Refreshing!

^{Psalm 62:5-6, 7-8, 11 (Message Bible)}

^5-6 God, the one and only—
I'll wait as long as he says.
Everything I hope for comes from him,
so why not?
He's solid rock under my feet,
breathing room for my soul,
An impregnable castle:
I'm set for life.

^7-8 My help and glory are in God
—granite-strength and safe-harbor-God—
So trust him absolutely, people;
lay your lives on the line for him.
God is a safe place to be.

¹¹ God said this once and for all;
how many times
Have I heard it repeated?
"Strength comes
Straight from God."

Strength comes from God to wait for:

My children!

Hmmm...

God is up to something!

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. Ps 130:5

Rom 8:25 But if we look forward to something we don't yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.

The news gets better!

According to our agency, the new Director of adoptions in Peru has make a couple of good changes. This is one of the old ways: when a family requests a child (after approval), they submit a letter. This also means more than one family could request the same child. Then all family's files go before the meeting or consejo to pick which family is in the best interest of the child.

The new way: if a family requests the file of a certain child (after approval), then the file goes on Hold for 2 weeks or more so no other family can review. This eliminates multiple families requesting same child and also kind of makes the other families think of reviewing another child. There are over 300 kids on the list. If family wants to pursue child, they send letter of request in. If not, the child's file is un-froze. If a family requests child but meeting says no, child goes back on list.

So with that confusing info out there, our agency received an email a short bit ago saying the little guy we want has gone on hold....For Us! Now it is NOT a referral. We still need approval of our dossier. Then when it's approved, need to send in the "real letter of request."

So our agency is translating his whole file for us. This is huge! It means we don't have to wonder if another family has asked to adopt him!!

So stinkin' excited!!!

And It's In!

Our dossier is submitted! I was also told by our agency that the rep in Peru spoke to Sna about our family and our passion for special needs kids, and more specifically, one cute little seven yr old!

It takes about a month for approval. Sometimes longer, sometimes on occasion shorter. There will be a match meeting or consejo at the end of February and we are praying, oh so praying we will be matched then! Of course the Janurary one is fine too but that would require a miracle. Oh wait, God can do it! I never rule anything out.

I have been storing away the kids clothing they grow out of. I also go yard saling and clearance rack shopping. I got the tote out with Little guy's size in it. He has a good number of outfits. He's all set!

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phil. 4:6

Goodness...this wait....

Well we are still officially waiting for translation of our dossier. Apparently when they said our dossier was thicker than most they were being extremely honest. We were told Fri that this week it should be complete. So there's tomorrow...

Then we go into another waiting period. The approval. Waiting to find out if they accept our dossier and if there are any corrections needed. I am going into this phase with knowing most need revisions but also know that God can do all things.

Just knowing there's a certain little guy who has no idea a family is going to request to adopt him makes the wait longer. I actually have not cried at all...yet. Crying at the drop of a hat does come with the territory though so I know it's building.

Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!" This verse is so accurate. It's imperative. It's the only way I can make it through.

And then there's faith.

And faith purchases.

Like these:

Another EJ. I've chosen his middle name to be Judah. It means "praise." His does not have a middle name. Nor a last name. Yet...but soon:) 

His name was stitched on the back...hehehe...

Heb 11:1 "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."

I'm reading a good book. It reminded me to constantly keep my eyes on God and not circumstances. That is when God does amazing things!!

Randomness

**Today I was under the weather. I was lying on the couch and Elijah was playing on the floor. He got up and walked over, kinda antsy and stood by me. I thought he wanted a hug and kiss so I did that. I then asked him to please get my water cup. He came back with the cup. He kept standing by me, being antsy.

Then... he put his head down and prayed for me to feel better. "Dear Jesus, please hep (help) mommy to feel better and take her hut (hurt) away. In Jesus' name, Amen." 

And I felt better:) As you can see, he is learning the best lessons. Jesus heals and we can go to Him whenever. He's also learning his r's and l sounds!

**On Saturday, we had a hospice nurse here to help with my gram. Without her knowing what she is doing, she keeps pulling out her catheter:( It's causing her lots of pain. The nurse was here to put it back in. My mom, the nurse, and I were in the room. Not-so-gross story, during the "putting back in part", my gram was in so much pain she yelled out, "Regina!" My mom and I looked at each other with that blank stare. My gram doesn't talk much but when she does it's only a few words that never make sense.

We were able to finish and she felt much better. She was able to relax and sleep. Well the catheter is back out and the nurse came by today to do a check up. Remembering my gram yelled out, "Regina!", I went to the internet and looked up a St. Regina. My gram is Catholic.

