On being a tenacious doberman...

So my pastor has told me for years that he thinks of me as a tenacious bulldog (I took the liberty to change it to doberman because of my own dogs!). Although I have wondered at times how to take that, he has assured me he means it in the best possible way. Thanks Keith! His point is, I think, that I go after things full force & don't let up. Good when you're following God; maybe not quite so much when you are just being stubborn!

I'm hoping that this is one of those times that it helps to be so determined. We have bought our one way tickets to South Africa and submitted all our paperwork to the embassy for our 3 year visa. Of course, things can't just flow oh so smoothly! Got a call from the embassy that: 1) We need the police clearence instead of the background clearence, 2) we need chest x-rays to clear us of TB instead of the skin test, & 3) they don't have our application form with all the paperwork we sent in! Yea! Off to a great start! Amazing they don't have the application form, since that's what my phone numer is on to call me, but I ain't about to argue with the man that has the next 3 years of my life in his hands! I may be tenacious, but I ain't dumb!

Some very dear friends of ours are going through similar things, but on a much bigger scale. They have being going through an international adoption for the last 2 YEARS! Every step of the way, there seems to be a roadblock; yet they know what God told them, so they keep walking forward. Sometimes you have to jump the hurdle, knock it over or find a route around it. They are my heroes and I pray that their journey ends with their girls arriving in the states soon!

So to all you tenacious dobermans (or bulldogs) out there, go for it!

Doing what we know...even when it doesn't make sense

So, it's been a while since I updated. Ups & downs along the way. No luck yet on selling the house. Actually, even worse than that. Found out there is a leak under the foundation. No money to fix it, can't sell it like that, etc., etc.

So, after much prayer and a word from God, we are doing the only thing we know. Keep walking forward & rely completely on God. We are working on getting everything together for our visas, reserving airline tickets and making plans to move the first week of January.

Not sure how this will play out with the house. But although it's scary and nerve wracking, there is no better place to be than totally dependent on God. When I remember that I'm just Carla & He's God, it sure helps.