Grandma

Well my Grandma went to be with the Lord early this morning. She was a good woman, and I have lots of good memories of her. We are leaving in a little while to drive down to Alabama for her funeral.
I am so glad she got to meet my boys. She lived a good, long life, 92, and we will all miss her. But now she is with Grandpa, so I know she is smiling.
Rest in peace Grandma.

Tell it like it is Thursday

Wow, I am having one of those days. What yesterday was as a high, today has been a low. It all started at 5:45am when Anderson woke up, diaper leaked, covered in pee. I changed him, but could not get hime back to sleep. (He normally sleep until close to 9am) This apparently woke up Jack, who usually sleeps till 7ish. So I started the day grumpy and sleepy, and aggrivated Anderson woke up so early. Then I try to get him down for an early nap at 11:30. I have him asleep after rocking him, am laying him in his crib when Jack (who was supposed to be quietly watching a video) barges in his room loudly. Anderson wakes up, I about lose my temper with Jack. 30 minutes later I get a phone call from my Dad. My grandmother is dying today. He flew in from Korea a few days ago because it did not look good for her. Today it is much worse and she is having heart failure and completely unconsious. While I am trying to hear the details on the phone Jack completely throws a fit, interupts and will not be quiet so I can hear my Dad. Hang up the phone, completely lose my temper with Jack, stick him in his room for quiet time, and crumple on the floor in a crying heap. Anderson is still in his room not taking his nap as well. Some days are not good Mommy days, I guess. Now on top of being so sad about my Grandma (who is 90, and has had alzheimers for years), I feel like an awful Mom who should have had more patience with her 4 year old.
Sigh. I need some fresh air.

Good news and giveaway winners!

Well Praise the Lord. I just talked to Barker and USCIS wrote them yesterday saying we have been approved and our approval is in the mail. Barker said I should have it within the week then our paperwork will be en route to KOREA. Have had tears in my eyes since I heard the happy news an hour ago. What a major, major relief.
Today marks 7 months waiting on Leah so I think it is a fitting day to throw all the names in a hat for the winner of the sweet magnet sets. Jack drew the winners and they are: Janet and Krista! Both of these girls have cute little fellas and I love to read their blogs. Girls, just let me know if you want the Korean magnets or pick any other set off her etsy site. You can leave your address here in this comment section, and I will not publish them. CONGRATS to the winners. (had to draw two I am so excited)
Woooohoooooo what a great day!!!!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/handcraftedhope

Well

Unless my approval comes today (my sister guesses today) I am throwing all the giveaway names in a hat and drawing. Uscis wrote me yesterday and are "checking" on my file for me. I hope the "checking" produces some results. Squeaky wheel will get louder here very shortly!

What's in a name?

Well I think this is a really great story about the name we chose for our daughter. Leah is a name that I have always liked, but when Jon and Kate plus 8 first aired on TLC I really loved watching it. One of their sextuplets is named Leah, and I just always thougth she was a doll. Jon is part Korean, so all their children are part Korean. So when we decided to adopt, Leah was just my favorite name. I have the Gosselins book "Multiple Blessings", and was just skimming thru it this morning. I came accross the part where she explains her name choices. Here is what she says about picking the name Leah: "Somewhere in the naming process I remembered something from a visit at my grandparents' church. A couple had adopted a petite Asian baby girl whom they had named Leah. I smiled a I recalled her sweet and fragile "china doll" appearance. Envisioning a tiny Leah of my own, I happily wrote the third girl's name on our final list after Jon agreed." (Kate Gosselin, p.61)
HOW NEAT IS THAT? Love it!

Today

I will have a new attitude. God is in control. I have a healthy, vibrant family. We have the priveledge of knowing we are in the process to adopt a daughter. We are blessed. I will remind myself that everything happening now is leading us to our Leah. I will have my husband check the mail from here on out.
Have a great Saturday friends!

Psalm 33:11 "But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations."

(Yesterday I wrote out about 10 encouraging Bible verses on notecards and scattered them thoughout my house. This is one of them. Good for my soul.)

