The most WONDERFUL time of the year

I have not been invited to one Christmas party or extra holiday event. And it's OK. The next 9 days are pretty much eaten up with stuff that has to be done, AND there's still the possibility (nothing's been done since last week) that we'll have new family to go see. I don't mind the busy...it's the not-knowing that's hard. When everyone does get home...I'm praying for lots of laughter, late night game time, teenagers in the house, and smiling faces. Yeah, it's a Christmas kind of miracle we're wishing for around here.

Someone just told me I had the patience of a saint, referring to the adoption process we're in. It's NOT TRUE. Somewhere along the way, I have had to put expectations away and just wait. With my personality it seems like such a waste of time to wait things out...but we have NO CHOICE. So, we've given the entire thing up to Him. I've said it before...but I can't wait to SEE the miracle of what ONLY GOD could orchestrate for us.

Next 2 weeks:

Wednesday: Erin doctor appt in Russellville, Richard to Dallas, Children's Choir practice

Thursday: Richard back home at noonish, TobyMac concert in Tulsa with all our kids (including Katelyn!)

Friday: Richard meeting in LR all day/Horizon’s Christmas Party, help set up Madrigal at CHS

Saturday: Dress Rehearsal for musical at church 10-12, Little Rock (meet kiddos!?) 3-4:30, Madrigal Dinner 6:30

Sunday: Family Christmas Celebration 10:30am, Richard to Broken Arrow, Christmas Musical 5:00

Monday: Richard in Springdale, Hair appointment for Mom (priority)

Tuesday: Erin tonsillectomy in Clarksville (8am), Richard in Springdale (evening)

Friday: Ryan surgery in Fayetteville (8am)

Sunday: nursery duty

Monday-Thursday:  Christmas celebration...Conway, then Mountain Home

While juggling all of that (and it looks like a lot of nursing on my part), we'll have to work hard to get our hearts prepared to celebrate God's greatest gift. We will keep chipping away at our countdown chain with the names of Jesus on it, we will all write love notes for our stockings, and we'll keep the Christmas music piped in as much as possible. Hopefully, it will keep our minds at peace and our hearts tuned toward what is right. 

SNOW days

LOTS of snow for our part of the world in the last 48 hours! It was the most beautiful, big flaked snow I've ever seen. It would have been the most fun and beautiful snow days ever, but because it started with about 5 hours of sleet it made for some pretty icy streets and driveways. However, the icicles were awesome! School was out Thursday and Friday. Saturday activities were cancelled around the area. Many families didn't make it to church on Sunday and we cancelled AWANA. School was cancelled again Monday, and Tuesday there will be limited bus routes but school will be in session. It's been a wonderful weekend at home with the girls. We've been nesting a bit (re-arranging things in the kids rooms preparing for our newest arrivals), drinking hot chocolate and watching a lot of Christmas movies! 

 

 

Extended Family

While waiting in the foyer today, I just had to have a pic with our host students. They have become precious to us this semester. Liliam and Fernando are fun sophomores at UofO and are so sweet to my kids. They both serve at church, Liliam is a LCBS teacher with the 2 year olds and Fernando helps on the worship team. I'm thankful for them being a part of our story here in Clarksville.

Thankful for Today

Today I experienced the shortest 2 hours of my life. Sitting in the Department of Human Services in a meeting with a lawyer, a case worker, an adoption specialist and a foster mother. We asked questions, they answered, foster mother shared her experiences, then showed us pictures from her phone. Richard and I never even looked at each other until about the hour mark, and even then I saw that he was engaged, moving on and choked up.

In those 2 hours...we became parents again. Just like when you learn you're pregnant and you've got this nervous feeling that something is coming...  And the biggest surprise is that we aren't having two boys/brothers (as we thought all along) instead 1 girl, and 2 boys, siblings who need a home.

We communicated that we would like for them to start school here in January...that's 30 days away. Is it reasonable, is it possible? They seemed to think so. They were open, and we felt like they were thorough. They wanted us to know what they knew. And when we were finished...I looked up and TWO hours had elapsed!!

Our hearts were tender and yet at complete peace. We had lunch, processed the information we had been given, and then called the adoption specialist back and told her we wanted to proceed. This includes meeting the children next week. Next weekend at the latest. I am so thankful for today.

I pray for peace for these children, let them be open to a forever family. I pray for the foster parents to be agents for a smooth transition. I pray for us as we get ready in our hearts and home. I pray for the adoption specialist to be able to set the meeting dates for the next few weeks, during the busiest time of year. Thank you, Thank you God, for this gift.

PS: I suppose we won't be CRAZY 8...but NINE!

MERRY Christmas

The simple things bring so much joy. I don't get out every Christmas decoration we've collected in 21 years, but what I do get out I love. We've lived in this house for 16 years, and I don't like to put everything in the same place each year. It makes for a little extra work, but also pulls out some creativity in me each December. These things make me MERRY:

 

Our mantle is very small but it's perfect size for our stockings and a few decorations. Other than our stockings, I never put the same thing on the mantle. We fill our stockings with love notes for each person and open them before presents every year. I made these stockings when we were first married, I even have one extra...just in case. This year...I also have brand new stockings ready if ANYTHING happens with our adoption before Christmas!! As much as I LOVE these stockings, it may be their very last year in our home.

 

 

Even though I had to re-string 2 sets of lights this year, I like our tree. I thought I'd NEVER have an artificial tree, but it's so easy and I don't miss anything about having a real one. We've moved it at least 3 places over the years and the kids decorate it with all our nativities and their personal ornaments. This is the first year I have a second tree. It's in the "boys room" and has colored lights and all the snowmen decorations I have collected over the years.

 

 

I'm pretty sure I bought this chalkboard at Dollar Tree one year. Someone always wants to make sure it gets unpacked first when we get out our decorations. Not sure why it is such a hit, but it makes us happy! Sheridan is keeping up with it for us this year.

 

 

I love this miniature nativity. I found it last year and I love the color, the expressions on the faces, and the little blanket over Jesus. It's on our table on a beautiful runner with the names of Jesus on it. Becky gave me the runner, and I gave her a nativity just like this one.  

 

Quote of the Day

While brainstorming ideas for Monday afternoon Sheridan looks at me and says, "Your ideas of fun are really different than mine."  Ouch.

One hour later she joined me doing one of my suggestions...decorating the tree outside the window of her room. The project included taping fishing line to a tennis ball and launching it over the branches. It wasn't anything like I envisioned, but we were laughing at our attempts and when she said, "This is fun!" Go Mom!

Sunshine

The girls disappeared outside for awhile on Thanksgiving and came in with beautiful pictures taken on Lauren's phone. I wish we had all gone out for a family picture while the sunshine was just right but I guess we were recovering from our food consumption!  

 

 

 

How good and pleasant it is when brothers (and sisters) live together in unity! Psalm 133:1