I am NOT a roller-coaster fan!!!

I admit it, the smallest thought of a roller-coaster turns my fragile tummy! Twenty years ago (wow, I can't believe I am old enough to say that) I was with my family at Disney World and they convinced me to go on a train ride called "Big Thunder Mountain Railroad." After some time in line we passed a few signs about pregnant women avoiding the ride and I started to question the type of train ride I was signing up for. Then we got to the train in we were forced to put on several buckles... "hmm this is going to be more than a train ride"... yes, my fragile little tummy was forced to endure a roller-coaster. I remember the few minutes of that ride almost better than any other part of the trip. I remember placing my hands over my mouth to "hold everything in" and burying my head in my mom's arm as she kept telling me things like "we are almost done" and "it isn't that bad." I do like to have fun, but my tummy is just ever so fragile. As the years have gone by my motion sickness has become worse and worse, and now (I can't believe I am admitting this) swinging on a simple park swing will push me over the edge!

So, why am I letting all of you in on this secret... because I am on the ADOPTION ROLLER-COASTER!! The "paper-chase" part of the journey is like riding in the car with someone learning how to drive stick. They can barely get it going, then they gun it quickly and then in kills and comes to a halt. In the adoption process the beginning is filled with paperwork and filling things out so quickly only to put them in the mail and wait... then repeat the process when good mail comes the next week. Well, this stage of the game is the waiting stage which I have often referred to as "paper pregnancy." Pregnant women should not ride roller-coasters!!!! Pregnant women need to hang out on "It's a Small World." The real roller-coaster in adoption (I imagined) would happen in between the referral and coming home... it still might, but I am already ready to take some ginger root and go back to the condo for a nap because...

About a month ago the 2 trip rumors began... then the rumors ended and one trip it seemed to be... now the rumors have started once again. Please note that our agency has NOT said these rumors are credible and neither has the US government adoption update web-page, which I see as the facts page of ordeal. I guess the bottom line is we are such a long way from traveling that we really should not spend time worrying about it, though we do anyway!
There have been almost no infant referrals in our agency in quite some time. There is a region in ET our agency works with that is having some issues and we hope things are getting cleared up, but in the meantime it seems with each agency email I am reminded that our wait time for referral (receiving the child's file) grows and grows. What was once 4 months turned to 8 and then to 9 and now to 12... will it keep going up? The bright note is many families are bringing their child home 3 months after the referral!
Last week for a few hours one day we were faced with a possibility that would have totally rocked our world. Once we investigated it more we realized that what seemed to good to be true certainly was. This "possibility" did cause us to come to a deeper level of surrender and trust in our great Lord so for that we are thankful!
How do I stay in the process without riding the roller-coaster? I have decided to step back from my one of my favorite yahoo groups. The group has many lovely elements, but I find that rumors spread there, and I don't need to be a part of that!

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Other news:
~My family came for a short visit last weekend. It was such a blessing to have my grandparents, parents, and brother here at the same time!
~Brandon's first Easter weekend as a pastor went very well! It was a blessing to rejoice with our church family that Christ is Risen!!! It is also a blessing, as a pastor's wife, to have a much more relaxed husband to share my life with :)
~I have joined a few Bible studies and am now in 4 groups throughout the week plus the group I lead on Sunday. These studies on top of my other ministry commitments are filling me days with exciting opportunities!
~I am so excited for me dearest girl friend Nikky to come for a visit this weekend! There will be lots of laughing, crying, praying, talking, and eating. There will be very minimal sleeping!