When we told our friends we had submitted paperwork and "officially" began the process to do Foster Care/Adoption, one of the first things they did was insist they give us a shower. So even back in November, Brooklyn, Courtney, and Kristine began planning. They wanted us to be prepared at a moment's notice to receive a child in our home. And boy, am I glad they insisted!! We did receive Little Bit in just a moment's notice!! :) These 3 wonderful ladies have been such dear precious friends of ours and supported us for several years on our journey to get our forever family. They have listened to me, prayed for us, and encouraged us numerous times. I am so grateful for their friendship and their love. Brooklyn, Courtney, & Kristine
It is still amazing just how specific God's timing is! Here is part of my personal journal entry from December 29th..."I feel I have to press forward knowing it will work out. But this may very well be the hardest wait yet. We have a baby shower on January 10th & I keep wondering what will people think of us since we do not have a placement yet. I just keep telling myself, God will make it all right. His thoughts, His opinions, pleasing Him should be my focus & it hasn't been the past month." I even received some emails from those invited congratulating us on a child and some folks at church thought we had indeed received a child. But we hadn't. I just felt so odd as the week progressed. Because of the delay in our home study, I never ever thought once we would have a child by the shower.
We met Little Bit on Friday, January 8th and the shower was Sunday, January 10th!! This was absolutely a sweet time for my friends and I. The excitement was wonderful!
Even if our Girl was at home, we would not have taken her to the shower, especially since she had spent the first 2 months of her life in the NICU. But thank goodness for 1 hour photo!! We printed some pictures off and the hostesses placed them on the tables at the shower. Courtney even made a plaque with Little Bit's name on it. I was amazed because she only had 1 day to get that done!
Bryan stayed with our daughter at the hospital. It was a little odd...I showered at home on Saturday, wore "lounge" wear to the hospital to spend the night in, and then dressed and straightened my hair at the hospital. I loved going to the baby shower, but it was strange to leave Bryan and our daughter.
Brooklyn made the cake. I thought is was just adorable. She did a fabulous job! I have to admit, it was special knowing the gender of the baby. It was neat to have a girlie touch to the shower.
We were truly showered with blessings upon blessings. But I felt all day it wasn't just a shower but a huge celebration party! It was so great to celebrate the answer to many prayers with people who are very special to us. There have been many godly ladies and families praying for us. Bryan's childhood babysitter who is in her 70s even drove up from Ada. That was a sweet surprise.It was such a joyful day! I didn't quite make it without any tears. But they were tears of joy! It was great to have tears of joy!!! They are so different than tears of sorrow! We have had joy upon joy over the past 3 weeks! It truly is like the hymn "joy unspeakable and full of glory full of glory oh the half has never yet been told!!"
Brooklyn's daughter, Ava, was also at the shower and was quick to tell me she was a helper and I think I remember her asking me what my job was at the shower because she had a job!! Actually, she had several jobs. She started out with Courtney and I as I opened gifts. She would hold up each gift for everyone to see. She was our little Vanna White!
About half way through, she asked if she could quit this job and go get some cake!!
Ava just melts my heart!! Our friend, Carla, thought she was such a great helper, she gave Ava $2.00!! You can see Ava holding the money, rather tightly, in the picture below!!
God's Word reads "a friend loves at all times." These 3 ladies have. They love me for who I am and they know so much about me! They continue to support us as parents. I am so grateful for their kind, generous, spirits. They have showed the love of Christ to me in so many ways! I have such a special place for them in my heart!
Friday, January 8th is the day God changed our lives forever! We received a call on my cell phone, while down in Ada for my Granny's hip surgery, from our case worker. She asked us how soon we felt we could receive a little baby girl!!!
A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING!
I want so much to show you the many pictures we have took. But we need to protect her identity for a few more months, hopefully just a few. There are so many details of her story getting to us, but I have to keep those to share at a later time as well. But I will tell you, our little girl was born in November at 27 weeks gestation weighing under 3 pounds and has spent the entire time up to January 11th in the NICU. God protected her amazingly while she was in the womb. She was only on a ventilator for a little over a day. The nurses told us she practically took herself off the vent!! She is a fighter!! We are so grateful to God He made her so strong and determined! She remained in the NICU due to her weight and eating. However, she began eating more on her own and the feeding tube was removed the day we met her!!
