Dreamin'

I had the best dream last night. I dreamt that we brought our kids home (to a house that wasn't ours - but was...) and we were all so happy. M was smart and funny and sweet. We bonded right away. A was all grown up, but still very glad to have a MOM - phew, that was a relief. E was a sweet little one who still has so much growing up to do. He loved to sit on my lap, and in my dream, Addy didn't mind at all! :) I loved that dream and didn't want to wake up at all!

BUT, I DID wake up to kisses from the kids and the sweetest card from Ben! I love Valentine's Day and the kids were so excited to have cards and make cards and have a sweet and lovey kind of day!

Today

Today is the kind of day I imagine when I think about our kids seeing thir new HOME for the first time. It is gorgeous out today, almost warm. It is the kind of day where you WANT to be outside pulling weeds and watching for the crocuses (or is it croci). I had such a hard time imgaining A, M, and E pulling up to our house for the first time when it is cold, wet, gray and yucky... Today, is the day of imagining. I can't wait to introduce them to their brother and sisters. Meeting the people who will be part of their lives forever... the people they will whisper to - about how mean we (Ben and I) are, the people they will sneak cookies with, the people they will make kissing noises about when certain "friends" are near, the people they will hit and say, "she deserved it". To meet them for the first time on a sunny, spring like day. That would be good!

Wonderful Husband

OK, so my husband is wonderful! He took all 3 kids to see the wrestling match at the school, then brought them home and played baseball outside. It was gorgeous today... I love these days! While they were having fun, I was busy revising entry 2 for my National Boards. Thank you oh, wonderful Ben - I love you!

Tips On Traveling

I have been reading about the Travel Part of Adoption. One of the hints was to get in shape... so I got up at 5:15 and was doing aerobics by 5:33... the fun never stops!

Wasting Time

These are the ways I waste my life away... the things I do when everyone is asleep and I am still awake. Laundry is sometimes piled, dishes might be dirty, bible study is waiting - and yet I choose one of these silly little distractors.

OK, I totally admit it, I am hooked. American Idol auditions and Survivor bring me great joy! That is what I do for fun! I most definately should be exercising, reading a good book, writing a paper for National Boards... something. But no, after the kids are in bed we get in our bed and watch TV. Time is wasted... but somehow that is OK.

I also love blog hopping. I start at some blog that I love to read and then click the links from that blog to a new blog to see where I end up! Today, I ended up at a blog of a family who just brought their 3 Ethiopian cuties home. I wish I could tell you where I found it, but I won't be able to find it again.

Books, I can read 1-2 a day... if I have time. But right now, I just don't have time. I did just start Do They Hear You When You Cry which is amazing and The Shack... I love them both, but I don't know when I will finish either one of them.

My last favorite time waster is to play Diner Dash... OK, seriously it is a lot of fun! I am super bad at it, and only play the free version online, but it brings me "brainless joy" which we all need now and then.

Prayer Requests

Well... now the hard part. We WAIT!!! Did you know that I am really not good at waiting? Right now our paper work is sitting in Ethiopia - I think it is waiting too. So, we humbly ask for your prayers.
Please pray for...

• our paperwork to be submitted CORRECTLY (the first time) to court SOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• other families who have had their court dates postponed 2 or 3 times, they are so anxious to bring their kids home
• the kids, that they don't worry that we have forgotten them.

Thanks, friends! We can't wait to tell you we have a court date!

A story

OK, I can't find original story but it goes something like this...

A man and his wife are wonderfully happy. Life is great and they both love their roles in the home. The family felt perfect, safe, and wonderful. One day, the husband and wife were cuddling in bed and the husband jumped up and ran to bring back a picture. He was so excited to show his wife what he had. He turned to her and said, "Honey, I love you so much... our life is so good. I cannot believe how happy I am. In fact I love you so much that..." At this point he hands his wife a picture of another woman. The woman is beautiful but looks nothing life the wife. She is confused and doesn't understand. At this point the husband continues, "I love you so much that I want another wife just like you. You can be best friends and life will be wonderful".

So... obviously, Ben is not taking another wife. The point of the story is how it sounds to children when we tell them we are adopting. I know Danny and Lilly understand what is happening and I pray that their adjustment is easy. I love the song 'Refiners Fire' but I don't want that for the kids... not now.

Happy Birthday, Danny Boy

I cannot believe my oldest baby is 7! I mean, I really can't believe it! He is so sweet and wonderful and he is growing up! I love that he is learning to be independent and kind and getting bigger, but I really don't want to lose the cuddle/snuggle mommy time either. Oh, how I would miss that. When he was a baby I made up this song for him... I sang it today to him and he smiled the cutest smile. Not the "I can't believe you are singing me this dorky song" smile. More like the "my mommy loves me" smile. It made me so glad.

Danny is so much the oldest of our family, I wonder what it will be like to become a middle child? Will he grieve for his "status" lost? Will he mind? He has such a heart for adoption and ministry that I believe God is preparing him for this time. But I still worry that it will be so hard. The last thing we want to do with all of this change is make life hard for the kids we have now. We heard from Ben's cousin today that E is most probably younger than 6 or 7... maybe closer to 5. I am not sure how Lilly would do with a "twin". Oh, well.

I was thinking about conversations I have had with friends and strangers over the last few years. I was remembering how many times I have said something along these lines...

Friend: So, you have 3 kids... are you done?
Me: Yes
Friends: I would be too, 3 kids is plenty
Me: Yes, but I would love 6. If I could afford it, I would have 6.

Several people have reminded me of those conversations over the last 4 months and it makes me laugh. I wonder if God laughed each time He heard those conversations... did He giggle a bit and say, "Oh, honey... if you only knew what I have in store for you! Hee Hee" Ben's Grandma's tear a day off calendar had this quote in it... "IF there is room in the HEART, there is room in the HOME". OK, enough of my random thoughts... have a great week, friends!

~Brooke

Oh, man...

I was SO hoping for a grant... in fact, I think I had convinced myself we were going to get one. Shaohanna's Hope has given grants to so many people in situations just like ours, I was just pretty sure.

But today we got a rejection letter... it was thin so I was pretty sure we had been turned down. I was so disapointed!

Oh, well. God has gotten this all taken care of and we KNOW that it will all be fine! It could be worse, we have so much to be greatful for. I have been checking the mail like crazy the last couple of days... I guess I can stop now.

For those of you who have been asking about the thermometer, it was recommended that we take it down. If you would like to make a donation to the Ethiopia fund, please let us know.

Lilly's Question

Lilly has been REALLY worried about us going to Ethiopia. Nearly every day she tells me she doesn't want us to go. Here is our conversation from the other day.

Lilly: Mom, when are you going to Ethiopia... I don't want you to go.

Me: Why?

Lilly: I am worried.

Me: About what?

Lilly: I am scared you won't know what hut to look in to find the kids.

OK, that was so darn cute. We have been looking at pictures of what homes in Africa look like and she was worried because to her, they all look alike. I assured her that the kids will be easy to find - but it still makes me smile everytime I think about it! :)