SHOWERED WITH LOVE!!!!

OH. MY. GOODNESS!!!

Can you say BEST SHOWER EVER!?!?!?!?  My sweet friends, Amber and Allison, threw me a shower last weekend (October 22, 2011), and it was SUCH a precious day!!!

I cannot even BEGIN to thank the two of them as well as EVERYONE who attended!!!  I am still in awe of the WONDERFUL and FANTASTIC friends I have!!!  Several different moments I would take a second to scan the room full of thirty AMAZING women, and THANK GOD for so many precious souls who are not only incredible and genuine friends, but are also so stinkin' excited for us to bring our BOYS HOME!!!!!

Whenever I stop to consider how many prayers are being said on behalf of Jeff and me and Baby K and Big Brother "S," I am stunned.  God has surrounded us with the most supportive, real, genuine, passionate people we could ever hope to travel alongside on our journey to our boys!  Each and every one of you ~ and those who wanted to attend but could not ~ you have NO IDEA just how very MUCH your prayers, thoughts, positive energy and support have meant to us!

You have lifted me when I felt low.  Inspired me to continue to believe, when doubt would creep in.  Encouraged me to keep my eyes on the Almighty Creator, who has never once left the director position of our family story.  You have given me love when I felt forgotten.  Friendship when I needed to laugh, cry our just plain shout.  Each and every one of you have shared in our journey, and I cannot THANK YOU enough!!!!!

Oh, the JOY of having you meet our sons!  Oh, the blessing of having you involved in their/our lives!  Oh, the gratitude I feel deep down, for every single one of you!!!!

I will admit, there were days when I would ask God if I would ever walk out of BabiesRUs with items for OUR children.  If a shower would ever be held for OUR kiddos!..........

Never could I have imagined how beautifully this shower for Baby K would quickly become about celebrating TWO sons!!!  TWO!!!!!  We learned of "Big Brother five days before the shower!!!  A sweet present in itself!  THANK YOU, GOD!!!!

Feeling DOUBLY blessed by our TWO boys, and eternally blessed by each of YOU ~ friends whom I hope to grow old with!!!!!

THANK YOU for showering me and our boys with your love!  THANK YOU for sharing in our Joy!  THANK YOU for walking this journey with us ~ holding our hands, and yes, even carrying me at times.

I CHERISH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!!!!!

Words cannot express the joy of the day!  Nor can they explain the beautiful details Amber put into the decor! 

Allow me to share with you some pictures of a precious day where love rained down!

Allison, me, Amber

(the great hostesses)

Me and MIL, Jenni!

Amber had everything looking so pretty!

Sweet mantle decor....

     The banner matched the invite!

Jenni made this AMAZING diaper cake!!!

 Last minute details.....Allison, Amber, MIL Jenni and Caycee! 

My teary attempt to share with everyone how VERY MUCH they mean to me!

 Maril, me, Laura.

Krista, me, Andrea.

 Jenni, me, Vicki (childhood friend of Jenni's)!

 Me and Sarah.

  Sweet little Maude, Erica, Julie and her sweet Lucy, Mallory and me.

 Alyson, Maude and me.

 Kare-bear, me, Amber.

 

Me and Connie-girl.

Me and Karie. 

 Check out the Shabby Chic house Amber has!

 Kate, Karie, Natalia, Tanya, Mallory, Andrea, Erica, Krista...

 Dianna, Melissa, Julie, Jess, Morgan.

BEST adoption book EVER!  Thanks, Kate!

 Me and Annie (the recycle queen!)  =)

 THANK YOU, Mom!  Love the babyfood maker!

 Ok, so we didn't think of a group shot until over half of you were gone, 

but know that the presence of ALL of you made my day! 

 "Big Brother League!"  Perfect! 

 

  Laura, Annie, Caycee, me, Allison

(Amber and Melissa in background)

 LOVED the invite!

 The PURE JOY on my face pretty much sums up the day!!!!

(photo compliments of Maude!)

AS WE SLEEP TONIGHT.....

As we sleep tonight.....likely in the wee hours of tomorrow morning.....our dear friend, Shannon DeVol and her husband.........will be loving on our sweet son, "S," in our name!!!

They will bring "Big Brother" our care package!

This will be his very FIRST CARE PACKAGE!!!!!

In this package our sweet boy will find a photo book FULL of photos of his family members!  From Jeff, me and the doodles ~ to his grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins!!!
He has seen a few pictures of me, Jeff and the doggies (which we included in our Dossier) but this photo book will introduce him to his WHOLE FAMILY!!!!

We also included a shirt, some toys, healthy snacks and candy for him.  Oh, how I wish it was US loving on him and gifting him the package! ~ though I am grateful to Shannon for doing it in our place!  She is currently in Ethiopia to MEET her precious baby boy, and before leaving for ET, she was kind enough to offer to love on BOTH of our sons while over there!  THANK YOU, Shannon!

