A process...

On so many levels, we are definitely in the middle of a process ...

The adoption process itself ... we've taken a few steps already. We had our fingerprints scanned on Tuesday, and we have our first face-to-face interview with our adoption case worker TODAY. She mentioned we will be heading home with lots of paperwork for our home study. Literally lots of homework!

A process of logistics ... we have begun sorting and cleaning out all of our "stuff" and still have lots to do. We clearly have too much clutter. We have to decide who is going where when it comes to bedrooms. While we knew there would be an initial excitement that comes with planning for a new brother, the girls have somewhat surprised us with their willingness to get rid of stuff and do some rearranging.

A simplification process ... along with simplifying the physical stuff, we've all gained an awareness of what it means to get rid of extra clutter in other areas of our lives as well. That means making better choices when it comes to how we spend our time, how we spend our money, and what and where we choose to eat. It would have been a whole lot easier to have done this before having children, but we are all learning that we can be simple and still be content.

A process of discernment ... God has clearly guided us to this point, and we are certainly still in the process of figuring out where we are supposed to be. Adopting a child or children is the beginning and not the end of this process. Who knows what this means for our family long term, but we have become much more aware of issues that had not regularly crossed our minds before. Can't wait for Him to reveal more as we continue. As much as a sneak peek of the blueprints would be nice, there is so much to be learned in the process of waiting. We have a lot of that ahead of us!