20 Weeks and It's A....

We had an exciting holiday week...we started it out with a gender reveal party at our house on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. We had our immediate families over and Lydia helped me open up a box of balloons revealing that we are having a precious baby.....

GIRL

We are so thrilled to hit the 20 week mark with a healthy baby girl growing in there. She is starting to move more and more and things are looking great, still hit a sleepy time everyday and don't make it much passed 9:30 most nights but that's the life of a mom of 2 other little ones. Lydia is so excited to have a baby sister because duh brothers are old news. She even went to my 20 week check up to hear the baby's heart beat.

Here is her first close up and we do have a name.... Colbie Marie :) She is so loved already and although we are excited to hold her in our arms I am soaking up this pregnancy and my time alone with her. Plus we have a nursery to put together and tons of girl clothes to go through and wash up!! I can't wait to get out Lydia's old things to share with her sister.

Thankful to get to experience this miracle all over again. It's something that amazes and humbles me daily that God would grant me this privilege not even just once but three times now! Praises to him for these gifts I call my children.

17 Weeks

Well I hit the 17 week mark last Wednesday with this little peanut and I am feeling pretty good these days. I am craving salads, fruit, cheese fries, dr. pepper and have a major sweet tooth. I have started feeling inconsistent flutters but cannot wait to feel this baby dance around in there! We find out what we are having the day before Thanksgiving and am really looking forward to it this time around, we've done it both ways now but finding out is probably my favorite!

Waiting Family...Officially

11/14/14 ... the day we officially became a waiting adoptive family. That is our DTE date (Dossier to Ethiopia)

Now I am doubly pregnant and we settle into a wait. A necessary wait if we want to be sure all is done legally and in the best interest of our child. So today I am pregnant with two children, one that I have begun to feel move in my belly and the other that has already stretched my heart a few sizes.

There are a lot of unknowns and what if's currently in our adoption process. Right now we are staying put in the 0-4 age range, healthy or with minor special needs. That wait is long and we are not naive about this wait, we are expecting it and expecting the ups and downs a long the way but we know in the end God has a plan for us and we are only beginning to see the glimpses of what is to come.


Happy National Adoption Month to our family, how fitting that we started this process in January (officially) and this stage has come to an end and the next begins in November, National Adoption Month.

Holy Guacamole

So it's been quite a while away from this blog and mainly because this mama is beat I mean totally wiped of all energy and we have one teeny tiny growing blessing to thank for it.....

That's right....we are expecting sweet Baby H #3 (our tie breaker) in April. I am nearing the end of my first trimester and praying that my energy returns. This little one has been a bit harder on me than the other 2 but this could also be the change in our lifestyle since the other 2. Having 2 kids this time around and a job that has me up earlier in the morning and working at home as a mama during the day. It leaves me with nothing left but I want to soak it up and take none of it for granted because this will be our last pregnancy as we are still in the midst of our adoption journey. More on that hopefully in the next week or so!

I told my coworkers daughter (who is 3) that I was pregnant again and having a baby just like her mommy just did and her reaction  was "Holy Guacamole" too cute that girl.

School is back in session

School is back and summer is coming to a close. It was a great summer one I thoroughly enjoyed with my kiddos and not to mention it's been such a cool summer here in Indy...I don't really loooove hot weather so high 70's and low 80's are totally my jam! However, I finally understand why my parents were ok with school starting again :) Lydia needs structure and she needs to socialize with her people...she is a social creature, a little bit of a shy one at first but she thrives in school. I am happy to see what this year brings for her.

Here is our summer list and what we actually accomplished from it:

Vacation
Zoo Visits
Make our hill into a slip and slide
Camp - backyard and the real deal  - just didn't get to take Lydia for real camping ... "yet"
Hang lights on our deck or in our screened porch
Summer reading program
Pool Days...lots of them
Swim Lessons for Lydia  - she did awesome!!
Try gardening (already planted) - SUCCESS...minus our green tomatoes it's been too cold, so I hear, they are all green still, but I made green bean casserole last weekend from my very own garden!
Submit our dossier - this has taken us so much longer than we anticipating we are going into month 8 of this process but praying this fall we finally get everything submitted. It's really hard to rely on others to move things ahead.