We sent another package over to Baby K as well, and given that the boys are not at the same orphanage, Baby K was given his near the end of the week, and "Big Brother" gets his tomorrow/tonight!!!

As I lay my head on my pillow tonight, I will pray ~ as I do every night ~ for my dear, sweet sons.  But my heart will carry with it an extra beat of JOY knowing that "S" will soon be receiving his first package of LOVE from his Emaye (momma) and Abaye (daddy).

We Love You, Son!!!!

The Road To Big Brother....

Oh, MY, how BLESSED we are to have such wonderful family and friends to join us in the jumping up and down; the praising of God and His miraculous works; and in the screaming out in PURE JOY!!!!  We are awed by the wonderous works of our Heavenly Father!  Bringing us one child is such a miracle and blessing.......but blessings our socks off with the surprise of TWO BOYS is.......well......I'm speechless!  (and that doesn't happen very often! ha!)

I'll try to catch you up on the details that lead us to "Big Brother."  As with Baby K, we cannot announce his name until he is "officially" and legally our son ~ even though BOTH boys are OURS in our hearts already!!!

Remember how we felt lead to add our names to the list for two children, back before we were ever matched with our Baby K?  We just really felt God putting it on our hearts that He had chosen two children for us, so we asked AWAA to open us to the availability of two children, while keeping us also on the "singleton" list ~ one infant boy 0-6 months.

Following that change, we were laying on a blanket at the park one sunny day, reading "From Ashes to Africa,"  which shares the Bottomly Family story of their first adoption from Ethiopia.  There was a section of the book that spoke of an older boy in the orphanage that they referred to as "Denim Boy" (because he was wearing denim the day they met him).  It expanded upon this boy's story, and it moved me to tears.  So much so, that I turned to Jeff and said, wiping my tears so I could see him, "Maybe our second adoption will be an older child."  Jeff's heart melted when I shared what I had just read, and after reading the book, himself, he too, felt like God had spoken to his heart about a child of an older age.

Then, weeks after reading this book, I saw a 10 year old boy on the Waiting Child List (meaning he was available for adoption), and my heart was burdened to pray particularly hard for him ~ which I did.  And when his family chose him, we were blessed to be asked to take Gabe a care package for his family.  Oh, the FUN of hanging with Gabe!  It melted my heart that day to watch he and Jeff interact and play, and both Jeff and I felt that similar "heart-thing" toward an older child.  Jeff shared that he believed both Denim Boy and Gabe were placed on our hearts to further prompt us to consider adopting our own older child one day.  The very next day, we interacted with a sweet, precious girl at the Transition House, and guess how old she was!?!?!?!?  Yup!  Ten years old!  "What is this 'hear thing' for ten-year-olds?" we'd ask one another.

Two days later, we met who is now Baby K's "Big Brother."  We were visiting an orphanage that was bigger and busier than any other we had previously visited.  The children were so excited to see us, hug us, and play!  When I looked down and caught the beautiful brown eyes of this sweet boy, I felt my heart literally LEAP and start beating faster.  I immediately prayed for him, as I could not deny that God had him stand out to me above any of the other precious children.  It was as if God had shined a light directly over this boy for only me to see!

I asked God what the prompting meant, but only felt Him encouraging me to reach out to him.  It was a busy time, with so many children, but I was able to ask "Big Brother" his name, and he shared with me his beautiful name and tole me how old he was.  Yes, as you already know, he too, was TEN YEARS OLD!!!!!  It gave me chills to hear him say it.  I turned to get Jeff to meet "Big Brother" but could not find Jeff amongst all of the kiddos, and when I eventually found Jeff, I could no longer find "Big Brother."  So, unfortunately daddy has not yet met his older son....well, face-to-face that is......

Jump forward to our last day in Ethiopia.  Very early that last morning, I had gone up to the rooftop of our Guest House to have some "God time."  While greeting the sun as it rose, I was praising Him and thanking Him for our precious son, Baby K.  I was thanking Him for His felt presence all week and especially this heavy morning, knowing we would be leaving our sweet baby boy in Ethiopia that night.    I was praying over all of the children we had met that week, and asking God to bring each one to their family.  I was praying over our personal family ~ sweet Baby K and any other children God already knew He would be bringing to us.  I especially prayed for the 10 year old girl and 10 year old boy we felt drawn to, asking God to move mountains if one of them was meant to be our child.  I was, once again, laying all of our children at His feet, asking Him to intervene and complete the good work that He had begun in building our family.  


