35 weeks 5 days

   I guess most women when they are almost 36 weeks pregnant are feeling tired, run down, warn out, a bit nervous, excited, and anxious with anticipation.  I have to say that this mom is no different.  I may not be feeling the discomfort in my hips or my back and I may not be needing to use the bathroom every 5 minutes like most women my gestational age but let me tell you I'm feeling the pain of 36 weeks.  This week has been non-stop grant applications.  When I am not doing laundry, loading the dishwasher, trying to have a few minutes to myself to shower, or spending a few hours of needed time with friends, I have been working on paperwork.  My stack grows bigger with each day and my hand and brain become or exhausted.
  Many of you have asked for an update on our fundraising efforts so I wanted to give you one.  The MICAH fund will give us a financial update every other week.  Last week we were given word that as of last Friday we had raised $500.  That is one quarter of the way to having our grant completely matched.  This is huge!  I do know that we have raised at least $500 more and for that we are very grateful.  With the match this means that we now have $2000 more to add to our adoption fund and we are now down to $15,000 that we need in the next 4 weeks to bring our little man home.  Please remember that once we reach our maximum matched amount the money will still be able to be given to our adoption it just will not be doubled.
  I admit that this week I have had moments of anxiety.  I have wondered where the money is going to come from and how in the world we are going to function with two kids that don't sleep through the night.  When I hit those times I am reminded to pray.  A friend reminded me of the story of Abraham and Sarah.  Sarah was 90 years old when she became pregnant with Isaac.  To most people that would seem impossible but in Genesis 18, when Abraham and Sarah are both wondering themselves how this was going to happen in their old age God reminded them, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"  The answer is no.  We see just 3 chapters later that the Lord was true to his promise and Sarah gave birth to a son.  I have to trust that the God of the universe who can make a barren women fertile at the age of 90 and who cares even for the littlest sparrow can provide all that we need and more to bring our son home at his birth, for nothing is too hard for the Lord.
  Thank you to those who have given so far.  We are so blessed by you.  And thank you to those who continue to pray for and encourage us through this process.  I cannot wait to tell this baby the story of how loved he is even from before his birth.