Hope

The start of a new year is often a time of reflection and looking forward to what is in store.  Our family has had some really big things happen this year.  We have had the opportunity to foster 3 children as well as respite care for a couple of others.  One foster experience in the spring/early summer was especially hard and made us question our ability to follow through on those plans.  We decided to take a break for the summer and had decided August would be the earliest we would take another child.  Well, August 2nd we took on almost 2 year old girl that will soon be part of our family, legally. 

We have decided to change her legal name to Jazlyn Hope.  Jazlyn is a similar to a nickname she had received during a previous placement and we wanted to keep it similar sounding for her sake.  We chose Hope because of the journey we have been on to get to this place with Jaz in our family.

Jeremiah 29:11 states, "For I know the plans I have for you."  says the Lord.  "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future, and a hope."    

That is what we feel like God has done in our lives.  He has given us His plans, not ours.  A future that looks different than we planned.  But when we stopped making our plans and listened to His plans, we have felt at peace with how things have gone.  Not easy, not always the most fun and sometimes really frustrating but the right thing to do because it feels obedient to what He has asked of us. 

As I look back over 2013, I can't help but recognize some other great highlights:

* Drake had a great check-up and EEG in August and we were able to completely wean him off of his seizure medication by the end of November.  So far, he has been seizure-free since being off medication!

* Grady has had the opportunity to go to the public preschool this fall and have a great teacher that also attends our church.  He has loved it!

*Drake and Hadley have continued attending SCS in 4th and 1st grades and love it.  We have been so blessed by the staff there. 

*Drake was able to attend a few days at church camp this past summer and take a friend from school with him. 

*Hadley joined Drake on the worship team at church and helps leading worship in children's area

*Gabe has had a great year at his job with the worship area remodel and installation of lots of new technical equipment.  It has been a challenge but one he has enjoyed and thrived in.

* Gabe and I set a goal to go out on at least one date a month for 2013 and we made our goal and it's been such a positive for our marriage.

* Gabe and I celebrated 12 years of marriage and it just keeps getting better!

*Since Jaz joined our family, she has started speech and developmental therapy and has gone from only being able to say a few words to starting to say 2-3 word phrases and starting to communicate on a more consistent basis.

*I had a little health scare in May with a lump, some testing and a biopsy but thankfully it came back benign and the 6 month recheck still looked clear.

*2013 was the summer of Ice Deli.  We had so much fun visiting this place as a family for a cool treat and visiting with friends.

*We enjoyed a short little get-away this summer to Chicago and were able to hit a few highlights of the city and stay at Uncle Josh and Aunt Jacki's house.


As we move forward into 2014, we are patiently expectant as to what God has in store for this year for the Ruts. 

Happy New Year!