Lovin' Life

Ethiopia - Part 4

2012-02-19T08:50:00.000-08:00

We woke up Tuesday morning and Sara was feeling quite a bit better. Thankfully! Because, we had our 2nd visit with our little guy! We were up, ready to go and headed to the foster care center by 9:15. Robel seemed a little more familiar with our faces so he was ready to play a little. He loved to be bounced around by Bob!

I was soon realizing though, that he likes to do things on his own. So, we ended up following him around... a lot!

Can I just say that I love the care givers at his home! They are so sweet and take such amazing care of the kids. Today they were taking care of all the little girl's hair, either braiding or putting in puffs! Eventually, they started braiding Sara's hair. Poor girl had no idea what she was in for. She sat for a good long time while they braided her hair. She was so sweet, and Sara was a trooper!

Sara missed saying goodbye to Robel because she was in the middle of "beauty shop," so when she was all finished I ran her back in so she could give him a quick hug goodbye. He was sitting on the floor in the room when we walked back in. He looked up at us and got excited. My heart did a little flip...he may actually like us!!!!!

After our visit to the Care Center, we headed to the Leprosy Hospital. We were able to visit the shop on campus and buy some trinkets and linens. We really weren't there to visit the lepers as I we wanted to respect their privacy and not put attention on their handicaps. However, as we were walking around we were able to see them work. Women with no fingers being able to stitch and embroider....simply amazing!

Next stop was the Sabahar Silk Factory. We got to see how they get silk from the silk worms. The whole process, from the butterflies to the weaving of scarves was quite interesting. The girls liked this little outing.

After the Silk Factory, we were told we were going to Hands for the Needy. This ended up being my 2nd favorite part of the trip (1st being Robel, of course)! Hands for the Needy is a NPO that ministers to children who live and survive out of the city dump. Hands for the Needy sponsors children, sends them to school, and feeds them one hot meal a day. On their compound they even have showers so that these kids can come and take showers when needed. We were able to tour their compound and then help serve the kids their lunch. Sara immediately noticed their manners. Once each child was served, they waited until all were served. They stood together and began reciting something. After they were finished they sat and all began to eat together. We were talking with one of the founders and ask him what they were saying. They were praying the Lord's Prayer! It was an amazing time!!!

We had had a full day and everyone was hungry, tired and overwhelmed with all they had seen that day. With every activity, outing, or event that we were participating in, I am realizing how much I am truly beginning to love this country and it's people. We have been so blessed to see the things we have seen and to have experienced so much so that one day we will be able to share a little of our experience and love of Ethiopia with Robel.

We Passed Court!

2012-02-06T09:55:00.000-08:00

So, my plan on the day of passing court was to write this post and put up as many pictures of Robel as possible. Last week ended up being one of those weeks that I am glad is over and so here we are one week later celebrating passing court (which happened Jan 30) and introducing to the world our little man. In case you may be wondering...We changed his name. Originally we were going to name him Joshua, but after meeting him, we realized he is Robel (Roby for short). We love it and it fits him perfectly. So here is Robel Joshua Thomas...

Ethiopia - Part 3

2012-01-29T19:13:00.000-08:00

So, the weekend was finally here and there really wasn't much going on so we made our own fun. Saturday was the Ethiopian Christmas so most restaurants and stores were closed for the first part of the day. Bob and the girls decided to go for a walk and had quite an adventure. I always say that if Bob has the opportunity, he will meet and make friends with just about anybody that crosses his path. So the three of them found a cafe and had tiramisu, cokes, and a macchiato (of course)! They met new friends and had quite the adventure. I was sorry to miss out on that little excursion.

We then decided to take our girls and Kathleen's son to the Sheraton to swim for a few hours. The kids had a ball!

Kathleen was going a little stir crazy so we conviced her to go to dinner with us. What we realized was that this was Beza's first dinner out. We had such a good time.

Sunday was another quiet day, so we started the day off with a walk around town. We hit the grocery store for some apple juice and other non-essential things like chocolate!

The next day was our court day. I was a nervous wreck. We took a picture of the 4 of us, thinking that when we returned we would be a family of 5. Unfortunately, that was not the case due some missing documents.

