Back on Thai Dirt

Well, we are back. Some of you have been wondering, "Are they in Thailand or in America or somewhere in between." Well we are in Thailand now, but we were somewhere in between for like 24+ hours. I tell myself before these plane flights that I will not make any vows or major decisions while I am on the flight. For example, I believe it is not healthy to decide if you will ever return home after 11 hours on an airplane and with one more five hour flight coming.

When we see our Thai friends, you can count on one of their greeting comments to include something about how fat we got while we were in America. My western mindset says that one should never tell anybody how they really look. Thus, I am somewhat baffled by Thai's comments about my extra 5+ pounds from all that mexican food you people fed me. I find it helps if I just blame you for all the food you made me eat. Next time you really should consider what you are doing and not make me eat that third enchilada.

The good news. We went to the adoption agency on Thursday, and they gave us the final details for picking up Samuel Jakarin Pennington. On Monday (June 26th), we will go to the south to a city called Nakorn Si Tammarat (west of Phuket by about an hour and a half). At first we thought someone from the agency would go with us, but it looks like we just go and tell them who we are and pick him up (maybe just slightly more challenging than picking up a pizza at dominos or something). We have definitely been thankful about how all the details are working out so quickly. This has not always been the case. All four of us are very excited. It should be an interesting three days we spend in the South.

We need your prayers. Pray that all the details of the adoption will work out smoothly. Pray for peace in this huge transition for Ben, Kate, Julie and Brent. More than anything, pray that little Samuel Jak will bond with each one of us quickly, and pray that God would bring him peace and joy in our family. Pray that we would be able to communicate well (in Thai) to the workers at the orphanage in order to find out as much information as possible about little Samuel Jak and also in order to bless them and thank them for their care for our son.

Thanks for reading this and thanks for praying. The next posting will come after we return from getting our son. Praise Jesus for His good gift to us.