We've Been Adopted

     Jacqueline's made a new friend at school.  Her name is Sabrine, and she has a French mother and American father.  When she found out that Jacqueline speaks French she was so excited, and asked her for our phone number.  To our surprise, her mother Kathy (Katrine) called Daphne last Thursday and they spoke for over 30 minutes in French.  Kathy invited us over for dinner Friday evening, and she invited another friend named Rachel with her two daughters.  We had a wonderful evening, and the girls immediately hit it off with Kathy's & Rachel's daughters and Kathy's son Vincent.  Kathy's husband Tim shares my love of hunting and fly fishing, so we had plenty to talk about together.  Kathy is an amazing blend of French and American at the same time - and we hit it off immediately.  They have two horses of their own, and when Kathy heard that our girls love horses she suggested that we meet up again at the annual Conifer Christmas Parade yesterday, then come back over to their house to "meet" her horses Dakota and Calypso.

     We went to the parade and absolutely loved it.  Many of the local businesses, cub scouts, clubs etc had their own floats, and it was a great "community" experience.  In Conifer, Santa and Mrs Claus ride on a red firetruck!  It was great fun, and we met up with Kathy, Sabrine and Rachel at the parade.  It was a glorious, sunny day - all the more amazing since another winter storm has set in today.

I have to show you a few pictures from the parade, just so you get a flavor of the Conifer culture.  There were lots of horses, dogs, vintage vehicles, a tractor, and plenty of candy handed out along the way.  The parade route was about a mile long, and it seemed like the whole town was out to watch the festivities. After the parade was over we drove back to Kathy's house and met her two horses.  She and Tim had never owned horses, and she learned everything she knows (and she knows a lot) from reading books and through an Australian horse trainer who lives here in Denver.  Kathy wanted to give us some of the Elk meat from Tim's last kill, so we went back to her house - and ended up staying for lunch and didn't head for home until about 5pm.  Kathy shared with us that she's had two battles with breast cancer over the past several years, and I was amazed at her openness and vulnerability.  At one point Tim said, "I've got to tell you, this is the first time we've entertained in probably over a year due to Kathy's chemo and recovery."  The most amazing part is that Kathy pursued us - we had nothing to do with it.  Tim asked me how we ended up in Colorado - which led to a lengthy explanation as you can well imagine.  We told them about the dual miracles of our house and car being sold only days before our departure, and how we somehow 'knew' that God was going to come through.

We don't know if Tim and Kathy are Christians; but after we finished our story Kathy said, "I am really moved by what you've said, because not long after Sabrine met Jacqueline she came to me and said, 'Mommy, I think God has answered my prayers for a friend,'"  Daphne and I looked at one another, and I'm sure we had the exact same thought - God is so good.  We were both immediately reminded of how God brought us a friendship with our dear friends Jacques and Marie in France - and in much the same way they pursued us and adopted us, and have become life-long friends. 

There is a house for sale across the street from their home, and we asked our realtor (Bob) if he could show it to us yesterday evening.  At 5pm Daphne and I met Bob at the house, and I told him that we have some friends who live in the house across the way.  Bob's reply was, "Boy, you guys are sure making friends left and right!"  You know, he's right, and it's all a gift from the Lord.