This week, I...

celebrated a wedding anniversary with my sweet husband...our ninth!

saw an episode of the FX series "Damages" and became totally addicted.

started having creepy dreams about Arthur Frobisher...Ted Danson's obnoxiously arrogant character in said series.

stayed home on Thursday because little Evan was sick.

nursed my boy back to health with lots of hugs, cuddles and cough medicine.

got sick.

sent all three kiddos to their grandparents' house in order to have what was supposed to be a date weekend with my sweetie.

spent nearly two days in my pajamas...sniffling, sneezing and coughing...with poor hubby by my side.

found "Damages" on Netflix and watched the entire first season! Yep...definitely addicted.

Love Always...

I did...

I do...

I always will... 

LOVE YOU!

Happy Anniversary, my love!

A boy and his boot

I'm so happy to report that Evan's foot is on the road to recovery!

The morning started with more x-rays.

(Why our pediatrician didn't send the x-rays from yesterday, I don't know.)

Then my little guy got fitted with a boot.

I was afraid he wouldn't like it, but he thinks it's "awesome".

Bless his heart...he hasn't complained once. And I think that boot weighs about half as much as he does!

 

 And here he is proudly modeling his new footwear with his big brother by his side.

I think he's loving the attention!

Happy Friday, y'all!

Firsts...

Yesterday I posted about Joshua's first lost tooth.

As you can imagine, the Tooth Fairy made her first visit to our house last night. 

Very exciting for all of us!

The Tooth Fairy wasn't the only person that visited us! The Kissing Monster (me) and The Tickle Monster (Kyle) also stopped by unannounced.

Kissing Monster and Tickle Monster is a game we play with the kids...

I sneak out the front door and ring the doorbell. As Kyle and the kids open the door, the kids always, without fail ask..."Who's there?" To which I respond..."THE KISSING MONSTER!!!" The kids squeal with a mixture of excitement and sheer panic. Kyle immediately turns into The Tickle Monster. Absolute craziness ensues.

We chase the kids through the house trying to catch them. And when we do...we smother them in kisses or tickle their tummies. Last night we were all having a blast...being silly and laughing until our cheeks ached. Until another first happened...this time it was a broken bone!

I was chasing Evan and Kyle was chasing Joshua. The boys were running toward each other on the wood floor. Their feet slipped and they collided...big time! I saw the whole thing. It looked like some of the clips from America's Funniest Videos.

(The monsters quickly made their exit at this point!)

Joshua got up laughing. Evan tried to get up, but couldn't stand and he was definitely not laughing. His little left foot was hurt! After a visit to the doctor and a few x-rays this afternoon, we found out that it's broken. He'll get a cast or a boot tomorrow morning...another first!

My poor little guy had a rough night. But once we got the pain under control, he started taking full advantage of the situation. He has made all kinds of requests today...Wii, Skittles, a Happy Meal for lunch! And, yes...the Kissing Monster has granted his every wish! 

On a happier note, we got something fun in the mail today! Olivia's first Poppy Dip dress! I'm thrilled with it...and so is she! And here's the best thing...our purchase of this cute little dress will help bring a little boy home to his forever family! 

Last but not least...

February 1st is going to be the start of something very exciting for our family and for our adoption. More details soon!

Snaggle tooth

It has been a very exciting afternoon at our house!

Joshua lost his first tooth!

The permanent tooth is already there, so it was way past time for the baby tooth to come out. He wiggled it and wiggled it and wiggled it. When it finally popped out, he was thrilled! 

I, being the emotional mommy that I am, had to fight back tears. [sigh] They just grow up so fast. [sniff, sniff]

We're looking forward to a visit from the tooth fairy tonight.

As soon little brother and sister found out that money was involved, they started wiggling their own teeth like crazy! Silly kids.

Adoption Update...

Our day started with a wonderful lesson and powerful worship at church this morning.

After that, we met Kyle's parents (Mimi and Papa) for lunch at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants.

Now that we're home, Kyle and Olivia are napping. The boys are giggling and playing games. And me? I just finished a great read...

THE DRAFT OF OUR COMPLETED HOME STUDY REPORT!!

Wooohoooooo!

I read it, made a few small corrections and quickly sent it back to our social worker.

