2012 Daddy Daughter Dance and Adoption Update

Clay took Zoe to the Daddy Daughter Dance Friday night. Our good friends, the Lewis' were visiting so Brad and Sydney also went.

The theme this year was "Candyland." It was absolutely darling. Tara and I went by and spied from the church balcony and got some pictures. There is not many things as sweet as Daddy's taking their Daughter's to a dance.

They all had a great time and came home with lots of stories. I'm thinking I should have hinted to my dad about it...hehe.

Adoption Update:

I filled out applications for 6 Visa's today! We are knocking these tasks down, one by one. We got our I800 approval and we are rocking and rolling...

My sister called me a few days ago to tell me about Kohl's big sale so I hopped online and got some cute outfits ordered for Trigg and Ivor. I don't feel I can buy a whole lot yet because we are just guessing their sizes. We need a few things to get them started out, and oh what fun it was! I can't wait to see them in their new duds.

My mom (Nana) got her monthly sponsorship update on Trigg, and oh my~ was it ever heartwarming. He sounds like such a sweet and playful little guy! Here is what it said...

"Max is still in the loving care of Maria’s Big House of Hope, and his sweet nurse continues to provide us with nice updates on him. She tells us that he is a “charming little boy” who likes to twirl his pacifier in his mouth when asked to do so. He’s quite the little performer! 

Max also enjoys playing ball with his nanny – he is able to kick and throw the ball. Great job, Max!
Max can already walk backwards and he runs really fast. He likes to dump all of the toys out of their box, and then explores how each one works. When not engaging in play and other fun physical activity, Max loves to climb up on the couch, snuggle in and take a little snooze – how adorable!

We are so pleased with Max’s healing and overall development, and we are anxious to see him reunited with brother, Matthew, who has now caught up to him in size. In the meantime, Max continues to receive great care and he will soon be ready to return to Heartbridge. It won’t be long after that when both boys can go home with their forever mom and dad. Yay!!!"

I love it!!! I can't wait to meet them!

Blessings,

Misty

Ups and Downs

If I had three words to discribe the last week, it would be: Ups and downs.

The wait is getting harder, more emotional, more stressful. For some reason, my heart has felt so heavy. I kept checking Love Without Boundaries Facebook page to see if by chance they had uploaded our boys on there. Nothing. Occassionally, I would just whisper to God, asking Him for peace. Thursday afternoon rolled around and I was hard at work at my husband's office when my mom called. "Check facebook," she said. I knew she had spotted them. Hurriedly, I checked, and sure enough, there they were. My sweet little boys, half way around the world. But these pictures were different. Ivor Jude just looked so sad. Trigg Cody looked much thinner. Below the picture, the Love Without Boundaries volunteer had said that he lost 1.5 pounds this month after his final surgery. This meant for the first time, the brothers weighed the same. Ivor had gained the amount Trigg lost. Trigg also looked sad to me. My heart is breaking. I wonder, "Why must children go through surgeries and trials without a mommy to snuggle them when they are hurting?" I am so grateful they are where they are, I just wish they could be home, feeling a mother's love.

I headed home, still feeling down. As usual, I pulled over at the end of the driveway for Zoe to check the mail. She handed it to me and I started flipping through. There were two envelopes from immigration! I was elated! I tore into them, assuming they were the documents I had been waiting for. Without reading the small print I went into celebration mode. The kids and I were beyond excited. I announced the documents arrival to my mom, sisters, and of course, facebook.

Later that night, I read them, small print and all. As it turns out, they were the receipts, saying our I800 request had been recieved. Well, still good news, but not the approval I had assumed it was. I had felt so encouraged by God. I felt like He was saying, don't worry, it's closer than you think. I guess maybe He was. He was encouraging me, but He also continues to work on my patience and trust in Him, trust He has "got this." I need to trust in His timing. In the meantime, I will continue to pray.

If you are reading this and you feel so inclined, pray that Trigg Cody will be fully recovered soon, so he and Ivor Jude can be back together. Pray for God's timing in our adoption. And please, pray for peace for our family in this last leg of this journey.

