I was going through old pictures a few days ago,

getting ready to put together a collage for The Angel and The Dinosaur.

It's their second Christmas with us.

WHOA!

I never believed time gets spent this fast.

As we were looking at birthdays and holidays

and pics of funny faces,

this one appeared,

out of place in my digital file of pictures.
It is from a Christmas past.

Three to be exact.

This face wasn't yet my daughter.

She was still an orphan.

And she was watching a friend leave for her new home.

With her new family.

The Angel looked at the picture.

She smiled and just said

"I remember that day."

"That was the day my last friend left Africa."

Tonight as I tuck my daughter into bed,

there are millions just like her all over the world.

Maybe some even in our neighborhood,

who are standing at the gate,

watching,

waiting,

praying

for their turn.

Their chance to have a home.

What are we going to do about it?

Christmas Carols

I love Christmas music.

It starts playing Thanksgiving Day and I am the annoying person who leaves it on until sometime

after the New Year.

The kids and I sing them every morning on the way to school.

But this year,

I can't sing this one without choking up.

Can you?

Our precious Thai bab(ies) we are missing you this Christmas.

But The Maker of stars is guiding our paths together.

And we are headed straight to you.

So that He will receive all the glory.

You Think She Wants A Sibling?

Last Wednesday was our home study.

We had been talking about it with The Angel and The Dinosaur for weeks.

Because those of you who have adopted before know that

once a social worker steps foot in your house,

your children know one thing:

You cannot kill them.

We seriously could entertain the entire House and Senate at our dinner table

and The Angel and The Dinosaur would behave normally.

But the level of heathen behavior at the Andrews' household is

paramount when we have a post-placement visit.

We encouraged The Angel and The Dinosaur to mind their manners,

don't scream at one another and generally attempt to act as if we

are trying to teach them to be upright, outstanding citizens.

(Our last two post placement visits,

The Hero and I were convinced The Dinosaur might sprout horns and

The Angel had a megaphone inserted into her lungs.)

Sure enough, the door bell rings on Wednesday and the kids fling the door open.

Completely forgetting "Stranger Danger."

But things started to go badly when The Dinosaur brought down his piggy bank.

Remember, it wasn't two months ago he swallowed copper?

He dumped his entire savings on the floor, and began swimming through them.

And immediately became bored.

As The Dinosaur did cartwheels off our furniture,

The Angel quietly sat on the floor between our social worker

and The Hero and I.

And only interrupted to ask me to take a picture of her new creation.

She's good.

Real good.

And she's ready for a sibling.

Twas The Night Before Homestudy

Some comic relief for you tonight:

Twas the night before home study

and all through the house.

Every creature is whirring, even a mouse.

The laundry was thrown about without care

even knowing a social worker soon would be there.

The children were spazzed bouncing on their beds

while visions of a new sibling danced in their heads

With mama in her headband and dad in his cap

had just geared up for a long nights'

When out in the kitchen, it arose such a clatter

Daddy sprang from the couch to see what was the matter

Away to the compactor, he flew like a flash

tore open the door and threw out the trash

The two day old mess at the bottom of the can

gave a putrid smell to the entire Andrews clan

When what to our watering eyes should appear

but a collection of garbage that should incite fear.

With a gag and a hurl that came fast and so quick

We knew in a moment it might make us sick.

More rapid than eagles his commands they came

and he whistled and shouted and called them by name

"Come Angel Come Dino bring cleaner and spray"

"bring comet bring clorox, let's get the smell out the way"

To the top of the can to the bottom of the bag

now dash away dash away, we scrubbed with a rag

So out of the house top the kiddos they flew

with the bag full of trash and the nasty smell too.

I heard them explain as they went out the front door

"No smelly trash in the house no more."

Date Set.

We got a call a few days before Thanksgiving from our home study agency.

We have a home study date.

November 30th.

Two days from now.

WOOT!

One more step down

one step closer to Thailand.

We are ready!

I also love that it is the exact same day as our referral-aversary

for The Angel and The Dinosaur.

Trail to Thailand: Doctors Appointment

Another accomplishment on the paperwork trail today.

The paperwork procedure leading up to our home study

has been quite lengthy this time around.

I don't remember so much prep work before our home study,

but then again, it may be me.

I think mommy hood has sucked out my brain.

The Hero and I went and had our physicals done by our physician.

Only one more stop this week (the kids have to visit their pediatrician for health updates)

and we can send off to our home study agency.

Then they will schedule us for a home study and come out

and see how much more insane we are than two years ago.

Praying to get it all done and sent off by Friday.

And that $1800 will appear in our bank account.

God will do both.

Gimmie A "T"...

The Hero was at the fire station yesterday.

The Angel and The Dino were supposed to go to a birthday party.

They had talked about it for days.

But at the last minute, they said they would rather paint.

So we did.

The temps in Oklahoma have topped over 100 for almost two solid weeks.

I set up a fan on the porch.

Brought out the paints,

the paper,

the play clothes,

and just let them have at it.

We painted with brushes,

our fingers,

and made a complete mess.


We painted dogs,

and sunsets,

our names

dots,

uh, The Dino really never explained this one.



But even in the middle of a beautiful,

hot summer day,

a portion of our minds

were several continents away,

thinking about our newest family member.



Each of the kids wanted to paint something

for their soon-to-be sibling,

so Mommy painted it and

The Dino and The Angel put their stamp of approval on it.




That's right,



We LOVE Thailand!

Thank you so much to all of you that voted.

You all must know how much we love Africa,

because over 40% of the votes were
guessing that we were adopting from Uganda.

Not this time.

This time we're headed to Thailand.

Where our newest member waits.

Our winner for the "Worth the Wait" tee is:

Amanda from To God Be The Glory blog!

Thanks to everyone who played along!