The Hilarious Heart Patient

Thanks for your prayers for my nephew. Surgery lasted three hours and everything went great. We stopped by the hospital yesterday afternoon for a visit and Jake was his old self...cracking us up with his usual humor. Kevin was playing around with the latex gloves...blew one up...it popped loudly and Jake threw his head back and pretended the loud noise caused him to have a heart attack. If everything looks good today, he will be released this afternoon. We're so thankful that this is behind us now...Christmas is next, then on to working on getting our baby home.

Jake

Our family has needed a lot of prayers recently and I'm so thankful for our friends and family members that have interceded on our behalf. :) Today, my nephew is having surgery to repair an irregular heartbeat. The doctors need to find where the wrong impulse is coming from and fix it. My sister had a similar surgery three years ago. Pray for Jake's protection, and that the doctor can indeed locate the problem. Pray also for my sister and her family as they wait...that they would be free from worry. Thank you for your prayers!!

We had a full weekend. My dad turned 61. We were planning to celebrate at my mom's house, but after an ice storm went through on Friday over 120,000 people lost power...they were one of them. The report from the power company was that they wouldn't get their power back on until Christmas Eve. So we had the party at my sister's house. If you look real close, you'll see a rope being lowered down next to my dad's head. My niece sent down a birthday message for Grandpa from the loft. So cute. On Sunday morning, I woke up at my usual time these days...4:00. :) Two hours later, our power went off as well. I freaked a bit thinking we could possibly not have power all week. Kevin got the generator hooked up and I was able to use my curling iron. Well, after getting it half done, the generator stopped working. I had a feeling that would happen. So, off to church we went and I finished my hair in the church bathroom.

Thankfully our power, my sister's and my mom & dad's came back on Sunday afternoon. There are still over 50,000 people without power and it is bitter cold today. It's minus 20 degrees right now with the windchill. Caedmon's school is closed today because of the cold.

The song "Breathe of Heaven" has been my comfort and prayer this week as we continue to count down days and prepare quickly for this new little baby coming soon. "Lord, help me to stay focused on your Son amidst all the craziness this week. Amid the glitter and busyness of the season, help me not to lose sight of the miracle of that very first Christmas and the miracle that is happening right here in our family too."

"Breath of heaven, Hold me together,

Be forever near me, Breath of heaven.

Breath of heaven, Lighten my darkness,

Pour over me your holiness, For you are holy.

Breath of heaven."

December 29th

Here's a quick update...

Birthmother is having a C section on the 29th!!! We're planning to leave on Saturday or Sunday with our family and my mom.

I've been waking up between 3:30 and 4 every morning for the past week...just laying there with so much on my mind. I finally made a list (I thought of you, Krista).

Keep praying!

More updates to come.

A Baby Changes Everything

Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes for my last post. We still have not heard anything from or about that birth mother and continue to pray for her as she makes her decision.

In the meantime...

We received another call on Thursday afternoon about another birth mother. It was from an agency we originally weren't planning to use. It's amazing to us how many details have already been taken care of in this situation and how we can see God's hand working. The baby is due on January 9th and if all goes according to how we would like it to, this baby will become a part of our family very soon!!!

As you can imagine, my mind is racing at full speed. I lay in bed thinking of all the things that need to be done. It's amazing though how quickly things can get done when you set your mind to it! On Saturday, Kevin repainted the changing table and I pulled out and washed baby clothes. The kids have been helping too.

Please pray with us. Pray for Jessica (birth mom) especially...for her decision, delivery and the health of the baby. There are still so many details to work out. Pray for our minds to be put at ease, worries to be calmed and that the process would continue to go smoothly. We should be hearing from our attorney again this week after he meets with Jessica. We'll keep you updated.

Oh, and... "IT'S A GIRL!!!"

HELP!!! We need some name ideas that flow nicely with our two kiddos...if anyone has any, please post them in the comments. :)

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

Adoption Update

Many of our dear friends and family members have been asking us if there has been any progress on our adoption process. We've been waiting for around seven months and have had a few bumps along the way this time. At times it has felt like we were just going in circles and spinning our wheels...just not making much progress.

