Things That Don't Suck

Inspired by Shannon's recent post, I thought I'd post my own list of things that don't suck!
In no particular order....

1. The amazing support or friends and family! I know I am sick of this whole situation and yet friends are still willing to check in with me and hear about the wait and continue to pray! I am so grateful for that!

2. While I'm waiting I have had the opportunity to foster two sweet little girls - they are 5 and 3 1/2. They have been with me about 2 1/2 weeks and will be with me about one month total. It really has been a wonderful experience.

3. Puppies sleeping on your lap - snuggly and warm.

4. Knowing you are loved unconditionally by Jesus!

5. Strawberry shortcake with homemade whip cream thanks to my dear sister!

6. Listening to Syd, F. and H. laugh and giggle as they find each other playing hide and seek!

7. Getting pictures of the juice, snacks, stuffed animals and clothes delivered to the BBH for the kiddos!

8. Days warm enough to play outside

9. Wii fit - it's fun and I sweat too! :) (although probably not enough, but were talking about things that "don't suck" so...)

10. Folllowing along on "virtual" friends' blogs who are reuniting with their kiddos and having "gotcha" days! (Sadly none of them from Kyrgyzstan yet!)

Dare to Hope

When you have waited to be a mom since you were a little girl, and waited to complete an international adoption for two and a half years (I started with Guatemala) you begin to lose hope and in an effort to protect your heart you choose not to hope. You begin to choose not to dream about having your little girl at home with you. You start avoiding looking at the pictures of her sweet little face, not because you don't adore her, but because looking at her pictures makes your heart ache so intensely you don't know if you can bear it. You begin to wonder why God would not want to make your dreams come true.?

As 2010 begins, I really sense God saying to me - I want you to "dare to hope"! Even in the midst of the ongoing uncertainty. Even if your heart continues to break - dare to hope! Hope in Me, in my love for you, in my love for Hannah and all of the waiting children. Hope in My commitment to and passion for orphans.

Following along with the Lajoy's adventure of adding two more little girls to their family, reminds me that with God ALL things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)

And so, this year I will dare to hope!

Happy New Year! Welcome 2010!

Happy New Year! I am so excited to see what 2010 will bring! I am praying for a gotcha trip!

We had a New Year's Eve party last night - mostly to celebrate the end of 2009! We played a really fun game - Telephone Pictionary - you remember the old game of "Telephone" where you whisper a phrase in a friend's ear and they whisper what they heard to the next person and so on - until it makes it all the way to the end of the line and the last person says out loud what they heard - well in "Telephone Pictionary" you draw the phrase that is written on the piece of paper handed to you, you then hand it to the next person who has to write the phrase they believe matches the picture you drew, and then they pass this on and so on! The phrase I wrote was "Fiddler on the Roof", by the time it made it back around to me it became - "Wonder cat emits an alarming sound from his belt"? What in the world? I laughed harder than I've laughed in a LONG time - it is good for the soul! It is good to be with friends and family.

Happy New Year! May 2010 be filled with hope, expectation, and wonderful surprises!