I Married the Man of My Seams

 

The picture speaks for itself. If you need further clarification: Daddy is making Miss A a beanie hat. He only has a couple more rows before he is done. Isn't that sweet? He enjoys it, and is rather unashamed of his new found skill.

Last week we spent the week in Florida with Mr. Fly's parents at their condo. We were very happy to get away, and enjoy the gorgeous sunshine. Florida was unseasonably warm this January, and that was perfectly fine with us.

Mr. Fly took up crocheting one night before we left for Florida via YouTube tutorials. Once we got to Florida, his sister helped him with a few more basics, and he was quickly well on his way. 

Would you care to know the extent of my crochet skills? Okay. I worked on a single very basic chain all week, and could never manage to get any further. I think my "chain" is stuffed somewhere inside a small pocket in my backpack. It really is nothing more than a few knots in a mess of yarn. With that said, I guess I better start making a list of "Honey-knits", since it doesn't yet appear that I am going to be successful in this endeavor.

 If he keeps up this crochet thing, we may end up as the little old people that have mismatched crocheted afghans thrown all over clashing furniture alongside mismatched crocheted pillows.

We may have to get some mothballs to start preserving his work. 

Oh my, maybe I am getting ahead of myself.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

2012 Rundown

2012 was full.

Full of blessings from so many people who came alongside us on this journey. Full of God's goodness showering down on our family. Full of overflowing love for a little gal called, "A".

In January of last year, we were working on finishing our homestudy, and then for the next few months after that we prepared our dossier. We had the mad rush of 2012 at the beginning of May when we received word that our dossier need to be completed and at our agency's office by the end of that week. I get tears in my eyes thinking of that week, and God's faithfulness.

It was nuts, and we got everything done--barely.

In April, May, June, and July, we were collecting items for the fundraiser garage sale. I proved to Mr. Fly that I could be strong if I wanted to as we lifted all kinds of items in and out of a trailer and truck. I think we could start a new business venture in moving items... "A Husband, Wife, and a Truck".

July was the garage sale. The mega garage sale.

July was hot. I am not sure how to describe the garage sale prep other than it was the kind of hot where sweat is rolling down everyone's faces and legs.

Lots of good memories, and some funny ones too.

God made himself very evident to us through the garage sale time.

In August, our friends hosted the adoption cook-out dinner---a great evening with great people, and once again God provided.

At the end of August, we received our A*ticle 5, and started the waiting for our approval from  In*ia---which we are still waiting on.

In July, August, and September, we spent many hours filling out multiple grant applications, and some of our family, friends and elder got lots of letter writing experience through this as well as they graciously provided reference letters for Mr. Fly and I. THANK YOU!

In September, I went to an adoption parenting conference in Nashville. Mr. Fly had to work, but I was super glad I got to go, and soak up lots of information with some other couples and friends.

Later on in September, I held another garage sale at our house.

This fall we attended an adoption support group going through the Empowered to Connect book every Sunday night for about 11 weeks. It was a fun, fun group, and we learned a lot.

That is our year of adoption activities in a nutshell. I left out about a million things.

Oh, and we have also been attending some various sign language classes, but we really need to start cracking down on sign because we have much room for improvement.

We have seen God put people and organizations in our life to make this journey possible, and to also be    part of the journey with us as we wait.

Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who lifts "A" up in prayer, gave their time, thoughts, listening ear, those who volunteered for our garage sale and benefit dinner, and those who gave generous and sacrificial financial support to help bring "A" home... from the garage sale to the benefit dinner to checks in the mail. We are very blessed. Thank you to each of you are there for us, and care about our little girl. It means big stuff to us. We so appreciate each one of you, and we have quite the story to tell this special little girl when she comes home. We can't really convey our gratefulness to you in words, but please just know we are so thankful.

We have and are experiencing the body of Christ.

Prospective Adoptive Families: As far as grants, we would highly highly encourage you if you are adopting and could use financial assistance that you take the time and effort to apply for adoption grants. There are people out there who WANT to help you.
Please contact me if you want a list of grants that I would recommend, and I can help walk you through the process. We have been very blessed spiritually and financially by several grant agencies.

2012 went so quick. We hope 2013 goes that quick too if it means we get to see "A" sooner.

As for what we are doing now as we have faced a stall in the process...we wait, and pray for news.

I have made some awesome new friends who are also adopting from A's country, and we are able to stay in close touch in the long process. One of my friends posted last night about how long another friend had been waiting on their approval from In*ia, and I realized that I don't even know exactly long long we have been waiting now. So I counted. We are going on 6 months of wait, and in the beginning of the wait, we thought MAYBE we would have to wait a month. I don't really like to keep count...I guess I'm in denial that maybe we are one of "those" people who have to wait what seems like "forever" to bring their child into their family.  Although, believe me, we have not waited near as long as many others.

I need to start blogging about other things besides our adoption process because frankly, there is not much to say, and I am finding less and less humor to write about in the process.

We just want her home.

An encouraging verse to me this week:

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 
***Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 

I want to renew my mind with thoughts of His faithfulness, His goodness, His grace, and His perfect plan.

Blessings to all of you in the New Year.

A |BIG| Birthday Party for a |BIG| Girl

A couple weeks ago, we celebrated A's birthday.

At first, we weren't sure what to do to celebrate her life since she isn't home yet, but decided to go ahead and have a party in her honor. I am so glad we did. We took lots of pictures so we can show her someday how loved she was and is.

In typical God fashion, we received a rare picture update of A the morning of her birthday. Isn't that cool? I wish I could share the pictures with you all on here.

We would have really, really loved to hear news of our approval on her birthday, or even by Christmas, but we're very thankful that we were blessed with the pictures.

She is getting BIG. So tall, and losing that baby look. Still as adorable as ever.  

We had lots of fun at her birthday celebration, ate lots of pizza, and also ensured that all the kids were sent home on a sugar high by topping the evening off with cupcakes and ice cream.

It was so fun getting ready for her party. We celebrated in "Princess" style. I never thought I would  get into all the chintzy kid party stuff, but after being in Dollar Tree for a few minutes, I realized I could learn to like all the dime-a-dozen party decorations----if it makes her happy. 

 

We have all of her presents back in their packages, and put them in a tote for her when she gets home.

 

Party preparations...

Can someone tell me that their kitchen turns into this kind of disaster with simple baking? Pretty good chance that this is the reason I never baked much before I got married. Or maybe I was just lazy. Sorry, mom.

Have you ever used a hot glue gun when decorating a birthday cake? No? Then next time you should make a fake styrofoam cake.  I wasn't about to try to ice a "real" cake. What I love most about this "fake cake" is that we still have the cake sitting on top of our refrigerator, and it reminds me of A as I walk by it.

I am counting on celebrating her next birthday WITH HER.