Pictures while we wait........

 

I don't know these people...

 

but I am so grateful to them for loving this little girl. 

 

And I can't wait until we can take their place! 

 

 

Peru!

So, in all my excitement about Corrie, I haven't spent much time talking about other exciting things in our family...one of which is that our Cassandra left in May to spend two years (at least) in Peru, where she is volunteering in a children's home.  She is loving those kids, and she truly amazes us with her ability to adapt the way she has. We are so proud of her, and the children there are absolutely precious. I will post more about that when I have more time, but my hubby was able to go visit her this past week, and he came home today!  Here are some of my favorite pictures from his time there...

 He knows how to do some balloon animals, but they ALL wanted swords!  "Espada!  Espada!"  They would say. :)

 

 And this is why they wanted swords.  :)

 

 There really aren't many bald men where they live!

 

 And they don't really have much facial hair there, either. :)

 

 This little girl stole his heart.  Wish we could bring her home.

 

 

 At church.  I love this picture because it reminds me of a picture I have of him with our own boys when they were little.  These boys need daddies, too. There aren't any men at the children's home. 

 

 And there is our girl!!!  She loves those kids with all her heart. 

 

Another sweet little boy.  Love those dimples!

 

 

I will tell you more about Cassandra and her adventures in Peru soon.  I am so happy that Scott was able to go and visit her, and spend some time being a daddy for those kids.  Please pray for them!  They are not able to be adopted, and many have biological families not far away, but in almost all of these cases, the families were neglectful or worse.  I am thankful that God has put Cassandra there, at least for a while. 

DTC!!

Our dossier is winging its way to China as I type!

Wow...that whole paperwork process is so crazy and long,  I almost can't believe it's done.  And I can thank my hubby because since he is the one who is better with those sorts of things (I do not win any prizes for organization and would probably lose or spill something on the forms), he is the one who has done most of the work.  Still, in all seriousness, we are thankful that God brought us through that, and there were a few hurdles this time.  We are so very thankful that we are at this point in the process of bringing home our very special girl!

 

 

How sweet are these pictures?  I would love to meet this precious lady someday who obviously loves her so much.

 

Looking at these pictures just reminds me again...that I am completely humbled when I think that God would trust me with the awesome privilege and responsibility of being "Mom"--to children I've given birth to, and more amazingly, to children I never felt growing inside me, or even knew as infants.

 

 I will never get over that fact .  

 

Lord, that I would live my life as Mom to them to the best of my ability.  Help me to love them like You do...  

 

Blessings to you, friends!      

 

 



My heart did a flip when I saw this picture...

And I sort of got goosebumps...and I felt all melty...and my day that had begun kind of lousy suddenly felt like sunshine!

How many ways do I love this picture??  Well, I love the fun slide and sweet aunties in the background, reminding me how loved this girl is...  I love the cute, flowery dress and especially those little pink crocs...   I love how confidently she is standing and the look on her face telling me "I am doing fine, Mom!"  AND her two little thumbs up signs.  Those about did me in. :)  This little girl is absolutely precious--to God, to those who already know her, and to US!! 

And...we are sending in our dossier on Monday!!!  One step closer!!

We are finally finishing up our dossier paperwork...

Can't wait to go and get this girl!  Isn't she precious?

 

 

(We won't actually be traveling until spring, but it feels good to check things off our list.)

 

First Day of School!

Yes, today was our first day of school!  It was an abbreviated day since I don't have every single one of my ducks in a row yet, but still, it was a start.  A good start, I think.  And here are some pictures of how we started our day!

 His face when he noticed the surprise candy sticks have our last name on them

 

 

 Our second-annual first day of school breakfast at IH*P!

 

 I had a bite.  Yes, it is THAT good.

 

 First day of school mandatory pictures

7th grade

 

9th grade

 

 4th grade

 

Lookin' so cute and stylish in her new specs for Kindergarten!

 

Phil. 3:13-14--Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  

 

Have a wonderful school year, everyone!     

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!