Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Busy Fall
So I just realized I haven't posted since August! Wow!! So things have gotten sooooo busy!! Belle is in school 5 days a week and her school is 30 min from home and lasts only 3 hours, so I stay in the area where school is because there is no point in going home. I am totally not complaining, but I am having a hard time now keeping up on things because I am gone for about 4 hours. Belle started school in August and while she is in school I am trying to walk or run.
September was busy with us going on vacation and getting back to work afterward. Which Paul and I really want to move now! We went to North Carolina and we have realized the cost of living is so much cheaper and we could save money AND be close to the beach! How awesome would that be!! The only downside is being away from family, but I may just have to pick them up and move them too!
October was busy too, with trying to do Arbonne stuff, which didn't go all that well last month. I was supposed to have a party that got cancelled and then I had a vendor show I had to back out of. I had to back out of the vendor show because we ended up going to PA to visit Paul's grandpa. That week he was admitted to hospice for end stage renal failure. Also known as kidney failure for those
non-medical speaking people out there. He was given a few days to 2 weeks, and guess what.....God has kept him here! We are so blessed that we were all able to see him and spend some time with him. He is a wonderful God-fearing man. He just loves the Lord so much and had some interesting things to say to Paul and I. And of course we are glad he got to see Belle again. Belle also had her first field trip and thankfully I was able to go! I hate not being able to be there for her all the time.
So this month so far has flown by! It is almost Thanksgiving (which we are hosting again this year)! I have been working a lot, taking an extra class here and there and doing vendor shows on my Saturdays off for my Arbonne business. So not a lot of time to spend with family or just keep up and clean the house.
Okay, now I am going to get a little deep and reveal some of myself and what I have been going through. I'm not really sure why I feel the need to do this but I do. I have been struggling over the last month with some anxiety, anger, and sadness. Some I think is hormonally related and I am doing some natural things to help with that. However, I have been feeling just sad, tired, and overwhelmed almost always. I think some of it is that I miss my dad a lot right now. Not sure why more now, but it is how I feel. I am also struggling with enjoying my job. I have almost always enjoyed my job....it has nothing to do with my co-workers or anything like that, but I just don't feel like my heart is in my work lately. I am trying to figure out if God is calling me to another field of nursing or not. I am waiting for that answer. Over the last few days I do feel like I am starting to feel some joy again but it is a struggle. I am trying to be there for Belle and enjoy spending time with her and I am trying to let some of the cleaning and such go. It may be getting to the point of hiring someone to help so I can relax again. We will wait and see. I know people are noticing a difference in my attitude and demeanor because Sunday someone came up to me and asked how I was and it must have shown on my face because they asked if I needed anything or if they could pray for me. I said yes, please pray for my job and adoption. So I know something is up, and can I just say I HATE the cold and the shorter days!!! I could probably tolerate the cold a tad bit more if I were at the beach! So for those out there prayers for peace and comfort are appreciated!
Next, on the adoption front.....we are in the process of updating our home study. We will have it updated in the next couple weeks, it expires in December. People keep asking what is going on with it and I keep saying well we are just waiting. Which is the truth and this is the hardest part is waiting to find out who Addie is and possibly Sam too. So I mentioned a while ago that I felt that God was telling me and a few other people that we would get our referral around Christmas, well I have been saying if it is His will it will happen. Well our sermon this past Sunday was on belief that God can breakthrough. Our series has been on breakthrough. I have felt that I need a breakthrough on multiple things our adoption included. So Sunday I felt that God was/is calling me to fully believe that we will get our referral next month. This is so hard because I have a fear of disappointment! I don't want to be sad if it doesn't happen! However, until we get our referral I am going to believe that we will get it next month. Both Paul and I are believing this. The Bible says to believe, put all your trust in Him. The story told was the man who's son was possessed and as a last resort asked Jesus to heal him, and the man didn't fully believe until it happened. So I am trying to have full belief instead of mixed belief. Oh, and we are not really sure that we will have all the money to pay for our adoption, but for some reason I have an easier time having faith in that! Satan is also attacking my thoughts with doubts that God can and will give us a referral next month because every time I read something from the agency on wait time or what number we are it is very disappointing and discouraging. So no more of that for me! Only prayer!
So in closing, please pray for me and my mental well being right now, my job, and our adoption including the finances of it. Thank you all for your support! And Happy Thanksgiving if I don't post again!! I am thankful I have a supportive family, friends, spouse, and most of all a loving God who meets me right where I am and carries me through everything!
September was busy with us going on vacation and getting back to work afterward. Which Paul and I really want to move now! We went to North Carolina and we have realized the cost of living is so much cheaper and we could save money AND be close to the beach! How awesome would that be!! The only downside is being away from family, but I may just have to pick them up and move them too!
October was busy too, with trying to do Arbonne stuff, which didn't go all that well last month. I was supposed to have a party that got cancelled and then I had a vendor show I had to back out of. I had to back out of the vendor show because we ended up going to PA to visit Paul's grandpa. That week he was admitted to hospice for end stage renal failure. Also known as kidney failure for those
non-medical speaking people out there. He was given a few days to 2 weeks, and guess what.....God has kept him here! We are so blessed that we were all able to see him and spend some time with him. He is a wonderful God-fearing man. He just loves the Lord so much and had some interesting things to say to Paul and I. And of course we are glad he got to see Belle again. Belle also had her first field trip and thankfully I was able to go! I hate not being able to be there for her all the time.
So this month so far has flown by! It is almost Thanksgiving (which we are hosting again this year)! I have been working a lot, taking an extra class here and there and doing vendor shows on my Saturdays off for my Arbonne business. So not a lot of time to spend with family or just keep up and clean the house.
Okay, now I am going to get a little deep and reveal some of myself and what I have been going through. I'm not really sure why I feel the need to do this but I do. I have been struggling over the last month with some anxiety, anger, and sadness. Some I think is hormonally related and I am doing some natural things to help with that. However, I have been feeling just sad, tired, and overwhelmed almost always. I think some of it is that I miss my dad a lot right now. Not sure why more now, but it is how I feel. I am also struggling with enjoying my job. I have almost always enjoyed my job....it has nothing to do with my co-workers or anything like that, but I just don't feel like my heart is in my work lately. I am trying to figure out if God is calling me to another field of nursing or not. I am waiting for that answer. Over the last few days I do feel like I am starting to feel some joy again but it is a struggle. I am trying to be there for Belle and enjoy spending time with her and I am trying to let some of the cleaning and such go. It may be getting to the point of hiring someone to help so I can relax again. We will wait and see. I know people are noticing a difference in my attitude and demeanor because Sunday someone came up to me and asked how I was and it must have shown on my face because they asked if I needed anything or if they could pray for me. I said yes, please pray for my job and adoption. So I know something is up, and can I just say I HATE the cold and the shorter days!!! I could probably tolerate the cold a tad bit more if I were at the beach! So for those out there prayers for peace and comfort are appreciated!
