Gladney

So during this tediously slow process, we have gone full circle. We will be using Gladney to facilitate this adoption, after weeks of thinking otherwise. There will be some twists and turns that are unfamiliar to us and Gladney, as we both blaze a new trail, but I am excited to be a part of that.

I am also actually excited to finally start the paperwork process. Others have promised that it is much easier the second time around. Sure hope they weren't playing some cruel joke (coffeemom???).

So, I am thankful for so many things, but now have an added thanks that we and Gladney are again walking down this road together to bring our child home.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

Plug for Peder Eide

Okay, so the concert was Thursday night, and it was so well done. Peder Eide has a wonderful adoption story, and such a passion for adoption and orphan awareness. He is the father of 5, three bio kids and two adopted, the most recent one, a beautiful little boy from Ethiopia. My kind of guy!

So, if anyone out there has thoughts about doing their own benefit/orphan awareness concert, I would definitely recommend contacting him. His music is great and he is a ton of fun. Lots of kids were at the concert, too, and if our own kids are a measuring stick, the kids love him. We got 2 of his CD's and the kids have been singing his music all over the house for the last 2 days.

Peder Eide's Compassion video:



Hey, on a side note, if you have a spare minute, you are welcome to swing by and help us rake up our leaves....

concert and stuff

This Thursday, we are part of a benefit concert, that is all about orphan awareness and adoption as an option.

Cool coincidence. The concert organizers, Michelle and Chris, were dreaming and throwing out concert ideas, when they went to a concert on the waterfront at one of our beach towns this summer (seriously, you must visit Michigan in the summer, the beaches and big lake are truly spectacular). Michelle told her husband, Chris, she thought he should approach one of the artists about singing at our concert. Chris said, basically, not unless he got a clear nudge from God. Then the artist, Peder Eide, shared a little of his own story, and that he just returned from adopting a little boy from Ethiopia one week ago!!! Uh, Chris, I think that's your nudge. So, now Peder Eide is going to sing and share his story. Michelle then called us about a day after we made our decision to adopt L'il B, letting us know that she heard it through the grapevine we might be adopting again. Hey, that is one amazing grapevine. So, we are one of five local families in the process of adopting from Ethiopia that are part of this event. I am getting excited, but have to be honest that Farmboy and I are wondering if 20 or 1000 people will attend. We'll see. Ah, another place to trust God. He is ALL about that, I am learning.

On the home front.

We painted CJ's and Jambo's room and the twins had the opportunity to sleep together during the painting. Isn't the drool spot just darling? Oh, and this is a double bed, but they certainly didn't need it.

The twins are now 5!

Can you just imagine how beside yourself you would be if this was your very first birthday celebration EVER and you were old enough to really get it like these two??? They already had two chances to endure, I mean celebrate, a sibling's birthday and were SO ready for their own.

Zgirl just turned 11 and I had the privilege to take her and her 3 friends to the mall and to High School Musical 3. A friend went with me, to make the evening fun for all. This is her own work of art.

Halloween -- Farmboy and I greatly appreciate all the hard work the kids did to supply our sweet tooth when the little ones are in bed. Is this how it works in all families, because I do sometimes feel a tad guilty for all of our sneakiness. Sorry kids, I just really don't understand where the Reeses and Hershey's went, but there are still plenty of smarties, suckers and jolly ranchers.... You kids are SO lucky I don't like Snickers.

more waiting....

I thought this time around, the waiting would be much easier. I mean, we actually kind of like the time to continue adjusting while we get ready to bring another little one into our home.

But there are different waits this time.

We wait to get L'il B into a new orphanage. The new orphanage is the best place for her while in Ethiopia, but there are a couple paperwork glitches, so she can't move there yet. This we have been waiting on since Oct. 1.

We wait to start working with our new agency, AAI out of Washington. Yes, we LOVE Gladney, but AAI is also a great agency and works specifically with the new orphanage, so we have to make the change. But until L'il B is at the new orphanage, we have to wait for AAI to officially begin working with us. So no dossier paperchase, yet. Hey, maybe that is a good thing....

We wait for our homestudy to be completed. Our homestudy worker injured her arm, so can't type right now. Hmmm, I'll type it for her, and give a glowing recommendation.

Well, the best waiting to do is . . . . waiting on the LORD. Really, what else can we do?