A Fun Long Weekend

Georgia came back from the YMCA with this picture which melted my heart. She can not wait for her sister to come home. She prays for her every night and likes to talk endlessly about all the things she is going to teach Nellie. She also likes to reiterate all the things Nellie CAN'T do because she is a baby still, like eat popcorn (Georgia thinks that being four is BIG).

Here are a few highlights of our Thanksgiving. It is hard to believe that Christmas is right around the corner. I'm always ready for Christmas...I start decorating the week before Thanksgiving and Mike and I put up the tree the day after. The kids really "get into" decorating, especially the tree. I think I need to get over ever having a designer tree. I have been known, however, to spread out the ornaments that they put on the tree so it is a little more even looking (: We got a flocked tree this year which reminds us a little of Christmas up North. I would have to say they are a bit on the messy side, but the kids love it!

All the boys in my family LOVE football...Fred is enjoying the Cowboys game.

Grandma working hard in the kitchen...we had a much more relaxed Thanksgiving. It was quite small compared to other years and relatively quiet (well as quiet as you can get with my kiddos).

Grandpa at the head of the table

We took the kids to their favorite park.

This Donkey now knows us because we visit so often.

The famous "Wobbly Bridge" as Gigi calls it. Charley looks a little uncertain.

Having some fun doing some painting

Mornings started with some homemade Gluten free waffles. I've got a great recipe if anyone needs one!

HOPE

I read this on the Butterfly House Blog today....PLEASE PLEASE pray that we'll travel soon. With a LOA of 11/4 I know the possibilies are slim, but I still have hope.

Home for Christmas?

We are really, really hoping that Angel will be going home for Christmas...

And it looks like she might be excited at this thought too!

Feast Fun!

My youngest son, Charley, was so excited about his Thanksgiving feast today at school that he was up at six ready to go!! He loves to have me come into his class, and I have to admit, it is probably one of my favorite things in the whole world to do. I figure there are only a few sweet years that your child WANTS their mom in school with them! So, for now, I will take every single hug and kiss I can get (all in front of his friends)!

Sleeping Angel

It is so special to see Anela sleeping with the blankey that I had when I was a baby that was made by my Grandma (the yellow and white one in the corner).

A TIME TO GIVE THANKS!

I have to admit that blogging has been very hard to do during this waiting process of bringing our sweet daughter home. We have been so busy with paper work, paper work and more paper work, that it almost seemed daunting to blog when it seemed so far off in the distance. Well it’s time to begin again, and I can think of no better time to start than at Thanksgiving, as we have so much to be thankful for. I’d like to share with you my top ten reasons of why I am thankful.

I am thankful that I am loved by a father in heaven even on my most unlovable days. I read this recently and it completely resonates with me. …“What a gift it is to know Him, to know that I will always fall short, to know that He loves me anyway, to know that He loves me so much, He sent His son to die for me, to know that He insists that I am in Heaven with Him one day.” Now that is something to be thankful for!

I am thankful for my husband, Mike, who is a gift to me.

I am thankful for the four beautiful children the Lord has entrusted Mike and I to care for.

I am so thankful that He has shown us the way to our daughter, Anela. In His perfect timing, we are learning, there will be one less orphan. We cannot wait until that day! It is right around the corner!!!!!!!!!!

I am thankful the Lord always provides…ALWAYS!

I am thankful for the amazing network of friends and family who see the value in Anela’s precious life.

Now on a less serious note…

I am thankful for popcorn and Breyer’s ice cream pretty much on a nightly basis.

I am thankful for times that I laugh so hard I snort, which makes all my kids laugh even harder.

I am thankful for a peaceful shower with no one knocking at the door asking me for something.

I am thankful for the noise and excitement that resume right after I get out of my peaceful shower (: