Sneak Peek...

My mom is begging for a sneak peek. So I am taking a MUCH needed 15 minute break to give her (and you) one.

Abby's room is too cute. It makes me happy. She loves it too!

The guest room makes me smile too. I love the colors. Not finished... sneak peek, remember?

Our room is like a gym to us! We just walk in and smile. Then we sprint back and forth for a small work out.

And this sitting area off to the side is such a bonus... I have great plans!

Master Bath: I know you all are going to want to run out and get this wall paper! It can't get it torn down fast enough... seriously... walking through gives you a headache!

The living room open to the kitchen was one of our favorite parts when we looked at the house, although we have about 50 favorites now.

The kitchen... remember... sneak peek!

And lastly... my precious one with poison ivy all over her face... such sadness.

We were VERY blessed to have great help for our move. It was a hard one. It rained. It's still raining. NOTHING was broken! NO ONE was hurt. Don did get bitten by something and his leg swelled up badly. And of course Abby found some poison ivy somewhere. But other than that and MANY aching muscles... we are here. We are giddy with delight at the house God has blessed us with. Just being in the open spaces with higher ceilings makes us feel different! Don't the Chinese have a term for that!?

Our social worker came out today and did our interview and home tour. She'll have it to us tomorrow. We are "supposed" to head to Florida on Monday now and get Marc on Tuesday evening. Prayers are much appreciated.

I'll be back with more highlights and details. Much love...

OH!!!!! Much love and a shout out to our friends, Jamie and Donna, who brought us over TWO meals tonight! Chicken Parmesean, penne pasta, fresh salad, fruit salad, shredded chicken stuffed bell peppers with rice and home made chocolate chip cookies! It was a HUGE blessing and the PERFECT house warming gift during this busy and crazy time. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

And* So sorry I missed you all Candi... got your message this morning on my cell phone! My brain was dead and very full and we were cleaning the old house until Monday morning. Come back now! Or soon... we owe you!!!! Love you.

Officially Sold and Closed!

Today we officially sold and closed on our house and purchased our new one. Tomorrow, we officially start moving. Tonight, the packing continues and the pizza consuming begins! It may be a while...

A Crib is Coming Soon...

We found out today that the adoption was not stopped by the birth father. After 30 days of waiting, that door is closed. It has opened the door for us to move forward in the adoption of our new little one!

After such a disappointment the first go around, and then staying in a "safe" place for these past 30 days... it hardly feels real that this is going to happen.

Our home study interview will be updated next week after we move at the end of this week.

We are hoping it will be final and in order by the end of next week and to travel to FL the beginning of the first week of June.

WOW. Please pray for his heart. Please begin to pray he will be able to see and feel our love for him. Please pray for him as his entire world is about to change. Thank you. We'll keep you updated!

Moving Forward...?

Our buyers have loan approval. What a blessing. What a time of being stretched. We are now scheduled to close next week. However, the realtor of the house we are buying doesn't want to come on the day we have chosen. He has a closing in Atlanta at 1 p.m. that day and does not want to come down here later and have to deal with traffic... seriously... will it EVER end?

So we will continue to work on that one. Yesterday was also the last day the birth father could "respond" to the papers he was served. We should know by at least next Tuesday if he registered or not. Our home study expires tomorrow. It can not be updated until we move and are in the new house. So IF he did not register, and IF it happens, our little one may be coming to join us the first week of June.

So, Monday I will resume packing and see if we can go over and clean the house we are moving into so that on moving day it is all ready. I am updating home study paperwork today, reading to Abby's class, and doing laundry.

By the way, Abby has gone a month now without a seizure... and we are rejoicing for that blessing! Have a wonderful and blessed weekend.

Trying to Focus... refocus I should say

"Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, And My right hand has stretched out the heavens; When I call to them, They stand up together." Isaiah 48:13~

Read that again. Close your eyes and imagine... "they stand up together." Isn't that powerful?

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength." Isaiah 40: 28, 29~

Yes. I do know. Yes. I have heard. Yes. I have lost sight. Yes. I am weary. Yes. I am weak. Yes. I need your strength. I need your power. I need your patience. I need your peace.



It has been a long weekend. Not only did we not close, the sellers and realtor of the house we are wanting/trying/hoping to buy are dragging their feet and won't give us an extension on the contract. Our hardwoods were put in and are absolutely gorgeous. We are wondering/worrying/fearing that the realtor may be considering selling it to someone else since it looks so good now. Just the thought makes my stomach turn.



Amid all the ninety phone calls and emails and pacing... I am finding it very hard to focus on anything else. The fact my house is packed makes it even harder. We are already having to break into them! But I need to focus on who my God is and what He has promised me. I have to try and refocus on what's really important and what is not. This is my prayer today... "Oh Lord, my Father, Creator, and Redeemer, Let me focus on your character, your truth, your knowledge and your sovereignty and let you lead and walk me through this very uncertain time."



Do you like my roses? Fly Boy brought them to me for Mother's Day. They were/are so very beautiful, colorful and shapely. I played with my camera and took about 20 or so pictures of them and Abby asked me, "Why do you keep taking their picture Mommy?" It was pretty funny.

She and Fly Boy also took me to lunch after church and then to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra! It was a wonderful day and was so nice to be out of this house and to have a mind break. We were greeted with bad news about the house just one hour after getting home at 6 p.m. At least the afternoon was peaceful!

"Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth; The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together..." Isaiah 40: 4, 5~

We continue to wait, pray, and refocus.

Seriously in Need of a GREAT MOTHER'S DAY!

We are not closing tomorrow.

(red ones)
Yeah, problem with our buyer's loan.

(purple headband)
90% of my house is packed.

(silver)

And we're having hardwoods put down in the "new house" today.

(size 6)

We may know tomorrow if it's going to work

out to close in a few weeks or not.

(purple one)

And now the timing totally messes up the

possible adoption timing.

So, I am in need of a seriously good Mother's Day!

My shopping spree can be found at http://www.garnethill.com/

Sad and No Steam Left

We close in two days. I have been packing for a week and a half. I should be packing now. I dream of packing. Then I wake up and am taped up inside a box! Ha... kidding... there's no tape!

It is so strange to be excited and sad at the same time. It takes a lot of energy actually. My home has turned into a warehouse with boxes stacked up high along random walls and disorder everywhere. My heart is gently and quietly sad. Everytime I look out my kitchen window at my roses in the BEST bloom ever, I am sad. It's like they are begging me to stay. "Look, we'll bloom like crazy for you... and brighter than ever!", they proclaim as they sway back and forth in the wind. And my maple trees are bigger than ever... so lush and green... full of new precious leaves.

Yesterday was my last Tuesday here, today is my last Wednesday. This house has seen a lot of
life in the five years we have been here. This is the house where we almost lost Abby. This is the house where God so graciously touched and restored her. This is the house where I taught her to walk again. This is the house where Lodie lived and died and is buried in the back yard under a little dogwood tree. This is the house where for just a few days I knew what it was like to be pregnant... where I jumped up and down with friends in the sunroom to celebrate. This is the house where I cried and grieved when it was gone. This is the house where my marriage was hanging by a tattered thread. This is the house where it was so abundantly restored. This is the house where I have lived longest since graduating from high school. This house is on a small cul-de-sac next to two sets of dear friends. This house is my home. This is the house I am boxing up.

Having sad all these sad things, I know we are making a good move. And I know that I will quickly make our new house our home. It will be ok. It will be better than ok.