I CANNOT BELIEVE IT

WOW all the way through February. Only 7 days left!!! Hopefully I'll be on a plane to China at the end of March. What a wonderful anniversary (Jan. 30), B's birthday (Feb. 21), Valentine's Day all combined with a February referral. It can happen, we'll just wait and see what CH!na decides to do.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Our family wishes you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Our holiday is over. K came the week before Christmas so we had our Christmas a week ago and the presents are all opened the stocking have been emptied. I am ready to take down the tree, but just can't find it in my heart to do it. I know it will come down on Friday. I pray that you will create memories that will last a lifetime. The following is just an example of the simplicity of life and we adults should sit up and notice!!!

GOD LIVES UNDER THE BED

I envy Kevin. My brother Kevin thinks God lives under his bed. At least that's what I heard him say one night.

He was praying out loud in his dark bedroom, and I stopped to listen, 'Are you there, God?' he said. 'Where are you? Oh, I see. Under the bed...'

I giggled softly and tiptoed off to my own room. Kevin's unique perspectives are often a source of amusement. But that night something else lingered long after the humor. I realized for the first time the very different world Kevin lives in.

He was born 30 years ago, mentally disabled as a result of difficulties during labor. Apart from his size (he's 6-foot-2), there are few ways in which he is an adult.

He reasons and communicates with the capabilities of a 7-year-old, and he always will. He will probably always believe that God lives under his bed, that Santa Claus is the one who fills the space under our tree every Christmas and that airplanes stay up in the sky because angels carry them.

I remember wondering if Kevin realizes he is different. Is he ever dissatisfied with his monotonous life?

Up before dawn each day, off to work at a workshop for the disabled, home to walk our cocker spaniel, return to eat his favorite macaroni-and-cheese for dinner, and later to bed.

The only variation in the entire scheme is laundry, when he hovers excitedly over the washing machine like a mother with her newborn child.

He does not seem dissatisfied.

He lopes out to the bus every morning at 7:05, eager for a day of simple work.

He wrings his hands excitedly while the water boils on the stove before dinner, and he stays up late twice a week to gather our dirty laundry for his next day's laundry chores.

And Saturdays-oh, the bliss of Saturdays! That's the day my Dad takes Kevin to the airport to have a soft drink, watch the planes land, and speculate loudly on the destination of each passenger inside. 'That one's goin' to Chi-car-go! ' Kevin shouts as he claps his hands.

His anticipation is so great he can hardly sleep on Friday nights.

And so goes his world of daily rituals and weekend field trips.

He doesn't know what it means to be discontent.

His life is simple.

He will never know the entanglements of wealth of power, and he does not care what brand of clothing he wears or what kind of food he eats. His needs have always been met, and he never worries that one day they may not be.

His hands are diligent. Kevin is never so happy as when he is working. When he unloads the dishwasher or vacuums the carpet, his heart is completely in it.

He does not shrink from a job when it is begun, and he does not leave a job until it is finished. But when his tasks are done, Kevin knows how to relax.

He is not obsessed with his work or the work of others His heart is pure.

He still believes everyone tells the truth, promises must be kept, and when you are wrong, you apologize instead of argue.

Free from pride and unconcerned with appearances, Kevin is not afraid to cry when he is hurt, angry or sorry. He is always transparent, always sincere. And he trusts God.

Not confined by intellectual reasoning, when he comes to Christ, he comes as a child. Kevin seems to know God - to really be friends with Him in a way that is difficult for an 'educated' person to grasp. God seems like his closest companion.

In my moments of doubt and frustrations with my Christianity I envy the security Kevin has in his simple faith.

It is then that I am most willing to admit that he has some divine knowledge that rises above my mortal questions

It is then I realize that perhaps he is not the one with the handicap . I am. My obligations, my fear, my pride, my circumstances - they all become disabilities when I do not trust them to God's care

Who knows if Kevin comprehends things I can never learn? After all, he has spent his whole life in that kind of innocence, praying after dark and soaking up the goodness and love of God.

