I've been communicating with Foster Mom the last few days. As best we can that is, considering the language barrier. She speaks little English and I speak NO Spanish! So, I found this nifty little thing called Babel Fish on Yahoo. It rocks. We have been able to translate our emails. I'm looking forward to meeting her. We'll be heading to Oregon June 24 and will meet our children for the first time.... I can't wait. I have so many questions, but I have to wait to ask. Foster Mom is going through surgery and isn't feeling well. I respect that. We had prayer for her at church today.

One Happy Mama

I got to speak with the children's SW yesterday. We talked for some time about our little sweeties and I'm so pleased. She told some great stories about them. I could almost see them in my mind as she spoke.

What I know now....
J is quite the little princess! She is a show stealer and will even stamp her little foot at you in protest if you make her mad.... (SW said this one is hard to discipline because she's so darn cute...lol.) I'm a sucker for a cutie, but we will see. Hopefully we will be able to get a handle on that quickly. She also said that when J starts talking she will probably say something like, "Let me just tell you how things are...." Little smarty pants!

N has a really short haircut right now. She said he does not tolerate them well so it looks like they probably grabbed him, held him and buzzed it all off. She also said that recently the kids have been in day care some because Foster Mom had surgery. They are doing great there and N is doing suprisingly well :) Yay for progress!

E is still having some trouble being a little Mama and always trying to be the good little girl. She's a pleaser and SW said E doesn't initiate a lot of interaction so we will need to work her out of her shell.... Sounds like a job for D. D as Daddy that is. He's so gentle and she is close to her Foster Dad, so we will see. I want to try to relieve her of her motherly duties as soon as she will let me.

Travel- We are waiting for Foster mom to give the ok for the dates we've chosen for our visit. I emailed her and I'm hoping she will reply soon. When ICPC is approved, we will fly over again and M, D, SW and the kids will fly back. She said our visit will be enough time that we shouldn't have to stay again. This rocks!

So... that's what I know. And, I know I love these kiddos! Pray for all to go well and quickly.

Love to all!
~K

Travel update

Well, we just received word from our case-worker here in Florida. She said that we can travel anytime after May 29th for our first visit to see the children. We will most likely fly out of Tampa, FL where our friends live so that we can get the cheapest airfare. It's about a 5-1/2 hour drive from here but we will save quite a bit on airfare.

Everything is starting to move fast and I can't wait to meet the children, I pray that they will feel safe and comfortable with us. I thank God for the blessing of allowing me to love and provide for five children. I firmly believe that all children belong to God and that we are privileged that God allows us to have them in our lives and care for them.

It breaks my heart to think of the initial sadness and confusion that the children will most likely experience during this upcoming transition, but I know that it won't be long before they will feel right at home with us here in our home.

I pray "Lord, please give me just the right words, at just the right time to comfort our children. Please give me wisdom and guidance, as well as understanding. I ask that you would bless me with the ability to be a great provider for my family. Bless my family today Lord and keep them safe. In Jesus name, Amen."

Pinch Me!!!!

I couldn't even blog last night... way too excited! The committee said YES! Yesterday was a day of all days for me. Every second took a minute to pass and hours were so slow. I had anticipated sleeping in a little later, but was up as normal by 6:30. My emotions were at full peak. I won't speak for anyone else (eh hem D) here as I know they want to share their own.

Here's how it went...
6:00 pm - I went in the bathroom for one last prayer, passed Mom coming in as I was coming out (we pray in the bathroom... everything comes out better in there ;) )

6:02 - phone rings, I freeze and D answers.... he's too calm. He doesn't even flinch so I'm reading or at least trying to, his face... nothing. So I whisper ARE WE GETTING THEM, he nods, still calm and cool and I.... well.... I ran, leaping and screaming down the hallway setting off the boys emotions as well passed the bathroom where you can now here the wales and hollers from Mom and meet Granny at her door..... (exhale) She says DON'T HAVE A HEARTATTACK! It was great!

I called my Daddy, my Pastor, Shawnee and Belinda, and of course Rayvin (my God-daughter). Mom called my sisters and D called his family. The boys were calling Lord knows who to tell them! It was crazy, but a moment we'll never forget. I'll blog about the events prior later, too embarrassing. I really, really was a wreck for a bit. ;) Kids are good in those times... you will be proud.

Love to all! I'm going to mail my Ma-in-law something D made for her for Mother's/Birth Day!!!

~K

The countdown begins...

Well, here we sit at 11pm with great anticipation and excitement, coupled with just a touch of fear and concern for the choice that will be made 3000 miles away. Not only a choice that will affect our lives, but more so the lives of the three little angels that we have been preparing for all of these weeks and months.

Tomorrow will definitely be a long day, I'm sure that K, myself and the boys will jump everytime the phone rings, anticipating the call that we have been waiting so long to receive. The cell phones will remain fully charged and never out of arms reach, the boys ready to sprint at a seconds notice to ensure that they will be present in the room when the long awaited call comes in.

I pray that if the decision is made in our favor that God will provide me with the wisdom and strength needed to be the best provider I can for my family. I pray that the transition will not be stressful for the children and I will do my best to ensure that they will feel welcome and safe in their new home.

