The Good and The Sad!

So it has been well over a month since my last post and I wanted to check in and say hello! So the obvious is that Chris and I went to Thailand last month for ten days and we loved it there. I think I can speak for us both, if it had not been for the guy at the 7-11 that we could not understand, it would have felt a lot like home. Bangkok is a big city, obviously not just like the USA but pretty darn cool. The Thai people are very hard workers, put Americans to shame if you ask me. 12 Students indicated that they had made a decisions for Christ! Praise God! We had such a great time seeing God use our group and the missionaries there to work in the hearts of the Thai. I would love to go back sometime, but that is up to God.

For those of you who knew yes Chris did get a bit pale and uncomfortable on the first flight from NY to St. Paul's/Minn., but after that he was fine. I am still wondering why no one woke me up to tell me his wife. LOL, it was probably better that way. I pretty much slept a lot on the way there and the way back. Most people said they never saw me awake. I will tell you I was awake mostly around time for the food, because that food stinks up the air and it is impossible not to wake up. I am still trying to figure out if Stouffer's has figured out how to make microwave meals I can digest how is it that the airlines haven't.

As for the personal stuff, things are moving a long here. Chris and I are not giving up by any means, and I don't want that to be what is conveyed here. We have, though, stopped all the infertility treatments. We currently can not go on spending the money we were spending and on top of that the insurance now doesn't cover any of it. Most insurances will not cover after a certain amount of IUI's so it is normal. I think we got to try and it didn't work. The other options for us right now are more invasive and more expensive.

Chris and I are sad that we haven't been able to conceive like most people, but have accepted that our God can do anything, with or with out doctors. This is what we have come to (once again I feel as I can speak for both of us): it isn't God's plan for us now! He knows that we desire to have a biological kid(s), but He also desires us to impact some other children. There may be a time in the future where he blesses us with a biological child but that doesn't mean we have to wait. With this comes the need for us to deal with that issue, and work through how that makes us feel and the "grieving" processes. It is hard, and as I type this I am tearing up.

With that though comes something we had always talked about! We wanted to adopt and foster children if ever given the opportunity. I had even told Chris a couple of times it would be nice to do that sooner than later. So Chris and I called before we left for Thailand and set up for us to attended a ten week course that will certify us as Foster/Adoptive parents in NY. We are currently on week four of the class. We haven't really made it clear to everyone because we wanted to make sure we were going to finish the class. Lord willing we only have six more classes till we are ready to take a child into our home. With the grieving process we have been going through there has been renewed hope and joy knowing that we will be able to help children if only for a time have a better life, give them coping skills, and love them. We also feel like God will lead us a child that we can adopt through this and we can call ours.

So please be praying for Chris and I as we have our first home meeting next week, and I tend to go over board on cleaning. Also please be praying that Chris and I will continue to communicate our pain to the Lord and to each other, as we do not want to have a breakdown there. One more thing please be praying for the child the Lord has for us, whoever he or she maybe. That the Lord will protect them, and let them know they are loved deeply!

Thank you!

Patti (& Chris) Collins