Although my heart was heavy, God's presence was near.  Honey came up and joined me in greeting the day and praising, thanking and beckoning our Lord.  It was peaceful.  It was beautiful.  And then we saw him.  One single boy standing in the yard of the nearby orphanage we had visited a few days before.  I waved to the boy, and he waved back.  Tears started rolling down my cheeks, as I knew that I knew it was that sweet 10 year old boy, "S."  Jeff tried to help me understand that many boys live there, and I couldn't know it was "S," but I assured him with confidence, "That is him!  I know it!  I feel it!  I know him!"  With the zoom of our video camera, it was confirmed.  Of all the children, this little boy was the one standing below waving to us and blowing us kisses.  I begged God to help "S" feel the love I was hoping to shower on him with my returned blown kisses.  "What if he is meant to be our second son?"  I asked Jeff.  And my faith-filled husband replied, "Then God will bring him to us.  Then God will bring him to us."  After a time of engaged waving and blown kisses with "S" and the other children who had now joined him, it was time to for them to go inside.  And time for us to go downstairs and start the day. The ache in my heart that morning, knowing I may never lay eyes on that boy again, just added to the agony I was feeling over leaving Ethiopia that night.


Low and behold, not long after returning home, AWAA had gotten all of "Big Brother's" paperwork in order.  He was now adoptable.  I was, once again, looking into the eyes of this sweet boy, as he was posted on the Waiting Child List.  He was ready and now waiting to be adopted!


God kept him on our hearts throughout the next couple of weeks, until one day we both felt prompted to ask how we could review his file.  We were told we needed our caseworker to write a letter stating she would approve us for a child of this age, should we decide to pursue adopting him.  While she was writing this letter, another family asked to review "Big Brother's" file.  We were shocked, because, by now the excitement was building and we were feeling as if we were hearing God that this might very well be our second son!  


I read one blog that night.  ONE.  And hadn't been in the blog world much the last few weeks!  The ONE I read was about a family who was so convinced that a little 4 year old from their agency's WCL was their daughter.  However, while trying to get their paperwork in order to review her file, another family chose to review this girls file.  The couple was devastated.  Until they watched God lead that family away from the girl, so that the blog family could become her parents!  An overwhelming peace took over me.  God is the Almighty God.  Nothing happens in life without first passing through His hands.  "God has this!" I assured myself.  What a blessing for this boy!  TWO families seeking him!  I went to bed that night with the peace of God, knowing that if this boy was meant to be our son, God would gently guide His precious child to exactly the parents He has always intended for him!  Days later, we learned that we could review this boy's file!  God had done it!  He had kept this boy available for US!  We felt it!


Needless to say, all fell into place and we have completed the Referral Acceptance paperwork!  "Big Brother" is going to be our second son!  THAT is why God prompted us to become approved for two children!  THAT is why He kept opening our hearts to ten-year-olds!  THAT is why this boy stood out so clearly to me!  THAT is why we got our own special "good-bye" waving/kissing session with this boy from the rooftop!  THAT is why this precious boy has never left our hearts since leaving Ethiopia!


PRAISE GOD!!!!


Oh, and yes, as many of you have said, the good that has come out of this extended wait for a mowcya letter, is THIS!!!  Because we have not yet passed court, we can quickly get approved by our government for an older child, and AWAA is going to try their best to include this adoption as part of our first Dossier!  "Big Brother" is the second child God put on our hearts from early on in this adoption!


WE HAVE TWO SONS!!!!!


I know this is a long post.  SO MANY beautiful details on this road to "Big Brother!"  I wanted to capture them here!  THANK YOU for wanting to share in the tapestry of God's work!  I cannot even believe how beautifully he has orchestrated all of this!  GO, GOD!!!!!


So what now?  We have been approved by our caseworker for an older child, and we have sent off the request for our government to update our I-171H (showing government approval of an older child).  All in four days!  Wow, God, you are on the MOVE!!!  LOVE IT!!!  If things keep up like this, we should be able to have our first visit with "Big Brother" when we go to pick up "Baby K," and "Big Brother" should be able to come HOME 1-2 months later!!!  Can you believe it!?!?


Only God could orchestrate such details!  Only God could bless our socks off like this!!!


Praying for continued favor over our boys!  Praying for a QUICK I-171H form and for Baby K's APPROVAL LETTER SOON!!!!!


And in the meantime..........living in utter AWE and GRATITUDE for God answering our prayers far better than we could have ever imagined!!!!!

"He has made EVERYTHING beautiful in its time" Ecc 3:11

MARQUEZ DOUBLE BLESSING!!!!!!

DO WE EVER HAVE B-I-G NEWS!!!!

WANT A HINT?!?!?!?!?!?........

THAT IS RIGHT!!!!!  YOU GUESSED IT!!!!!  

BABY K HAS A BIG BROTHER!!!!

