40 WEEKS & ZOO TRIP!

Randy with his "new" Friend.

Watching the sea lions!

Our navigator!

We did get to the zoo on Sunday. It was a great day outside...and we got to see all of the animals. I think Emilie enjoyed it for her birthday!

Today we are hitting a big milestone...40 weeks...FULL TERM! I sure wish it worked that way in adoption as well...BUT...we still have several weeks to go. We did find out this week that we were 32 on the list and their were 2 baby girl referrals this week so now we should be 30 on the overall list. ***UPDATE: Just read that there was a baby boy referred yesterday. So..we should be 29 overall!*** Still unsure where we stand on our preference but I think we are 10 or below...
I am VERY happy for those who did receive referrals this week. They waited a little over a year for their precious little bundles. I can't wait to see them pass court and share their little ones with us. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

ALSO...several passed court yesterday, including an adoption buddy, Tiffany! YEAH...SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!! This was all good news as many thought it was not going to happen due to some other issues. BUT God was in charge! AMEN!

This morning it is just hubby and I and all of the pets. Emilie is at her grandparents and Randy is gone to CIY with his youth group. Randy will be home Sat afternoon and we will get Em on Sunday. I just received a text from Randy and he is having a great time. He says it has been an intense week. Don and I are going to go out to lunch and get our hair cut. He has to be at work at 4 so... I am going to make more salsa this afternoon. We have run out and the family likes it better than store bought.

I hope you all have a blessed weekend.

Tina

***(I saw this on another blog and it made me feel a little peace! ) But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, BE PATIENT. For it will surely take place. It will not be late by one single day.

Habakkuk 2:3

CHANGES...AGAIN!

Well...today we heard that our 2nd adoption consultant in the last 9+ months was resigning from the agency to move on to another job. Now...I understand that things change and that life will go on...BUT...I am SO frustrated! I am concerned because the person we are getting is completely new to the Ethiopia program. We are at a point where we have some questions and I wonder how long it will take to get them and if we will get the correct info.
Don is dealing with this much better than I am. I am just ANGRY! Hey...3rd time is a charm...RIGHT? Gotta see the upside in this somewhere...
On a positive note several passed court today and that makes me **SMILE**!

CONGRATULATIONS ALL!

Plus...there have been a few referrals this week! YEAH--

CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE!

Blessings~
Tina

39 WEEKS...9 MONTHS!

Today we officially hit 9 months of waiting (39 weeks). I didn't think we would hit this point. We waited 9 months with Vietnam before we switched and I really thought this one would go faster. HMMM...That is what I get for thinking, right? This week has been a tough one. They have decided to close court this year. They are just waiting a little later to do it. SO...it will close from Aug 21st to beginning of Oct. (have to love the open date!) Anyway... It looks like 2 referrals were taken back due to some issues with an orphanage director. VERY SAD! That made us bump up a few on the overall list but I THINK we stayed the same on the request list. (REALLY THOUGH WHO KNOWS!!) A little bit of sunshine...there were 2 referrals given this week. A very young sibling group and they waited 16 months for their referral AND a baby girl and they waited a year almost to the day! I am certain our wait is at least a few more months away plus things seem to slow down whent he courts close. Still...KEEPING THE FAITH that our little guy will be here for Christmas.

Don should be home tomorrow afternoon! YEAH- I am ready for him to be home. I think he is ready as well.

We are finishing up our Bible School tonight and have no plans other than running around to do tomorrow and then Sunday we are going to the zoo. Hope the weather is nice and not too hot.

Better get some things done. Gotta get some groceries also! UGH- :)

Hope you all have a blessed day!
Tina
My sister sent this to me this week...she knew I was struggling! (from a song by Babbie Mason)
***God is too wise to be mistaken, God is too good to be unkind, So when you don't understand, When you don't see His plan, When you can't trace His hand, TRUST HIS HEART! ***

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EMILIE!!

Today is Em's 11th birthday. Where does the time go? We were so excited the day she arrived. We had waited 2 years and 9 months for her arrival! (Another one of God's plans vs our plans...guess who won that one too???) She arrived at 10:13 am on July 23rd just one day before her actual due date! She was our only child to carry to the full 40 weeks, so weighing 6 lbs 14 oz we thought she was HUGE! She was only 18 inches long so she looked like a little butterball. Emilie was born with tons of energy which she still has!

