Reflections

I know that it is only Wednesday, but with the end of another year, I thought that I would take some time to reflect on the things that I am thankful for from this past year. God has definitely been faithful to us this year. I hadn't really thought about how faithful He has been until I sat and really reflected. Here are the situations that God has shown His faithfulness to us this year:

1. On Easter Sunday my father-in-law was hospitalized with high blood pressure and low heart rate. This began a series of tests that led to the discovery of 2 tumors in one of his kidneys, a blockage that required surgery, and the addition of a pacemaker. Praise God the kidney was successfully removed along with the tumors and no further treatment was needed for the cancer. He has recovered well and we are all very thankful.
2. The end of April began 9 weeks of water in our basement due to the water table being so high from lots of snow in the winter and rain in the spring. We didn't have any major damage to anything and it even helped me to do some good purging.
3. In July, Rachel went to Colorado Springs with the youth group and was hit by a car. She walked away from the experience with only cuts and bruises. It truly was a miracle.
4. In August, my niece was in a parade and a car went speeding through the parade route and nearly hit several people, my niece being one of them.
5. This fall my mom went in to have same day surgery to remove something on her finger. She had an violent reaction to the IV antibiotic. Had the anesthesiologist not acted quickly, she would not have made it. We are thankful that he knew what to do and that she is still with us.
6. In July we finally received a referral of our precious little Levi. We already love him so much and we cannot wait to bring him home.

I pray that your 2008 has been as blessed as ours has been and that your 2009 will be even better!

A Visit from Mari-Liis

Today Mari-Liis came to visit us with her family! I cannot even tell you how good it was to see her! It was almost like a dream! We have been waiting anxiously for this day to come and it almost didn't because of the weather. But God is faithful! Of course, we thought the visit was way too short but we definitely enjoyed every minute of it. We looked at pictures from this year and last year and from their time here in the States. We shared a meal and took her family to some of the interesting places in town. Her brother is super cute and after a while really warmed up to Rachel. She even got a hug before they left. Of course he was careful to make sure that Mari-Liis was going with them and not staying in America, even though we would have loved to keep her here with us. We will treasure this day in our hearts until we get the opportunity to see her again, whether here or in Estonia, because we are believing that it will happen.

Family Time

Today we were supposed to have spent the day with Mari-Liis (our foreign exchange student from last year) and her family. Unfortunately, the weather has not been very cooperative. On Christmas Day we got an email from her that said unless we heard from her by phone, they would not be coming. Today, Rachel did get a phone call from her. She said that they were not able to get a rental car today and that they would try again tomorrow. If they can get a rental car tomorrow, they will plan to visit tomorrow. If not, her dad has offered to pay our gas money so that we can meet them in Chicago and go out to supper somewhere. We are hoping that they can make it here. I had planned to make lasagna for her and her family as well as for my in-laws and sister-in-law, brother in-laws, and niece and nephew for supper tonight. I decided to invite the family anyways and we had a most enjoyable evening. After enjoying our meal, we all admired Levi's room and then watched the movie Prince Caspian, which both Rachel and my niece received for Christmas last night. I don't get to entertain as often as I would like to, so this was a real treat for me.

Thankful Thursday

Today I have much to be thankful for as we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. This day, as it is also Thankful Thursday, I would like to focus on the three things I am most thankful for this Christmas. The first is my Savior Jesus Christ. This year I am reminded that Christmas without Easter is meaningless. Without Christ's death and resurrection, His birth would mean nothing. I am so thankful that when I was in 7th grade, at a junior high youth camp weekend, I made the most important decision of my life - I asked Jesus to come and live in my heart and be my Savior and Lord. My prayer for everyone reading this blog is that they would know Jesus as Savior and Lord.


I am thankful for my daughter Rachel, who is the joy of my life. I don't know what I would do without her.



I am thankful for my son Levi, who is waiting for me in Vietnam. I cannot wait to go and get him. January 16th is the DNA appointment and I am hoping that for my birthday on February 9th I will receive preapproval. I know that may be a stretch but a girl can hope and pray.

Merry Christmas from Our House to Yours

Just wanted to take a few minutes to wish every one of you reading this blog a Merry Christmas! I pray that you will not lose sight of the reason we celebrate Christmas. May Jesus fill your hearts with His peace, His joy, and His love!

Rejoicing in the Gift of Preapproval for Others

Today was a great day for 3 of the families from Dillon who all finally received pre-approval and will be traveling (hopefully soon). Hooray!! I am soooo happy for them! With all the struggles they have endured to get to this point, it is nice to see them get some positive news for a change. Two of them have children in Can Tho with Levi so I know they will love on him for me. That will leave him 1 of 2 children left in the orphanage until I can go and bring him home. I know that means he will receive lots of love and attention from the nannies.

I am so thankful to my friend J who is Vietnam right now. She sent me 2 emails this morning. In the first one she told me that both times they were at the center, they held and loved on and played with Levi. He was alert and happy. In the second email, she sent me the link to the video they made of when they first met their son. In it you catch a glimpse of Levi with his legs sticking out of the crib. It is only a glimpse but it was still nice to see as well as the place where he is living until I can get there to pick him up. It meant so much to me that she would be take the time to do this for me while she is still in country.

Monday Blues

It was difficult to get up and get going this morning as the wind was howling fiercely and there was a nice layer of ice on the ground. But I never expected to go out to the garage to leave for school and not be able to get the garage door up. It was frozen shut - and on a day when I am on morning duty! Thankfully my father-in-law was kind enough to come and get us and to get our door unstuck. The day at school went pretty good, all things considered for the last week before Christmas break. But then, I got the email from Dillon that the DNA appointment for Levi and his birthmother has been set for January 16th. Ugh!! I had been hoping for a GNR date the beginning of February at the latest, but unless their is miraculous movement on the part of the lab and everyone else involved, that will not be happening. It is more likely it will be the end of February. To say that Rachel and I are a little disappointed and frustrated would be an understatement! But we are desperately trying to trust God and to be positive in the midst of it all. Your prayers, as always, are appreciated!

