God's Timing!

In case you missed it on Facebook, we heard from our social worker last Thursday, March 1st, that we are moving forward with our home study approval.  We should receive *final* approval this week.  We are currently updating some medical forms and background checks since it was almost a year ago since most of our paperwork was filled out.  

This news made Valerie & Zebediah's wedding *extra* fun since we got to share with so many family & friends our news about 'expecting' Baby Flagler. It seems so much more real now!!!  I even got Matt a "Daddy-to-Be" card and a little outfit for our little one at the store the other night.  I kept tearing up all throughout the day.  I'm sure people in the baby section at Target thought I was crazy!  I wanted to tell everyone!  Providentially, I did run into a friend (and also another adoptive mom) while there.  So neat to have so many people share in our joy during this season!

Thankful Thursday

Recently discovered that I can still use YouVersion without my smartphone.  This is truly something I'm thankful for because I love their Bible-reading plans.  Using that app on my smartphone was really helping me be consistent with being in the Word.  I also loved having Scriptures read to me.  If you have a smartphone, you should check it out.  Even if you don't have a smartphone, you can still use most of their services online.  Thankful!

Pandora.  Wow, I love that it's unlimited again.  Love being able to have songs that point me to Christ playing in my ear as much as possible. (Definitely handy since I work at a desk most of the day.)

For other friends who are adopting.  It means so much to be able to follow their stories and read about how God is writing their family stories.  It helps me remember that He's in control of ours too.  


Our church.  Though we have had to miss gathering with our community a lot lately, I'm so thankful for friends who pray with us, encourage us and challenge us to be more like Christ. Recently, I was having a rough day and a good friend popped in to love on me and helped me out in very tangible ways.  I also love that the sermons are online so I can stay connected to what God is teaching us as a body. 


Wedding weekend!  My sister and Zebediah are getting married this weekend.  I'm so excited to see so many family and friends.  And I'm excited to celebrate with them as they enter into marriage.  

Speaking of marriage, I am beyond thankful for my husband!  He serves me, challenges me and loves me so well!  God definitely knew what He was doing when He gave me Matthew.  I can honestly not imagine life without him. 


Cares.  Thankful that this is how we can serve right now.  Thankful that we get to meet so many new people and for the way we see God working in so many lives. 


Focus Roommate Reunion.  Starting one week from today, I get to start welcoming in friends who started off as my roommates at Focus on the Family Institute in Colorado.  We were there together for a semester in 2003.  We haven't all been together since August 2003 when Serena got married.  Soon, everyone else is coming to Charleston, and we get to catch up!  I'm so excited about this.  


And there's so much more, but I'll need to save some things for another post, right? ;)

Valerie & Zebediah

This past Friday, I finally got the phone call I had been waiting on for quite awhile... Valerie & Zeb are engaged!  

We're very happy for them and know God will be glorified in their life together.  

We like Zeb for Valerie because:

1) He loves Jesus.

2) He loves Valerie.

3) He is confident in who he is. 

4) He's a good guy. 

We look forward to getting to know him even more now that he'll be officially part of the family!

Congratulations & Best Wishes!

Four Years

It seems like we've been married much longer than four years. In a good way.  I think it's because we had known each other for so long and have been in so many seasons/locations in our four years of marriage.  

That being said:  I can't believe it was FOUR years ago that we got to gather with so many family and friends and celebrate the joining of our lives together.  

The theme of our wedding was Psalm 34:3:  "Glorify the Lord with me.  Let us exalt His name together."  I pray that our first four years of marriage have been glorifying to the Lord.  

We haven't always been perfect.  We are sinful people.  But God has given us grace and forgiveness that we extend to each other pretty easily.  I pray God continues to use our marriage to bring us closer to Him and to bring others closer to Him.


Dear Matthew, 
Thank you for being my husband and for loving me so well.  I feel safe and secure in your arms and by your side.  Thank you for being so full of faith and for helping me to remember the big picture.  You amaze me!  I'm so blessed for getting to spend my life with you.  I love learning with you and from you.  
You are absolutely hilarious, and I hope that I will never grow tired of your silliness and your wittiness.  I love that you love to make me laugh.  
You are also incredibly caring.  You don't want everyone to know, but you really are a very sweet husband.  
Thank you for choosing me as your bride and for believing in me.  I have so much respect for you and the man you are allowing God to make you.  I very much look forward to seeing where the next four years, fourteen years, and forty years have taken us.  


Yours Forever, 

Tricia

A New Tyndall!

A couple weeks ago, my dad's side of the family was mostly together (a very special treat!) outside of Wilmington, NC, for our cousin James's wedding. He's the only boy on all of his sides of the family, so we're very excited to actually be adding a Tyndall name, instead of trading it in for a Posey or Flagler, or some other name.

Welcome to the family, Bailey!
We are so glad to have you in the family!