Making Memories

Even when we don't realize it, we are always making memories. Good or Bad. We spent today getting things together for our 1st big camping trip this year. For the last 9 or 10 years, we have gone to Barren River Lake in KY. It's one of our favorite camping places. We've made lots of memories there. Both boys rode their 1st horse there. We've camped with lots of different friends & family members there. We've met many new people there, as well.

Last year, Lou went on her last camping trip w/us. Oh the many memories from last memorial day weekend. We went horseback riding, swimming, ate lots of food, made pottery. All through out the weekend I kept thinking about how it would be the last camping trip w/her and I would get a little sad, but then I would think~~well @ least next year GloriaGrace will be here.

May 14th, 2009 we had just learned that Chiquitines accepted our dossier & would (eventually) place our daughter w/us. When we initially were accepted, we were told that things could move very quickly & we could even travel 3-6 months from then (that would've been by November of last year). We really have no idea what exactly we are still waiting on. The latest that we have been told is to expect a referral in August. That would have us travelling sometime between September/Novemeberish. I really try to keep myself from the what if games. Planning out our imaginary timeline. Figuring out flight information (I go on travelocity all the time, checking costs to Colombia). As much as I try not to, I just can't help it. We are soooo ready to meet & bring little Ms. GloriaGrace home.

I will enjoy my time with Tim & the boys this weekend. Both sets of grandparents will also be going camping w/us. We will make many memories this weekend, but while we are making them my mind will also be filled with thoughts of sweet little GloriaGrace & the hopes of her making memories with us soon.

Better Post Before February is Over

I just realized I haven't written since the last day of January. We only have 2 more days in February, and we're on into March. Time is flying by around here!! This month has been mostly same old stuff different day. A few snow days. A lot of really cold days. I'm not trying to wish away time, but I am ready for some warmer weather.

Last Saturday it got up to 60° ☼ It was fabulous. I painted my toenails red & broke out the flip flops. On Sunday, we had snow flurries :~P

The boys have been playing basketball. Coy's team played their tournament game on Wednesday night & it went into overtime. They did not win the game, so they are done for the season :( :)
Seth's 1st tournament game is today. We'll see how many more games, if any they get to play.

We are gearing up for the beginning of being busy. Lourdes sent me a message that she has dates picked out to visit us in a few weeks. :) :) :) Words can not fully explain how excited I am to see & hug that girl!!! I miss her, A LOT!!

The end of April I am either going on the mission trip to Mexico, or running in the Country Music ½ Marathon in Nashville. I am running, training as if I am going to run the ½, but praying that God works everything out for me to go to Mexico. I am hoping that we get a phone call from Gladney soon. I will go on the mission trip & freshen up on my Spanish, and return from Mexico to take off to Colombia :) That would be super duper cool.

Well, that is the skinny of what's going on around here.

2009

2009 has felt a lot like a roller coaster ride @ times, but as always God took care of us. We started the year deep in the ♥ of adoption paperwork. While we are so glad to be @ the point of just waiting, we are a little sad that GloriaGrace's room is still empty. We have learned a lot about patience in 2009. Waiting is hard, but God's timing is perfect. We are praying that GloriaGrace is home in 2010.



We also said goodbye to Lourdes. That was harder than I ever imagined. When we agreed to host an exchange student, I was more worried about if she would fit into our family. I wasn't sure what I would do if she missed her family so badly & she didn't like us. How dare I doubt that God would give us anyone less than a perfect fit for our family! Lourdes was such a wonderful addition to our family & we will count her as family, always.

I am excited to see what God has planned for us in 2010.

¡Feliz Dieciséis Dulce! :o)

Happy Birthday Lourdes.

We miss you more than you will ever know.

Here are some pictures from our last camping trip before you went back to Spain, and a couple of you & the boys goofing off :o) Love you!!

We Will Miss You Lou

Our last family photo with Lourdes

You are always welcome home Lourdes
Lourdes had a lot of stuff :o)

We just returned home from taking Lourdes to the airport. What indescribable emotions. I was very close to the ugly cry, but thankfully was able to keep it back just enough. It has been such an amazing 10 months. God matched us perfectly. (Dare I doubt that he wouldn't have?) We have been blessed beyond measure to have had this experience.

If anyone is even considering hosting a student, my advice would be pray & If God is calling you to it. . . DO IT!!

Please pray for Lourdes today, as she will be traveling 14+ hours to meet her mother, and then another 6 hours to drive home from the airport.

Please pray for us as we transition back to a family of 4 (for what will hopefully be a very short time).

Lourdes Is Off To Prom

Prom pictures on my facebook. Click here. Ok, it has been brought to my attention that you need to be a facebook user for the "click here" to work. Blogger only lets you upload 5 pictures @ a time, and facebook lets me do 200. That is why I only uploaded them there. I am making a slide show, which I will post here in a few minutes.

Thanks for taking the pictures Lisa.

We Are Sure Going to Miss Her . . .

We got a letter in the mail the other day. It has Lourdes' flight info. She will be leaving for Spain on June 9th, and arriving in Spain on June 10th. Spain is 7 hours ahead of us, so it will be a long day/night of flying for her. I know we still have 3 months, but I am already dreading taking her to the airport. We are sure going to miss her. . .

Lourdes loves American Food :o)

Peace :0)

I love having a girl around :o)

1st time @ a Rodeo:

Isn't She Beautiful :o)

I have decided that I am not as young as I used to be. After two days of prom dress shopping I was totally worn out! :o) I would have gone to as many dress shops as it took to find "the" dress, though. I am glad she found "the one." Here is a little preview. Even without fancy hair & makeup, she is beautiful.

