Just a lot of lovin' going on!

It's been a great week loving on Angel and helping her get to know her forever family. She's doing well, each day getting a little more familiar with us.

Yesterday our God-child came and spent the day and night with us. He's 3 1/2 and he is so amazing (he and his family live in FL). My family was also here for our Christmas. Grandma and Grandpa got to hold Angel for the first time and she did pretty well. She's still pretty fussy unless mommy, daddy or sister are holding her so we're taking it slow with other family and friends. We had quite the house full with all my family, the kids, our God-child, his brother and grandparents. It was so awesome. Even though it was exhausting I love having people over.

Today is me and Hubby's five-year anniversary. By the grace of God our marriage has grown stronger and every year has been better than the last. Even though he doesn't read this very often (where's the love?) I'll send this out into blog land: I LOVE YOU HUBBY! YOU ARE AMAZING AND I'M SO BLESSED TO BE MARRIED TO YOU! We were able to sneak away and go to a movie although it wasn't very romantic. We fed Angel and then she fell asleep. Princess was with her. We rushed to the theatre to catch a matinee (Alvin and the Chipmunks!) and rushed home, the whole while checking our phones and worrying about both our girls! Welcome to reality!

Here's a few pictures of the kids to enjoy. We pray you made great memories in 2007 and that 2008 brings you closer to the Lord and the ones you love.

Not very happy on her tummy

Hubby and God-child

God-child opening Christmas presents

Kind of a smile. I think I took about 40 pictures trying to capture her smiling. She really is smiling, it just goes away really quick!

Grama Susie and Angel

Mommy and Angel

Princess, Prince and Angel

Angel loves to sit up. She also loves her Christmas present from her foster family!

Big stretch!

Princess and our Allie dog

Prayer Request

Please pray for Tami, Prince's cousin and a friend of ours. Tami's husband Scott helped Hubby and I with Sunday school last year and I've often went to Tami for advice on adoption as they have two adopted children. We just found out a few months ago that Tami and Prince are cousins on his mom's side.

Anyway, Tami just found out she has thyroid cancer. Please pray for healing for Tami and peace and comfort for her, Scott and their two kids.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

A Different Kind of Day

Crying, burping, poopy baby - what else could we ask for! It's been a good day loving on Angel, helping her get to know us. She's already a mama's girl so I've been trying my hardest not to hog her so Hubby can get some good bonding time.

We'll be taking a bloggy break to have some much needed time with Angel. Thanks again for your prayers. We know it was a miracle that Angel is home with us already.

Have a very blessed Christmas.

Angel sleeping with Daddy

Princess meeting her little sister

Our three amazing kids! Prince, Angel and Princess

Angel meeting the doggies. They are doing very well, although Ed doesn't like it when Angel cries - he cries too. :-)

Home At Last...

What a journey this has been. I write this as Missy tends to a fussy baby girl needing a diaper change. Who would have thought that we would have a child so quickly, let alone by Christmas. These last 2 weeks have been such a whirlwind for us. The emails, the phone calls, hurry up and wait, she might make it home for Christmas, she might not....and now, our Angel is home. Missy and I have a new baby daughter. The Prince and Princess have a baby sister.

What a journey this has been? The journey is just beginning. This stage is ending but another has just begun. As our family moves forward we look to God to reveal what wonders He has in store for us. This blessing will forever change our lives. Thank you to everyone that has supported us through kind words, thoughts and prayers. Please continue to pray for us and that the initial transition to our home would be quick for our Angel.

May God bless you and Merry Christmas to all.

THANK YOU JESUS!

Our Angel is coming home! TOMORROW! We are so excited we can't even think straight. I have such little faith, I didn't think she would be home for Christmas, but once again God shows his amazing love and faithfulness and has given us the desires of our hearts. We are so unworthy.

We'll leave early tomorrow morning and should be home (with our baby in our arms) tomorrow night! Please continue to pray for her for a smooth transition, for the foster family who's had her since birth and for safety for us traveling.

Thanks for going along with us on this journey. We have felt your prayers and we praise God for his blessings.

A Child

I was sitting in the sanctuary the other day. Praying, listening, being still. As we've been experiencing the highs and lows of adoption I was feeling very overwhelmed. I had so much joy in my heart that this little child would, Lord willing, be coming into our home. That my husband and I would have a child together. But at the time I also had the knowledge that nothing was final yet and so at times that caused me to have fear.

As I sat there I looked at the beautiful blue banner on the alter. "For Unto Us A Child Is Born". Yes, that's true. For unto us (Pat and I) a child has been born that will be given to us as our own, to raise and love and guide and nuture. A child that I've longed and prayed for for many years.

And then Christ reminded me to not forget the real meaning of that verse. For unto us a Child has been born. Unto me. A sinner - many times I've thought the apostle Paul was crazy calling himself the "chief of sinners". I was the chief of sinners. And still the Child was born. I was reminded that as great and wonderful and amazing as it will be to have a child of our own - there is nothing more sweet than the love of the Christ child. Absolutely nothing - not marriage, not children, not health, not wealth. Nothing greater than sitting there with Jesus remembering all that He had done for me. Nothing greater than His forgiveness. Nothing greater than the hope and peace and joy He brings.