So what happens next?

First, our social worker will send us several notarized copies of the completed home study. One of those will be included in our dossier.

Another home study, along with an application and more documentation, will be mailed to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Once USCIS processes our application, they assign a date and time for Kyle and I to be fingerprinted.

After we are fingerprinted and approved, we will receive an I-171H form which will be necessary to bring Rachel home from Ethiopia someday.

We'll add the I-171H to our dossier and send it off to our adoption agency.

It will then be reviewed and translated. 

After that, it will be sent to Ethiopia and we will be added to the wait list!!

That may sound like a lot, but it's really just a couple more steps. We're nearing the end of our paper chase and we are thrilled! 

He surrounds me.

Not too long ago, my parents cleaned out their attic. Their loss was my gain as several boxes of baby dolls, Barbies, school work, trophies, keepsakes and more found their way to our living room.

In one box, I found dozens of birthday and Christmas cards from my parents and grandparents. Many of them were from my Grandma, who my children now affectionately call "Grandma Dink". When I opened one of the cards to read it, a couple sheets of folded paper fell out. I unfolded them to find a poem written in Grandma's handwriting.

The poem is hers...written by her about her own journeys, both physical and spiritual. But I certainly don't think it's a coincidence that I found it when I did...shortly before God set us on this incredible journey of adoption. I find such comfort in the words.

I wrote in my last post that sometimes the process of adoption hurts. There will certainly be more hurts, more heartaches ahead in this journey. There will also be warmth and beauty. And I know we will see His handiwork every step of the way because He surrounds us. In the end, I pray that the One who planned it all will be glorified and honored.

He Surrounds Me
(by Grandma Dink)

I've sailed the wide Pacific blue.

For weeks I've been at sea.

When the mighty wind drove waves aboard,

I knew His hand was holding me.

I've walked the streets of Suva

On Fiji's tropic strand

And watched the palm trees gently sway

On that warm and far off land.

I've strolled along a lonely beach

To find a shell so rare

Where the Indian ocean flows.

And yes, my God was there.

I've crossed the lonely Mullabar,

A long and dreary ride.

But I saw His presence everywhere

On Australian's western side.

I've been dampened by the pouring rain

As it soaked Samoa's land

There I felt the warm and balmy breeze.

In this, God had His hand.

I've sailed the frigid water

Of a place called Glacier Bay

And watched the glistening icebergs

As they drifted on their way.

I've flown above the billowing clouds

And watched a sunrise there,

More glorious and more beautiful.

My God is everywhere.

I've gazed across the emerald hills,

For the Maori's home is here

On New Zealand's northern shore.

I knew that God was near.

I've traveled to a mountain top

On Maui's isle across the sea

And stared into a crater wide.

And lo, God was there with me.

I stood upon a tropic shore

Down the warm Caribbean way

And felt the gentle waves

As they licked my feet at play.

All these things I've done and more

And there's one thing that I know.

This is my Father's world,

For I see His handiwork-no matter where I go.

With His love, He surrounds me.

It hurts...

I haven't posted anything about our adoption in a while. Maybe a quick update here and there in December, but nothing substantial.

It's not that I haven't wanted to write about it. I have. And I've started several posts. I just haven't been able to finish any of them.

Why?

Because it hurts.

This journey started with a rush of adrenaline. Hearing God's call...saying "yes" to Him...sharing our big news with family and friends...submitting the application and being accepted to the Ethiopia program...the paper chase. There was so much to be done. It was all so exciting!

Then somewhere around the time of our home study interviews, everything slowed down. The documents had been gathered and neatly organized. There was very little left to "do". The pace of the process slowed and the reality of the wait ahead of us started to set in.

The holidays kept us busy...and distracted. But then something happened on Christmas night.

Prayers were said before dinner and, as usual, our Ethiopian daughter was included in those prayers. We ate. The kids got restless and left the table to play with their new toys. Kyle and I sat at the table tired and quiet. Then he asked me, "Where do you think she is?"

My heart instantly ached. My eyes burned with tears. I shrugged my shoulders and imagined out loud all the places she might be...a hut in rural Ethiopia? a crowded orphanage? or maybe cradled in the arms of a young mother who desperately loves her but cannot care for her?

