Well we survived the home study and will soon receive our notarized official copy. Then we continue to clean out the house,gather baby stuff, wait on a match from our attorney and save money.  We can apply for adoption grants after we have an official copy of our home study so that will be soon.  I am still working and that allows us to afford extra expenses or add to our savings account.
As I have followed other families in their adoption journeys, we are at the point where we are getting ready for some information.  We are trying to be patient. We want to wait on God because His timing is perfect. However,  not knowing how to plan the next few months is proving to be a bit difficult. I love to have my calendar in order and know when we are going where and what is going on in the near future. However, I don't want to plan or commit to too much because I don't want to have to cancel. Just not knowing. It almost seems it will be a long time before we get the call from our attorney but then it could be tomorrow. This whole thing seems almost unreal at this point but when we get a match, it will be all about getting ready for Kaleyah Joy.
Caris and I had a painting night last weekend where we painted some things for their room. Soon I want to paint the white tree on their wall and rearrange the bedroom.  It will begin to feel like Caris and Kaleyah's room once that beautiful tree is on the wall.
We have heard that one of our friends has received some great news about their pending adoption!  We are having dinner soon to hear the great news. We are very excited when we are able to rejoice with others as they work to bring more orphans home.  We have prayed that our adoption will encourage others to adopt. Another friend is feeling drawn to adopt and is asking us to pray.  I am so thankful that God is moving in hearts all around us to bring home orphans. To love the least of these and create forever families in ways none of us ever thought possible.
Until I have more thoughts or news to share, we will praying and Waiting on the LORD.

Rejoice! I'm 40!

This is the day the LORD has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.  Ps 118:24   This is my Daddy's favorite verse. Today will make 2 years since I've seen him, heard his voice, gotten a crazy phone call in the wee hours of the morning, heard his funny laugh and so many other things.  But, its also been two year since he went to Heaven, since he stopped suffering, since he left this world full of sin and heartache, since he began his true life that God created him to have. Its been two years that my Daddy has been in the presence of Jesus.  I know I will be there with him one day. This is only a temporary separation.

Today is also my 40th birthday.  I thought my 40th birthday would be a hard day for me as far as feeling old and leaving my 30's.  I mean at least in your 30's you can still hold onto some idea of being young but 40, forget it, right?  WRONG  I am embracing 40.  My new motto is Fabulous 40!  Not that I am fabulous but I want to have a fabulous year and I plan to. I'm hoping to be a new Mom.  I mean Mom of a new baby girl. I also want to be a new Mom. I want to be a different and better Mom to all my children. I want to be a new wife to my husband. I want to be a new sister and daughter and friend.  I want to be a new follower of Jesus with the excitement I had when I first gave my heart to Him.  I want to be a new creation, by Jesus renewing me each and every day, teaching and molding me into whatever He wants me to be.  I have new hopes and dreams for this year and I'm so thankful to be able to dream God sized dreams.  I'm so thankful for all He has blessed me with in this first 40 years. I can't wait to see what He has planned for the next 40.


The latest adoption news is that we are still interviewing with our social worker for our home study. We have two more meetings and the last one will be at the house!  Yikes. I hope I will be a new housekeeper this year and get rid of lots of this mess!  Got lots to do. But once the homestudy is over, we wait for our baby girl.  Oh and we are considering changing the spelling of her first name from Kalea to Kaleyah.  Also, Elijah has said more than once that he is also getting a baby brother and his name will be Sharky Jordan. LOL  I guess this family will see what the LORD has planned for us and if our little prophet knows something we don't.  :)