And one day, when the mysteries of heaven are opened, and we are all amazed at how close God really is to our hearts, I'll realize that God heard the simple prayers of a boy who believed that God lived under his bed.

Kevin won't be surprised at all!

12 LID's left

We are getting closer. They referred through February 23, 2006. That leaves 12 days between us and Darci. If they do 6 days in January and 6 days in February then that means that we would see out sweet Darci's face. I want to believe that this will happen, but I know that when we have a good streak going, then we get hit with a 2 day batch, so who knows!! Our youngest daughter graduates from nursing school on May 8th. Outside of getting Darci I want nothing more than to be at her graduation. I hope the timing of everything works out so we can get Darci and be back here in time for her graduation. If you feel inclinded to help us pray about this, we would covet your prayers. I have always said that God put us on this journey and that we would go when He said it was time. I know that He knows the desires of my heart and so I am trusting that I will be at Kayla's graduation and I hope that Darci is with us!!!

33 months

We have been waiting 33 months for our sweet Darci and I still have no idea when we will see her sweet little face. Darci please know that there is not a day that does not go by that I do not think of you. You are on my mind and you live in my heart. I see things and I think about you, I see clothing that I want to buy for you, but I do not know how big you are, however, there is coming a day when I will know who you are and you will know who your parents are and who your big sisters are and who your forever family is. There are many people who are praying for you. Praying that you are safe, healthy, taken care of and that the time for us to come and get you is soon!! Mommy and Daddy love you so much and although we have waited a long long time, we know that it has been for a good reason, you were not ready for us to come and get you.

Don't stop at the 23rd - How about all of February??

It is rumored that the 23rd is in however it would be real nice if the 24th were included since I have a blogger that I follow who is LID on the 24th. However I would LOVE IT!!!!! if they would just get though the end of February. My sweet Darci is waiting for her mommy to come and get her!!!

Give Thanks

Another Thanksgiving has come and soon will be gone and here we still wait for our sweet Darci. We have so much to be thankful for, our health, our life, our freedom, our home, our jobs, our family and our friends. Though we still wait, we know our time is getting shorter. God has blessed us so much during this journey. We may never know why we had to wait so long since we began this journey in January 2005. God has given us the patience to wait, the peace to know He is in control and the knowledge that one day this journey will end with a trip to China to bring home our daughter to live with her family forever. So as we eat turkey, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pies and cranberries may we never forget ALL the things God has blessed us with and ALL the things we truly are thankful for!! Enjoy your holiday weekend!!!

Happy Birthday

Happy 23rd Birthday to my youngest daughter "K". Her birthday was yesterday and I was at a women's retreat this weekend and this was the first opportunity I had to publish a post. I can remember 23 years ago when I went into labor in the evening, but not enough to go to the hospital. Labor continued all night and the next morning I called my doctor who wanted me to come to his office. After checking things out it was determined that I needed to go on over to the hospital. I was in labor all day and the doctor kept coming over and checking on me and would say "I'll come back in a few hours and break your water" he would come back and say "I'll come back later" well 23 hours later she was born. She was born 1 1/2 hours after he broke my water. I could have had her on the 7th had he done his job. I had my first in 8 hours and they always say that the 2nd comes quicker, well not in this body. So about a year later I decided I was not going to have labor last 3 days so I had my tubes tied. No more babies for me!!! Happy Birthyda "K" I love you!!!!

32 months waiting

Well we now have waited 32 months for our sweet Darci. It is still up in the air as to how many days were referred this month. It could be 2 or it could be 5 we don't know for sure, rumor has it that it was only 2 days. Maybe we will know more tomorrow. At any rate we are definately getting closer. Brian and I were talking this afternoon about when we started this process. March 2005 we attended a workshop hosted by our agency in Arlington, TX. We left that workshop having handed in our application I. If we get a referral in Feb. 09 and travel in March 09 it will have been a 4 year wait. God has done a lot in those 4 years and I am ready to travel and bring my baby home to her FOREVER family.

