4 Months Old Today!!

My little girl is 4 months old today! Happy Birthday little one! I hate that time is passing while I am here and she is there, but I am confident she is being well taken care of. I hope my tiny girl is up to 4 pounds for her 4 month birthday.

I have tried hard to keep from buying too many clothes for my little girl. However, I made a poor choice and stopped by the Carter's outlet last week... the big outlet with the amazing 70% off everything upstairs! They have the cutest things. I tried to use restraint, but got a few small things that are so super cute and this little Halloween treat for my gal:

Is that not one of the most fun bibs you've ever seen?! Yes, I know white is a bad choice, but that's what they make Clorox for! So Happy Birthday to you little girl...you'll be wearing this cute accessory this time next year!!

There is A LOT to do before my tiny angel comes home- this is just what is currently on the radar...
*finish up a stack of paperwork
(because I had been waiting for so long, most of it had expired and had to be redone)
*get dossier to Holt in Oregon (due to the agency change)
*pick out bedding for the nursery
*host Craft 'Cause you Care- a benefit for international adoption
*run a half marathon (see the St. Jude logo at the top right of the page and donate to help find a cure for childhood cancer)
*paint a nursery
*get a court date and PASS COURT!

That may get me through the end of the year....then the fun REALLY starts!!

In the S L O W lane

I am still so thrilled over the referral of my little angel. Some days it still doesn't seem real. Looking at baby bedding just feels really strange. I'm sure it will become reality soon enough (probably at 3am when she is hungry!) Anyway, because my dossier was submitted in January to my old agency, all the paper work needed to be update- most of it was over a year old. So, I have spent this week trying to get it all updated. Hopefully, things will be sent to Nashville on Friday for state authentication and then onto Oregon and the Holt office by next Wednesday. Then the wait for a court date begins. It seems that a lot of this process is hurry up and then wait. But, I am confident that I will get to Ethiopia to get my tiny girl.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE EASTS!
The Easts passed court today and will soon be travelling to pick up their daughter in Ethiopia!! WhoooHoooo! This lucky little girl is coming home to a fantastic family. I can't wait to meet her and watch this family grow.

Amazing Incredible...Referral MegaPost

What a crazy ride the last 4 days have been. I am so greatful for everyones excitement and congratulations on my referral. You all have made this part of the journey extra special! So here's a little more of the story......

THE CALL:I had spent Thurday working home health, travelling some of the very back roads of East Tennessee. I knew the waiting child committee was meeting at 1pm EST and was told they hoped to be done by 3pm. I was thankful to get to spend much of the morning in prayer while I was driving- praying for God's best for me and for this tiny angel- and had come to a restful place, knowing He was in control. The same God that rode with and comforted me, was in that meeting room in Oregon, and in Ethiopia with His little one- wow! Anyway, as I was driving back to the office from my last visit, the clock struck 3pm...would I be in an area with cell reception? Unfortunately, NO! I heard my voice mail beep. After quickly pulling to the side of the road and checking my message, I immediately called her back....she was gone to lunch! So, I took a deep breath and finished my travels. At 4:10, I was sitting in my boss's office, teaching her some stretches for her bad back and my cell phone rang. So, sitting on the curb, outside the home health office, I leared that I was going to be a mommie! Once I got off the phone, the celebrating began!!!

THE CLEBRATION:I am so thankful for my friends at work who hugged and celebrated and tolerated my hollering. After quickly finishing up my paperwork, I darted to my friend Lisa's; we had made plans to meet on October 1 about a month before (long before this little angel was even on the radar). More excitement and hugs, tears, and joy- I was thrilled to get to celebrate with her- Thanks, Lisa, for all of your support, encouragment, and prayers; I wouldn't have gotten this far without you. Amazing how God arranged all these things to fall on the same day. I also ran into my dear friend, Traci- again not my plan, but God's gift. TH, You are awesome and can absoultely come with me. So, another deep breath. Even as I rewrite the event so the day, my heartrate jumps up about 50 beats! Now, onto the next event. A group of mom's with kids from Ethiopia gets together every once in a while at Panera to talk about all things adoption and enjoy some delicious dessert. Several weeks ago, I had suggested a get together as I had really needed some cheering up, some connection....this adoption journey had gotten really hard. Someone had picked October 1- God again! As it would happend, everyone arrived one at a time, so I got to flash my pictures and annouce, "Look what I got...a little girl!" 5 times! We had a great visit- we all shared pictures of our little ones- 3 home, 3 waiting to come home. Thanks girls for an awesome night! After a quick trip to visit my parents, I came home to find pink balloons tied to the mailbox...my sweet mom's work. Thanks momma...little angel will love her SueSue!


THE PREPARATION:There is a lot to get done before my litte one comes home. Because I didn't know if I would have a boy or a girl or what age he or she might be, I couldn't start a nursery. So, here is what will be the baby roon:

Currently, it's were the laundry waits to be folded and the occassional guest stays.

I have picked up a few small things and been given a few things. These are some of my favorites:

Of course, my daughter will have a UT cheerleader outfit (from her SueSue)! The 'bee' toy is one that we have at work and I love it! The small angel ornament on the left is from the St. Jude catalog- so sweet. I also received a super soft 'taggy' blanket and a darling outfit from my friends at church- Thanks Carrie and Andi...I love them!