However, we pulled ourselved together and enjoyed the afternoon. We went to lunch at Lucy's (a restaurant by the National Museum) and then headed to Kechene, the government girl's orphanage. These girls were amazing and LOVED our girls. At one point I didn't think they were going let Abby come home with me. Poor Sara started feeling ill (remember, she is my adventurous one and tried lots of different foods) and by the time we were headed out of the orphanage, she was losing her lunch. Gross, I know! But my reason for sharing that piece of information was that the Kechene girls saw us stop and then saw what was happening. This mob of girls ran to the car and were trying to get to Sara to help her out. They were almost pushing Bob out of the way to get to her. In the midst of their "discomfort" they were trying to comfort my little one! That is something I will never forget.

Due to Sara's illness, it was an early night in and lots of rest!!

Peace

2012-01-27T09:05:00.000-08:00

I have been wallowing. It is kind of bad around here these days. My kids will ask if I am okay, my husband tip-toes around me and I hate it! I miss our little guy so very much and I feel an emptiness. I don't know if that even makes sense after only spending a short amount of time with him. The only rationale I can come up with is that God has already made us a family, and as his mama, I feel a piece missing.

There are days that I feel on the verge of crying all day long. There are days that I seem a little to aggressive (angry). This is not me! This is not who I want to be. And I never imagine things would take this turn after our 1st trip.

I am telling you all this to set the stage for what God is doing in me. God is truly getting my attention and teaching me not to worry...I am convinced of this! We have not passed court yet. Our court date is Jan 30th and we are so hoping to pass. Yesterday we received an email from our agency letting us know that the courts will be closed from Feb 6-27 for training. My mind started reeling...would we pass court on the 30th; if we didn't pass court, our case could be pushed into March; if we did pass, would the court decree be written in time before the closure. My brain hasn't stopped wondering and WORRYING about all the possibilities.

But through all my chaos, I hear God's whisper reminding me that He is on His throne working all things for His good. I so desperately want His light to shine through me, even in the uncertainties of life and not let the possibilities of what could happen weigh me down.

One point of the sermon at church on Sunday was the passage in Phillipians 4: "Rejoice in the the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." I then opened my devotional today and the same verse was displayed across the top.

I don't know what Monday holds for us, or even the next couple of months, but I do know that we are not walking this journey alone. I read a response on someone's facebook page that said, "God does not see the big picture, God IS the big picture."

So, I am taking comfort in this very truth, in the promises that are spelled out in Phillipians. I am working my hardest to not be anxious. I am praying for peace in whatever lies ahead for us and I am going to rejoice! Tonight I will surprise my family with the old mama again...we are going to have a fun dinner and play games and laugh! And then, when we go to bed, I am going to pray for my kids...all 3 of them...and I will pray for His will to be done on Monday with our court case. And then, I am going to trust...

Ethiopia - Part 2

2012-01-23T19:22:00.000-08:00

Today was the day we had been waiting for. It had taken 23 months to get to this point. I think I was kind of in denial that we were here and about to go meet our son for the first time. After a great cup of coffee (those traveling for the 1st time may want to take powdered creamer...it was a life saver for me) and a little breakfast (I was slightly nauseous due to nerves and I think the altitude) we met our driver and we were off.

Bob had packed 3 cameras...CRAZY and we were all giddy, to say the least! When we arrived, all the kids from his room were playing outside. Unfortunately, I did not see him right away as he was tucked behind a couple care-givers. But when I saw him, I knew instantly that he was ours. So not to spook him, we slowly knelt beside him and talked with him. Eventually I stood up and held out my arms to hold him and he came right to me. That was the best feeling ever. I had prepared myself for him to be terrified of us and nothing like that happened at all. He was pretty serious for awhile but eventually he warmed right up to us.

I did break the rules...sorry Gladney...but I took a ball thinking it might help break the ice. Now I see why they say don't bring gifts and toys. Once I pulled the ball out, I was a little afraid that there would be wars waged over that little toy. Fortunately, we were able to distract some of the kids and I never saw that toy again. I am hoping it found a good home!!!

We were able to spend the most amazing hour of the day loving on our little man and playing with some of the cutest little kids. But our day had so much more in store. So, we left the foster care center and headed to Kolfe which is the government boy's orphanage. I wasn't sure what to expect, but let's just say that we truly had a great time with these boys. They were so sweet, kind, happy, and fun. They loved their pictures taken and wanted to see themselves on the screen.