We've taken naps, gone swimming, gone to the zoo, gone on vacation, visited with friends who live in Ann Arbor which meant a night away from home for all 4 of us with friends who let us wreck their house and wake them  up early, had our church festival, had Garrett's 2nd bday party, went to the fair. I read a ton of books, had dinners with my sister at fun foodie restaurants that my husband would never try. I love summer but I am almost ready to welcome fall with open arms!

Garrett is 2

Sweet G-man,

You are 2 and you are such a joy to my life and all of those who love you. You have sweet blonde curls that keep coming back even though we have cut it...thank you Jesus for blonde curls. You have an infectious belly laugh that makes everyone else belly laugh at the sound of it. You are a quiet thinker and independent player but you still love your mama's lap and that makes me so incredibly happy. We have a few words now but no big conversation happening. You try and do everything your sister does and it drives her crazy! You are still a pretty good eater and will at least try everything we put in front you. You still gallop when you run and try and do the whole Disney Jr. dance break (need to get that on video!) You love Harry and will make him tea and make sure he gets his phone calls (put's the phone right up to his ear). You are a great sleeper now...which makes up for the first year of your life. You still take great naps and even ask mommy to put you down sometimes. This year you got to go to the beach (you didn't LOVE it..but by the end you didn't hate it), you have visited Kate and Ryan in Ann Arbor, actually got to ride the rides at the festival and become a pro at the "choo choo" at the zoo and even growl back at the Lions.

My G$ you are the sweetest boy and I just look at you and think how blessed I am that God chose me to be your mama, that we are lucky enough to call you son and watch you grow and hopefully help you navigate this thing called life. I pray that you continue to learn and observe all that is around you, that you see the good and the love that is surrounding you and that you know that God loves you even more than me and that's a whole whole lot!!

Love you forever and ever amen,

Mommy

Summer Vacation

We have been home for a while now but I am beyond thankful for the opportunity to take our kids to the beach. Like I mentioned before it wouldn't have been possible without my parents taking us along with them. We drove separately (in a rented mini van...i eat every word I ever said about never being a mini van mom...cannot wait for my own!)

We went to Gulf Shores, where we have been numerous times as well as on our honeymoon. We love it there, it's so clean, great restaurants and shops. Our condo was right on the beach and for the most part our kids slept and did great. We had on instance of lydia falling off the bed :( We had one stomach bug that put this mama out of commission for a whole day...oh yeah and did I mention Garrett didn't love the beach...he didn't really even like it until later in the week. 

Lydia, was a fish, we could not get her out of the waves and when she came in she crashed hard for naps. She rode her little boogy board and still talks about the "face washers" the waves that go up over your head and get in your face. I so enjoyed watching her play with her dad and mine out in the water. 

It was so nice just to have a break in routine and life for a week. 

Recital Ups and Downs and a Final Bow

Lydia had her last recital...at least for now unless she tells us she wants to dance again. I could tell towards the end of the year, well really half way through that she just wasn't into it but we had already ordered costumes and we want to instill in our children that we don't quit half way through, that we finish what we start.

She did not go out on stage for the tap dance (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse) at rehearsal so I was so happy when she actually walked on stage during recital, however, she instantly turned her back to the crowd and cried. My heart broke but I told her how great she did just walking out on stage.

Our Honey Bee Dance was a different story, that girl rocked the dance, she did so well! She was the cutest darn honey bee and I was beaming with pride backstage as I watched. This girl is just full of surprises and keeps us on our toes!!

Summer

Today is my girl's last day of Preschool (well 2 Day 3's preschool) She is a big 4 year old now and has her first year of school behind her. She has grown so much in size, confidence, social skills and even the faith that I see forming in her.

