Priceless

Found this on a fellow blogger's site.

Priceless...
You know you are an adoptive mother (or you should be!) if:
1. The fact that there are 143 million children without a parent to kiss them goodnight has ever made you lose sleep.
2. You realize DNA has nothing to do with love and family.
3. You can't watch Adoption Stories on TLC without sobbing.
4. The fact that if 7% of Christians adopted 1 child, there would be no orphans in the world is convicting to you
5. You spend free time surfing blogs about families who have experienced the blessing of adoption.
6. It drives you crazy when people ask you about your adopted child's "real" parents.
7. You have ever been "pregnant" with your adoptive child longer than it takes an elephant to give birth (2 years!)
8. You had no idea how you would afford to adopt but stepped out in faith anyway knowing where God calls you He will provide.
9. You have ever taken a airplane ride half way around the world with a child you just met.
10. You believe God's heart is for adoption.
11. You realize that welcoming a child into your heart and family is one of the most important legacy's you could ever leave on this earth.
12. You shudder when people say your child is so lucky that you adopted them, knowing full well you are the blessed one to have them in your life.
13. You know what the word Dossier means and you can actually pronounce it!
14. You have welcomed a social worker into the most private parts of your life.
15. You know full well that the journey of your child coming into your family is one of the most wonderful, miraculous things that has ever happened to you.

Hope in Sight.

The internet man is coming Monday - maybe, I can get hooked back up to the internet - sure have been missing it!

FFF - Rewind 3 weeks

3 weeks ago, we had a lot of snow outside! It was cold, but mostly very wet outside, so Mom brought the snow inside for Sam, Mommy and Daddy to play with. We all thought it was a lot of fun, in fact, I treked out to get another batch when the 1st one melted! Daddy, Sam, the big blue duck and kitchen spoons - fun for the afternoon. Yum, hope the animals didn't get to this first, yuck!
Thanks to cousin Sherri for the great idea- she did this with her kids Caedmon and Kaiya earlier in the winter.
View from our 1st porch while it was snowing, very pretty.

Easter Egg Fun

The family - all dressed up for Easter Sunrise service at church. We had a great drama put on at church by Dan's cousin, V, Dan was Pilot and played his part well. He even had on a gold headband - sorry no pics for evidence. It was a great reminder of all the sacrifices and shunning from his very own people that Jesus endured on our behalf. Thanks for our risen Lord!!
The Easter Bunny stopped to see Sam and Daddy. Sam got new Thomas the Train sheets!
We colored Easter Eggs at Grandma & Grandpa's house.
The silly eggs....
My nieces Blake and Morgan and Sam - with the bunny!

Sam's Birthday Party Photos

You're Invited

to view the fun from

Sam's 2nd Birthday Party!!

Theme: Thomas the Train

Sam's daddy built him this train table. He absolutely loved it, still does. However, he does not share the remote for the train very well.... Don't you love his conductor hat?
Sam and daddy sharing some laughs. We were a little late on celebrating the party. Sam turned 2 on Christmas Day, we decided to have the party in our new home this year. So glad we did, Sam really didn't mind and we had room for lots of family and friends!
Yes, mama blew bubbles inside the new house - even made floor a little extra shiny underneath!
Sam with cousin J and friend K.
Mama with Sam, cousin D, friend K and ML.
Thanks Grandma for making Sam's train cake and the homemade pizza for the party. Thanks to Grandpa Great Graber for bringing the strawberries -they were a hit! Sam had a great birthday, thanks to all who came and had a lot of fun! Until next year...

Great Weekend!

We had a great weekend, jam packed and full of fun! Pictures to follow when the internet is back up at home. My work schedule allows me a 4 day weekend about once a month or so - and we just celebrated one! Thursday Dan, Sam and I ran errands and got Sam's party supplies - Party supplies???? YES, my little man finally got to have his 2nd birthday party.....(Just a reminder that his birthday is Christmas Day). This year since we were moving we decided to celebrate once we were moved in. He had a blast Friday night with friends and family. Daddy made him a new train table and we put a GeoTrax set on it - he has not stopped playing with it! I cannot wait to post the pics. He got lots of nice gifts - the theme seemed to be bubble makers, wands, a dragon blower and lawn mower all with bubbles!

Saturday we went to watch my niece Morgan at her band contest, she did great and scored a gold!

Yesterday we spent the day together church, lunch and took Sam to his 1st movie - Horton hears the Who. Well, my 2 year old isn't really ready for the movie. I think because I waited so long for kids, I want him to do it all! It wasn't that bad, but let's just say we didn't watch the entire movie.

What a great weekend! Hope everyone has a great week!

Trusting the Lord

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.

Isaiah 26:3

Yesterday we received an update from our coordinator that our file has not yet been submitted to PGN. My heart sank. Our lawyer pays a private reviewer to ensure the file looks complete prior to submission to PGN. The idea with this is to lessen the chance of a previo (set back) once in PGN. He hopes to submit it Monday. I am not sure why that at times I don't have full faith in the Lord's timing. It is perfect, I know this. Today, I am trusting that there is a great plan to bring Joe home!

On a fun note, I had a precious full day with Sam yesterday and we had so much fun. We had a lot of errands to run and were busy from morning until bed. Two things struck me yesterday...

1. I would ask him to do something, ie throw diaper in the trash and his reply.. "Of course" How funny!!!!

2. Then after all of our running, between 4-8p alone Sam woke up from his nap, stopped and see a coworker and her bundle of joy (Congrats, Jodie and Brylee), got our photo taken with live bunnies, went to a jewerly party (at which Sam had snacks), then stopped at Walmart - pfew did you notice we missed anything? Well, at 8:30 on the way home, Sam says to me...HUNGRY, ma! Oh, I felt so bad. This little man needed to eat. So, we had some bites and then went bed with a full tummy.

Sweet Cheeks

Here are the latest update pics of Joe - he would be 6.5 months old here. He looks so scrumptious. We love you little man - we want you home with us - praying you home everyday!

Tomorrow Joe is 7 months old. This is a hard age for me as at this time we knew we were out of PGN with Sam and he came home just shortly before his 8 month birthday. Let's pray for a quick submission and fly through PGN....

No internet = No blogging

This limited access to the internet has me going crazy! We still have the computer hooked up at our old house because we don't have access at the new house yet. However, I haven't been there - very busy at the new house. Loving it!!!!!! I can also access limited from work, lunch, etc. No pics though - that's about to kill me because we have new precious pics of Joe!

I will post them ASAP - They are sooooooo sweet that I could just squeeze the little man. I immediately looked up prices for a plane flight. Right now I am sad because I don't feel like I know Joe like I would like to. With Sam we visited more, and to be quite honest, I didn't know exactly what I was missing. With each set of photos of Sam I was excited and I am the same with Joe, but also realize just how much he is changing without us! Dan is going to crunch the numbers and see if I/We can go down to see him - I will post when we decide. As far as our case, I am waiting to hear about our submission to PGN. I really don't like being in LIMBO - if we are in PGN at least I feel like someone is looking at our case. Maybe God is taking his sweet time and working a little speed magic prior to our submission to PGN - putting angel's wings on our case so it sails right through! That the image in my mind!

Our new home is wonderful. We still have a lot details to finish up - but it feels good to settle into our forever home. Sam is loving it - running up and down the hall like a chicken! He has done soooooo well in his big boy bed - sleeping there every night until 4, 5 or 6:30 am! Let's hope that streak continues. I have a dishwasher, too - 1st time since I lived with my brother in 98-99 - that is really nice!

I promise to post photos soon!