Rewind! May 2012 in Pictures

Want to get some pictures on the blog of the kids.  Trying to remember what we did, and when!  We had a BLAST in May 2012, as you will soon see!  

The kids finished their swim lessons at the YMCA.  We have been taking with Ms. Denise for 2 years and she is great with the littles and is such a good teacher.  Cara was a FISH by the end of the 2 months.

 Look how much taller she is.  It was a class of 4-5 year olds.  

 We took the kids on a field trip down to Froberg Farm, down in Alvin.  They had a great time picking their own strawberries.  Then we ate some and froze some for smoothies!

 All of our group (4 families) except me!

This was Micah's "Mother's Day Tea" at the end of his preschool last May.  He's such cute boy.  Very opinionated, but very loving and affectionate.  I love my Micah Man!

 Singing us their song.

 In May Chick-Fil-A had a mother/son date night.  The restaurant was decorated like a castle and Micah was deemed "Knight French Fry."  It was fun, he had a good time getting some one-on-one time with mommy.

 Anna thought it was great! 

 Cara didn't.  She pouted and wanted her own date night, haha!  Which she got a few months later!

 Us before chick-fil-a.

 Moving on to Mother's day.  I realize poor Eric isn't in most of these photos, I promise, he's coming!! :)  

 Mother's day before church.

 Micah's last day of preschool.  Saying bye to Ms. Jessica....

 and Ms. Yolanda!  

 Cara getting ready for her spring dance recital. 

 Precious

 She and her friend Lizzy were both in it, just different classes. 

Yaya came to see! 

Uncle Greg, Cara, Nana and Aunt Amanda.

 We are so proud of our sweet girl.

 In May, my mom retired after almost 30 years of teaching.  Bailey and I found this board at an antique show.  I had been looking for something just like it to paint with these words I found on pinterest ;).

 She had a party at our church in Santa Fe.  Lots of friends and family from the past 30 years came!

 Pawpaw came and the kids had fun playing with him :)  (this is my mom's dad)

 Aunt Amanda (Eric's sister) went to prom and the kids thought she was a princess as we 'helped' her get ready!

 This was one sweet day in the car, I looked back and the littles were holding hands.  That rarely happens :)

Micah had his first dentist visit this month. 

 And we had our check-ups.  Cara likes to make silly faces ;)

 It was a beautiful spring and the kids had so much fun playing outside.  

 My sweet baby girl.

 Cara decided to cut a piece of her hair on her left side.  We had to get a new haircut after her recital (I had to leave it long enough to do a bun!) 

 Aunt Amanda graduated from Travis High School at the end of May.  This is how we kept the kids entertained during the long wait.  Movie for the bigs....

 Snacks for the little! :)

 She loves to rest with Nana.

 Amanda walking across the stage.  I first met Amanda when she was 4.  I was at her kindergarten graduation 12 years ago!!

 Micah, Greg, Anna, Eric, Cara, Amanda, Clara and our cousin Julie.

 Nana and her kids.

Hope you enjoyed all these pictures!  I love looking back on what we did each year.  We have a special family!

One Year Later

Yesterday marked 3 years from the day we found out we were expecting Anna.  She is a little spunky 2 year old now and we adore her!

Today also marks one year that our USCIS approval came in and we were placed on our agency's referral wait list.  So much has happened in a year, and yet, we are still here waiting.  I'm not complaining, I know that God has us exactly where He wants us.

Today a friend got placed with her first foster baby.  This weekend another friend was placed with 4 and 5 year old little boys.  My good friend Meredith finalized her 2 daughters adoption earlier this year and my other good friend Valerie was placed with her forever girls and is awaiting finalization.  Numerous other friends have finalized or began their journey of obedience, near and far (China anyone??).  In a year Eric and I have completed our 'official' online international adoption training, have read numerous books, and have been involved in our friends lives that are pouring into these children's lives.  We are blessed with a thriving adoption ministry at our church and I've been attending our monthly ladies nights with amazing training by local advocates and psychologists and counselors.  In the midst of waiting, I try to turn back my gratitude for what I do have.

Monday was a hard day.  I finally was able to speak to our social worker.  A year ago, we were told 6 months for a referral.  In January we were told to expect 12 months.  In October we were told 12-15 months, and our agency has had 0 referrals since early October.  I was hoping this whole time, maybe the lengthened time will be best for us!  Referral around February or March, travel 3-4 months later, get in before the courts close for a month 7/15-8/15.  Take a few helpers who are off during the summer, as well as it being better with Eric's job.  God has GOT this timing thing!

Then I got the words I was hoping not to get: realistically, it probably won't be before August.  I'm not going to lie, it made me sad.  It just doesn't work for so many reasons.  Eric will be busy with work, helpers won't be as available with school starting.  And truthfully, I had my heart set on spending June in Uganda.  Introducing my kids to the Kirabo Seeds kids and my friends there.

However, I know my God is in this.  I've seen the many things He has been teaching me that keep preparing my heart for our 'next.'  But what is so amazing about Him, is that He doesn't have me living for the next, He's got purpose for my now.  We have had a pretty amazing fall so far.  We prayed and listened and 3 weeks into the new school year that God was calling us to be home.  So we quit our homeschool co-op (not our science one!) and preschool.  It is allowing us to save money as well as spend more time together, loving, praying, preparing our home for our new brother, and prepping our hearts for what is to come.  We've also gotten involved in a ministry called Pruning Hooks.  And I say we because we are all involved!  We drive down a couple times a month delivering lunches for 56 kids and their teachers at the Generation One Academy with some friends.  Our kids love going down there and seeing the kids.  We pray over each kids bag lunch and put a scripture in it that God has been speaking to me for the kids.  It's so fun to be a blessing to them.

I know how blessed we are.  I know in the wake of such tragedy in our nation, and abroad, that I'm clinging a little tighter to my babies.  Deepening my clinging to God's word.  And seeing the good in others.  It's there.  And in that I'm praying for our future son.  That he is safe.  That his first mom would come to know how much she is loved by Jesus, and he would as well.  That he is getting the care he needs, the food, the diaper changes, the medical care.  Thankful that God is already knitting our hearts together, and we can't wait to meet him!