We have a fun summer planned with vacation only a week or so away where we will take both kids to the ocean for the first time! I am thrilled and this could not be possible without my family taking us all along. We are renting a mini van (yes I am so pumped to drive a mini van for a week) I am on a mini van loving kick, I want one so bad and can't wait until the day we can make it happen. Oh the joys of automatic doors and accessible third row seating.

Here is part of our summer bucket list, what fun it will be to cross these things off!

Vacation
Zoo Visits
Make our hill into a slip and slide
Camp - backyard and the real deal
Hang lights on our deck or in our screened porch
Summer reading program
Pool Days...lots of them
Swim Lessons for Lydia
Try gardening (already planted)
Submit our dossier


Here is to a great summer to come, my first full summer with our new schedule and I am ready to enjoy it with my kiddos.

Fundraising

So this whole adoption thing is so crazy and way bigger than us and way bigger than the child we will bring home. It's making us step out in faith and truly live the gospel unlike anything we have ever done before. For us right now this is our big YES to God. Fundraising is tricky because on one hand it can be so effective in alleviating a huge burden of this whole process which is the enormous cost but it can also be messy and uncomfortable.

People often ask me why it costs so much and when I lay it all out and explain where the money goes throughout the whole process it begins to make sense. (please feel free to ask me about it if you are curious and I will at some point post about this as well for those who are considering or interested in this whole adoption process)

I truly believe we are meant to share this story of adoption that we are living right now and part of that is allowing others who feel led to walk with us participate through fundraising options but at the same time I totally get and understand feeling like you just can't give. I Get It, you will not hurt my feelings, I have read, heard first hand and battled myself with the whole gamut on responses to fundraising and that is why we thought about it & feel we have found a good balance for us and what we are comfortable with.

We plan on doing a few fundraisers throughout this process but most importantly we will be pinching our pennies on this end and getting creative with what we already have. We have also started a list of places to apply for grants. Here is our plan at this point and one opportunity that was presented to us and we will be starting now (#4 below).

1- Garage Sale
2 - T-shirt fundraiser because who doesn't love a T-shirt!
3 - Noonday trunk show - mostly because I have been dying to have one and now I have a reason to :)
4- Chosen Marathon in Tampa FL

The Chosen Marathon is one that was brought to our attention because a friend of mine who is amazing and runs races on a normal basis is running this marathon in November in Tampa, FL. Yes, I live in Indiana but we have a good friend who lives in the area and I actually have quite a few other connections there as well so we decided to go ahead apply and sign up as an adoptive family team. The Chosen Marathon uses the ABBA Fund as their accountability partner and we have applied through them.

So if you are a runner (or not a runner) there is a 1/2 Marathon, Full Marathon, Kid Fun Run and Sleepwalker (for those who want to register as part of our team but won't be running) Prices go up for registration towards the end of June so check it out now. When you register online we are in the drop down options under TEAM...chose "Heinekamp Family Adopts" .... VISIT HERE to register.

Happy Rainy Wednesday and just because I didn't post on Mothers Day or share any photos yet, here is one of me and my little ones on Sunday. So grateful for the blessing they are in my life!! I mean seriously, Garrett's goldy locks and Lydia's smile...I just won the frickin kid lottery!!

Home Study...Check!

Well our home study meetings are complete!! We had 3 total, one long meeting in our home and two outside of the home. We really enjoy our time with our social worker and appreciate all the advice and thought provoking conversation she has created between Matt and I.

During the Home Study process we basically had to complete all items for our dossier as well, so we are almost done compiling those items, I have our family photo pages left and we still need to have our notary come over and notarize all of our personal documents but then that part is done. Now we just wait, which seems to be the story of the adoption process at this point in time for us. We will wait to have our home study written for review, we will then wait for USCIS to assign us a fingerprint appointment, then we will wait for them to send us our approval and then we will enter the long wait after our dossier is sent to Ethiopia.

Patience is not a well known trait in my family, it is something that I know the Lord will be refining in me through this process. I know he wants to work on this aspect of my life and he wants me to rely on him in all my weaknesses and this will be one of them. The one thing that helps is that we are aware of the wait time, we are aware it could continue to increase. I have been preparing my heart for this for 3 years but in the end I doubt it will truly matter.