Next, on the adoption front.....we are in the process of updating our home study. We will have it updated in the next couple weeks, it expires in December. People keep asking what is going on with it and I keep saying well we are just waiting. Which is the truth and this is the hardest part is waiting to find out who Addie is and possibly Sam too. So I mentioned a while ago that I felt that God was telling me and a few other people that we would get our referral around Christmas, well I have been saying if it is His will it will happen. Well our sermon this past Sunday was on belief that God can breakthrough. Our series has been on breakthrough. I have felt that I need a breakthrough on multiple things our adoption included. So Sunday I felt that God was/is calling me to fully believe that we will get our referral next month. This is so hard because I have a fear of disappointment! I don't want to be sad if it doesn't happen! However, until we get our referral I am going to believe that we will get it next month. Both Paul and I are believing this. The Bible says to believe, put all your trust in Him. The story told was the man who's son was possessed and as a last resort asked Jesus to heal him, and the man didn't fully believe until it happened. So I am trying to have full belief instead of mixed belief. Oh, and we are not really sure that we will have all the money to pay for our adoption, but for some reason I have an easier time having faith in that! Satan is also attacking my thoughts with doubts that God can and will give us a referral next month because every time I read something from the agency on wait time or what number we are it is very disappointing and discouraging. So no more of that for me! Only prayer!
So in closing, please pray for me and my mental well being right now, my job, and our adoption including the finances of it. Thank you all for your support! And Happy Thanksgiving if I don't post again!! I am thankful I have a supportive family, friends, spouse, and most of all a loving God who meets me right where I am and carries me through everything!
Thursday, August 22, 2013
My life expanding.....
So since last month a lot has happened! It is amazing how much goes on in one month! I think we get so caught up in our daily lives and doing things that we don't realize how busy we are and that life is passing us by.
So we will start with somewhere close to where I left off in regards to daily life that is. I have/had been praying a lot about money and where God has us going and to provide a way for us to achieve our dreams. This includes our adoption, addition for the house, a beach house, and providing a way to care for orphans in Africa with missions trips one day. All of this is one day.....the most imminent is our adoption of one and eventually if not sooner a second child also. And to have three kids in this house....well lets just say we need some more room. So as I was and continue to pray about this I had a friend contact me about starting my own business. Yes it is selling stuff, but it is natural stuff that I truly believe in and support. Mind you and she will tell you I was extremely hesitant with this. However, after hosting a party and seeing the possibilities and a possible answer to prayer, I signed up. So you are probably wondering what I signed up for.....well it is called Arbonne. Their products are all pure, safe, and beneficial. Also know as organic and I truly love the products I have so far! And the other big change is that we added to our family! Yes, I am crazy! We got another dog, she was registered at the human society as an american bulldog, but I think she is mixed with a pittbull. She is 15 months old and she is crazy! We love her and enjoy her. She is learning manners though. Her name is Reese and Belle absolutely loves her! So that summarizes July.
So far in August, we went on a weekend vacation to Chincoteague which we love! We had a good time but it was way too short! And I have been working of course and started trying to launch my business with Arbonne by having spa parties and such. And the one thing I did last weekend, is I went to my first ever Jimmy Buffett concert!! I had a blast!! And yes I am a parrothead! It was so awesome, I have always wanted to see him in concert and now I have! And I hope to again!! The other thing going on this month, is Belle is starting school! We had preschool orientation yesterday, and this kid cannot wait to go to school! Granted she has been going there with my mom to set stuff up for school but she can't wait to go. It is bittersweet for me of course. But I am excited for her too and so be honest excited to have a few hours to myself. I plan to try to workout while she is in school or go grocery shopping, things like that. Stay busy, then hear about her day and spend time with her.
So that is all for now as far as updates on life. Update on spiritual life gets a whole lot deeper! So I have been trying to keep up on my prayer life more diligently, and seeking joy and peace through devotion and prayer. And through Women of Faith conference, I have learned that to help with my anxiety I need to pray for peace and relax. I literally felt like God touched my hands when I was worshiping at the conference, it was an amazing experience. I needed to remind myself of that today. And I am also discovering joy and true joy not just happiness. Happiness fades, joy does not. When I let the joy fade, I let satan win, and honestly that is what I did today. So satan can go back to hell now that I discovered I let him win today! And the other thing that I have felt is that I am to trust God completely. The Bible tells us to have the faith of a mustard seed and that God can and will move mountains. And how often do we say I believe but we don't actually expect any result or answer?? A lot!! So God is calling me to have faith that we will receive a referral for Addie or both of our kids around Christmas like I felt He told me months ago. So here I am taking that leap of faith and trusting He will and can make it happen!!
Trust in the Lord with all your heart!
So we will start with somewhere close to where I left off in regards to daily life that is. I have/had been praying a lot about money and where God has us going and to provide a way for us to achieve our dreams. This includes our adoption, addition for the house, a beach house, and providing a way to care for orphans in Africa with missions trips one day. All of this is one day.....the most imminent is our adoption of one and eventually if not sooner a second child also. And to have three kids in this house....well lets just say we need some more room. So as I was and continue to pray about this I had a friend contact me about starting my own business. Yes it is selling stuff, but it is natural stuff that I truly believe in and support. Mind you and she will tell you I was extremely hesitant with this. However, after hosting a party and seeing the possibilities and a possible answer to prayer, I signed up. So you are probably wondering what I signed up for.....well it is called Arbonne. Their products are all pure, safe, and beneficial. Also know as organic and I truly love the products I have so far! And the other big change is that we added to our family! Yes, I am crazy! We got another dog, she was registered at the human society as an american bulldog, but I think she is mixed with a pittbull. She is 15 months old and she is crazy! We love her and enjoy her. She is learning manners though. Her name is Reese and Belle absolutely loves her! So that summarizes July.
So far in August, we went on a weekend vacation to Chincoteague which we love! We had a good time but it was way too short! And I have been working of course and started trying to launch my business with Arbonne by having spa parties and such. And the one thing I did last weekend, is I went to my first ever Jimmy Buffett concert!! I had a blast!! And yes I am a parrothead! It was so awesome, I have always wanted to see him in concert and now I have! And I hope to again!! The other thing going on this month, is Belle is starting school! We had preschool orientation yesterday, and this kid cannot wait to go to school! Granted she has been going there with my mom to set stuff up for school but she can't wait to go. It is bittersweet for me of course. But I am excited for her too and so be honest excited to have a few hours to myself. I plan to try to workout while she is in school or go grocery shopping, things like that. Stay busy, then hear about her day and spend time with her.
So that is all for now as far as updates on life. Update on spiritual life gets a whole lot deeper! So I have been trying to keep up on my prayer life more diligently, and seeking joy and peace through devotion and prayer. And through Women of Faith conference, I have learned that to help with my anxiety I need to pray for peace and relax. I literally felt like God touched my hands when I was worshiping at the conference, it was an amazing experience. I needed to remind myself of that today. And I am also discovering joy and true joy not just happiness. Happiness fades, joy does not. When I let the joy fade, I let satan win, and honestly that is what I did today. So satan can go back to hell now that I discovered I let him win today! And the other thing that I have felt is that I am to trust God completely. The Bible tells us to have the faith of a mustard seed and that God can and will move mountains. And how often do we say I believe but we don't actually expect any result or answer?? A lot!! So God is calling me to have faith that we will receive a referral for Addie or both of our kids around Christmas like I felt He told me months ago. So here I am taking that leap of faith and trusting He will and can make it happen!!
