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

35 WEEKS...CAN YOU BELIEVE IT??

I am having a hard time believing we have reached 35 weeks of waiting. I promise it is true, as much as I hate it!! This week we reached 8 months and I thought well we have probably 2 to 3 months to go! We will be making a phone call to our social worker to renew our home study AGAIN! They do say that third time is a charm...RIGHT? I am not so much frustrated that we have to do it BUT that we will need to pay for it for a third time! UUGH- Plus we will need to be refingerprinted for the third time as well. Actually, we will do it for state and for govt so that means for the 6th time...Do our fingerprints change?? NO...but I guess we could have gotten into trouble within the last year? I promise we have NOT! God, as always, has been so good to us. I am not feeling overly anxious about the wait right now...but the finances are getting to me! We feel like we get to a point where we can relax a little and then BAM-- As most of you know...having a home study done is not cheap and renewing is not a lot cheaper either! Plus we will have to pay for fingerprints. You get a one time free renewal but after that you pay! Anyway...enough complaining! He is worth it all and then some...I AM SURE OF IT! :)

This weekend I am headed to my sister's for a girl's weekend. We have several traveling from all over to make it. We are going to watch videos and PRAY PRAY PRAY! I know there will be pool time and let's not forget the snacks and food! :) I am looking forward to it. A time to refresh and be with my PWS! (Prayer Warrior Sisters) They have been praying for us from the beginning and stand in the gap as needed for me! What a wonderful group of ladies. I know when I need them they are there! What a blessing. I am hoping to get some pictures this weekend. (no pool shots...Sorry!!):) That is against the rules!!!!!

Emilie is spending the weekend with my niece and my Dad. They are all looking forward to it. Emilie just got home yesterday from camp but is ready to head out again! Randy and Don will be here. Don is working most of it but when he is off they are planning on getting the spare room painted.

Hope you all have a wonderfully blessed weekend!
Tina
***"Have faith in God,"Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain,'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:22-24

OUR FINAL CAMPER HAS RETURNED!!

Don picked Emilie up from Church camp today. She says she had a great time and was showing me her artwork and crafts. She was excited about the points she earned memorizing scriptures and the ten commandments. SO...minus our daughter who is living on her own, we are all home for dinner tonight. That always makes a Momma happy!
Here are a few pics of our camper.
On her bunk.

Camp sign

Closing ceremony


Have a great night all!
Tina

THE BOYS ARE HOME!!

Don and Randy returned home from Boyscout camp today. They had a good time even with all of the storms they had to deal with. Randy returned a "firebuilder" and we are very proud of him. I went to visitor Sunday and enjoyed watching him take charge and organize things. To see your son pray in front of a group of people...makes my heart sing!
Now I begin the laundry(from 2 guys...ICK!!!) and preparing for the next event! We are quite busy this month and next!
Today marks 8 months of waiting for little guy. We know that we have moved up 2 overall so far this week. We think we are about 33ish. We are hoping it will be soon.
Now I will share a few photos from the boys' camping experience this year.







Emilie will be home tomorrow from her camp. In time for me to pack her up to go spend the weekend with Grandpa K. I am not sure who is more excited about this her or Grandpa! :)

Hope you are having a wondeful week.
Blessings~
Tina

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

We had a very busy Father's Day. I spent the day at Boy scout camp with our son. Dad spent the day picking up and transporting our youngest to catch a ride for Church camp and then headed back to scout camp to spend the last 3 days of camp with our son. SO...We began our morning together for a few hours and then went our seperate ways for the rest of the day!

It was certainly hot at scout camp! I am NOT a camper so this was a "big" yearly event for me! :) Now I am home and all alone and ready to shower and head to bed with our puppies who will be my buddies for the next few days.

I have already begun making my lists for the week. I am only alone for a few days but I hope to accomplish a lot!

SO...HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, Honey, Dad and Dad(in law)! Hope you had a great day.

Blessings~
Tina

19 YEARS AGO TODAY...

I became a Mom for the first time! At 1:50 am our little one arrived weighing in at 5 lbs 6 oz and 18 inches long! She had the deepest brown eyes I had ever seen. She stole our hearts right away. We were completely in love with our little girl, Tifanie Lea. Since then we have watched our baby girl become a young woman...too quickly for us and not quite quick enough for her! :) We are very proud of Tifanie's accomplishments and her plans to become a nurse someday! She works at a Nursing Home now where she is loved very much by the residents and she is going to school. She recently has moved out on her own into an apt with her best friend and is enjoying the freedom it brings. :)
At one year old.



Tifanie was so excited about getting big bird for Christmas!

Hanging out on the phone~


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TIFANIE! WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!!!