Aunt K's new blog!

Aunt K has started a blog! Everyone be sure to check out Three Times the Blessings at 3xtheblessings.blogspot.com.

Fun at Aunt K's

Monday night I did something very uncharacteristic! I sent IF home with Aunt K and the boys for some play time. I have been having a terrible time with my back and have had trouble sleeping because of it. I desperately needed a nap! So, with Daddy at practice and IF at Aunt K's, I took a long nap! I woke up much refreshed and ready to play with my sweet girl.

It is so hard for me to leave IF. But, I'm a better Mommy when I'm rested and I'm thankful for Aunt K and the boys who play constantly with her and love her like their own.


IF eats Aunt K's yummy potato soup.

IF and Aunt K fold laundry...

If unfolds laundry...

If and Basketball Boy are TOO COOL!!

Shopping with the girls!

IF and I had the joy of meeting Aunt Betsy and Annie for some shopping on Sunday. We had a wonderful time together. Aunt Betsy bought IF a beautiful Easter dress and a few other goodies! We ate and shopped and laughed! After all the times we had visited and shopped as we painfully waited for our children, and all the prayers that sweet Annie had lifted to God for IF to come home, it was a dream come true to be shopping with Betsy, Annie and my precious IF.

Silly Pics

Sorry I've been so behind in posting! My home computer crashed and I reserve posting a work for when I'm eating lunch and lately...I have had to work and eat!

Here are some silly pics of IF and a couple of "the boys."

I love Ice Cream!!!

Valentine's Day!

For Valentine's Day IF got a heart-shaped box of Play-Doh...fun and tasty!! We are trying to teach her not to eat it!

The Zoo!!!

With the high in Nashville on Monday 77, Aunt K and I decided to take the kids to the zoo.

We had the best time! I often had a lump in my throat and had to fight tears of joy and relief. I kept thinking about all the times I we had gone to the zoo or done something else fun in the 15 months we waited for IF. We would always talk about her and plan for the day she would be home, but the pain of missing her and not being able to share our fun with her was terrible for not just me but Aunt K and the boys. They spent those 15 months sadly waiting and praying too! I praised God continuously that day, thanking him that I was pushing my squealing daughter around that zoo! She loved it! Her favorite animals were the meerkats and she came home with a stuffed one who she named "me-kitty." His poor fur is usually damp and matted from her kisses...but he is well loved!

Party Bag!

BFF Alex celebrated his 2nd birthday this weekend. It was too cold for IF to travel after her sickness and the weather was a little unpredictable so we had to miss the party. We were very sad but will be going to visit very soon, baring gifts and cake and we will have our very own celebration!

Aunt Betsy mailed IF's party bag. Here are some pictures of her happily devouring the candy that Aunt Betsy packed!

Ice and no power...and introducing Aunt K!!

Last week we had a terrible ice storm and we were out of power for a day. Thank God it wasn't any longer and we had a warm and fun place to stay with Aunt K and the boys!

Aunt K FINALLY allowed me to keep a picture of her. (Usually she makes be delete them!) She and Isabella Faye were enjoying a glass of V8!

We had a wonderful time at Aunt K's and I must admit were just a little disappointed when the power came back on at our house!!

Happy Anniversary!!

This past Sunday, February 1, marked the anniversary of the day I met Isabella Faye. What a wonderful day we had playing and celebrating. So many memories flooded my mind and heart. I have copied and pasted what I blogged upon returning home after that visit.