For years her Daddy called her his miracle baby and so she would tell people...I am the miracle baby! She would follow her bubby abd sissy around all the time sneaking things away from them and then trying to sell them back (at age 2).

Emilie is very passionate about many things! She loves the outdoors and LOVES all animals. I can see her working in some job that allows her to be outside and with animals someday.

Her Daddy could not be here on her birthday but sent her a present and will be home on Saturday. We are taking her to the zoo on Sunday. Today we are going to Chuckie Cheese! YEAH-

Em- I hope you have a wonderful day! Thanks for being such a blessing to all of us!

Love, Mom and Dad

38 WEEKS & STILL COUNTING DOWN...

Today is 38 weeks since we began, officially, waiting for our referral from Ethiopia. Not much news to report this week. Have not heard of any referrals...or anything. We were told that the courts would remain open this year as opposed to years passed. I am praying this means great news for many people. I am finding it a bit frustrating trying to figure out where we stand in all of this. I am pretty certain we are about #33 over all but truly have no idea where we are with our preference. I think we are one number then I hear or see that someone has switched their preference and it makes ours different. I know it is all in God's timing and I still need to let God take control but it is hard for me. I like to be in control!

Don will be home in 8 days! YEAH- We have had a bit of a rough week. We started off with my laptop messing up, then we had several visits to the Drs office this week, then Don hit a curb and tore up his tire (while gone) and then his phone started acting up (he could hear you but you could not hear him). SO...I hope the next several days goes MUCH better for all of us!

Emilie left yesterday to spend a week with my parents. She was looking forward to it. They were taking her and 3 of her cousins (they are all the same age) to Branson this weekend and then keeping them for a few extra days as well. Can you imagine gaining 4 grandchildren in 7 months!!?? I am picking her up on Wed so she will be here for her birthday. She will be 11 on the 23rd! UGH- That really makes me feel old! :)

Randy has a campout this weekend. He is leaving at 5 tonight so I will be home alone for the weekend. I plan on trying to get a lot done. I started a few things last night (cleaned Em's bedroom carpet). I want to clean several other carpets and work on some bathrooms. We will see what I get accomplished.

Praying for good news very very soon. There are several court dates coming up the beginning of August!

Have a BLESSED weekend!
Tina
***GOD IS IN CONTROL!

TWO WEEK COUNT DOWN...

OK...the two week count down begins today! Hubby left this morning and will be home in 2 weeks. PLEASE PRAY! It happens that when he is gone things seems to go wrong. My laptop is acting up so I am on the kids' computer. UGH- I am thankful that it works and I can still keep up with everything! I started to have a meltdown earlier and then I caught myself and decided it would be alright! We will make it through the two weeks and things will fall into place and IT WILL BE ALRIGHT! This is a large thing for me because I can let my anxiety take over and it is not a pretty thing! :) Now I have survived several deployments that he has been on so I know that two weeks is nothing in the larger scheme of things. I just don't like him being away. I like knowing he will be home at a certain time or if I really want to talk to him or see him I can!

Don took the car so Randy is driving the Explorer tonight to Youth group! Another UGH- But I made him drive home from Church in it and he did just fine.

I am hoping and praying for a great week again this week!

Hope you are having a blessed Sunday!
Tina

WEEK # 37...

We have been waiting 37 weeks today. It was a pretty tough week until yesterday. Monday I began questioning if God was hearing my cries at all about anything! I was in such a slump about everything going on. Then I joined the "praying the babies home". I asked my PWSs to join me in this prayer vigil to get these little one united with their waiting families. Then I heard about a miracle and then came some more exciting news and more exciting news...That is when I was reminded that the power of prayer is an amazing thing. I am so thankful to those that reminded me of that.
SO...I think we are at #31 overall and I am not sure where we stand for our request. I know that people changing their requests have changed our number so it is hard to keep up with it now. I think we are under 10.
Our weekend isn't too busy. Don leaves on Sunday for his AT and will be gone for a few weeks. He says I am always crabby when he is getting ready to leave each year! That is probably so. The idea of 2 weeks of dealing with the house and those in it on my own does not make me a cheerful person! :) I am thankful that my parents are willing to take Emilie a week while he is gone. That will help me out big time. We also have Bible School while he is gone so that will keep my nights busy for a week also. I intend to get carpets cleaned while I am home alone one weekend.

