Friday, February 29, 2008

Gladney's 120th Anniversary

Mark and I decided today that we will be making the trip to Fort Worth the last weekend in March. We both are interested in seeing that side of the adoption process and to meet the wonderful people who have been guiding us along the way. It's also the weekend of my older son's birthday. So, we'll have a fun weekend anyway. AND, cross our fingers, we'll also be celebrating a successful court date that will be happening just a few days before we would leave to head down there!

Are there any others in blog-land who will be making the trip to Texas?

Thursday, February 28, 2008

WE HAVE A COURT DATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't think I've been more excited during this process!!! OH MY GOSH!!!

So, I'm out feeding our dogs this morning and heard the phone ringing. Wasn't in a hurry to get to it. So, as it hit it's last ring I was walking in and saw the "Unknown Caller". I KNEW!!! The answering machine picked up and I heard Mary talking.....I grabbed the phone immediately!! I told her it's Caleb's birthday today AND, of course, Mark is traveling today!!

So, court is set for March 26. She said to probably look for a call in the afternoon that day to hear how it went. It's sometime hard for her to get ahold of Belay in the morning.

But now it's prayers, prayers and more prayers till then that everything goes well the first time around!! As long as it does, I'm guessing we'll be traveling mid-April. Holy cow!!! I just can't believe how close we are to holding her!!!!

Congratulations to all the rest of the families who have also received their dates today also!!!!

YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We also received an update on her today. Travis (in-country help) has said he got her to laugh from her stuffed animal kisses. She's never done that before!!

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

I think it's my turn to vent....

Yesterday you might have thought I was doing alright. It seemed I was hanging in there. Well, today is a different story. My phone just did NOT ring today. I think my husband called this morning about 9 or 10 wondering if I minded if him and my son went fishing tonite (of course not! it's Lent and we LOVE fish!!) Then the next time it rang today was about 5:25 pm letting me know he had gotten their bait and he was now on his way home. Not a lot of emails today either. I was starting to wonder if the power was cut today (even though the tv was working). Maybe it was just the computer and phone line??

So, it has now been 6 weeks waiting for a court date today. We were originally told 3-4 weeks to get a court date, and when scheduled, it would probably be 3-4 weeks out. So we'd be looking at 2 months...roughly...till we'd travel. Obviously that is NOT gonna happen!

Mark tells me to pray for patience (he's known me for almost 10 years and should know I'm a hopeless case when it comes to patience!) I pray for Addison's safety and health and that our court date will come soon. But I pray also for my 2 wonderful boys at home. My oldest, who will turn 4 next month, tells me all the time how much he's loves Addison and asks when she'll be coming home. What do you say?!? Then my younger boy, who will turn 2 this Thursday, he recognizes Addison in her pictures. We have her pictures on our computer and he looks at them and says "sister". He may not be where Trevor is, but he knows he has a sister out there somewhere. She's just not here.

So, what do we do??? Yell? Scream? Get mad? Be patient? Wonder why? Why is it taking so long? Why has each event taken the time that it has?

I know God has a reason for us why the turn of events has happened the way it has and when they have. I still wonder why....And of course, I wonder why at this point in time also. Why is He making us wait TWICE as long as normal (and longer) for court? Why are us families missing out on time with our hopeful soon-to-be children when we would love to have them home with us to love for our lives here on Earth?

As you can tell, I had one of those days today. The boys and I made Addison's poster today. My sister-in-law had to tell me about this machine (Cricut machine) she got cuz she knows I love to scrapbook. Well, me being the sucker I am, of course I bought one! So, we used it today to make her a Welcome Home poster. We're so excited about it, but now we need the baby girl to come home for it!

Lord, please let us families get that call for our babies. Please let them join our lives soon. Let us be able to hold them and love them in person more than the special hugs and kisses we wish for them from us on the stars. Amen.

Another day down.....maybe tomorrow??

Monday, February 25, 2008

Last shots....and a good feeling?!

So, Mark and I will be getting our last shots this afternoon. The last shots in our series. I have to say I'm glad about that. Shots don't bother me, but it'll be nice to have them out of the way. And Caleb is headed back to the doc too. I think he's got sinus infection back...YUCK! I feel so bad for him, but I know after he gets his meds in him, he'll be feeling better in no time!

And my good feeling, you ask......well, I was telling Mark yesterday that I have a little bit of a good feeling for this week. I've got a decent feeling that our court might be scheduled this week. I think, cuz Caleb turns 2 on Thursday, what a perfect week to celebrate some more!! :-) I guess we'll just have to see how the days go...but we're still hoping and praying. For us and the other families in our position also.

So....here's to another week of hoping, praying and waiting.....

**************************************************************

Shots are now officially done!! One less thing we need to finish before we leave! And Caleb is already starting to feel better, which is awesome! Poor little guy had his first ear infection. But he's got his first dose of meds in him, so he's sitting pretty good now.

Oh, and 1 day down with no call......4 more this week...

Friday, February 22, 2008

Ok, one more week down

So, I think I knew earlier this week when Mary said they were hopeful court dates would be scheduled by the end of the week....I shouldn't get my hopes up. And, I didn't....although this afternoon when the phone rang between 3 & 3:3o, my heart skipped a beat till I saw it was my sister (sorry sis!).

