Signs of Spring

One of the things I knew I would enjoy about this new house was the established landscaping. In every house we've lived in since we got married, I have had to dig out and plant my own flower beds. So it's a welcome blessing to see that part is already taken care of here. I'm ready to add my own color, but I love how God has painted some beautiful colors already. Saturday we took a much needed family day and just spent time together doing normal, non-moving things. Princess and I went shopping while the boys put up the basketball goal and got dinner ready to put on the grill. When we got home, I got out my camera with the big lens and started searching for any signs of spring around our house. I was thrilled with some of the things I found. 

Then my handsome hubby started fajitas and fresh corn on the grill and I let Little Man take over the camera shots while I relaxed. He did rather well. 

I love spring. It's like God's promises coming to life every year. Even with the still, quiet of winter, I love how he shows himself in the newness of spring. We're not forgotten and it feels like we've won a prize for making it through the cold. 

I hope you are seeing signs of spring wherever you are. Look for God in the little things...He is waiting to show himself to you. 

Move Successful

We're here! We made the move okay and have been unpacking boxes like crazy. The kitchen is completely unpacked, the kids rooms and baths, and today I hope to get our room and bath unpacked. I am; however, moving a lot slower today. I am so sore and tired, I had to give my body a break. That, and we want to start painting tomorrow and I literally can't move my arms above my shoulders. But it will be so worth it when it's all done.

Some things I really like about this new house:
* TREES!! There are several established trees in this yard. Trees that are actually taller than I am! This is new for us after living on the outskirts of town and struggling to keep trees alive with the wind beating them down. One tree in the back has a large bird's nest in it and I'm anxious to see who lives there.
* School room...instead of having to travel to a school house in the backyard, we have the joy of getting to do school in a separate room in the house and then close it off when we're not working in it. I am going to do some different decorations in this school room. The kids and I love antique shopping and that 'old world' look. So, instead of bright, in your face colors, we are going with a more antique, old school feel. I'm really looking forward to getting it set up.
* Cabinet space. Oh my word, you should see all the storage in this house! This is a good/bad situation because although there are a lot of cabinets, I get to re-line all of them. New shelf liners in everything means one sore, tired mama but one happy mama.
* The kids have plenty of space for all their "stuff" and more. They are enjoying getting their rooms set up and are looking forward to paint so then they can put up all their wall decor and make it feel like home. They have been great through this whole thing and have kept a positive attitude all week. They are tired as well but have been handling it like champs. I love my kids.
* Spring is coming. Okay, this really isn't a house thing but it's fun to see the green poking through on the trees and shrubs. I can't wait to see what all this wonderful landscaping looks like when it's awake and in all it's glory.

Okay, I guess I've stalled long enough and need to get to work. :) I'll show pictures just as soon as things are put together.

Have a great day!

We got "THE CALL!!!"

We're having a boy!!!!!! We got our referral!!!!!

I told you to check back often! 

After 21 months and 7 days of being on the official wait list, Wednesday morning we got "THE CALL". I was in the process of trying to clean our floors a little bit before the buyers came and looked at the snow damage from the attic. Thank goodness I had my phone on vibrate in my back pocket while vacuuming or I would have never heard it ring. When I saw that the call was coming from Missouri, my heart started beating fast. Surely this isn't it! My husband is on the top of a mountain in Colorado skiing and our world looks like it's upside down. But it was!! Here's how the conversation went: 

Me: "Hello?" A: "April?" Me: "Yes, this is she." A: " Hi, this is Angie." (No last name, no I'm from your agency...she knew that I know who Angie is :)) Me: (at this point trying to be calm) "Hi! How are you?" A: "Good, how are you doing today?" Me: "Honestly lady, I'm stressed to the max and I am so done with this house ordeal and just ready to get my life back in order!!" 

Ok, no, that's not what I said. But I could have. Let's continue...

Me: "I'm okay." A: Silence. (I swear she made me wait 30 seconds before I heard the most glorious words ever) I am calling with your referral." Me: "No you're not!" (Yup, that time I really did say it.) Am I crazy? I think so. 

