My little girl

Not Baby Girl...my other little girl.  Little Pud is growing up and becoming so beautiful, both inside and out.  She wants to be a missionary.  Below is a picture she drew this May.  

The adult in the middle is Little Pud.  The babies and kids are so happy to see her.  I love the girl that is jumping into her arms.  She told me that this is her as a missionary.  I am amazed and honored that I get to travel to foreign lands with this wonderful daughter that God has given me to bring home the other daughter that God is giving me.  I am truly blessed!

My bloggy friend Linny's daughter is actually taking the step to become a missionary.  Today on her blog she told about it.  I can see myself in this position in ten years.  So hard, but good...really good.  (Click on both links...the first one is Emma's blog and the second one is Linny's).

It's really happening!

This morning I received another phone call!  This was was to tell me to book my tickets!!!

Sweet Baby Girl has recovered and is out of the hospital.  Thank you all for your kind words and prayers!

Tickets are booked now and the flurry of activity has begun.  I am so thankful for friends and family who are coming alongside me to help out.  A wonderful friend was here this afternoon and I put her right to work.  Another dropped by and she helped fold a load of laundry.  Tomorrow our super babysitter is coming over all afternoon to help me transform my house from its fall motif to CHRISTMAS and then play with the kids while I work on other stuff.  I have a lot to do, and hopefully the focus to do it!

Speaking of focus...I have been distracted from this post about 20 times...better publish it now before I am distracted again!

Phone call!!!!

This morning I was speeding along getting Super-T ready for school and myself ready for a marathon dental appointment (one crown, two old fillings replaced, and one new filling.)  I had emailed my adoption worker telling her I would be in the dental chair all morning "just in case" I got good news.  Tomorrow would have been eight weeks waiting.  I was told the wait would be 8-10 weeks for the High Court Order (HCO).  At 7:35 my phone range.  When I heard my worker's voice I just started crying (yet another way adoption is a pregnancy: the hormones!) 

The good news:  I have my HCO!!!

The bad news:  Baby Girl is in the hospital.  

More good news:  Baby Girl is stable and expected to be released within a few days.

More baddish news: She has to be out of the hospital to get a Visa appointment and travel cannot be planned until that point.

Please pray with me that Baby Girl will fully recover from this respiratory illness and be released ASAP!  She needs to be home with her mommy!

I am so thankful for my thoughtful adoption worker who didn't want me to be in suspense the whole time I was at the dentist.  She sure gave me happy things to think about! 

Forty-two and scattered

Yesterday was my birthday, however I am not going to blame the scattered nature of this post on my age (as far as I am concerned forty-two is still very young.)  I am going to blame it on the excited anticipation of happy news within the next week.  I have many lists going and much to do and the High Court Order isn't here yet, but it really looks like Baby Girl will be home for Christmas.  I am so excited!!!!  In light of that fact I though I'd do a catch-all post about several things because time will be even scarcer than normal soon (and I'm not exactly known for frequent posting under the best of circumstances.)

First, a reminder.  I am a widow and I lead a young widows' group at my church.  Being this close to so many losses really reminds me of how the holidays are not always happy times for everyone.  Please take a moment to remember and pray for those for whom Thanksgiving and Christmas are just two more huge reminders of loss and loneliness.  My friend Heather wrote beautifully and briefly about this first holiday season without her mom.  I highly recommend it to get a personal perspective on holidays and loss.  Maybe you have a friend who lost a parent, a spouse, a child, or significant other.  Make some time this holiday season to care about them and their pain.

Next up:  now is the time to support Reece's Rainbow's Angel Tree.  Yesterday the kids and I chose our Christmas angels and donated to them.  There is a button over on the right of my blog or use the link above to donate to your own angel.  This grant money will help their family bring them home.  Maybe one of these angels is supposed to be your son or daughter!  What they need most is a family!

Widows and orphans.  My themes.

If you would rather donate to deserving orphans AND have a chance at a fabulous giveaway go visit The Wannderers.  My friend Stori has a wonderful giveaway going on to support her Angel Tree baby and two older orphans, including my sweetie Suzanne, who I have mentioned a number of times on this blog.  Even if you are choosing another angel baby, go to Stori's blog to see the effects of institutionalization on these orphans with Down syndrome.  Heartbreaking.

Sweet Suzanne, where is your mommy?

Now on to happier thoughts, and why I advocate for orphans...last year at this time Super-T officially and legally became a member of our family.  Here was my birthday post from last year.

Super-T banged the judges gavel on the microphone.
Good thing the papers were already signed.  Ha! Ha!

One final super-happy thought!  Last year I was advocating for one specific little girl, "Jovie" on the Angel Tree.  I set up a separate blog called Joy Down in My Heart for that.  Early in the Angel Tree, Jovie was place on the "My Family Found Me" page.  

I am THRILLED to announce that sweet "Jovie" is now home with her new family!!!    

They just got home last week!  How do I know?  Because Jovie and Baby Girl were in the same orphanage.

The place is emptying out!!!

Baby Girl, mommy is coming SOON!!!

It is so exciting to see God putting families together! 

Won't you say "yes" to whatever "yes" He has for you?  

It could be adopting.

It could be sponsoring.
It could be encouraging those who are adopting.

It could be bringing a meal to a family who just brought their little one home.
 Won't you say "yes" to whatever "yes" He has for you?

Thankful, hopeful, joyful

Today is the day.  My single favorite day of the year.  

Pies are baked.

 Rolls are rising.

Potatoes are boiling.

Thanksgiving music is playing.

Family is gathering.

My heart is full.

  I wanted to just take a moment to thank all of YOU!

Thank you for supporting and helping.

Thank you for loving and encouraging.

Thank you for caring and praying.

I am so thankful for God's faithfulness.  I am hopeful for the future.   

 I am joyfully anticipating what the next few weeks will bring.