Saturday, August 31, 2013

Someone is a very happy camper...

Notice anything different about this little girl?

 
 


She needed an accessory to help her looks match her future medical profession, you know...

No, not really.  She really did need glasses!  Not long ago at her routine visit to Dr. Aaberg, we discovered that this girl can not see the letters on the chart.  Well, she can see the big E, and maybe one or two lines down, but that's about it.  So... the excitement around here was palpable as we went to another eye doctor for a more detailed exam and ordered the glasses...and waited for them to be made in the lab... and waited some more because someone made  a mistake and forgot to put in the order.  Every day she was asking me to call Mr. Don, the glasses man, and ask if they were ready!

Finally, the big day came!




 
 
We just think she looks positively adorable!  And Sarah is so, so happy to have glasses.  AND, they come with a CASE!  ;)  If you were here, the first thing she would say to you would be, "Do you like my glasses?" 
 
 
In case you are wondering, no, her need for glasses didn't have anything to do with her cancer treatments.  Even before she was diagnosed when we had her eyes checked, the doctor had told us she would need them someday.  Well, that day is now. 
 
And in other news...  we got the very last document we needed back from the government, so we are that much closer to getting this stack of paperwork off to China.  We are coming as fast as we can, sweet Corrie!
 
 

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Family Camp!

Remember I said that this summer we've been doing fundraisers and Family Camp?  Well, since I've already shared enough about fundraisers, I thought I'd post some pictures of Family Camp, too.  They are more interesting than fundraising pictures!   

 Duncan, the donkey, up close and personal :)
 
 Sarah's favorite thing--swimming!
 
 Got that ball in the hole!
 
 Critter catching...
 
 Target shooting
 
 Great shots!
 
So happy because she got to go on the high ropes course!
 
 Daddy helping when she got stuck
 
 She did so great!
 
 
 And the best part--the zip line!
 
 Sailing our cardboard ship!
 
 Fishing
 
 Of course, our nurse, Sarah, would find the crutches!
 
 Getting ready to go fishing on the back lake with Dad
 

 We had a blast!


Friday, August 23, 2013

Longing...

I know...it's the middle of the day.  I should be doing any one of a million different things right now.  But instead, I am sipping a cup of coffee and writing a blog post, because today...  I just need to share my feelings!  (We girls and our feelings, right?) :)

I saw this picture of Corrie today.

 
 
Yes, I know it's really a picture of the adorable sweetie in front.  But honestly when my eyes first hit the picture, they immediately went to the little girl in the background.  That cute little pink bathing suit.  Her head tilted to the side.  In an instant this mommy's heart didn't even see the picture's true subject.  She only noticed her little girl.   And that heart just melted into a puddle inside.
 
It is hard to be in the adoption process.  The wait stretches on and on.  You see the photos.  You long for your child.  My mind wanders throughout the day.  Is she happy?  I know she is loved where she is, and for that I am thankful.   But still I wonder, is she getting enough hugs and snuggles?  Is she sick?  Does she have bad dreams?  Even if she is completely happy and secure, still I long to be there.  To scoop her up in my arms and bring her home. 
 
For now, I endure the helpless feeling of missing someone you've not yet met.  Sweet baby, I can't wait to meet you.... 

 
 




Monday, August 19, 2013

Quick update...

Just a quick update since I've been leaving you hanging for so long...

Our summer in a nutshell:

The kids swam,
we did fundraisers,
and more fundraisers,
and cleaning up after fundraisers,
and we went to Family Camp.

That's about it. 

And we had a setback in our adoption process. :(  We had to do an update to our homestudy...it's a long story.  But, I am remembering that God already knew all about it, and He is not wringing His hands.  Just trusting and resting and knowing that He loves Corrie even more than we do.  His timing is always right, even when we can't imagine that it is. 

Sometimes He does really cool things like what happened the other day while we were at Family Camp.  One of the days, a couple and their grandchildren were visiting their niece and her husband who was preaching in the chapel that week.  This couple's daughter is a facebook friend of mine who has met and loves Corrie, and she became my online friend when she found out about us and our upcoming adoption.  Well, one of the granddaughters there had been with her parents in Corrie's baby home and had met her, too.  It was such a blessing to talk to someone about Corrie who has loved on her in person!  And it was fun sharing stories with the grandparents about our visits to China, since they had been there, too.  It's just so neat how God orchestrates things and puts people in other people's paths.  It was definitely the high-lite of my week!

So, we press on and wait for the government to move us to the next step in the process, and know that someday soon the ache in my heart when I see that precious girl's face will change to joy!

If you feel led to help us with our adoption expenses, you can go to this link.  Thanks so much...