UPDATE: Thank you to my friend N. She has been such a good friend to me and has always helped me to find the positive in every difficult situation in the adoption process. She reminded me that at least the DNA appointment is scheduled before Tet. This way it will get to the United States and perhaps back to Vietnam prior to January 26th, the date of Tet this year.

Happy 6 month birthday Levi

Today we celebrated your 6 month birthday with a party in your honor. It would have been nice to have you here with us to open the wonderful presents but we know that soon you will be able to wear all the wonderful clothes, play with all the toys, and sleep in the Pack and Play. We can't wait!!! Maybe tomorrow I will post pictures of all the wonderful things we received for you.

Love,
mom and Rachel

Confirmation

I got an email this morning from J at Dillon saying that yes indeed they had found Levi's birthmother and she agreed to the DNA testing. Hooray!! Now we just wait to hear that a DNA appointment has been scheduled. I'm told these only happen on Fridays so I am hoping that it is not too many Fridays away. Thanks to those who have been praying! Please continue to pray that this process moves along quickly so that things work out for my dad to travel with me.

A Ray of Hope

Today I emailed MA at Dillon asking whether they had any news about our DNA process, seeing that it has been almost 3 weeks since we received the email requesting DNA. She said that they had gotten a request to send a DNA kit to HCMC. That usually doesn't occur until the birthmom has been found and agreed to the DNA testing. So, the assumption is that Levi's birthmom has been found. However, they cannot be sure because the majority of the staff in Vietnam has been in the provinces with the traveling families. J was going to email T tonight to confirm that his birthmom has been located and to determine if a DNA appointment has been made. Please pray that this is the case!!

I Wish...

Point of Grace has this song out called "I Wish" that I absolutely love. It has really struck a chord with me at this point in my life because I can think of several wishes that I have right now and none of them have to do with material things - just like in this song. I found a video of it on youtube that I have posted here. You'll have to turn off my playlist in order to listen to it but I think you'll be glad you did. During the Christmas season I think we all become a little more in tune with God's heart for the world. These seem to be some of the things I think He is wishing for the world.

First Baby Shower

It was a great weekend for us! Yesterday we had our first baby shower. It was with the staff from school and my family. Although not many were able to be there in person, many were there in thought and we received some wonderful gifts. We were very blessed! We are all set for the car with a car seat, mirror, car pad protector, and car organizer. When Rachel got home from a birthday party in the afternoon, she took all the toys out of their boxes and set them up in his room. She also took out the car seat. We'll have to practice with it so that we know how it works before we get him. We don't want to be messing with that when we get home from Vietnam! I have included some pictures of most of the things we received. To all of you reading this blog who gave, THANK YOU!!! We cannot tell you enough how much we appreciate your thoughtfulness!

Tonight we had the annual Ladie's Christmas Tea at our church. It is always a highlight of the Christmas season and really is the one thing that sets the tone for Christmas. It reminds me of the real reason we celebrate Christmas. This year's theme was joy. We were reminded, through drama, song, and readings, that it isn't the presents or the glittering decorations or the parties that bring joy but the gift of Jesus! True joy comes in embracing the gift He gave and living completely sold out for Him.

Height and Weight Update

Levi is continuing to grow. He is now up to 26 inches and 15 pounds. The email we received also said that he has a cold, so please lift him up in prayer. It's hard for me not to be there when he is sick. I want to hold him and take care of him myself.

I still haven't heard anything about the DNA testing. The wait is making me crazy!

Book Tag

Jill tagged me for this book tag. Here are the rules for this tag.

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open it to page 56.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence along with these instructions.
5. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.

The book I am reading right now is Sunset by Karen Kingsbury. She is one of my favorite authors. Because I am at my parent's house, this is the book that I have closest because it is the one I am reading right now. This is the last in her series about a family called the Baxters. It is actually the last book in the third set of series. The fifth sentence is: Yes, we sure do. It's kind of a boring sentence and doesn't make a lot of sense unless you put it in context. So, let me put it in context. One of the characters in the book (Landon) has just found out that his grandfather is not doing well and may not live long. His grandmother passed away just a few months ago. His grandparents were married for seventy-six years and were very close. He is reminiscing about his grandparents and the incredible influence they have had in his life. He remembers his grandparents singing wherever they would go - whether driving their homemade cheese to the dairy or visiting the sick and shut-in from their community and church. His grandmother would always say to his grandfather, "We have it so good, don't we, Pa?" and his grandpa would respond, "Yes, we sure do." He realizes what a deep faith and love of family his grandparents had.

So, now I tag anyone who has not been tagged to do this yet (Lisa O., Lisa B., Stephanie, Natasha)

Happy Thanksgiving

I am thankful for...

my daughter Rachel. She is amazing! She is smart, pretty, caring, compassionate, energetic and just plain fun to be around. We have a great, open relationship. I cannot imagine my life without her.

my son Levi, who is waiting for me in Vietnam. Although we have not met in person, I am already so in love wtih him. We can't wait to bring him home! We know he will change our lives and we are excited about it!

my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave His life so that I might have abundant life on this earth and eternal life in the life to come. I cannot imagine living my life without Him in my life. He has pulled me through the toughest times in my life. Without Him, I would be nothing! I can only imagine what it will be like to one day meet Him face to face and lay my crowns at His feet.

my parents, who have given me the gift of life and all the opportunities I needed to be the person I am today.

my "old" friends, who have stayed by my side through it all. Their support at times just blows me away.

my "new" friends, who I am enjoying getting to know better each and every day.

all the rest of my family.

God has been so faithful and good to me! I'm so glad that in this country we have a day set aside to remember all that we have to be thankful for. Too often we complain and murmur, even when we have no reason to. This day helps me to remember to live a thankful life.

A Ray of Sunshine

This is what the email from MA at Dillon was titled and it definitely was! In case you haven't figured it out yet, we did get some new pictures of Levi today! Hooray!! I sure needed this today!





This is what the email from MA at Dillon was titled and it definitely was! In case you haven't figured it out yet, we did get some new pictures of Levi today! Hooray!! Here they are!!

DNA Testing

This morning I received an email from the consulate saying that we needed to have DNA testing done. According to the email they said they had emailed this to me on October 28th when they sent receipt of my I-600. I looked again at the information I received and there was nothing on it. So, I guess that means we won't be traveling before Christmas. My heart is sad as I write this. I know that God is still in control and there is a reason, but sometimes that doesn't make things easy to bear. I pray that Levi's birthmom will be found quickly, that she will agree to the testing and will have peace, and that all the testing will be completed in a timely manner.

