Off To The Beach

 

This weekend we leave for our summer vacation 

to Pensacola, Florida.

The last time we were there, we had two little bitty children.

This time we have two additional little bitty children. :)

 

I always travel with my camera and laptop,

 so you won't have to miss me for too long before I will post again!

Home Study~DONE

**UPDATE: Our homestudy has been completed and submitted to the supervisor over adoptions for approval. 24 hours, people! God is moving BIG time in this adoption. Praying for K to be home by July 24th!!**

We had our homestudy for K yesterday.

It went well. She said that she had already typed up most of it with all of our other information she had on file because according to her we are "the most homestudied family in America" I laughed at that cause it sure does feel that way! In 6 years we have had around 8 homestudies plus updates for each adoption....so really more like twelve!

The social worker said she would type it all up and submit it by Friday to her supervisor and then it was a waiting game as to when he would officially approve us. She did take pictures of K's bedroom to show her boss so that hopefully he will be inspired to get moving on it! 

She asked a lot about how we felt he would shake up our family dynamic but we all agreed that because we have a standing relationship with him already that it was a great fit. She asked us how we thought he felt about living with "white people". I told her I had already asked him that actually and he said it doesn't matter. 

We agree. :)

She wanted to know what we were doing to prepare to parent a teen and what discipline methods we intended on using. I told her that I am reading two books on the subject that I LOVE:

 AND

Both of these books address very specific stages and issues that could arise. They also talked about the fact that even though a lot of teen behavior is typical and should be expected, having a teenager does not have to be constant drama. 

That is a relief.

I told the adoption caseworker that we also intend on doing a Bible study in the fall at a large local Baptist church for parents of teenagers.  A friend of mine is in the summer study and recommended it. She said several of the parents kids go to the same high school K will be at. 

The study is authored by the brother of the guy who wrote Shepherding a Child's Heart:

 I also hope to attend the monthly meetings of a local ministry for foster and adoptive families. They have a group specific to mothers of teens that meet the last Monday of the month. 

That should be a great resource for us.

So...the visit ended great. She couldn't give us any kind of a timeline as far as when we can expect his homecoming but we knew she wouldn't. We come home from vacation on July 8th and are praying hard that that week or the following will be when our son comes home. New student registration at the high school is July 24th so I made sure to tell her that we really really need him home by then. Also, he wants to try out for Football and needs to get here by August for that. I am going to contact the head basketball coach (who is a close friend of our real estate agent!!) to get a feel for the team. I am told he is a strong Christian man and a really nice guy so I am very happy to hear that.

Icecream!

I Will Prepare A Place For You

Many of our sweet friends came over today and joined us in an open house to help prepare for K's arrival into his new home. He received lots of wonderful gifts that went right into his room for his homecoming and some which will remain wrapped as a surprise. I intend on hiding these gifts throughout the room and closet so that he can go on a little gift scavenger hunt when he comes home. Here are some photos of the party:

 We had cookies and my friend Robin put together sports related snacks for party favors!

 He received lots of giftcards and some really great presents.

 His drawers are filling up!

 As I have spent much of the past two weeks preparing the room that my new son will move into when God sees fit that he come home, I have been very encouraged by the knowledge that Jesus has gone before me into Heaven to prepare a place for me.

John 14:2 "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going."

 As I reflect upon the meaning of a room all to yourself, I have been brought to a place of gratefulness and worship for my dearest friend, Jesus' preparation for me in eternity. Just as we wait anxiously for our son to come home, my Father waits for my arrival at just the appointed time. My homecoming will fill me with the most peace and sense of belonging I have ever felt. K's homecoming will involve the cheers of brothers and sisters who proclaim, Finally, our wait is over! Our big brother is HOME! It will involve balloons and cake and a few friends. There will be smiles all around and laughter, pictures and video taping. 

