Monday, January 4, 2016

Quick Update

As promised here is a quick update from the adoption agency that I received today.

We are currently number 19 on the waiting list with 2 couples on hold ahead of us. Yay for being out of the 20s finally! Our profile hasn't been shown since September which is a little discouraging but now that we are in the teens the chances of it being shown go up quite a bit.

Hopefully it will be be soon...

Friday, January 1, 2016

A New Year Begins

Have I really not written anything since July?! There have been so many times that I thought about sitting down to write, so many things on my heart to write about, so much going on in my head but I just never did it. I thought that with it being the new year though I would sit down and write, give a little update, post a few pictures and hopefully get back into writing mode again. It's good for me to write rather than keep things all bottled up and I need to get back to it.

2015. It was an interesting year for me. It was a year full of much stress, which is evidenced by the grey hairs I seem to have to accumulated throughout the year. I won't go into the details of said stress because it would take much too much time and perhaps bore you! Suffice it to say that I have been learning so much about myself and my health and where I am with God and what I need to work on and what I need to accept and what I need to let go of. There was lots of good along with the stress as well like time spent out at the lake and Emma's birthday and a little family vacation we took this fall. Lots of love and laughter. 

I am looking forward to 2016. I don't have any resolutions because truthfully I know I won't keep them! Instead I am looking forward with hope and anticipation of what God has in store. I am so thankful that He knows what the new year holds because that means I don't have to worry about it. I can take things one day at a time. The days are flying by so swiftly and I need to slow down and appreciate them because before I know it Emma will be grown and gone. One of the many things I have thought about so much in the last few months is just how precious my time with her is. All too soon these days will be over and I so don't want to look back on them with regret for not having spent time with her or enjoying the time I do have with her enough. So I will leave the details of 2016 in the Lord's hands and just enjoy my little family and all of our many blessings.

Emma has grown and changed so much in this last year. We started doing homeschool preschool in the fall and she absolutely loves it! She can write her own name (and signed many Christmas cards this year!) and is starting to want to know how to spell other words. I have the feeling she will be reading early.



She is very much a kid now with no baby left in her except for when she is sick and needs her Mommy. She is quite the conversationalist and she loves music and singing and making up her own songs and stories. She is still taking music lessons and next week she starts ballet as well. She also loves trains and fast cars. She enjoys drawing and is getting to be quite good. She drew a picture of Minnie Mouse the other day.


 She loves wearing dresses and twirling around and hearing her Daddy tell her how beautiful she is.


She has been doing a great job lately of dressing herself and it's always fun to see what outfit she comes up with!


She is still always our little helper in everything we do. She has such a natural nurturing spirit, loves to take care of people and help whenever she can. Something I so want to encourage in her. She is as stubborn as ever but as sweet as ever too. Our amazing gift from above. We love her more than words could ever express and I am still often in awe that God entrusted her to me. I pray often that God would help me be the Momma she needs me to be. I fail so many times but God is faithful and I am learning to go to Him more and more for strength and wisdom.

My parents moved out to their lake house this fall. They put so many hours into building a home that is so peaceful and restful. A refuge from the city. We were able to spend a couple of nights with them this week and I didn't want to leave the peace and solitude. It's been an adjustment having them be a couple of hours away but it is so good to see them loving it out there and to see the peace that fills their hearts and is evident in their countenances. They need to be out there and I so understand that. It is a huge blessing for us to have a place to go to get away from the city and enjoy some down time. 


There isn't really much news to share on the adoption front. Last time I checked in we were number 20 on the list with some couples on hold ahead of us. I will admit I was truly hoping our baby would come home in 2015. In retrospect though I can see God's hand and timing in it all. He knows what we can handle and when and He knew last year was not the right time. I am feeling more ready and prepared and eager now and am hoping it isn't too much longer. Emma knows we are waiting and she talks often about "when the baby comes". It will be an exciting time to be sure. I will be getting another update next week as to where we are on the waiting list and I will post again to let you all know.

As you look ahead to the new year that lies before you I hope you have an anticipation for what God has in store. A trust that He is holding you and guiding you and will be with you no matter what comes your way. May 2016 be filled with joy and growth and hope.