Thankful Thursday

Tonight I am thankful for my friends Sue and Natasha who helped me to get through a difficult day yesterday. Thank you for letting me vent and helping me to see the situation from a different perspective. Thank you for praying with me and helping me to get my eyes back on the Lord and not my problems.

I am also thankful that conferences are finished and all of my conferences went well. This time of year is probably the most stressful time and I am so glad to have it behind me.

Photo Tag

I was photo-tagged by one of my "blog friends". The assignment was to post the fourth picture from your fourth folder. This was a good one to post because I have been feeling rather "blue" and frustrated today with things and I needed to see this beautiful smile to make me smile. I can't wait to see a full-blown smile and hear him giggle!!

So, any of you that have not been photo-tagged, consider yourself tagged. I challenge you to find the fourth photo in your fourth folder and post it.

Dear Levi,
Your sister Rachel and I are eagerly awaiting the day that you will become a part of our family. While we wait for all the important documents to be completed so that we can travel to get you, we are preparing for your arrival in our home. Today we spent time painting your room together. I think your sister enjoyed painting mom more than the walls! We laughed a lot! We talked about how much we hope that you will have no problems realizing how much we love you and that you will quickly learn to trust us and our love for you.

All my love,
mom

Worth Thinking About

I came across this video on someone else's blog and I just had to share it. Rachel and I are taking this video to heart and putting it into action. We're going to go online to the World Vision catalog and give a gift that truly makes a difference to someone this year. In fact, I think this is going to be a new family tradition.

Happy 5 Month Birthday, Levi

Today my little guy turned 5 months old. It is difficult not to think about all the milestones that we are missing in his life. I have to admit, I was sure hoping to get an email from the consulate saying that our I-600 had been pre-approved or at least some updated pictures. That was not to be.

Yesterday I got to rejoice with Jessica in that she received her I-600 pre-approval. Today she found out that their Giving and Receiving ceremony (GNR) is December 10th. It is amazing in so many ways but especially because her I-600 was received at the consulate on October 28th, the same day ours was. They have up to 60business days to approve it. It gives me hope that maybe we too will soon be receiving our pre-approval. Of course, I don't want to get my hopes up thinking that for sure it will happen because I have learned that in the world of adoptions, anything goes. What might take one family a short time can take another family a long time.

Tonight I did some grocery shopping and bought some more things for Levi. I am not sure how many clothes to take along for him but I know that I still do not have enough. So, I pick up something here and something there. I picked up the cutest Tigger outfit for him at Wal-Mart. Of course, because his room has a Pooh theme to it, I always scope out anything with Pooh or his friends on it.

Hope

This is obviously the word that God wants me to hear today. This morning in my devotions I read the following verse:
"But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you." Psalm 39:7
Then I opened up my email to find the Word of the Day from Klove. It was the same verse I had just read in my devotions.
After school, as I was getting supper ready before running off to a meeting, I checked another blog and there was the exact same verse.
What do I need hope for? Hope for the whole adoption process - finances, paperwork and travel. Hope for healing in broken relationships around me. Hope for my future, whether that is as a single mother the remainder of my days or with a husband to share my hopes and dreams.

Just Hanging Out and Thinking

It always amazes me that when I am going through times of extreme busyness or extreme stress, I can hold sickness at bay. But the minute there is a release in the stress or a pause in the busyness, the sickness comes flooding in. That is where I have been all weekend, including today. After the news of our I-600 receipt and a tentative agreement being reached in regards to our contract, the sinus issues I have been holding at arm's length hit me full force. So, I am home today, having spent most of the morning in bed. It was a good thing as I am beginning to feel some relief. The coughing isn't so intense any more and my head isn't pounding or spinning as bad as it was yesterday.

As I ate some breakfast this morning, I was checking blogs and I am so glad I did because I get to rejoice with Julie who has received her pre-approval today. After 11 months of waiting they will finally be able to bring home their son from Vietnam. Praise God!

On Saturday I spent a good amount of time trying to put together the program for our first Adoption Awareness Sunday at church. I had done some preliminary work prior to Saturday but needed to nail it down so I could present it to our pastor. I still have to work on what things I want to do at the information table I am going to set up. This morning in my quiet time, I came across the following verses from
Psalm 41. They fit so perfectly with Adoption Awareness month and the need to care for orphans. It says:

Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the Lord delivers him in times of trouble. The Lord will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes.

I love that! I think I am going to use that somewhere in the presentation or at my informational table!

Below is the video that we are going to show on Adoption Awareness Sunday. I can't watch it without crying. So, get out your kleenex if you are sentimental like me.

Thank You

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been standing with us in prayer over the past several weeks. I truly do appreciate each and every one of you and each prayer that was prayed on our behalf. I am blessed to have you as friends!

Agreement Reached

Praise God! The school board and the negotiations team have come to an agreement. I am not sure of any details or what time they were able to reach the agreement but I received word at 5:00 a.m this morning. I am thankful to the people on our negotiations team who put in many late nights away from their families to negotiate for all of us.

Please Pray

This morning I am asking everyone reading my blog to please pray at 4:30 today that a resolution can be reached on a contract for our school staff. It is my belief that if there is little or no movement tonight then we will be on strike tomorrow. I really cannot afford to go on strike as I will not be paid for those days. Thank you all for your prayers and your kind words of support!

I hope to post again this evening with good news!

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed wtihin me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God

I-600 Receipt

HOORAY! Our I-600 was received at the consulate and an attempt to send an email on 10/28/08 was made but the email address wasn't correct, hence the delay in my receiving the confirmation that they had received it. That is certainly a weight off my shoulders! Praise God for His faithfulness and goodness!

Proud Mama

Tonight there was a special school board meeting held at the high school. Most of it was going to be held in executive session but they did begin with a public forum that was well attended by parents and community members. There were a number of people who spoke up on behalf of the teachers and support staff in our district, including my daughter. I was so proud of her! She was respectful but got her point across. Well, at least she made her point with the staff, community, and parents. Here's hoping she and the other people who spoke made their point to the school board. Nonetheless, I was very proud of her and encouraged by the support from the community.

