A Fresh Take

Saturday mornings aren’t complete in our house without a trip to the Fayetteville Farmers market. The picture above is just a small glimpse of the goodies I got this weekend.

We love not only the fresh produce that the Farmer’s Market has to offer but the atmosphere. Everyone is so friendly. It brings us a real sense of community to participate. We also love supporting local farmers and you can’t beat the freshness. We are really looking forward to June and July as the market will be stocked with all the makings of my homemade salsa. My mouth is already watering.

My new addiction

Meet my new addiction…it wonderful and terrible all at the same time.

I had managed to get through last summer without being tempted to even try it, but last weekend the girls at our Women’s Retreat convinced me to give it a try, and I loved it! It has been a crazy week so I haven’t gotten by Sonic again but I really, really want to go. I keep telling myself that I won’t give in, but that won’t last much longer….

It is a terrible thing because while the average pregnancy includes 25 gained pounds, I am trying to start the trend that the average adoption includes 25 lost pounds. A yummy, refreshing Cherry Limeade Chiller won’t help that trend. I need to stick to my water and iced green tea. But the chiller is soooo goood! It is an addiction for sure.

One giant tennis ball + one yellow lab…priceless

 

ACTIVE

^“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” Philippians 4:4

It’s offical we are ACTIVE!!! We are so excited and so thankful. There were days that it seemed so far away, but we made it here in only 11 weeks. What a praise!

Now…we live. I am refusing to use the w-word (wait) that just makes it seem like you put everything on hold. We want to enjoy this season and enjoy our friends and family. So bring on the summer fun.

I’ll be posting pictures and recounting all the funny stories.

What are you listening to?

I am looking for some new music to download for my ipod. What are you listening to? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Rockin’ and Rollin’

Our homestudy is APPROVED!! Three to four days turned into 3-4 hours (see below). Once our agency receives our notarized copy, we will receive our adoption agreement to sign and we will be active!

Our God is one amazing God. What an amazing blessing!

Answered!

Not 10 minutes ago I was fast asleep when Bob called me (I am in DC again) to say our social worker called. Our FBI clearances were posted today! I am totally speechless in wonder. What an answer to prayer. Thank you for joining with us. We cannot tell you how much everyone’s support means to us.

Our case now goes to the supervising social worker for a final review to be sure everything is in perfect order. We should be sending in our activation paperwork by next Friday!

Now I am hopefully off to sleep since I have another 12 hours of training in front of me.

A Request

Good morning! I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter celebration. We had a wonderful, relaxing weekend and an amazing Easter service yesterday morning. Far too often, I taken our Risen Savior for granted and the living hope He gives us.

And far too often, I don’t ask Him specifically for what I need especially when it comes to the details. Rather than worrying, wondering or wishing. I need to go and place my request before our Living God. Would you join me this week in specifically praying our FBI clearances would be sent to our agency this week.

 ^“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:3-9

A few pages

Our life is now contained in 14 pages, and I just finished reading (and editing) them.

It is amazing how much significance the 14 pages contain within them. They are the 14 pages a judge will get to see before he/she grants us custody of a child. They are the 14 pages which declare the we are mentally, physically and financially ready to be parents.

I can read 14 pages of a book in just a few minutes. I can flip through 14 pages of a magazine in just a few seconds. But I have just spent hours pouring over the 14 pages of our home study ensuring every detail, every date, and every word is correct.

Just 14 pages but pages that will change our lives.

One GREAT Week

The last seven days have been filled with family, friends, a birthday and 9 inches of snow.

I got to hang out with my best friend and her two adorable little boys last week. It made me realize I have a lot to learn about being a mom and babies come with lots of gear. It was also a love feast between Jack and Caleb and our yellow lab Tess. She kept looking for them for hours after they left and was very disappointed not to find them hiding out.

I celebrated my 28th birthday on Thursday and then again on Saturday. If one birthday is good, why not celebrate it again.

 My parents came for the weekend, and we got to go to Rick’s Bakery Saturday morning for breakfast. I absolutely loves Rick’s and was super excited to get to take home my first Rick’s Bakery cake. YUM! With a combination of snow, sleet and freezing rain Sunday (the first full day of spring!), we stayed in and enjoyed time together. I even found a couple of projects for my Dad to work on. Thanks Dad! My parent’s also helped me pick up a great antique hutch on Monday that I found on Craigslist for a steal. I am super excited to start refinishing it for our entryway.

Bob and I also managed to fit in a call with our adoption family coordinator, and she was a huge encouragement. She has a lot of experience with both birth moms and adoptive families so we feel very blessed that she is our main point of contact and will be with us through the whole process.

It has been one GREAT week!