Memories

Last night I stayed with Elizabeth for a little while before she went to sleep. We were talking about what it might be like when the child or children we adopt come to our house. Eventually Elizabeth asked me to tell her about when she was a baby. I feel guilty because I have been very bad about recording things. Information in her baby book is rather sparse. But then it makes me sad for other reasons. I can at least tell her about my memories from when she was born (or bor-en as she says), and I can work on writing these down. But I won’t have those memories for children we adopt. I can and will tell them about their adoptions and about their country. But they have a history before us…being adopted doesn’t wipe that out. And when they ask, there is so much I won’t be able to tell them.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is my mom's 49th birthday! (She doesn't mind telling people her age because she looks SO young, no one believes her anyway ;-)) I thank God for my mom. She is a great Christian woman! Especially since Elizabeth was born, my mom has become one of my best friends. I'm grateful that she and Elizabeth have a very special bond, too. Happy Birthday, Mom!

Great News Day!

Today was a bit of a rough day with Elizabeth and myself (we were both tired and not going to sleep, David came home from work later than normal). But it has turned out to be a day of GREAT news!

Our dear friends found out that they were able to get the birth certificate for their son in Guatemala!!! Praying he will FINALLY be home in a few weeks!

...then TWO families with our agency received referrals for infants in Ethiopia today! This is MUCH sooner than we had been expecting.

Our God is SO Good!

The New Jerusalem

Revelation 21:1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

PRAISE BE TO GOD!

Sugar?

Mommy: It's raining! Are we going to melt when we get out of the car?
Elizabeth: No, Mommy. We won't melt
Mommy: But I thought you were made of sugar. Sugar melts
Elizabeth: I'm not made of sugar. I'm made of God!

Feliz cumpleaños a ti, Niño Precioso.

A Lot on My Mind

Tonight, I don’t think I’m going to be getting much sleep. Even if I do, my eyes are going to be red and puffy in the morning. There are so many things on my mind.

Today is Jose’s birthday (well it'll be the 29th in Guatemala in a couple hours). He’s turning 2. When we first started this process, we were pretty sure he would be home with us by this point. I know now that, even without the document issues, that would have been nigh impossible in the current atmosphere in Guatemala—especially since he has a Mixco birth certificate. But it still hurts thinking of what “should” have been. We didn’t send anything down, and I feel guilty about that. We haven’t heard anything about him in several months, so I’m not even sure if he is still with his foster mom or somewhere else. I think we might get a little birthday cake and sing to him. Of course, we’ll pray for him and all those involved in his life.

I know God is touching my heart with so many things right now…clean water, HIV, famine, orphans, widows, Red Letters, sacrificial giving, our adoption, friends' adoptions…I don’t know what to do with it all. But I’m praying He will not let me become complacent. He will stir my heart until I know and follow His lead.

Random Pictures

Our big girl after her last day of Three-year-old pre-school! She made the visor herself...can you tell? :-)




Elizabeth with some dolls we made. Yes, the faces need a little help (Grandma was a little button happy hehehe), but they were fun to make! We are going to TRY to make some more...eventually.




So proud of the Red, White, and Blue--and even more of the FAMILIES who make sacrifices every day to defend our land!




It is absolutely AMAZING to me that I have FOUR living blooming plants in my house! I have killed just about every other plant I have bought or been given. What's even more amazing is I've had the two orchids for over a year!!! (I thought they were supposed to be very picky) If they weren't on the shelf right above my kitchen sink, none of them would stand a chance, though ;-)

Yep we're still around...

Sorry it's been a while since I've blogged. It seemed like nothing was happening, but then all the sudden time had flown!

Elizabeth ended up being at my parents' house for two weeks. I was there for the last four days. I arrived for a late dinner Monday. Tuesday Elizabeth, Mom, and I went in to my Dad's work to join him for lunch. We went to a cute children's museum, and then my Dad took his three girls flying for about an hour (including two practice landings and take-offs). We were going to leave Wednesday, but I decided to stay another day. Wednesday we tried to go to another museum, but ended up lost downtown and just went to Chuck E. Cheese's.

Thursday Elizabeth and I left, but she still wasn't ready to come home. I don't think my parents were really ready to let her go, either. When I called my mom on the way home, she said that it felt weird not having Elizabeth there now. My trips up and back ended up both taking about 11 hours--up because of traffic, back because I ended up making 5 potty breaks with a pre-schooler and a beagle ;-)

Since we've been back, we've taken a trip to Richmond for dinner and shopping with my cousin, had church nursery, had dance/gymnastics, and today was Elizabeth's last day of pre-school for the year! My has she grown!

I just have to write a cute thing she said tonight during dinner...if only so I have it documented somewhere. She was playing with her pizza, and I told her no one would want to eat pizza she'd had her hands all over. She said, "'cause no one wants my germs because then they'd act like me, right?

I'll post some pics tomorrow; right now my camera is out in the car. (I haven't forgotten the pics of the dolls, Holly! :-))

A week ago Thursday, my mom came down to visit. It's been a little crazy since then ;-) She was going to leave Wednesday, but was able to stay until Friday...yeah! Here are a few highlights!

Friday: Elizabeth's pre-school bowling field trip. Then lunch and shopping because Grandma and Elizabeth wanted to buy new matching outfits. Daddy worked on building a fence for other Grandma.

Saturday: Ladies Tea and Fashion Show where Grandma and Elizabeth wear their new matching outfits :-) More shopping. Then Grandma and Mom go to a Tastefully Simple party and also pick up some Southern Living at Home items for great prices--Thanks Detra! More fence building for Daddy (Sorry, the picture from the fashion show isn't very clear)

Sunday: Church (late because we got stuck behind an accident), Cousin A.J.'s birthday party

Monday: Laundry and making dolls with Grandma (Grandma did the sewing. Elizabeth helped with the tracing. Mommy did tracing and cutting.)

Tuesday: Elizabeth has school. Go to movies to see Horton Hears a Who. Have dinner with Cousin Tashina and her boyfriend Josh. Yea for finding a YUMMMY Ethiopian restaurant! We were very impressed with the directions, T! :-)

Wednesday: Drive up to see the Air Force Memorial. Find Grandpa and Great Grandpa's names. Stop by IKEA on the way home. Buy a bench for kitchen table that is WAY too long...good thing it's safe to use for outdoor furniture because now it's on the front porch.

Thursday: Making more dolls. Elizabeth has dance and gymnastics. Decide during dinner that Elizabeth is going home with Grandma tomorrow without Mommy or Daddy! Hurry up to pack!

Friday: Elizabeth and Grandma pick up a friend and head to Grandma and Grandpa's house, get a flat on the way, and deal with pouring rain. Elizabeth learns how to get trucks to honk. They finally arrive after 13 hours, though the drive is normally only 9 hours.

I don't have pics of the dolls because Elizabeth took them with her, but we used the pattern shown HERE and modified it for our preferences.