I know God has a plan for us in this journey, one that is even bigger than what we see or imagine right now. 

Just Like That...She is 4

Lydia,

My crazy spunky beautiful and incredibly smart girl...how is it that I can remember every single second of our first days with you, lazy mornings snuggling, late nights pacing, first smiles/coos/laughter; you brought along the wonder, the insane love I never knew I had inside me, and the life changing moments that made me a mom. It brought one of the most faith building and hard moments in my life as well... It was worth every single second, you are worth every single second!

You are constantly asking about your surroundings and why things are the way they are. You are so smart and funny. You make us laugh constantly. You still have these beautiful dimples and bright blue eyes. You are still off the charts tall and have long dark beautiful hair (must be from your Aunt Laura).

You love to sing Let It Go at the top of your lungs, you still enjoy a good Luke Bryan jam session. You tell horrible knock knock jokes that we laugh at anyway, you love your school friends and your family so fiercely. Your favorite movies are Lion King, Frozen, 101 Dalmatians, Monster Inc., and Lady and the Tramp. Your favorite book is Digs Dog Dig, The Hiccupoptamus, Chimpansneeze and the Corduroy Halloween. We read devotionals every night and pray, you also ask for good dream ideas, so list off what you are loving these days and who you want to be in your dreams.

You took your first trip without mommy and daddy this year to Virginia with mamaw, papaw and Aunt Laura. You did so great and never got weepy or sad although we all missed you like crazy here I know you were such a gift to those you visited. You got to see the farm where mommy spent a lot of time as a kid and you got to see where papaw grew up and walked to his school.

You are so easy to forgive, you have taught me so much in this season about swallowing my pride and asking for forgiveness when I screw up because lets face it... I do it alot and you are so easy to forgive and tell me that I am such a great mom and you know what kid...you are such a great kid, I hope you always know that. I hope you always know how much your are loved, how proud of you we are and how much joy you bring us.

You are such a great big sister and have started to form such a great bond with  your brother, you two must have your own language because we have no idea what he is saying half the time but you guys just play and play like that is not an issue. I hope you always watch out for each other.

Thank you my sweet girl for this gift of being your mother, it is a joy beyond words!! I love you forever and ever Amen!

Love,
Mommy

Easter...Joyful...Beautiful

This Easter was pretty perfect. The weather was beautiful, blue skies, blooming flowers and green grass. It was warm enough to shed the church sweaters, put on shorts and run in the grass barefoot. My kiddos got bubbles, lots of candy and vacation themed bags from mamaw. We showed up to church on time in our Sunday best, hair done, put together and made it through the hour service with A+ report cards, full hearts and growling tummies. We ate breakfast at Bob Evans with a crowd that seems to get bigger every year...they are all onto our secret. My kiddos hunted for eggs, took a million wagon rides and came home sweaty dirty messes. Success.

Why?

In the midst of the chaos that is adoption paperwork, life goes on. We both still have jobs, we both still have commitments, we have two kiddos one in school two days a week and the other into and climbing everything. There are moments I feel totally inadequate, there is no way in this world that I can parent my two children let alone one through adoption, there is no way in this world that I can complete the mountains of paperwork, most of it being at the mercy of others and hoping they get it right the first time.

I ask myself a lot Why? why did God put this on my heart? Wasn't my life fine the way it was, why can't I be comfortable with the life that we were living, maybe just have another baby biologically? why complicate things? why add a child who has so much trauma and brokenness in their life into our home with  two children who have been raised in a loving home and won't be able to fathom or comprehend the type of life their brother or sister had leading up to becoming a part of this family.

My heart is broken and I have frustrations and I get angry at a world where this is even a "thing" adoption is even a thing because this world is broken but Jesus saved us and he adopted us into his family and for that reason I say YES. How can we not do this. I want a big family, I want children running through our house and causing messes and driving me totally bananas. I want that family so I say YES, because a child deserves a family who wants them and loves them and will care for their every need.

