Baby Madison

Good morning tea lovers. After a month long sabbatical, while Dan was away in Zambia, August has started with a whirlwind! First, poor Dan had quite the adventure just getting back to the U.S. when the international airline carrier he was booked on went on strike. He had left Ndola, to Johannesburg, and from there flew into Frankfert, Germany. Behold the end of the line.  The Frankfert to Portland flight was canceled, leaving Dan scrambling, on very little sleep, to find a way back home. It took 30 additional hours and 4 additional flights all over the world, but finally my little man showed up at midnight, the last arrival at the PDX for that Thursday night.  I hardly recognized him in the dark, dressed in all his new African garb, as they had turned out the overhead lights in the airport. His luggage, sadly, did not arrive with him, and had landed somewhere in Whitehorse, Alaska.  But alas, today there is drumming in the tea room. And all is well here at Selah Inn!

On Wednesday, we had received a call from Oregon DHS that they had a sibling group of 3 in need of shelter. So the last time I had spoke to Dan when he was calling from one unknown airport, and scrambling to the next unknown airport, (he gave me very few details, and being the middle of the night, I had forgot to ask the important questions), I threw in a “While you are on that flight, please pray about taking 3 extra kids into our household on Friday”.  Now, all you who read this may think my delivery was a little extreme. But you have to understand, that’s the way this family operates. Things always happen quickly.  Change is inevitable. Our family is constantly on the move. And I’m figuring that I’m giving him a full 24 hours of uninterrupted time to think about and pray about our situation. But then, I started getting worried when I didn’t hear from him again. Perhaps, it had just been too much. So, indeed I was truly grateful when he came walking down the terminal into my open arms.

We arrived back in Terrebonne Friday evening.  DHS had found a place for the sibling group to stay until Monday, giving Dan and I a few additonal days to “reacquaint” ourselves with each other. Two of the kids were returned to their home, and only one of the children would need to be placed at this time. So yesterday we met our beautiful 15 year old foster daughter for the first time. She is a lovely girl inside and out, and we are truly looking forward to getting to know her better. I am keeping her name confidential in this format for obvious reasons.

Today, we are heading over to Portland to meet the other new addition to our family.  Little Madison Mercy, born in the wee morning hours on August 4th to our kids, Justin and Cara. I hear she is a beautiful red head, just like her mother and big sister. I’m so excited to meet her! And I know she will be a lovely addition to this crazy family.

I have to confess I’m a little upset with my pastor right now, as 4 weeks ago he led the congregation in the Jabez Prayer. I was afraid to speak it aloud, knowing full well what happened the last time I prayed that prayer. In case your unfamiliar with the prayer, it goes something like this:  “Oh, that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, keep me from evil so that I will not cause pain”. I love the Jabez prayer…mostly…it’’s just that when you already have a pretty large territory to deal with, who needs more?  Truly I sat there in my pew thinking if I say this prayer, I’m gonna get it!  God’s gonna answer that prayer, because he did, IN A BIG WAY, the last time I prayed it! Sure enough, our territory has once again been enlarged, and I am blessed indeed. Terrified, but blessed. Please keep our family in your prayers as we provide Selah Moments to our new daughter.  She is desperatly in need of them.

Thanks,

Tea Lady Darla