Changes!

Ok, I can finally talk about the changes that we have going on with our family and I'm seriously bubbling with excitement as I type this! :)

1) Some of you already know this but Rob and I are in the process of getting certified to become foster parents with the hopes of adopting. Adoption has always been in my mind but over this past year so many things have happened to move us in that direction and God has really put it on our hearts to do this. We are working with a local agency to first become foster parents and then hopefully adopt as well. We know that this will not be an easy road and can be very scary, but we know it is what God wants us to do. These children are in foster care due to some kind of trauma, abuse, neglect, etc and it breaks my heart. We hope to be certified sometime around August and then we just wait for a phone call! The process is very intensive and we have a lot to do to get our house ready and answer an insane amount of very personal questions about our entire life up to this point. Please pray for us as we go through this process and that God would hand pick a child (or children) to entrust in our care. :)

2) This is something we have been praying about for YEARS and I seriously can't believe it is happening! We've decided that I will be quitting my job and staying home with Benjamin. This has been on my heart for SO long and I am so blessed to be able to do this. We have been praying for years that our business would flourish enough for us to support our family so that I could quit my job and that time is finally here. In a tumultuous economy of ups and downs and watching other businesses in our industry go out of business or downsize, it is so very obvious to us that God is blessing us right now. I've also been revamping our family budget for awhile now to help. We've cut cable a long time ago, I'll be canceling our landline and I've been saving hundreds of dollars by couponing and getting stuff for free at drugstores. (You can see more details on this by clicking on "blogs" at the top of my page). This is going to be a huge adjustment for me, as I've been working for the same company for 8 years, but it will be a very welcome change. I've already started looking for activities that I can take Benjamin to, like toddler storytime at the library, the zoo, museums, etc and I can't wait. I've also been thinking about ways that I can be a better helper for Rob, like making him coffee and helping him get going in the mornings, which he's going to LOVE. This is a huge test of faith for us, since we've never really had to rely on God for all of our needs before but He has confirmed for us over and over that He will provide for us. My last day of work is June 16th and then I will officially be a full time domestic engineer!

So there you have it! Big and exciting changes for our family. :)