For the first time in four years our family is experiencing the beginnings of Fall!! It’s going to be a challenge to make the choice to board the PNG bound plane if we go in the midst of the beautiful Goldilocks season of jusssst right weather. Although I do believe the temperatures will quickly dip to a level we are deeply uncomfortable with anymore. You know… around 65 or so. At that point we’ll rush our bundled up bodies on the plane to run back to our balmy home!

All jokes aside, the onset of Fall has been therapeutic for us. The temperatures dropped just after we found out about our troubles with Gemma’s application for citizenship. In the midst of finding our footing after that disappointment, the whispers of sweater weather were a small but soothing balm for our souls. The cooler breezes also justified my Mom bringing out the pumpkins a tad early for the girls. Since we still don’t know much about how long we’ll be here we’ve adopted an attitude of action. Instead of succumbing to lassitude and putting off until “tomorrow” the seasonal things we want to do together, we’re doing them… now! Saturday was just such a day and it was a delight.

Quick update: We heard back from PNG promptly on the letter we were trying to get from the Office of Child Welfare. The caseworkers there told our teammate, “Yes!! We’ll get it done. Anything for our Gemma.” It was heartwarming for us to hear that and to experience the practical love of our teammates in Madang as they ran back and forth getting that paperwork taken care of. Brian spent hours compiling our response to the USCIS and sent that in last Monday. Please continue to pray as we wait to hear our agent’s response.