I-1800A APPROVED!

Today is a great day!  We are getting so close to sending all of our paperwork to China.

I am back!

Whew, the last month has been very busy.   A big thanks to Danielle for the new design.  I do love it and I feel like it is much more in line with where my life is headed.  SIMPLICITY here I come!   This last month has been a very sweet time of focusing on God's direction for our lives.    I am sorry to say I really filled my life up with so much business and worry and stuff,  that His voice was too far to be heard.  

I am a firm believer that God takes us from better to better.   So with that, we have decided to sell our house, and for those of you who do not know us, our home was just rebuilt after tornado destroyed it.  The idea of leaving this house is very difficult for me.  I loved building this house and I designed this house for our big family and friends - it was my dream.  We have decided to sell it because it is a very big investment and in order to move in the direction we feel He is inviting us to move towards, we have to change our "investment plan."  For us it is moving away from a very selfish lifestyle where we live to satisfy ourselves, to a life that is simpler with less "stuff" a place with more freedom and room to give.  I really believe this shift will allow us to be even closer as a family - yes, proximity too :).  I cannot wait to experience the better!

With all that said, the adoption is really moving along.  We were very sad to learn that our adoption agency had to close their international division.  Through a dear friend, we have found a new agency that has been wonderful to us.  Friday, we shipped all our papers off to the Chinese Consulate in Houston and Monday morning we expect to be I-800a approved!  It takes about 10 days to have the Consulate authenticate all of our papers and then we will be DTC (dossier to China).  We are planning a big DTC celebration!  Hoping we can also soon celebrate our referral.

God is so good and faithful!

Praises

Sing, O Daughter of Zion;  shout aloud, O Isreal!  Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, . . . The Lord your God with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.

Zephaniah 3:14-17

Isn't that incredible!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone!

Oh I am so glad to be back in a routine.  My head is so much clearer and the excitement level has stabilized.

I really took Christmas much too causally this year.  What do I mean by that?  Well, I did not enter into the season with enough quiet time and prayer and it really caught up with US in a big way.  

Sunday Morning Before Christmas

Celebrating St. Lucia Day (one week one day  late)

Sunday Morning - Doesn't he look well?

After church things began to take a turn for the worst! After we got home from church, my precious little boy spiked a fever of 103.8 and began crying because he couldn't breath.  The only symptom he had was a cough . . .  for 3 weeks :(  OFF TO THE DOCTOR!

When they checked his vitals, they rushed him back to see the doctor because of his low blood oxygen levels.  The Dr., not so kindly, asked me how long he had been coughing - well, maybe 3 weeks.  I have all girls except for him,  HE IS A BOY and HE IS NEVER SICKLY - He is a tank!  I had no idea he was as sick as he was.  He looked fine that morning.  After a chest x-ray She determined he had pneumonia!  Oh my, oh my, I felt HORRIBLE!!!  I was so thankful she trusted me to go home with him - Hot pink pacifier and all!  (I just grabed what I could while running out the door.  I do not know why he has a pink passie.)

I was planning on holding my boy for the rest of the day and even stopped by the drug store for some new pacifiers (his favorite!).   I cannot tell you how badly I felt.

Just look at that stash of pacifiers!  BLUE

Well, we arrived home, Quinn fell asleep so I decided to make the cookies I had promised to make with girls (for the past three days).  While we were baking I kept fussing at them because there were little water puddles all over the floor.  When I realized NO ONE HAD WATER, I discovered water was seeping through the  joints of the hardwood floors!  Yes, my kitchen was flooding!  Skip had a visitation for a client who passed away, so there I sat watching the kitchen fill up until he got back.  I did not know where the water shut-off valve was.  (I do now). Sunday did end with stress levels a bit elevated.

Monday:  We had no water and workmen workmen workmen and demolition!  The discovery, a sheet rock nail had punctured a copper water pipe - it took the nail a year to rust.  Once it rusted the nail no longer worked as a plug.  It only took tearing up one wall, one cabinet and part of the back splash to discover the TINY hole.  Our one year builder's warranty had just expired two days PRIOR.  Perhaps he will make an exception?