Trust in the Lord with all your heart!
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Been a long time!!! Busy few months
So I was surprised when I saw how long it had been since I last posted!! A whole two months has gone by and I cannot recap all of it, but I think I have some highlights.
May I can hardly remember, but from what I do it was good. Busy with working and keeping up with the house, appointments, and trying to workout. Belle had appointments in May. One for allergy which she got some nasal spray to help her, then one with ENT at Georgetown, who ordered a sleep study before saying her tonsils and adenoids needed removing. Sleep study was Memorial Day weekend. She did great! She was hooked up to every kind of thing you could imagine, plus video during her sleep!! I was able to sleep in the bed with her, however I did not sleep well at all!! So needless to say we did not wait for Georgetown Cupcake to open and we went home grabbing breakfast on the way. Also in May my sister in law and my nephews came to visit. It was fun, short but fun and Belle loved getting to spend time with them! So after her sleep study we waited two weeks until we finally got results!! She was having mild sleep apnea, which he felt that removing the tonsils and adenoids would fix that issue. So we scheduled it for the end of the month. Also in May Paul started a new job, he went back to Waldorf close to where he used to work. He left the other place because he wasn't getting enough work, at this place he is making plenty of hours for now at least. So then June was spent keeping up and working again and trying to be active. Belle also had finished her dance class in June, but I signed her up for summer. She loves dance class! So Belle had surgery for her tonsils on June 24th. Paul was able to be off and we were both able to stay overnight with her. He worked half day the next day though, while I went home and she and I chilled out! She got soooo spoiled with treats, gifts, and Popsicles! She is still working on eating all of it! The one thing I learned about her is that she does not like Jello!! Silly kid! I think it is the texture though and the fact she had never eaten Jello before! We got cupcakes on the way home from Georgetown after her discharge. I was able to be off with her for the rest of the week except Friday. My mom had her that day, and I was a little worried she wasn't drinking enough so I called the Dr., who said to take her to the ER because she was dehydrated. Well she wasn't dehydrated and my mom pumped her full of fluids and we did not go to the ER. She has finally gotten better and really started eating and drinking well again. So she is back to normal...thankfully!!
Paul and I got some new bikes as belated birthday and etc gifts. We love them! We went riding with Belle yesterday and had a blast! We got a co-pilot bike for her and she laughed and squealed the whole time! We wanted something that we can all do together and be outside and have fun.
Work has been busy, the super moon I think affected it some. And I have been in charge a lot, which there is a charge nurse position open, I am debating if I want to apply or not. Praying about it mostly.
So adoption area.....not sure exactly where God is leading us and what He has in store, but we are sure it involved another child so a girl and a boy. We have been praying, talking, and thinking over the last few months, and have decided that when the time is right we will change our adoption request to 1 girl 1-3y/o or siblings boy/girl 0-4 with minor special needs. This will ultimately increase our cost greatly, but we both feel this is right. We know that God wants us to adopt a boy also, we just don't know when, if it is now or not. So, you may think going from one child to three under 4 years is crazy. And I may very well be crazy, but I know that God will see me through. I do have doubts if I'll be able to handle it, but God is good and will help me. I am saying this and we haven't spoken to our family coordinator yet and need to see if this would even be possible, but anything is possible with God. He can move mountains! Please pray for us and this decision and the cost as well, since some of it will "double". If you wanted to help also, see the post titled "Grant letter". God has it no matter what!!
The sermon today was on Joy and being joyful and focusing on that instead of happiness. Happiness is temporary, joyfulness is permanent and truly only obtained through Christ. I am asking God for joy and choosing to live in joy no matter my circumstances!
May I can hardly remember, but from what I do it was good. Busy with working and keeping up with the house, appointments, and trying to workout. Belle had appointments in May. One for allergy which she got some nasal spray to help her, then one with ENT at Georgetown, who ordered a sleep study before saying her tonsils and adenoids needed removing. Sleep study was Memorial Day weekend. She did great! She was hooked up to every kind of thing you could imagine, plus video during her sleep!! I was able to sleep in the bed with her, however I did not sleep well at all!! So needless to say we did not wait for Georgetown Cupcake to open and we went home grabbing breakfast on the way. Also in May my sister in law and my nephews came to visit. It was fun, short but fun and Belle loved getting to spend time with them! So after her sleep study we waited two weeks until we finally got results!! She was having mild sleep apnea, which he felt that removing the tonsils and adenoids would fix that issue. So we scheduled it for the end of the month. Also in May Paul started a new job, he went back to Waldorf close to where he used to work. He left the other place because he wasn't getting enough work, at this place he is making plenty of hours for now at least. So then June was spent keeping up and working again and trying to be active. Belle also had finished her dance class in June, but I signed her up for summer. She loves dance class! So Belle had surgery for her tonsils on June 24th. Paul was able to be off and we were both able to stay overnight with her. He worked half day the next day though, while I went home and she and I chilled out! She got soooo spoiled with treats, gifts, and Popsicles! She is still working on eating all of it! The one thing I learned about her is that she does not like Jello!! Silly kid! I think it is the texture though and the fact she had never eaten Jello before! We got cupcakes on the way home from Georgetown after her discharge. I was able to be off with her for the rest of the week except Friday. My mom had her that day, and I was a little worried she wasn't drinking enough so I called the Dr., who said to take her to the ER because she was dehydrated. Well she wasn't dehydrated and my mom pumped her full of fluids and we did not go to the ER. She has finally gotten better and really started eating and drinking well again. So she is back to normal...thankfully!!
Paul and I got some new bikes as belated birthday and etc gifts. We love them! We went riding with Belle yesterday and had a blast! We got a co-pilot bike for her and she laughed and squealed the whole time! We wanted something that we can all do together and be outside and have fun.
Work has been busy, the super moon I think affected it some. And I have been in charge a lot, which there is a charge nurse position open, I am debating if I want to apply or not. Praying about it mostly.
So adoption area.....not sure exactly where God is leading us and what He has in store, but we are sure it involved another child so a girl and a boy. We have been praying, talking, and thinking over the last few months, and have decided that when the time is right we will change our adoption request to 1 girl 1-3y/o or siblings boy/girl 0-4 with minor special needs. This will ultimately increase our cost greatly, but we both feel this is right. We know that God wants us to adopt a boy also, we just don't know when, if it is now or not. So, you may think going from one child to three under 4 years is crazy. And I may very well be crazy, but I know that God will see me through. I do have doubts if I'll be able to handle it, but God is good and will help me. I am saying this and we haven't spoken to our family coordinator yet and need to see if this would even be possible, but anything is possible with God. He can move mountains! Please pray for us and this decision and the cost as well, since some of it will "double". If you wanted to help also, see the post titled "Grant letter". God has it no matter what!!
The sermon today was on Joy and being joyful and focusing on that instead of happiness. Happiness is temporary, joyfulness is permanent and truly only obtained through Christ. I am asking God for joy and choosing to live in joy no matter my circumstances!