My mom had her surgery today and came through fine. Praise God!!

Today, after waiting more than 2 weeks to receive an email confirming receipt of my I-600 and Levi's dossier at the consulate, I was instructed by the staff to send emails to the people at the consulate. Supposedly this receipt should have come after about 1 week. I am trusting God because I know He is faithful! If I don't, I know I will lose my mind!

Height and Weight Update

Levi is growing like a weed! Today we found out that he is 14.1 lbs. and 25.2 inches long.

In other news, we are still waiting to hear that our I-600 has been received at the consulate. I'm not sure what the hold up is but I really hope it hasn't been lost.

Playing Around

As you can see, I have been playing around and making some changes to the look of my blog. I was exploring on The Cutest Blog website and found some fun things to play with but they are going to require some time. I should have been doing other things instead but sometimes a girl just has to play, right? All work and no play makes for a dull life! So, in the days and weeks to come, I hope to make some more changes to my blog. Who knows, if things don't work out, I may be on strike in a few days and have a vacation (ha, ha!) At least that's what people are telling me it will be. I'm not sure that is what I would call a vacation!

I'm praying it doesn't come to that!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for Fall. It is my favorite season of the year. I like the cooler days where I can have the windows open and smell the fresh air. I like the days when it is a little too cold to have the windows open and I need to turn on the fireplace and cuddle under a blanket. I like pumpkins and scarecrows and corn stalks and hay bales for decorations. I like going to Friday night football games and connecting with people that I haven't seen for awhile or people that I don't usually connect with on a regular basis. I like watching the Packers play football on Sunday afternoons or evenings or Monday nights. Can you tell I like Fall?



I am also thankful for my niece Natalie who is celebrating her 7th birthday today! She is such a ball of fun! We certainly treasure the times we get to spend with her!



Finally, today I am thankful for my dog Millie who has been our faithful friend for 8-1/2 years. We got her from the Humane Society when she was about 1-1/2 years and in November she will be 10 years old. Somedays she has the energy and spunk she had when we got her and other days she really shows her age. She is such a lover and will cuddle with just about anyone. I just hope that she does well with Levi when we bring him home.

What are you thankful for today?

Super Saturday

Last night I had the privilege of attending the Michael W. Smith and Steven Curtis Chapman concert. It was an amazing concert and an incredible experience! I don't even know where to begin to share. There were five of us who worked the Show Hope table for Shaohannah's Hope. The couple that was volunteering has a little girl that they adopted domestically two years ago. It is an open adoption. I learned a lot about open adoption and I have a completely different view of it then I had prior to last night.

One of the other volunteers lives about 30 minutes from where I grew up. Her and her husband adopted twins (a boy and a girl) 32 years ago. They were 7 years old at the time. How wonderful to have a connection to someone who knows where you grew up. This wonderful woman shared something that will stick with me for a long time. I shared it with my pastor this morning who shared it with the congregation. She said that when she adopted her children, the law was that you couldn't disinherit an adopted child. You can disinherit a biological child. If you think of that from a spiritual standpoint, if you have received Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, you are adopted into God's family, and you can never be disinherited. What a glorious thought!

The other volunteer is not an adoptive parent but someone who went on a mission trip with Shaohannah's Hope. On the backdrop for the display were pictures of children. It was so much fun to watch her face as she looked at the pictures and recalled the names of some of the children she actually saw and worked with while she was on the trip. One of the children had been adopted since she had been there.

The concert started out with both Michael and Steven singing "Blessed Be Your Name" and into "How Great Is Our God". It was a fantastic way to set the tone for the evening. After that, Steven Curtis Chapman sang. He shared from his heart some very personal things that brought tears to your eyes. Two of my favorite things he shared were the story of how the song "Cinderella" came about and how his two youngest daughters came to know Jesus just three months before Maria, the youngest, went home to be with Jesus. One of the truths that he shared that I hope will remain with me is actually something that Martin Luther King, Jr. said that came to him at the time he began touring again after Maria's death. He said that there are only two times that matter - this day and that day - with that day referring to the day when we shall see Jesus face to face. Everything we do in this day can be and should be viewed in light of that day. Because of that day, we can have hope - we can grieve with hope, we can walk through the struggles of this life with hope, we can do life with hope.

Steven Curtis Chapman said that he felt as if Maria's purpose in this life was not fulfilled (in their eyes). I was thinking about that as I was driving home this morning and I thought that God's ultimate purpose for her was fulfilled in that she received Jesus into her heart as her Savior and Lord. I believe that that is what God wants for each and every person who walks upon this earth. He wants us to know Him and love Him and serve Him.

This was a night dedicated to orphans. Michael W. Smith is very involved in Compassion International and Steve Curtis Chapman has Shaohannah's Hope. They talked about how important ministry to orphans is. It is the heart of God. They said that if we have great faith but don't do this, our faith is worthless. James 1:27 says that religion that God our Father considers pure is to take care of widows and orphans in their distress.

Okay, one last thing before I close this long post. Just before intermission, as they were distributing child packets for Compassion International, we all returned to our table to prepare to talk with people and to share information. Steven had shared that his two youngest daughters, Stevey Joy and Shaohannah, were in the audience. Shortly after we got into the lobby, the two girls and Mary Beth, his wife, came through the lobby. They were obviously in a hurry, possibly trying to get out before the crowd came out. But Mary Beth stopped long enough to shake our hands and tell us thank you for volunteering. I was so impressed with that simple gesture. I felt as if I should be thanking her for starting Shaohannah's Hope so that people like me could get financial help to bring home our adopted children.

Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael W. Smith

Tonight I get to volunteer for Shaohannah's Hope at the Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael W. Smith concert. I am excited! I tried to do this last year but it didn't work out. Shaohannah's Hoe is an organization that Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife Mary Beth started to help promote adoption in the Christian community. They provide information to those wanting to adopt as well as grants to qualifying families to help with the expenses of adoption. I was able to get a grant from them and so was offered this opportunity. I will also get to spend a little time with my aunt Diane and cousin Julianne and for that I am thankful as well.

