Off to the Big Easy!

I am leaving tomorrow for New Orleans, LA! I have never been so I am very excited to experience the history, culture and FOOD of New Orleans. My office is headed to the Louisana Dental Convention which will be great, I'm sure, but that is not the reason I am most excited about my trip. I am finally going to meet in person a dear friend that I met through the adoption process over two years ago. Kelly and I both have the same LID of 11.8.06, we both have two sons, and we are both waiting anxiously for our daughters! We have talked via phone, cell phones, email, blogs, yahoo groups, and of course Facebook for two years but we have never met in person. Kelly has been a great comfort and strength to me during this roller coaster ride called adoption. She lives about 3-4 hours from New Orleans but she is going to make the journey over this weekend to meet me and I couldn't be happier!! Pictures to follow.....

Go Dawgs!

Look what came in the mail today for Miss Ruthie! Thank you to Dusty for passing on her girls UGA cheer outfits! We love them and can't wait to dress her up and head to Athens on Saturday's in the fall....or at least a fall in the next few years, hopefully.
Dusty has two girls who have worn these little outfits but now she is expecting a baby boy very soon and he will not be needing these, so she passed them on to Ruthie! So very sweet! Thanks again!

What a difference a week makes....

Oh the joys of living in Georgia! As you might recall, about two weeks ago it was freezing here and we had 4-6 inches of snow. Even though that is somewhat unusual, it does happen here. I think I also mentioned that we really have to get outside and enjoy the white fluffy stuff because it doesn't stay around long at all....this certainly held true this year. After our white, cold week we had a BEAUTIFULLY warm week this week. My boys were on their winter break so they were able to be outside in shorts everyday doing all sorts of things that little boys do like.....ride bikes, jump on the trampoline, build forts, roll around in the creek and play every real sport and made up game imaginable.
Being the "wonderful" mother that I am, I encouraged these things and had no idea that after the snow and ice that anything like snakes or poison ivy would be anywhere close to being "awake" yet. Unfortunately, that was not the case for Anderson. Thankfully, no snakes were seen but here is the aftermath of Anderson's fun-filled, outdoor week!

Anderson...two weeks ago in the snow

Anderson....this week with poison ivy on his forehead....

....behind his ear....

.....and all over his face. Poor baby!

28 Months.....

You usually have to wait for that which is worth waiting for.
Craig Bruce

Wise Beyond Her Years.....

Miss Claire

I was on Facebook the other night, like most nights ;), and my cousin Claire sent me an instant message asking about our adoption. She had several questions about our LID, the process and where we were right now as far as Ruthie goes. I answered her questions and asked her why she was asking. She told me that my family, our adoption and Ruthie have been on her mind a lot lately and she wanted to do something about it. She told me that she was composing a letter to send out to her friends on Facebook that would be asking them to pray for our family and Ruthie. WOW! I was so touched and amazed that this was coming from a 15 year old. How precious she is to us!

I explained to Claire that there are many days when we know we should be praying for our adoption and Ruthie but that we are so confused, frustrated and hurt that we can't find the will or the strength to do it. I told her that I believe that it is at times like this that God brings people into our lives to "stand in the gap" for us. This was such a wonderful reminder to me that as a member of the family of God, I am called to carry others when for whatever reason they can't or don't have the strength to carry themselves. I hope that I will remember this and reach out to someone like Claire has done for my family this week.

Below is a copy of the letter that Claire sent out to her Facebook friends. Many of them have already commented back that they would be praying for us and counted it a privilege to be able to do so. I am so humbled.

I also told Claire that when we started the adoption process we knew that it would take lots of people and prayers to bring Ruthie home. Thank you, Claire, for being one of those people. We love you from the bottom of our hearts!

Hey you guys!
I am going to write you a quick note about something that I have been thinking about a lot lately. My cousin, Angie, has been trying to adopt a little girl from China for about three or so years now. Her and Milledge, her husband, both wanted a little girl. They have been blessed with two outstanding boys that also want a little sister. Angie\'s adoption papers were logged in on November 8, 2006. This says that they do have the paperwork for Ruthie and it was received and logged into the systems in China at the Chinese Center of Adoption Affairs in Beijing on that date. Right now, the CCAA has referred to families with LID\'s up to March 2, 2006, so they are still a long ways out. They are really wanting to have Ruthie before all the paperwork has to be updated again, which is, April 2010. Angie and Milledge are getting very impatient and just sort of want to give up, but they are relying on the Lord for all of their strength.