I came back into the room laughing. St. Regina is the patron Saint of Tortured People! Apparently, gram thought we were torturing her the day before! We started laughing and were able to get a smile out of my gram.

It's hard to take care of an Alzheimer's patient. Most patients have to go to a nursing home. I am glad my gram will spend her last days with us. We look for humor in the little things. She brings laughs to us. It fights the tears.

Abby read her a book today. Mom asked gram if Abby was boring her. I think gram said yes...  

The Run and pictures

We arrived home yesterday around 5:15pm. We had a blast and even though we only had 4 days to tour the "world", got a bunch of stuff done.

My 5k was on Friday morning. This was my first ever run so I really had NO idea what to expect or even what to do...other than run. I had to be on a bus to EPCOT by 5am. I asked my mom to go with me to be at the finish line because I didn't think Scott wanted to be up that early BUT my mom asked, "You don't want Scott with you?" I said, "Yes but I don't think he wants to." Then with a liver lip and pouty face I looked at Scott (think Puss n Boots on Shrek) and he said he'd go!!

We arrived at the run around 5:30am. We stood around alot, I stretched a bit, and waited for line up. Of course I had to pee right before lining up... So after the pitstop I walked over to the corral. Little did I know the corral was a fenced off area about the length of a football field! I couldn't get into it to line up nor could I get by the people who were going in the next wave (they line people up in waves by their times, I was in the first wave). Then an older man was in the same situation as me. I tucked up behind him and followed him like his kid as he slowly made his way to the end of the fence.

We almost made it and they started to sing the National Anthem...so we stopped. After the anthem, I only had to walk about 10 feet and finally made it to the corral. It took around 15 minutes to walk back there. Next time...I will know what to do:)

Just as I made it to the corral, they said GO! There were 8,000 people running and probably of 1/3 of them in the first wave. Without exaggerating, it took around 5-7 minutes to walk under the start line. When I passed the line and was finally able to run, it took about the first mile to weave in and out of the walkers. Now the walkers should have lined up (they were asked to) in the second or third wave but that didn't totally happen. Oh well.

I was extremely happy that I jogged/ran the entire 3.1 miles. I was only able to train/run 1 time since October, I thought I was going to be horrible. When I had only 2/10ths of a mile left, I sprinted. The clock said 39 minutes as I crossed the finish line but unfortunately, it was not accurate. I know by my pace my miles were around 7-9 minutes each so I am guessing I finished more around 25-28 minutes total. It really took a LONG time to weave past the walkers.

We have already decided to run it again next year. I am believing we'll have a new guy with us and he can enjoy being pushed in a stroller then.

Waiting to begin, drinking water, and stretching. One of the only places I can wear a Mickey hat and feel completely at home and not embarrassed!

Just past finish line, you can kinda see the Mickey hat and now my blue coat is around my waist. I got hot fast even though it was only around 45 degrees. I'm just above the ladies in the middle of the photo behind the fence.

As for Scott and his co-workers, Kevin and David, they did very well. None of them could run the whole thing but they did finish with a time of 3 hrs 21 minutes (13.1 miles). Scott's tendon on his right leg basically tightened up and he hobbled across the line but he finished through the pain, woohoo!

Scott's found some strange stretches that work this one tendon. He is now mad and vows to run the entire thing next yr and finish under 3 hrs. I didn't get pictures of them running. My mom, kids, and I went to the Animal Kingdom instead:)

We also found out the kids can run the 5k with us so they will next year!!

Dale chillin' in our room.

Morocco

The first day, Thursday, was chilly. These lizards found an electrical box to warm up on:)

Abby, Scott, and David

Because he's 5.

The Run Expo where we signed up and received our numbers. I think there were close to 50,000 total runners.

Disney is not afraid to wish people a Merry Christmas. They also had a Menorah and Star of David. This was our first time seeing the lights. They took them down a few days later.

Amen! Christmas!!

Perfect!

Stunning!! Picture doesn't do justice.

Breakfast at the Animal Kingdom. Goat Cheese Frittatas.

Crested Crane, Ugandan State Bird

This is a little slide/climbing area to let the kids run off some energy. I overheard a Korean father tell his wife, "Let's go, we didn't come all the way over here to go down slides!" hahahaha

David, Kevin, and Scott.

Nice fist Elijah...

Mini golf

Packing

We're finishing up our packing and starting to load the van. Tomorrow morning, we'll be in Walt Disney World for the marathon weekend! I'm hoping to post at least one day from there. We realized the start/finish times and locations of both races do not allow for the family to see Scott and me cross the finish lines. Just too early! Friday morning I run the 5k and Saturday morning, Scott runs the half marathon.