On a side note, I am going to be doing a fundraiser in November called "Chili and Pie for Levi". It will be a chili dinner with a silent auction and pie sale. I am looking for donations for the silent auction. If anyone would be willing to donate something for the auction or knows of someone I could contact, please let me know.

Have a great Saturday!!

Trying to be Thankful

Okay, I know that I have been trying to keep Thursday as my thankful day of posting but I am really struggling with it today. I think you all heard my thankful thoughts on Tuesday instead of Thursday this week. After two long nights of negotiations, we have come to very little agreement on a contract and an intent to strike has been filed. They will meet again for negotiations on Monday of next week. The stress level in our school is getting to an alarming rate and I don't know how much more of it I can take. This morning I had one of those "I don't want to get up and go to school" kind of mornings. I have had years like this before but it doesn't usually happen until the second semester. This is way too early to be feeling like this. I am begging all of you reading my blog to pray that this situation can be resolved without a strike. At this point, I don't think it can be resolved without Divine intervention. I won't say much more because it makes me really mad to think about. So I will leave it with this thought: PLEASE PRAY!!!

Lots to be Thankful for

Today we have lots of things to be thankful for. I opened my email this morning to find an update email from Jynger. It said that my I-600 has been filed with the consulate and that I should receive an email within a week acknowledging that it has been filed. Then, I opened my email at school to find that, according to the Board minutes, my adoption leave request has been approved. Can my day get any better than that?

Well, yes it can!! As I stated yesterday, my mom was to have surgery to remove a growth on her finger. When they were giving her antibiotics through IV, she had a violent reaction to the antibiotics and had to be taken to the emergency room at the hospital. Today we found out just how serious things were. The anesthesiologist informed my parents that had he not reacted quickly to give her Benadryl and steroids, she would not have made it. So, today I am also thankful that my mom is still with us and that Levi will get to know his "grandma nuts". That is the name the grandchildren have for my mom. Don't worry!! She is okay with it!! She even put it on her license plate.

By the way, she did not have her surgery. She will have to reschedule for sometime next week, I believe.

Prayer Requests

This morning before I run out the door to school I wanted to stop and ask for prayer for two things. First of all, my mom is having surgery this morning to remove a bump from the top of one of her fingers. Please pray that the doctor has steady hands and is able to get it without any further complications and that my mom will not experience a lot of pain in the recovery time.

Second, please pray that tonight when the school board meets for their monthly meeting that they will grant me the 9 weeks adoption leave I have requested so that we do not have to pursue it legally.

Thank you all for your prayers and God bless!!!

Shopping and Prayer Request

Today after school Rachel and I did a little shopping. It was meant to be just groceries and looking for some shoes and other accessories for Rachel for the wedding of our youth pastor tomorrow. HOwever, the deals at Kohls and Wal-Mart on little boys clothes was too good to pass up, so I picked up some cute little things for Levi. It makes it feel more real, like it is actually going to happen. Some days I wonder if it ever will.

I would like to ask for your prayers tonight. Our staff has been working without a contract since June. There have been countless negotiations that have yielded little positive results. Last night we voted on an intent to strike. It was an almost unanimous vote. I believe that they have not formally filed this Intent with the state but are waiting to see how negotiations go on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. Please pray that the school board will be more willing to work to bring about a comparable and competitive contract for all our staff and that it does not come to a strike. I really can't afford to strike but I also don't think we can settle for what they are offering.

Thankful Thursday

I have to thank Lisa B. for her post today because it helped me to decide what I was most thankful for today. Twenty years ago the Olympics were held in Seoul, Korea. I was a junior in college. During that time, they did a special report on the orphanages in Korea and the overwhelming need for people to adopt these children. They shared that it was not part of the Korean culture to adopt and so if families from other countries did not step up to adopt, these children would live all of their childhood days in an orphanage. Right then and there, after I stopped crying, I knew that international adoption would be a part of how I was going to build my family. Now, as I stand at the precipice of bringing my son home from Vietnam, I am very thankful to God for bringing me down this path. At times it has been more frustrating than I could ever imagine, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Along the way I have made some incredibly wonderful new "blog" friends that I hope to one day meet in person. And through it, God has "stretched" me in ways that I could not imagine. He has helped me to learn some valuable life lessons about trust and patience and His provision.

What are you thankful for today?

Nine is Fine and Happy 4 Month Birthday Levi

Hoooray! Today we got an update that we are finally off of step 8 and onto step 9. For those of you not familiar with adoptions in Vietnam, what this means is that the agency has forwarded Levi's legal documents (called a dossier) to the local justice department. They will review it or are reviewing it and will send it on to the DIA who will review it and our dossier (that's step 10). After that our I-600 is submitted. It can take up to 60 business days for pre-approval. But then we are almost ready to travel. We also got a travel packet full of all kinds of useful information. Things are starting to get exciting! I guess I better get going on putting together his nursery!!

Happy birthday to my precious Levi! Your sister and I love you very much and can't wait to celebrate your birthday with you!!

7 Random Things About Me

Okay, so my fellow blogger and friend Stephanie has tagged me and challenged me to post seven random things about me. So, here it goes!

1. When I was in grade school and junior high, I was in a marching unit. I did flags, rifles and chimes as well as carrying the banner for our unit.

2. In junior high, I was chosen Miss Loyalty Day queen.

3. I met my husband Brent while living on-campus at Calvin College in Grand Rapids. I knew one of his roommates my sophmore year and then my junior year I lived in an on-campus apartment with 5 roommates directly above his apartment. One of the first nights we were back at school him and two of his roommates climbed up the balcony to meet us and then we all went out to see the fireworks and eat at Yesterdog! Great place to eat! I have since taken my daughter there. I'm not sure she is as impressed as we were!

4. I have a Special Education degree, even though I teach regular elementary school. Someday I would love to teach children with moderate mental retardation. I love working with children with Down's Syndrome.

5. When I was growing up, I wanted 6 children - 3 girls and 3 boys, just like the Brady Bunch.

6. I took piano lessons through 9th grade and can play well enough. I would love to be able to find the time to improve my piano playing and would like to learn how to play guitar as well.

