Picture Taking Attempt

We are having professional pictures taken next week, but I couldn't help but attempt to take some cute ones of my own yesterday morning. I'm far from a pro, but it sure was fun!

She is changing so much every single day.  I just can't believe it.  I take so many pics each day just so I can remember this time. 

Ellie's first bow!  We LOVE bows! 
A student in my class and her family got us a bag full of hair accessories. 

Have a great weekend!

ICLW

I have been terrible about posting for ICLW and commenting this month.  If you are new to my blog and have left me a comment, I promise to get back to you soon  sometime.   I look forward to finding some new blogs. 

Sorry I don't have time to post more, I need to change the sheets in our guest room before Ellie wakes up.  My mom arrives tomorrow to meet her grand daughter.  I could fool myself with thinking she is coming to see me, but I think we all know better. 

Take care!

Wordless Wednesday

Love

I need to start by saying THANK YOU to all of my sweet blog friends. Your sweet words have meant so much to me. I wish I had time to email each one of you back...I just don't right now. Some of your comments brought me to tears. Especially those of you that are still waiting. I know how that wait feels...it's terrible! It was honestly the hardest thing I've ever experienced.

I don't want to sound preachy (that's just not me), but I just want to say something to all of you. While this sweet baby girl doesn't make the wait, the struggles and the heartache disappear, she sure makes me praise God for the wait.

This may not make sense to anyone still waiting...and to some it might. But, honestly I can't imagine our life any other way now. If we hadn't waited, we wouldn't have this amazing baby girl. So for those of you still waiting, please have HOPE.

I pray each and every one of you experience this day soon. Whether that means you become pregnant or your path leads to adoption, I pray it comes quickly. I also pray that while you are waiting, you feel God's arms around you. I know sometimes it's hard to have faith and trust God's plan, but in the end it makes sense to me. I am so thankful for His plan for our life. He has blessed us with this baby girl. He blessed us with Ellie and for that I praise Him!

I used to read this scripture over and over..
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

I sincerely hope that doesn't offend anyone. That is truly not my intention. I just want you to have hope. I appreciate you all so much. Thank you for sticking with me during the road that has led to Ellie. I hope you will continue to follow me, but if you can't I understand. I don't want my joy to be a source of pain for anyone. I know how that feels.

And now for what a lot of you are probably here for...Ellie Pictures!

I love this one!

Daddy loves this one!

First bath...Ellie was not a fan!

Meeting DeDe and PaPa for the first time!

Great Grandma

 

Four Generations....love it!



These are some of our best friends.  Their baby is 7 months old and had to come meet her new BFF.  We can't wait for these girls to grow up together. 



Aunt Amy walked in the door and said, "OK..let me have her."  We loved it.  Our families have been praying for this day just like we have.

Ok...I need to get going.  I need a shower while Ellie is sleeping.  :)  I'll add more pics later.  I have SOOOO many. 

O

Much Love!

Home!

What a wonderful and crazy week this has been.  We brought our beautiful baby girl home yesterday!  We are in love with Ellie Grace already and so many others are too! 

Here are some pics from yesterday.  I'll share more info when we have time.  We are just enjoying our sweet baby girl and praising God!!  He has blessed us beyond anything we could have imagined!

Checking her out for the first time!

FINALLY!!  A family of THREE!

Daddy holding his girl for the first time.

Look at that smile!

We have the MOST amazing friends and church family.  We came home to this sweet surprise. 

First feeding at home by mommy.  Can you tell I've been bawling all day?  Tears of joy!

Daddy does the second feeding later in the evening.

Such big eyes!



Ellie Grace



Big Yawn

Sam is being so good and wants to be right there with us.  Time for bed!

Thank you so much for your support, well wishes and prayers from my last post.  I could feel it all!

Hugs!

We Got THE Call!!!!!!

Yes, THE CALL!!!

While we were sitting in church yesterday and were totally unaware, until after church when I went to make a call while talking to some friends and there was our agency as a missed call and a voicemail.

I freaked out...it was a Sunday and soooo not normal!

