Good News, Thanks and Praise

Wow, I just came from a quick peek at the family blog on IAN's website and was I pleasantly surprised! I am going to take this opportunity to post the good news.  First I have to say where this inspiration to share this news comes from... our good friends Debb and Jeff are also bringing their child(ren) home from Ethiopia and are SO close to referal. :) check out their blog http://www.marquezfamilyjourney.blogspot.com/ this is where I saw that their agency had some pretty crazy, good movement too!  Praise the Lord for all of it!! He is so faithful to us.  Here is the awesome news from today!

DRUM ROLL ....

• 7 families passed court today
• 6 of the 7 families it was their first court appointment and were able to celebrate while in ET with their babes
• 1 family that passed was from the new region of Gambella, so that makes 2 families who had referals from the Gambella region that have passed court
• 12 other families received court dates today
• 2 families received Embassy approval after only one week!!

What a blessed Monday!! I am so happy for these families. Anyone who has adopted knows that the journey is usually peppered with what seems like little hiccups or rather at the time huge mountains but what we nee to try to remember is that those little hiccups do not mean no, they mean just not yet. 
Praying these families grace, strength and peace for the rest of their journey to becoming a family. :)

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Before I get too deep into my post I need to preface it with this first. :)  After being home bound, literally for 12 days with Emily who has been sick we needed to get out of the house.  She turned a corner over the weekend for the better so while not at a 100% I still felt pretty confident that it was ok to go out for a bit, somewhere, anywhere.  I knew it would have to be indoors because we are having hail, wind and snow flurries and cold temperatures outside.  My hubby suggested the mall and since I have not been to our mall in a LONG time I thought it sounded like a pretty good idea.  We could walk around and stop at Starbucks for a quick treat too! 
Well I don't really think the mall is a place for refreshment.  If you want to feel old and out of style hit the mall but that is another post.  ;)  I think most of what is rumbling around inside of me is due to the simple fact that I have a daughter (and one on the way) whom I cherish and love and also want to protect, not neccessarily shelter but definately protect.  My heart felt heavy when we got home. The stores for the most part in our mall cater to the biggest consumers probably tweens to twenties.  That isn't the problem, it was the content of the stores and the advertisements.  Here's one example most of the stores we either walked through or by have a section with some pretty sexy lingerie for young girls and these were not Victoria Secret stores.  It seemed like the stores went from "The Childrens Store" and "Gymboree" to "Forever 21" and "Wet Seal", with nothing in between. Is it any wonder why parents are encouraged to have the birds and the bees talk by fifth grade?!  And honestly I don't understand what we used to call "stripper shoes" (you know the very tall stilhouettos) why they are the rage.  Why do young girls aspire to look that way?  I think fashion can be fun, it is creative expression however with all that being said I want my daugthers to have modesty too.  And I truly believe they can be both fashionable and modest.  I understand that sometimes it is tough to be in the world and not of the world. My hope is that my daughters will know who they are in Christ, His word says "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good."  And yes God made the female form beautiful but He did not intend for it to be exploited. 

I pray that this truth resonates deeply into the souls of my girls for as long as they live.
"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made" Psalm 139:14

Beautiful in His Time

"He has made everything beautiful in its time" Ecclesiastics 3:11

This verse sums up how I felt after waiting 3 years for our referal for our daughter from China. It may sound cliche but I can say with an honest heart that she was definately worth the wait. On the website we created for our announcement and journey to Emily we titled it "From Gods Hand to Ours" and  only He could have matched us with a child that was perfect for our family. Emily has brought so much joy, laughter, and love into our lives. We have watched this scared, sad, spunky, tiny bit of babe blossom into a secure, kind, tenderhearted, funny, animated and sweet little girl. And yes she is still spunky or as they refer to the girls in the province she is from, spicy! We feel incredibly blessed to be her parents.

 

Kylie,Connie,Kim and Katie in Hong Kong

I am also grateful to 4 other adoptive momma's that I met at the beginning of our adoption journey for their love, support, and friendship. We had the joy of travelling with 3 of the 4 families in China. We all live in different states and yet we have been brought together by our daughters. The best part is that we still keep in touch and we consider them more family than friends. February 22nd 2009 was our "Family Day" as we like to call it and it was one of the best days of my life. I will never forget it.

This is also a time to give thanks and praise to all of the generous family and friends who supported us prayerfully, with fundraising, and loved us through it all. You are all a part of our story and we are forever grateful.

 I couldn't end this post without a few pictures of Emily and her daddy whom she loves so much!!





Family Day; Daddy and Emily          

Daddy and Emily at Red Fish Lake

Gratitude and Living in the Mommy Trenches

 Well that was quick, since my most recent post this week we have moved up another 3 spots on the infant girl list.  "I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed , you can say to this mountain , "Move from here to there " and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."  I shouldn't be surprised by how GREAT our God is and I try to keep any unbelief that may creep into my heart at bay yet why is it that when prayer is answered I am indeed surprised? I truly believe that the daughter we are adopting into our family was His plan before ours so of course He is going to knit it all together wonderfully and beautifully.!!

