*Planned Business and an Update

Keith has been gone since Monday. That was also the day of the big flood here. The snow from the weekend melted, and it rained more than ever in recorded history in one day here, and all of that made life interesting for many in Western WA and OR. We were a little later than we’d planned getting to the airport because of all the road closures. I heard accounts on the news that there was a rainbow the next day ☺ - God reminding everyone that He won’t flood the earth again.

Keith arrived safely. I prayed more than usual, not having much peace about this trip. Now I’m feeling pretty good. He’s been able to text me once a day so far, and I did get a call that first day to say he’d made it. I don’t really know how it’s going. I miss talking to him and I’m realizing he does quite a bit around the house. It took me forever to gather and take the trash out yesterday (we live in a condo complex, so the dumpster is a ways away!

I’ve been keeping really busy in his absence. I always plan all sorts of projects to keep me busy when he’s gone, and this week is no exception. I actually feel pretty stressed out from it all. But, it is helping the time go by more quickly.

In adoption news, I finally talked to the agency today, and soon after received a letter regarding the summit from last week. It sounds like it was positive. But, they still said that Vietnam could close at any time. It is not probable, but always possible. That’s not fun to hear. One thing I had read, and our agency confirmed is that people on the Vietnam side are getting fed up with the US Embassy butting into their business. It sounds like the US has higher standards of ethicalness (is that a word?) and so they go and search for proof or verification. That lack of trust is offending some Vietnamese officials. All in all, our agency said that it is in both countries’ best interest that the adoptions continue.

Today Koen helped me bake cookies. I usually don’t let him sugary foods, but he enjoyed getting to sample some of his product. I got him a stool from Ikea the other day, and he carries it everywhere. His favorite thing is to put it in front of the sink and have me turn the water on so he can play in it.

Another exciting thing for the day – I was driving through a major intersection today and looked to my left to see several police men holding guns up at a group of men that had been in a truck. There must have been at least 6 guys with their hands behind their heads. Kind of exciting. I wonder what they did!

I’m making matching stockings for us, and got enough material for Liv’s and someday her littler brother or sister’s.

I’ve had my hands full with Koen lately, and it’s actually making me feel at peace with how slowly this adoption is likely to progress. He’s been testing his boundaries a bit more, and all of my punishments don’t even seem to phase him. He used to respond to time outs in his crib – now he begs to get in it when it’s not sleepy time. I need to do some reading to figure out what to do, which is another thing I planned to do while Keith is gone.