When we finally got in touch with our social worker, she gave me the details. The baby girl was born Saturday morning and is healthy!! Our SW asked if they could show our profile today. I won't go on and on with the story tonight because my brain is fried, but they showed the BM our profile as well as some others this morning and she chose us!!!! We will not meet her. If all goes according to plan, we will have our daughter home with us on Wednesday!

I'm not going to share all the details, because they aren't mine to share. This is not my story. It is this mother's story and this BEAUTIFUL baby girl's story for her to one day tell if she so chooses.

Please pray that this all works out...we will know for sure tomorrow when the relinquishment papers are signed.

Praise GOD!

I'll update with details as soon as I can!

Believe

As I sit here at my kitchen island looking out the window watching it snow (yes it's snowing in Texas), I think about what lies ahead this year. In a world full of uncertainties, there are so many things that could happen this year.

Don't we all know that!

But, instead of thinking about all the things that may not happen, all of the negative "what ifs" I'm going to focus on the possibilities. I'm going to BELIEVE that good things could happen this year.

I'm choosing to BELIEVE that God has good things in store for us this year. Whether they are those things on my list or not, I'm going to trust His plan for my life. 

courtesy google image

This year, I'm going to BELIEVE that...anything is possible!

Lisa Leonard is having an amazing giveaway this weekend. Hop on over to her blog for a chance to win your "word" of the year necklace.  I love all her designs, but this one really speaks to me.  If you aren't one of the lucky winners and want to purchase something she has a discount code too.

Good luck!

Getting Back in the Groove

The Christmas holidays were so busy for us! I finally feel like I'm getting my head above water.
I started my Christmas vacation with a stomach bug. I was out of commission for 3 days. I haven't been that sick in years. I was finally starting to feel better on Tuesday before Christmas and we were planning to leave for Michigan on Friday so I had lots to get done before we left. I rushed around getting stuff done, running errands and taking Sam to my in-laws (they spoiled him by the way).

Our time in Michigan was wonderful! I didn't get to see everyone I wanted to, but we had a fantastic visit. I spent a lot of time with my mom who's been recovering from her knee replacement surgery and also got to spend time with my little love, Cooper. He's not really little anymore either. He also doesn't think he's little. He thinks that he is the boss and wasn't scared to tell me so. ha! I quickly let him know he wasn't my boss. :)  I also got to spend an evening with my best friend and her family.  We had such a wonderful time with them, although  we didn't take any pics because we were too busy talking and having fun.  I miss everyone already!

Here are some pics from our time in Michigan...

Cooper and Aunt Jennifer in the snow

I love this one!  He has the bluest eyes!

He was so excited to get Toy Story 2...look at that smile!

He loves his dinosaurs



My sister is putting his new boots on so he can go out and play in the snow with us.

 

Making a snow angel.

Uncle Barry loves the snow.

To Infinity and Beyond!

Reading with Uncle Barry

We "made" cookies.  Cooper picked the chocolate chips off the top as I set them on the pan. 
He was a mess by the time they were ready to go in the oven.


We returned from Michigan on the 30th and hosted a NYE party at our house the next night.  We had a BLAST!  Our good friends who moved away this summer were even able to make it.  We played some Wii games, sang karaoke and had lots of yummy snacks.  At midnight we rang in the new year by watching the ball drop.  I'm certain this year is going to be an amazing year for us!  God has great things in store...and not just for us, but for all of us! 

To all of my friends still TTC, I pray this is your year!  And to my friends waiting to adopt, I pray your wait is short and you have a child in your arms soon.  The wait can become long and frustrating.  We've been waiting 6 months now, which doesn't seem bad to me, but I am ready!  I'm ready to be a mom.  Aren't we all??!!  Hope keeps me going...as well as the peace I feel from God.  I know we have so many people praying for us...I truly believe that's the only thing that's kept me from being a total freak during this wait.  But. that's another post.

I have several catch up posts to do including our Christmas pics with Barry's family, our NYE pics and a post about our meeting with our social worker.  We got a new SW back in the fall because our SW was promoted to another position.  We hadn't had a chance to meet L yet and finally did over the break.  We love, love, love her.  She is fantastic!  I'll share more about that in another post.  It's all really, really good though!  :)

Happy New Year to you all...even if it is a little late coming.