Country Living...

Yep, sometimes it's at it's best! We really don't live in the country..just three miles out of town. But we do have our own sewer and water well. I am thankful that we have hook up to natural gas with the city. Anyway, I am really a city girl at heart! But God had His own plans..we live about two and a half miles from my parents. So we can take care of my grandmother and help my dad out with yard work and such. Which is a huge blessing!!!! (But, my mom and God have always known I wanted to live close to my parents.)

All the rambling leads me to this..if you are weak in the stomach..better not read any farther! Last night Dan found a little bit of water in the furnace room area..as he was investigating I pulled the plug on Kristina's bath water..yep, you guessed it..we had a clog! OH! MY! So all evening I was scrubbing the floor. Can I say I LOVE Clorox!! It was late when I was done. My family knows what a freak I am with Clorox! Learned that from my mother!! :)

Dan and I sleep just beyond that area..and it was smelling okay..had the windows open. (God gave us a great evening of COOL temperatures!!) Thank you God! Such a huge thing! After "sleeping" for about an hour or so..the Clorox smell was a wee bit powerful! So we went up and laid in the living room. I did not sleep..too many things running in my head..and praying!! No crying though..wee bit too tired for that! :)

This morning Kristina and my grandmother got up early! Of course! :) Asked my grandma to make "oatman" and I read a color book with Kristina. She is having a little trouble with some colors. So as we were eating I remembered something from a long time ago..and I just burst out laughing!!

Ready..here's more of the weak stomach part. Since I grew up just a few miles from here I also grew up with a sewer and well. But as a girl..who paid attention to that? Not me, or until on winter night about 1984. My dad called me and one of my sisters outside..no clue why. It was night time..well he wanted to go fishing. Little did I know it was in the outside sewer tank. Our system was backed up. Maybe a frozen pile of Oak leaves..something like that. He made two long poles with nails on the end. So, as the oldest at home, I laid down with my face right over the hole..I was able to "fish" something out. As I was raising it up very close to my face, I realized it was a dead frozen CAT!! Oh, did I SCREAM!! So loud and blood curdling that my mom and other sister froze inside and did not want to come out to see what happened.

It is now a HUGE joke..and when something icky happens..we always remember that! So, I am SO thankful to God for an easy fix for us last night! We are having our tank emptied this morning..any time now! God is so good, He takes care of us like a father on earth does. But, God is so much better..and can see way beyond a "human" father. God knows and has known me from way before I was in my mom's tummy. Sometimes I just marvel at that. God knows everything! How I am going to handle the dead cat's and the miracle times as well!! :) I told my mom this morning I was DEAD tired. But, just as I said that..God whispered in my ear..the joy of the Lord is my strength! So, I am going to Clorox one more time and rinse and put back my painting supplies.

Just thought I would share.. Aren't you all glad! The tank is emptied and now to get on with my day. :)

Praying and crying...

I have been doing so much crying and praying that I think my eyes hurt as much as my heart! There have been many families and many children that I have been praying for. I have even started to cry when families are united with children.

My heart hurts is not a bad thing..I trust God in the lives of the children and their families or families to be. It's to me just a reminder to pray..and trust God! In fact their is a little girl being adopted that is from the same town as our son! That is good news!

Sometimes it is hard to think about governments in a positive way. It just seems like they don't get it..that is all over the world. The children get caught up in the red tape..why? Beats me. I have read several blogs that are going through trying times. So I pray, think of the families, think of the children. My brother thinks that I need to find something else to do. :) Too emotional for him I guess. :)

There is one little boy that has been waiting for a family for which seems like FOREVER! He was waiting when we were adopting Kristina. I will call him Victor and he is from an Eastern Europe country. He is a sweet boy with some mental delays. The country is relatively "easy" to adopt from. Look at him..pray, pass along the info!

He will be one child that I will be advocating for!! And continuing to pray for a family for him! God does miracles..maybe a forever family will be found for him? God has Victor in His hands and loves him very much. He created him and knows his future..every hour, minute, and second of it! He is such a cutie pie! I will just pray...

What a week!!!...

We had such a busy week! It started on Sunday with a Go Fish concert. They are a Christian music group geared for kids! It was awesome!! Kristina LOVED it! She has listened to their music from day one of coming to America! If you have the chance to go..then GO!! Check out their website... http://www.thegofishguys.com/om

Our VBS this year was the curriculum that the Go Fish guys created. Back to the Bible! It was really cool to see the little kids get excited about learning about God. I worked the preschool-kindergarten age. Kristina was in a different class. I thought that would be better for her. More experience listening to other adults.. The first day my little heart was sad.. Pathetic I know! :) Wonder what the first day of school will be like...we won't talk about leaving her behind when we get Jovan. Makes me emotional just thinking about it.