Tuesday: Grace woke up sick - identified by how weak she looked.  She was diagnosed with strep and two days later started barking like a seal -  the croup!  Skip spent the day at the Dr. because of an  upper respiratory infection.  

Christmas morning came and everyone had been on antibiotics long enough - we were all somewhat well except for the barking.  It was so exciting until someone realized Santa left a TOYS R CRAZY receipt on Olivia's  gift - tears!  She was crushed!  I really tried to explain the whole "Santa doesn't do electronics" - I am a bad story teller!  I threw my hands up and admitted defeat -with only her.  She then got the croup Christmas night which led to her throwing up PUMPKIN PIE!  Merry Christmas!

On the heels of all of that, we had family mad at us for changing a certain tradition. Yuck Yuck

I saw these crazy little magnets that said, "He is the reason for the Season."  I think it needs to be revised: "He should be the reason for the season."

I am really thinking about a destination Christmas next year.  We can celebrate on Dec 20th and head off somewhere.

Everyone is now well - Praises.  School is back in session.  We have no news about the adoption.  We continue to pray for the baby God has for us and many other orphans in China. There is one in particular that is very sick right now.  His name is Forest.  Please pray the Dr's will discover what is wrong with this PRECIOUS boy. 

I love praying for all these babies! Oh how their sweet faces have blessed me. I am also so absolutely thankful for this adoption journey.  In just a short time I have seen so much work that needs to be done on my heart, marriage and attitudes. Although difficult to work through, I am grateful for  these discoveries.   Along side of this work He is teaching me such a beautiful lesson about love and the measure in which He loves us - truly difficult to comprehend!  I delight in what is ahead not just because there is a beautiful baby waiting, but because I really do see His work in the bigger picture.  I am truly and humbly thankful that I am His daughter.

Things I want to do this year - fall even more in love with my husband, go and get our baby from China, knit many hats with the girls, visit China as a volunteer, make a trip out west to see family, run a 3 mile race, read the entire Bible, make window treatments for our house and stick to our budget.

This is going to be an exciting and wonderful year!  I cannot wait until next CHRISTMAS!!!

Merry Christmas!

Clap your hands all you nations; shout to God with cries with joy.  

Psalm 47:1

Joy To The World

Blessings!

Sweet Sara, thoughts of you with your precious daughter have made this Christmas extra special!  Joy!!!  Sara and her husband are in China right now adopting their beautiful daughter, Mya -  Safe travel and Merry Merry Christmas!!!!!

Off to enjoy the holidays with these precious gifts!  See you next year.

Young Life Christmas Party 2009

Lovin the 80's

What a great Christmas party!  We decided to dress down a little this year, although  Skip was faithful to his Hawaiian Christmas shirt.  It has taken me years to get him to wear this shirt and now during the holidays, I can hardly get him to take it off.  A couple of people asked him if he was related to Rick Warren.  I am thrilled leggings are back in! - COMFORT!  Shoulder pads?  For the life of me I cannot remember where I put the pair with Velcro.  

Young Life Christmas Party 2008

Last year we/I went a little over dressed.  The girls were so excited about the dress, they insisted I wear a tiara.  I am so extremely uncomfortable going to parties and inevitably, I always have on the wrong thing.  The problem is I have all these little bodies (5 to be exact) in my bathroom and closet - they talk and talk and ask so many questions while I am trying to get dressed.  I usually change outfits at least 2 or three times before I am comfortable going out.  Then once I get settled, Skip will come and ask my opinion.  Poor guy, I am entirely too caught up in myself to dress him too.  Last year he had to wear this tie - gift from work? Greens a little off.

Anyway, I should plan ahead, try on all my clothes so I do not have to think about anything!  Oh once this last party is over I can concentrate on Christmas - Just need to plan and set out what to wear before hand!

