So Thankful...

...for new pictures of our Maggie!

     We have been reviewing the draft of our homestudy, so hopefully this week it will be sent to our placing agency!!

     The other day Jaydn (7) asked "How long will it take mom?" How long will what take? "For Maggie's eyes to change to look like ours?"

So funny! Love that kid!

Quietness & Confidence...

Today was our final homestudy meeting. While the meeting went fine, the homestudy report wasn't finished. My hope was that it would be finished. As I got in the car, the tears fell, just from disappointment.

Then the Lord's spirit reminded me of a verse that hung in my childhood bathroom for years, Isaiah 30:15 "in quietness and confidence shall be your strength..." (KJV) Jesus knew my tears, my disappointment, but He also knows His timing. This will happen. All will work out and we will look back and think "OH! That's why the homestudy report wasn't finished that day!"

So grateful for the sweet spirit of Jesus!

Paperwork and more paperwork!

     This past week has been spent gathering and preparing paperwork for the homestudy, 1800A, and dossier! One end of our dining room table is filled with all the forms! It has been such a blessing to not work this summer! Little did we know, when we made the decision to not have me work, was there a bigger purpose at work!
     Tomorrow is our final homestudy! I am so excited, because once that is approved, we can send in our I800A, which is the application that we will wait a long time for a response on. However, I am so excited to almost be to that point!
     On the financial side, while the homestudy is almost completed, we cannot send it to our agency without $1,500, of which we are short $475. And while we are ready to send in the I800A, we do not have the money to go along with that either. For that we need $890. And soon after that $2,500 for the dossier. Aaaggh!
     So, we are praying for God's timing on the finances. That is scary for me. I want to send those forms in asap, but I don't have the resources. I have to trust that the LORD put us in this place and that the LORD has His hand and His timing on this.
     We covet your prayers for our journey!

GARAGE SALE!!

     We made over $1,000 at the garage sale yesterday!!! God is so good! I was hoping for $300! BIG THANKS to Megan Canady, Sarabeth Hudson, Kim Ellison & Amy Crawford for helping run the sale! Another THANKS to all those who donated items and those who bought!
     We have our third homestudy visit tomorrow, out of 4. I continue to work on all the paperwork so that once the homestudy is approved I can send the paperwork (I800A) that will take a LONG time to hear back on.
     I love this journey!

Journeying on... (is that a word?)

    We have now completed one homestudy visit and will have our 2nd (of 4) on Friday! I am loving this journey! We have been given donations the last two days, which means we now have enough to complete the homestudy costs and start raising funds for the next $1,550! Thank you so much to those who have donated!!! Such a blessing!
    I was also able to tell our pediatrician today about our journey! It is so fun to watch the reactions! God is moving!
    Well, I thought it might be time to tell you about our 2 other kiddos. Thanks to my friend Jaclyn for explaining how to incorporate pictures!!

  

    This is our Natalie. She is 8 and loves horses and has 3 fish (her edit). She is our animal lover; never has been the doll/barbie type. She loves the outdoors, movie nights, and swimming. We are in love with her quiet, sweet, yet stubborn spirit and trust that God will use those attributes for His glory!

 

     This is our Jaydn, who just turned 7. He enjoys all sports, especially football. He is a Chicago Bears, Texas Longhorn, Carolina Panther, Saints and Falcons fan. I am always amazed at the stats he has in his head at 7! He is a playful kid who is almost always happy! Full-on boy, yet with a sensitive heart who already loves Jesus.

     This one is of my best friend and hubby, Matt and I on our 10th anniversary! And of course I had to add a pic of our sweet Maggie, who is now 15 months old!

    Thank you for being interested in God's journey through us! We are humbled!

Just need to testify...

     I just feel the need to testify to the greatness of the Holy Spirit's work in a heart, namely mine! Five months ago I was content with two kids, even convinced that two was the right number for us. Today I am chomping at the bit to hold our third, and that is a change of heart that only God could orchestrate!
     Not only my heart, but Matt's as well! (That is another miracle!) : ) I remember when I told first told him about my "Maggie" experience at Massage Envy and he smiled back at me saying the only way that was going to happen was for God to change his heart. God has definitely done that and more.  Matt, too, is so ready to hold our little Maggie for the first time.  These are truly works only the Holy Spirit can do!