That was our whole week.. Busy! I painted Jovan's room on Friday. I had started it a while ago and the paint color was horrible!! Dark and had a pinkish hue to it. Now, it is a light cream color..matches a color in his comforter. Still stuck on the walls..to add the cars/trucks and such. but I have time..everything else is ready. Clothes, toys, and yesterday I bought some pajama's. That is one thing he did not have. So I got him a few pairs.

I have a ton of pictures.. Before the concert we were the second family waiting in line..

Smiling with "her" Go Fish Dvd! And singing along with her light stick..

Posing on stage! :) Getting her shirt signed after the concert!

Her new best bud Taylor... Some of the kids dancing and singing to Go Fish!

My little girl at VBS!.... Kristina and her teacher Miss Stephanie

I can never get the pictures and the words right..but you can figure it out! :)

Brown...

What is the color brown? It is my daughter's favorite color! She always colors with it!! I was thinking about the color..to me it is my children's eyes. To look in them and to have them look back with love. Eyes are the window to your soul.. I have one child to look in her eyes and she can look back and see my love. I have one child that I can look at his picture..searching his brown eyes, but they are unable to look back.. Unable to know that his mommy is wanting to look deep into his brown eyes, to show him mommy's love that I have for him. I can not wait for the moment he can look into my eyes and see my love...

Brown to me also is like a melting pot..all colors mixed together. All races, all kinds of people, all kinds of disabilities..maybe God's favorite color is brown too?

Preparing...

We have been getting a few things done..and getting back into our "normal" routine since the hospital and the H1N1 "attack"! Oh my, we survived and Kristina is great! She has a little scar where the central line was..but that will go away I am sure.

Jovan's bed is up..I have been going back and forth about painting his room..and now I am leaning to yes I can. Just wish I could do fancy work like on HGTV! :) But, bottom line he has a bed and covers! :) And it's so heart softening to know he will be home soon?

Remembering two years ago..how far was I in the preparing process? Kristina's case was a little different..a HUGE walk of faith! Two months was the notice we got before we traveled. I looked at my notes today. I am much farther along! :) Dan keeps telling me that we are NOT taking as much as we did before. Little does he know I got those bags that you squeeze out the air and so now I can pack LOTS! :) My family and friends know that I always pack a little extra, and sometimes it's a good thing too!

Since Kristina is going to start Kindergarten this year we are not going to take her, I have to prepare my family in how to take care of her. Just had a great idea! Make a DVD for them!! My mom will love that! The "boys" are easy! My grandmother said she would love to take care of Kristina. :) We should be set..but I can't yet imagine leaving her. I will have to take LOTS of pictures before we leave..

I have a question..in my preparing I have been thinking about the plane ride back. Because of Jovan's legs..I don't know if the seat belt is going to fit him well enough for the long trip. So, the travel agent suggested a car seat..any ideas? We also wondered about a stroller/back pack..

Any suggestions would be AWESOME! We bought a stroller for Kristina while we were there..so many thoughts..

Better go..my supper idea didn't work and I have a VBS prep meeting tonight. YEA!!! Can't wait!

Here she is a couple of days after being home..her smile is completely back!!

So pokey...

I have been so busy getting Kristina and daddy back into "real" life that I have not taken the time to update on her.

She arrived home on Monday afternoon. Long story... But, she is home and in my care! :) I will post a bit our experience later.

Just wanted everyone to know that she is home and doing okay.

She seemed to have aged while in the hospital ! But, thankfully she is getting back in the swing of things! :)

Ode to...

My husband! I know I have done this before..but I am married to the greatest guy in the whole wide world!! The best part is that God gave him to me as a gift! To have forever! (that is until God wants him back!)

He is so kind, loving, sensitive, funny, HELPFUL, a godly man, good listener, good cook, and is the best daddy too! I counted the days since he has been home..eight nights! Kristina and he have been gone for eight nights! And will be gone for another at least four more. Who has been with my daughter the whole time? My hubby! :) You ask why not me..I got hurt at work and need to sleep in a regular bed.. My husband slept in a recliner until two nights ago..then the nurses gave them a room with a "bed" for daddy. He has only said something once! And that was about his back.

I am so THANKFUL to God for him!! And I miss him very much...

Aren't they cute? Praying they can come home soon!!! Please God!

Patient Update...

Yesterday I was going to post..sat down in the chair with the "boys". (Calvin and Cooper) And fell asleep! Guess I was tired. So, I now am going to post..

She has an infection Pseudomonas..and it not going away. But her doctors are surprised that her lungs look so good. Remarkable they said. God is good!! My last post was a little down..sometimes that happens. I know God is in control! So, now I try to think of positive things before the icky things..and wow it really makes me think.

I am going to post a few pictures..

She is such a blessing from God!! And I thank Him very much!! She has such a glow about her that draws people in..so we share about how God was so gracious and allowed us to be her forever parents! Thank you God!! She is very perky this morning! Dan found out she will be in another five days. Uffda! :)