Merry Christmas!

Filed I-800A Today

Celebration!

This is a big day for our us and our baby waiting in China.  The I-800A is a form  you have to file with immigration (USCIS) in order to adopt a baby internationally.  It is a 7 page form you have to fill out and with it you send in your completed home study and proof of citizenship.  So, in short, we are also celebrating the COMPLETION of our home study!  All of our papers are gathered and ready for a few more stamps of approval!  

In a few weeks  we will receive a letter from the USCIS telling us they received our I-800A and when we can go to the FBI building to get fingerprinted.   We do not expect to have approval from USCIS until around March.  In the meantime, we will take a few trips to the big city to visit the Secretary of State's office and get fingerprinted.  I LOVE visiting the big city!   Please pray with us as our agency looks for our baby on the special needs list.  

Thank You!

Out Of The Mouths of Babes

My children have kept me smiling the last few weeks leading up to the Christmas Frenzy!  The drama between the older girls is somedays too much for all of us.

Me:  Kids, I am sorry we have to take down the tree.  It is making me really sick (I had a horrible reaction to our fresh pine tree.   I was so allergic that one afternoon I thought my throat was going to close.) 

Annabel:   Well, I really wish we could keep the tree, it's my favorite.  Can't you just be sick? (Annabel is such a sweet child, so her saying that was so funny.  You could see her wheels spinning - Tree or Mama/ Tree or Mama?)   

Me:  Do you enjoy me acting crazy? (which is how I behave when I am sick)

The fully decorated tree did come down - so sad!

Olivia:  Mama I know the rule is Santa will not bring live animals.  I just knooowww he will make this oonnne exception, so that is allll I am asking for.  Well . . ., I did add one more thing to the list if he cannot bring me a PHILLY.  I really think I would like a Husky puppy.

Annabel's advice to Grace:  (Anna) Just ask him (Santa) for the DS, that way it's free.  That's why I am asking him for an IPOD.  Isn't it free Mama if it comes from Santa?

Grace:  Mama, is that whole spending the night thing your rule or the police's rule?  (they have to be 8 years old to spend the night out)

Grace:  Mama, how did I get out of your tummy?  Did you do all that tummy cutting thing because I am not going to do that!  (I do not know where that came from!?)

Grace:  Mama, Ms. Elizabeth, from Three Channels, ran every red light today.  It was a fun contest!  It was just like you do.  Edward had to go to the bathroom and she was really in a hurry.  (Come to find out all the lights they hit were green. - Green or red - it's all the same to her.  Skip happened to be in the car for this conversation.  He wasn't surprised by my driving, but for Elizabeth that would be really unusual.)

Annabel:  So Mama, if Santa is real then why did he forget to put something in Bailey's stocking?  (Bailey is our dog, lowest on the stocking chain. She didn't know how lucky she was to get something in her stocking after such a big move.)

Quinn: (MY SON who is such a boy)  Mama, will I ever turn into a girl?  

Me: Praise Jesus, No son!

Off to wrap presents!

It's A Fancy Date!

Skip and I got to dress up last night for a black tie debutant celebration to honor our niece, Caroline.   It has been at least three years since we dressed up! and three years since I have purchased pantyhose!  They now have the most wonderful slips with Lycra and after 5 babies that is not a want but rather a need.  As I was getting ready, the children kept running into our room absolutely amazed at the transformation from MAMMA to "Princess."   I asked Grace if by chance I could be a queen.  Her reply, " No mamma, you have to be a princess because a queen's hair looks like this (she grabbed two bunches of her hair and had it sticking up) and mamma, your hair looks sooo good.   The older two girls tilted their heads as they looked at me and said almost in the form of a question, "You look so pretty?  I like your dress."  The baby just cried, she could not hide her confusion and shock.

