What You Need To Know...

My sweet children,

You don't know this yet....but you have a mommy, a daddy, a brother and a sister...trying very patiently not to scream "You have a family!" from halfway across the world. You do not know this yet, but we do. We know that our family is not yet complete...because you sweet three are not yet here. We are anxiously preparing for you- guessing what you might like your rooms to look like, do you like a certain color, do you like trucks and race cars? We spend our days guessing when we might get that exciting phone call saying..."Come!" We stare at our suit cases not really wanting to put them back in the closet- knowing it may be awhile before we leave...but hoping it is soon!

You don't know this yet...but you have a mommy and a daddy, a brother and a sister who have been praying for you for six months. We pray that you are safe and that the Holy Spirit would give you a sense of peace to know that your story DOES have a happy ending....you are loved by a whole bunch of people that you haven't met...and haven't met you...yet!

You don't know this yet...but you have a mommy and a daddy, a brother and a sister who are anxiously anticipating the future as a family of SEVEN! We can't wait to show you your new home, to show you the beach, to ride bikes, and make homemade pizza with you!

You don't know this yet...but you have a mommy and a daddy, a brother and a sister who miss you like crazy even though we have never met you.

You don't know this yet...but you have a mommy and a daddy, a brother and a sister who are willing to wait and fight as long as it takes to get you home. We may become weary in the battle- and cry some tears...but we will wait...until we can all be together.

You have a mommy who said a prayer...that was answered...immediately...that confirmed her suspicion...that in that moment she saw YOUR picture- that she was looking into the eyes of three of her children...that her heart was beating extra quick because what she felt was a mother's love, for three precious boys...for you.

You have a daddy who trusted a God so big...

You have hundreds of people praying you home...

You have a Savior...who knows the plans He has for you....

We love you...and we are coming...just as quick as we can!

Love,
Us....your family

Because I promised...

Like, 2 weeks ago, that I would post Christmas pictures...I will do it! 

Is she not the cutest little thing???

 Nothing like cookie cake for breakfast!

Our resident rockstar!

So, we officially moved into our new house four days before Christmas...it was a little hectic- but we managed...and as my husband likes to say we maintained "joyful hearts" throughout! It actually went a whole lot smoother than we thought it would. This week we had our home study update (as required if you change residences). In other adoption news- we are still waiting and praying on a court date and I am now fully vaccinated for travel...um OUCH!

A daily commitment to live Radically...

I recently read a very thought provoking blog post that has kept the wheels in my head turning...you should probably go read it....here. Good stuff. I get it. If you look it up- it's hard to even get a good definition of the word radical. The best I could get was..."of or going to the root or origin; fundamental"- that's courtesy of dictionary.com. I love how this blogger describes the conundrum of always seeking the next radical thing...it's true- we want the closeness with God that comes from being in something so completely and utterly HIM- that we forget He is in EVERYTHING. He is in the daily chores of a stay- at- home mom- the ho-hum of changing diapers, and the tediousness of answering work e-mails. He is in everything that we CHOOSE to do in His name.

So, 11 days into the New Year- I've decided to make this my New Years' Resolution. As I wait day after day for the e-mail that will tell us WHEN we will travel to meet our boys- I need the constant reminder that His work is being done here too- in this house. This year instead of making ONE HUGE RESOLUTION- like to stop eating sweets, work out more, cook better meals, organize my pack rat tendencies...I'm going to make one resolution that encompasses all of it...to live radically (as He would)- here at home- by choosing to love my kids the way HE loves me- exuding patience when I want to scream, hugging them when I really would rather send them to time-out, disciplining even though I want to let this time "slide by"- to choose the response to the local cashier that HE would choose- to honor my husband the way HE honored the church, making the choices and using the words that HE would choose....and yet, remain willing to answer when and if HE calls me to do the next radical thing =) It's fun to talk about being radical in the world...but how much harder is it to be radical in your own home...I'll let you know!

Zumbathon!

Today we held our Zumbathon fundraiser! It was TONS of fun.. being the zumba addict I am I thought this could not be any more perfect! We danced and danced...and sweated...and laughed A LOT!

Here I am with the fabulous instructor (totally a God thing that we met through friends at a recent Mom's night out!) She was so excited to do this for us and we are so thankful!

Here are some dancing pics!

It was such a fun morning!! At one point my friend said, "I can't wait until you tell the boys we all danced to bring them home!" I certainly felt the love and support of these fantastic women this morning- and I pray the boys felt it in their spirit!

I had the chance to apologize...

So...do you remember back in my What does adoption cost....and why fundraise? post I mentioned a girl I knew who adopted domestically...and how at the time I was too ignorant (my words) to understand why someone who couldn't afford the cost of an adoption should adopt? ( I'm pretty sure it doesn't cost $35,000 a month to raise a child- but it does to bring one HOME). Yeah- it was back when I'm not sure I could tell you where Ethiopia was. Oh so very many four years ago. Well, it has been NAGGING away at me since we made the decision to adopt that I ever had this thought...and that I did nothing to support her- and most definitely did not support her financially in anyway. I mean- really- it had been driving me nuts! Well- God has a funny way sometimes of giving us the opportunity to publicly confess and reveal our flaws....if we so choose.

So, a few weeks back- I noticed we had both been invited to the same play date by a mutual friend. This could be my chance...I thought...would I be brave enough? Would I be willing to outright tell her the thoughts I had had...and where I stand now? Well- I did! Right away- we found we had so much to talk about...and I told her in gory detail what I had thought. She swore she never thought anything of it- but ... the fact is, fundraising goes BEYOND covering the costs to bring a child home- it is tangible evidence to the family embarking on this journey that they and THEIR CHILD are loved...it is a story that can long be told to the child...you were loved even when you didn't know us. Nobody is asking any one person to donate hundreds of dollars...but hundreds of people donating a dollar...it adds up....and brings kids home!

Yes, it felt yucky to admit what I had been thinking...but what I know now- is that all of our eyes aren't opened to the atrocities of the world at the same time...all of our eyes aren't opened to Jesus at the same time. Some of us grow up knowing Jesus as our savior...and some of us cry out to Him in our depths of despair. It doesn't matter WHEN...just that we DO! I do accept responsibility for the years my eyes were closed...but going forth...they are OPEN...WIDE OPEN...and I can only do the best with the time I have....and once we KNOW what we KNOW...we cannot pretend that we don't. Because it's no longer just us in jeopardy...it's ALL of His people...and yes- we are responsible for our brothers and sisters in Christ- at least that is what HE told us!

Because my brain is mush....

I decided to let myself off the hook- and share two pictures of our family from the holidays! 

Happy 2012!