21 Days

I just realized it's been that long since I've updated my blog. We've been busy helping my Sister and Bro-in-law move into their new house. Working lots, finishing our new bathroom, and spending time with family.

Here's some pictures of the awesome job my Hubby, Dad, and Brother did on our new bathroom!

Love it!

It's so nice to finally have 2 bathrooms in the house, even if we don't want to use the old one at all!!!

I recently started reading the Prayer of Jabez. I remember people talking about it before, but never got interested enough to actually read it and study it. I started reading the words everyday last week. It's pretty amazing. Today, I started reading the study guide. I already feel it's going to do great things for us. My favorite line I read today says,
"Think of it this way: instead of standing near the river's edge, asking for a cup of water to get you through each day, you'll do something unthinkable- you will take the little prayer with the giant prize, and jump into the river! At that moment, you will begin to let the loving currents of God's grace and power carry you along. God's great plan for you will surround you and sweep you forward into the profoundly important and satisfying life He has waiting."
-Bruce Wilkinson

The prayer is found in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 if you're interested.

Oh, Bless me indeed!

One of those days....

UPDATE:

Megan and Josh brought home their beautiful little miracle, Aliyah Nicole, today!!!! She's beautiful and they are so thankful for their amazing gift!

It happens every once in a while. (ok, more often than not!) I wake up feeling like it's a "poor me" kinda day. Then I snap out of it, and focus my energies toward more important things. A very wise person told me recently, instead of worrying about it, why don't you pray about it?

So that's my new plan. (not that I never did that, but I'm making a conscious effort) AND today it just so happens that I have something very important to pray about. I have mentioned about someone I met through AC who's BM (birth mother) was induced Sunday night. They have been traveling back and fourth to the hospital to feed the baby and spend whatever time they can with her. The time to sign the papers is at 5:30 today. They need our prayers. The BM, the baby, and the Mommy and Daddy-to-be will be going through a difficult but wonderful transition. There are no guarantee's, but we are praying for the right thing to happen. Will you help me, and focus your energies to pray for this family? It is greatly appreciated.

New Fundraiser Idea?

Every time someone asks us if we're still adopting, they have to give us a quarter. Every time we have to tell someone, "There's nothing new.", they have to give us a quarter. Our Adoption Fund jar would fill up pretty fast!

We love talking about it, and telling people about our journey. I just thought about cashing in on the situation!

Obviously, that's a joke. We have been blessed repeatedly since we started. People have been so generous, helping with our finances voluntarily. No asking or begging! Like Friday when I received yet another gift and inspiring card from a very sweet friend from high school. What a surprise and a blessing. Thank you so much!

And last night, while visiting with my Grandparents from Indiana, they showed us a small box from Israel, called a Mite (not sure on the correct spelling) Box, in which they and their friends and neighbors are filling with their spare change for our fund. We were blessed with the stories of the people in their neighborhood are going out of their way to help us. Every little bit helps. They are saving pennies, but it is priceless to us to feel so much love.

So, Yes, we're still adopting. No, we have no news. No, we don't know how long we will have to wait. BUT...............

We have never felt so much love and support and will count our blessings everyday until we bring home our miracle. No matter how long it takes!

P.S. Pray for our friends Josh and Megan as their Birth mother, who has chosen them to be her baby's parents, will be induced this evening. They will soon be the proud parents of their second beautiful miracle through adoption!

Ups and Downs

So, what happened this week? I got to stay home from Highmark all week thanks to the G20 Summit. However, it didn't really feel like I had any free time on my hands, just more time to cook, clean, do laundry, love on Jake and Kayleigh, and grocery shop. Aside from the Jake and Kayleigh part, it wasn't a relaxing week, but I'm thankful.