Perhaps you've allowed circumstances in your life, the busyness of Christmas or trials and fears to draw your thoughts away from the Christ child. Right now as you read this commit to that quiet time with Jesus. Turn off the tv and the computer. Turn off your radio or ipod. Turn off your phone (trust me, it'll be ok!). Sit in the silence of your living room, the sanctuary of a church or an office at work. Whether it be December or June, let us be reminded "For Unto Us A Child Is Born".

That's What Friends Are For!

Ok, I'm done whining! :-) Thanks friends for encouraging me to use this time to get some things done. Another friend also found this devotional and it was just perfect!

The Time Came For Her Baby
by Jon Walker

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. (Luke 2:6 NLT)

We manage time; we waste time. We spend time and we save time. We wish the time would come; we wish the time would pass. We see time fly, and we feel time drag. We watch clocks and carry calendars, creating the illusion that we somehow control time, yet all the while moments flow forward like a mighty river that cannot be stopped, harnessed, or re-routed.

Yet God controls time. He created time and we, his creations, are fenced by his time, directed and guided by his holy and loving hand. Do you think God was surprised that "while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born?"

We're often surprised by unexpected developments in our lives, yet the Bible teaches that God is never surprised, even in the most disastrous turn of events. How would your faith differ if you believed God was not surprised by your current circumstances and that he's working, at this moment, for a holy and healthy conclusion?

What does that mean? God is always on time, at just the right time. George Mueller, the great prayer warrior from the 19th century, once waited on a dock for a special chair to be delivered. He had a bad back and needed the chair for the ocean voyage ahead of him. When the departure time grew close and the chair still had not arrived, Mueller's friends offered to buy a substitute chair, but Mueller said no - "Either God will provide the chair, or he'll give grace to do without it." Like a Hollywood ending, the chair arrived just in time, right on time. Mueller noted, "If the chair had arrived earlier, we might have dismissed the provision of God." This Christmas, point out the provisions of God when you see them.

What if you were certain God would provide? How would you act, think, and live differently if you were absolutely certain God was at the end of the deadline? That is, even if there were mere seconds left, you still believed with certainty that God was working through your circumstances? Believing he's there and about to provide is the essence of faith. Tell God, "I believe; help my unbelief."

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Time cannot diminish Christ's love for you or his power to work within your life. He is there in the past; he is there in the now; and he is there in your future.

A thousand years are like a few hours to God (Psalm 90:4). God is working to bring you into eternity, not just to get you through the end of next week. Praise God for his grace and for a love so strong that he wants you to spend an eternity with him.

Worse Than Waiting?

We didn't think there was anything harder than waiting. We thought once Monday was past and the court hearing was over and everything was finally final our hearts wouldn't be so heavy. Unfortunately now we've discovered that there is something worse than waiting. It's knowing we have a daughter in another state, knowing she's ours, a part of our family, our daughter. And not being able to be with her. Feeling like we've abandoned her. Missing her so much and knowing there's nothing we can do to speed up this process.

Today I spent the day with my Father, my heavenly Father. I try to do this once a month. Actually I've already scheduled my "Daddy Tank Days", as they're called, through 2008 - making sure that one day a month is set aside. Each time is different - today I started out by reading my chronological bible. Then I spent a few hours praying through journaling. And then I spent about an hour singing Christmas hymns. My poor dogs weren't too thrilled about that. Then I read through the Gospels, actually more like skimmed, looking for times when Jesus built relationships and how he did it. And then I went back to the Old Testement and read through Judges and Ruth. And then finished up the day with more prayer time.

I'm so thankful my Daddy Tank Day fell on today. If I hadn't had my heart and mind on my Father it would have been a bad day. I won't lie, there were times I was tempted to crawl under my covers and cry and pray and beg Jesus to let us bring our Angel home. I guess I did do alot of praying and crying asking that our Angel could come home this week but my focus was on the Father and knowing that His will and timing is perfect puts my heart at ease.

I encourage you to set aside one day a month to spend with your heavenly Father. I wasn't too sure about a whole day either when my Pastor suggested this. But then I realized I owe my Father my entire life - isn't He important enough to me to give Him just one day a month? He so longs to spent that time with you, to fill you up and talk with you and encourage and challenge you.

Please continue to pray with us that the interstate compact paperwork would get completed soon, like tomorrow, so we can go get our Angel and bring her home.

Praising God for His Blessing

Missy,

The attorney called to let Deanne know that the court proceedings went as planned! That means everything is absolutely final! Praise God.... your Angel will be coming home soon! Will let you know progress of ICPC as it moves along.

Kim

ABSOLUTELY FINAL - Wow! That's the best thing we've heard in a long time! Thank you Jesus!

Not Much To Report

Today was the hearing for termination of parental rights for our Angel. We didn't hear anything from the social worker working with the birth mom. But our social worker said no news is good news. I guess the birth mom and social worker don't have to be present at the hearing so since we didn't hear anything that means everything went fine... I think that means then that we are legally able to adopt her. I know I should sound a little more excited, I guess we are just still being cautious until we get word we can go get her. Still not sure when that will be. I guess the state won't get our paperwork til tomorrow so then it's just more waiting for someone to call and say everything looks good.

We praise God...

as far as we know things went well at the court hearing today
for yellow paint - we painted the nursery and it looks really cute
that mail only takes 1 day to get from our agency to the state office
for the many family and friends that have given financially towards the adoption
that His mercies are new every morning