Trunk or Treat

These are a few pictures from our Trunk or Treat in our church parking lot. Luke and Grace enjoyed passing out the candy (mostly Luke enjoyed making the rounds to other trunks, and mostly Grace enjoyed the process of trying to get her teeth through the cellophane of a lollipop AND the enjoyment of watching a parade of dogs go by IN COSTUME-no kidding!) We handed out every single piece of candy we purchased, and most of our trunk-or-treaters were not our church people, which really is the point of the whole thing. The only negative to that is the abundance of very scary, bloody costumes--my very least thing about this holiday. I always want to stop and ask, "Did your mama buy you that Freddy Krueger mask? Really?!!"

I'll post some pictures from Luke's cupcake bday party at school today. He decided a couple of weeks ago that he did not want a party (shock!), but he did want me to bring football cupcakes to school and could we please give everyone a whistle on a chain. I obliged to both, and it was a very sweet non-party. We are going to have "Dallas Cowboys" party with the Texas cousins after Thanksgiving, so I'll let you know how that goes.

On a side note, and I think because he is thinking about his birthday, Luke asked me SEVERAL pretty serious questions about his adoption today on the way home from school. I wish he would give me some kind of warning about this so I could have more thoughtful answers prepared! He wanted to know why Rob and I weren't adopted and he and Grace were; he wanted to know if any of his grandparents were adopted; he wanted to know why God made the adoption plan for his life (oh me, I felt the tears coming); he wanted to know why he and Grace had different birthmothers since they were both adopted.

It was an interesting ride home.

I love my children so much that it aches. Please always pray that God gives us the wisdom we need to navigate whatever adoption question or issues our children will face. Let us always be honest, forthright, loving, assuring, and express to our children the freedom they truly do have to know about and appreciate birthparents even as they love us. Pray that I will be reminded that these children are not "mine"--that they belong first and foremost to God, who has given us the blessing of raising them in our "forever" family. Help me to always be gracious and loving to our children's birthparents, who have sacrificed so much, all for the sake of love.

Thanks--in advance--for your sweet prayers.

Jana