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Exhaustion......
So obviously I am exhausted right?!? Why you may ask are you exhausted. Well, I have not been sleeping well number one and number two the last two days I drove to DC and back for appointments for Belle. Don't get me wrong, I want to take her, but DC and all of that driving exhausts me!
So yesterday I took Belle to the allergist at Children's who could have done allergy testing but I am honestly relieved they recommended against it and to treat her with nasal spray and over the counter claritin. They said you can kind of tell what she is allergic to if you pay attention. There are a few extra things I need to do in regards to her allergies, like an air purifier for her room and brushing the dog more, but other than that I have most of it right already. I knew what to do since being an allergy kid myself. So I was super happy with the results and answers we got. We follow up in a month again to see how it is working out with the meds. After our appointment yesterday we came home and went to lunch, then BJ's, then Rita's on the way home since Belle did so well. So we were not home until 2pm or around there. She and I spent the evening just us because Paul went out with his mom. She went to bed perfect! I was so relieved and happy! Bedtime routine is a work in progress though. Some nights are good and some horrible. I think it has to do with her not resting well and just her age. So I keep telling myself "This too shall pass".
We did make one extra stop on the way home and that was at the cemetery. Yesterday was the anniversary of my dad's passing as well. So I stopped for just a few minutes to visit. It was really the only chance I had and took to be sad and miss him. I honestly coped by blocking it out and focusing on the things I had to do and taking care of Belle. I do miss him terribly though and it is hard because I think about things he would say or what I would like for him to say about my life. I wonder if I would make him proud and his thoughts on our adoption. I imagine what he would say, but what I am finding is that I am filling in the blanks not really knowing if those would be his responses. It makes me feel as though he is slipping away and I cannot really "hear" him anymore where it concerns the important things in my life. What I definitely can still hear is the silly things I KNOW he would say and jokes he would tell. Those things bring smiles to me and fond memories of him. I just wish sometimes I could know what he thinks of what I have made of myself, and the plans I have for myself and my family. I am sure he would be proud of me no matter what, he always was, and he was super proud to be a grandpa. That makes me sad that Belle will never know him personally, but sadly all I can do is tell her about him. Sorry for the down stuff, but this is my way of getting it out without sitting and crying or just being mopey. I love and miss my dad and always will. No one will ever be like him or fill that void.
So today I got someone to cover my shift from 7-3 so I could take Belle to the Otolaryngologist (ENT) at Georgetown. I wanted her to see the tonsil immune specialist and today was the only day. So again we left super early. Yesterday at 0540 and today 0740. So not super early but still early for her. I was planning on taking the metro rail and bus, but then decided at the last minute to drive myself instead of walking and stuff in unfamiliar territory while it is raining with an unpredictable three year old that could tantrum at any moment. Love her but it is true! So everything was fine, I followed the GPS until there was a detour. And dumb me, I didn't follow the detour signs and figured the GPS would reroute me, it did, then I didn't make the turn in time or made the wrong right turn. Which making the wrong right or left turn you will only understand if you have truly driven in DC before. It is so dumb! How can you make streets that make sense and have two right turns in the same "right" turn!! Anyway, I drove and rerouted a bunch with the GPS, then got caught for some police procession or something, probably the president or something and the GPS took me in a circle twice! Dumb thing! Then almost in tears I asked the cop how to get to Georgetown, he told me a way, but I followed the GPS. His way was probably quicker. And I almost caused an accident at least once, because I had to push my way into traffic. God is good for keeping us safe! And praying I didn't get any speed or "just through the yellow light" cameras! :-/ So finally we made it to Georgetown and I had to find the right building and parking. Found it and we were supposed to be there at 0930 for paperwork with her appointment at 1000. But we got there and parked and walking by 0945. So I asked someone with a badge where the building was and she walked us to the building with directions from there. We got there at 0955! I was so relieved though and the secretary was so nice! She told me it was fine when I apologized and told her we got lost, then I asked about the bathroom because I had to go! She told me and when we came out, it was time for us to go back. She saw Dr. Harley. He is quiet but nice. He got her history and checked her out. So after telling him all of it, he said she will most likely need a tonsillectomy and adniodectomy but to determine if she needs it truly first we will do a sleep study to see if she is having apnea. With all the symptoms though that I told him she probably is. So I called and scheduled that at Georgetown for the 26th. Belle and I will spend the night. After her appointment I got directions to Georgetown cupcake. We went and got a bunch of cupcakes and then headed home finally! Almost noon before we headed home. Got turned around again and went the wrong way at least twice, but finally made it to 95/495 and I was good! I had a killer headache though from driving and hunger. We stopped and got lunch, and met my mom for a bit. Also heard from the charge nurse at work asking if I wanted paid on call. I said yes please!! I am so tired! So thankfully I did not have to work today. We didn't get home until almost 3 either. I let Belle watch a movie while I rested and then I let her have half of her cupcake and we played and cleaned up some. So in a nutshell I am super happy with all the doctors and responses I have gotten. No one wants to do anything unnecessary, testing that may or may not show anything, and no one wants to jump to surgery right away. So I am one happy patients momma!
That is all for now, I will post more later. Not much else is going on, just working now.
So yesterday I took Belle to the allergist at Children's who could have done allergy testing but I am honestly relieved they recommended against it and to treat her with nasal spray and over the counter claritin. They said you can kind of tell what she is allergic to if you pay attention. There are a few extra things I need to do in regards to her allergies, like an air purifier for her room and brushing the dog more, but other than that I have most of it right already. I knew what to do since being an allergy kid myself. So I was super happy with the results and answers we got. We follow up in a month again to see how it is working out with the meds. After our appointment yesterday we came home and went to lunch, then BJ's, then Rita's on the way home since Belle did so well. So we were not home until 2pm or around there. She and I spent the evening just us because Paul went out with his mom. She went to bed perfect! I was so relieved and happy! Bedtime routine is a work in progress though. Some nights are good and some horrible. I think it has to do with her not resting well and just her age. So I keep telling myself "This too shall pass".
We did make one extra stop on the way home and that was at the cemetery. Yesterday was the anniversary of my dad's passing as well. So I stopped for just a few minutes to visit. It was really the only chance I had and took to be sad and miss him. I honestly coped by blocking it out and focusing on the things I had to do and taking care of Belle. I do miss him terribly though and it is hard because I think about things he would say or what I would like for him to say about my life. I wonder if I would make him proud and his thoughts on our adoption. I imagine what he would say, but what I am finding is that I am filling in the blanks not really knowing if those would be his responses. It makes me feel as though he is slipping away and I cannot really "hear" him anymore where it concerns the important things in my life. What I definitely can still hear is the silly things I KNOW he would say and jokes he would tell. Those things bring smiles to me and fond memories of him. I just wish sometimes I could know what he thinks of what I have made of myself, and the plans I have for myself and my family. I am sure he would be proud of me no matter what, he always was, and he was super proud to be a grandpa. That makes me sad that Belle will never know him personally, but sadly all I can do is tell her about him. Sorry for the down stuff, but this is my way of getting it out without sitting and crying or just being mopey. I love and miss my dad and always will. No one will ever be like him or fill that void.