Although we received the placement call around 7:40 a.m., we did not get to the hospital until approximately 3:00 p.m.!! Although I did not carry a child and go through the pains of labor, I can kind of relate to the anticipation a mother may have. Bryan and I thought the time to finally see her would never come. We had to explain the events to my Granny and tell her goodbye. Then we rushed home to pick up the car seat/carrier (Some of my mom-friends call it car seat. Some call it carrier. I'm still not sure what to call it!) and diaper bag. Then we drove to the Child Welfare office to sign our contract!
We made a mad dash over to Brooklyn's so she could show us and make sure we properly installed the car seat! She has 3 kids and another one on the way. We knew we were dealing with an expert! And finally...............we made it to the hospital!!
Seeing our little girl for the first time!
One of the first feedings we did:Bryan is an expert!! He is very protective of his little girl! Now, two weeks later, he has our precious one on some type of an eating competition. He keeps telling her she is about to break the previous day's record!
Shortly after we met our little one, she was moved into a transition room in the NICU. It was mostly for our benefit, I think. We learned to feed with her, change her diaper, all while she was still on monitors. It gave us a strong peace. The staff also wanted to make sure she adequately had her sucking, breathing, and swallowing coordination down. It was a room where one of us could spend the night. And Boom! In a split second, I began the night shift of feeding a baby! Something I have waited a long time for! I have loved it. I do have to admit, though, the 2 a.m. feeding is the hardest.
Since we met her, we spent 3 nights in the hospital and we brought her to our home on Monday, January 11, 2010!!
Bryan and His Girl before coming home
Our First Family Picture
We have spent the past two weeks bonding and cuddling with our little girl! We have had two eye appointments and two doctor appointments. She has had her two month immunization shots. That event required lots and lots and lots of additional love and holding! It was the most we had ever heard her cry. :(
We have been overwhelmed and extremely grateful for the love, prayers, and support shown by so many! We have had meals brought to us and so many have text us, emailed us, or called us! We have loved every minute. People have made us feel so special. We are so blessed to have such a great group of people around us. We have no words to express how our hearts have felt.
Bryan's mom took this picture I think on the Monday we came home. We spent a lot of time like this. I would text (I love holding baby girl on my chest!! She is a great cuddler!!) and Bryan removed some pictures from face book. Upon a suggestion, we deleted pictures of our girl until further into her process.
Please continue to pray for our family. One parental unit's rights were terminated and we are now waiting on the other's to be terminated. We hope to know a status on adoption in the Spring. I long for when I can tell you just how specifically God has been in so many aspects of this journey...many of which we discovered the first weekend we met our girl.
I wonder if we are a little abnormal....We love changing diapers! We love it that sweet baby has wet and dirty diapers! It tells us she is healthy and "everything" is working fine!! Immediately after Bryan changed his first dirty diaper, he saw the need to put the diaper geannie (sp?)together!!
Not long after being home, I discovered it was very hard to keep my hair out of the way during feedings and cuddling. I had an appointment already made and was able to get a "new mom" cut. Thanks Aunt Lissa!!
One of the delays in making this initial post is just how to come up with the right words, the adequate Praise to God. I want to share just the right scriptures, just the right descriptive words to communicate my thoughts and emotions. It has been very hard to articulate what I am feeling inside. It is indescribable. I feel very unworthy. I'm still in awe. Throughout our time in the NICU just holding and staring at our baby and over the past two weeks, I would just keep thinking of Christ Tomlin's "Indescribable." This part of our journey is so much more, so incredibly more than we ever could have imagined or wished for!
You or someone you know may still be in the waiting. Some are waiting for the baby still to come. Some are waiting for that Godly spouse. Some our waiting on a job and/or financial stability. Some are waiting for healing. Some are waiting for a house to sell. Waiting is hard, tiring, and painful. Sometimes in the midst of the waiting it is hard to see, understand, and believe the greatness that will come on the other side of the waiting journey. Sometimes when you are left in the waiting and others, like my family, are beginning to see the end to waiting, you get discouraged. I know, I've been there. It is a very human feeling. But believe me, GOD SHOWS HIMSELF SO MUCH MORE FAITHFUL THAN WE ARE! It is not just a cliche. Tell yourself over and over, God is real! God is real! He has called me to this journey, called me to this season of waiting. In our waiting, I have learned:
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. He has made everything beautiful in its time."
Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11
Pray with FAITH. I would ask God to protect our child to come if he or she were still in the womb. At times, I prayed though wondering how in the world a child could be protected and free from alcohol/substance abuse while the mother kept making bad decisions after bad decisions. I neglected and forgot the POWER AND PROTECTION OF GOD! We have experienced it first hand in our daughter!!
Have HOPE. Have FAITH.
"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces HOPE, and HOPE does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Romans 5:1-5
Stay in HIS WORD.
"This God--his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him." Psalm 18:30
"For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have HOPE."
Romans 15:4
"And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughter to me, says the Lord Almighty."
2 Corinthians 6:18
If you have repented of your sins and asked Christ to be your Lord and Saviour, You too are adopted into His family and HE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU!
"How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"
Matthew 7:11b
I got to go to church this morning while Bryan stayed home with Little Bit. Our pastor used 2 Chronicles 16:9 in his message. I think it may be applicable to many of us."For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him."
Tomorrow Bryan goes back to work. It will be my first official day as a mom all by myself during the day!
God has bestowed His marvelous GRACE on our family!!
I have pictures/posts about my company Christmas party, Christmas with Eric and His Family, and just Christmas overall but I felt I needed to get our experience of the Great Blizzard down before I forgot or too much time passed! It was an experience etched in our minds for quite sometime!!!
I did have to come into work for about 3 hours on Christmas Eve. It wasn't too bad because my boss brought me biscuits and gravy and we just hung out together. Very relaxed!! Luckily we left the office one hour before our original set time. Bryan and I have always spent Christmas Eve with his family for the past 13 years. Although it was snowing in OKC/Moore, we decided to leave for Ada, hoping to drive out of the storm. That did not happen. Instead, it felt like we were in the eye (if a snow storm has an eye) of the storm the entire drive to Ada!! Just some basic information...from Moore to Norman, the drive is usually 7-10 minutes. From Moore to Ada, the drive is usually 1 hour 10 minutes. On Christmas Eve, it took us 50 minutes to get from Moore to Norman. And it took us 4.5 hours to get from Moore to Ada!!!
These pictures were taken on the interstate about 5 miles from Moore.
We passed this jack-knifed semi-truck along Norman. At this point, the snow, wind, and road conditions made us afraid to turn around and we had already spent 45 minutes in the car. We did not want to get stuck/stranded in it driving back and it was hard to find a place to turn around.
We stopped in another town to use the restroom and Bryan bought "provisions" in case we got stranded in our car. I had asked him to buy some crackers and peanut butter, thinking of a source of protein. I had two bananas from home already in the car. Here are the provisions he bought...
Cheetos and Gatorade!!!
I must remember this when I ask him to get dinner for our future children!! :)
The last 3 hours of our drive were very scary. Our visibility was terrible and we had to stop every 2 miles or so to clean off our wipers. I don't think we ever got over 10-15 mph. At one point, we discovered we had crossed over the entire road and was straddling the edge of the road with a small drop off about 75 ft in front of us!!! Bryan was able to correct and get back onto the road. Needless to say, I was crying at this point and nauseated!!
As I recalled this to Brooklyn, I told her I would never have gotten out in this if we had a child!! Promise!!!! Looking back, we were crazy to have driven to Ada. We should have stayed home! I am so thankful we made it safely.
My father-in-law on Christmas Eve
In the midst of a blizzard he was concerned about the star falling off his tree outside! Ha!!
There is some beauty of a white Christmas...
This was outside my in-laws home on Christmas Day. The bird was just beautiful!
We drove back home on Saturday. The drive back was dramatically different:
Here are some pictures of our house, 3 days after the blizzard when we got home. I couldn't get into my driveway and my poor car had to spend the night outside.
This is standing in our garage, looking out. We brought a few bags in and then took time to dig a small path so we could walk into the garage. Can you tell how deep the snow was up against our garage!