I have been in the mommy trenches with a very sick little one.  I am thankful because up to this point she has only been to the doctor for her immunizations so realistically it was only a matter of time before our number came up.  I posted on my FB that it feels like grounds hog day, sick child, no shower, wiping, blowing and cleaning up.  After tomorow we will have been to the doctor 3 times in one week.  Poor baby, she is miserable. I could go into the gory details however just the thought of reliving it via this post wears me out! Big hugs to all you mommas out there as you love up your babes....and praying you rest.  ;)
P.S. Thank you Nikki for the gentle reminder that in the midst of it all we did move up 2 more spots!

FIFTY FIVE

Here's a little update for all those inquiring minds..We moved up 7 spots in January to number "55".  We couldn't be any happier about that! However here it is mid February and no movement.  Relying on our faith that God's timing is perfect and trying to rest in His peace.  Have a great week!  

Chinese New Year Celebration with our IFCA

Tonight we celebrated Chinese New Year with the local chapter of Families with Children from Asia.  It was hosted at Gateway  School of Language and Culture which is a Chinese Immersion School.  We had dinner first followed by dance performances by each class K-6th as well as performances by a Modern Chinese Dance troupe.  I have to say it brought tears to my eyes, they were all so cute and each person took it all so seriously.  Everyone was graceful and beautiful.  After the dance performances they had crafts set up in several different rooms.  Emily had fun coloring and playing with the other kiddos.  As I walked around the school looking at what was on the walls in the hallways and inside of the classrooms I was impressed with what I saw.  Numerous mentions of respect, honoring, integrity, tranquility, love and even a wall with a huge map of Africa, a work station and some of their art projects from the Africa theme.  I saw quotes of famous people in history to inspire and bring hope.  One in particular caught my eye so I took a picture of it and will post it along with celebration pictures from tonight.  What is ironic about Gateway Language and Culture School is that I attented elementary school there when it was called McMillan Elementary so to be back there after 35 years (sad but true) and to be contemplating if Emily might someday be a student there is pretty wild. Blessings to you all....

AMEN

Nana with our family



Our little family



Pop Pop and Emily watching the performances

Having fun coloring

Miss Emily

mommy and Emily

LOVE this picture; my treasures

Emily took this picture of us

Gong Hay Fat Choy!

Rite of Passage

I remember always thinking that if someday I had a little girl I would pierce her ears when she was a baby.  When we became a family there was so much adjustment already taking place that I questioned if it was the "right" time. Than I began to dream (I know it sounds a bit silly) about it being a special day when she started school where we got her ears pierced, went to lunch or dinner just us girls and Nana. Now here at 3 years old I just couldn't wait any longer and while her hair is still at this little pixie length I thought why not? Thats how I roll, I make up my mind and usually just do whatever it is. I have to say there have been times this hasn't always been the best way to do things but that is a whole other post. :)  And actually this time it all worked out.  Daddy met us at the store since Nana said she couldn't bear to see Emily go through it and I wasn't sure just how well I would handle it either. After all this is my baby we're talking about. When it was all said and done she let out a loud wail and quite a fews tears were shed. Thankfully her ears were pierced at the same time and for bravery she received a pretty blue lollipop from the girls.  I'm actually glad we did it now so that by summer when we are camping, swimming etc they will be healed and we shouldn't have to worry about them too much. She looks really cute. She told me she wants to fill up her jewelry box with earrings, lots and lots of earrings.  So from this rite of passage my baby says she is now my "big girl".  My heart says oh, sweetie don't be in too big of hurry to grow up.   I love you to the moon and back.

Support from Daddy

Mommy and Emily

"X" marks the spot, this isn't so bad

the strength of daddys hands, I'm ready

Feeling a bit scared now

All done, thank goodness!

Paparazzi

Remember the camera that Emily got for Christmas?

priceless

Daddy

Ready or Not

Miss Emily is really starting to enjoy playing hide and seek inside our home. And it's funny because she has her own set of rules of just how that game is played.  For instance when daddy is trying to find her she will call out "I am in here", she almost always hides in the same place and she likes to tell you where you should hide too. One day when we were playing and it was my turn to find her she calls out "I am in here" and this time it was a new hiding place. When I got to her I burst out laughing, silly girl.... she was in her laundry basked in plain sight. I love this girl!!

Here I am

Ethiopian Christmas Celebration

Merry Ganna (which is basically Christmas and /or birth of Jesus Christ)

January 7th of this year was Ethiopian Christmas.  On January 8th we were blessed with attending our local families with children from Ethiopias Christmas celebration.  In case you didn't know Ethiopia does not go by the Gregorian calendar they use their own ancient calendar most similar to an Egyptian calendar.  I tell you this because the most significant thing about this is that it runs EIGHT years behind us.  So welcome to the year 2003!  Isn't that amazing?!  Anyhoo back to the celebration.  It was awesome we loved seeing all of the families together and the children dressed in their native clothing, they all looked adorable!  This was the first time we have eaten Ethiopian food and it was delicious; I especially enjoyed the coffee afterwards.  Emily was really shy at first bit it didn't take long for her to be running around hugging and laughing with all the other kiddos.  Emily's "pop pop" went with us and we also met up with our good friends Debb & Jeff who anyday  should be getting their referral isn't that exciting?!  It was a great evening and hopefully by this time next year we will have baby sister home too!  Enjoy the pics...  :)

Our Ethiopian Dinner: Injera is kind of like a spongy crepe, Wat is similiar to a hot spicy stew, & bread. The milk is for cooling off your mouth from the spiciness.

The family along with Pop Pop



Our dear friends Debb and Jeff




Emily with her friend Avery



pure sass

Miss Emily