WE HAVE BIG NEWS!!!

HAPPY NEW DECADE, EVERYONE!

We have big plans for 2010. And, God has even bigger plans, it seems! We know 2010 is going to be a life-changing year for us, and we are looking forward to every second of it.

To be honest, we really thought things would be getting ramped up for us in the summer, but our Pastor called us to a meeting and asked us to help lead the church's youth group. So, we are going to go check it out to see how it goes. That starts next week. I don't know where it will lead, if anywhere, but it will be a fantastic experience and one that I think we'll need, as we head into some of our other plans/hopes/dreams, call it what you like... haha.

In the summer, Rob will begin preparing for his very difficult FAA exams for the A&P Mechanic license. He should complete testing by the fall.

By that time, we hope to know more about God's plans for us, in the meantime, we wait patiently. It's not easy...but we feel He's going to lead us into good things, so we faithfully wait.

We also feel that God has put it on our hearts to ADOPT A CHILD!! This is huge, as you know. It was a big decision for us to accept this calling, and it's still difficult to believe....but we are sure this is in His plan...so we are putting it out there that we are open to adoption opportunities..whatever God brings our way. We are excited to see what the plan is for us.

We have announced this to our immediate family over the holidays. It was a fantastic and eye-opening experience, just to announce. Some were joyous, some cried, some screamed, some were just indifferent, saying things like, "that's great" and wishing us luck with the endeavour. The most memorable ones were Mike, who will be our child's Papa cried (first time I'd seen that...and it made me cry), and Martha, who will be our child's Great-Grandma, who joyfully told me that it will be her 12th great-grandchild, and she can't wait to meet him/her.

Several people have asked us to keep them updated, and I figure the best way to do that is to blog about our journey. So, here you are, the first entry in our Journey to Adoption blog. We have decided to call it "Chosen DeVol" because we believe that our child will be chosen for adoption by God, just as He chose Moses to be adopted. We want our child to know that he/she was chosen and that being a DeVol means being loved...just spelled backwards. :)

OK - and here is the stuff you want to know: Here is where we stand: We IN THE BEGINNING! So, here is what we need: ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING! If you know anyone who is connected to the adoption world, if you know a birthmother seeking two very awesome adoptive parents, if you know anyone, anything, anyhow, anywhere, please let us know. We are praying for a healthy American child under the age of 3. Gender does not matter. So, get your thinking caps on. You can help us by considering all of your contacts and giving them a call, having them call us, etc. We want our friends and family to have a HUGE part of this experience with us. After all, it takes a village, right?

Wow, it's really been a journey for us the last couple of years! I have learned more about myself, my limits, my abilities, and my awesome husband (I couldn't have made a better choice!)! I have come to truly understand the meaning of FAITH...and how to exercise that faith in a positive way and how to not just believe...but to KNOW good things are coming our way. It is a hard lesson, but it's been learned, and I'm glad for it.

THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF THIS WONDERFUL JOURNEY WITH US!