LID!

Great news this morning... we were notified of our "LID"!  Our LID is the date in which our file of documents was officially logged into the official database in China.  So.... somewhere across the ocean, in a sea of papers is our folder of paperwork :)  It will now be translated and review while we wait to be matched with our daughter.  Can't wait! 

Dear Little Sister...

Tonight, I was tucking your big brother into bed.  And, maybe possibly he was stalling a bit before admitting he was exhausted.  He reminded me that God made Kaleb's skin chocolate and God made Mama's skin peachy.  Also, that our house is 'pretty and nice'.  Then he said:  "Our family is Mama, Daddy, Kabub.............(long thoughtful pause) and Little Sister.  Insert big cheesy squishy faced grin :)  
He already loves you Little Sister- oh, my you have no idea what an amazing big brother you having waiting for you.  And, we've yet to even meet you!  So tonight, he went down the whole list of important things that every 3 year old big brother must teach his little sister...
- how to bounce balls
- checking flowers
- growing flowers
- watering flowers
*Kabub reminded me that all girls like flowers- please take note ;) 
- swinging...swinging 'big'
- and, very very most importantly- his sandbox!  
Then, he made sure to remind me that Little Sister is going to come live at our house- forever. 

Oh, my does he ever 'get it'!  Every piece of change he finds- goes straight to the pig.   He mentions 'Little Sister' daily if not a handful of times.  This is such a fun age when we can have these wise conversations and moments of discovering the world is even bigger than we thought the day before.  I am so grateful we have this summer together- totally immersed in his little brain as it is starting to truly unravel how God builds our family.  Kaleb has always loved being home the most and still that way.  I love you dearly my sweet Kabub :)

Farmyard Fun

Summer is for having fun... so, yesterday we got in on a great group special at Old McDonald's Farm- a local petting zoo kid place.  It was fun because the kids can go into each of the little pens to play directly with the animals- cute and fun all the way around!  Here's a look at our day- 

Fun time- especially because we got to hang out with some awesome friends too!

5 Years!

If you would have asked me six years ago if I was getting married... the answer was a definitive 'no'.  I was pretty confidant in where I thought God's plan was heading but of course that's when He has the most fun throwing some twists and turns into the mix.  Ohhh, am I thankful He did!!

Its been an adventure ever since :)  

Here's a quick snap shot of the last 5.5 years of what has become our life.... 

Started dating in January-

and knew in our hearts by February- this is the one...

 Over Easter weekend in Laramie...

(oh, my look how little our sweet Miss. Sarabeth was back then) 

We got engaged!!  

 We thought the Moms were crazy to think we could get married by June 6th. 

But.... they were right.  Eight weeks.  Craziness.  Pure Craziness. 

 In 8 weeks we...

 Found a dress...

planned & completed a full do-it-all-yourself wedding

(kudos to Wes & Betty...and frenzied email divide, conquer & confirm craziness!)

 Found a House we liked...

Bought & Closed on said house...

(complete with old nasty wallpaper)

I think I'll run for President someday on the platform of banning all wallpaper.  

Seriously, people- don't do this!!!  

 Got Married! 

Life was good :) 

We went out to dinner one night at Applebees...

and, pretty soon- we were filling out adoption paperwork :) 

 Which landed us in beautiful Ethiopia- 

 to meet this guy...

 and bring him home!!!!!!

Filled life up with cuddles & snuggles...

and sneakin' 'matos from the garden!

 Lots of other memories too- camping, San Diego, first steps,

 driving around constantly and hundreds of gallons of Common Cents coffee. 

 And, now...we're working on bringing home 'little sister' :)  

 Its been a blessed adventure and I'm so thankful that God sent me you!

Between all the craziness, we've had our share of times when God said 'no', detours, dead-ends and pot holes along the way too.  But, God provides and continues to bless us.  Sometimes the parts and pieces of life seem crazy (like the amount of gas/tires bought & breakfasts eaten in the car) but no matter what, I know this is exactly where God wants and needs us.  In the middle of it all but right where we need to be- our little sprouts of ministry at church, cows across the street for me the displaced country kid 

and watching thunderstorms on the covered porch.  

Praise the Lord for all HE has done!!! 

Thanks for being an incredible man, great husband and my bff :) 

I love you!

I absolutely can't wait to see what God has in store next!!

We're DTC!

Oh, happy day.  We learned this morning that our entire stack of adoption paperwork was shipped off to China today :)  Dossier To China.  I posted the picture above and literally let out a huge sigh of relief- we have done our part now we simply wait on the Lord to reveal our daughter to us.  We are on the list to be matched!  Which means that I guess that makes us officially 'expecting'.  Expecting a blessing to be revealed most likely within the next year sometime.  In God's timing- technically, we could be matched at any time.  Imagine pregnancy without a due date and the unknown variable of age- anywhere between 6 months old and 18 months old.  As the paperwork phase is over we now enter the super anxiously awaiting phase.  Typical symptoms include obsessive cell phone and email vigilance as that is how we'll get 'the call' learning about our daughter.  Praying for her very, very much and that we learn of her soon!  Oh, we can't wait!

One of Those Days

If you're a busy, planning, working, human/mom/wife/daughter/sister/crazy person with lots on your plate then perhaps you can relate to the lovely appeal of that once annual event of buying a new planner.  Yay!  Forget New Year's Eve with all the late night partying, resolutions, etc., etc.  The real 'new year' starts when you crack open and start filling up that new planner :)  Yesterday while on a last minute trip to RC (the printer ink died and of course the Kids Bible Time kids needed their puzzle pages!)- I picked up my planner.
And, as I stood in the aisle at Target I flipped through my favorite one when suddenly I couldn't help but smile... the yearly overview always gets me.  One of those days. One of those days on that sheet of paper- we will likely learn of our daughter.  Maybe we'll meet her one of those days.  God knows :)  Oh, my I can't wait!!!  So far- the journey this time around has been sailing along with grace, provision and a sense of calm.  So smooth that it has almost seemed surreal.  I remember when we were waiting to be matched with Kaleb thinking that in there- God knew what day we'd meet our child.  Time will tell and God truly does already know.  I'm so excited for this next year ahead.  Again- thank you, thank you, thank you for keeping our process upheld in prayer!  We hope to hear by the end of this week that our paperwork has returned from being sealed at the Chinese consulate.  Once that is done, we will be totally 100% "on the list".  Yay, can't wait!!