7. I did not become a Christian until I was in junior high. I have my mom to thank for this because she encouraged me to attend Campus Life. It has changed my life. I don't know where I would be or how I would have handled my husband's mental illness and suicide and the struggles of single parenthood if it were not for my relationship with the Lord. He has carried me so many times when I could not carry on on my own. I cannot even imagine my life without Him. I cannot wait to someday kneel at His feet and lay all of my crowns at His feet. My desire is to hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" That is what I strive for! I realize at times I don't strive enough for this but praise God He never stops working on me and He forgives me when I come to Him in true repentance!

So, now I tag Lisa O., Lisa B., Erin, Natasha, Jessica, Michelle, Melanie, and all you others who check my blog on a regular basis. You know who you are!

Friends

This picture was taken yesterday before Rachel, Aubri, and Paige went to Homecoming at Paige's school. She wanted Rachel and Aubri to go along so she arranged dates for them. These three have been friends since grade school. I wish that I had a picture on my computer of them back when they first became such good friends but that was in my "pre-digital camera days". At times in their friendship, they have been closer than at other times, but they have always found their way back to each other. They have supported each other in so many ways over the years, through the ups and the downs that come with growing up. As I began writing this post, the song "Friends" by Michael W. Smith came to mind. The chorus of the song says,

Friends are friends forever,
If the Lord's the lord of all.
And a friend will not say never,
'Cause the welcome will not end.
Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends.

My prayer is that no matter how far apart the miles may take them that they will always remain close friends.

Eight is Not So Great!

Okay, I feel like we are never going to get past step 8. We have been on this step for 5 weeks. It seems like forever. I look at the sweet face of my precious little son and I can't wait to hold him. It's enough to drive someone crazy!!!

At least I did get a height and weight update today. My little guy is definitely doing well. He is now at 23.6 inches and 12.5 pounds. His head and chest are both 15.7 inches. He has gained almost 2 pounds since our last height and weight update and grown a little over an inch. I think that is good.

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for my wonderful neighbors/friends Chris and Aimee. They have truly been a blessing to us in ways I cannot begin to count. Just tonight, Chris helped me to pick out and then to put up (he did the putting up and I did the watching for the most part) shelves in the pantry he did for us. I cannot believe the amount of space it has saved in my cupboards. I am feeling so much more organized or will be when I figure out what to put where. He is very creative and handy and often times I feel as though I have received more than I have given to them. It is my prayer that they know how much we truly appreciate them!!

What are you thankful for today?

Cookies

I am sitting here waiting for the 2nd batch of Mexican wedding cookies to come out of the oven. I would really like to be in bed already but with the dough having to be in the refrigerator for 3 hours and other things going on, I wasn't able to start them sooner. So, here I am. Why am I making Mexican wedding cookies? Well, once a month at school the teachers are having a luncheon to beat the brown bag blues. Each luncheon has a theme. The first one, which I missed because I had to be refingerprinted, was an ABC luncheon. This one is a Mexican luncheon. Thus, the Mexican wedding cookies.

Speaking of cookies, yesterday, the crummiest of all days this week, the cookie dough for our cookie dough fundraiser came in. I had to load and unload and sort and deliver in the rain. Thankfully, by the time I got down to really doing the delivering, the rain was just spitting as opposed to the "open up the floodgates of heaven" rain we had been getting for the 2 hours+ prior to that. As I was doing all of this I just kept thinking of my precious son's face and how all of this will be worth it when I get to hold him for the first time. That time cannot come soon enough. I will certainly be glad when all of this cookie dough is either delivered or sold. Yes, I do have some extra cookie dough as I had to order full cases. So, if you would like some cookie dough, just let me know. I kept some myself and plan to use it this weekend for the Harvest Hog Roast at church and for the Music Boosters Bake Sale at the Fall Festival downtown. At least I only have to scoop and bake.

Life Lessons

I have been trying to find time to post since Sunday but have been very busy and not able to get to it. Saturday night I was treated to a rare night out with some good friends who treated me to supper and then games and dessert. It was such a joy to be out on a weekend night and not hanging with teenagers. Not that I don't like hanging with Rachel and her friends but when that seems to be all you do, it sure is nice to have some adult time once in a while. However, because I did do this, it put me behind in other things I had planned to do on Saturday. As a result I was playing catch-up for a couple days.

Now that I have found a short amount of time before scurrying off to bed are a few of the lessons God has been teaching me the past couple of days. I am sure glad He never stops trying to teach me new things. I am glad He never gets so frustrated with me and gives up on me. Being a teacher, I understand how frustrating it can be to work with children who just don't seem to get it, no matter how you present it. I'm sure God must feel like that about me sometimes. But He never gives up!! Amazing!!!

Lesson #1

But seek first His kingdom and His rghteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:33

On Friday night I was talking to Natasha, who has become a very special friend that I never would have met if it wasn't for our adoption connection. She is so wise and shared this verse in relation to some things God is showing her. Little did she know that in sharing what God is showing her, He was using her to show me something as well. I realized that I have been so caught up in everything else going on in my life that I have failed to spend quality time with the Lord. God knows the things that I desire and He wants to give me the desires of my heart, but as this verse says, I need to seek Him first and then all these things will be given to me as well. I am not saying that when I seek God all the things I want - especially material things - will be given to me. But the things that God has placed upon my heart and that He has revealed to me, such as the adoption of Levi and finding a mate to spend the rest of my life with, will be added in His perfect timing.

Lesson #2
On Sunday morning we had a guest speaker at our church. He and his wife have a dynamic ministry. You can view it at . Before he began to preach, he allowed his wife to come up and share a little. She had a dynamic word picture she painted of our value in God's eyes. That will stay with me a long time. But the following quote has become the one that I think I am going to post around my house.

10% is what happens to you in life. 90% is how you respond to it.

How true is that? I cannot control what happens to me in life but I can certainly control how I respond to it.

Lesson #3

You've got to come to a place where you stop looking at God as a spare tire that you pull out only for emergencies.

Wow! Does anything more need to be said?!

