Closing out 2008, Reflecting on our Adoption Journey

I changed our blog background to ladybugs because ladybugs are good luck symbols in adoption. All of my adoption community friends are nodding their heads and smiling because it is a good luck charm adoptive parents come to know. Since we are now closing out 2008 and a little more than a full year from the beginning of our paper chase/homestudy process to now being #10 on the wait list, we are eager for the exciting and magical things 2009 promises to bring---namely our daughter home to us. . . so ladybugs are on order!!!

Adoption is not something people fall into by accident. It is such a long and arduous and costly and emotional and trying process, that only the strongest, most determined make it to the finish line. And,many people are stopped short at various points in the process due to the rigorous standards and constant changes that go hand-in-hand with the adoption journey. I have heard many times that adoption is not for the faint of heart. That is true. It takes great faith, diligence, planning, optimism and patience to walk this road, and sometimes even then can end in heartbreak. But, I cling to the belief that when the time is right (I believe in God's timing), the diligence is rewarded---and the reward is something that cannot be measured in earthly measurements. The reward will go straight through your heart to the depths of the soul intertwining lives together, fulfilling purpose, completing families, making a difference and changing every life touched by the adoption.

The road that led Geoff and me to adoption began over a year ago---but really long before that--long before we even knew we were being called to adopt to complete our family. And, every day has been preparing us since then. Even the delays and heart-aches along the way. Every person arrives at the decision to adopt from different places--but the end result is the same. A child comes home and a family is created.

I look forward to the beautiful things 2009 brings---to our family and to the countless others I've met along this journey. And, my hope is that the other 143 million orphaned children in our world will also come to know their families.

Thank you for following, and hopefully soon there will be exciting referral news for our JOH families. I will post as soon as news occurs!

Happy New Year!

Dancing Lights at Calloway Gardens

Geoff had a good time playing with light on the trolley ride through the Christmas light displays at Calloway. The ride was so bumpy, that it was nearly impossible to get any clear shots--so, he made the most of it and actually liked the result! Kind of crazy and abstract, but amazing what the camera saw on a slow shutter speed. Hope you have fun looking!

Fairy that brings spring

This one is my favorite! I think it may have been an angel.

This is the shot of Snowflake Valley with a fast shutter speed

Snowflake Valley at a slow shutter speed
Gorgeous tree covered in lights reflecting off the lake

Our first adoption purchase!

We bit the bullet and purchased this decor for our nursery! We are so excited!!! This is our first purchase for our adoption. We are still #10 on our waitlist, but when we found this nursery, we couldn't resist!!

Inoticed the full picture doesnt' show up for me unless I click on the mousepad and click on "view image". Then the full picture appears--if you want to check it out!
I'll be posting more pictures from Christmas soon, so keep checking back :-)

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for following our journey!

Holiday Angels and Christmas Luaus!!!

What an exciting few days it has been! We closed "Best Christmas Pageant Ever" yesterday after 29 performances! Anna Grace was a lovely angel in the angel chorus. She enjoyed posing for these pictures ;-)

And, today was the day of Anna Grace's birthday luau! What a good time we had. Anna Grace's "Yaya" flew in from Asheville, NC and "Mama B" made a trip into town . Here are a few memories from our special day.

Merry Christmas everyone! And, thanks for reading. . .

December Days

Anna Grace and her daddy went exploring at a local camp site!!

Throwing stones in the creek is so much fun!

Sweet girl

Anna G. and her daddy went to the walk-through living Nativity. It was very cold, but they had cookies and hot chocolate. . . mmmmm.

Today was the close of "Amahl and the Night Visitors". I hear we had a special guest attend out show today. . . Patsy Riley!!! How exciting! It feels great to finish a great run and have my evenings with my family back again.

Now, we have a few days to get ready for Anna Grace's "Ya-ya" to come into town, get ready for our Christmas Birthday Luau this Saturday and then Christmas!!!

JOH hasn't had any referrals yet this month. . . I'm hoping for big Christmas referral surprises in the next couple of weeks!

Congratulations to Michelle and Byron Couey (my other Alabama buddies) who just arrived home with their baby girl, Brooke, from Taiwan only yesterday!!

Thanks for reading and following along. . .

What a crazy December! :-)

Well, there is no exciting new adoption news for our family at this point this month. Our latest news is the crazy show schedule Anna Grace and I have. AG is in the Children's Theatre production with me (5 days a week--twice a day----oh. . . . and 2 Saturday matinees), and I am also in an opera"Amahl and the Night Visitors" as the role of the mother. It is an amazing story with beautiful music. It is a beautiful show--not flashy, but beautiful in the message, the story and the music. It runs 2 weekends. So, all in all, I'm performing 7 days a week--sometimes 3 times a day!!! Anna Grace is a little less (but not much). Whew, we are having a great time, but it is very tiring. We both realize that by this time next year, we won't be able to hold that kind of schedule (when we have a little new member of our family :-). But, in the meantime, it is a great way to pass the time as we wait for the phone to ring.

On the other hand, we have many friends from our agency who are now in Taiwan traveling to bring their babies home!!! Congratulations, Michelle! There are so many others too---it is wonderful that so many families are being brought together just in time for the holidays :-)

I will have some pictures from our performances and Christmas fun to post soon!

Thank you for continuing to follow along our journey! Hopefully, we will have more exciting news to report soon :-)

Have a great weekend!

A Jam-Packed December!!

Well, it is already December, and with it comes LOTS of excitement! Hopefully, there will be many more referrals this month for JOH families. We had such a slew last month, here's hoping for another one like that. If we keep going at that rate, we could have our referral by February!! How thrilling that would be.

In the meantime, Anna Grace and I are opening "Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever" this week, and I'm opening a second show at the same time, "Amahl and the Night Visitors". It's pretty grueling having two shows going at once. But, it has been a great deal of fun too!!! It is truly a blessing to be able to do what you love to do and use your gifts and talents in such an amazing community of professionals--continuing to grow on so many different levels. It's so important to continue to grow throughout life--and how awesome it is to be able to do it alongside my daughter!!!

Not only are we juggling two shows. . . Anna Grace turns 6 this month too!!!! Boy, does time fly. I can't believe little AG is already 6! Her actual birthday is Monday, but we are having her party on the 20th. Brace yourselves . . . we are having a Christmas Birthday Luau. Anna Grace wants to do the Limbo, the hula and have a coconut race. She has it all planned out :-) That's my girl!!

Of course, I haven't forgotten Christmas in the midst of all of these things. This Christmas we have so much to be thankful for. . . the family we have, the job Geoff has (while so many are without), the wonderful opportunities to use our gifts, our health-----and the hope and eagerness that the new year brings. We know that by the time our Christmas tree goes up next year, we will have another precious member of our family. So, this year we celebrate all that we are and all that we have right now and the beautiful changes to come. . .

Have a wonderful Christmas season, and I will post as I have pictures and news to share along the way! Thank you for reading :-)