The pictures in the daylight were taken yesterday after some snow melt.Bryan and I had fun shoveling snow. I love Bryan's action shot!!
At sunset yesterday. And now my car is in my garage!!!
Bryan and I think we are well on our way to establishing some Christmas traditions of our very own. One of them seems to be going to Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO to view the lights, drink some cider, and watch Dickens Christmas Carol. We did this last year, we just went this past weekend for this year, and we bought passes for 2010!! We have tentative plans to go with friends and take family on other trips!
Silver Dollar City is the best place to go for the holidays! I cannot wait until we have a small someone to take with us. However, we would definitely have to watch the weather and temps. It was cold this weekend!! It was so cold, even this little squirrel was burrowing for some food!
Now you see bits of his head (look closely)....
Now you don't....
This year we were able to take Bryan's mom with us. His dad isn't much of a traveler! It was fun to have her with us.
Bryan was our very own personal tour guide in Silver Dollar City. He scanned the official Silver Dollar City paper while we waited in line to see Dickens Christmas Carol (which is a must if you go to Silver Dollar City during the Christmas season).
One of the beauties of Silver Dollar City is the Christmas decorations throughout the park. Buildings and trees are covered in bright lights. I think it would be a child's delight! Here is one of Bryan's "must stops"...the Taffy Shop.
They also have a beautiful ceremony to light the tree (unfortunately my video was too long to upload). The tree, of course, is not lit in the daylight. Bryan and I always take a picture in front of the tree.
Different colors of the same tree:
They also have a light parade in the evenings as well!
We did some shopping Sunday at the Tanger Outlet Mall and then ate at Lambert's Cafe in Ozark, MO...home of the throwed rolls! It was delicious!! We ate way too much!!
Now it is back to work, wrapping gifts, and getting ready for a family gathering!
I wasn't going to blog today because I was trying to catch up on some reading in James, but I "accidentally" read James 5:7-11. I was suppose to be reading/taking notes on the last part of Chapter 3. But I just had to share with you what I read in James 5.
The title in my Bible just before these verses reads "Patience in Suffering."
"Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we considerthoseblessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful." James 5:7-11
Although these verses are tied to the return of the Lord, it made me immediately think of those waiting for children or those waiting for a spouse or those waiting for healing or those wanting a renewed marriage or perhaps a job. Waiting gets long and worrisome. But notice the mention of precious fruit! Isn't that child to be, that husband to come, that healing to come ever so precious! It made me think of the precious child to hopefully come into our home next year. It often seems like the deepest desires are so long in the coming. These scriptures tells us too we must receive the early and late rains. I think of trials, the disappointments, the let down after let down, and the "rain" that falls on our lives, but their is precious fruit as the outcome!! Hallelujah!! I could be taking this scripture in a whole different direction, but I had to share how it initially set with me. Oh, it does mention the farmer waits with patience! Patience....the hardest aspect of farming. It says to establish your hearts...be set, be ready, be sure. Those who remain steadfast will be blessed. The Lord is compassionate and merciful!
I found this picture by artist Gregory Frank and it is titled "A Peaceful Time."I LOVE this picture. I think of it as a mother and daughter, me and my daughter on my Granny's land! We would be at the end of our harvest. The title is so fitting. A peaceful time...Harvest is Coming!!
Faith is having a Christmas Card Carousel over at her blog!! And thanks to her advice, I was finally able to get ours onto my blog!
Isn't Faith absolutely amazing!! She is one of the most talented individuals. She is so creative and artistic! And might I add, just gorgeous!!
Although our Christmas card isn't too fancy, it is very special to me. My cousin Eric helped take our picture on my Granny's property. There are many memories at Granny's house and I find myself longing to be in Ada as much as possible because she is there and it is land my Poppy farmed and kept cattle on. This year, I wanted to be sure I had something I could look back in years to come that showed their land. So we chose the large pond or "tank" that Poppy stocked with catfish when he came home from fishing. If Poppy were here, I think he would be delighted we used his pond for a backdrop!