The boys were actually preparing for a celebration the next day to celebrate the Ethiopian Christmas (Genna). So there was lots of music playing. I attempted to dance with the boys. We will not be posting that video. I thought I had rythym until I saw myself. Not so much. But we did have fun!

After the visit and a quick lunch, we headed to the government orphange that houses kids 0-8. This was such a hard place to see. We saw little kids running around and were able to tour the baby wing. My heart broke for this tiny little babies in cribs laying silent or wimpering. I held as many as I could, but once I picked one up, I would see another that needed a little affection. I would lay that one down and they would immediately start crying. Those poor workers. I was causing quite a ruckus. But all I could think was that they all needed to human contact.

After that visit, we were all exhausted and emotionally spent. It was time to head back to the guesthouse. I can honestly say that there are images and faces that will stay with me forever. I wish we could just gather all those babies up and bring them home. We would be crammed in here like sardines, but oh how I wish they all had homes and moms and dads to love on them!

Court Update!

2012-01-19T07:28:00.000-08:00

Before I continue chronicling our trip to ET, I thought I would let you all know the status of our case. We have not passed court. This was quite the bummer for us, as we were expecting to walk out of the judges office a family of 5. No such luck for us. We were given a new court date for the 19th...that is today...and we just found out that the documents did not reach the court house in time! We now have a new court date for the 30th. I must say that I am frustrated and saddened, to say the least!

However, I know God is in charge. I know He has worked miraculously in bringing us this baby boy and I can't wait for the phone call that says he is ours and I can share pictures with all of you! So, until that time, I am trusting! I am trusting that for some reason we needed these extra weeks. I am trusting that God is working in ways we could never imagine. I am trusting that He will turn these tears of sadness into shouts of joy very soon! Until that time...here is a little preview!

Ethiopia - Part 1

2012-01-17T19:49:00.000-08:00

So, just let me say that I was a bundle of nerves heading into this trip. The older I get, the worse my fear of flying has become. But I was brave and boarded the plane without kicking or screaming...I had to be a good influence on the girls, of course! We flew Emirates Air and loved it. They really cater to the kids. The flight was looonnnnggg, I am talking 16 straight hours from LA to Dubai. Thankfully we had a nice long layover in Dubai to recuperate, get some rest, and most importantly, a shower.

We were up the next morning bright and early headed to Addis Ababa!!! I must say that it was quite a surreal experience. We had been anticipating this trip for 2 years, and finally we were meeting our driver and driving through the streets, headed to our guesthouse. We stayed at Bejoe's Guesthouse. We loved it there. The girls who work there were fantastic and we felt just right at home. There was another mom already staying at the gueshouse who I was looking forward to meeting. It was so fun to finally meet Kathleen, Koen, and Beza. Kathleen had taken placement of Beza just a few days earlier. I had become a follower of Kathleen's blog and was so excited to see her united with her daughter!

We ended up eating at Makush for dinner that night. Good Italian food. But let me tell you, we were exhausted. We were all kind of laying all over the table trying to stay awake. At the end of the meal they brought us a macchiato. I had heard about the macchiatos in Ethiopia and just so you know, they ROCKED! They were so good. However, the caffeine didn't help us too much so we quickly made it to the guesthouse and crashed! We had a big day coming up...we were meeting our baby the next day!

Guest Post by Sara

2012-01-16T16:45:00.000-08:00

So we are back from our trip to Ethiopia and there is so much to share. Sara, my 10 year old, however would like to share some things on the blog...

When I arrived in Ethiopia it was different. We met some neat people at the airport. We had to exchange money, get baggage, and meet our driver. After the hullabaloo we went to our guest house. The first day was a settle-in day. The second was my first visit with our baby. Oh my, is he cute and heavy. He is a daddy's boy. My mom fed him and gave him his bottle and that was the highlight of my day. Day 3 was fun! We went swimming. Then we got ice cream. And for dinner I got an Ethiopian dish. Day 4 was our lazy day. Day 5 was court, not much to say about it. It wasn't fun. Around noon I got sick and threw up. Then I went to sleep for the whole day and night. Day 6 we visited our baby again. I got sick again. We went shopping and got awesome coffee. Later on we bought scarves. I visited our baby for the last time. When I was little I cried every time I left someones house or they left mine. So imagine leaving someone you love. It was hard. Then we visited the Holy Trinity Church. It was amazing. An actual Emperor went to church there. Today was packing and leaving and getting home. As a kid I know kids can't take in so much stuff but in this trip I took in more than a 10 year old can take in. I realized every time I complain over food or clothes someone dies of starvation or can't buy clothes. Now I think, how dare I fuss over something stupid. I was blessed to go to Africa because now I look at things differently.