Check out my little Angel's first doll....they have the same name!! She was a Christmas present last year..


Finally, my friend Pam, at work, made this for my special girl. We will cherish it and snuggle with it forever. Every stitch is appreciated!


I still have periods of manic excitement...and occassional bouts of overwhelmed anxiety (other moms tell me this is normal, right?) In general, I am so grateful to our amazing God. I am humbled and honored that I would be chosen to be parent. I am sad for those who weren't, but know that their day will come soon. I am grieved for this little one's birth mother who, because she loved her daughther so much, gave her the opportunity for a different life- one that, through no fault of her own, she was not able to provide. She will always hold a very special place in my heart.

So, thank you all for celebrating with me. Thank you for loving me and my daughter. I can't wait to bring her home!

Praise God from whom All Blessings Flow!

At 4:15 today, I received the most amazing phone call....the one that made me a mommie!! I have a 3 1/2 month old daughter waiting for me in Ethiopia!!! I am once again amazed at how good our God is and so thankful that she and I are now FAMILY. More to come in the next few days.....

1 Adoption....2 Huge days

In 2 days, I will have been waiting 8 months for a referral....It's been a long wait. But God is moving and things are starting to happen.

Thurday, October 1:I have applied to adopt a waiting child- a beautiful little girl. Next Thursday, there will be a meeting and it will be determined if I get to be her mommy. Three other families also would like to adopt this tiny angel, so the waiting child committee will decide which family will be best for her. The process is tough on a prospective parent but, wow!, how great for this little one. She has 4 families who what her to join them; 4 families that could be hers; 4 homes that want to be hers forever. I will absolutely be disappointed if I don't get to love her forever but trust that God will direct this committee to determine the very best for His child. Would you pray for them? This meeting begins at 1pm EST on Thurs. October 1. Additionally, would you pray for tiny angel's health. She needs to get to the states as fast as she can. I am so very thankful for those who walk with me on this adoption journey....you all are a blessing to me.

Friday, Noveber 6:Second thing.....FUN.GIRLS.NIGHT! I am hosting a 'crop till you drop'-start your Christmas crafts-bead-knit-stamp-wine and chocolate-whatever, craft night. For a small donation that will benefit international adoption, you can join us. So mark you calander on Friday, November 6, 7pm to midnight.....stay tuned, more info to come.

Have a super weekend.... I'm headed to settle in for the Grey's Anatomy season premier! Can't wait!!

Unrelated Trauma

I wouldn't normally post about such things, but I need to 'dump' it somewhere. I have two very sweet and very gentle greyhounds- sweet May can pick up a grape without breaking the skin. Both were once racers and when they are outside, they will chase anything that moves...it's just how they were raised. So tonight when I let them out for the last time, Boo came back in in a reasonable amount of time; May seemed to linger as she sometimes does. I went out to hurry her along and she comes running up to me with something in her mouth...not a ball or a chew toy or a stick, something with fur. My first reaction- a mouse. Very gross, thank you May for your service to this house! Once she dropped it, very proudly, near my feet, I realized it was not a mouse, but a very tiny baby bunny. He had perfectly shaped little ears and legs and nose with brown fur. I sat and watched him take his last few breaths. Poor baby bunny. I felt so very sad for him. I gently picked him up (in a gloved hand), put him in a small box, and wrapped him a paper towel. Now, I'm very sad. I apologized to May for being upset with her; she was only doing what she was trained to do- she caught the rabbit. Still I feel bad. Now, what does one do with a deceased baby rabbit in a card board box? I think tomorrow I will put the baby bunny to rest in the woods behind my house. Rest well baby bunny. Sigh.

(Not our baby bunny...but, he looked just like this one.)
**PSA: If you find an injured baby bunny, you can take it to UT vet school. There will be no charge.

I'm Back.....with BIG choices

Sorry for the long absence from the blogosphere.....8 weeks of bronchitis, 5 doctor visits, 4 antibiotics, 5 days of steroids that made me crazy and now 2 inhalers later, I'm back! I have a ton to say and could make a mega post but we'll save the ramblings for another day. Let's stick to the important stuff!

I need your help! I am considering an agency change (my heart rate just jumped about 40 beats higher). I have been a bit dis-satisfied with my current agency for sometime. And, as you can see by my little ticker up top, I've been waiting a while. Now in adoption time, that's really not that long; but according to current information, I'm not even half way to a referral. Most agencies have closed to single parents adopting from Ethiopia, however, I have found one that is still taking single moms. And they are able to make child referrals really really quickly. All the research I've done about this new agency is positive.

So what's the question? "Move", you say? I don't want to jump ship just to decrease my wait time. I don't want my impatience or lack of satisfaction with some things that may or may not be important to lead me out of where God wants me to be. So, would you pray for discernment...do I stay or do I move. If I move, would you pray that I would be prepared for my family to grow much faster than originally anticipated. Thanks folks!

Lastly..... 12 weeks until St Jude 1/2 marathon!!!! I am back on the training wagon. Would you consider donating to help the children of St. Jude....85% of ever dollar goes directly to these most amazingly brave kids. Click here to donate now.