If this is how a child is received into his earthly family, how much more will the angels delight with us in our Homecomings? How safe will we feel surrounded by our Family? How wonderful is God's great love that he lavishes on us? To "lavish" means: to give or bestow in abundance; shower. Our dear friends have helped us to be able to lavish an abundance of gifts upon our newest child. 

What a picture this is of our Father's love!! 

I sent out some early pictures of the room as it came together via email to a few friends and family. 

One of my biggest encouragers 
in this life wrote in response to seeing the pictures:

 "You blow my socks of girl! The journey to adoption has been a road harder for you than I will ever understand, but I do believe God knew EXACTLY what He was doing when He set YOU aside to be a mom through adoption. All the ways he has gifted you, go boldly and clearly to the heart of little ones who need to know just how special they are as a human and in the eyes of God."

I choke up every time I read these words.
Not for my glory. But for Christ's.
Yes friend, this road has been incredibly hard.
Being Chosen is hard sometimes.
But look at all our Lord has done in such a short time?
"He has made everything beautiful in its time. 
Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." ~Ecclesiastes 3:11

My God sustains me through it all.
I once dreamed I would have three children by birth, 
two boys and a girl. Blond curls, freckles. 
Chubby cheeks and thighs.
And I thought as many do, someday we might adopt...you know after we have our own children and all.
I had no clue that God intended that I adopt every one my own children.
I had no idea that one day I would be the mother of five kids aged 15 months to 15 years and that most of them would have dark brown skin, black hair, no freckles.


But God DID.

And He has prepared me every step of the way.

Will K be overwhelmed by all of these things he will suddenly own? Yes...probably so.

Will I be overwhelmed in my Father's Home one day when my eyes feast upon the extravagance that only God can provide?

YES, most certainly.

And that is okay. 

It is good.

Being overwhelmed by provision, love, attention, care, acceptance...these are all pictures that point back to the deep, unfathomable love of Christ. 

I hope that my child feels all these things when he comes home and his eyes fall upon the richness heaped upon him. Material things don't mean much to me. But to a child who has had nothing, they speak volumes.

But mostly I hope that this care and love will one day resonate in his soul as to the One who prepared it all ahead of time. 
The One who gave it all up, 
His very life for this boy created in the Father's image. 
For this cherished child.

Here is the place we have prepared for the newest member of our family:

And now we wait.

**UPDATE AT BOTTOM!!**

Speaking of twelves, that is how old our boys' cousin T turns today. We tried ALL week to work it out for his potential adoptive family and our family to go to their town and take he and K out to dinner tomorrow. Their caseworker is on vacation so we couldn't get the proper clearance. Aside from that I was chewed out by their foster parent supervisor for even having contacted their private agency to seek approval. I was quite distraught by her treatment of me on the phone as though I was trying to do something illegal, but I also know God is WAY bigger than some stranger's attitude towards how much we love these boys. We are heartbroken because this is another year he will not be celebrated. Last year he told me that his foster family didn't even get him a cake. So, even though this is not actually a cake for him...this post is the best I can do to honor and celebrate him today even though he doesn't know it. We are praying and hoping that CPS will MOVE next week to get him placed with his forever family whose Mom has lovingly prepared a room for him and has begun to plan a party for whenever he comes home.

Lord, we lift up T and his circumstance to you on this day that you brought him into the world. We know that you love him more than any of us could, and have a big plan for his life.

We pray that you intercede soon so he can begin his new life of joy, celebrations, and abundant love in Christ.

**UPDATE: So about an hour after I posted this, I got a voicemail from the CPS worker on vacation who said she had approved us taking T and K out for dinner tomorrow night and to have a "wonderful time and please wish him happy birthday for me!" WOW. God sure does come through in the knick of time! Billy and I and the four kids PLUS the potential adoptive family for T will caravan an hour away to pick the boys up in their two foster homes and take them to dinner! We are very very grateful to God for this answered prayer. 

Cookie Winner!