Because of the age range we have requested and the current wait times, we can assume that our fourth child-this sweet girl of ours-has already left her birth mother's womb and entered the world. 

We're here and she's there...clear over there. So far away from the family that will love her, care for her, help her heal, tell her about Jesus.

That hurts.

I hear Kyle's question...Where do you think she is?...over and over. As I kiss the kids goodnight and tuck them in their beds. As I place a bow in Olivia's hair each morning. As we drive to church. As I fold little socks and sweaters.

It hurts.

And that's why I've been quiet about the adoption lately. I just couldn't make my way from the ache in my heart to the "publish post" button. Until tonight.

*S*N*O*W*

God gave us a special treat on Sunday...snow! Big, beautiful snowflakes were falling as we left church. It wasn't long before our neighborhood was blanketed in frosty white.

So we ate a quick lunch, bundled up, grabbed the camera and went outside to play!

See Carrie Craft...

Look what I made!

A Happy Birthday Balloon wreath!

I saw the idea here several months ago and finally decided to make one for myself. 

I'm so pleased with how it turned out.

Our family is about to enter what I call "birthday season"...two birthdays in March, one in April and one in May. I think this wreath will be a fun addition to our celebrations! 

2010..A Look Back

{January}

Olivia started the new year with a new love...mommy's shoes!

And poor Evan started the new year with this...a black eye!

He insisted that it was the result of a fight with a Dallas Cowboys player {????}.

The truth is...he slipped and collided with a wooden step stool.

{February}

The second month of 2010 brought lots of snow...which is rare for our neck of the woods.

We LOVED every minute of it!

{March}

In March we celebrated Kyle's birthday.

And then two days later, Joshua's sixth birthday...

at Medieval Times!

The month ended with the sweetest celebration...

Joshua's profession of faith and baptism!

{April}

We celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

And baseball season began!

Time for another birthday party...Olivia turned 2!

We partied Dora the Explorer style!

{May}

Evan is 4!

We celebrated his special day with pizza and games!

Later in the month, we visited the zoo!

My little monkeys loved watching the giraffes.

{June}

In June, we enjoyed an Ice Age exhibit at a nearby nature museum.

And the kids attended Princess Prep School and Warrior Prince Academy at our church!

And Joshua began looking for ways to earn money for his VBS mission offering.

We decided on a bake sale.

And "Cookies for Sudan" began.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

June was a big month for us...this is when God began calling us to adopt.

I researched adoption, read blogs and cried many tears as God stirred my heart.

We prayed and prayed and prayed.

{July}

We had lots of fun with cousins on the 4th of July!

We took the boys to their first Rangers game!

We said "YES" to God's call to adopt our fourth child from Ethiopia.

And we started our adoption fund...

{August}

Lots of swimming...

And hanging out by Grandma and Peepaw's pool...

A much needed beach vacation...

Where we wrote our fourth child's name in the sand...

{School also started in August, but I can't find any pictures of the first day.}

{September}

Time for fall sports...

Joshua was our football player...

And Evan played soccer for the first time...

And this became my companion...our adoption paperwork file!

{October}

We began the month with surgery...

Evan had to have a hole in his ear drum repaired.

The adoption paper chase continued and we got our passports!

We had fun carving pumpkins...

On Halloween, Kyle and Joshua watched the Rangers play in the World Series!

While Evan, Olivia and I had lots of fun trick-or-treating in our neighborhood!

{November}

So much to be thankful for...we enjoyed lots of good food and fun times with family!

We decorated for Christmas...

 

And enjoyed watching Evan's Christmas choir performance...

 

{December}

December brought another choir performance...

this time it was Joshua who sang.

We celebrated Christmas with all our family.

When it came time to buy a gift for their great grandmother, the boys chose a pink Snuggie.

 

We had a wonderful Christmas morning!

The kids became iPod junkies!

The boys love playing games on their iPods.

Olivia can't stand to be left out...so she plays on mommy's phone.

 

And finally, we celebrated my birthday on New Year's Eve.

My sweet family gave me an incredible day!

 

In 2010, God blessed us in ways that I never could have planned or even imagined.

I can't wait to see what He has planned for 2011!

Happy New Year!