So today I got someone to cover my shift from 7-3 so I could take Belle to the Otolaryngologist (ENT) at Georgetown. I wanted her to see the tonsil immune specialist and today was the only day. So again we left super early. Yesterday at 0540 and today 0740. So not super early but still early for her. I was planning on taking the metro rail and bus, but then decided at the last minute to drive myself instead of walking and stuff in unfamiliar territory while it is raining with an unpredictable three year old that could tantrum at any moment. Love her but it is true! So everything was fine, I followed the GPS until there was a detour. And dumb me, I didn't follow the detour signs and figured the GPS would reroute me, it did, then I didn't make the turn in time or made the wrong right turn. Which making the wrong right or left turn you will only understand if you have truly driven in DC before. It is so dumb! How can you make streets that make sense and have two right turns in the same "right" turn!! Anyway, I drove and rerouted a bunch with the GPS, then got caught for some police procession or something, probably the president or something and the GPS took me in a circle twice! Dumb thing! Then almost in tears I asked the cop how to get to Georgetown, he told me a way, but I followed the GPS. His way was probably quicker. And I almost caused an accident at least once, because I had to push my way into traffic. God is good for keeping us safe! And praying I didn't get any speed or "just through the yellow light" cameras! :-/ So finally we made it to Georgetown and I had to find the right building and parking. Found it and we were supposed to be there at 0930 for paperwork with her appointment at 1000. But we got there and parked and walking by 0945. So I asked someone with a badge where the building was and she walked us to the building with directions from there. We got there at 0955! I was so relieved though and the secretary was so nice! She told me it was fine when I apologized and told her we got lost, then I asked about the bathroom because I had to go! She told me and when we came out, it was time for us to go back. She saw Dr. Harley. He is quiet but nice. He got her history and checked her out. So after telling him all of it, he said she will most likely need a tonsillectomy and adniodectomy but to determine if she needs it truly first we will do a sleep study to see if she is having apnea. With all the symptoms though that I told him she probably is. So I called and scheduled that at Georgetown for the 26th. Belle and I will spend the night. After her appointment I got directions to Georgetown cupcake. We went and got a bunch of cupcakes and then headed home finally! Almost noon before we headed home. Got turned around again and went the wrong way at least twice, but finally made it to 95/495 and I was good! I had a killer headache though from driving and hunger. We stopped and got lunch, and met my mom for a bit. Also heard from the charge nurse at work asking if I wanted paid on call. I said yes please!! I am so tired! So thankfully I did not have to work today. We didn't get home until almost 3 either. I let Belle watch a movie while I rested and then I let her have half of her cupcake and we played and cleaned up some. So in a nutshell I am super happy with all the doctors and responses I have gotten. No one wants to do anything unnecessary, testing that may or may not show anything, and no one wants to jump to surgery right away. So I am one happy patients momma!
That is all for now, I will post more later. Not much else is going on, just working now.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Memories
So over the last week, I have been reminded of the anniversaries of the tornado that hit LaPlata in 2002, and the subsequent passing of my grandmother 11 years ago today. And in less than a week now will be the 3 year anniversary of my dads passing. For some reason this has been a tad harder. I miss my grandmother very much and this year I look back on her fondly and with some sadness that she is no longer here with me. I know that everything happens for a reason and everyone has a limited amount of time so no matter what it was her time. She passed as a result of the tornado. She had an asthma attack during it and went into cardiac arrest. When she passed away I decided that if I were to ever have a girl her middle name would be the same as my grandmothers. I kept to my word. Belle's middle name is Jeane. And my word is Belle living up to her namesakes! My grandmother was a caring, loving, and funny person. She was also very stubborn! I connected with my grandmother very well for a variety of reasons. And I feel like now I could connect with her even more if she were still here. She and I just had a bond, yeah I got annoyed with her as a teen but I could trust her with things, and get good advice I could understand from her. I wish I could still talk to her today and tell her all that has gone on, but I can't. That is what makes death so hard. It is not hard on those that pass but on those that are left behind. But I told Belle a little about her and I will continue to do so as she grows up. Same as my dad. I cannot say why but I miss my dad. I have the same wishes that I do about my grandmother. Grief is such a strange thing. You think that you have gone through all the stages and such and boom here you are sad again. I don't think grief ever truly has a closure or end. You will always remember and miss that person. You may accept it and be in that stage but no matter what you still feel it. We will always feel that loss until we meet our loved ones again. And just because we "move on" doesn't mean you don't miss them, or feel sad sometimes. Just my thoughts for today. More on everyday stuff later!
Thursday, April 18, 2013
My crazy life.....
So the last few weeks have been SUPER busy! We submitted our Dossier and had Belle's birthday and then Easter the next day! So in a matter of four weeks this is how it went. We submitted our dossier and we were DTE (dossier to Ethiopia) on April 5th!! YAY!! We have officially started our wait for our referral. Then we had Belle's party which was great. We had it outside at the community park. It was a tad chilly but fine in the sunshine. She had a great time too! The next day was Easter. Paul and I hosted dinner with his family and mine. It was so nice to have everyone together! The next week I began preparing truly for the children's consignment sale that I consigned at. I had to sort, price, and tag everything. It was a lot of work but worth it! I sold or donated most of the stuff! I am so happy to have that stuff out of my house!! We also the first Sunday of the month took Belle to the Baltimore aquarium. She loved it!! It was a long expensive day but so worth it! We hadn't been since high school probably or earlier! Last week was the busiest of all. I worked, got stuff ready for the sale, shopped the sale and worked the sale. Then last Sunday we went to the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC. It was nice but so crowded and I got tired out and cranky. But we did have a nice time. This week has been spent cleaning after the last few weeks of not having time to. So I have played catch up and worked. Today was relatively easy with going to the library and doing laundry. Thankfully I got most of the cleaning done on Monday with a well behaved child because today was a challenge! She is defying us and I guess it was time since the last few weeks she has been listening extremely well. Either that or she is not feeling well again and she is tired. Which I know she is tired because she has not been going to sleep until probably 9 for the last week. Add to that last month she was on antibiotics for a month straight for her ears and swollen tonsils and her tonsils are still swollen and have not gone down, maybe she doesn't feel well. The dr says he thinks it is allergies so we see the allergist at Childrens on May 6th. We will see what they say as well. I did have to call him again though because on Sunday morning she was having some sleep apnea episodes. The only ones that I know have occurred but still. So we are giving her allergy medicine and decongestant. My plan for tomorrow was to just chill, but I have to finish laundry now, clean the bathrooms, and do yard work. But I think I can get Belle to help me.
As for our adoption and stuff I already addressed our wait time now. It could be anywhere from 18-30 months until referral. It is so hard to not know and not be able to plan well financially!! But here we are! I am praying it will be sooner. I have a feeling something may happen in December around Christmas. Not sure why, but it is just a feeling. We are open to some special needs so we will see. Paul and I love her so much and cannot wait to bring her home! We also cannot wait for Belle to have a younger sister to play with! We think she will do really well with helping her and playing with her. And we are still hoping to get all of the $2500 raised for the grant. We are truly trusting that God will provide and we know He will. Anything is possible if you trust in Him! So we are just waiting!!