You are probably wondering...\"and where do I come into all of this?!\". I believe that Prayer can get Ruthie home much faster. I have sent/ tagged you in this message because I think and know you will pray for Angie\'s family. I am very close to Angie and her family and know that I will also love Ruthie one day! I am asking that you please keep praying for Ruthie and her family that is waiting for her! Thank you so much!

Claire

Snow in the Peach State!!!

The makeshift sled they had..aka trash can lid....didn't work. On to Plan B!

This is the creek beside our home...isn't it pretty?

Our home...

This doesn't happen too often down here in the deep south but when it does we get so excited and spend the whole day playing in it....because it never fails....it will be 70 here tomorrow!

You Might Be Adopting From China If......

~You know that I-600 & I-171 aren't highways....
~You've been expecting a baby for over 3 years....
~You understand that it's 2006 in some parts of the world....
~You've "paid for" 3 citizenships, but never brought anyone into the U.S....
~You know that waiting for China has nothing to do with Dillards or dishes...
~Your homestudy is followed by a number (i.e. #3 or #4)...
~You never know how many days next month will have...
~You know that babies come in batches...
~You've been fingerprinted four times, but never committed a crime...
~You automatically assume everyone who is expecting is having a girl...
~You own new clothing in 3 little sizes for all 4 seasons (because you don't know when or how big)...
~You look twice when you see a lady bug...
~You're more interested in what will happen in March 2006 than in March 2009...
~You know people who understand when you talk about 2 day months & 5 day months...
~Your due date hasn't changed by days, but by years...
~You know who the Rumor Queen is ... AND ... you don't know who she is...
~You know that forecast doesn't have anything to do with the weather...
~You've waited so long, they re-checked your fingerprints to see if they changed...
~Trying to understand why they're printing you again, you study your own fingerprints and wonder if fingerprints grow wrinkles...
~When you speak of "that time of month" you're talking about CCAA updates & referrals...
And finally...
You might be adopting from China if you love someone you've never met with all your heart.

No He Didn't?!!!

Yes he did! That is my oldest child doing the worm across the stage at The University of Georgia last Tuesday night! We were attending UGA Idol to support the guy who does our praise and worship on Sunday mornings. Paul is a great kid with lots of musical talent and was a finalist in UGA Idol so we took a big group from the church to cheer him on. Little did we know that during a 10 minute intermission they were going to have a dance contest and that our son would volunteer to go onstage. The more the college kids cheered, the more he danced. Honestly, I had no idea that he had the moves or the nerve to do anything like this! It was hysterical to say the least. He did win a cool t-shirt and lots of comments from cute college girls on the way out of the concert hall. Now he has his own YouTube video, that was posted by the UGA campus newspaper, that has received over 300 hits. People tell us all the time that he is just like me and that he got most of his outgoing personality from me. Ha! This little escapade has put all of that to rest! We don't know where he came from because there is not enough money on earth that would've EVER made me get on stage to do anything...especially the worm!!! We are still in shock! Enjoy the video...

**Scroll down to the bottom and turn off music so you can hear the video better.**

Oh no! I forgot again!

For the second month in a row, I forgot our LIDiversary! This doesn't mean that we don't think about our adoption and little Ruthie everyday, it just means that we have been crazy busy lately and I forgot! ;) Happy 27 Months to us and all the other November LIDer's!

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. ~John Quincy Adams

Guess what time it is?

Yes...you guessed it! It is baseball season again...already! Jon Milledge's travel team has their first tournament this weekend. Actually, I don't really feel like we ever stopped. We had about a two week break around Christmas with no practices but other than that he has been practicing about 2-3 days a week since August. I am not complaining, just stating the facts. We told our children long ago that as long as they kept their grades up and enjoyed something that we would support them. We also told them that the could only do one "thing" a season besides church activities. So, Jon Milledge's one thing has always been baseball. Much to his liking, he found a way about 4 years ago to turn his passion into a year round event...whether it is really baseball season or not...we are playing. Anderson has also always and only played baseball until this year when he found football in the fall. He now has a new love.

I can't even begin to imagine the number of hours I have spent at a ball field in one capacity or another. I also can't tell you how many complaints and negative comments that I have heard from other parents about the amount of time we spend there. This is my take on that......I have two children who are now 12 and 9. I remember them being 4 and 1 like it was yesterday and I now realize how quickly they grow up. I, very reluctantly, start thinking that ultimately I only have 6 1/2 years left with Jon Milledge in my home....that is a blink of the eye. Therefore, I try to savor every single moment that I am with them, driving them somewhere, watching them practice ball, watching them play ball, helping with homework, sitting in car rider lines, chaperoning youth events etc. Because there will come a day when I know I will yearn for these days to return and they will be gone to me forever. I don't ever want to look back and wish that I hadn't complained so much and wish I had enjoyed it more.