Mush Brain!

2011-12-29T15:32:00.000-08:00

In one week we get to meet our son/brother!!!! I am so excited I can hardly stand it! I am not sleeping (I was up at 4 am this morning...there is not much on TV at that time!), my arms hurt because we got all (4 of those suckers) our vaccinations today, my house is a mess, laundry needs to be done, and the list of things to accomplish prior to our departure is growing like crazy. But I DON'T CARE about any of it...all my brain can focus on is his little face and the fact that I am going to be able to hug on him very, very soon!!!

We are so, so blessed!

Good News!!!

2011-12-14T17:44:00.000-08:00

WE GOT OUR COURT DATE!!! I am so excited I can hardly sit still. It is amazing I am still at the computer typing. My poor family, they are starving and I can't focus enough to even make them dinner. Never mind the fact that the call came 10 hours ago! haha!!!

So, we have our court date Jan 9. That is only 3 1/2 weeks away. Oh My Goodness! We will meet our little guy in 22 days! WooHoo!!!!!

The Big 1

2011-11-26T17:20:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it? Two posts in one day!!! I really felt that each birthday is deserving of it's own post! So, who else had a birthday recently? Our newest addition, that's who! What I realized is that I haven't divulged his name on the blog. Everyone who I have spoken to knows what we will be calling him...so let me share with you all. Joshua will be his name.

So, Josh turned "1" recently. I have to say that is was a little tough. I thought of him all day and hoped and prayed that he was having a good day and having good naps and laughing and having fun. But what I really wanted to be doing was celebrating with him, planning a party, playing with him and letting him dive into a cake all his own. Instead of celebrating with him, we celebrated for him and got him his 1st birthday present. Of course, no birthday is complete with out the cake so the girls and I made cupcakes and I let them blow out a candle for him.

I suspect that next year, we will have a HUGE party and celebrate like crazy! Can't wait until that boy is with us! Happy Birthday, bud!

10!

2011-11-26T16:59:00.000-08:00

This is my baby...well, my oldest baby.

This is my baby today.

She turned 10 this week. That's right , 10! She is known as "double-digit girl" around here now. How did we celebrate her birthday, you ask? Well...

She got her ears pierced!!! So did her Nana, which was agreed upon long ago that they would do it together. And we took her good friend along for encouragement...so no one could back out!
Then...we surprised her with a surprise party with lots of family and fun! She was shocked!

I am pretty sure that she had a good day. And can I just say that it is pretty fun having "double-digit chick" around. That kid makes me laugh, cry and simply amazes me with her heart and sensitive spirit! I thank the Lord often that He has given me the privilege of being her mom and watching her grow into the young lady (aka: double-digit chick) he is creating her to be!

October!

2011-11-09T19:02:00.000-08:00

So, obviously the grand finale to October was the referral (FYI: we are still sitting on Cloud 9)! However, we did have some fun in October!

October started off with a bang. As some of you may remember from an earlier post, Abby started a new school and we were hoping that Sara would eventually get in. Good news. Not 3 days after Abby started, we received the call that there was an opening and Sara was IN! God is so so good because really, I am not sure this momma could handle all that running between schools and schedules and, well, you get the picture. So now, my girls are at the same school, loving it and having a great time. Sara is now a band member and we are blessed to hear the ~~sqwuaking~~ lovely sounds of the clarinet each night.

Here are some pictures documenting our October!

We went with Abby on her field trip to the Pumpkin Patch!

The girls had "nerd day" at school. I think they pulled it off pretty well!

And then there was Halloween! We went to some friends for dinner and trick-or-treating!

Goodbye October, Hello November!!!!

Referral!!!

2011-10-26T21:12:00.000-07:00

I have read similar posts on a million blogs and I can find no new way to say this, so here goes...

WE GOT OUR REFERRAL TODAY!!!!!

I have been looking at the sweetest pictures of the cutest 11 month old baby boy you could possibly imagine. And I'm not just sayin' that! He really is cute with...get ready...

