Welcome Nathan!

As many of you already know, our family has been in application since last fall to become foster parents. It has been a lengthy process with a series of three-hour classes to attend, a mountain of paperwork to submit, personal references and recommendations to file, a back ground check, finger prints, a home evaluation, etc., etc. Some have asked why we would be interested in taking into our home additional children now at our stage in life. The answer is that children are a blessing, not an encumbrance, a delight and a worthy purpose in life, not a bothersome annoyance. And the truth is that there are way to many children in our world who are abused and deprived in one way or another. To hear stories of some of the things that these young ones are forced to endure is to break your heart. In addition, Pam and I (as well as Sara) feel like we have a stable mature home blessed with peace and purpose and wisdom. And therefore we are eager to help some of these young ones who have not had such an experience. And so we began the application process last fall aware that it was new ground for each of us, but confident that if God led us into this venture and blessed us then good would be the result. And confident in the sovereignty of God, we plowed ahead. The first of this year we had just about completed the process, and were at a place where we were waiting for a phone call that would ask us the question, would we accept a needy child who waited somewhere in a DHS office. And about two weeks ago we received that call. After discussion and prayer as a family, all three of us, we decided to meet the question with a "yes", and so we were introduced to almost-five-year-old Nathaniel.

Nathaniel is all boy and a real cutie who loves balls of any kind; basketballs, soccer balls, baseballs, etc. He is great at making puzzels, thinks his spiderman mask is wow-wow, and loves to help as each of us goes about doing our tasks around the house. He dressed up and went to church with us the very first week, and met so many boys and girls his age, and he greeted each one of them as his friend. He loves to play outside as well, even when the weather is not so conducive. We are all growing getting to know one another and learning to be a family. Pray for all of us and pray for Nathan as he becomes a part of our family and we all grow together learning and living man's chief end, i.e. to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

Walt, for the four of us

And a postscript; Sara has completed her first ever experience on a basketball team. It was a real good experience with lots of new lessons to learn. After their last game the team had a party in which each member was identified and something of their contribution to the team effort was mentioned. Also each member was awarded a trophy for participating which was real special to Sara. And up next? Girls softball, which begins this week.