I want to live the gospel with my life and I want people to see Jesus in us, imperfect people and I want my kids to know what it means to live outside of ourselves and to live for the kingdom, to not put our stock in things of this world...to be the body of Christ, to literally be his hands and feet. To not talk a big game but to walk it and be humbled by the mountains of paperwork and the training and the money and the tears and brokenness. To love others in spite of their circumstances, story or previous life, to love them so much it hurts. To let it all break us so that he can build us up again making us stronger.

"...that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" 2 Timothy 3:17

Thank you Jesus for that because I feel totally unequipped 99% of the time.

Life with my little people

So life with my little ones has been pretty entertaining lately. It has been exhausting and trying too, it's funny how it all seems to ebb and flow on the daily. I don't want to forget a thing so this is my attempt to update you who are still around on the totally cute kids that I am lucky enough to call mine.

Lydia 

She had her first father daughter dance earlier this month and she had so much fun dressing up with her dad and eating candy, dancing in the dark with flashlights and those neon necklaces and bracelets. She had me put a braid in her hair and she was soooo wired when she came home to tell me all about it. Her favorite movies right now are Frozen (of course), Lion King and 101 Dalmations. She knows every word to ever song from Frozen, the other night I think her nap was too long during the day so I fell asleep at 10 p.m. to her singing "For the first time in forever...." from her bedroom. She got mad at me and Matt about something turned around dramatically and declared "Close the Gates!" 

She is feisty and sassy and can turn on the attitude like the flip of a switch but the other day after her 4 year doctor appointment (yes 4 years, how is this possible) I took her and Garrett to chick-fil-a, of course, and she was playing on the playset while I sat and observed, she took the time to go up to the boy that was in the tree for the 3 and unders, introduced her brother and asked if he could share with him. My heart almost exploded all over that playset. I also heard her introduce herself to a little girl, asked her what her name was and then asked if she was going to go down the slide or if she could go ahead. At times I doubt my parenting and other times I give myself a mental chest bump and declare VICTORY!

She asks for a piggy back ride every night, has memorized her favorite "Dig Dogs Dig" book and recites it to me, she has to have lotion on her feet with socks, her fan on, and she has to have me go through a list of sweet dreams for her before I can leave for the night.

She weighs 42.6 lbs and is 3ft. 5 inches tall....come on scholarships!! :) 

Garrett

He is pretty much the cutest thing ever with his curly hair, blue eyes and dimples. It's a good thing too because that boy challenges me like nothing else in my life. He still wakes sometimes in the middle of the night, he still doesn't talk too well so he gets frustrated a lot. He loves his big sissy though and she helps him accomplish things without mommy's help. He is pretty happy when there is food around and I am pretty sure we need to put a lock on our pantry or he will start climbing the shelves to get to his snacks.

Tonight he said "ball" in the bath tub and that was fun! I also asked if he wanted to read books and he pointed and said "elmo". There is now a distinct sound difference between mama (me) and mamaw (grandma) and he even says papaw (grandpa) he says "hey" and "bye" and "nigh nigh" (night night) he barks when he sees the Butler Bulldog on Matt's sweatshirts and roars like a Lion during Lion King. He adores our dog and lights up when they are around, he scoots real close to them so he can lay his head on their fur and they can lick his fingers. I know gross right...get over it, I did. His run is probably the cutest because he bounces and you can see his curls over the couch when he does :) When it comes to falling or bouncing off things he's pretty tough and gets right back up, his head is still large and we are getting used to the bumps and bruises that comes with a 19 month old.

cell phone selfie

Sole Hope: Shoe Cutting Party

If you have not heard of the organization Sole Hope, I recommend you go check them out right quick then come back here.... they are doing great things and making such an impact on the lives of those living with "jiggers" and foot related illness/disease in Uganda. 

What drew me to this organization is the fact that WE CAN DO SOMETHING from our living rooms. We don't have to travel (although I want to sooo badly), we don't just have to send a check (although they can use that too) but we can actually do something with our own two hands!!  

