Just haven't met you yet

I love this new song by Michael Buble' titled "Just haven't met you yet" It is on the new CD that I got for Christmas from my mom, but I have been listening to it for a little while now. I love to picture our daughter that we are adopting. We are still on the waiting list, but are feeling hopeful for a referral sometime soon-ish. Pray with us if you are so inclined! More updates when we have some.

Settling In

Sorry for the extended break in blogging. I can't stand it when others quit blogging and am sorry for the lapse. Doug got home in September and we have been running ever since. Never a dull moment around here, that's for sure. We are still waiting for a referal to adopt from Ethiopia. More to follow soon!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

So sorry that I have been so neglectful in my posting. This summer has been so wonderful and before we knew it we were right in the throws of back to school. What a blessing to have been so busy. It has really made the last three months just fly by. We are still on the waiting list for our baby girl. At this point, I don't really think that we'll know more until closer to the holidays. It is in His timing! The kids are doing great and they are enjoying the new school year and being back with their friends and teachers. Well, their friends anyway. As the old saying goes for us moms at back to school time...It's the most wonderful time of the year! That is typically my sentiment, although this year was unusually hard for me when it came to sending the kids back to school. I wasn't ready for the early mornings, homework, lunch money, papers to sign, homework, driving to school, afterschool activites, did I mention homework? But I also think it was the fact that our summer was so great and I just hated to see it end. On the flip side though, I knew that the quicker they went back, the quicker Doug gets home! Doug should be returning home to us very shortly and we are so excited! I will definitely post more next week when he returns. I guess it will be the most wonderful time of the year after all!

Sweet Home ...Alabissippi?!

While I have always considered Mississippi to be "home", my parents somewhat recent move to the Mobile, Alabama area has caused me to pause when telling people where "home" is. Growing up in the Marine Corp always left me telling people where I was from versus where I was at that time. It was as though people wanted to know if you were one of them, or were you just a visitor in that place. I think that it is just human nature to desire to be a part of something that is bigger than themselves. A history, a past and a future. I know that our daughter may struggle with the concept of "home" even more than this old military brat. Will her home be Ethiopia, will it be wherever we are, or will it also be Mississippi/Alabama? Is home just what you have always known...or is home where the heart is...or is home where you are physically from...or is it so much more than any of those things. Although Mississippi will always hold a special place in my heart, I am so thankful that whatever earthly coordinates I most closely relate to, I know that my true home is with my Heavenly Father.

BFF

What a blessed two weeks we had together. As many of you know, Doug has been gone on a deployment since September of last year. He was able to come home for two precious weeks for rest and relaxation. I was concerned that with everything on our to-do list, that it would be anything but. Our prayer from the beginning was that God would multiply our time together, light our path and order our footsteps. We had SO much to do for our adoption while Doug was home and we didn't want it to be all-consuming. Our time to reconnect and for the kids to get filled up with Daddy lovin' was on the top of our list. We knew that God would have to move mountains in order for it to all happen. He is so faithful! For those of you in the adoption world, you will understand the compexity of what we had to accomplish in two weeks...home study, USCIS (which happens to be 7 hours each way south of us in Anchorage), ALL of the dossier and passports for Doug and for the kids! You can see where we had to place all of our trust in the Lord!!! But, would we really want it any other way? I just kept thinking what affirmation God was giving us by allowing it to all get done in such a brief window. Amazingly, we did complete everything that was necessary while Doug was home and as the pictures show, still had plenty of time for one another. When Doug left, we felt peace about his visit and about our time together. I know for those not in the military, you can not fathom a year apart from your husband. But, He is always with me, He never departs from me. Hear the song again with new understanding of who our best friend is.

John 15:15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.


Ooh you make me live
Whatever this world can give to me
It's you you're all I see
Ooo you make me live now honey
Ooo you make me live

Ooh you're the best friend that I ever had
I've been with you such a long time
You're my sunshine and I want you to know
That my feelings are true
I really love you
Oh you're my best friend

Ooo you make me live

Ooh I've been wandering round
But I still come back to you
In rain or shine
You've stood by me, girl
I'm happy, happy at home
You're my best friend

Ooo you make me live
Whenever this world is cruel to me
I got you to help me forgive
Ooo you make me live now honey
Ooo you make me live

You're the first one
When things turn out bad
You know I'll never be lonely
You're my only one
And I love the things
I really love the things that you do
You're my best friend

Ooo you make me live

I'm happy at home
You're my best friend
Oh ya
Oh you're my best friend
Ooo you make me live
You you're my best friend.