I have chosen the winner for the Cookie Contest!!

I thought cookie cutters would be an appropriate way to announce it:

The Winner Is Number...

 

Congratulations ROBYN C.!!!!

I know your friends and family will enjoy having a special treat this year. I thought the number 12 was a cool way to award a dozen 4th of July cookies. :)

Please go to The Cookie Jar on Etsy and contact them with your name and address and the delivery dates you prefer. 

Thank you to everyone who participated. My next giveaway will likely be the theme Back To School in August, since that was a big hit last year. Don't forget to click the Members button on the right so you don't miss out!

It Is About That Time Of Year Again

Don't Y'all just LOVE the 4th of July? I know I do...

And it is coming up fast, people so here is a little collage of our Independence days of old. This year we will be spending the holiday in Pensacola, Florida, my favorite place to be for the 4th. The kids soak up the sun and the love and attention of their Great Aunts, I get to take gorgeous pics of my kids on the beach, and this year we will get the added bonus of the joy of having Billy's sister with us. 

While I am having all kinds of fun at the ocean, I didn't want to leave y'all empty handed this year. 

SO....

Leave me a comment with what your fun 4th of July plans are and you will be entered to win another 
GIVEAWAY!!!

In honor of the coming holiday, one lucky reader will win one dozen decorated 4th of July cookies from the Etsy seller, The Cookie Jar.

Are these gorgeous or what?!!!

Your batch will arrive to your home in these festive designs as 3 inch "Platter Cookies" packaged in bubble wrap to ensure they arrive in all of their red, white, and blue glory.

The Cookie Jar offers cookies for all occasions including the most adorable birthday and baby shower cookies I have ever seen!

Please consider them for your next event!

Leave a comment and you may also go LIKE their Facebook page for an additional entry to win one dozen 4th of July cookies!

 Don't forget to become a follower to the right so you don't miss out on all of my exciting blog posts. ha! ;)


I will announce the winner on Friday.

Summer, Summer, Summertime

 

Moving Right Along

 

Things are falling into place for our adoption of K.

Once we decided to make the decision to not become licensed foster parents, and instead went with straight adoption through CPS...everything began to move more quickly. 

The fact is, the adoption caseworkers have a much smaller caseload, so they are able to make appointments and return emails and phone calls in a more timely fashion.

We have kept ourselves busy while we wait for his homecoming by preparing his bedroom. 

I took pictures of a football and had one of them printed as a canvas.

We have bought all of his furniture now which is a relief, and I have finished most of the decorating. It is very important to us that K come home to a place that is his. This is a child who has never had his own room, never had more personal possessions than could fit in a box, and never had a Mom and a Dad that thought the absolute world of him. 

We want him to feel loved, celebrated, anticipated, wanted, prayed for, planned for...all the things that children by birth in a family get automatically as a right of passage. I believe that whether a child enters a family as an infant or as a teen, they should always be welcomed with the same amount of excitement. 

I admit that yes, I am a bit neurotic when it comes to my kids...okay...fine!! I may or may not lie awake at night contemplating just where in the room would be the best place for a picture frame to go. I might have stalked Craigslist every hour for 3 days and sent my husband on hour away to pick up the perfect dresser to match his bed. 

But I am a mother. 

That is what I am supposed to do.

I will be fretting and fussing over this kid until the day he marries and beyond, so why not start now?

On that note:

 

On Friday, I purchased materials to make this letter K look like a football.

It turned out very cute and now sits on a bookshelf that Billy installed tonight.

  

On Friday, we also received our paperwork packet that included the checklist of all the things we needed copied and filled out:

I got it all done and put in an envelope that Billy took to the post office today. Our fingerprints are scheduled for next week and then the following week will be our home study barring any delays.

We are hoping that while we are on vacation for the 4th of July, our caseworker can be typing up and submitting our home study for approval. We really want K home by mid July and are praying towards that goal. After all, school will be here before we know it and we want him to be able to enjoy as many fun summer memories with us as he can.