*the chubbiest cheeks ever
*the biggest brown eyes ever
*the longest stinkin' eyelashes you have ever seen
*and 4 little teeth

Do you have an idea in your head? Well let me tell you, it doesn't do him justice.

So here is how the day went down. I was much more on edge today about getting the call. We had been waiting 16 1/2 months and I was really anxious, much more than normal. Side note: my mom was staying with us for a few days and she even commented on my anxiousness. It was bad, I'm tellin' ya! So, add to that the phone constantly ringing and every time I catch my breath thinking it is an 817 area code call! But every time it was someone else. Around 11:30 my mom and I are getting ready to head to lunch and my cell phone starts ringing. Can I say that I was so not expecting the call on my cell. I look at the phone and oh my goodness, it was the 817 area code. I was so in shock that I couldn't answer. I just kept saying, "it's an 817 call, it's 817, it's an 817 call!"

Finally, I came to my senses and answer with a very calm, "hello." Go figure! Anyways it was our caseworker Kristin with the good news. I am sure she thought I was crazy because I was making little to no sense. My hands were shaking, my heart was racing and all I could do really well was say "oh my gosh" and giggle. It was surreal to say the least. And, can I just say that I never expected that response out of myself. I had envisioned how this would all play out and not once in my mind's eye did I see my self nutting up. Oh, but I did. Fortunately, due to his work schedule (just had to throw that it so that those of you who may not know us so well won't think he is a total slacker sleeping until 11:30), Bob was asleep. I asked Kristin to give me 10 minutes to wake him up and get him injected with some caffeine and we would call right back.

I moseyed (yeah right) into the bedroom, gently nudged him (yeah right) and with a very calm voice (yeah right) woke him up. The next hour consisted of us hearing all about our son...OUR SON...and seeing his big brown eyes!!!

Not the greatest picture...but it is pretty difficult trying to listen to your caseworker and smile for pictures at the same time!

The excitement didn't end there because we now had to tell the girls. There is a video that I will share soon. It was so fun. Bob, my mom and I went to pick them up from school. We took Sara out just a little early so we could tell them together. Sara clues into things pretty quickly but all I had to say was that we were going shopping and she was satisfied....I am such a liar. When we returned home, Bob had them sit at the computer to do some math program. When the monitor came on, the baby's face was plastered across the screen. The looked at each other with a "who's that?" kind of look and Bob leaned in and said, "Girl's , that is your brother." Immediately the screaming and squealing commenced. It was so fun to see their excitement. It has been such a long road and they have been troopers waiting patiently.

Needless to say, we are over the moon and I am completely exhausted from the major adrenaline rush. We are so happy, but we are so much more thankful that God's timing prevailed and that His will is being accomplished. I KNOW that God is in control and His plan for us is so much more than we could ever hope for ourselves. We feel blessed and honored that He would see fit to place this sweet baby boy into our arms and give us the privilege of being his dad and mom! We so look forward to the day when we can hold him, kiss those chubby little cheeks and simply tell him how much we love him! And Lord willing, that day is just around the corner!!!!!!!

16

2011-10-16T17:37:00.000-07:00

Last week we hit the 16 month mark. We are getting close...

I know we are,

I know we are!!!!!!!!!!

FINALLY!!!

2011-09-27T18:55:00.000-07:00

Today is a good day!!

Over the past few weeks, our family has been facing some pretty significant changes, for us anyway. Without boring you to death with all the details (and let me tell you there are a lot of details), Abby is changing schools, I started substitute teaching (1st job in many years), and several more to be mentioned later.... So, my stress level has been a little high, folks.

Abby's 1st day at the new school is tomorrow and this is how my brain was working today...
- How am I going to manage two 8 am drop-offs at two different schools
- How am I going to mangage 2 pick-ups...thankfully they are NOT at the same time
- Can I continue to work and deal with all the chaos
- I'd love to get a house keeper...I really didn't think that...I just now thought that it would make my life easier!
- What is Abby going to wear to school...all we have is uniforms for the old school
- Praying that a slot opens for Sara at the new school

So...I check the internet during my lunch and realize I hadn't checked some blogs recently. Low and behold, the family ahead of us on the waitlist got their referral. I was so excited for them. They have been waiting so long. Then it dawned on me that we are unofficially #1!!!!!!