Although I live in a big city now, I still love going back to the country! Merry Christmas! May you experience love, peace, joy, and hope in Christ this Christmas as well as the upcoming year. May you truly know Him and His greatness. My prayer for you is that you would have a personal salvation relationship with Jesus Christ!
This year Bryan and I decided to give baked goodies to his co-workers. There are 12 individuals he wanted to give to and we thought baking would be a thoughtful and less expensive way to share with 12!!
I started baking on Tuesday with Ande' Creme Mint Cookies...I think they taste like Christmas!
Then I finished up last night making Cowboy Cookies, Bon Bons, Chocolate Covered Pringles, and English Toffee. I had a wonderful time doing it but my muscles were tired at 11:45 p.m.! Bryan was a huge help while I baked and put the containers together. He folded the laundry which may not seem like much to some but it helped me from getting mentally overwhelmed with tasks to get done. I really appreciate him. Plus, it kept him out of the way!! :)
I do have to admit, when I was packing all the containers, loading the dishwasher, and washing large dish after large dish, the thought did cross my mind...why not do $5.00 sonic cards. That sure would be easier. BUT, it would have been more expensive. Plus I truly enjoyed baking the goodies.
I was most proud of the English Toffee. I had never made it and I think it is rather tasty. I used Paula Deen's recipe. I felt very southern!! I thought about trying to talk like her with a strong accent to see if my candy would turn out better, but by this time, Bryan had already fallen asleep and it was just me and our cat!! No one to entertain! Too bad I didn't look as pretty as she does in the kitchen too. I admit, I was wearing my pjs while I cooked. I had to change again before I went to bed because I had chocolate on them!!
I have been happily married to Bryan for 13 years now. Bryan & I met our forever daughter in Jan 2010 and she was adopted June 2010! I enjoy spending time with Bryan and being a mom to Gracie! They are such blessings to me and just melt my heart! I also love to read, OU football, my church, relaxing on White River in Arkansas, journaling, bible study, communion with God, & Red Diamond Sweet Tea. I'm grateful for the longsuffering, grace, and mercy God shows me everyday. He is so faithful to me. I am thankful for His sacrifice to cover my sins.
Brooklyn, Courtney, & Kristine 
Brooklyn made the cake. I thought is was just adorable. She did a fabulous job! I have to admit, it was special knowing the gender of the baby. It was neat to have a girlie touch to the shower.
It was such a joyful day! I didn't quite make it without any tears. But they were tears of joy! It was great to have tears of joy!!! They are so different than tears of sorrow! We have had joy upon joy over the past 3 weeks! It truly is like the hymn "joy unspeakable and full of glory full of glory oh the half has never yet been told!!"
Seeing our little girl for the first time!
Bryan is an expert!! He is very protective of his little girl! Now, two weeks later, he has our precious one on some type of an eating competition. He keeps telling her she is about to break the previous day's record! 
Our First Family Picture
We spent a lot of time like this. I would text (I love holding baby girl on my chest!! She is a great cuddler!!) and Bryan removed some pictures from face book. Upon a suggestion, we deleted pictures of our girl until further into her process.
At this point, the snow, wind, and road conditions made us afraid to turn around and we had already spent 45 minutes in the car. We did not want to get stuck/stranded in it driving back and it was hard to find a place to turn around.
We brought a few bags in and then took time to dig a small path so we could walk into the garage. Can you tell how deep the snow was up against our garage!
Bryan and I had fun shoveling snow. I love Bryan's action shot!! 
At sunset yesterday. And now my car is in my garage!!!
We did this last year, we just went this past weekend for this year, and we bought passes for 2010!! We have tentative plans to go with friends and take family on other trips!
It was so cold, even this little squirrel was burrowing for some food!
I LOVE this picture. I think of it as a mother and daughter, me and my daughter on my Granny's land! We would be at the end of our harvest. The title is so fitting. A peaceful time...Harvest is Coming!!
I felt very southern!! I thought about trying to talk like her with a strong accent to see if my candy would turn out better, but by this time, Bryan had already fallen asleep and it was just me and our cat!! No one to entertain! Too bad I didn't look as pretty as she does in the kitchen too. I admit, I was wearing my pjs while I cooked. I had to change again before I went to bed because I had chocolate on them!! 