After marinating in the memories of the experience of my visit trip to Isabella Faye, I think I am ready now to share.
Meeting Isabella Faye for the first time was the most glorious, amazing, life changing moment. At first I was frozen. I just stood there, stunned. Then sweet Isabella Faye's understanding foster mother gave me a kind smile and a slight nod and I took my baby girl into my arms. I just stood there for a few moments, my eyes transfixed on her. I inhaled her smell, kissed her sweet chubby cheeks...more than once! and whispered "I'm your Mommy!" Oh the emotions! My heart, cold and cynical from months of waiting and worrying melted. My knees went week and I had to sit down! My heart had been aching, oh so aching since we were kicked out of PGN but now it was full! I was overwhelmed with love like I'd never known-peace that couldn't be explained-joy that would rival that of all the angels in Heaven singing praises! My daughter was real! No longer a picture! No longer a DVD-but flesh and blood in my arms.
When I got to the room sweet Isabella Faye, frightened from all the changes, began to cry. I did all the logistical stuff-changed her diaper, tried to feed her, gave her gas drops...then I called my husband. "Let me talk to her!" He said. So, I put the phone to her ear. So gently he talked to her, telling her how much her Mommy loved her-how much he loved her and so on. While they "talked" I prayed. I prayed that God would let Isabella Faye know how much I loved her. Then, right as I said AMEN, there came a knock at the door. It was my dear new friends and their precious children come to check on me. Midway through our conversation I realised someone was cooing. I looked around at the other babies, all smiling, not cooing, and then looked down to see my sweet girl, a smile on her face, and drool on her chin! And then she was mine and I was hers and the fun began!
I had the most incredible time playing with my baby girl and visiting with new friends Betsy Stevens and Alex, Lori and Ron Radosta and Rocco, Stacy and Mark Gabbard and Raelynn, Sue and her friend Kathy and so many other wonderful families, a couple from CCI and some from other agencies. I made forever friendships that I am honored to possess and I saw, truly saw, how much Sue loves our children and us.
I amused many Guatemalans with my poor Spanish...okay, the truth is, I have no Spanish! And had the opportunity of being the minority (A valuable lesson for us all.) I grew to know mine and Betsy's toilets a bit better than I'd hoped: ) and say God's "little miracles" every day.
What God taught me in Guatemala:
To not be afraid. I am now free from fear of failure and self doubt! To stop reading so much and worrying about it! Sue can do that for me! :) Seriously though, Sue is keeping up with all of this, and I trust God to equip her for the task! I trust her to keep me informed. To let go. The house doesn't have to always be clean (you should have seen my hotel room.) You don't have to be involved in everything. Sometimes its more important to stop and PLAY! That peace and sadness are possible at the same time and that the peace tempers the sadness. That peace is available if you're willing to accept it.
Call me Pollyanna but while in Guatemala-praying like I never have before (listening more-talking less) God gave me PEACE! Isabella Faye is coming home! I don't know when but I know how-through the power of Jesus Christ!
Don't get me wrong, I am in pain...deep, dark pain-because I miss my daughter more than words can say. I think of her every moment. I am grieving her absence...raw, honest, sobs from your belly grieving that she's not home...but I still have JOY dispute all the sadness. I have PEACE in the midst of the tears! My baby girl is real and perfect and loved and she will be home-through the power of our real and sovereign Lord.
A little lost in the wonder of it all... joy and sadness, grief and peace.
This visit has changed me. I am not the woman I was before. I am stronger-more courageous! I am the MOTHER to the child of my dreams and I am the DAUGHTER of our perfect Father God...and He has made my family complete!

There are no words to describe my love for Isabella Faye or my gratitude to our Great God for bringing her home. She is our joy and our dream come true. She is our reward. She is so funny and sweet and full of life and personality. I just love her more every day.

Here are pictures of me and her on our first meeting and now.

Feeling Better!

IF felt so much better yesterday!

Here are some pics of her playing.


eating Mommy and Daddy out of house and home!


serious coloring



cat hunting


Vaccuming my room

Reflecting...

I haven't had the chance to reflect on our hospital visit since we've been home. But now Isabella Faye is sleeping so I will take some time.

Seeing her so sick hurt me in a way I've never experienced. I prayed and asked God to take her pain and sickness and give it to me.

Soon after we were admitted to the hospital, He gave me sweet peace that IF was in good hands and that I could trust the staff that would be helping us to make her better. I trusted Him to trust them and He put in our path a stream of kind, smart professionals. From the sweet lady in radiology who said IF was the most beatiful baby she'd ever seen, to the nurses, aides, respitory therapists and our amazing pediatrician, IF was treated like she was the only patient in the hospital! I am so thankful for God's protection around us.

There was something else that I thought about, that I couldn't shake. It has consumed much of my thoughts since...I knew IF would get better, I mean there's always a chance you'll find something more, but I knew that she'd be okay. Even with that knowledge, seeing her poked and prodded and so sick, was gut-wrentching. How more hard then, for a parent of a child with cancer or another illness that the outcome is unknown. How does a parent of a child with a serious illness survive the days worrying about the nights? How do they not just scream and cry with thier child during a procedure? How does thier faith remain so strong? I have added to my prayers a prayer for all parents dealing with the serious illness of thier child. I poor out my heart to God for these brave folks and ask Him to give them perfect peace and supernatural strength.

While IF was in the hospital, we received a card from a Mom, whose son battled Lukemia. We received many cards and goodies but this one stopped me in my tracks. I had to sit down. This brave, strong Christian woman had taken the time to write to us, becuase she knew what we were going through. Our situation so little compared to hers, but the heart of a mother knew what another felt. I am honored to have been prayed for by this brave lady.

Please pray with me for all parents who's children are seriously ill.

IF's hospital stay

IF so sick...



sleeping on Daddy



My IV is out so I can roam.



Going home!!

Sweet girl was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday afternoon with RSV and pneumonia. She was very sick with a very high fever. It was a scary time early on but with the help of our AWESOME God-sent pediatrician and some amazing nurses, she was able to come home last night.

Check out Joshua's blog!

Check out Joshua's blog for a great slideshow of his and IF's visit!

ourjourneytojoshua.blogspot.com

Our fun visit!

Our friend's Kelly and Joshua, future husband and MIL, came to visit today. We had such a fun visit! Joshua is precious and adorable!! Isabella Faye loved playing with him and even shared many kisses!

I'm so thankful for the friendships I have made throughout this process.