Catch Up

So it's been a while since my last update. I am not good at this blogging thing and I have to be in the right mood to write a post. The good news is that we have had a lot of things happen since my last post. We received NOC and now we are just waiting to pass the local court. We may be able to go get Lucy in 4 months. Wouldn't that be awesome?? I have an appt to get my shots next Wednesday at the travel clinic.

The most awesome thing  is I met someone online 2 days before they left to go pick up their child in India that just happened to be in the same orphanage as Lucy. She and her husband met Lucy and send us video. You have no idea how many times we have watched that footage. She is just the cutest thing. Big bright eyes. Mike also has gotten her room done. Once we take pictures I will post them on here.

Another amazing thing is that Mike is part of the team that is going to rebuild Steven Curtis Chapman's house. He got to meet him and his wife yesterday and tell them about our Lucy and Hayden and Noah. They are praying for us and so very nice.

Right now we are waiting to pass court so if you feel led please say a prayer.

Until next time. . .

Think PINK!!!

Yes you read right--It's a girl!!! We officially accepted a referral for a precious little girl from India. Not sure if we are allowed to mention where specifically she is from so I'll save that for later. I will tell you that she is 2 &1/2 and she is just precious. Her lips, her mouth, her skin. . .  it's all just perfect. Right now we are asking for prayers specifically for her heart to be open to us and for her to be at home with HER FAMILY by this Christmas---2011!!! 

I just can't express how excited we are. I sit and wonder all day long what she is doing and if she knows ---we are coming for her. Oh how wonderful that day will be.

We have lots to do--more paper work----prepare her room, buy her lots of clothes, and so many other things. The boys are so excited. My parents, Mike's parents, my sister, and friends are so excited.

I must be going. Thank you for your prayers and thoughts. Until next time.

What now?

I woke up this morning looking for inspiration of some kind. I was listening to the song, "Your Name" by Phillips, Craig, and Dean. Someone else might be famous for it but this was what popped up on youtube. Anyways this verse seemed to reach out and grab me, "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." Psalm 91:4. For many reasons this verse means a lot to me. I really can't put it in words but it just puts a smile on my face. I haven't blogged in a while because I just couldn't think of anything to write. Life seems to be going along as we WAIT. I feel like our life is kind of on hold while we wait for a match with our child. Now that is not to say we aren't getting out there and doing stuff but it just seems like until our family is complete we are in transition. I am sure alot of adoptive families can relate. Some great friends of mine want to do a fundraiser for us but we want to wait until we get matched with a child. So you see. . . that is on hold.

In the mean time I am reading a fabulous book, Radical, by David Platt. I am half way thru and just realized that the guy is only 32. WOW!!! The book shakes me to the core. It seems like what I am reading I have been thinking about previously so it's kind of crazy in that way. You see... he is getting back to the Bible basics--not our American dream with a little of God's word mixed in. The wild thing is I also just found out that he and his wife adopted their children. He practices what he preaches. On a typical day 26,000 children die of starvation and preventable disease. That is 26,000 Jarons.  It's sad because there are many ---TONS-- of us who don't even know or really think about it because --well.. it doesn't directly effect us. I used to be one of these people. I just went thru the motions of life and I was selfish and if it didn't effect me, it must not matter.  Well I am glad to say I got a healthy dose of awareness.  I just want to share it with everyone that doesn't know. How do I do that??? That is where I am now. How do Mike and I teach our children to be aware and do something about it? How do I not want to strangle the person that tries to tell me that their biggest problem right now is deciding what country club to join?

Anyways that is my latest. . . until next time.

And Time Keeps Ticking By

It's been a while and I am not really sure if anyone reads my blog but it is pretty therapeautic for me. I can't believe it is November already. Where did the time go? We have had some milestones though. Mike and I received a referral and we prayed and prayed and came to the decision that it was not the one for us. First of all it was totally unexpected--didn't think it would happen that fast. Second off, we would have had to come up with $15,000 immediately. Third of all we didn't get a peace about it. She was a sweet little girl and I pray that she finds her perfect family soon. Since she is already cleared for adoption I am sure a wonderful family will get this precious child. There was a tremendous amount of guilt that came with not accepting this referral though. Once we made our decision a weight seemed to be lifted and I know that God is not of confusion so I am sure we made the right decision. But now that we have gotten a taste our patience has not been good. Every Friday afternoon I feel disappointed because it means we have to wait the weekend for another chance to hear about a referral.

Our second big milestone was getting fingerprinted. It was so awesome and I don't think I would have ever been excited to be fingerprinted ( in my college days I expected it. lol) but it represented something getting checked off the adoption list. Wouldn't you know that I knew someone in the immigration office. I am getting just like my dad. He knows everyone and can go to San Diego and run into someone he knows. I am just a chip off the old block. It was a couple I went to high school with that are adopting their second Ethiopian baby. How exciting!!!