We did some adoption fundraising for the run and were able to raise $650! We just donated $65 or 10% to the Peru missions boat as promised!

off to finish and get some car seats/boosters ready. It's going to be cold tonight when we leave!!!!

4.25 month Locs



Look at the length over the ears!! Love it. Held out straight, they're about 2-2.5 inches long.

First day, no where near ears and only neat little coils.  

Back first day.

Love it!

Tiny tiny.

They're also growing in width. The shed hair is starting to mat, woohoo!

Sorry. I just LOVE his hair:)

Just not gonna happen with me

I saw this post today:
http://freerangekids.wordpress.com/2011/12/30/our-constant-worry-for-our-kids-outside-is-new/

I'm freaked out. http://www.11alive.com/rss/article/215763/3/Tips-but-no-solid-leads-in-search-for-missing-girl-7

I get the "loose the reins" thing and stop being overly protective. Let them explore. Let them be somewhat independant so when they get older and on their own, they can cope. But really? Just let them go to the store on their own, now?

Is the world not getting worse? In the 80's and 90's when I was a child, I could go all around the town on my bike. I walked home from school over 5 miles. I walked to the store by myself. But look around. Go to your local sheriff's office website: http://www.icrimewatch.net/results.php?AgencyID=54087&whichaddr=home_addr|temp_addr&SubmitAddrSearch=1&AddrStreet=+1+old+nelson+rd&AddrCity=ball%20ground&AddrState=11&AddrZip=30107&AddrZipPlus=&excludeIncarcerated=
Within 2 miles of our residence are 5 registered sex offenders. Come on!

So I am to let my 3 young kids just walk and ride wherever? Yah sure, they're 3rd degree black belts in NOTHING! I was trained as a police officer. Since I was small and a woman, I was told I could use deadly force to stop a threat sooner than a male officer because of my size if up against a male suspect. Do I really think my kids could fight off an adult? If I as a trained police officer probably couldn't fight off a male adult, how can my kids do anything?

Not to mention, there's a birth mom addicted to methamphetamines out there and I don't put anything past a drug addict.

Oh and this:
http://thehomefoundation.net/facts.html
Human Trafficking. The sick people of this world go around looking for those kids who are alone (oh but can handle anything, right?!) and will take them. Kids are trafficked daily. Some even are taken across country or to another country so no one has any chance of recognizing them or finding them. The trafficked people, mostly young girls, are put in those large shipping containers on barges and shipped throughout the world.

We have helped do work at a home that rehabilitates young girls who were trafficked. So I'm going to let Abby just wander around? Right.

We are not living in the 50's-90's or earlier. Our town is not safe. We live in a suburb of Atlanta. Atlanta is the southern hub for human trafficking if not for the whole Eastern US. Oh and 3 miles away, a man murdered his wife because he was high on meth.

We had a drunk neighbor drive down the street and take out 4 mailboxes. So I can just let the kids ride up and down the road, right? Back when I was a wee lad, people listened. They respected laws. Those kidnappers were few and far between. Your neighbors could be trusted. Now only a few of my neighbors I trust. I knew to scream as loud as possible and someone would hear me. We live in a wooded lot. There is nothing but wilderness behind our house. Who would hear if my kids screamed if I just let them explore? I scream their name to come inside and they can't hear me half the time.

Maybe I overreacted with this post. I don't freak out with my kids. I keep a watchful eye on them. I let them climb trees and explore. They do dopey things in the woods and ride their bikes like Evil Knievel. I even let them go to the mail box alone....oh I know, scary. Sometimes, they ride bikes without helmets. They've thrown rocks at each other. They've smacked each other with tree limbs. They go to the neighbors house to play.

Maybe I should give "free ranging" a try. Let's see, it's 4 miles to the nearest store. No sidewalks. No shoulders on the roads. Just a rock quarry with dump trucks that speed. Then you hit another state hwy and the speed limit is 55. Ooo, their little legs can pedal quick. Oh wait, they just passed the sex offenders house. Oh well, maybe he's not home.

Let's get out my fishing rod and reel in an adoption standpoint. I'm supposed to let my still recently adopted 5 yr old wander and free range? He doesn't know the city he's in, his address, phone number, or last name. He still thinks his middle name is Bubble. Anyone he meets is a friend. If we let him free range when he first got home, he could barely speak English and the English he spoke only Scott and I could interpret. He still didn't know his "new name" completely. Just go Elijah, wander around, you'll find your way back...
I just can't seem to justify letting them "free range" it. That's not using wisdom. Kids don't have wisdom so how can they use something they don't have?!