would be my wife, and to my good fortune, you said yes

9 Years ago today, in front of you, friends, family, and most importantly, God, we both said ... I do ...

It has been a memorable (almost) 19 years. And like all marriages, we've had our ups and downs, but things just keep getting better. After knowing you for close to 19 years, and having the privilege of being your husband for 9 of them, I would gladly said ... I do ... all over again.

I love you J! Happy Anniversary
T

Praise God, it's a Wedding Anniversary Miracle!

Our visa approval has been found and we have an embassy date! Baby E, we are coming!!!!!

We need your prayers!

The embassy lost our visa approval for E2, so everything is on hold until they find it or another copy is sent which could take a month or so. I am so upset I am completely beyond words. In an instant we went from traveling in a couple weeks to postponed for who knows how long.

Its Wednesday afternoon, do you know where your son is??

Well J, E1, and I do. E2 is in Addis Ababa, and HE'S WAITING FOR US TO COME GET HIM!!

WE CLEARED COURT !!!

In the eyes of the Ethiopian government, we are now E2's parents. On May 28th, we have an appointment at the US Embassy to finalize E2's US visa, and then we will be on are way back home...

...sigh...

...for the first time as a party of FOUR!!!

More news to come, but now I've got to get back to the phones and keep calling our family and friends. We're soooo excited. Thank you to everyone who has kept us in your thoughts and prayers. We still need you though, as we're now in home stretch ...

Peace

No news yet..

Its early still, only 8:35 am. However is it April 23rd, and as many who have been following along know, today is E2's court date. It is about 4:35pm in Addis Ababa (they are 8 hours ahead of us). It was mentioned that we may find out the results today or shortly thereafter. We will keep you all posted.

In the meantime, its time for another Reading of the day. This reading came up while reading the "One Bread, One Body" daily reflections. With the recent death of a relative of someone I know, and the diagnosis of cancer of someone close to me, and with the the questions and uncertainties around adoption, I thought this reading hit home.

Reading of the Day...

1 Corinthians 10:13
No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.

Peace

Ouch, Thats Hurts (As E1 would say)

Yes, I finally did it, after all my close calls with almost stepping on nails, almost taking a nail to the head, almost cutting off my finger during the tile cutting, just as I could finally see the light of day at the end of our remodel with the final coat of polyurathane drying, 75% of the mulch laid and the family room rug rolled up in the foyer ready to be laid out, I fell down the stairs and sprained my ankle! I thought for sure something broke after hearing snaping and cracking on the way down, but after a few minutes on the couch, I started walking around and moving furnature back into the family room. It swelled up quite a bit, but by the time I went to the doctor on Monday, she said I didn't even need x-rays, it was just a sprain! Maybe it was just the Lord telling me to SLOW DOWN! I have been taking it a bit easy, and rested a few days before continuing the work on the painting of E2's room. The hardest part on the ankle was the long periods of standing and treking painting materials up and down the stairs. Eventually, I gave in and just started washing out the brushes in the upstairs bathroom to limit the trips. It was pretty sore after Saturday this past weekend, but seemed to be a bit better Sunday.

The nursery is really starting to take shape, my sis is coming to get her bed out of the room that we have been storing and I got a great deal on a rug for the floor that is in the mail. So far, I have one wall with a mural that is a take off from an Addis artist of fishermen on the shoreline. The next wall has E's name in Amharic which I hope to put an Ethiopian cross by. The next wall has a few traditional homes and hopefully some donkey's carrying straw (this one is still in progress) and the last wall has a woman carrying firewood through her gate (take off from Ethiopia Reads book). All along the top is the colors of the Ethiopian Flag. As we did with E1's room, we hope to bring some things back from Ethiopia to add to the decor, but for now, I think we have a great starting point. I will be sure to post some pictures when we get the room cleared out a bit!

Leave it to the Romans

Well actually leave it to Paul in a letter to the Romans. As I was preparing for our last Spring session of "Why Catholic", we were referred this reading from Paul to the Romans. We were asked to reflect on its significance to us. Perhaps corny sounding to some, to me, just like the Reading of the day from the last post, its got a lot of "depth". So without further delay...

Reading of the day...

Romans 8:38
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers,

nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord

Peace

ps: only 24 days until the first race of the year. The Great Western 1/2 marathon. Training is going well, although tad bit of over training as the calves and hamstrings are pretty tight now.