Another milestone has nothing to do with adoption but does have to do with our two homegrown boys---Halloween. We did 3 fall festivals/trunk or treat. Needless to say I have been eating lots of minature chocolate bars that are attaching to my thighs. I hate it being in this house because I can't say NO!!!. Mike and I stick our kids with smarties and skittles while we steal the chocolate. Aren't we awful?? Hayden was a homemade Harry Potter and Noah was a clown. We are Halloweened out though.


On a last note, I have been really sad and thinking of my sweet Jaron lately. It is six months tomorrow that he departed this earth and joined Jesus. I am being selfish and wishing I could get one last update about him. I have been praying hard that God shows me how I can honor Jaron--maybe a nonprofit or grant. He was such a great boy and I really can't wait to wrap my arms around him. I broke down in front of one of my dear friends today and I am sure she thinks I am a lunatic even though she is as sweet as pie. I love those friends that love you know matter how looney you are. She has been a true blessing in my life. Right now I have also been praying for Sarah's Covenant Homes. This biggest cyclone in 30 yrs is supposed to hit and her main volunteers are out of the country. I am praying.  I am glad Jaron endured his last cyclone in April and doesn't have to endure this one.

Until Next Time


Lori

Keepin It Real

Ok so last night I was out with some ladies from MOPS(Mothers of Preschoolers) and we were talking about people who gloss everything and make everything sound so peachy. We related it to the Christmas letter you get from people who have the picture perfect life or so it seems. We all agreed that we stop reading after the first couple of lines and that we prefer those people that "keep it real."   You know the ones who admit that their kids get on their nerves from time to time--even daily. Wake up people--it doesn't mean we don't love our kids. It means we are being honest.

Ok not sure where this is going but I decided to delete someone off my facebook friends list. The type of person who makes everything seem picture perfect and someone who loves to act as though her kids are perfect. The funny thing is I know she really stretches the truth. hehe!!!! Anyways it was so freeing and liberating that I might just delete somemore peeps. You see life is too short to surround yourself with phony balonies. lol!!!

Onto the adoption front:   waiting on our agency to approve our homestudy and then we have signed the immigration papers I-800. Getting excited as it is slowly but surely moving forward.

Bless you all!!!

Peace Out!!!
Lori

test

test post

Even perfect days can end in rain

 I am sure if anyone actually reads these posts they are sick of the depressing tone.  To be honest, I am not really depressed at all.  I really want to get to the fun and carefree posts but right now that isn't what is on my mind. Sarah (from Sarah's Covenant homes) posted that it's hard just to go to some upbeat post right after the death of a child. I am feeling the same way. To be honest I am still having a hard time with Jaron's death. To be honest  I still think about it alot. I have to ask myself is this normal for a child I never personally knew? But I think it's an indicator of how special he was. God laid him on my heart for a reason.  I saw a lady bring her disabled son to the pool the other day and I stared--not because he was disabled--but because I was thinking that could have been me if we had adopted Jaron. I could have been taking him to the pool with us---doing normal things with HIS OWN FAMILY. I saw people in a restuarant bring their handicapped daughter who was in a wheelchair. She couldn't move her arms or legs but you could see eyes that knew what was going on. It was a hibachi restuarant and she knew what was going on. Yes, her parents had to feed her but she was smiling and loved. I thought this could have been us with Jaron.  I see ads in the Parenting Magazine and I instantly go to the ad for rehab services for kids with brain trauma and Cerebral Palsy. I think how much good this would be for Jaron. I see clothes that would look good on Jaron and think about sending them to India but then I remember ....he is gone. Trust me I know he is having the time of his life but I miss him. I debated about whether I was gonna put this in here because I am sure there are some people that think I am nuts but so be it if they do--maybe I am hehe!!  . . .  I really was having a hard time and asked God to send me some sign that would let me know that Jaron was ok and I asked that it would be a sign that I would notice (sometimes I need the neon flashing light sign ..lol!) and we walked out of the pool one day and their was the whitest dove sitting right in front of me. All the people were like " I wonder where it came from" and the kids were walking right up to it and it wasn't scared, didn't fly away. I knew exactly where it came from.    God does some incredible things for us!!
   
It's really weird for me to see people fuss over the exact outfit they put on their child for a special day, even though I have been guilty many times for the same thing. It's weird to see people spend so much money on their kids' clothing, even though I was once guilty of the same thing. It's frustrating for me to see parents fix two to three different meals for dinner time because their kids are so picky.  It's kills me to see kids pitch fits because they didn't get a new toy while out with their mom at walmart.  It actually makes my skin crawl when my own kids tell me they are starving.   I guess it all makes me sick when I know there are kids living on the streets and eating other people's leftovers. Many could say you just have to put it behind you but that isn't true at all. There is a Bible verse (not sure where right now) that says something to the effect that once you are aware, then you are responsible.

All I can say is God is really working on me right now and I know the end result is gonna be awesome. 

I'll leave you with my favorite song for right now. . .

Beautiful Beautiful