Paul had his birthday last week as well and mine was yesterday, so we celebrated with desserts and dinner. We will hopefully be able to afford new bikes by the end of the month. We are also hoping to be able to afford going to Texas in September for my cousins wedding. So lots of stuff going on, but God has this!!
As for our adoption and stuff I already addressed our wait time now. It could be anywhere from 18-30 months until referral. It is so hard to not know and not be able to plan well financially!! But here we are! I am praying it will be sooner. I have a feeling something may happen in December around Christmas. Not sure why, but it is just a feeling. We are open to some special needs so we will see. Paul and I love her so much and cannot wait to bring her home! We also cannot wait for Belle to have a younger sister to play with! We think she will do really well with helping her and playing with her. And we are still hoping to get all of the $2500 raised for the grant. We are truly trusting that God will provide and we know He will. Anything is possible if you trust in Him! So we are just waiting!!
Paul had his birthday last week as well and mine was yesterday, so we celebrated with desserts and dinner. We will hopefully be able to afford new bikes by the end of the month. We are also hoping to be able to afford going to Texas in September for my cousins wedding. So lots of stuff going on, but God has this!!
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Monthly Check in!
So I've noticed I am only blogging about once monthly. Which is fine because when I blogged daily, I tended to complain more!And no one wants to hear me whine, trust me! So here is the month step by step in a nutshell.
On the adoption front, we should be submitting our dossier this week! I am so excited and so ready to start the real waiting process! All we are waiting for is a reference letter! Though over the last month we hit some bumps. We did our USCIS appointment but then we missed a copy of a paper to send, so that held it up. So after three weeks of sending that in we still had not heard anything. I tried calling but I called the wrong number for USCIS. There are two different numbers to call and when I called the wrong one the man I spoke with was rude and did not give me any answers! When I said adoption someone could have just said oh you need to call this number instead of making me wait thirty minutes to talk to someone higher up and have them be rude. So I called a few days later and called the correct number, spoke with someone and within ten minutes knew we should be getting our approval letter any day. We received it a few days later. So on top of that we have been saving our money for our adoption but also have our grant through church. I am so thankful for our grant and for those who have donated already. We have not been able to raise the $2500 that we need though, which has been a disappointment because we were planning to use that to pay for our dossier. However, God has provided the funds through our tax return, we just will not be able to pay off my car and go to one car payment again. I trust that God will provide and I know He will! And another disappointment is that our wait has now increased to 24-30 months. However, I was praying on my way to work one morning about Addie and got a vision of a one year old, with some teeth in, a head full of curly hair, looking up at me. And then I was praying about the referral and when it may happen and such and December popped in my head. I asked God if that meant we would know who she is then and I am pretty sure it was a yes, and I know He said "Trust me". So we will see. I know God can heal, move mountains, and do whatever He likes, so if it's His will it will be done!
On the Belle front, she turns three on the 30th!! I cannot believe it! I love her so much and even though her screaming and hitting will get on my nerves and push the right buttons on me, she is such a joy and so sweet! Tonight I said something about Ethiopia and she repeated the country then said "I share my toys and my room with Ethiopia" which she meant Adeline, but she knows Addie is in Ethiopia so that is how she processed it! How cute!! And on Sunday she told me I was her best friend! Other things with her, she has been sick. Coughing, red inflamed throat and a yucky nose. She was on antibiotics for two weeks and is on a different one now. The doctor thinks she may have allergies so I have her on meds for that now too. I feel so bad! She has not been well since the end of January! So we are trying! And trying to get her well for her birthday! She acts normal though other than wiping her nose and coughing a bit. Her throat doesn't seem to bother her at all.
On the home front, we have issues again. We were trying to look into replacing our insulation under our house since it is either missing, hanging down, or not enough. Well the estimate was doable, tight but okay. Then the crawl space flooded again, the contractor (thankfully an honest one) said he wouldn't do the work until the flooding issue was taken care of. The estimate for that was NOT doable. So Paul said he would do the work himself making a french drain in the crawl space. This is a system that drains the water to a sump pump to put it in simple terms. Well when he started to dig the crawl space he could only dig about 6 inches and he was at the footer! Now you cannot go below the footer. So instead he is doing the french drain on the outside of the crawl space around the house and attempting to regrade. So I have a trench through my front yard right now! And he plans to do all of this himself over time. I am so thankful though that he is smart and handy to know how to do this kind of stuff!
I think this is about it. Other than party planning, dossier,working extra, I am getting things sorted for the consignment and been working on stuff. My newest thing is making my own lotion! I am so proud that I did this and I love it! It is all natural without chemicals, and more like a body butter but so good for my skin! Anyway, I think that is it, so I will try to blog again sooner, but we will see! Life gets busy!
On the adoption front, we should be submitting our dossier this week! I am so excited and so ready to start the real waiting process! All we are waiting for is a reference letter! Though over the last month we hit some bumps. We did our USCIS appointment but then we missed a copy of a paper to send, so that held it up. So after three weeks of sending that in we still had not heard anything. I tried calling but I called the wrong number for USCIS. There are two different numbers to call and when I called the wrong one the man I spoke with was rude and did not give me any answers! When I said adoption someone could have just said oh you need to call this number instead of making me wait thirty minutes to talk to someone higher up and have them be rude. So I called a few days later and called the correct number, spoke with someone and within ten minutes knew we should be getting our approval letter any day. We received it a few days later. So on top of that we have been saving our money for our adoption but also have our grant through church. I am so thankful for our grant and for those who have donated already. We have not been able to raise the $2500 that we need though, which has been a disappointment because we were planning to use that to pay for our dossier. However, God has provided the funds through our tax return, we just will not be able to pay off my car and go to one car payment again. I trust that God will provide and I know He will! And another disappointment is that our wait has now increased to 24-30 months. However, I was praying on my way to work one morning about Addie and got a vision of a one year old, with some teeth in, a head full of curly hair, looking up at me. And then I was praying about the referral and when it may happen and such and December popped in my head. I asked God if that meant we would know who she is then and I am pretty sure it was a yes, and I know He said "Trust me". So we will see. I know God can heal, move mountains, and do whatever He likes, so if it's His will it will be done!
On the Belle front, she turns three on the 30th!! I cannot believe it! I love her so much and even though her screaming and hitting will get on my nerves and push the right buttons on me, she is such a joy and so sweet! Tonight I said something about Ethiopia and she repeated the country then said "I share my toys and my room with Ethiopia" which she meant Adeline, but she knows Addie is in Ethiopia so that is how she processed it! How cute!! And on Sunday she told me I was her best friend! Other things with her, she has been sick. Coughing, red inflamed throat and a yucky nose. She was on antibiotics for two weeks and is on a different one now. The doctor thinks she may have allergies so I have her on meds for that now too. I feel so bad! She has not been well since the end of January! So we are trying! And trying to get her well for her birthday! She acts normal though other than wiping her nose and coughing a bit. Her throat doesn't seem to bother her at all.
