It was the best of days, it was the worst of days June 18, 2013

 Aside from the psychological evaluations, this was the most stressful day of our home study.  This was the day that we would complete our last required visit with our social worker and this visit was in our home.  This meant hours of cleaning and preparing.  Adam took an extra day off work to help me get everything ready and to get the outdoor chores completed.  We stayed up late the night before and got up at the crack of dawn to vacuum the floors  one more time, give the girls (AKA Bella and Camilla) a bath and brush out, and make Indian chai to serve.  We carefully placed the Indian candy and cookies on our best silver serving tray and had the tea cups and saucers out.  We anxiously peered out the window to see if we could see an unfamiliar car coming down the road yet. 

And finally, the time came.  Robin pulled into our driveway and parked.

As she entered the front door we were most concerned about the girls barking and making the visit difficult.  They certainly surprised us with model behavior and they warmed right up to her.  Robin and the girls got along quite nicely (it was a great relief to us that she loves dogs).  She asked us many questions about child care arrangements, schooling, discipline, family feelings regarding adopted children, and cultural teaching.  We discussed fire escape plans, tornado shelter plans, fire and carbon monoxide alarms, and who would raise our children should something ever happen to the both of us.  She asked how many children, what ages, and what special needs we would consider.  She then toured our home (closets, garage, and all).  The visit went very smoothly.  Once she left we went to our favorite Indian Restaurant to celebrate the accomplishment of finishing our part of the home study.  Now she just needed to write it up for us.

We returned home and checked our email as usual.  There was one email there that was from our placing agency and it said it was “important news”!  I called Adam to come and we opened it together.  The email stated that they were closing their India program and the India director was now with another agency.  We were invited to a conference call the next day for more information.  What was a day of celebration turned into panic and worry.  Adam and I both took off work to pray about this and attend the meeting by phone.  Our wonderful India director had worked an arrangement for all India program families to easily transfer to the new agency.  Monday, June 17^th we had an appointment to speak to the director.  I was not off work yet, so Adam came to the hospital to meet with me so I could be in on the meeting with him.  The director really reassured us of the changes that were happening.  So, that evening we sent our application for the other placing agency.  We feel like this will be a positive change and the new agency is a Christian agency, which we also like.  So, now we are with a different agency! 

Chai and Curry June 1, 2013

 Adam and I have been a part of the Indian Community in our area since moving here.  God has given us a passion and love for India and we know that He has called us to India (or Indians).  We were invited to a special Indian fellowship at the home of a dear Indian family.  



A pastor and his wife from Tamil Nadu were special visitors.  We had a wonderful time of hearing the Word preached by the pastor and his wife, worship in English and Tamil, an Indian potluck, and of course a wonderful time of fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  My heart was so thankful towards the Lord because I know that this will be such a blessing to our children.  They will have Godly uncles, aunties, and cousins who are Indian. 

We really loved watching the precious children.  Each child was asked to tell what they were thankful for.  I am really impressed with the way these children are raised to be so respectful.  I have a feeling these ladies will be a great help to me as a new mother once the kids come home.  We have invited them to walk alongside us in this journey.  We talked about arranged marriages, raising bilingual children, and many more things that we have been concerned about.  One thing that I really loved was that all the children take piano and violin lessons.  One child excitedly and proudly used his talents for worship.  The mothers expressed how these were things the children could use for the rest of their lives to worship God.  This is exactly what I have always believed about music lessons for kids.  I felt like we were really on the same page as far as parenting goes.  What a comfort this is to my heart as we really don’t have family close by to help us out.  Perhaps they will become our extended family, and how happy we will be for our kids to grow up with close relationships with other Indians.

For the potluck I brought one of Adam’s very favorites…Indian rice pudding.  It was a hit, especially with the kids.  The recipe is as follows:

Cook 3 cups of dry Basmati rice (be very careful to not overcook it)

Let this rice cool. 

Bring 2 cups evaporated milk to a boil in a large pan

Add rice (I only used about ¾ of the rice)

When it begins to thicken add 3 cans coconut milk, 1 ½ cups golden raisins, crushed cardamom to taste, and 1 cup of sugar.  When it thickens again add pistachios, 1 pint of half and half and mix.  Refrigerate with plastic wrap touching the top so a film will not form. 

You may add more or less sugar, depending on your taste.  I advise to add a little at a time until it is like you like it and the same with the cardamom.  You may like less or more than we do. 

“You are the helper of the fatherless. Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, That the man of the earth may oppress no more.”   Psalms 10:14, 17-18

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