VOTE

November 4, 2008 marks a very important date in the history of America. A new president will be elected. This is MY BLOG and I will tell you that I am a Republican and will vote that way!!! See this post to see how I determine who I vote for. I am commited to my right to vote. I will say that I am somewhat concerned as to how this will all turn out. So many individuals will buy into this "CHANGE" rally cry. So many will buy into the "Healthcare for all" Who in the world do you think will pay for all this new healthcare for all?? We the taxpayers. How about some sacrifice on indivuals, cut out the cable, get rid of the cell phone, stop eating out, give up the habits (drugs, cigarette's, alcohol) to pay for your own healthcare. My husband works for a small business who does provide insurance for it's employee's (I am very thankful for this) however, I am concerned that if someone beside my candidate is elected then my husband's business would be forced to provide the "SO CALLED" forced insurance and who knows how much that will cost. We already pay out the nose for healthcare since we do not qualify for group rates. There is so much I could go on about, but I will stop. There is so much riding on this election. Get out and vote.

Your vote counts

Here is what I use to base who I will vote for.

· The right to life from the womb to the tomb. Abortion brutalizes women in crisis and destroys life. “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Psalm 139:13-14a

· For 5,000 years society sees marriage as being between a man and a woman. To do anything else distorts the image of God and erodes civilization. I will not vote for anyone who defines marriage as anything else. “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” Hebrews 13:4.

· Judges who interpret the constitution strictly as the founding fathers intended. Some judges legislate from the bench and go along with every whim. The next president will appoint at least two Supreme Court justices. “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a disgrace to any people.” Proverbs 13:34

THANKS to our Secret Pal

Our secret pal sent us a big box of goodies and revealed themselves!! They are the Appleton's Darci's closet is so full of toys, books, various items and a few clothing items and they have all come from our wonderful secret pals over the last 18months. What started out to be a 6 month exchange drew out to be an 18 month exchange. It has been fun and now I am ready to focus on getting ready to get Darci. Our time is getting closer!!

I-171

Read this well that dragging my feet paid off. Our fingerprints do not expire until June 3, 2009 and our I-600A does not expire until November 30, 2009. I was dragging me feet to try and save to pay for the whole thing since the fees went up and I knew at the time that it came with one free extension so I figured that I would wait until the very last mintue and so it looks like we will be home with Darci long before everything expires. To my friends to are dealing with issues related to the extension and the I-600A vs I-800A I am so sorry. Those words seems so inadequate. I can not even imagine how much you hurt, how worried you are that things will not come together in time when you referral arrives. I have been dealing with some worries of my own related to the adoption that I will not share here, however yesterday all day the only song that was on my mind and heart was "Everlasting God" (go here to hear the song). The lyrics - "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon you Lord (x 2)
Our God, you reign forever
Our hope, our strong deliverer...
You are the everlasting God, the everlasting God
You do not faint, you won't grow weary
You're the defender of the weak, you comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles...".
I can honestly tell you that my strength throughout this whole process has risen. I have waited upon the Lord and He has given me strength to endure this wait. So with my worry, I will wait upon the Lord and He will make Himself known and He will prove Himself and I will honor and glorify Him!! It will all come together, God has placed us on this journey and it will all work out.

The light at the end of the tunnel

Well the light at the end of the tunnel is getting bigger. We just passed our 31 month anniversary. What does that mean?? It means that our official paperwork has been sitting on a shelf at the CC*AA in Chin@ for 31 months. Our LID (Log in Date) is March 7, 2006. Referrals are handed out once a month and they did up through February 15, 2006 in the month of October. We have the rest of February to get through and then they will begin working on March. If things speed up real quick we may see a referral by December, but I really don't think that will happen!! January or February is more like it. We will definitely see our precious Darci's face in 2009. Its getting closer!!! Oh my, LOTS to do!! Bedding to make, decorating to do, more furniture to buy, and watching to see if rumors come true!!! Please check back often as there will be things posted often as things are beginning to move quickly and I am sure there will be lots of updates!!! Stay tuned!!!