Blessings,

Misty

Feeling the Labor Pains in this Paperwork Pregnancy

After we got our LOA's we were able to apply for the boys' Visa's. We then got another stack of paperwork to fill out and I am realizing as it is all labeled "Travel this and Travel that," this pregnancy is sliding into the 3rd trimester. I believe we are having some Braxton Hicks. I am so freaked out that I am going to fill something out wrong, or not send it to the right place...or God forbid-miss something! Sigh I just really want this part to be behind us.

To add to the pressure, it's time to decide who all is coming along! We really want to take the kids.

Tyler is 17 years old, has always loved to travel and learn about other places and desperately wants to come. He raised a lot of money through fund raising to go on a school related trip to Europe last year. He did not reach the target amount and wasn't able to go. The money he did raise, will cover his expenses on this trip. We still have the factor of him missing 2 weeks of school his Junior Year.

Zoe is nine. She ends her nightly prayer with "and Lord, please help me get to China." Bless her heart. She is very excited about this adoption. She definately has her mama's heart, and I can see her traveling down a similar path on her own some day. I think it will be extremely beneficial to her to come. I home school her, the world is her class room and I think this experience would be amazing for her.

And of course you have Rance. Rance is very excited to be a BIG brother. I feel like he will be the hardest on the trip, but I also feel he is the most at risk for being angry with us or the twins upon our return if he is not part of it. When I returned from Uganda, he was bitter with my mom because she had watched him for a lot of the time. We came to the conclusion later, that he had blamed her for my extended absence for some reason. I guess 3 year olds just find someone to blame.

The problem: It is costly. I am so fortunate my mom and possibly dad are coming. We will have the extra hotel room anyway. We will have their help and support. I think we need to just bite the bullit and make it a family affair. Praying for clarity...

As all this spins through my mind, I think about two absolutely adorable, charming, and breath taking boys, half way around the world that are getting closer and closer to having their very own mom and dad and I just want to squeal! EEEEK! I cannot wait to get those babies in my arms. Trigg, Ivor, we are coming!

Blessings,

Misty

Letter of Acceptance!!!

Today was a big day! Late morning, Love Without Boundaries Sponsorship program (my parents sponsor Trigg) sent a letter letting us know Trigg's FINAL surgery was a success, Praise God! He is now recovering and is getting close to being reunited with his twin, Ivor. Yay!!!! And if that wasn't enough...late afternoon, I received the long awaited, (46 days) LOA. We are getting closer... I have butterflies! I zipped right over to the office, we got those babies signed and shot it right back to our agency. Now they will file our immigration paperwork. We wait - again - for that. But that's ok, because this thing is moving!

As I was reading over this mighty important document, I came across a line that stirred my emotions (that's not hard to do). Each document lists the boys' names, date of birth, and sex. Then, it says:

Identity: institutionalized child whose birth parents cannot be ascertained

Wow. I am person who grew up in loving home, who was rocked to sleep by my mother as an infant, who knows my parents, and knows them well. I also know they love me and would do anything for me. So to try to wrap my mind around what it must feel like to so many children, millions, and millions of children to have this as their "identity," is impossible. My heart breaks for these children. I prayed a prayer a long time ago, that the Lord would break my heart for the things that break His. I believe my prayer is being answered.

It is our responsibility now, yours and mine; to help Trigg Cody and Ivor Jude to find their real identity. Soon, we will get the chance to love them like Jesus loves us. To ADOPT them, like He has adopted us. To teach them, they were made in His image, and they are beautiful. He knew before they were even born, they would have a mother and a father...He knew.

Step by Step, Day by Day...

Hang in there with us~

Blessings,

Misty

Nine Years

Nine years have gone by since I first looked into my daughters eyes. Nine years and about six months has passed since I first heard her heart beat. Nine years has flown by, not passed, since God sent her our way. Nine years! Wow. People say, "it goes by so fast." Oh, how right they are.



I look back and I think, I remember placing her in an infant seat so big it seemed to swallow her. I recall coming around the corner to a tiny little girl with a whale spout on her head, covered in lentils, smiling up happily at me from her high chair. I look back on the times she was not even tall enough to reach the door knob, and I think to myself, what if I forget? What if I forget all these little moments? Thank goodness for photos and video cameras.