So, I can't wait to hear these words on Saturday.....

Let's Play Ball!!!!!!

Julian Drive

Our church had the privilege of hosting a christian rock band on Sunday night. Of course we don't look at this band as just any band...they are very special to us. See, one of the guitar players is from our little town and we have watched him grow up. When he was in high sch*ol he played on the drum line for the marching band. Jon Milledge was probably 3-6 years old during that time and we had to go to the games early to see Jesse walk in playing the drums and we had to stay to the very end because the drums were the last to leave. I also remember in 1998 when I chaperoned a youth ski trip that Jesse was entertaining everyone on the back of the church bus with his guitar. We knew he was going to do something wonderful with his life we just didn't know what...now we do!
The band, Julian Drive, started out small and local but have worked very hard and it has pa*d off. They just released their second album today and I've even heard the first single off the new CD playing on an Atlanta christian radio station!! We are so happy to see God's hand working in the lives of these young men and can't wait to see what all He has in store for them. The concert on Sunday night was such a blessing for me. Not only was I proud of Jesse and all that he is doing to glorify God but it was wonderful to see my boys praising and worshipping God through an instrument such as Jesse, whom they admire so much.

Me, Darrell and Maria with Julian Drive

Jesse with two of his biggest fans!

P.S. If you click on the bands name above and go to their myspace page, you can listen to a few of their songs. My favorite is From Your Hands. You have to listen to it!!

Happy Chinese New Year!

People Born in the Year of the OX are stable, strong, dutiful, reliable, tenacious, practical, industrious, determined, honest, loyal, sincere, persevering and down to earth and tolerant. They can sometimes be lonely but they form firm bonds with home and family. The OX people cherish their private lives and are not usually very adventurous. They can be loners. They know the way to succeed is by a slow, steady, sustained effort. OX people are great traditionalists, they like the familiar.

Will Ruthie be born in The Year of the Ox? We hope, but only God knows!

Ooops!

For the first time since I started my blog, I forgot our LID Day on the eighth of this month. I feel somewhat guilty that I forgot but at the same time....HELLO...we have been waiting 26 crazy months!!! Because of that, I think I deserve to have a mental lapse every once in a while...right? So anyway, Happy 26 Months to us and everyone else with a November 2006 LID!

12 Year Old Boys

Since Jon Milledge is now 12 1/2, I thought I would post a few things that I have learned about preteen boys.

1. They are teetering ever so carefully on deciding whether to still be a little boy or to go ahead,take the plunge and be a full blown teenager. And this changes momentarily.

2. They can eat large amounts of food in a short amount of time.

3. Some days their parents know a few things and other days....not so much!

4. They have mood swings that would put most premenopausal women to shame.

5. They have a love/hate relationship with their siblings.

6. There is lots of drama with middle sch**l girls....and boys.

7. They have more energy than the energizer bunny....well, until you ask them to clean their rooms...then they are exhausted and can't move.

8. They start becoming a little more private and modest.

9. They can, when they choose, carry on a wonderful conversation with you.

10. And last but not least.....they can think their mama's are crazy one day, great the next, not so great the next and even downright mean the next. BUT, when they are tired and sick, there is no place they would rather be than........

...asleep in her arms!

Happy Birthday, Claire!

My cousin Claire, who happens to be a faithful blog reader of mine, is turning 15 today! I can't believe it! I was at the hospital the day she was born and saw her when she was only minutes old...what a precious baby she was! Claire was only about 7 months old at my wedding...so the thought of her being 15 just blows my mind. She has become such a beautiful young lady on the inside and out. She even sang a solo in "big" church a few weeks ago! Claire does have a very sweet voice and has made me so proud by becoming such a strong woman of God. He definitely has a very special plan for her and I can't wait to see what that happens to be!

Happy, Happy Birthday Claire! We love you!! Good luck on your learner's test!!

This is a picture of me, Claire and her two big brothers, Matt and Clay, on Thanksgiving Day!

January 2nd

On January 2, 2006, we completed, signed and mailed an application to The Open Door Adoption Agency. With envelope in hand and big dreams in our hearts, we dropped the application into a local mailbox. We waited with nervous tummies for about a week before we heard that we had been approved to adopt from China. Then the real paperwork began!

