Waiting {3 Months}

~Dear Baby L,
Here we are, another month closer to being matched with you! We are so excited to be getting closer to that 4-6 month range! We are praying that God is covering you in His love and protection, as we know He is being faithful to renew our patience and endurance. We dream of the day we are able to find out more about you. We are so thankful for the gift of life...for your life. When God formed you, He knew that we would receive the blessing of being your family. And oh what a blessing it will be! We know he has big plans for you , and we can't wait to witness it first hand! We love you much, sweet child!
Mommy~

It is with much excitement that we celebrate 3 months on Dillon International's wait list for a baby from South Korea! We are now 6 months into the whole process...crazy that its been that long since we sent in our first application! And what a blessing it's been.

While we are thrilled to be crossing another month of waiting off of our list, I've been overwhelmed with a mix of emotions lately. I've been on a high to hear about several families from our agency receiving their referral right around 4 months on the wait list. It's quite the rush to know that we are nearing that point. And while I'm trying to not set expectations for when that call will come, it is refreshing to think about and be encouraged by how far we've come. 3 months down, hopefully not many more to go! Amidst the excitement, I received our Waiting Families letter via email this week. While they did say that they expect referrals to continue to come in at a steady pace through the end of the year, they are unsure of what that trend will look like after that. Due to some new laws that have been passed in S Korea regarding international adoption, there have been some delays and unknowns. It also appears that the wait time from referral to travel may be lengthening. It's already unbearably long at a year or so.

Please join me in praying for adoptions in South Korea! Pray that they will get the details of these new laws ironed out so that these children can be united with their forever families as quickly as possible. Pray that the officials and lawyers over there will keep the best interest of these babies in mind as they process each case. Pray that God will intercede and speed up a process that just takes entirely too long. I know He hears our cries!

Veteran's Day Parade

We couldn't be happier with the school we chose for Brody. He loves his teacher, his friends, and is doing so well. All A's on his first report card, and his favorite subject is PE!

His school had their own little Veteran's Day parade this week, and it was so much fun!

Finding a balance.

You know all those times in life, especially as a parent, when you have to try to find that perfect balance? The balance between mom and wife. The balance between giving your spouse and kids your best self and giving yourself your best self. The balance between your job and your home life. Well, lately I've found myself constantly trying to find a balance. I feel like I'm straddling two worlds. There's that part of me who is excitedly crossing the days off of my calendar. Praying for these months to pass quickly so that we can be matched with our sweet baby and begin working to bring him home. Knowing that my baby is growing up without us, full aware that we are missing out on that first smile and that first giggle and his first bath. We won't be there for his first Christmas, or even his first birthday. It stinks to know that I'm not there when he cries out, and I'm not there to rock him to sleep, and I'm not there when he is afraid. And part of me wishes we could just fast forward to the day our little one is placed in our arms so that we can start making up for that lost time.

But then there's that other part of me. That part that knows that I have three amazing little boys here at home. Three little ones who are growing and changing every day, and if given the opportunity I would pause time and keep them this way forever. Even just a few months from now, they'll be different. Levi probably won't be saying "Thank you baby" every time he hands me something, and Beckett won't be dancing around and singing every time he uses the potty because he so proud of himself for being a big boy, and Brody won't be gearing up for soccer every week and looking at me with that huge grin when he scores. Yes, they'll be doing new things that are just as wonderful. But I don't want to wish today away. Because today is wonderful, too. I don't want to look back with regret that I was so busy looking forward, I forgot to be present.

So, that's where I am right now. Trying to enjoy every minute with my three boys, while praying that God will work this adoption out in His perfect timing. Believing with all my heart that God is using this time while we are waiting to grow us and strengthen us as a family, so that we are just the family that our new little one needs when he comes home.

We Heart Fall

These boys of mine aren't lacking for love any. I feel like we just hop around from place to place letting grandparents love on them and spoil them. Can't wait for #4 to get here and join in on the fun!

On Saturday evening, my stepbrother and sis-in-law Carrie and niece Michaele were in from Fayetteville, so we all gathered at my dad's for an evening of roasting hot dogs and making S'mores!

Playing on an old John Deere

Love that little scrunchy grin

Beckett man!

By the way, this face gets kissed only about a million times a day.

Proof that he even pitches fits on cold grass when it's 40 degrees outside. At least he's consistent.

Driving PawPaw's 4-wheeler!

So, now I see that I didn't get any pictures of the actual roasting. Hmm. Guess I was too busy making sure little ones weren't getting too close to the fire. Oh well, I promise there was fire and wieners and marshmallows!

After lunch on Sunday, we went to Noni's house to play because we were going to her church's fall festival that night!

It was so cold all weekend. I feel like my kids look like little Michelin Men in all of these pictures!

Then, it was finally time to get them dressed in their costumes and head to the fall festival at Knowles! This is the church that I grew up in and Brent and I attended until we moved to Wyatt a few years ago. It will always feel like home there! We love coming back to visit!

Ninja Brody! Ki-Ya!!!

Sweet little sock monkeys Levi and Eden. Poor Eden was sick and ended up leaving early.

And my Saggy Baggy Elephant, Beckett!

Levi loved playing the ball toss game - Julie even helped him win a fish! :)



Brody with Woody, the scarecrow!

We had so much fun at the Knowles Fall Festival! And we have many more fun fall activities ahead!

Soccer Practice

Soccer season is more than half over already, and I will admit that a tiny part of me is glad. Brody just hasn't been into it this year like he has been in the past. I don't know if it's that he doesn't really know anyone on his team or what, but he just half tries out there. It's been frustrating for us, because that is not Brody. When it comes to sports he usually gives it everything he's got...and then some. Maybe he is just going to be a baseball guy. He did tell me one day last week that he was ready for pitching machine to start. A boy after my own heart :)

He had soccer practice at the park last night, and I could tell he really had fun.

He is so good at it when he actually tries. I am so glad that he is such a natural little athlete. Everything comes so easy to him. He has more athletic ability in his pinky finger than I have EVER had. I'm proud for him. It's not fun not being able to throw a ball more than 20 feet or even hit the rim when playing basketball. Ha!

I love to watch him play! I look so forward to all those years of watching him play ball!!

Brent wasn't able to make it to practice because of work, so I had to entertain these two while Brody was practicing. It definitely helped that practice was at the park today, but man, I totally wish I could clone myself every once in a while. It was tough trying to chase Levi (he moves NONSTOP), help Beckett across the monkey bars, and keep an eye on Brody making sure he was paying attention to his coach. But we made it!

 

Petting Zoo!

After picking Brody and Brooke up from school on Wednesday, we were driving behind the mall when we noticed a little safari/petting zoo was set up! The kids wanted to stop, so we did!!

Brody loved the tiger, Beckett thought the camel was super neat, but their favorite, surprisingly, was the little goats! Ha! Guess their Aunt Brooke has rubbed off on them a little :)