The kids have been faithfully praying everyday for their new baby brother or sister. We've had an incredible amount of peace, knowing that God is directing and redirecting us down the right path. His timing is of the utmost importance to us.

This week we had someone approach us about an opportunity and the details of the situation seem just perfect to us. The birthmother has not yet made a decision whether she wants to keep her baby or proceed with adoption yet. Our contact is hoping to meet with her this week.

Please pray with us....for God's will for our family and this little baby on the way. We'll keep you updated.

Love Notes

Keivn had an overnight last night at Pokagon for meetings today. I woke up yesterday not feeling the greatest and not looking forward to the day ahead knowing that he wouldn't be home that night.

We said our goodbyes to Daddy and then the kids and I left to take Caedmon to school. From there, Kaiya and I went straight to a dentist appointment for me.

When we got home mid morning, we noticed several sticky notes posted all over the house (written on free paper I received in the mail from Always LOL!!). on the refrigerator

on the phone

microwave

...and even one for each of the kids in their rooms

bathroom mirror

There were a few more scattered around too...

After baths were done, teeth brushed, devotions and prayers said, I tucked in two little kiddos tight in their beds. I crawled under a blanket in the living room exhausted form the day and began watching a movie. Caedmon came wondering out of his room and asked if he could sleep with me in my bed. "Sure" I said. "Go jump in and I'll be there is a little while." So Caedmon took daddy's side of the bed right under another little post-it note. I think Kevin put this note on his side of the bed so I wouldn't feel lonely in bed without him. :)


Kevin has always been great at writing love notes to me. I even still have love notes saved from our dating years. It's times like this...when he's gone, that I really appreciate what he means to me and all that he does for us!

Here's a homemade card he made for our 7 month dating anniversary. :)


I have a collection of more recent love notes pasted on the inside of one of our cabinet doors. He's a great encourager through these little notes and of course always throws in his funny sense of humor.

I call it my wall of fame. :)

Love you and miss you, Babe!! Can't wait to see you tonight!

Grateful for Family

Wow, what a weekend we had! So full of wonderful memories & moments with family. On Thanksgiving Day, we went to my Mom & Dad's in the afternoon. Lexi gave Kaiya & Caedmon a makeover. :) Caedmon's of course was a manly one...mustache included. He even has the look.

After meal clean up we played games.
Catch Phrase is a favorite...guys against girls...it got a little wild and loud!

And this little sweetie celebrated her very first Thanksgiving.

On Friday morning we drove North for the extended family Thanksgiving/Christmas on my husbands side. Grandpa & Grandma are sitting in the center and have passed on an amazing legacy to the three generations represented. Four part harmony singing is a big part of that legacy and always is a special part of our get-togethers. I'm SO grateful for that legacy and what it represents...what a blessing!!!

Aunt Krista, Grandma Ruby, Lincoln & Aunt Joyce
And another favorite part of getting together is watching our children play with all their cousins. When I asked Caedmon what his favorite part of the day was he said "I liked playing house with Isabella and JJ. Isabella was the mom, JJ was the dad and I was the son.

Kaiya, Jeremiah, Matthew, Owen & Sam at the kiddie table

Easton & Caedmon

Oh my goodness, there were so many new babies to hold. I'm holding my new nephew, Jeremy. Krista is holding my other new nephew, Jack from Alabama. I met him for the first time that day. I was overwhelmed trying to soak up as much holding time as I could!

And Kaiya's favorite part was the children's gift exchange. Not sure what she's trying to do here with her cousin Jack.??

And I had to post this picture of my niece, Karis. This is what she got from the gift exchange and she was enjoying every lick and really hammin' it up for the camera!

As I mentioned earlier, Kevin's sister came up from Alabama with her beautiful family and we wanted to spend as much time with them as we could. Here they are...

So we travelled back up to Middlebury on Sunday for the day. The kids are quickly beginning to outnumber the adults in our family and with nine of them age four and under it's a busy busy place when we're all together. Here they are all lined up in the order of their birth. Aren't they sweet?!!! I love them all so much and am grateful they have each other to grow up with!

Grandpa & Grandma with all their grandbabies

Easton, Owen & Kaiya