I often ask myself if we had known then what we know now would it have made a difference? I can't answer that for sure because obviously...we didn't know how long this wait was going to be...but I think and I would certainly hope that the answer would be that it wouldn't matter. We felt then and we still feel today that God called us to adopt an orphan from China and I hope that no matter what the circumstances were then, or are today, or will be a year from now, that we would still follow His will for our lives.

Three years is a long time to wait for something that we can't see and frankly something that often feels so uncertain. We choose to believe and trust that God has a plan for our family and that He has led us this far for a reason and we know He isn't going to forsake us now. The past three years have flown by so I like to think that surely she will be here within the next 3 years which fortunately or unfortunately(however you want to look at it) will be here in the blink of an eye.

With 2009 here, please pray for those of us in this process who are longing for our children to be home. Also pray that somehow there will be a speed up in China this year so that babies without a family can be united with families who already love them so much. Thanks!

Happy New Year!

May 2009 be filled with peace, love and joy for you and your families.

Merry Christmas.....

....from our family to yours!

This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. 1 John 4:9

Me and Milledge

While having pictures made last Sunday for our Christmas cards, we asked Lindsey to also take some of me and Milledge and then of the boys by themselves. I thought this picture turned out great of me and my sweetie....actually this is probably the best picture we have taken together since...well....our wedding!! Just thought I would share it! Happy weekend before Christmas!

My Christmas Elves

Speaking of elves....my boys have an elf that visits them during Christmas every year and has since they were very little. Ichabod is the sole reason that my boys gave up their pacifiers and were finally potty trained! See...Ichabod leaves a letter to each boy on our tree sometime during the Christmas season and tells them what they need to work on before he and Santa can make a stop at our home on Christmas Eve. We have left the paci's and potty training behind and now Ichabod tells them things like...they need to have a better attitude, no talking back, respect, and make wise decisions. Now, if only we could catch him one time so that we could thank him for his years of help! ;) Do any of you have a friendly elf too?

25 Months

Whatever we are waiting for -- peace of mind, contentment, grace, the inner awareness of simple abundance -- it will surely come to us, but only when we are ready to receive it with an open and grateful heart. ~Sarah Ban Breathnach

Dear Lord, please help me to have an open and grateful heart. Amen

The Diva..I mean Duke is Famous!

It was a small picture in the paper and hard to tell that it is us unless you just know BUT we made the paper with the Dachshund Diva Club during the parade! Duke will be giving out his paw print soon at a location near you! :o)

The Christmas Parade

So....I get a call yesterday making sure that my child was going to walk in the Christmas parade today. I start thinking...which child and I don't remember signing a permission slip for the parade?? As I am thinking what is he supposed to wear, what time is the silly thing and why can't I remember anything....the lady says, "We would really like for Duke to join us in the Dachshund Diva Club and walk in the parade!". I laugh out loud. We get Duke all Christmas-fied and take him to the parade where he proceeds to sniff every dog within a 2 mile radius and pull US down the parade route. When I say that there were probably 30 Dachshunds in the "Diva" club...I'm not kidding. At this point, Duke has decided that he isn't fond of the "Diva" term and proceeds to prove to everyone that he is not a Diva by hiking his leg and tinkling every chance he got.....lovely!
We had a wonderful time bringing in the Christmas season here in our little community with lots of sweet friends. Duke, however, has not recuperated as the stimulation of lots of children, female dogs, sirens, a marching band and horses was about more than he could handle! As I type this, he is in his bed snoring like a grown man!

Excuse me? Who you calling a Diva?

" Dachshund Divas"

Abby Kate and Jelly Bean

The boys and Duke

So sweet

Literally dragging us down the street....

A tired boy and his tired dog....

Happy Thanksgiving!

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.- W. T. Purkiser

Amen!

It is COLD here in GA......

It is so cold that I felt like Duke needed a sweater. Milledge thinks that God gives animals fur for a reason and that I'm crazy. What do you think?

Does this sweater make me look too long?? :o)

Girls Sleepover

Well...I survived the middle school girl sleepover! Actually, we had a really good time and I enjoyed spending time with the girls. They are a neat group of kids and I am happy I was chosen to lead them. They are teaching me lots about life and myself. This Wednesday night at church they all wanted to know when we could do it again. Ummmm....when I have completely recovered from the first time!

Us leaving to go see Philadanco at the Cultural Center

Silly girls!

Mary Clark

Playing games

Girls, girls, girls and more girls....

They did sleep...finally

Leanne

Duke thought we had the party just for him

Good Morning, Sunshine!

The morning after