Friday fun

Sigh

I know my blog has been absolutely riveting lately with my constant updates about our 1-600A approval. So here is another one for you!
I talked to Barker today, and they heard back from the offices that are holding my approval up for ransom. (j/k, kinda) They told Barker they would "look into" our approval and they are currently processing people fingerprinted in March. Ummmm... we were fingerprinted in February. What in the world??? Barker told me to write the woman in charge again and put some pressure on her. BUT, be very nice, but be pushy. Hmmmm.... I have some things in mind I would like to write, but instead wrote a very nice, slightly pushy email just now. Barker says if I do not have it by next Wed. they are going to get more involved. Yipee. (excuse my sarcasm) This is just completely and utterly absurd. My fingerprits have been sitting on someones office desk for going on 10 weeks. I am so upset. Upset does not really do what I feel justice. Every day when I check the mail instant tears flood my eyes. Our paperwork just sits stagnat at Barker while someone is letting our paperwork sit still for no good reason. If 4 other people were printed after me and got their approvals within 2 weeks from other states there is absolutely no reason why almost 10 weeks later I am still checking the mail. Absolutely ridiculous. I was given a timeline from Barker of 6-8 weeks, with 8 weeks being the longest possible wait. I know it is no fault of Barkers and to some of you, me being upset about a few extra weeks may seem silly, but to me, all my hopes and dreams are tied to that approval. With that approval, our homestudy and request for our daughter can go to Korea. Without that approval, nothing happens. Everything I have prayed for for so long just sits. We can't get our daughter. So every day when I open that mail box and find a pile full of junk just reminds me of that. I fear it will never come and my prayers will never be realized. Now, I know, I am an emotional wreck at this point, and I know, every single thing in this adoption is in God's hands, in His timing. But I also know I am so in love with our little girl. I just want to be "on the list" and be waiting for her picture.
And that is what I wish I could write the woman in charge who holds the power to letting our paperwork go to Korea.

No approval yet....

So hopefully someone who guessed a date later than today will win. Tomorrow is the day Barker said I could call them to help me if I did not have my approval yet. They really thought I would have it by today. NOPE! Is it silly I just can't wait to call them in the morning?
Oh where oh where are you my dear 1-600A approval????
9 weeks and counting.....

Giveaway!!!!

Alrighty. I am tired of feeling sorry for myself that my 1-600A approval has not arrived. So I thought I would make it a little more fun for me, and you! by giving away this SWEET magnet set from Etsy. I am ordering it right now. If you are not adopting from Korea, or just want a different set, she makes some other cool magnets you can choose from instead.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/handcraftedhope

How to win: Guess the date right for when we will get our approval! Basically, it has been 8 weeks we have waited. 8 weeks is the average we should wait, according to our agency. SO, it should come in the next week. If more than one of you guesses the right day, I will put the names in a hat and draw the winner! Good luck!
(she also has neat Ethiopian magnets for those of you adopting from there!)

Eight weeks

Eight weeks today since we were fingerprinted for our 1-600A approval. If it does not come by next Tuesday, Barker (our international adoption agency) is going to be doing more to help me get it.
Pray for me. I need it. Thank goodness I am distracted my moving. This verse is keeping me going:
(Philippians 4:6-7) 6 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Easter

Here are some pictures from Easter!

Flashback Saturday

I have a bloggy friend (Elizabeth)
who has little Olive. She has Flashback Friday and I love it. So I thought I would do a little flashback Saturday. Here I am pregnant with Anderson. So fun! I was at the "not very large" stage. Maybe some day I will show the "very large" picture. Maybe. :)

We are moved into our new house. (well, sorta) We still have many things to move out of the old house but we love this new house. We are currently cooking dinner in our double oven. Lemon pepper pork chops in one and cheesy potatoes in the other. Good thing I worked out today, right? :)


Here is Elizabeth's blog: http://saintlouisfricks.blogspot.com/
(my link is not working for me tonight)

Greetings...

From the land of total chaos and utter exaustion. :)
I have been offline since Sat. and moving moving moving. I am totally exausted, but we LOVE our new place!! We still have lots to do, and I have many bog updates to catch up on. Remind me to live here forever. I never want to move again!!
It is so so awesome that Leah will have her own room now. I just keep wanting to decorate it and buy things for it, but I will just do it all in my head until we get our referral. And no 1-600A approval yet. :(
I wanted to give a quick shout out to everyone who has bought our coffee for our fundraiser for Leah. (top left of blog) THANK YOU! I do not know who buys it, only that it is being bought and we are very grateful.
I will write more later and catch up on what you all have been up to!!

But what about all my toys?

Change of plans - we are moving this weekend into our new house! No, we have not sold ours yet, but we are moving anyway. I am having a hard time with all the showings, and we are both having a hard time with Jack in our room. The boy needs his own room! :)
We went to the new house yesterday and Jack was excited, yet concerned over where his toys would go. Once we told him everything was being moved with us, he was happy.
Busy weekend for us. I am already tired!