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!!!!

THANK YOU, JACKIE!

Here is the very first care package we sent ~ to the Mullis Family!  They have been patiently waiting to be cleared for travel to BRING THEIR TWO KIDDOS HOME!!!!  They FINALLY got the great news and will be traveling TODAY!  Praising God, as this has been an incredibly longer-than-normal wait for this family!

Upon receiving our referral and our "meeting" of our son, Jackie immediately offered to take him a care package when they travel to bring their kiddos HOME ~ I think it was even the same day we got the referral!  I had it sent out within days of her offer ~ which is why it was our first care package put together for K*******.

We send out a big WOOHOO and THANK YOU!!!! to The Wanderers', Hendersens' and Nichols', who all went over to ET last week.  Each family offered to love on our son while there!   The Wanderers' took K***** a care package for us, and the Hendersens' took photos and video.  We can't wait to see them once these families get settled with their kiddos at HOME!!!!

Well......Jackie hops on a plane today to get her son, Micah, and their daughter, Sarah Faith!  Their story is an amazing test of faith, to say the least!  Ufdah!  Nonetheless, we are SO EXCITED for them to bring their children home FOREVER!!!!

Here is the package we sent to Jackie within days of "meeting" our sweet son.......just think!  He will be getting it sometime this week, and she is going to take pics and video too!!!!
We are SO B-L-E-S-S-E-D!!!

 Sweet outfit, rattle, and a photo book

Mommy put together with lots of pictures

of Mommy, Daddy, Fischer and Kastle 

(our doodles)!

 Itty bitty wrist rattles. 

Thinking this might keep you entertained 

while you wait for us to come!

All put into a one gallon ziploc.

(Everything we send must fit into one of these)

THANK YOU, JACKIE AND FAMILY!  


MAY GOD BLESS YOUR REUNION WITH YOUR CHILDREN
AND BRING ALL OF YOU HOME SAFELY!!!!


WE LOVE YOU, LITTLE BUDDY!

Love In Our Absence...

Oh, MY, has life been busy since first "meeting" our son on Thursday, May 19th!  That first week was such a blur of GREATNESS!!!  We have been busy signing and sending photo consents to families who  have kindly reached out and offered to love on our sweet son, take his picture/video, and/or bring him care packages we are putting together for him!  We are extremely blessed by these families!

You can imagine what JOY it brings our hearts to know that the very people we have come to cherish and love, through this amazing adoption world, want to take time out of their visit with their own child or children, to love on OUR BABY!!!!

Words cannot express our gratitude, excitement and utter awe at their loving hearts!  WE CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH!!!!!  You are not only gifting us, as parents, a precious gift of watching our babe grow through pictures; you are also providing our son a priceless gift of pictures for his baby book!  AAAHHHHH!!!!!!  LOVE IT!!!!!!

The Rowells' already blessed us with our first pictures and video (other than the 2 pics at referral) last week ~ they caught so many different expressions, it was so fun to see!  Oh, and the VIDEO!  To see our little man in "real life" made me cry!  We were laying in bed the morning we received the pics and video and it felt like another "meeting" of our son!  He is so alert!  THANK YOU ROWELLS'!!!!


The Sorensons' had a court date Monday this week, and did not pass (waiting on MOWCYA letter).  They were one of the first families to offer to photo our son!  They have sent us a couple of pictures, and plan to send us the rest (and video too!) now that they are back on US soil!  WE THANK YOU, JOEY AND CRISSY!!!!


In addition, the sweet Nichols and Hendersen families were quick to offer to love on him and photo him when they travel; and we sent a care package to the Wanderers' ~ who will likely deliver it next week!

The adoption world ROCKS and 

AWAA families are truly A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!

Before I show you pictures of the care packages we sent, I want to ask you to PLEASE JOIN US IN PRAYING FOR THESE PRECIOUS FAMILIES!  Please pray for The Rowells' ~ that they receive Embassy Clearance soon;  The Sorensons' ~ that they pass court and get a swift Embassy Clearance;  The Nichols ~ that their union with their son is amazing and that they pass court the first time; as well as for The Hendersens and Wanderers as they travel to bring their children H.O.M.E!!!!!


The Mullis family is another very special family who has volunteered to take a care package when they travel.  For various reasons, their wait at every.single.stage. of their adoption has been longer than normal.  Including now, as they continue to wait for Embassy Clearance for their 10 y.o. son and little baby girl!  Please pray that they soon hear they are cleared to travel and get their kiddos!  THANK YOU, JACKIE for offering to take a second care package when you get cleared to travel!

GREAT movement was seen last week with passings of court, embassy clearances, etc, and we hope to see this continue!  We cannot wait to see the same movement for these particular families who have ~ or are planning to ~  love on our son!!!!!

Dear Lord,

We know that you have brought every one of these families this far in their adoption process, and we know that you WILL push forward on their behalf.  May you shield each family ~ and their children ~ from any attempt of the enemy to thwart your loving plans to join them as a family.  The enemy loves delays in this process.  May you remove any and ALL obstacles that could slow their progress forward to bringing their children HOME!  FOREVER!!!!  Bask them in your love and in your divine peace as they walk out the remainder of their journeys.  They are so excited to start the new chapters WITH THEIR KIDDOS.  May you bring them to their "new beginnings" smoothly and quickly!  We thank you for blessing us with these families.  We thank you for their generosity to love on our precious son.  May their visits help him to feel their love, our love, and most importantly, Your love.........

Okay.  So, now I can show you pictures.......

Here is Mommy and Daddy signing 

YES!!!!  

WE WANT THIS SWEET BOY TO BE OUR SON!!!!

CARE PACKAGE!

Here is a care package I rushed out 

to the Wanderers' ~ his first delivery!

Isn't the monkey surfer theme sweet!?!? 

Along with the outfit, we sent along little booties that have a little rattle sound whenever he kicks his feet.  We also included a soft blanket and a few small packages of baby lotion ~ in hopes that maybe she will massage it into his sweet little arms and legs......a loving touch goes a long way, right!?!?!?  OH, how I wish that could be US massaging him!......SOON!......Praying it will be us SOON!!!.......

ENJOY THE LOVE IN OUR ABSENCE, SWEET PRINCE!

MOMMY AND DADDY SO LOVE YOU
and CAN'T WAIT TO MEET YOU!

XOXOXOXOXOXO