good, good news

Have I really not posted since January? Wow.

Things have been crazy around here - all sorts of fun going on! In the past couple of months we have had 2 sets of visitors (one from out of state, one from out of country), gone to Philly, Lancaster, Gettysburg, and downtown DC. I also made a journey across the country to spend a week and a half in Idaho for my job. Oh yeah, and Jeff started a new job and got a new calling. Like I said, all sorts of fun!

One of the biggest and best things that has happened in the last little while is that we finally have all our paperwork done for adoption, meaning Maryland has determined that we are okay to adopt as soon as we find a baby. YAY! This is a big deal for us. Our caseworker said that, from her experience, Maryland is the hardest state to get approved in, so we are THRILLED to be over that hurdle. Now on to the whole part of finding a baby - the next hurdle. :)

We'd love for you to keep us in mind should you know of anyone who is looking to place their baby for adoption. If you haven't already, please take a look at our profile (link to it here) and pass it along to others who may be interested. We hear that having friends and family on the lookout for you is extremely helpful when finding a baby, so we sincerely appreciate your thoughts, prayers, and efforts on our behalf. We are so excited to be parents!

Also, it's not something I talk about a lot on this blog, but this journey has been quite interesting, challenging, and amazing in a lot of ways for us. I have and continue to learn SO MUCH as we go through it. It certainly isn't easy - I've had plenty of low points and tough days, which probably won't magically disappear. But I see our Father in Heaven's hand in our lives, guiding and helping us along to let us know He has a plan for us. This process helps me learn what faith is all about - hope and belief in something, or, more appropriately, Someone you can't see, trusting that His plan for you is greater than anything you had planned for yourself.

I hope each of you who reads this recognizes that the same is true for you - God has a plan for you, and it is amazing! On days when you're doubtful and discouraged, He is there, watching you and certainly mindful of you. It hurts Him to see us hurt, but He knows this is how we learn and grow - by facing challenges, wading our way through them, and finding peace in putting our hopes, wishes, and desires in His hands and trusting He will give us what we need most. It may not be in our time frame, but He WILL fulfill each of His promises to us, just as He has fulfilled them for others and even to us in times past. In fact, we can trust that He will bless us with even more than we can imagine!

As you can probably tell, I could go on and on. :) If any of you are going through similar struggles or just need someone to listen, please know that I am here. I am certainly not perfect, nor have I learned patience and faith perfectly, but I know how helpful it is to have someone who will listen and help you realize there is hope, even if you can't see it yourself at present. My email is karlaehlers (at) yahoo (dot) com. Please let me know if I can help. :)