TODAY WE HAVE ACCEPTED A REFERRAL 

FOR A 10 YEAR OLD BOY!!!!

Jeff and I are AMAZED!!!  HUMBLED!!!  Truly AWED by the works of our Heavenly Father!!!  EXSTATIC and EXCITED!!!  OVER THE MOON HAPPY!!!  And YES, feeling BLESSED beyond our wildest imagination!!!!

Cannot WAIT to share with you the details of how beautifully God orchestrated these details of blessing  us with another son!   

God REALLY IS a God "...who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine..." (Ephesians 3:20) and we are soooo doubly blessed by our TWO BOYS!!!!

In addition to putting ourselves on a list for an infant boy, God prompted us several months ago to place ourselves on a list for two children......because. He. knew. from. the. very. beginning. that He had TWO amazing sons He wanted to bless our family with!

Flying HIGH and walking on Cloud NINE!!!  Still soaking in how distinctly he pointed us to this sweet boy, and now we have been blessed with accepting his referral in addition to Baby K!!!!

God is SOOOOOO GOOD!!!!  I want to capture every single step that brought us to our second son!!!  Details of God's amazing work to come!!!!!

THANK YOU, GOD!!!  THANK YOU for helping me cling to the belief that you are still working amidst the darkness.  Amidst the extended waiting.  Amidst what felt like the absence of you.  THANK YOU for blessing me with a better understanding of our "hold up" with court issues, so that you could create this beautiful tapestry of our family!  THANK YOU for your faithfulness!  THANK YOU for loving all FOUR of us!!!  

THANK YOU for drawing us to "S" and him to us!!!  We will be eternally grateful for such a precious gift as this!  What a story!  Both our boys will forever know-that-they-know that YOU had your eye on them from the beginning of time, and Jeff and I will always remember your faithfulness!!!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

Be Courageous. Be Strong.

I may not always feel God's presence.
But to remain in Him is a choice.  My choice.


I feel my knees buckling from underneath me.
My legs feel wobbly and weak.
I struggle to see the mile marker ending this stage of the race.


I breathe in deeply, asking God to sustain me.  To fill me.
With HIS strength and HIS power to endure this never-ending wait.....
.....For an APPROVAL LETTER.


God is supplying me with His strength.  
Minute by minute.  Day by day.
Via bible verses as of late.
He has seriously gifted me a verse a day these past few days.
And within each one, they carry a theme.  The same theme.
See if you notice their same common thread..........

“Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13 (NLT)

"Be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord." 
Psalm 31:24

“Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”  Exodus 14: 13, 14

And so........as I struggle to wrap my brain around having TWO MONTHS of waiting, and STILL no approval letter, I am gently reminded by my Heavenly Father to let it all go.  Again.  He encourages me, once again, to stop trying to make sense out of it all, and instead............... 

STAND FIRM IN MY FAITH.  BE STRONG.

TRUST GOD and HIS PLAN FOR ME and MY FAMILY.

BE COURAGEOUS.  DO NOT BE AFRAID.

If I look at these words as just letters on a page, they do not make a home deep within me.  However, if I look at these verses as God's instruction for me.  God's promises to me.  If I believe these words to be His Divine words, then I cannot help but look UP and....

Stand firm.  In my faith.

Trust.  In my Heavenly Father.

and

BELIEVE.  That He is fighting for me and will deliver me.

Funny.  Our small group is going to a movie together tonight.

What movie?


COURAGEOUS.


Courts re-open Oct 12th.  Yes, this Wednesday.
The judge just needs that letter to make Baby "K" officially and legally OUR SON!

On my knees in fervent prayer for an APPROVAL letter.

THIS WEEK.

THANK YOU to all who join me!

HOLD ME TOGETHER

(scroll to bottom of blog; pause playlist; return here and click play button; enjoy
these words that reflect the promises of God)

Without God holding me together, I am falling apart.

I know He sees me. Even when I cannot see Him.

Or what He is doing.

Some days I feel like I am drowning in the silence.

Sometimes it feels like each "nothing" day takes our Baby "K" a little bit further away from me.

But just when I feel that way, God intervenes....
and reminds me of His presence.

In my life.
And in my son's life.

He is near.  

And He holds me together every time. Every day. Every minute.

He is still in control.
He is not surprised by any of this waiting.  And

He continues to orchestrate the details of our son's HOMECOMING.

Thank you, Lord, for understanding when I fall apart.
Thank you for giving me your strength when I am weak.
YOU are my hope.

My hope is not in the progress of our adoption.

My hope does not even lie within my son.

YOU. ARE. MY. HOPE.

May you PRETTY PLEASE (with sugar on top!)
bring me to my son.

May you PRETTY PLEASE (with even a cherry on top!)
bring our son HOME.
SOON.

And may you continue to hold me together 
each and every day.