Six days

We can offically mark off six more days leaving us 20 more referral days before we see Darci's sweet face. I still hopeful that we will see her precious face in December, however I know that will take a lot and probably will not happen. If they do six days then it will probably be February. What a wonderful birthday present for Brian. If they do 9 days the it will be January, a wonderful anniversary present as we will celebrate 27 years of marriage. This is all in God's hands and I have stated that time and time again and we will go when He deems it time to go!! It's getting closer!!!

30 Month Anniversary

Weathered, Tattered, Distressed, Worn, Aged, Torn, Broken, Rusted, Old, and Tarnished. These words describe how the last 30 months have affected me!!! Looking forward to Bright Sun Shiny days in the days ahead, our time is coming!!! Darci our hearts long to see your face, our arms long to hold you, hug you, love you!!! You are always on our minds and in our hearts!!! We love you and this wait has taught us a lot about being patient and most of all to trust our Lord who put us on this journey. His timing is the best!!!

Whoo Hoo Nine Days

C@@A matched nine days worth of referrals, they matched through February 9, 2006. We are March 7, 2006, so we are less than 1 month of referrals from being referred. For those who do not follow in adoption terms, no this does not mean that we will get our referral in one month. The average has been about 4 months to get through one month of referrals. With the amount of days done this month, it is very possible that we could see our sweet Darci's face by Christmas, at the very latest March 2009. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting bigger and the excitment of the wait is starting to come back. It's going to happen, it's going to happen, it's going to happen!!!

Remember this

Remember this, well I got it. I bid on another one and won!! It arrived today and I am so in love with it!! Can't wait to start using it!!!

I let this one slip through my hands

This one is GONE GONE GONE!!! I absoutely LOVE lime green, it is my pink!!!! I got on EB@Y one evening and put in a bid on this diaper bag. The next morning I had an overwhelming sensation to go and check the site and I blew it off, well lesson learned!!! Don't blow off sensations, they are there for a reason. I LOST THIS!!!

08-08-08

Let the games begin!!! I am perched on the couch watching every minute of Opening Ceremonies in a country that my 3rd daughter calls home. Watching how proud the Chinese are about hosting these games makes me proud to know that my daughter comes from a country that is proud of their accomplishments. Thank you China for a performance that will be long remembered!!

Garden of Daily Living

Plant three rows of peas:
1. Peace of Mind
2. Peace of Heart
3. Peace of Soul

Plant four rows of squash:
1. Squash gossip
2. Squash indifference
3. Squash grumbling
4. Squash selfishness

Plant four rows of lettuce:
1. Lettuce be faithful
2. Lettuce be kind
3. Lettuce be patient
4. Lettuce really love one another

No garden is without turnips:
1. Turnip for meetings
2. Turnips for service
3. Turnip to help one another

To conclude our garden must have thyme:
1. Thyme for each other
2. Thyme for family
3. Thyme for friends

Water freely with patience and cultivate with love. There is much fruit in your garden because you reap what you sow.

What have you sown today??

New Job

Well after 2 year and 2 months of driving 25 miles one way to work, it all came to an end on July 11. I accepted a job with the local school system and my drive is a mere 5 miles. I started my job yesterday and while I am working 30 minutes less I was exhausted yesterday. I am doing different work, it's not more work, so I guess the exhaustion is from mental exhaustion. Today was a little better but still tired.

Who's visiting??

Well it seems that lots of people are visiting my site, however I am not sure who you are. Please leave me a comment and introduce yourself. I would love to know who is stopping by!!!

