Saturday Post -- 09/01/16

Yeah.

Strange things are happening to me. No doubt about it.

I need hardly go out running any more as I get more than enough exercise hauling myself up and down staircases, fetching bottles, medicines and nappy changing kits.

New life and new civilisations have surfaced of late in my television, including far-flung planets with names such as 'Nickelodeon' or 'Disney' or 'Boomerang'.

I appear to have misplaced my living room floor.

I'm finding it increasingly convenient to conduct my business around the house in a single pair of underpants.

I find myself dropping things. A lot. In this week alone, my unwitting victims have included a jar of apricot purée, a 500ml yogurt pot and a laptop computer. On a tiled floor. With a flash-drive sticking out. Landing on the flash-drive side. 

Hooray for aluminium, is all I can say.

Yes, these are the voyages of the good ship Cramandasam (credit to Pete & Kirsty for that one). Except that this week, for the first time, Amanda and I have largely been flying solo, with one of us going to the office while the other is placed on Sam-watch. One week in, the system seems to be working well, and with a bit of a growth spurt taking place, it's even been possible to bash out a bit of work during those long naps (provided said babysitter doesn't take a leaf out of his lordship's book at the same time, a not uncommon occurrence). 

These first few weeks have been a steep learning curve, and this week we were presented with his first real health issue. He had a pretty severe bout of chesty coughing all through Wednesday night, resulting in our first visit to FT's paediatrician, with whom we're probably going to be getting very familiar as the year progresses. Though asthma is difficult to diagnose at this age, Sam had asthma-like symptoms. Prescribed all manner of medicines and inhalers, he's doing a lot better now, but we reckon we're going to have to be vigilant on this one.

As far as the adoption itself is concerned, things moved along a little further this week with a visit to our lawyer, who initiated proceedings for the parental rights of Sam's biological family to be terminated. It all sounds a tad brutal, but it's simply the next stage in the process. We're hoping that this can be completed within a month and, though there would still be a month or two more of paperwork before the adoption would be official, the termination of parental rights is effectively the last hurdle in this case.

Anyway, I think if you don't mind, I'll just get straight to the prayer points as this whole parenthood business ain't half exhausting. Indeed, I won't lie to you, I'm highly tempted just to have a quick snooze on this here keyboooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Whoops.

Prayer

• Please pray for wisdom in going forward with Sam's respiratory difficulties.
• Craig is preaching tomorrow for the first time this year as the church resumes its series in 1 Kings.
• The men's and women's groups at the church resume tomorrow afternoon after an extended break over Christmas. These had been a real encouragement in the last few months of 2015; pray for a deepening fellowship and increased openness.
• Pray for the church's youth leadership, who are mapping out their plans for this year during these school holiday months.
• Pray for the leadership of Fundación Totaí, who are looking into practical ways we can improve our ministry among staff members.

Praise

• Give thanks for Sam's speedy recovery over the last couple of days.
• For a fairly smooth start to our work/babysitting plan.

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig & Amanda