We had our first glimmer of exciting news on the adoption front, but it didn't work out. We received an email about an urgent situation, in which we decided to have our profile shown. (Normally they wouldn't ask us, they just match up criteria to determine if they will show your profile or not. BUT, in urgent situations, they ask you first.) It turned out that the Birth parents canceled their appointment, which is awesome, because it probably means they decided to parent their child. However, with it being our first time since being approved, we (I) let myself start to get lost in the idea of this situation working out for us. I decided that it's better to be prepared and disappointed, than unprepared and stressed out. So I got prepared. Not over the top, just a few basic things we will need, when the time comes. Then, we found out the time would not be coming soon, or at least not with this situation. I was bummed to say the least. I think it was a good way to break us in, for our first time of actually being able to say, "Yes, we are ready". Hopefully the next time we will get a little closer to being chosen, and each time we will be more and more prepared, emotionally and physically.

It really is exciting, and I'm trying to stand back and look at the big picture. I'm thinking more about buying a car seat, finding a Pediatrician, decorating the nursery, and so on. Important preparations. God already has the right baby ready for us, whether it's already growing in some one's tummy, or just a thought waiting to be conceived, our baby is growing in our hearts, and we will patiently wait for him/her to be cuddling in our arms. *chills*

Simple as that.

So, we didn't get the big climax I was hoping for. I had to email AC about our status, and they informed me that yes, we are in fact, approved. Our profile is in the circulation drawer.

Simple as that.

No exciting moment of opening a letter and reading the great news. No celebratory moment of hugging and kissing my Hubby.

Simple as that.

However, we are very excited. Ready for the next step of this process. The ups, and downs, turns, and twists. Corkscrews. Loops. Headaches, neck pains. Upset stomach. The highs, and lows, excitement and sadness, and more excitement.

Simple as that.

Roller Coaster

I was called out yesterday, reminded that when I started this blog I promised I would update every week. I didn't go back to see when my last post was, but I know it's been a while.

Sorry. Here you go!

I never was much of a fan of roller coasters. I usually end up with a sore neck for days after the quick 30 second ride. I was thinking today about the journey to adoption, and how it's often compared to a roller coaster ride. I think about the many amusement parks I've been to. Getting in line for the ride is like the time from when we started trying to conceive. Getting on the ride is like choosing an adoption agency. The beginning of the ride is the homestudy and all the paperwork, and then, your car is starting to climb up the first big hill. Climbing, climbing, climbing.

That's where I feel we are. We are almost to the top of the hill, ready for the climax and the twists and turns and ups and downs that are to follow. The top of the hill, in my mind, is when we receive our official letter saying we're approved. I'm assuming that there is an official letter. I'm beginning to wonder. It's been a couple weeks since we've heard anything. Patience. I'm trying.

On a different note, we are having our 3rd. and final yard sale to benefit our adoption fund. Saturday, 79 Broad Street, Marianna. Stop by if you're out and about enjoying the covered bridge festivals. We're hoping to get rid of mostly everything left. We have done great with our sales, raising more than $1400 to help bring our dream into reality. Thanks to everyone who donated stuff, came and shopped, and helped run the yard sales. We'll need to think of a good fundraiser for the colder months to come. We have been truly blessed to this point, and are so thankful for the support of our friends and family!

I'm hoping my next post will include hands in the air and lots of screaming ;-0

Scatter-Brained

I've been trying to put some thoughts together for a new post. I'm still not sure I have anything to write, even though I started a new one! Nothing new, (YET!) on the adoption front. I'm waiting for "official" word before I post anything new. Over the last couple weeks, I sorta disconnected myself from the process. Not on purpose, it just happened. Thankfully. I haven't looked in my very thick binder, or read our profile, or searched for info online. I think you are so consumed by all that while needing to fill out paperwork and publish a profile that when it's finally done, you have no desire to see any of that, for a while. I'm definitely there. I came across some paperwork that needed to go in our binder, and I actually had to search to figure out where the binder was! Not because our office is cluttered or anything ;-), but really because I hadn't used it for so long.

So for now, I am trying to focus on anything. Laundry, some sort of exercise, work, food, work,
anything. But haven't had much luck with the focus part. Kind of learning what it might be like to have A.D.H.D.

That's about all I have to say, and that wasn't even very interesting.