Thankful Thursday

Too often in our lives we focus on the problems and not the blessings. So, starting today, I want to dedicate time each week to remember the things that I am thankful for. There are several this week. First of all, I am thankful for my aunt Jean. Last week Thursday I received word that she had passed away. Over the years she has endured many different trials, from health related issues to the death of her son at age 20. She endured and persevered through all these trials and always had a smile for me and for my daughter when we would get to visit with her. The latter part of her years were spent far away from where my family lives and so the times that I got to see her were few. However, I have such fond memories of her. I will always remember her ribbon cookies at Christmas and the way she loved on my dog Millie.

Second, I am thankful for the new pictures of Levi that we received this week. He is so absolutely adorable and I cannot wait to hold him in my arms and cuddle and snuggle with him.

Third, I am thankful that it looks really good that everything is going to work out for me to get the full 9 weeks I am requesting as paid time off! God is good!!

Fourth, I am thankful for the beautiful weather for all the Homecoming activities last week and that my daughter actually asked me to be a part of it.

New Picture...

of Levi!!! Hooray!! I am so excited!! He is absolutely adorable!! I cannot believe how much he is growing and changing. He seems to be able to hold his head up very well. It makes me sad that I am missing all of this time. But I know that everything is in God's hands. I just hope that next we will hear that we have finally moved on to step 9.

Finally, Some Pictures...

of Homecoming. I know you were all hoping I was going to say I had new pictures of Levi. Me too! Unfortunately, there are no new pictures or updates to post. I'll post a few Homecoming pictures each day for the next couple of days as we took a lot of them and it takes too long to load them into a slide show. These pictures are from the night of the dance. Rachel wanted to get some pictures of her and Millie before we left to go to the nursing home for pictures with the residents and to get pictures with her date and friends. Millie was being her usual goofy self. First, all she wanted to do was give Rachel a kiss and then she was mad about getting her picture without a kiss.

I know it has been several days since I last posted. I have no new adoption updates (boo hoo!). We have been extremely busy with Homecoming and other issues and so I am ready to crawl into bed but thought I would stop and write and tell you that early this week I will have pictures posted from Homecoming week. Rachel looked beautiful!!

Leave Time from Work

On Monday night the School Board met and my adoption leave request letter was on the agenda. I made sure that I was very clear as to why I was requesting 9 weeks off and that I needed to be able to use the 134 accumulated sick days I have to make it a paid time off. Well, I can only get 6 weeks paid time off is what I have been told. Obviously, this is unacceptable to me as I cannot live for 3 weeks with no income coming in, especially when I will have 2 children to support. I was told that I could look into short-term disability leave. I will be doing that as soon as possible. I would like to ask everyone reading this blog to pray that I will trust God and that He will work everything out in this situation. I am thankful that I can at least have 6 weeks paid time off as earlier, when there was a different superintendent, I wasn't even going to be able to get that. I guess this is one of those times when I just have to trust. But boy it is hard!!

On another note, we are still waiting for updates and pictures! It is driving me crazy!! I guess I should stop checking my email so frequently. It seems like I do it every time I get the chance. Maybe you should pray for me in this area, too!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3: 5, 6

Hoping for News

I know that it hasn't been that long since we received word that we were on step 8 and that it can take a month to a month and a half, but I am dying to hear more news about my precious son or to receive new pictures of him. Several other families received pictures last week and I had my hopes up on Friday that I would get some new pictures as well. It was not to be.

Yesterday, I was looking in my Bible for places that Levi's name was mentioned. The first time his name is mentioned is in Genesis 29:34. It is the verse that tells about when Leah gave birth to Levi. It says, "Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, 'Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.' So he was named Levi." The note that goes with this verse says that Levi sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for attached. I thought this was so neat because my prayer lately has been that there will be no attachment issues for Levi. Isn't God amazing?!

Homecoming Float Building

Homecoming Week has officially started! Today we worked all morning (4 hours) on the sophmore float and we are still not finished!! It will be great when it is finished and I hope they win first place for all the work they are doing on it. I'll post the "finished" pictures after the parade on Friday. It's going to be a wild week but a fun one!!

Updates

My friend's dad with the tumor in the leg had his surgery yesterday. Surgery went well and he was able to go home today without a walker, crutches, or any other walking devices. Praise God!!!In fact, the doctor told him he would be able to go back to hiking after he was feeling better. I am so thankful for the way that God has answered prayers in this situation. I know my friend is too!

My brother had another spot removed yesterday. It was sent away to be tested. Next week he will have a procedure done on the two spots that were cancerous. They will cut around them until they reach healthy tissue. He will also have a full body scan to see if there are any other spots. The type of cancer he has is called squamas carcinoma (not sure if I spelled it correctly). It is usually contained to the spot where it is located. I pray that this is the case for my brother.

I finished my shingles medicine today. Praise God I have not been as itchy the past couple of days nor have I had as much tenderness in those places.

I thank all of you who have prayed for these situations. It has certainly been appreciated!!

Happy "3 Month" Birthday Levi

Happy Birthday my sweet boy!! Your big sister Rachel and I love you sooooo much and can't wait until we can celebrate your birthdays and all the other milestones in your life with you in our home. That time cannot come soon enough!!

Love,
mom

A Day At Home

Yesterday I had to spend the day at home because of my shingles - doctor's orders! I felt like I was playing hookie from school because even though there is pain and itching, I don't have to be down in bed. So, I used the day to get caught up on some things. I cleaned my downstairs (even cleaned the refrigerator) and painted a new wall we had put in for the pantry. I finally put the bed together downstairs that we moved to make way for Levi's room. And, I put together a baby registry on the Target and Wal-Mart websites. Now, here is where I need some help from those of you who have gone before me. Seeing that I am completely starting over, I need everything - from the little to the big things. I only registered at this point for basically some of the bigger things and things I was sure I would need. I didn't do clothes (because I am waiting until it gets closer to travel time so I know what size) and I didn't do bibs, pacifiers and all those little things, although I will need them. What are the things that you have for your little ones that you feel are a definite must? Levi will probably be somewhere between 6-9 months when we bring him home. Thanks for your input!!

Update - Step 8

We got word today that we are on step 8. For those of you who have not been through the process of adopting a child from Vietnam, what that means is that our acceptance papers have been received by the Department of International Adoption and they have sent a letter to the local justice department asking them to start compiling the legal documents(dossier) for Levi. This can take about a month to a month and a half.