R and R

Many Rivers to Cross

As the month has gone by and the paperwork is looming, I feel more and more overwhelmed. I know that this is all in the Lord's timing, but I am still a very anxious mama bear wondering where my little one is tonight. I pray that she knows that we are coming for her and that she is warm, fed and clothed tonight. My thoughts are with her often and I find the wait to know who she is and where she is at times unbearable. We ask for extra prayers this month as we work diligently to complete the paperwork that is necessary. I know that there are indeed many rivers to cross and that we are indeed prepared to cross each one.

Hodge Podge

Surprise!

Smells like Teen Spirit

Wow! Forget the fact that Aaron is now 13. Think for a moment that I am just not possibly old enough to have a teenager. Oh my word...13! I guess this is just a new phase in our lives and that I will just have to adjust my brain a little. Even though there is nothing different than yesterday, it just feels a little different. To celebrate, I threw Aaron a surprise birthday party on Saturday. I had invited a few of his friends from school and we walked over to play laser tag and blow a few dozen quarters on air hockey and such. The boys all ran home and took turns playing Rock Band. We went through 5 pizzas, 6 2-liters of soda, chips, pretzels, candy, cake and two ice creams. You gotta love growing boys!

In the immortal words of Neil Armstrong

Today we received our "Education Packet" in the mail. That is just code for another step towards finding our girl. In two weeks, we will receive our Dossier Packet and the real fun can begin. I know that these things may not sound like a big deal, but in the adoption world, they are huge. I thank each of you that are keeping us in your prayers. With each prayer, you join us on our journey and I am forever grateful.

It's one small step for man...one giant leap for mankind.

New gig!

I have taken on a new role here in the Fairbanks community. A local dance studio, Dance Theater Fairbanks, is basing their spring performance around a locally written childrens book. I am going to narrate the story for the performance. It should be a lot of fun and will hopefully help me not obsess about the adoption. (I do openly admit to spending way too much time surfing yahoo groups, blogs and snapfish for photos and stories of others on similar journeys.) The book is about a Vole family and the Northern Lights. It is really precious and I can't wait to start work on the project. I had recently decided not to participate in a larger scale production that would have been too time consuming for us right now, so it feels good to still be involved on some level.

First Trimester

In many ways, I am finding that adopting is very much like a typical pregnancy. We have already conceived the child in our hearts, but the first trimester can really take a toll physically with all of the exhaustion and nausea. With adopting, the toll is in the form of paperwork...and more paperwork...and more paperwork. Exhaustion comes in the form of making sure that everything has been signed and filled out properly. Sometimes I think, "Oh my word, what were we thinking!?" (Just like I did when we found out we were pregnant with each of our biological children.) And other times, I am so excited I can hardly stand it. I think about every possible detail and scenario imaginable. What will she look like. Will I be the best mom for her that I can be. Will I finally get a child that has my curly hair? (Odds are good!) Our first steps have included completing a "mini" application back in September and recently a "formal" application. It is currently en route via Iraq for some signatures from Doug. The next step closer to getting out of this trimester will be to complete our Dossier. We are anticipating that to be completed and sent off by the end of May at the latest. Then, we wait and rest in God's arms for a few months. I think that will be much like the "feel good" stage of the second trimester. Then the third trimester. Knowing who your child is and having to wait to pass court and travel. The stage when you are so sick of being pregnant and just want to hold your baby and to know that it was all worth while. The time when you get to share your child with the world. The time when you get to show the world what a miracle God has done. I hope that the world will see God's beauty in our story. The beauty in how God can do anything!

Our Adoption Journey

Eight years ago when we had our youngest son Matthew, if you had told us that we would have one more child, we would have very maniacally laughed in your face. The thought of ever having more children would have never crossed our minds. We were so positive about our choice that we even made it permanent. We felt that our family was totally complete. We spent so many tired years with three little ones that we were very happy to move past those days. Don't get me wrong, we loved each of our precious years with them when they were little. But, there were no tears shed to see the last of the diapers if you know what I mean! We celebrated many lasts with Matthew. But, about 4 years ago, I had a quiet voice speak to me that there would be one more. Another girl! The thought that we would add to our family at that time was so impossible in so many ways. For one, Doug thought that I was insane and I think was secretly hoping that I would forget all about it. For another, we were broke financially just trying to take care of the three babies we already had. How could we ever even think about another child to take care of! I never said no to God's call to adopt, but I knew that He would have to move mountains. Well, He has! We are now in the early stages of our adoption process. Our hearts have been completely changed to the idea of adoption and our circumstances have changed dramatically. I can't wait to one day, in the presence of my Lord, see how our desire to be obedient to His call in our lives fit into His master plan.