So last week I hosted a shoe cutting party. I had 11 ladies here from family, to coworkers to close friends all scattered throughout my house tracing, cutting, chatting, drinking and eating. We opened up the evening by watching a short video clip that shines a light on what Sole Hope does. It's not pretty, it's painful, it's real and dirty but these kids they rely on the help of Sole Hope to become educated and healed. 

How can you host a party? It's easy...go to Sole Hope Party and purchase a shoe cutting kit, it will come with all instructions needed to get started. Then you can purchase the supplies or have your guests bring them, I did a little bit of both. You send out invites via email or social media. I love playing hostess so I had some beverages and snacks but you don't necessarily have to do that. Set up a place to start the evening with a computer or tv where you can watch the video then let people scatter! 

It's fun to watch others eyes be open to what is going on around the world, it's fun to watch them get excited and want to help too, it's fun to watch people become inspired by doing something! By sharing what you know and what you are passionate about it's amazing what can come from it. I am actually extending this party into a MOPS group next week with one of the ladies who came to my party. She invited me to share the video and talk about what Sole Hope does and to help lead them in shoe cutting for Sole Hope. That pumps me up!! 

I can't wait to one day go on a trip to actually watch this all go down, it's on my bucket list but for the time being lets keep partying for Good :) 

So What's Next?

For my family and friends who are not as familiar with the adoption world as I have become in the last 3 years here is a little run down on what is next for us.

We have been assigned our family coordinator with our agency and she has hooked us up with all our check lists and guidelines for putting our dossier together. This stage is called the paper chase and can take anywhere from  4-6 months...our goal is to have this completed and turned in by Garrett's birthday August 3rd.

dos·si·er

ˈdôsēˌā,ˈdäs-/

noun

1. 1.

   a collection of documents about a particular person, event, or subject.

   
   

   
   

While simultaneously working on our dossier we will be going through a home study. We have our first meeting with our social worker on Monday, we will meet with her 3 times, one time in our home. The sooner we can get our home study done the sooner we can get our dossier complete as we can not apply for our   1-600A without it  (Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition).

There are a lot of new words in here for some of you and it sounds intense. I won't lie, it is. We have ordered birth certificates, marriage licenses, requested letters from our employers and references, scheduled our physicals and lab work, filled out paperwork for background checks, ordered online training and I have said lots and lots of prayers over these binders that have become a big part of my life. Everything will have to be notarized/certified/checked and double checked, we will make a billion copies and then send off all originals.

We are trying to take it all one day at a time, one item at a time but most times I go to bed thinking I could have gotten more done today.

We are hoping we won't have to do a lot of fundraising although we might do something fun here soon for those who want to get involved a little bit. We hope to do most of the saving and apply for grants on our own but it's going to mean a shift in life style for a little bit as big checks loooom over our heads for the time being. I am trying to give away this biggest anxiety to the Lord because I know he will provide and he will make a way.

So for now please pray for us and our family as we keep chugging along and by all means please let us know if you have any questions, we love talking about this new journey we are on and want you all to be as much a part of it as you want!

It looks different for everyone

Have you heard of IF:Gathering?? I had not heard of it until last weekend when it was popping up all over my feeds...instagram, twitter, facebook, you name it. This conference was VIRAL and what a fantastic message to have swarming the interwebs.

I found late Sunday that it had been live streaming all weekend...whoops missed it but luckily it was going to stay posted for a couple days and man did I devour my computer screen.  I will say Jennie Allen and Rebekah Lyons spoke straight to my heart through that screen, God put these amazing words in their mouth that I had heard before but not ever really heard...know what I mean?

The message lit something inside me, the message about equipping our generation of women to be free and run our race. To give each other the freedom to be human and to admit our brokenness and our mistakes without judgment but instead with love and  understanding. The message that this race that we are running, this calling we feel it looks and feels different for everyone.

