Updates and Sickies

I realized I haven't really posted any updates on where we are in the process. Our homestudy is almost complete and we are just waiting on a couple of things to pull it all together. We are working bit by bit on our dossier paperwork (fancy word for lots and lots of papers)! And there there is the whole "raise a whole lot of money" factor.

A couple of fundraisers are in the works and wow...I will just say God uses ALL of his people to be hands and feet of Jesus here on earth. When we first started this journey I had no idea of the plan God would lay out to get Little One home. I just trusted it would happen.

I can't wait to watch it all unfold knowing it has all passed through His hands first.

I will say, the past few weeks have been rough for several different reasons. Without going into detail we have been dealing with some issues that I honestly don't comprehend. I believed that all we learned from the gifts Emma brought to our lives, that these lessons would be ingrained into those close to us forever. Acceptance, loving unconditionally, seeing beyond the surface of one's physical abilities, realizing God sees those viewed as the lowest of the low as the highest.  We don't love someone because of what they can give back to us but because God first loved US. Emma taught us to love the way God loves. Sadly, I see many of the lessons she brought have been forgotten by some who knew her.

God gave us a gift by our daughter Emma being born with special needs and ultimately passing away. It hurts my heart to see people treat children with special needs differently. Because understand this - we are all flawed, broken, dirty, covered in filth - this is how we come to God and he loves us anyway. He sees our heart, not what is on the outside.

We love Little One and welcome her into our arms without hesitation or fear knowing fully well there will be battle scars she carries that only God and a lifetime of being loved can ever heal. God has grown in our hearts a love for Little On that only He could do. We pray for those who will never understand this kind of love. It's sad, truly sad.

As for the sickies - it's a saga that just won't end. Both kids have been sick and now me. We are literally up to our ears in illness for two weeks. Who knew strep could come back and come back and a kid could still run a temp while on antibiotics. I need a bottle of lysol attached to my hip. Just a month ago I was commenting to a friend "my kids never get strep". Apparently that is the wrong thing to say. The strep bacteria police arrived at our home and haven't left yet.

Now I would have to say "well, my kids never DID get strep until I said they never got strep then they DID get strep and it wouldn't go away." Of course right now I would have to whisper because my throat is so swollen. I LOVE for my kids to share...but NOT GERMS!

Pray for all illness to sweep it's way out of our home and for the remainder of our homestudy to be wrapped up. And oh, for my laundry to put itself away all on its own. I can dream right?

Fundraising Gone Wild

What do one crazy Cajun, one southerner who calls herself mama grits and one Miss Alabama 1992 have in common? Besides insanity...

FUNDRAISING TO THE EXTREME.

If you have been following my friend Renee's adoption blog you know she challenged everyone to a throw down. Raise a certain amount of money by March 1st and I agreed to post an updated pic of my older than dirt self. Well...Renee got her money to help bring her baby girl home and a deals a deal so here you go.

Now, y'all didn't think I could let this go without a little southern sarcasm did ya?




Now who wants to guess how old I was yesterday on my birthday? I feel another throw down coming on.

For The Love Of Paisley

I am amazed but never surprised by the way God weaves people together, all for His glory. Through this journey I have had the incredible joy of meeting other families and mama's who have adopted or in the process. We share laughter, tears, venting, and faith. Oh so much faith. It takes a village of God's people, walking together in faith to bring a child home. I am honored to tell you about one amazing mama. My sweet friend Renee who I believe God placed in my life for a reason.

Renee and her husband have worked for months and months to raise the money to bring Paisley home. Paisley lives in a far away land too and her family is waiting on her with arms wide open. Paisley will be the sister of the family! Please help get Paisley into her mamas arms...

Renee is having a giveaway on her blog. For every $5 donated, your name will be entered into a drawing to win this gorgeous necklace. To quote another amazing mama "All of us can give $5 without even noticing it's gone...but your $5 will go so far in helping Renee bring her sweet baby home."

 Please, Please visit Renee's blog and help her complete her journey to precious Paisley.

Piece by Piece

Little One's puzzle is slowly growing piece by piece! Every time I see a donation I literally sob! Out of gratitude and thankfulness that people care enough to give so generously. Many who have never met our family.

This journey is one filled with uncertainty, unpredictability and faith. Thank you each and every one who is praying, who have donated, and who love our little one enough to help us bring her home. Keep watching to see her puzzle grow...we are praying she will someday look at this and see all 100 pieces filled with a name!