28

Well it has been 28 long months since our paperwork was officially logged in. This does not include the 1 year of gathering paperwork to have our dossier in complete order for our agency. With the looming thought that it could very well be another year before we see our sweet Darci's face I am holding out hope that we may have a wonderful Christmas gift. All in all I have said it a million times and will probably say it a million more times before we have Darci home, and that is, this JOURNEY is in God's hands. He placed us on this journey and when the perfect time comes, we will go get her. Although there were many times I would have like to have gone and been back, that was not part of God's plan. His Word clearly states that His timing is not our timing. The excitment of the wait has long passed and redoing this or that has lost its excitment. When we had to be fingerprinted again and re-apply for our I-171 there was no joy, it was just one more thing to do. No waiting in anticipation of that I-171 like we did the first go round. That light at the end of the tunnel was so small one could barely see it. However, it now seems that light is slowly getting bigger. I draw my strength from the Lord who placed me on this journey and reminds me this is ALL in HIS HANDS. So you see Darci, mommy and daddy are waiting patiently to come and get you. We love you with all of our hearts and cannot wait until we see your face for the first time. You are a member of this family, we talk about you often, we dream of the day we will be united as a family. Your heavenly father is watching out for you and He is keeping you protected until that time. So please know this, as we long to hold you, long to see your beautiful eyes, ears, lips and nose, we know that your mother longs to see those beautiful eyes, ears, lips and nose just one more time. She has made the most precious sacrifice a mother can make. As a Christian I compare it to the most precious gift our heavenly father gave. He gave us His son. Your mother gave us a daughter. Know that we will always love you like we love A & K. We will never leave you. WE LOVE YOU DARCI!!! Still waiting and will continue to wait until we are FOREVER UNITED!!!

Going to the zoo with FREINDS

I did this post and saved it as a darft back on May 4. Guess it has been some time since I last visited my dashboard. SORRY!! Some friends of mine homeschool and so they took a field trip to the zoo and I tagged along. This was my first visit to this zoo and it was quite fun!! A used to live in St. Louis and the zoo there is fantastic and is FREE. She just can't get over the fact that you have to pay to go to the zoo. Oh well!! It was an enjoyable day and I cannot wait to take Darci and spend time showing her all of God's creation and just having fun at the zoo.

Getting ready for the Creek

What is this you say?? Creek This is the youth camp that most of Oklahoma Southern Baptist youth attend each year. I have the awesome priviledge to work for one of Oklahoma's top youth ministers and I'm going to the Creek for the 2nd time. I did not grow up in Oklahoma so the Creek experience is new to me. I got to go last yeat and am going again this year. Getting ready for the Creek is a HUGE job, but I am honored that I get to do this!!!! The other night I was working late, real late (didn't leave until 2:20 in the morning). It is a LOT of work and I got going and did not want to stop, knowing if I did I would have to come back in on Saturday or Sunday and I wanted to spend that time at home with B. So I pushed on with all that needed to be done. One of our interns R stopped by to give me company and I put him to work as well. I was at the copier when he yelled "Debbie, come look at this!" and this is what we found on the wall.

A Visitor to the Flower Garden

The other night I went out to water the new flower garden and I found a visitor.

NEW flower garden

Well I am not a green thumb by anymeans, but I do not like green bushes so my friend and her husband came and dug up all the green bushes and then we planted the new perninal flowers. I like color. I also got a hummingbird feeder and want to put out a butterfly dish in hopes of attracting some butterflies.

Proud to be an American BUT sick of people hating China!!!

I received this as an email and after reading it, this was my response* (at the bottom)

While the Chinese, knowingly and intentionally, export inferior products and dangerous toys and goods to be sold in American markets, the media wrings its hands and criticizes the Bush Administration for perceived errors. Yet 70% of Americans believe that the trading privileges afforded to the Chinese should be suspended.

Well, duh..why do you need the government to suspend trading privileges? DO IT YOURSELF!!

Simply look on the bottom of every product you buy, and if it says 'Made in China' or 'PRC' (and that now includes Hong Kong), simply choose another product or none at all. You will be amazed at how dependent you are on Chinese products, however you will be equally amazed at what you can do without.

Who needs plastic eggs to celebrate Easter? If you must have eggs, use real ones and benefit some American farmer. Easter is just an example, the point is...do not wait for the government to act. Just go ahead and assume control on your own.