Not many people understand my desire to adopt a child of a different race and culture or to travel to these third world countries and love on babies and the poor who live there...you know I don't really get it either it's just there on my heart. You know what's cool? Just because it's on my heart doesn't mean you are less for it not being on your heart. Maybe your calling looks like a homeless shelter in the inner city, maybe it's being a Sunday school or VBS teacher, maybe it's holding book/food/clothing drives, maybe it's advocating for trafficking or maybe it's fighting to end hunger or puppy mills. Whatever your calling is whatever is on your heart GOD put it there. He put it there for a reason don't ignore it, be proud and just live it.

I heard this during one of the sessions and it hit home so hard for me "It doesn't look like stages, books or adoption for everyone." I read a lot of blogs, I watch these women become authors, speakers, humanitarians traveling on blogging trips and I feel totally inadequate to them. I don't have the money to do that, I have 2 small kids who need me at home, I can't put a proper sentence structure together, I have like 2 blog followers. What am I supposed to do?? Where do I belong??

I belong here at home, folding laundry, wiping butts, doing crafts for the valentines day party and filling out a whole freaking lot of paperwork for an adoption that has me shaking in my boots and ready to throw up. My time will come when I can travel more and who knows what God will bring me to in the next 2, 5, 10 years down the road if I just let him work through me. Maybe I will end up on a Sole Hope trip (for now I have a shoe cutting party) maybe I end up leading a mission trip (for now I pray and go when I can)

I know this is all over the place but what I am getting at is this...women lets not judge each other because our hearts look different, our callings are different, lets embrace each other, love each other and encourage each other in our races.

BIG NEWS... It Is time!!

I have been waiting for a long time to share this news...3 years to be exact :) We actually made this announcement before. Before a bouncy baby boy with blonde curls and blue eyes entered our world, before our baby started preschool and became a little girl, before we moved out of our tiny house and into our new home.

Here it is...

from

Ethiopia

The picture Lydia is holding has been in our house for years, we have been praying for direction, we've been saving like mad and we had a financial goal we needed to meet before we could LEAP. We had our sweet Garrett and I could not be happier that we waited because he makes our lives better, the wait times are longer now and things are always uncertain in an international adoption (any adoption for that matter) but we finally knew it was time when we hit our goal after Christmas.  We know God has a plan for our family, a plan for this process, for the wait for the uncertainty that still remains all we know is that it was time to take the first step. So we have signed with our agency, we have received our family coordinator and our first set of direction into the "Paper Chase".

We know there are tons of questions and I love to talk about it and for now my head is swimming with all that needs to be done in the next 4-6 months in getting our dossier ready but all I know is that 3 years ago a piece of my heart was pulled to a country I have never been to and was aching for a baby that I knew I wouldn't carry in my belly but in my heart. 

They are excited!! 

Ahhh Garrett's face is the ultimate!!

Also Lydia never takes the hat off except for bedtime and school, thank you Sheriff Callie and snow days!

The Winter that won't go away

So this winter has been nuts, completely crazy and unlike anything I have witnessed or at least remember in my almost 29 years of life. Snow after snow and cold cold temps as in negative degrees multiple days in a row. Our poor furnace has not had a break in almost a month. Just once again makes me really really happy that we are in this house with a 2 year old furnace as opposed to the 22 year old furnace in our old house. 

I love a good snow don't get me wrong, I love that when it is snowing it gets so quiet and the snow seems to keep you warm. Lydia could sled for hours on our hill and it's so much fun. So right now as we are stuck inside with massively cold temps I will remember these first days of winter with fluffy snow and hours of fun!

Reflecting on 2013

2013 as I mentioned in this post at the beginning of the year, brought about a lot of change/excitement/adventure for me and our little family. I think it's important to reflect on where you've been in order to allow yourself to move forward.

Our year started out with some heart break, it sucked quite frankly. We had to say goodbye to our sweet B after only 4 years with him. He was the best and no dog we bring into this family can fill his shoes but we did end 2013 by adding another Golden boy who needed a home, we welcomed Harry and I think him and B would have been buds.

