When I Grow Sad & Weary God Fills My Empty Tank

Have I ever told you how hard it is to wait? If I've said it once. . .

Waiting is hard!

I try my best to wait well. Waiting on God's most precious timing, knowing how perfect it is. I have my days, though. Days when much time has passed w/no adoption information & every single person I come into contact w/asking me if we have heard anything. Mostly I am thankful that people are asking & thinking about GloriaGrace. It is wonderful to hear people tell us they are praying for her, & I love love love to hear her name spoken. Sometimes, though it brings up discouraging thoughts. Often people say things like "I just don't understand why it takes so long." Well believe me...I don't understand either. Which leads me to moments of feeling sad & worn out, but then my sweet Father fills me right back up.

Like when I read today's devotional from Jesus Calling:

I am able to do far beyond all that you ask or imagine. Come to Me with positive expectations, knowing that there is no limit to what I can accomplish. Ask My Spirit to control your mind, so that you can think great thoughts of Me. Do Not be discouraged by the fact that many of your prayers are yet unanswered. Time is a trainer, teaching you to wait upon Me, to trust Me in the dark. The more extreme your circumstances, the more likely you are to see My Power & Glory at work in the situation. Instead of letting difficulties draw you into worrying, try to view them as setting the scene for My glorious intervention. Keep your eyes & your mind wide open to all that I am doing in your life.

Ephesians 3:20-21; Romans 8:6; Isaiah 40:30-31

I laugh & think how could I ever have a moment of doubt. (Well I kind of know why-I AM A GIRL :) Yes I am a girl with girly emotions, but I am also a believer. I have faith, and I have a Father that takes care of my each & every need. Physical & Emotional. He will sustain us through all time & in His truly perfect time He will allow us to meet & bring GloriaGrace home.

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.

Some Things Make Me Smile & Cry @ the Same Time

This was on Coy's Christmas "wish" list:

• "to see G.G. :D #1 thing =) =) =)"
• "for kids to have a present on Cristmisst day"
  
  I smiled & then I cried.

Happy Thanksgiving

There are so many things that I am thankful for. My savior, my family, a home to call our own, a job. Speaking of that job...I will be working today, because unfortunately people are still sick even though it's a major holiday. I am thankful that I am well & that my family will be coming to see me for lunch :) I stayed up way too late making deviled eggs & corn bread stuffing, but it will be enjoyed so that makes me happy =)

Another something that makes me happy, is that God called our family to adopt. I am thankful for the feeling deep within that makes me long to see my daughter's face & know who she is. I am thankful for how our family has grown spiritually in the journey of adoption & look forward to the plans God has for us in bringing Gloria Grace home =)

Blessings to you & your family on Thanksgiving & always ♥

Another Hamster Bites the Dust :(

Last week Seth's hamster (Sniffy) went missing. This is not an uncommon occurrence in our house. We've tried many things to keep the hamsters in their cages, including locks on the cage doors. The little guys are tricky, though. Thankfully, most of the time we find them & put them back in their cage...no harm-no foul. In fact about a month ago, Coy's hamster (Stuart Little) had gotten out twice in one night. He learned to bite the latch (which you can't put a lock through) & push up on the door @ the same time. We watched him to see how he kept escaping, and ended up having to tape that door shut!
If you have been reading my blog for any time now, you might remember my post from May 2008. Coy's hamster had gotten out of his cage. It ended up dying in our air vent. We paid an air duct cleaning company $650.00 to come clean our vents & retrieve the body. The guy showed me where they found it. Turns out the hamster was just behind a panel in the furnace in the garage. Well, I'll give you one guess where poor Sniffy was found today :( I am thankful that the guy showed me where he found Stewart Little & I'm thankful for my father-in-law coming & taking the panel off our furnace for free, because I really have much better things to do w/$650.00....

Hopefully we'll need it to be buying plane tickets to Colombia soon. No we don't have any new news, but we're hopeful :)

Seriously...We Are Totally Ready for Our Referral =)

Last week I got the crib set up in Gloria Grace's room, but I did not have a mattress or bedding. I began looking on craig's list, and found a family in Smyrna that had this beautiful complete bedding set with the crib mattress for a very good deal. Cooler than that, is that when I went to pick it up today the dad asked me if he could pray for Gloria Grace & our family!! Now I really don't like to cry in front of strangers, but I said absolutely. What a wonderful blessing God has once again given us while we wait & prepare for Gloria's homecoming. =)

We'd Love a Referral in November--It Is National Adoption Month =)

I love talking about our adoption journey. I'm happy to share how God has called us to adopt. November is National Adoption Month, but even if it wasn't I'd still be telling our story.

I love how God has put this love in my heart for a little girl that I don't even know anything about. I don't know how old she is, what she looks like, where she is exactly (maybe she is @ Chiquitines, but maybe she's not there yet). She may not even be born yet, but still I love her.

I love hearing the boys pray for their little sister. There isn't much that is sweeter, if you ask this momma =)

There are so many things that are hard to explain to people, when I'm trying to share our story. I have learned though, that some people just don't get "it." Countless times I have been asked why we are going to Colombia, and why we are not adopting here @ "home." Really people just don't get "it." I am thankful that God has made it clear to us, that our daughter is in Colombia.

Now, I just have to be patient & wait for the details of the rest of our journey. We know that we will not be traveling in 2009, because the courts in Colombia close Dec. 15th to Jan. 15th. There is still a possibility that we will get our referral this year & then we would travel when the courts opened in January. This is our prayer.

Have I ever told ya'll how hard waiting is? =)