On the home front, we have issues again. We were trying to look into replacing our insulation under our house since it is either missing, hanging down, or not enough. Well the estimate was doable, tight but okay. Then the crawl space flooded again, the contractor (thankfully an honest one) said he wouldn't do the work until the flooding issue was taken care of. The estimate for that was NOT doable. So Paul said he would do the work himself making a french drain in the crawl space. This is a system that drains the water to a sump pump to put it in simple terms. Well when he started to dig the crawl space he could only dig about 6 inches and he was at the footer! Now you cannot go below the footer. So instead he is doing the french drain on the outside of the crawl space around the house and attempting to regrade. So I have a trench through my front yard right now! And he plans to do all of this himself over time. I am so thankful though that he is smart and handy to know how to do this kind of stuff!
I think this is about it. Other than party planning, dossier,working extra, I am getting things sorted for the consignment and been working on stuff. My newest thing is making my own lotion! I am so proud that I did this and I love it! It is all natural without chemicals, and more like a body butter but so good for my skin! Anyway, I think that is it, so I will try to blog again sooner, but we will see! Life gets busy!
Monday, February 11, 2013
Finding myself
So the last month has been challenging with Paul and Belle being sick two weeks in a row. One week it was upper respiratory and the next it was the stomach bug. Praise God I did not get sick though!! So since my last post not too much on the adoption front has happened. We got fingerprinted again for USCIS and we are waiting for that clearance and one more reference letter. And I just need to certify one more document which I will do next week and we will be all set to send in our dossier!! Finally the end of the paperwork tunnel is in sight! This has been a long journey. We decided last year at this time that we would definitely adopt, but did not know when. And we truly started the process in April, so we are coming up close to a year really quickly.
On the parenting front, Belle has reached a screaming phase. And is having trouble sleeping. She gets up almost every night between 2am-4am. I am so thankful for Paul though because he gets up with her most nights and lets me sleep. I guess maybe it makes up for the times when she was a baby and I was up nursing her! Probably too much info, but it's my life and my journey!
Over the last few weeks too, I have volunteered to help the homeless through church. That was awesome! And mostly I have been working. So the other things Paul and I have been talking about is whether we may adopt again after this one. And to be honest sometimes I say yes and sometimes I say no. I don't know what God has planned for us but I do know it's big. And over the last year, I have wanted to get more involved in church and been feeling called toward ministry. The kind of ministry I am talking about is international. Over the last week and hearing our sermons (or parts of it for me) has been even stronger of a calling. God is breaking our hearts for what breaks His. That has been a big prayer of mine over the last year. God has not completely revealed His calling and plan for us, but I know He will in his time. It may start now with prayer and research, but I think the reveal and permanence of His plan will take place after we bring Addie home. In the meantime, like I said I think we may get more involved in established ministries and pray and research. But what I do know is His plan includes children and helping them in other countries and helping them out of poverty. I think about Addie and I think about all the children around the world without families, that are lonely, starving, sick, and helpless. I think about the ones that get trafficked and abused. I want to protect them, to show them the way, and heal them. I cannot do this alone. I need God and I need family and friends to support me. I'm not asking for anything but prayers right now, that we see God's plan and that we don't ignore it and that we are patient enough to let Him work.
Something we talked about in our small group last night was our purpose in life. What are we here for? What are we supposed to be doing? Well I think God's plan for our lives is never complete. He is always working in us and through us if we allow him to. I thought my purpose at one point was to be a nurse and help people and I fulfilled that purpose but that was only a piece to his puzzle called my life. There is a song that says "He's not finished with me yet" and He is not finished with us until we take our last breath. I also think the way our lives work or look is like a puzzle. Our childhood is the border, that he puts together. It's the basic stuff, then once we reach adulthood, he starts on the middle. And it's not done until we die. And we may think it's done, but then come to find out there is more, and more. We see the end result once we are in heaven. So I think the adoption was just the beginning of the rest of our lives and my nursing career was just the beginning and to teach me. So I don't know what else life holds, but it is and will be an amazing journey!
On the parenting front, Belle has reached a screaming phase. And is having trouble sleeping. She gets up almost every night between 2am-4am. I am so thankful for Paul though because he gets up with her most nights and lets me sleep. I guess maybe it makes up for the times when she was a baby and I was up nursing her! Probably too much info, but it's my life and my journey!
Over the last few weeks too, I have volunteered to help the homeless through church. That was awesome! And mostly I have been working. So the other things Paul and I have been talking about is whether we may adopt again after this one. And to be honest sometimes I say yes and sometimes I say no. I don't know what God has planned for us but I do know it's big. And over the last year, I have wanted to get more involved in church and been feeling called toward ministry. The kind of ministry I am talking about is international. Over the last week and hearing our sermons (or parts of it for me) has been even stronger of a calling. God is breaking our hearts for what breaks His. That has been a big prayer of mine over the last year. God has not completely revealed His calling and plan for us, but I know He will in his time. It may start now with prayer and research, but I think the reveal and permanence of His plan will take place after we bring Addie home. In the meantime, like I said I think we may get more involved in established ministries and pray and research. But what I do know is His plan includes children and helping them in other countries and helping them out of poverty. I think about Addie and I think about all the children around the world without families, that are lonely, starving, sick, and helpless. I think about the ones that get trafficked and abused. I want to protect them, to show them the way, and heal them. I cannot do this alone. I need God and I need family and friends to support me. I'm not asking for anything but prayers right now, that we see God's plan and that we don't ignore it and that we are patient enough to let Him work.
Something we talked about in our small group last night was our purpose in life. What are we here for? What are we supposed to be doing? Well I think God's plan for our lives is never complete. He is always working in us and through us if we allow him to. I thought my purpose at one point was to be a nurse and help people and I fulfilled that purpose but that was only a piece to his puzzle called my life. There is a song that says "He's not finished with me yet" and He is not finished with us until we take our last breath. I also think the way our lives work or look is like a puzzle. Our childhood is the border, that he puts together. It's the basic stuff, then once we reach adulthood, he starts on the middle. And it's not done until we die. And we may think it's done, but then come to find out there is more, and more. We see the end result once we are in heaven. So I think the adoption was just the beginning of the rest of our lives and my nursing career was just the beginning and to teach me. So I don't know what else life holds, but it is and will be an amazing journey!
Friday, January 18, 2013
Grant Letter
Dear friends and family,
Paul and I have had an interesting and exciting year in 2012. We hope that you all are well and had a good year as well. After much prayer about our family, we feel that God has called us to adopt a child. In April we started the process of adoption.
We will be adopting a little girl from Ethiopia. She will be between the ages of 1-3 and we will name her Adeline. We have been approved for the program and have finished our home study papers. We are finishing up our papers that will be submitted to Ethiopia. Our papers should be in Ethiopia by the end of February if all goes as planned. Then we will begin the wait for a profile on our daughter. This wait could be up to 2 years, but we are hoping sooner. The cost to complete the adoption is approximately $25,000.