So, Tuesday is going to be 6 weeks waiting for court to be scheduled. I was figuring we'd maybe be traveling the weekend of Easter or the following weekend, my son's 4th birthday. But, I'm starting to think, unless we get a FAST or SOON court date when it's scheduled, we may be looking at April.

From the blogs I have read, I know there are 5 of us waiting for court for sure....don't we wish there was SOMETHING we could do!!!

I guess today was just one day closer....but, again, closer to what date?!?

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Winter In Nebraska

I received this in an email today....thought it was cute. I needed a laugh!

It's winter in Nebraska, and the gentle breezes blow,
At 70 miles per hour, and at 52 below!
Oh, how I love Nebraska, when the snow's up to your butt.
You take a breath of winter air, And your nose is frozen shut.
Yes, the weather here is wonderful…I guess I'll hang around.
I could never leave Nebraska, ‘cause I'm frozen to the ground.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Another week down

I think God has given me some peace today. Although a phone call for court would have been SO awesome, I feel content knowing we get a little closer everyday. I may not know HOW close, but it's one day closer.

So, to bide my time lately, I've packed some things. I have 2 suitcases full of humanitarian aid. If we don't take extra luggage (more than the 4 for us to check) it leaves Mark and I with just one to pack our things in--the 3rd suitcase is full of Addison's items she'll need. We'll just see as time gets closer, what we decide to do. Besides what we already have packed, we really would like to take some books along as well. When we know more, I think that's when I'll start to think harder about what to do for travel.

And...Congratulations to the Atwoods!! After 3 postponed court dates, they became their baby's official parents last week!!

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Could be another couple weeks (let's hope not!)

I emailed Mary this morning regarding court, cuz Gladney is having their 120th anniversary the last weekend in March. Would love to be a part of it, but sitting in limbo at the time we are, we don't want to make any official plans till we know more of what is going on.

I think I emailed too, just cuz it's nice to see an email come in from someone at Gladney. It helps remind me that we really are in the process of an adoption. We really are trying to bring a baby girl home to join our family. And they haven't "forgotten" about us.

But the sad news is, Mary has said it seems like the courts are getting a bit behind lately :-( So, unfortunately some families haven't received a court date till 5-6 weeks! I'm really really hoping it does not take 6 weeks to get a court date! BUT, we've waited 4 already.....6 weeks is only 2 more.

But until we have a court date (and assuming it goes well the first time!!) only then will we kind of know a tentative plan of when we could be traveling. When receiving our referral, I was guessing one of the last couple weeks in March....but I'm starting to wonder if it MIGHT be April now. It would be awesome if my first instinct is right, but again, we won't know till we have that court date set.

So.....we still wait..............................

Monday, February 11, 2008

Still waiting

Wow! It's wierd and amazing all at the same time to think we received our referral 4 weeks ago tomorrow. It's amazing how much love you can hold for this precious little being thru just pictures and information on paper about them. And isn't it just amazing how much you yearn to hold them, to touch them, to rub your fingers on their cheeks so softly....

Yes, I'm starting to struggle a bit. It's been 4 weeks and no call for court yet. I wish I had my husband's patience. Even just a little bit of it. But, maybe it's a guy thing too....I don't know.

Trevor and I said LOTS of prayers during church yesterday morning...and throughout the day...praying for her to continue to be safe, healthy, and that court will come soon (like THIS WEEK!!!) I guess we'll see. I try to keep in mind that it's all in God's hands and when it happens, it's cuz that's when He wanted it to happen. But being the one that needs to feel in control (like my lovely husband tells me) and staying organized, having a plan in order.....of course, I'm constantly sitting on the edge of my seat.

It's like when you're a teenager and you are waiting in your room by the phone just hoping it'll ring and it's your boyfriend on the other end of the line......well, only this time when I'm at home praying for yet another infamous "Unknown" phone call, I just don't have the guilt this time! :-)

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Taking it one day at a time...

Nothing new with the adoption right now, so we're taking that one day at a time till our court is scheduled. Just being as patient as possible. Thanks to the Lydick family though, who leaves to come home today, for sending pictures of our hopeful baby girl. It's always a wonderful and gives a person a warm heart feeling to get ANY news or new pictures of her!

Otherwise, the boys and I are all not feeling so hot. It started with Caleb over a week ago. Then Trevor, and now me. Thinking Caleb was the worst, but really it ended up being Trevor. But we're all on meds to take care of it and hopefully will all be healthy for when the time DOES come for Mark and I to travel.

So, again, not much new. But hope the Lydick, Martin & Frey familys all have a safe trip home! And the Breedlove's to leave in a few more days...hope to have a safe trip to get their little boy!

Saturday, February 2, 2008

New blog site

I decided to change my blog over to this site from where it was at. A lot of others have their blogs here and I think it might be easier to post here when we're traveling vs the other site. Especially if we happen to post some pics.

Anyway, I spoke with Mary a couple days ago regarding our court date. She said it usually takes a full 4 weeks to be scheduled, but could be up to 5 weeks. So by that timeline, I'm guessing, hopefully the week of Valentines Day we'll find out when court will be scheduled for.