I am completely exhausted right now and feel that it is time to call it a night. I look forward to tomorrow and pray that all goes well.

God Bless,
-D

This one's for the ladies...

When you have to visit a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women, so you smile politely and take your place. Once it's your turn, you check for feet under the stall doors. Every stall is occupied. Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving the stall. You get in to find the door won't latch. It doesn't matter, the wait has been so long you are about to wet your pants! The dispenser for the modern 'seat covers' (invented by someone's Mom, no doubt) is handy, but empty. You would hang your purse on the door hook, if there was one, but there isn't - so you carefully, but quickly drape it around your neck, (Mom would turn over in her grave if you put it on the FLOOR!), yank down your pants, and assume 'The Stance.' In this position your aging, toneless thigh muscles begin to shake. You'd love to sit down, but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe the seat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold 'The Stance.' To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the empty toilet paper dispenser. In your mind, you can hear your mother's voice saying, 'Honey, if you had tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWN there was no toilet paper! Your thighs shake more. You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday - the one that's still in your purse. (Oh yeah, the purse around your neck, that now, you have to hold up trying not to strangle yourself at the same time). That would have to do. You crumple it in the puffiest way possible. It's still smaller than your thumbnail. Someone pushes your door open because the latch doesn't work. The door hits your purse, which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest, and you and your purse topple backward against the tank of the toilet. 'Occupied!' you scream, as you reach for the door, dropping your precious, tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor, lose your footing altogether, and slide down directly onto the TOILET SEAT .. It is wet of course. You bolt up, knowing all too well that it's too late. Your bare bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that there was any, even if you had taken time to try. You know that your mother would be utterly appalled if she knew, because, you're certain her bare bottom never touched a public toilet seat because, frankly, dear, 'You just don't KNOW what kind of diseases you could get.' By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, propelling a stream of water like a fire hose against the inside of the bowl that sprays a fine mist of water that covers your butt and runs down your legs and into your shoes. The flush somehow sucks everything down with such force that you grab onto the empty toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too. At this point, you give up. You're soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat. You're exhausted. You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket and then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks. You can't figure out how to operate the faucets with the automatic sensors, so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past the line of women still waiting. You are no longer able to smile politely to them. A kind soul at the very end of the line points out a piece of toilet paper trailing from your shoe. (Where was that when you NEEDED it??) You yank the paper from your shoe, plunk it in the woman's hand and tell her warmly, 'Here, you just might need this.' As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has long since entered, used, and left the men's restroom. Annoyed, he asks, 'What took you so long, and why is your purse hanging around your neck?' This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with public restrooms (rest??? you've GOT to be kidding!!). It finally explains to the men what really does take us so long. It also answers their other commonly asked questions about why women go to the restroom in pairs. It's so the other gal can hold the door, hang onto your purse and hand you Kleenex under the door! This HAD to be written by a woman! No one else could describe it so accurately! Send this to all women that need a good laugh!!!!!! A Friend Is Like A Good Bra.... Hard to Find, Supportive Comfortable; Always Lifts You Up; Never Lets You Down or Leaves You Hanging And Is Always Close To Your Heart!!!

3 days!

Just got back from a walk with my 3 guys. It's so cool and breezy - this weather is amazing! We took the pooches for a walk and they're sprawled out on the floor right now like a cow hide blanket in a mountain cabin.... don't have a clue where that came from, but that's what Russell looks like right now. He's our standard, black n tan dachshund :) Angel has her head rested on his back... these two are like an old married couple. Sweet.

Ok, so 3 days until committee meets and I'm happy, nervous, praying... well, a bucket of different emotions. We have been positive (and still are for the most part) up until this moment and the sinking reality that someone else, well, 3 someone elses control our future. Friday is the day and I feel every single second that passes by. Days are dragggggging on and nights are almost sleepless because I can't stop thinking! Note: I am not sleep deprived, I just think and daydream a lot! We could soon be meeting our children for the FIRST time! Wow. Ahh. Exhale.

Good news report! My SW emailed me today and she said the children's SW contacted her and is already getting the ICPC paperwork started for if we are chosen. Do you know how BIG the word IF is when it pertains to your children?!? Like, huge. I need everyone praying. Everyone has been and I know that is why we have gotten this far. Man, the doors that have opened for us because of prayer. Sometimes God is so good I can't stand it! You all rock, too!

I haven't heard from Oregon to know if our books arrived but man they must have by now. I let some little ones we know see the children's book and read it to a few of them and it seems to be kid approved. Hopefully E, N and J will be turning the pages and "meeting" us soon!!!!

So, what are we feeling right now? Hmmm. I have to go look up a word.... ok! This fits.

an⋅tic⋅i⋅pa⋅tion 
–noun (i would have thought verb)
1. the act of anticipating or the state of being anticipated.
2. realization in advance; foretaste.
3. expectation or hope.
4. previous notion; slight previous impression.
5. intuition, foreknowledge, or prescience.

but to make this accurate, here's another.

ex⋅treme
1. utmost or exceedingly great in degree: extreme hope.

EXTREME ANTICIPATION

This is where we are at this point in our journey.

I am about to enjoy a warm shower and a good book so I will post again... well, I'm gonna post a read for all the ladies next. LOL. Because I love u!

~K