I came home and told Bob the good news and then unloaded on him all my anxieties. Poor guy, he is such a patient listener! He reassured me that he was going to be there to help, encouraged me to focus on this week and we would deal with the next when it came. As he left for work, he kissed me and said, "Hey, we are #1. Remember, it's a good day!"

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. - Phillipians 4:6-7

Changes!

2011-09-16T20:27:00.000-07:00

So, this week has been the week of changes or the week of "dealing" with changes. My kids started a new school this year and we are dealing with all the bumps in the road that come with a recently established school. Let me tell you, I am not confrontational but I am super protective. It is a miserable combination. I see needs of my kids not being met and realize that I must address the issue, but then I am instantly a nervous mess knowing what is ahead. I am confident that all is going to be great and am sure these are lessons in making me stronger. But I must say I like myself the way I am!

Then this week we had to say goodbye to some awesome friends as they are relocating across the country. Their absence has left a hole in our lives. Our girls were best friends and we have all shared our fair share of tears around here. Well, Bob didn't cry, I must make that very clear!

BFFs

This week, on a brighter note was the beginning of football season and us Thomas' love us some football. I am in the minority around here because apparantly the girls have chosen to follow their dad in rooting for the Packers. Ewwww! Nonetheless, we are looking forward to some fun Sundays and Mondays this fall!!!

Proudly wearing their green and gold!

And finally, the last change was...

we have been officially waiting 15 months for our referral. I am okay with this knowing that we are closer to bringing him home. However, I can honestly say that the wait can truly be excrutiating at times.

I am thankful for all that we have been given, for our friendships, and for the hope that we have that soon we are going to have a referral to share with you all!!!!!

This Week's Adventures!

2011-09-01T20:26:00.000-07:00

So, the girls have started a new school this year and they have long days. As a little reprieve from homework, we went to the park for some fun!. We met some friends there and had a great time.

They played in the water area to cool off and then it was off to the play area. Sara was so tired, she just wanted to lay on the slide. And then there's Abby...anytime the camera is out she is in full-on posing mode!

Today was a BIG day. The girls have to wear uniforms to school this year and they are less than thrilled. Today was their 1st "free dress day." They were so excited to be able to wear what they wanted and even more excited to have it captured on film! They really crack me up!

So, we are officially ready for our 4 day weekend!

Paperwork!

2011-08-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

So, when we started this adoption process, I really never thought today would come. But here we are doing paperwork again. Today I visited our local Fed Ex office and sent off the first of many documents. YEAH! Trust me, I am completely fine with the paperwork.

1 - It gives me something to do...being proactive, that is!

2 - I get to make friends with a new Fed Ex guy (he wasn't there 1 1/2 years ago)!!!

3 - I am optimistic that this will be the final time I must assemble and submit all the paperwork!

4 - It means that we are that much closer to our referral!

On another note of firsts, I have read many blogs where the adoptive parents were in "the window" of getting their referral and they write about being anxious every time the phone rang. I have never experienced that...until TODAY! We are still about a month away from the average wait time for a referral, but wouldn't you know that everytime the phone rang today, I got butterflies. So, if this referral doesn't come soon, I am afraid that I will have all kinds of stomach ailments and the such! Oy, I am ready to see that kiddos face!!!

Here We Go Again!

2011-08-25T22:09:00.000-07:00

So, this is my second attempt at starting a blog to chronicle this whole adoption process. Why the second attempt you ask. Let me tell ya...I have lost my password to the first, can't recover due to cookies and my email (can you tell I am a little computer "unsavvy?"), and truth be told, I really didn't like the look of the first one. So, I decided to design a new blog and start fresh. To be honest, I hate writing. But, for my sweet children, I am attempting this thing again, determined more than ever that I am going to succeed and be diligent in keeping up with the "goings on" around here.

As of today, we have been on the adoption waitlist for 14 1/2 months. To say we are getting antsy is a complete understatement. We seemed to stay pretty busy this summer so time really did fly by. Now, however, that the girls are in school, I am by myself most of the day, waiting for the phone to ring, hoping and praying that we will receive our referral and see our baby boys face so soon.

God has thrown us a few curve balls through this process but we have learned so much and are so trusting that it is His timing we want, knowing that it is perfect!!! Now that I finally have this blog up, maybe the referral call will come tomorrow! You never know...