We have been fundraising and saving money monthly to pay for the adoption. So far we have had two yard sales, a bake sale, a haircut fundraiser, sold flower bulbs, online coffee sales, and I have tried to sell crafts. We also had a coffee, dessert, and silent auction in December that had a great turn out. And since then we have been selling Chik-Fil-A calendars and will be planning a spirit night with them as well.
The cost of adoption is daunting and in this economy it is difficult to raise and/or save the amount needed. We have been given a matching grant through our church New Life facilitated by Lifesong. The grant is $2500 matching dollar for dollar, so total we will get $5000. Our goal is to have the funds raised by March 14th, 2013; however, donations will still be accepted after this date. If you would like to help us with offsetting the cost of our adoption you may make a donation to our grant fund. The information is as follows: checks can be made payable to Lifesong for Orphans with preference in the memo section Brown #3299. The address is as follows Lifesong for Orphans, P.O. Box 40/202 N. Ford Street, Gridley, IL 61744. Your donation will also be tax deductible. We appreciate your support, both financially and prayerfully in our endeavor to bring Adeline home
So our year has been busy working on the adoption process, taking care of Belle, who is such a joy and so delightful, and Paul changed jobs. So that essentially has been our year! Belle is growing up too fast, but we are enjoying every minute of it! We also cannot wait to get Adeline home and complete our family!
Please pray for our family as we go through this process, it means a great deal to us! We would appreciate prayers for our daughter in Ethiopia, her biological family, and us as we wait to find out who she is and wait to bring her home.
We hope that you have a wonderful year ahead and thank you for your prayers and support!
With Love,
Paul, Tiffany, and Belle
“to look after orphans and widows in their distress” James 1:27
Paul and I have had an interesting and exciting year in 2012. We hope that you all are well and had a good year as well. After much prayer about our family, we feel that God has called us to adopt a child. In April we started the process of adoption.
We will be adopting a little girl from Ethiopia. She will be between the ages of 1-3 and we will name her Adeline. We have been approved for the program and have finished our home study papers. We are finishing up our papers that will be submitted to Ethiopia. Our papers should be in Ethiopia by the end of February if all goes as planned. Then we will begin the wait for a profile on our daughter. This wait could be up to 2 years, but we are hoping sooner. The cost to complete the adoption is approximately $25,000.
We have been fundraising and saving money monthly to pay for the adoption. So far we have had two yard sales, a bake sale, a haircut fundraiser, sold flower bulbs, online coffee sales, and I have tried to sell crafts. We also had a coffee, dessert, and silent auction in December that had a great turn out. And since then we have been selling Chik-Fil-A calendars and will be planning a spirit night with them as well.
The cost of adoption is daunting and in this economy it is difficult to raise and/or save the amount needed. We have been given a matching grant through our church New Life facilitated by Lifesong. The grant is $2500 matching dollar for dollar, so total we will get $5000. Our goal is to have the funds raised by March 14th, 2013; however, donations will still be accepted after this date. If you would like to help us with offsetting the cost of our adoption you may make a donation to our grant fund. The information is as follows: checks can be made payable to Lifesong for Orphans with preference in the memo section Brown #3299. The address is as follows Lifesong for Orphans, P.O. Box 40/202 N. Ford Street, Gridley, IL 61744. Your donation will also be tax deductible. We appreciate your support, both financially and prayerfully in our endeavor to bring Adeline home
So our year has been busy working on the adoption process, taking care of Belle, who is such a joy and so delightful, and Paul changed jobs. So that essentially has been our year! Belle is growing up too fast, but we are enjoying every minute of it! We also cannot wait to get Adeline home and complete our family!
Please pray for our family as we go through this process, it means a great deal to us! We would appreciate prayers for our daughter in Ethiopia, her biological family, and us as we wait to find out who she is and wait to bring her home.
We hope that you have a wonderful year ahead and thank you for your prayers and support!
With Love,
Paul, Tiffany, and Belle
“to look after orphans and widows in their distress” James 1:27
New year, new routines
So for the new year I made some resolutions and goals. Some of which I am doing okay with meeting and others still need some work. So my goals were to spend more time in deep prayer, spend time playing with Belle on my days off, exercise three times a week for 20 min, and only eat one sweet a day. I need to do these things to not only be healthier physically and spiritually, but also for my mental health. I sometimes get anxious about things like money and chores. Silly to some people but that is how I feel. So I am doing fairly well, I have been trying to watch what I do put into my mouth and I have been exercising on my days off except when I hurt my knee recently. I have been doing 20 min on the elliptical and sit-ups, push-ups, and planks every night as well. I am feeling better now that i am making healthier food choices and exercising. I know I need to do it for my heart and to just maintain healthy weight. Which I am at a good weight but I would like to lose a little. Not much, but just to feel better and have my jeans fit the way they used to!
So as for what I have been doing, it's been caring for Belle obviously, cleaning, cooking, and putting Christmas stuff away. We kept our stuff up until after January 7th to recognize the Ethiopian Christmas. Next year we may do more on that holiday to get into the habit of celebrating that holiday for Adeline. We want to include some of her culture in ours. She needs to know where she came from and how they do things!
So speaking of Adeline and our adoption, we had a oops moment. We sent our USCIS stuff right before Christmas but the check was written for the wrong amount! :-( So it was sent back but we sent it back right away with the proper amount on the check. It appeared as though they had processed our papers mostly and just needed the money, so we are hoping this didn't hold us up much! We have a few more papers to be notarized and certified, then a few state certifications and pictures and a few more changes and we should have all of our documents ready! We also got our grant approval yesterday!! We have a $2500 dollar for dollar matching grant to help with the cost!! This will go toward our dossier submission and we will need to come up with another $1000. So we are praying and trying to trust that God will provide the funds we need! Prayers are appreciated! I will post our letter later.
Today I was supposed to work, but Belle is sick again with a fever and runny nose. Poor thing! So I am just going to chill and catch up on a few things! God is good and I am so thankful for my husband, daughter, and the rest of my family! They are all awesome!
So as for what I have been doing, it's been caring for Belle obviously, cleaning, cooking, and putting Christmas stuff away. We kept our stuff up until after January 7th to recognize the Ethiopian Christmas. Next year we may do more on that holiday to get into the habit of celebrating that holiday for Adeline. We want to include some of her culture in ours. She needs to know where she came from and how they do things!
So speaking of Adeline and our adoption, we had a oops moment. We sent our USCIS stuff right before Christmas but the check was written for the wrong amount! :-( So it was sent back but we sent it back right away with the proper amount on the check. It appeared as though they had processed our papers mostly and just needed the money, so we are hoping this didn't hold us up much! We have a few more papers to be notarized and certified, then a few state certifications and pictures and a few more changes and we should have all of our documents ready! We also got our grant approval yesterday!! We have a $2500 dollar for dollar matching grant to help with the cost!! This will go toward our dossier submission and we will need to come up with another $1000. So we are praying and trying to trust that God will provide the funds we need! Prayers are appreciated! I will post our letter later.
Today I was supposed to work, but Belle is sick again with a fever and runny nose. Poor thing! So I am just going to chill and catch up on a few things! God is good and I am so thankful for my husband, daughter, and the rest of my family! They are all awesome!
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