My Little Graduate!!

Last night my baby boy graduated Kindergarten!! I am so proud of him and ALL he has accomplished this year. This past school year has been a little rough on my little guy and his momma!! Noah's school has a very high standard of learning, which is great and is one of the reasons I chose to send him there BUT for a little guy who was used to going to preschool only 1/2 the day 4 days a week and spending a lot of his time at "school" playing this first year of real school was a HUGE culture shock for him!! I will never forget the night we went to meet his teacher and see his classroom he looked at me when we walked in and asked "Where the toys were" We have had out FAIR share of ups and downs this past school year and through it all my little man has persevered :) I could not be any prouder of how hard he has worked and how much he has grown this past school year.

I sat in the sanctuary last night just staring at him, remembering the day he was born and how the first words I heard when I woke up in recovery from an emergency C-section were "your baby is sick, he has a hole in his heart, he will need open heart surgery, he has cerebral palsy and we don't think he will make the trip to the Children's Hospital" To look at this precious miracle standing on the stage with his big dimple smile staring down at me, I sat there praising God for his life and thanking him for this wonderful gift of being his mommy!! I knew the night Noah was born God had big things in store for him and I am so happy I have a front row seat in watching those plans unfold.

Heavenly Father,
I pray Noah continues to grow in the Grace and Knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May he always shine his light for you and tell those around him of the Love Jesus has for his children.

For Your Entertainment, A Bullet Update.......

• I have been keeping myself busy the last couple of weeks, trying not to think about where my dossier currently is and when it will finally make it Ethiopia?!?!
  

• I found out yesterday that my Lifesong application has been given to a coordinator to begin the process of having it read through, so the decision can be made as to what I will be approved for? I am praying specifically for two things, but I of course appreciate any prayers that are said on my behalf. I hope to know something in the next few weeks.



• I have been getting more and more orders for my coasters!! Praise the Lord!! Just another reminder that HE is in control and HE will continue to provide for this journey HE called me to and placed on my heart years ago



• Noah is exactly one week away from graduation Kindergarten!!! Seriously my son is growing up way too fast for this momma!! He is getting so excited about summer break and I am looking forward to having every Friday off with him :) I have LOTS of fun ideas and short trips planned for us this summer. There is a great Children's Museum about 3 hours away from us that I plan on taking him to and of course Noah can not wait for the pool to open!!



• I started a new summer bible study at church this week and I am SO excited about how God will use this to grow in my walk with the Lord. The study is all about how to study God's word, which is something I have always been interested in. I am toying with the idea of posting weekly updates on what I am learning, because let's face it, the more we know about how to truly study God's word, the clearer he can speak to us through scripture. I would love to know if any of you are interested in a weekly post like that?



• A sweet friend of mine went home to be with the Lord very unexpectedly last Friday. She leaves behind a husband and little boy who is 2. I sat in shock when I found out on Saturday. I had just been texting back and forth with her a few days prior and just like that she was gone! While I know she is with her King, I am sad for her family who is left here without her. Such a hard reminder that we never know when the Lord will call us home. One thing I learned from her was to not stress about things in life, because God will always work things out, just as he tells us in his word. Romans 8:28 spoke to me a lot over this past weekend while I struggled to understand why her son will have to grow up without his mommy. While my friendship with her was short, she touched my life in many ways and gave me life lessons that I will always carry with me. I am blessed to have known her.



• I have been going back and forth about a blog post that a few people have been encouraging me to write lately. Mainly for those in the adoption community, to help encourage those who may have found or currently find themselves in a situation as I was in last year when I announced that I was adopting. Please pray that I will have peace about my decision as to write it or not.



• I am getting re-baptised in a few weeks!! More details on that later :) Just pray!! This is huge and a little overwhelming for me!!

That's all for now :) Midnight is drawing near and my alarm will be going off before I know it. Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday!!! Thank you to those of you who have ordered coasters!! I wish I could personally thank each of you!! Your support is a huge blessing to my adoption journey to bring my little guy home to his forever family!!

What We Do While My Dossier Is Traveling The World

It has only been a week and already Noah is asking me when we are going to get a picture of his baby brother :) Other big news, yesterday I mailed off my application to Lifesong For Orphans. I am praying that I get approved for both an interest free loan and approval for the Both Hands project that you can learn about here

I would love it if you would join me in praying that there is a quick turn around for my Lifesong application as well as my dossier. Last I heard it was in Utah being authenticated and it's next stop should be DC :) One step closer to getting to Ethiopia!! There are no words for the many different emotions I have been experiencing lately!!

Happy Wednesday :)

Guess What?!?!

I can't believe I haven't blogged in a couple of weeks!! I have been meaning to post an update but between work, getting Noah ready to graduate kindergarten :) and taking care of other stuff I just have not been able to find time to sit down and blog!! There has been a little something taking up all my free time but I would not have it any other way because...................................


That's right!!!!!! My dossier is officially on it's way to Ethiopia!!!!! Praise God and his faithfulness!!!!! God has overwhelmed me these last couple of weeks on just how much his hand is in this adoption!!!!

Last Saturday I had my first yard sale fundraiser and let me tell you God blew me away with how he provided for this adoption. I made almost $500 and I have so much left over from all the donations I got that I am having another yard sale this Saturday!!! I am so thankful for wonderful friends, some who I have only known a couple of months who were so generous in giving donations.

I love watching at all the ways God continues to show his presence through out this journey. Last Sunday at church a sweet elderly lady who I don't know, walked up to me and took my hand and told me she heard I was adoption and she wanted to bless me. After she walked away I looked in my hand and she had placed $60 in my hand!! What may have seemed like a small gift to her was such a huge blessing to me. Of course those who know me, you know I broke down in tears :) I tell ya, all you have to do is mention the word adoption to me these days and I get tears in my eyes!! Such a humbling experience, to be chosen by God to go on this journey that will bring Noah and I together with his little brother and my little boy!!!

With my dossier on it's way to Ethiopia, I am now becoming a crazy lady trying to work on raising the funds that will be needed at the time of my referral. I am still selling coasters, just click on the button on the left or feel free to e-mail me at ethiopiaminueone@gmail.com and I have a couple of other ideas running wild in my head and we'll see how they pan out :)

Thank you all for your prayers and support!! You will never know how much they mean to me!!