If 200 million Americans refuse to buy just $20 each of Chinese goods, that's a billion dollar trade imbalance resolved in our favor...fast!!

The downside? Some American businesses will feel a temporary pinch from having foreign stockpiles of inventory. ** Downside ??

The solution ?

Let's give them fair warning and send our own message. We will not implement this UNTIL June 4, and we will only continue it until July 4. That is only one month of trading losses, but it will hit the Chinese for 1/12th of the total, or 8%, of their American exports. Then they will at least have to ask themselves if the benefits of their arrogance and lawlessness were worth it.

Remember, June 4 to July 4.

Send this to everybody you know. Show them we are Americans and NOBODY can take us for granted.

If we can't live without cheap Chinese goods for one month out of our lives, WE DESERVE WHAT WE GET!

Pass it on America

"I do not want you to send me anything that has to do with China. Please remember that we will adopt a little girl who lives in China and she has no parents and no home. Our Heavenly Father loves her so much that He is choosing Americans to raise these young children so that they will grow up in Godly homes who love Jesus and will teach them about His love and what He did for them. China has its problems but so do America. China is no worse than America. It is time to stop hating China or any other country."

I know that she has parents and we WILL teach her about her birth parents and I respect her birthparents, what I meant was totally directed to the individual that sent the email. I had to be this blunt for them to hopefully get the idea.

Tragedy strikes Steven Curtis Chapman family

This family needs our prayers!!! I cannot even imagine what they are feeling!!!

Article from http://www.tennessean.com


Steven Curtis Chapman’s youngest child died Wednesday afternoon after being struck by a car driven by her teenage brother in the driveway of the family’s Williamson County home.

Maria, one of the Christian singer’s six children, was taken by LifeFlight to Vanderbilt Hospital, which confirmed the death, according to Laura McPherson, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The 5-year-old was hit by an SUV driven by her teenage brother, she said. Police did not give the driver’s name.

The teen was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser down the driveway of the rural home at about 5:30 p.m. and several children were playing in the area, McPherson said. He did not see Maria in the driveway before the vehicle struck her, she said.

“It appears to be a terrible accident,’’ McPherson said.

No charges are expected, she said. The accident was witnessed by two other children; the entire family was home at the time, McPherson said.

Singer/songwriter Chapman, who recently was inducted into Music City Walk of Fame, is one of contemporary Christian music’s most recognizable and most awarded names.

He and his wife Mary Beth have long been supporters of international adoption, having brought three girls from China into their family. Maria was the youngest.
The couple is so active in the cause that they formed an organization, Shaohannah’s Hope, to aid families wanting to adopt.

With his latest music tour, which came through Nashville in November, Chapman started a campaign called “Change for Orphans”. He asked audience members at each stop to bring spare change to the concert, where it was counted and given to a local family to aid in their adoption process.

“I don’t know of anybody who loves his children more than he does and is so committed to the adoption concept, and to lose one, no matter what the circumstances, is heartbreaking beyond all comprehension,” said John Styll, president of the Nashville-based Gospel Music Association.

“He talks about his kids all the time. That’s his life. His kids are more important to him than music, that’s for sure.”

The tragedy was announced during Wednesday-night services at Harpeth Hills Church of Christ, which the family attends. Maria had just graduated from the church preschool.

And word spread throughout the tight-knit Christian music community on Wednesday evening.

Styll got the news not long after Maria’s death.

“I’m confident I can speak for everyone in the community to say we will do everything we can to support this family, as we would do at any time, but especially at a time like this,” he said.

Most of the Chapman family was at Vanderbilt children’s hospital after the accident and could not be contacted. The long, gravel driveway leading to the home west of Franklin was blocked off by Williamson County sheriff’s deputies.

Our secret pal strikes again

I came home on Friday to find a huge box full of wonderful goodies. There was a beautiful spring/summer dress, a pair of pink crocs, a Little Mermaid umbrella, 2 floppy hats, 2 books and LOTS of stickers!!! Thank you so much!!!!