This Is What Jasmine Has Been Up To Lately

Isn't she cute? 

(Insert sarcasm)

Yes...my baby is a full blown toddler.

She tantrums over just about everything...but in particular her hot buttons are:

Mommy takes her toothbrush away, Mommy won't pick her up while she is cooking dinner, Mommy is checking email and ignoring her antics, Mommy won't let her snatch her cell phone, Mommy gets upset when baby bites her shoulder, Mommy won't let baby in bathroom, Mommy gives her food she doesn't like, Mommy is too slow to give her food, Mommy is pouring her milk into her sippy cup, Mommy has the audacity to buckle her into a shopping cart, Mommy wants to share her raisins, and Mommy takes away dog dishes.

Notice the common denominator?

Others tell me she is a doll when I am not around.

Go figure.

I have nicknamed her The Beast.

She lives up to her name,

daily.

Pillow WINNER!!!

Because the children are all in VBS right now and the baby is napping, 

I chose the winner myself by going to Random.org and typing in the numbers 1-39 for the giveaway comments. 

The number it spit out was.....

DRUM ROLL.....

The winner is:

Becky!!!

Hooray! Congratulations, friend!

I know Eva or Simon will love their pillow so much that you will just have to go buy the sibling one for them too, right? ;)

Thanks to all of you for participating in this giveaway! Please go to Ted and Lucy and purchase pillows for your own little ones. 

Remember the coupon code ADOPT2012 for 15% off your order for the next 30 days only.

Feel free to message Kim and ask her about other fabric options other than what she has on her shop site. She may be able to work with you to match your child's decor! She is already making one for K's Dallas Cowboys room! Yeah!!!

Nesting~ Giveaway!!!

Well, I promised y'all another giveaway, didn't I?!

As you know I am nesting for our coming arrival. I published a blogpost about that but somehow it has disappeared from the face of the earth...or blogger atleast. Well...while I was putting together my Summer Fun Giveaways a couple weeks ago, the Etsy seller Ted and Lucy replied back that she would LOVE to offer a custom child pillow to one of my readers. I adored these and told her I wanted them to have their own blogpost, so we settled on this week!

These are just gorgeous with bright vibrant colors and large font.

Oh so sweet.

But beside the fact that she wants to give one of my readers a pillow, she also wants to offer ALL of my readers a discount for a pillow of your choice! 

You will get a 15% off discount if you type in the coupon code: ADOPT2012

These would make the PERFECT travel pillow for all those long car trips typical in the summer.

And who doesn't love their little one's name on their belongings.

But, there is one more catch...

FOR ME!

Kim at Ted and Lucy told me that she would love to give me a custom pillow for EACH order

received through my blog

 (that is where the coupon code comes in!) 

So this means if only FIVE of you order pillows for your kids, nieces and nephews, and birthday gifts...I will receive a pillow for each one of my kids for free! Woohoo!

What a great way for my followers to thank me for the great giveaways I host, right?

 

Just sayin. :)

 

Wouldn't the letter K look great on a football pillow?

I think so.

Leave a comment here to enter the pillow giveaway for yourself, and please go LIKE their Facebook page for an additional entry. Then on Friday when I reveal the winner, the rest of you can go on over to Ted and Lucy and order your pillows!!

 

Don't forget the coupon code ADOPT2012 for 15 % off.

Vacation Bible School

 

For the 4th summer in a row, my kids are involved with VBS.

They LOVE it at this church. 

The decorations and crafts they do up are SO cool.

This year's theme is "Look Up" and has a flight/travel feel to all the activities.

The foyer was covered in giant parachute packs.

The kids are always so excited to be there and often don't want to leave. It will be all week from 9-12. That gives Mommy lots of time to shop for K's homecoming and hang out with friends. Tomorrow it is a bagel breakfast out with some of my mom friends from church.