Still Blogging...

Maybe I should say I'm still trying to blog!( haha) I have so much to share, but for now this will just be a quick post to say...stay tuned :) School has started, and we are trying to get into that routine again. I loved having the kids home for the summer. They are growing so fast, and I don't ever want to take the time I spend with them for granted. Each one adds something special to our family! Henry will start back to our Mother's Day Out program at church next week, and on the days that he is there I am going to be very intentional about the time I am spending with Betsy. She is doing great, but there are alot of things we need to work on together. It will be nice to spend some time one on one with her. I am so thankful for this precious little girl. Today I was watching her play, and thought back to last year. It seemed like we would never get to her! Now, here she is playing around our home like she has always been with us. I am so thankful for God's sovereignty...his plans are like none other:)

August 3, 2010

Here is the journal entry from last year on the day we accepted Betsy's referral. "We have looked at the files...no pictures yet! Both sound good...taking them to our pediatrician's office for him to look over, and give us his opinion. Also, Todd is calling our eye doctor to ask questions about Nystagmus."

"Later today...talked to our pediatrician. He said both files looked good. We found out today the 2 year old is in the hospital recovering from surgery. I would like to know a little more about the 4 year old. Lord guide us in our decision."

"Around 10:30 tonight we accepted the refferal for Ha Xin Miao, the little girl who is 4 with Nystagmus. What an emotional experience this has been. I feel like I just found out I am pregnant! Lilly locked in our file, and we have to complete our LOI now!"

This was after we talked to Amy, and locked in the file. Todd had already got in bed and I made him get up so I could take a picture!

This was the first picture we saw of Betsy.

This picture is my favorite...you can really see those cheeks!!

I can't begin to tell you how exciting, and crazy that day was. I was on and off the phone with our agency all day. They were great!! I was also given the name of a girl in Atlanta who had adopted two children...one with an eye issue,and the other with a heart need. She was so sweet, and really encouraged me to check into the two year old more. I just did not have any peace about it...I really felt all along our daughter was older...around 4 or 5. The two year old had about a week of recovery, and we couldn't find out anything until she was released from the hospital. There are just so many ways the Lord proved himself faithful that day. The more we looked at Betsy's file, and the more we learned about her special need the more it felt right. We didn't look at any pictures of either file until we felt like Betsy's refferal was the one for us. It was late that night, and Todd and I agreed to look at her picture. When we saw that sweet face and those chubby cheeks we looked at each other with tears in our eyes and knew this was our daughter. I ran downstairs, called Amy who works for our agency, and said "tell Lilly to lock in her file." Amy, by the way, lives in Atlanta, so it was about 11:30p.m. for her! Thanks again Amy:) When we finally got in the bed I had a hard time going to sleep. I now had a child across the globe, and I felt a desperate urgency to get to her! It would take a little over 7 months for that to happen!! It was so hard at times, but what I learned from the Lord during those months was( and is) a treasure to me. He is so mighty, awesome, and in control of every detail...he is a wonderful, merciful Savior! If you are adopting, and are in this time of waiting remember God is Faithful...he has not left you, nor forsaken you! He is in control of your beautiful adoption story:)

August 2, 2010

"Amy called (@ 11:34) today with two files for us to look at. One child is 2 years old born in Oct. of 2007, just 2 months younger than Henry. The other child is 4 years old and her birthday is March 19, 2006. The 2 year old has a heart need, the 4 year old has Nystagmus (an eye need). We are going to look at the files...Lord guide us, speak to our hearts." This was my journal entry one year ago. Wow...what an amazing journey that followed! God is so good!! I will post tomorrow what I wrote the following day:)