Bye Bye workbook...I won't miss you while you are gone!!

WaaaaaaaaaHoooooooo!!!!! We mailed in our With Eyes Wide Open workbook today and emailed all our certificates from our online classes!! So glad to be done!!

I also mailed in our last bunch of paperwork for our home study. Our social worker should be coming out for her a visit in 2-3 weeks...better start cleaning now!!!!

Our case worker called today. I absolutely love the people at AGCI!! They are so friendly!! :) She said to start working on our dossier. For me, this step makes the process seem so real. No more talking about it and waiting to do it...it is here!! I am so excited and so thankful to our Heavenly Father for walking ever step of the way with us!!

Education Overload!!

We had our dossier run-thru call on Wednesday. Our case worker B told us our first priorities are the home study and adoption education. Not even to think about our dossier until we get it done. BUMMER!!!!

We are already done with our home study paperwork and have received our results from our criminal checks and child neglect requests.

So, the only thing standing in my way is that stinkin' workbook and 10 hours of online classes. I definitely enjoy the online classes better than the workbook. The hubbie and I got a kick out of some of the sarcastic answers you could use for intrusive comments about the look of your new family.



It has been hard to find time to work on it because we have been in VBS every nite this week. The kiddos had a blast and learned alot!



Well, I guess it's back to work. Please pray that we will finish the education quickly and efficiently. Hope everyone is having a great weekend!! :)

The Adoption Planner is here!!!

I actually expected it yesterday and then when it hadn't showed up by 4 o'clock today I was starting to wonder. I text my sister, who lives right down from us, and asked her if it was on her porch by any chance. It was!!!

Deacon was in his highchair eating a snack but I just had to get my hands on that package. So, I sent the boys off with their wagon to retrieve the much anticipated box.

Here they are on their way back. Notice the apple in their hand...Aunt Ang hooked 'em up with a snack...she's the best!!!





My boys ROCK!!!

I am looking forward to our dossier run-thru call tomorrow. She is supposed to go over the quickest and most efficient way to tackle this beast. Then it is go time!!

I will say, I couldn't believe how thick that workbook was...I'm sure it is full of great stuff tho. :)

Why Something Beautiful?

It is actually the name of a song(the one playing right now as you read this). My husband came home from work one day and said there was this song that he loved that made him think about the adoption. I listened to it and was immediately hooked.

Something Beautiful.

The song is not really about adoption but it touched our hearts just the same.

I am not sure what our childs story will be...why she will become an orphan. What her birthmother will go thru...the pain she will endure having to give her precious little one away. But I know this...

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted; And saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

I pray this verse for this woman and that she will find peace knowing her child will be loved and taken care of.

I know that God planted adoption in my heart at a specific time. That every step of this journey is in His perfect timing. The perfect timing that will lead us exactly to the child he wants us to have. He has it all worked out. He is writing this story. We are just along for the ride.

Only God can take a situation that seems so hopeless and so broken and turn it into SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL!!

orientation call

We had our orientation phone call today. It was alot of information. It was good to talk about some of the questions we had and just to get more of an understanding of the whole process.

So, first thing in the morning me and the boys are heading to the bank. Thankfully, one of my fave ladies that works there is a notary. I'm sure we will become good friends. :) Then we will be off to the post office to mail in our contracts!!!

I cannot wait to get our adoption planner in the mail and start working on our dossier. The whole thing is a little intimidating to me. I know with the Lord's help and the agencies guidance we will make it through.

WooooHoooo...let the fun begin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eat Mor Chikin!!

It was Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-A...so we headed out the door dressed in our cow best for some yummy FREE lunch!!!



We ordered whatever we wanted and it was all free...all you had to do was dress like a COW. It was well worth the time it took to make the shirts...and a special thanks goes out to my friend Tara for the masks and tails!! They were a major hit with the kids!!





After lunch we let the kids burn some energy in the play area and then did a little shopping with my sister and her girls. Conner was so sweet...he found this really cute sweater that he thought would be perfect for his new sister. I explained to him how we couldn't be sure on what size of clothes to buy. Oh, how it warmed my heart that he was thinking of her!! :)

I wanted him to be able to pick something out for her so we went to the HAIR BOW stand. This little place excites me...it has ever color and size of bow a girl could want!! Everyone got to pick their favorite...



We left the mall and stopped by the hubbies office to make some copies for our homestudy. After that, we arrived home to see this waiting for us...



OH HAPPY DAY!! :))

Approved!!

There were several celebration dances that went on in our house today...we have been officially approved by AGCI!!!! It is exactly 10 months from the day that God united mine and Dillon's hearts about adoption...God is so awesome!! :)

Tiffany is going to send out our orientation packet tomorrow and our orientation phone call is scheduled for next Tuesday. It's hard to believe this is really happening!!

The most exciting part of the day was finally getting to tell the boys! It didn't go exactly how I imagined but what do you expect with a 6 year old comedian at the table. :)

Dillon started by asking what they thought about the empty chair at the dinner table and what they thought about filling it with someone. Conner says he has a great idea and immediately runs out of the room and returns with this.....


"Big George"...the first thing Dil ever bought me when we were dating. Like I said...not exactly how I imagined it!! :)

Dil opened his Bible and read Mark 9:36, which is the verse that the Lord used to speak to him about His plan for our family. We discussed God's love for us and what He did for us on the cross and how we are supposed to share that love with other people. We explained to them how God had spoken to our hearts and told us He wanted us to adopt a baby and that they are going to get a sister. There faces filled with excitement!!

Me: Con, where do you think she is going to be from?
Con: I don't know, where?
Me: Where is mommies favorite place?
Con: Ethiopia!!

He of course told me he wanted her to be from Russia. I knew that was coming. Weston, our adorable nephew, was adopted from there last summer. Oh, how we love that boy!! :)

After we ended our talk I asked them what they thought about getting a sister...



Conner: Totally awesome!!
Tucker: Great!!

I love those boys!!!!!!!!!!!

Fun, Family, Fireworks & Rain!

We absolutley love the 4th of July...it is my husbands favorite holiday. He is an outdoors kinda guy and he loves to pop some fireworks! It was a very busy weekend loaded with lots of fun!!



We hung out with some family and friends on Friday nite and ended up spending most of the nite in the garage trying to stay dry. We did get to enjoy some yummy watermelon and finished off the nite with some Wii action!!

We spent the day with my family on Saturday. I was looking forward to a sunny day relaxing by the pool. What did I get instead? Rain and clouds. Oh well, you still can't beat a day surrounded by family!



After church on Sunday, we headed to Dillon's parents house. We enjoyed a yummy lunch and then off to the pool. We weren't in long and then you guessed it...RAIN!! Did I mention it rained alot this weekend?!?! It cleared off long enough for the kids to have their first annual "4th of July Bike Parade"!!



We enjoyed a great firework show put on by the hubbies and kiddos and the next day was filled with sunshine and the swimming pool!! I found myself thinking of this time next year and how close we will be to our girl! :)

My most exciting trip to the post office!!

I drove to the post office today. I sat in the car for a minute and looked at the other people in the parking lot. I was sure they were gonna think I was a little crazy for taking pics of my kiddos holding an oversized envelope. That thought quickly passed...I simply didn't care. This was a big day for us...one we had been waiting on for almost 10 months. We were finally sending off our application to All God's Children. We were taking the first big step on our adoption journey and we couldn't be more excited...I can't wait to see what God has in store for us!!!!!

(Jesus) took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me..." Mark 9:36, 37