But she was and the rest is a bunch of tears and squeals and trying to reach daddy on top of the mountain. He was on a ski lift when she tried his first number and since he didn't recognize it, he didn't answer. Oh, that, and he was on a ski lift. :) Then when she tried his second number (yes, my husband carries two phones...business & personal..let's move on) he still didn't answer but realized it was coming from Missouri. He told the friend he was with that this could be it. So when they got off the lift, he tried calling her back. I was still on the phone with her and told her I would pass along all the wonderful information to him. 

As soon as I hung up with her, I screamed, laughed, cried, hugged my kiddos who were screaming, laughing and crying, he called. And we got to do it all over again together on the phone. 

Here's where it gets tricky. She was emailing us our precious son's pictures but we really wanted to see him for the first time together. Kinda hard to do when you're 8 hours apart. Thank God for technology. Seriously. And that he carries two phones. He worked to get where he had a good connection, which seemed to take about 13 hours but really only took about 1, we face-timed each other and he checked his email on his other phone while I checked it on our computer. 

During that hour, my friend Cindy, who lives right down the street, had gotten a call from her husband who was on that same ski trip, telling her she needed to come down to my house. Well after helping me dig snow out of our attic the day before, she was a little concerned at what on earth could be wrong now. But he just happened to be the friend hubby was on the ski lift with when his phone rang. God thing? Um..yes!! He knew what was going on and told her she just needed to get down here. When she saw me, she knew. This was the moment we had prayed about, cried together about, and looked forward to from the second we met almost two years ago. If me and my husband had to be separate during this moment, there could not have been anyone better to be with both of us. So she waited patiently with me while I made phone calls and cried some more. :)

Finally we got to see his face. He is absolutely beautiful!!! His features are perfect and he is going to rule over his momma with his big brown eyes. :) I can't show you his face yet so you just have to trust me. He is 7 1/2 months old and he was born while Jerod was in Kenya last year. Wow, right? His daddy was right next door and neither of them knew it. He looks healthy and happy and I can't wait to squeeze him. He is perfect. 

I could hardly stand to not go out and immediately start buying things for him. Since we had said boy or girl, I hadn't bought any clothes for him. But now I know and now I can!! I went looking for that perfect first outfit and this is what I found...

Perfect, right? They had ONE and it should fit when we go on our first trip to meet him. 

So here we are, less than 24 hours from the movers showing up and moving us out, and 48 hours from moving from the only city I've ever lived in. And I'm okay. I can't wait to get to our new house and set up his room, start stocking his closet and preparing for our first trip. We are all planning on going that first trip so we have shots to get the kids, finish as much school as possible, and gather donations to take with us. I have a feeling that God is blessing me with the distraction of this move because with all I want to do to get settled, I will be a busy woman until court. Time is going to fly. 

God has taught us so much during this journey, I need to wait for another post to share it all. But it's not over yet. It's just beginning. :) I thought I would leave you with this little timeline of the biggest milestones to show you what steps we have already taken and events we have gone through to get to where we are now. 

November 17, 2010...turned in our first set of paperwork to begin the process of international adoption from Ethiopia, Africa

May 20, 2011...Was put on the official "wait list" and started at number 49

June 2012...have to do our "it's been over a year" updated homestudy

July 2012...Jerod goes to Kenya for 2 weeks and falls in love with Africa even more

October 2012...move hubby to new town to start a new adventure with his job

November 2012...fire in garage moves us into a hotel for 5 weeks

January 2013...decide being separated from daddy is for the birds and decide to try and move as soon as possible

January 29, 2013...put house on market

February 1, 2013...get a contract on house

February 9, 2013...put contract on new home

February 27, 2013...got referral!! 

Can you say all in God's timing? Everyone had told us that but some days it got so hard to hear. From the beginning I have prayed to be able to look back and see that the waiting made sense. I can see it from our side of things already but after learning more about our baby boy's journey, it's unreal to see how perfectly we fit together. I will be honest and say that I will be holding my breath until we pass court and then I will relax a little. The steps we have left to take are big ones and I'm praying that they go smoothly and quickly. 

Thanks for reading my story. I have been told to write that day down as soon as I could so I didn't forget details. I'm not sure I'll ever forget that day but here it is anyway. :) Have a great day!!!