What's in a number?

What's in a number? A lot if it represents something dear to your heart.

Today marks 18 months of officially waiting for our referral, meaning the time since our home study was approved. If you have ever waited for something for many months, you know that many emotions are associated with the wait.

We actually completed our preliminary application with Bethany on October 4, 2008. We were approved and placed on a waiting list on October 7, 2008. This was a list of people wanting to begin the program. Each year,our agency is given a "quota" of how many families can begin adopting from Korea. When we were put on this first list, we were told to be prepared because we would probably not make the 2009 quota. We were number 17 on the list and our agency was expecting a quota near 7. For us to make the quota, about 10 families ahead of us would need to "dropout" of the waiting list.

One of many miracles... On February 26, 2009 we made the 2009 quota and were officially in the Korea program.

Over the next few months, we gathered and completed lots of paperwork. We had our fingerprints taken at USCIS. (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) We met with our social worker several times for interviews and she came to our house for a home visit.

On July 30, 2009 our home study was approved and we were placed on a list of families waiting for referrals. We were told our wait would be about 12 months. We were expecting a referral in the summer or fall of 2010.

Well, today is January 30, 2011 and we are still waiting to see our little treasure's face.

Some days I wait patiently and know that Raleigh and I should enjoy the time we have now as a couple.

Some days I am angry that we are still waiting.

Some days I am overwhelmed with sadness that we are still waiting.

Some days I wonder if we will ever be matched with our child.

Not a day goes by that I don't think and dream of our sweet baby.

I know that the Lord is in control and the He determines the timing of all things, including this adoption. But my human heart, longs for my phone to ring today. The Lord has always been faithful to me, and I know He wouldn't have led us to this place just to leave us.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Please move mountains for us and the other 2009 families that are still waiting for referrals. I know that You are in charge.. not our adoption agency, not Holt in Korea, not our social worker, not the director of our agency. You Lord are in control. Grant me your peace and patience as we continue to wait. Be with the families ahead of us that have been waiting even longer than us. I pray that for your glory, referrals start coming in quickly so that our babies are orphans no more. Your Word says that love is patient. I love our sweet child so much, even though I have never seen his or her face. Please help me wait with patience.
Amen.


1 Corinthians 13
1If I speak in the tonguesa of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,b but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

The Crib

When Raleigh and I started our adoption process, we agreed that we would not purchase any furniture for the nursery until we had our referral. Well, that was when we had been told our wait would be 12 months from HSTK (home study to Korea) to referral. Sunday, January 30 will mark 18 months of waiting. So...we've changed our minds.

I found a crib and dresser/changing table that I loved and it was a great price so we decided to go ahead and make the purchase! We had to rent a truck from Home Depot. It was quite an adventure!

The dresser is still sitting downstairs in Raleigh's office because it is so heavy and I couldn't help Raleigh lift it. :)

Snow Day #4

On Thursday, we decided to stay inside and make yummy tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Yum! We spiced up our grilled cheese a bit by adding sliced green apples.


Shakertown Tomato Soup (recipe from Raleigh's mom)

1 small onion chopped fine
1/2 cup celery chopped fine
2 Tbs butter
1 10.5 oz can of tomato soup
1 soup can of water
1 tsp italian seasoning
i Tbs lemon juice
2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste
sour cream for topping

Saute onions and celery in butter for about 5 minutes. Do not brown. Add all other ingredients and simmer about 5 minutes. Top with sour cream! Enjoy!

Snow Day #3

I am really enjoying these extra days off of work! It is amazing what a few inches of snow and ice can do to a city!

The snow really hasn't melted at all in our neighborhood. The temperature stayed below freezing today, but the sun was out most of the day. We thought the sun might help some things melt, but I guess it was just too cold!!

I'm looking forward to one more snow day tomorrow! I'm just like a kid...when they start announcing school closings I am glued to the tv. I guess that is just part of being a teacher.

Snow Day #2

Today we ventured out on foot to check our streets. They are still pretty icy. Some areas are pure snow, other areas ice, and some areas were slushy.

Raleigh made a snowball, but there is so much ice mixed with the snow, it would really hurt to have a snowball fight with this stuff.

We decided to clear our driveway a little bit in case I have school tomorrow. The temperatures are supposed to drop tonight, so anything that is slushy now will freeze again.

Snow Day

Simple, Perfect Enchiladas by The Pioneer Woman

Have you visited The Pioneer Woman site? If not, go check it out. She writes blogs about food, her life on the ranch, her kiddos, and more.

I love using her recipes because she walks you through step by step with pictures. This Christmas, one of my gifts from Raleigh's mom was The Pioneer Woman Cooks, Recipes From An Accidental Country Girl. The funny thing is that I actually gave the cookbook to her too! Funny!



A few nights ago Raleigh and I made enchiladas from the cookbook. As predicted, they were delicious. We did make a substitution for for the ground beef, since I don't eat meat. We used refried beans instead of the beef.


I can't wait to try another recipe!

Happy 2011!

We had a great time ringing in the new year in Nashville! I know that 2011 is going to be full of wonderful blessings!!