The evening was so much fun!  I had the most handsome date in the room!  The theme for the night was Winter Wonderland and everything was beautiful - especially Caroline.  The room was filled frosted window panes, artificial snow, and white lights.  I loved looking at all the beautiful cocktail dresses worn by the college age girls.  Skip and I stood back and discussed how years ago black tie occasions were much more common, we were actually a little sad that it had been so long since we dressed up.  Don't get me wrong, we really like being a part of the more informal generation,  there is just something nice about a fancy date.

We are so amazed at how quickly time passes.  Caroline was a flower girl in our wedding - she was only 9 years old.  As she transitions to adulthood we are thrilled to see His plan unfold in this new chapter of her life. 

The Eve of Thanksgiving

THE CHRISTMAS TREE!!!!!

And a little cookie decorating

Yum!

Amelia was having the best time with all the candy and frosting!  

By the end these two had chocolate frosting from ear to ear. It was so funny to watch how Grace would delicately place each piece of candy with just the right amount of frosting and Quinn, he was just going to get the job done! 

So much fun!    We had the best time  - CONTAINED CHAOS!

Thankful By Annabel

I am thankful for:

having a fun family;

having a cute dog;

having a sweet mommy and daddy;

having great sisters;

having enough money for things;

having a big house to live in; 

going to church and not having to go to jail because we are at church.

Last week the older girls and I went to hear a friend of ours talk about her mission trip to India. She gave an incredible presentation with a lot of pictures.  She shared so much about how difficult life is for the people of India.  What really stuck with us was the many many  orphans, how people live in tents that get washed away by rains,  and the tragic persecution for Christians.   I sometimes wonder what my life would have been like had I understood what Annabel does at such a young age.  

Indians at the Preschool Thanksgiving Program

Can I take that?

Sure Meil, let me help you my little Indian Princess.

Where's Mama ?  Daddy, I cannot see her!

Swing me Daddy!

Are you bored Amelia?  Hungry?

The older girls and I arrived right on time to the Thanksgiving program.  Amelia and Quinn were more than ready to perform.  As I blended in with the sea of other parents in the small fellowship hall, pride was getting the best of me.  Quinn, while everyone was singing, was yelling, "Daddy, where is she?"  As you can see Skip was fortunate enough to also be center stage.  He kept saying, "Buddy, she is right there."  "Where Daddy?"  This went on for the duration of a very cute song that I know he could sing quite confidently.  In the meantime, Amelia decides she would do a little performance herself.  

We then proceeded to the wonderful Thanksgiving buffet in the small fellowship hall.  I have a difficult time in buffets with 5 children and we really do not eat out a lot -  Containing the chaos at home is much more enjoyable.  I am finding, especially after today, that we really need to expose the children a bit more to the art of fine dinning.  Today, we ate like Indians at the first Thanksgiving - that is not a good thing.

Grace decided she did not want to eat her corn, so she graciously scooped them up WITH HER HANDS and gently placed them on my plate with my corn.

Quinn, devoured his cookie - FIRST THING. He had chocolate all over his face!  His sweet friend Charlie sitting across the table was having to listen to his mother say, "No Charlie, we eat our dessert last."

Amelia dumped her plate over onto the plastic table cloth - then her drink.

Annabel feared a shortage of cookies so she kept leaving the table to stock up, never mind the line was still full of people waiting to eat.

I really felt happy for the sweet mother sitting in front of me.  It had to have been a proud parenting moment for her.  Her children behaved so mannerly.  I hope she praised them on the way home.   You will never guess what we discussed on the way home!

We really do need to work on our table manners.  Dinner at home is usually fun because Daddy is home.  It is loud and FULL of conversation - I cannot stand chaos, so we are able to hold that to a minimum.  I am not sure where to begin with this parenting project.  The older girls do well, but need improvement.

To give the children a chance to be greatly praised, I decided to run into the local PACKED with Thanksgiving shoppers grocery store.  I NEVER take all five into a store unless I really need something and no one is available to help me.

THEY DID GREAT!!!!