An Example...

Ok, I am trying to stay upbeat, despite the fact that Thanksgiving is around the corner and i know my new boys won't be home to celebrate with us.  I honestly never thought this would happen.  Last September when we started this process, I had no doubts the boys would be home by now.  We had even made plans to take a trip to visit a great Aunt over the weekend so she could meet the boys.  So hard to have to cancel plans, and make new without them here. 

My sister had her new baby (#5) on Wednesday morning.  Bless her heart, labor started Saturday, but she now has a beautiful boy to show for it!  I am excited, sad, and jealous all at the same time.  My brother and his wife also had a little girl placed in their home (hopefully to adopt) as well as gave birth to another baby, my sister now had a baby, and I am still waiting.  I was officially 'expecting' before either of them.  Don't get me wrong, I am so excited for two new nieces, and a new nephew!  I am SO excited!  I love my family and all my nieces and nephews (there are a bunch!), but I want my boys.

I broke down Sunday at church.  I just couldn't take it.  Friends of ours have friends who started their adoption (from another country) after us, and are bringing their 4 kids home today.  Another friend is pregnant, my sister was in labor, there are like 6 new babies in our church - 5 of which are families in our Sunday School class.  I am so excited for each and every family and each baby.  I am happy for them, truly joyful, but that doesn't mean at the same time, I don't struggle.  I am human, I sin.  I am jealous, sad, angry, frustrated, happy, excited, all at the same time.  We were talking to friends on Sunday and equated this adoption to a roller coaster.  I LOVE roller coasters, but we have now been on this one so long, that I am nauseus.  I am about to lose my lunch!  All I want is to get off!!! It can't come soon enough.  And, just when I think we are about to be done and get off, there is another drop or loop.  I also know that when we get off, I will think, man that was great, let's do it again!  (Reality comes in here, and I already know ti won't happen soon, but you get the idea) But for now, I am sick and done!

I am confident in my God.  I am confident He has a plan and His will is being lived out through this adoption.  That is the comfort I hold on to.  We are being given the opportunity to witness to others.  To be a Christian example.  We have already seen this.  We have been asked about adoption by a few people in our church who are sincere, which is exciting.  Because of the delays, more people in the church are becoming aware of our situation, and are now praying for us.  Our prayer support has doubled, at least.  It is exciting and a challenge to see others watching us.  What an opportunity we have been given to live out the gospel!  I hold on to the Father, and He is holding us!  Therefore, we have joy!

I know this has been a rambling post yet again, but I will also leave you with pictures again...

Where's Mason...  After a bath, he wanted daddy to get him ready, so he sat on the couch covered by a blanket and watched a movie.  The dog always curls up with him, they are best buds!

Adoption Sunday photo shoot!  We tried before heading to church to get a picture of him in his "I'm gonna change the world" T-shirt with a sign that says 'Adopted in Love".  It wasn't the greatest idea we had ever had...

He was being quiet at one point, which always makes me wander what he's up to... I came out of the kitchen and found this.  He was sitting in a box of cloth diaper donations reading a book.

My sister Bobbie Jo with her newest (#5) Parker Joseph.  He's cute!

Mason loved his new cousin.  He gave him all sorts of kisses and kept 'petting' him.  Too cute!