Shingles

Well, I was right! Last weekend I was feeling like I had shingles. I had looked over the information online and was nearly positive that was what it was. Because it was Saturday and the nurse practitioner we see wasn't in, I opted to go to a family care clinic at the small community hospital in the next town east of us. The doctor there told me that it wasn't shingles. I wasn't in enough pain for it to be shingles. It was eczema. He gave me a prescription for a cream (a cortisteroid?) and told me it should be cleared up in about 5 days. Well, 2 days after using it faithfully as directed, my rash continued to get worse rather than better. So, I made an appointment with the nurse practitioner and yes, I do have shingles. I about fell over though when the pharmacist told me how much the medicine was. I better get a check in the mail from the insurance company for some of it. But at least I can get over it. Now I am praying that I get over it quickly and that I don't have any recurrences. I have been told that you cannot travel with shingles. I don't want anything to delay me from getting Levi. I don't want to wait one day later than I have to.

A Prayer

Lord I come to You tonight with a heavy heart. There are so many broken relationships all around me. Broken marriages. Broken friendships. Broken family relationships. God I ask You to heal these relationships. Father I ask that You would help each person involved in these relationships to lay aside the spirit of offense that has been taken up for whatever reason. I pray that You will help them to see that life is too short and too uncertain to allow the little things to divide us. Father, You have said that love covers over a multitude of sins. Let love overwhelm these relationships right now. Jesus, take what has been broken and mend it I pray. Lord, make me ever conscious of my own words and actions that I might not wound another. And when I do, help me to be quick to seek their forgiveness.

In Jesus Name,
Amen

Prayers for my brother

Last night I asked for prayers for my friend whose father has cancer and whose mother is suffering with back pain. Tonight I come to seek prayers for my brother Todd. Several weeks ago he went to the doctor to have a spot removed from his back, the side of his head, and the side of his finger. This week he found out that two of the spots, the one on his finger and the one on his head, had cancerous cells in them. He will need to go in for a full body scan at the end of the month and will have to have surgery to remove further layers of tissue on his head to determine if the cancerous cells are in those other layers as well. My brother is a really good dad to 3 children - two girls and one boy. These children, as well as his wife, need him to be around for a long time yet.

"Lord, I pray that all of the cancerous cells were contained to the area that has already been removed from my brother Todd's body. I pray that You will give him your peace that passes all understanding and that you would help him and his family to know that he is in Your hands. I ask You to pour out Your healing balm of Gilead down upon Him. May it flow from the crown of his head to the souls of his feet. I pray that as it flows it will strengthen the healthy cells in his body to do battle against that which would seek to steal life from him. Lord, let not the enemy have his way in this situation but let Your Name be glorified in his total healing - mind, body soul, and spirit."

Mari-Liis is Coming for a Visit

Hooray! We are so excited at our house because we found out this week that Mari-Liis, our foreign exchange daughter/sister is coming with her family for a visit sometime between Christmas and New Years. We have missed her so much and cannot wait to see her again and meet her dad, brother and stepmom. Now we are really praying that I will be home with Levi before Christmas so that she will be able to meet him. That would be the best present I could receive this year!!

Prayers for a Friend

Today my friend shared with me that the test results for a growth on her father's thigh came back positive for cancer. Within the next week he will have surgery to remove the tumor. After a short time he will have radiation. Please pray that God will shrink the tumor and that the tumor will not spread. Pray for the doctor to have steady hands. Please pray for her mom as well as she will need to take care of him and she has been having pain in her back that she found out needs to be corrected with surgery as well. And please pray for my friend because she is 12 hours away from her parents and really struggling with not being near them during such a difficult time. I pray that God will give her peace and wisdom. I pray that she will know that at all times and in all places God is in control of her parents' lives. I thank God that both her dad and mom know and love the Lord and that their eternal future is secure.

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Last night was the first home football game. Before it began, one of the banks in town hosted a tailgate party. When we got there, we found one of my good friends whose daughter is one of Rachel's good friends. Rachel was in the picture taking mode and wanted a picture of my friend and I. The first picture she decided was too dark so we needed to do it again. My friend decided we should do a silly picture. Well, then my daughter decided that her and J should do the exact same pose. Oh, the crazy things that make us laugh!

Our Sleeping Angel

Jynger took pictures of Levi while she was in Can Tho last week. Enjoy!!

Height and Weight Update

Today we received a height and weight update on Levi. He is now 22 in. and 10.8 lbs., according to the online conversion tool I used. I am so glad to know that he is growing. I can't wait to hold him in my arms!!! Now I am just anxiously awaiting a report of where we are in the process. I guess it is a good thing that I am back at school. It keeps my mind occupied.

Resemblances

Tonight I was talking to a childhood friend about our adoption journey and the miracle of Levi. When we began this process, we were set on a girl. But through all that has happened in Vietnam, we had to make the decision to be open to either if we still wanted to continue with Vietnam. I don't know why God has chosen to give us a little boy but I do know that I am so in love with that little face already that I can't imagine any other child for us. My friend pointed out the fact that Levi resembles my late husband Brent. I know that she was a little hesitant to point this out for fear that it would cause me pain but I am glad she did. I have to admit that I had noticed some similarities as well but had never said anything out loud. I can't help but think that God has a reason for this and that maybe there is more healing that will take place in my heart as a result of this fact. Brent and I had decided in premarital counseling that we were going to adopt but along the way Brent changed his mind about having any other children besides Rachel. Maybe this is God's way of redeeming what has been lost in my life through Brent's death and what I thought was the death of a dream. I believe that God has promised to restore that which the enemy has stolen from me. I believe that Levi is the part of that restoration.

We Have Official DIA Approval

We are officially to the place that we needed to be before September 1st!! I cannot believe how quickly this happened. God is definitely good!!!

New Pictures - Part 2

I wasn't able to put all the pictures on the last post, so here are the rest!

More Pictures of Levi

The start of a new school year today and new pictures of Levi that were taken by a family who was recently in Can Tho. I don't know who they were but I am extremely thankful to them. As you can see, he is absolutely adorable! However, as much as I enjoy looking at his pictures, I would much rather be holding him in my arms and taking pictures of him myself.