Puzzle picture will be shown once LittleOne is Home!!

Holding On...

to a computer which is not cooperating, obviously!

I spent 1/2 an hour yesterday writing a new post, hit publish and NOTHING was there. Had another post scheduled to publish today and again...NOTHING!

Maybe at some point a post I write (other than complaining about my computer) will actually cooperate. Stay tuned folks.

Are You Her Family???

This precious little girl needs a home.

It was believed she had a family but for reasons unknown this didn't happen. Sadly, last week the family was unable to continue with her adoption.  Please, please pass on Vera's story. I KNOW her family is out there. She is still at the baby house where our Little One is but will not be able to stay there much longer - she was being held for the potential family. She will soon be transferred if another family doesn't come forward SOON! Please visit her blog  http://iknowyouroutthereimjustwaiting.blogspot.com/ for more information on adopting her. There are two adorable little boys who also need homes desperately and have already been transferred - their information is on Vera's blog also.

If You Say Go...

we will go...yes, we will go.

Every single time He has called Eli and I to the flames we have seen Him. Even in the darkest of times, He has been there. He asked us to GO and we said Yes. His hand is in every single step we are taking and will take.

I love this song....enjoy.

Because Renee Thinks I Am Nuts

* NEWS FLASH! I finally figured out why my blog header was thumbelina size. Crisis averted. The old brain actually does work*

LOL LOL LOL. But I promise this is the way the header looked when I opened it after Renee emailed it to me!!! Okay. Need chocolate. Renee can you just book a flight to Alabama to take a look see?

I DO have an important bit of information about passports and drivers licenses though for those travelling abroad. Just learned today.

MAKE SURE your name on both passport and drivers license match exactly or you will be detained according to the lady we got our passports from. I have my maiden name, middle initial and married name on my license. Probably because I was still in college when I got married and had so much info with my maiden name still, so I kept it on my drivers license and added my married name. When I applied for my passport I put my legal name which is now on my social security card. First, Middle and Married names. 

Shaking head...this has led to a big problem since the two documents must match. SO. I went to get my license changed to match the other documents. Nope. Even though they have my social security card with full name they have to see my birth certificate.

Pause to grit teeth.

Okay. Fine. Even though it took a legal, notarized document to get my social security card changed to my legal name way back when I was married 18 years ago, they still need my birth certificate to verify my MIDDLE name!!!

People, why would someone make up a middle name?

Why would my social security card have my middle name if it was not the real deal?

I don't think we are dealing with common sense here. It's called RED tape.

And why I ask must any line involved with the state, county, etc. be so incredibly long, hot, and filled with a whole lot of folks who do not believe in soap or deodorant? Is it too much to ask for a chair? A fan? A gas mask?

I have no IDEA...

Why the header of my blog is teeny tiny. Believe me I have tried multiple things and still, tiny.

My awesome friend Renee from Chasing Moonlight kindly sent me a redone header but for some reason it was hot pink. LOL. The colors were skewed and not doing what they were supposed to. I think Renee believes I have gone nuts. But no...it's technology. Really.

That's my story and I am sticking to it.

Things are getting quite busy around here. Chasing paperwork and a huge reading program at Paige's school is about to begin and last for five weeks. I have had the honor of getting the "guest readers" which includes; a former Mrs.America (who is super smart and also a lawyer!), the mayor, a master falconer (live owls), a children's author, pizza tossers, and on and on. So much fun for the children!!! But busy, busy, busy! Where is this school year going? Our children are doing so great in school making all A's and an occasional B! We are so proud of them.

Which leads me to last weekend. On Saturday we had the great pleasure of meeting many other families adopting from the same far away land as us. We were hosted by a family who returned from far away land last year after adopting three of the most precious, lovely, huggable, smart, so sweet little children. Oh my word what a joy to pick up those doll babies and love on them, hug them and hear their little laughs. And we were blown away by how our own children LOVED those sweet babes. How kind and gentle the P's were and how they didn't even notice the children had any special needs. Quite amazing and humbling.

To be as innocent, open hearted and non-judgemental as a child. Now that is a wonderful lesson to take.

And the food....okay I am loving the traditional food we were served in honor of the far away land we hope to someday go to. Seriously, I have been eating left overs for days. Yum!! Okay friends...off to get more paperwork done! Have a Blessed, Joy Filled Day!

And oh, if you have any tips for making that silly blog header bigger PLEASE let me know!