We then bought a house after walking through it one time...we just knew this was the one for us and the God ordained moments to get us to where we are at now is nothing short of miraculous in it's own way. We sold our house before it even went on the market, we live down the street from our family who also happens to be our babysitters/lifesavers. We have had the most snow this winter that I can ever remember and we have a massive sledding hill in our front yard perfect for making memories.

Our little girl turned 3 and we got to celebrate by hosting our first birthday at the new house! She started preschool and is on her 2nd season with dance class.

Matt and I went on the vacation of our dreams to celebrate 5 years of marriage and doing life together as a couple. I am so looking forward to what the next 5 brings, I love him more everyday and am so thankful I said YES 6 years ago when he asked me to marry him.

I left my job and took a new job with the kennel that I grew up working at, it is 1.8 miles from my house and has given me so much time with my kids. It felt like going home, like they are my family and it's where I am supposed to be. It really has been one of the biggest gifts of this year.

Our little guy turned 1 and starting walking and sleeping through the night...although that would be nice if he could start doing that again :)

I traveled to Haiti with my sister and Visiting Orphans, getting to experience what life is like outside of my little comfort zone. It sparked something inside of me, the desire to bring my love for orphan care ministry and for serving others into this house and to our community. To share these stories and pictures with my children so they grow up knowing what goes on outside our neighborhood, outside our country and outside of our "normal" life. I want to spark something inside my kids, something that will give them a desire to be world changers, to live for the one who has given us all we are blessed with and to share that with others.

We hosted our first Christmas and opened our doors to friends and family, already allowing this home to be so much more than just a roof over our heads but a place to live life together and make memories.

My heart is so full after this last year, it feels ready to settle into this new place we are in but at the same time I don't want to get to comfortable, I want to be ready to jump up and scream YES if we feel called to make changes or make big leaps.

Thank you 2013...Welcome 2014 Let's Do This!

Christmas Recap In the House

We are slowly coming up for air, out of the blur and fog of hosting friends and family for holiday meals, drinks and game nights. Our holiday was full of love, chaos, laughter, tears, snot, late nights, marathons of Muppet Christmas Carol, early mornings, snot and did I mention snot??

Through all the sleep depervation that comes with sick kids, the constant med giving, nose wiping, and cuddles that only mom can give we were able to feel so loved and blessed. When I look back at the holidays this year I just feel really really grateful and thankful for all those that God has put in my life. Not just our family but our friends, good friends who were in town and loved our kids and us so well.

Some "always" moments, things that we "always" do and still did this year were:

- Christmas at the zoo with my parents, they buy our membership for us every year and as a thank you and a fun way to celebrate the holidays with them we take them to Christmas at the zoo with us. It was a HIT and almost 50 degrees out which was awesome.

- We attended the annual viewing of It's a Wonderful Life with Matt's family.

- Christmas Eve at my Grandma's, the last one in her current home, the home we've been celebrating in for 20 some years, it's bittersweet but I am so happy she is moving just down the street from us.

 - Christmas morning breakfast at our house with my family. I love that my mom brings breakfast and we get to spend the morning with them. It's so special having my parents and sister and brother here with us.

New this year was that we actually hosted Christmas Day, it was exhausting but so good for the kids. They didn't have to leave the house or their pj's! Another new occurance this year, the stand mixer that has been hiding for 5 years, I got it out 3 times this Christmas season!! My husband is a happy man :)

I also don't want to forget the message I heard on Christmas Eve this year (my sister in law stayed with our kids so we could go and not have to wrestle sick kids at 10 pm, best gift ever!)

As believers we need to take Christmas as a breath of fresh air, a fresh start. This world is weary and we are weary with all that life throws at us but as believers we need to remember to be a people of HOPE. We have HOPE because of Jesus!

**side note, Garrett is not a paci kid he only uses it at night but poor guy was so sick, so we will forever remember the year Garrett was not feeling himself and wouldn't let us take it out of his mouth for pictures, pretty sure I need to burn that one!