1 year Anniversary

Wow...today marks the one year anniversary of my first blog post along our adoption journey. Sometimes it feels like we just started but most times, it feels like we've been on this never-ending road with lots of stop signs, yield signs and red lights. Can we say "GO GREEN" in 2008?!

Even though the journey has taken longer than we expected, Michael & I remain confident, hopeful and excited.

For those that have joined in on the journey late...you can catch up from the beginning....

Thanks for walking on this journey with us....we can't wait to share more with you in the days and months to come!

Tuesday

I want to blog today, but yet, no words are even coming to mind (as evident in the choice of my title today).

I've been reading a lot of blogs lately ~ catching a glimpse into others' lives ~ seeing pain and laughter, comfort and joy. At times, I find myself overwhelmed at what others are going through...and I think ~ geez, Court, get a grip...you have nothing to complain about! So what if the adoption process is taking a long time and going on a year now? You're not fighting a terminal illness, fighting depression, waiting for a transplant, watching your quads breathe each and every breathe in the NICU, lost your job, foreclosed on your house, wondering how to put food on my table at night, dealing with an elder parent's Alzheimers or dealing with raising children as a single parent. No, I am relatively healthy, all my organs are in working order, not living in the NICU, have a great job and home, have plenty of food in my frig, have healthy active (more active than me!) parents and a loving husband to come home to at night. I am blessed...but I still don't have my children.

I have realized that everyone has burdens to bear. And what might be a burden to one, might not be to another. And what might not seem like a burden to someone, could be the biggest burden for someone else. So, maybe we can just give ourselves a break, realize that there will be hard days, but keep pressing on KNOWING that God is in control and that His timing is perfect and that in HIS TIME, it will all be revealed to us and in His way.

I also want to enjoy life to the fullest during this waiting period. I keep telling myself these 3 things:
1. ALWAYS expect the unexpected.
2. Be flexible
3. I am NEVER in control, so don't sweat the small stuff!

We'll see how well I do with these.....

Pray for this family

One thing I love about the "blog"mosphere is seeing all the different blogs that friends have linked on their own blog. Just last night, I came across this blog and I have been so impressed to pray for this sweet little family ~ Nate, Tricia, and their new little one, Gwyneth. Won't you check out their blog and keep them in your prayers. I know that I will be praying!

http://cfhusband.blogspot.com/

The latest....

It's 2008! Hard to believe that another year has come and gone! Here's an update on us:

* We welcomed in the New Year just as a couple, watching the ball fall in Times Square on NBC, and then shortly thereafter, found ourselves asleep in our bed. Man, are we old, or what?

* Michael celebrated another birthday ~ I won't reveal his age, but he did say that he feels much older this time around. Of course, he never fails to point out that I'm older than him!

* Michael has started a small business venture with 3 of his friends and is staying very busy with the business side of things. He is really excited about it and allows him to do something with one of his passions ~ movies and film.

* It's day 12 of 2008 and I believe that I've been sick every day so far. I've had a severe sinus infection and bronchitis ~ which has been no fun at all. I'm finally feeling a little better, although the cough still remains.

* Robyn, our caseworker, has returned from her holiday break and FINALLY turned in a draft of our final homestudy to us for review. This is not a common practice, but she is so much in support of us, she wanted to make sure that we agreed with everything in the document. The document is 35 pages long! It's really more of a short story, I guess. This "book" is what will be presented on our behalf to an agency or committee, when we are being considered as the adoptive parents. Therefore, this document is priceless to us. It's what they will first base their opinions and decisions on. No pressure, right?! So, we are carefully reviewing the document this weekend and returning it to Robyn on Monday. Once our homestudy document is officially completed, then our name is officially in the database, and we can be informed of kids that fit our criteria.

It's hard to believe that we started this process a year ago this month. We never knew what we would go through to get to this point....and we know, we have a lot more to endure, but we are confident and ready, excited and blessed to receive the children God has picked out just for us.

We'll be sure to keep you posted! We feel so blessed to have all of you praying for us, encouraging us, supporting us and rallying with us. We love you!

How You Live

There's a song they've been playing on KSBJ for quite some time now, and I've always liked it, but now that 2008 has rung in, I've really listened to the words and it's moved me.....moved me to really evaluate where I am at, how I want to change and how I want to live. Read the lyrics to the song ~ may it also encourage you to really LIVE in 2008!

How You Live by Point of Grace

Verse 1:
Wake up to the sunlight
With your windows open
Don't hold in your anger or leave things unspoken
Wear your red dress
Use your good dishes
Make a big mess and make lots of wishes
Have what you want
But want what you have
And don't spend your life lookin' back

Chorus:
Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
Cuz it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

Verse 2:
So go to the ballgames
And go to the ballet
And go see your folks more than just on the holidays
Kiss all your children
Dance with your wife
Tell your husband you love him every night
Don't run from the truth
'Cause you can't get away
Just face it and you'll be okay

Chorus:
Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
Cuz it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

Bridge:
Oh wherever you are and wherever you've been
Now is the time to begin

Verse 3:
So give to the needy
And pray for the grieving
E'en when you don't think that you can
'Cause all that you do is bound to come back to you
So think of your fellow man
Make peace with God and make peace with yourself
'Cause in the end there's nobody else

Chorus:
Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
Cuz it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live