Zoe Cadence has truly blessed us. She is bright and sunny, to say the least. She makes us laugh. She has an incredible heart, she genuinely cares about others and she loves with all she has.







As I watch her develop into a young lady, I get excited about the person she is becoming. She is eager to learn about different cultures and places. She wants to see it all and do it all, and she dreams big. I am excited to see what God has planned for her life.



We celebrate the last nine years with our sweet girl, and thank God for choosing us.



Happy Birthday Love.



Mom



Friday night she got some of her girlfriends together and they went swimming.

Then I brought them all to our home and they partied the night away, crafting, eating, and lots of giggling! I think they had a girly-girl good time!

Persistence ~ Patience ~ Prayer

I'm persistent not patient. God is clearly working on me currently, as I PRAY these baby boys home. We are at a "standstill.". Well, kind of. We are waiting for our "LOA." This stands for "Letter of Aceptance," and it is due to come between January 8th and February 8th (give or take). Needless to say, I hoped it would be here January 8th. I'm praying, fasting sometimes pleading, with God that this much anticipated document come quickly. It will come by email, so every time I hear my phone ding I hurry to check it. Every time it's another silly advertisement, I'm some what disappointed. I keep telling myself to relax, it will come, but I remember God wants us to PRAY.. So I do, and beg a little, and I haven't seen it yet.

HOWEVER, HE.is.faithful. He always knows just what I need.

Around lunchtime on January 5th, my mom calls, somewhat frantic. She is beyond excited to tell me the boys current photos have just popped up on Facebook in her newsfeed. (I love my mom, and especially love her enthusiasm for life). Love Without Boundaries had posted them. I of course hurry to the computer, and sure enough, there they are, two of the most darling children in China!

Smiling~Happy~Healthy~Adorable!

This event prompted me to start looking around on Love Without Boundaries Facebook page. There was an album on there containing 3,870 photos. I began searching back through them, and low and behold, there were my babies! Some photos together, some separate, and as I continued to go further back in the album, I found their newborn photos. I found information written under these photos, telling parts of their story...for instance I know now my sweet little guys were reunited on November 9th. And now they can know these little (but big) details one day too. What a blessing, what a gift. So as I try to wait patiently for a document, I am given these gifts, and to Him I am so thankful.

Join me in praying for the timing of our adoption.

Blessings,

Misty

Here are some of my favorites of the little munchkins-













Here they are together!

Winding Down and Looking Up

After a wonderful Christmas, a great one, one full of joy, excitement and love, we are looking toward a new year. A year we will add two more beautiful children to our family, Lord willing, and a year I will continue to grow as a mother, a wife, and a follower of Christ.

But first, we will look back and remember 2011.

This year, Clay and I each lost a grandparent as well as a good friend taken far too young from us.

We moved our family, again. This time to the home Clay grew up in for most of his childhood.

I fulfilled a life long dream. I went on a mission to Uganda, Africa.







Zoe had her most successful year of her life in rodeo, thanks to Turbo, Papa and Charmaine. She brought home a record 3 buckles in one summer.





Rance turned from a toddler to a kid and started pre-school.





Tyler joined the National Honors Society and went to State with the Bayfield Wolverine football team. He also earned his 2nd high school letter.



As I reminisce, I look up. I thank the Lord for the year, for the hedge of protection He provided over my children, my husband and myself and our parents. I thank Him for the beautiful people of Uganda, many of which, I now call my friends. I thank Him for the success he has allowed my children to experience. I thank Him, that not a day went by this past year, that my family felt hunger and we had no food to give them, that they needed shelter, and it was not available. I thank Him that we have started the journey toward adoption, another one of my life long dreams. I thank Him, and I know I don't thank Him enough.

So, for 2012, I pray that I am reminded to thank Him more. I pray that my family will not only be rich physically, that we will also be richer in faith. I pray that we will each get to know our Creator more this year. I pray we will spend more time in the Word. I pray He will continue to guide us through our adoption and keep our treasures safe and protected for us. All of them...all five of them.

2012~we are ready for you.

Blessings,

Misty