Here are the details. There are jewels on the front & back:

Such a Fun Day Today. . .

This is a little tradition we started, when Coy was 4. On his birthday I made him pancakes that spelled his name & had his new age. Next year will be double digits :o)

After blueberry birthday pancakes I took Lourdes to her new high school, for registration.

GO BULLDOGS! ! !

Then we headed on to Coy's birthday hangout of choice--Chuck-e-cheese :o)


We got to play w/Emily. :o) :o) :o)

Coy & Em hit the "jackpot" twice, and shared tickets w/Seth :o)

We went swimming @ Emily's house & then had birthday cake.

Coy picked out carrot cake, yummy.

Coy was having so much fun w/Em, he didn't want to come home. So he's spending the night @ her house.

This is just a cute picture of Seth & Brownie:


I hope everyone has had as fun & nice a day as we have :o)
Goodnight.

She's Home :o)

The Boys ANXIOUSLY waiting her arrival. . .

Saying hello for the first time. . .



I didn't get very good pictures, and this was all I got :o( I am sure there will be many other photo ops. :o) Lourdes travelled w/no problem. In fact her flight arrived a little early, from Chicago. Today was a long day for her. She just now went to bed. It is 7am on Wednesday morning in Spain right now. YIKES. We are all crazy tired, so off to bed we go. Thanks for all the prayers.

Off to the Airport :o)

Well here goes nothing. . . :o)

We are off to the airport to pick up our first daughter.

Thanks for all the prayers.

I will post homecoming pictures ASAP :o)

Getting Closer :o)

Lourdes should be somewhere between Germany & Chicago right now. She will land in Chicago around 3:15. Her flight for Nashville takes off @4:46, and she lands @ 6:21. We can hardly wait. :o)

Thanks for praying for her safe travel.

24 Hours

In 24 hours we will be @ the airport hugging Lourdes for the first time :o) I can hardly believe it, and can hardly wait.

Please pray for her travel. She will be boarding a plane @ 7:40am Spain time. That is 12:40am Tennessee time. She will arrive in Nashville @ 6:21pm, following 3 different flights. That is going to be a lot for anyone let alone a 15 year old traveling alone. Thank you in advance for your prayers.

Homecoming pictures to follow soon :oP. . .

Let the Paperwork Begin

Today we had our phone orientation w/our adoption agency. It was basically to give them a little information about us, and for them to answer any questions we have. I started getting some of the paperwork together the 1st of this month. I got a list of most of what we will need to complete our home study, from the social worker that will be doing the study for us. I have almost everything checked off of her list, but our adoption agency has a few of their own requirements. I printed off about 50 pages worth of info/papers to read & sign today. :oP It gets me feeling a little overwhelmed, but I am thankful that God has given me a peace about the time line. I know it will take up to 3 years, so we are not really trying to "rush." The three years doesn't start until we are through w/this part of the paperwork, though.

I wanted to have all the papers filled out & turned in to the social worker to start our study by the end of this month. I am not sure if this will happen, because part of the paperwork we are left to do is medical forms. Doctors offices take their own time, so we will see. I am also waiting for my birth certificate. I was born in Rhode Island, and they don't do anything on line. I sent for it July 1st, and still don't have it. I requested Tim & the boys birth certificates, and our marriage license the same day on line. I had them 3 days later! RI needs to get w/the electronic program.

Thank you to all who have already been praying for us.

P.S. Lourdes comes in less than a week. Please pray for her & her family as they prepare to spend a year apart. She travels all day next Tuesday. Leaving Spain @ 7:40 in the morning, stopping in Germany & Chicago. She will arrive in Nashville after 6pm.

Happy Birthday Lourdes :o)

Comment Graphics and Myspace Layouts at pYzam.com

13 Days :o)

I added the family sticker, after seeing it on Ashley's page, to the top of my blog. I thought it was cute :o) In just 13 days I'll need to add Lourdes. Can't wait :oP

1 month from today. . .

Tim took the boys camping for the week, in Waynesboro. I get the most stuff done around the house, when I am all by myself. I told the boys I was going to fix up the bedrooms while they were gone, and when they come home it will be "Lourdes' room," and "the boy's room." I have done some reorganizing in the boys room. I got them each a 3 drawer tote on wheels for all their little gadgets/toys. Last weekend I got all of Seth's clothes moved into a dresser in the boys room, and moved his hamster in there, too. Last night, I stayed up WAY too late, but Lourdes' room is ready. I had a hard time finding something that wasn't too "little girly" vs. too "old lady/plain."

I found this set @ Linen's & Things. It is so pretty.

The purple lampshade has beads dangling from it--too pretty:

I re-did the head board on Seth's bed. It used to have a burlap w/blue ribbon. A little purple ribbon, a flat white sheet, and a staple gun & tada:

She'll Be Here Very Soon :o)

Got a letter in the mail today, with Lourdes' flight information. She will arrive in Tennessee July 29th. OH MY!!! That is a little more than a month away. I better get those jungle animals off the walls in her room :o)

Lourdes Has a Blog

Lourdes has made a blog, and posted some pictures for us. She is beautiful. From the looks of the pictures, I would love to visit Spain. Sailing, Skiing, Beaches. . . I hope Tennessee doesn't bore her :0)