Archives for July 2014

Chosen

July 4, 2014 by Amy 8 Comments

A big blank page is staring at me, thinking of the right way to tell you what could be one of the top 5 events of my life.

There isn’t a more bloggable event–it’s the kind of stuff bloggers live for. Huge news. And yet, it feels like blogging is the least appropriate way to tell you.

I want each of your numbers so I can call you individually and say, “Put me on speaker, I have some good news.”

So let’s just pretend we’ve done that ok? You’re holding your phone, speakerphone is on, you’ve gathered the family and everyone is listening with smiles, your heart suspended just a few seconds.

And here’s what I’d say…

I just got a call from DSS and they picked us for a little boy!

Yep.

Earlier yesterday I got a call from DSS from a worker I don’t normally talk to. She was asking if our records were up to date and whether we were still interested in a child being placed with us. She didn’t give away a lot more than that, but I knew something was going on.

A few hours later, I was on a phone call with work and I got a text from Scott to call DSS ASAP. I couldn’t because I was on a meeting that had to happen right then. I asked what was going on and I found out over text…DSS picked a child for us.

Choking back tears. Heart racing.

Scott sent his name and age and I can’t give you details yet, but his name has both familial and Biblical significance. It was like a big neon God sign in a text message.

I don’t know much yet and I can’t give you details even if I had them.

South Carolina holds placement committees when they are ready to place a child. They pick 3 or 4 families and a group from DSS holds a meeting and determines which family they feel is the best fit for the child. We were chosen for this child.

The next step is for us to be read his entire history next week. We then have a choice about whether to move forward and have a home visit with him. They’d like to place him by the end of this month.

This whole thing could come to a grinding halt next week, but we have our open door. And can I just tell you that the process we went through with the possible adoption in May may have been an absolutely necessary step for this one? A God thread. The name, the circumstances.

And can we talk about the timing with Independence Day? Freedom from the system. I feel like this could be it. But we could walk out the door just as fast as we’re walking in.

Will you pray for us in the coming week? Since the ball is in our court, we want absolute clarity and wisdom that this is the best choice both for us and him.

But y’all.

This could be our son.

What I Wore Wednesday 07.02.2014

July 2, 2014 by Amy 5 Comments

So far this summer, I’ve spent a lot of time in really simple outfits. In fact, I’m lucky to get shoes on. Many days, I’m still in my yoga pants at lunchtime after working out right before work. If you take that into account plus my tripod being broken, WIWW has been sparse here the past months.

But, I’ve missed participating in WIWW and being put together a little more, so I challenged myself this past week to get back in the swing of posting. Scott had to literally tape my tripod back together so I could use it! And with that, I have just a few casual outfits this week.

If there is one piece of clothing I have loved this summer, it is my red shorts. Surprisingly, they go with a ton of different tops. So while I never have gotten a lot of colored jeans, I do enjoy my colorful shorts.

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I wore this outfit on Sunday and remembered why I’ve been leaning towards dresses all summer. It’s so hot! No worries, though, I spent most of the afternoon out at the pool.

Big thanks to my sister who bought me that orange bracelet while she was in Nicaragua last week with Bless Back Worldwide.

I wore this outfit this weekend. We made a library run, picked up some groceries and went out for Mexican.

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I hope you have a wonderful weekend enjoying July 4th!

Let’s connect so we can do this again! Like AmyJBennett on Facebook. Follow me on Pinterest (where I post these inspirational pictures), Instagram (where you might sneak an early peek of an outfit) or Twitter.

Linked with The Pleated Poppy

Scraps

July 1, 2014 by Amy 4 Comments

It doesn’t happen often, but last night I took the time to do some extra cooking after dinner. My mom gave me some prepared zucchini this weekend and I really needed to get it in some soup so it wouldn’t go to waste. I also made some black bean and corn salad. I made it for our small group’s cookout last week and it was gobbled up. Scott couldn’t wait for me to make more. The recipe is from a lady at our church who is ridiculously talented in hospitality and is notorious for yummy food so I don’t have a link for you. Maybe I’ll get her to guest post one day to share it.

I had a mess in my kitchen last night. We were cutting a lot of fresh onions and it had me in tears. After I couldn’t even see to cut a second onion, I got Scott in the kitchen to help cut the next one and then he couldn’t see. He was getting a wet towel to wipe down his eyes and then he was pulling his shirt over his face trying to cut it that way. So there we were, both in tears, trying to make some soup. I wish I had that picture to share with you.

We got all of it made and as I was cleaning up, I saw all the scraps on the counter. I was touched by its beauty. Even though they were going to be discarded and they weren’t used for the purposes last night, I couldn’t help but think how beautiful they still were. The floral pattern of the green pepper, the leaves in the celery stalk, the beautiful purple of the red onion.

I couldn’t help but think that there might be some of you that feel like you’ve been handed scraps in life right now. You’ve got the leftovers. Maybe you didn’t get a project you wanted at work. Or, you’re still single and haven’t met the guy you want to marry. Maybe money is tight and you literally are using people’s leftovers all the time. You who feel this way, the Lord wants to encourage you.

If I chose, I can see those scraps as beautiful and useful.

I saw the beauty in those scraps and took a picture and shared on Instagram. Not only did I enjoy it simply for it just being there, I was able to share it with others and they saw the beauty too. I know whatever situation you are in, there is beauty there too. Maybe it’s not the thing you want, but there are good things there too. Concentrate on that and be grateful. It does no one any good to complain and grumble.

Now, if I carry those scraps of onion and celery and peppers out to my compost, they will be broken down and sifted into a rich soil. I’ll use that soil in my garden next year and it will be used to produce a crop. So maybe they weren’t used in my soup or salad last night, but they will be used to produce food to feed us later on.

And maybe it’s the same in your situation. Maybe this time is still useful. Maybe it is being used to break you, to sift you, to prepare you. Maybe it is a time that will be necessary for something in the future. It doesn’t look like you thought it would and the timing isn’t the way you wished but it could be perfectly orchestrated for your benefit and the benefit of others.

So, be encouraged, friends.

Sometimes the scraps are pretty spectacular too.