Hoping you all have a blessed weekend,
Tina
***(I read this last night in my 1 yr Bible)Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

ANOTHER TEENAGE DRIVER...

So...today there is another teenage driver on the road! OK...pray for me! :) We are very proud of Randy. He is very excited. We took him out to dinner to celebrate and then he drove himself to youth group. It is so scary sending your children out like that.

GREAT NEWS: It looks like most of the abandonment cases have been rescheduled with court dates. PRAISE GOD! MOWA did close this week until the 24th of July, which could
delay court dates and travel BUT it looks like we have some getting the go ahead to travel next week. PRAISE GOD! There was 3 referrals given today including...a 3m old baby boy, 9.5m baby girl and siblings 3 and 5. PRAISE GOD!!!

With this news it looks like we have moved up 2 spots. The sibling group only waited 5 months the others were 11 months and 12 months. SO...if my calculations are right...we are #31 overall.

This has been a great day!

Blessings~
Tina

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

We are headed to our friend's house today for a BBQ and fireworks. Then tomorrow we will head to the farm to shoot off the rest of our fireworks and have another BBQ. Hope you all have a safe and wonderful Holiday!

Blessings~
Tina
***BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD! I woke thinking of this today-

36 WEEKS...

Another week...a new month...still not much to say! It is pretty obvious that we will not make the closure. I am getting more concerned that we will not have him home for Christmas this year! Things are moving slowly. The abandonment issue is still not resolved and this means lots of families that need court dates and to travel!***PRAYING***
We have begun our 2nd homestudy update, third time overall! UUGH- This is so we can get our fingerprints for the govt redone again! Next week we will get fingerprinted for the state. I am trying to get as much done as possible before Don leaves. He is gone most of July.
SO...another Holiday this year without our little guy here. I have kept myself very busy this week. My lists have been long with limited computer time so that I am not dwelling on NO NEWS! I have gotten a lot done but my heart is still a little sad today.
Hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July! We have busy plans. Will share more later.

Blessings~
Tina
***This is the day the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

PWS WEEKEND!

I had a great weekend. Sorry it has taken me so long to post about it. I was so exhausted when I got home and I have been keeping myself very busy this week.
I rode with my cousin and sister in law to my sister's house. We got there about 9 and then we all ate. We hung out and talked until 330am but then I was sharing a bed with my sister so we were up talking for another hour. I am a girl who is in bed by 11 at the very latest every night. SO...BUT I like my routine so was up at 8 am the next morning. My mom was already up and had gone for her walk and was reading by the pool. As everyone began waking up we decided it was warm enough to get into the pool for a bit. SO...we hung out for a bit. After a brief shopping trip we came home and had some food. (DON'T YOU KNOW IT IS ALL ABOUT THE YUMMY FOOD!) Then as we finished eating and began visiting we decided it was time for some true PRAYER WARRIOR SISTER time.
What a wonderful blessing to sit around the table sharing things with my sisters. I know they are lifting me and my family up in prayer. I feel so blessed to know that when I have a need all I have to do is send an email and I know there are several ladies praying. When there are those times when I don't think I can beg God another minute for our little guy or anything else...I know these ladies will stand in the gap for me! What a wonderful gift! We spent several hours sitting around that table sharing...crying...laughing...praising and praying.
Sunday came and we headed to service at Cindy's Church. We were all assured that God himself was there the day before listening to each and every one of us. I think by the end of the service we all had goosebumps and were looking at each other in amazement! I left my sister's exhausted...but my cup was running over.
I only have a few pics because I forgot my camera and these are ones my sister sent. The bad thing is she is not in the group photo because she was taking it! BOO My cousin did take pics also so maybe soon I will have more to post.

**THE TABLE**


**MY PRAYER WARRIOR SISTERS!**This group is made up of friends,aunts,cousins,moms,and sisters!


May you all have such a wonderful group of PWS's.

Blessings~
Tina