Here we go...

We were supposed to have our first two Home Assessment meetings on the 24th and the 31st.  God sure does have an amazing plan...their is NO way that we could have done that these past two weeks.  My baby brother is getting married this Saturday and with all the things that I have to do for the wedding, I don't think that it would have gone well. 


These meetings are so very important to our adoption journey, and I know that we need to be fully focused on these three hour meetings...


Someone in our case worker's family had to have surgery, so now our first meeting is this Monday, June 4th.  Please pray for us as we start this last leg before the waiting game of being matched with a birthmother!

A Mother for Choco

Many of you know that I teach first grade.  In honor of Mother's Day, I decided to have my Guided Reading groups read the story A Mother for Choco which is a sweet story about a bird who doesn't have a mother and he searches for her.  After visiting several animals, Choco finds a bear.  Mrs. Bear hears Choco crying and asks him to tell her his story.  She asks what his mother would do if he had a mother.  Choco goes on to say that she would hold him (and Mrs. Bear does), kiss him (and she does), and sing and dance with him (which she does).  She invites him to come home with her to meet her other children and have some apple pie.  When they arrive, her other children greet him and to Choco's surprise, her children are a: pig, hippo, and an alligator.  Choco goes in and plays with the children and is happy.  On the very last page of the story, Choco says how happy he is with his new mother, no matter what she looks like.  When we read the story, I asked one group of students how that could happen...and not one understood adoption.  Once I told them about adoption, they got it.  During the next group, one of my students immediately knew that the animals were adopted.  When I asked what that meant she replied:  "when someone buys a kid because they don't have any."  Needless to say, we had LOTS of good conversations.  They were curious why Choco didn't have a mom, if his mom comes back can she have him back, and why people adopt.  It took all that I had in me not to just bust out and tell them all about how I was adopting.  See, we switch classes for Guided Reading, and I didn't feel that it was appropriate, even though I do have some of my own students in my class.  I just loved this, and it made me feel so special to make them aware of what adoption means and how it was important for them to know that when you are adopted you are really loved and that it isn't that your mother didn't love you.

Yesterday, we had our 8th annual Mother's Day Tea party in my classroom, and as always it brought tears to my eyes.  Last year, I didn't think that I would get to experience "Mother's Day" in my child's classroom, and so on.  Well as we did our program, I found myself touching my mommy necklace and smiling on the inside knowing that I am going to be a mother and get to experience all the joys of this day!

Happy Mother's Day weekend!

Sit on a TACK!

Oh man~this is a very hard post to type.  I wouldn't by any means say that I am a "holier-than-thou" girl, but I do try to live my life daily for my King.  I have been actively involved in the Women's Ministry at my church for many years, and joined the Leadership Team about four years ago.  I have loved being on the team and helping to fascilitate God's will through this ministry.  The bible studies that I have attended and taught, have changed me.  This Spring, we planned to start a new study on the book of Nehemiah by Kelly Minter.  I loved teaching her study on Ruth, and was excited about this study.  I got my book...and we are now on week 5~and I went to my first Wednesday night class since before the study started.  I have done absolutely zilch!  I am being completely vulnerable here by saying that I have put it on the WAY back burner.  I have missed it, hated not being apart of my group, but we have had a lot going on.  I am not making our adoption journey an excuse, but we have had full plates.  Honestly, I would forfeit a baby over my relationship with my Jesus.  He comes first and I want Little Miracle to feel the same way.  I am not saying that I have lived life on the wild side and gone nuts, but I haven't been as active with a daily bible study.  I know that it is SO important for every aspect of my life.  The amazing thing is that my Jesus is a loving and forgiving~and in His arms is the only place that I go and don't have to feel judged.  Thank you, Father!  When I went to our team meeting last night, one of the leaders and dear friend said that she kept thinking of me.  Another sweet friend said that tonight's video was about adoption and asked if I was staying for bible study.  I had planned on it and turning in my book since I haven't done any of the homework with the study...however I went and got my book out and said that I wanted to do the study!  When it was time for church to start I came with an open mind and heart.  This past week's lessons were on the joy of the Lord.  We sang the oldie vacation bible school song, "I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart...if the devil doesn't like it he can sit on a tack" song.  Well as far as I am concerned...he can sit on a tack.  Another sister, Ramona, heard me talking about this attack that Satan has had on my heart.  After the evening was over, just after an interview about a mother who adopted from China on the video, Ramona said that she feels led to pray with me.  I said of course and agreed that I was comfortable having all the women pray over me.  All the women in the study gathered around me a prayed a beautiful, tear-jerking prayer.  I love my church, women's ministry, and how God works purposefully in everyone.  Needless to say, I am going to get back on track, and borrow the sessions that I have missed to get caught up. 

Thanks for hearing me and maybe you will be encouraged by this post~