13 years ago.....

13 years ago this weekend, I awoke to the knowledge that our lives would be forever changed. My water had broken; our baby was on the way.

We didn't know if we were having a girl or a boy. We had wanted to be surprised. The nursery was ready to go, completely stocked for our new addition. We were as ready as two new parents could be. But little did we know what awaited us.

In all of my dreams, I never could have envisioned how AWESOME Bryan would be! He was born at 5:34pm on February 29th, 1996... LEAP DAY! We should have known then how special he was just because of the cool birthday he chose as his arrival. But you just can't prepare for someone like Bryan.

Throughout the years, Bryan has brought me so much joy. It is an honor to be his mom. It's a privilege to watch him grow and to see him becoming a young man. He has made me laugh harder than I ever thought possible. He's embarrassed me more than I ever thought possible (ask me about some of his antics... i have stories to tell!). He has sometimes made me cry more than I thought possible. He has made me swell with pride more than I ever thought possible. He has made me a better person. He has taught me what it means to love sacrificially. He's taught me more about the Love of Christ than I knew before.

Bryan, I can't believe you are a teenager (well, technically 3 1/4 years old). I look at you and see a truly wonderful young man before my eyes. I am so proud of you. I am proud of the person you are, and the man you are becoming. I am proud of your heart, how you care for people. I love your genuine nature and how you are just yourself. I love your warped sense of humor, and how you laugh and make me laugh. I love being your mom. You've had my heart from the time I first knew you existed. I love that we are celebrating this 13th birthday all weekend... YOU ROCK!
Happy 13th Bryan... I love ya!

What A Great Idea!

Jeff is working hard to bring in some money for our adoption travel. Check it out here, and let us know if you want to be a part of this.

Thanks!

Could I Ask For More?

This week, people will run wild trying to find that perfect gift to prove to their loved one just how much they mean to them. Card sales will sky-rocket. Chocolate sales will be through the roof, and don't even get me started on the price of a dozen roses. Yes, this week is Valentine's Day, that one special day we set aside to tell that special someone that we love him or her.

Jeff and I are not buying gifts for each other. Don't get me wrong; we love each other. Oh, let me tell ya. There is a whole lotta lovin' in this house! But we decided that we didn't need to use the debit card to show it. We are writing letters to each other for Valentine's Day (Jeff, that's your reminder in case you have forgotten!:))

Today, I heard someone talking about their spouse, and it made me sad. I didn't hear a lot of joy. I didn't hear any excitement about the relationship. I didn't hear trust or friendship or commitment. What I heard sounded like "I'm stuck with this person for the rest of my life". My heart broke because of that.

I can tell you that my love for Jeff today is stronger than it has ever been. I can tell you that he has become the closest friend and supporter I have ever known. I can tell you that he knows my needs before I speak them, and better yet, he tries to meet those needs! I can tell you that he recognizes when I am struggling with a bad day sometimes before I even know why I am upset. His voice reassures me.

He still opens the door for me EVERY SINGLE TIME WE GO SOMEWHERE! He still holds my hand, just because. He still puts his arm around me and pulls me close. He still winks at me sometimes when he is up front in church. He still kisses me first when he comes home in the evenings.

I still get butterflies when I see him walk in the room. I still get that goofy grin in the middle of the day when I think about him. I still love it when he calls me "Bird".

No doubt about it, I am one blessed woman. Could I ever ask for more? Jeff, you have truly colored my world. I'll be your Valentine this year, and forever.

We can't ignore

I saw this video today while reading a blog that I follow often. It reminds me of our time in Uganda, but it also reminds me of why we are in this adoption process at all. Our little girl could have been these children. I just weep at the thought of that, but I know that for so many children, this is reality.

I am burdened to make a difference. What about you?

Oh God, forgive us for the times we have overlooked your children, your creation. Forgive us for not being thankful for our abundance and for not finding ways to share it with the world around us. Open our eyes, God. Let us be disturbed and burdened to act when we see these images. Give us your heart, Father. Teach us to love like you do.



For those who want to know how to make a difference, here is a place to start.

A Bold Statement

Last night, Jeff & I saw "Wicked".

I was blown away. It was the best thing I have ever seen.

It was even better than seeing Kenny Rogers live.

Enough said.

ch-ch-ch-changes

Our house is looking a bit different these days. This weekend was a whirlwind of home improvement, and we had a blast!

On Friday, Jeff and I started painting Ellie's room in preparation for bringing her home. I have to say that when that pink paint went on the walls, I got all teary-eyed. WOW.. I never thought I would be doing that! God is so good...

Saturday, we finished up her room, and decided while we were at it, we should go ahead and do some things in Bryan's room as well. I won't keep you waiting any longer. Here are the pics.

Never thought I would need pink paint....

Just making sure that I liked the color

The dresser, obviously. Horton is hanging out in there too!

headboard and cute lamp from Nana. There will be a lime green chair rail in between the pink and white eventually.

My favorite part of the room. So true... she is most definitely a miracle!

Bryan's "beastly" drumset (his words!), and the newly added stripe on the wall. Very teenage-ish, huh?

Drum heads from Bryan's first set (spells p-u-n-k), two authentic samurai swords, and some old skateboards... very cool!

So Proud...

Last week, Bryan participated in his school's Geography Bee. First of all, let me say that this was not mandatory, and I was excited that he chose to participate at all. I was even more excited when he made the highest score in the 8th grade for the 2nd round. That got him into the finals.

Jeff and I went to cheer him on. Quite frankly, I was surprised that we were the only parents there. This is a big deal, people! These students were being asked HARD questions. I was a nervous wreck for Bryan!

He was eliminated in the 3rd round of the finals, but it doesn't matter.

Bryan, I am proud of you. You stood confidently and answered those questions to the best of your ability. I was so proud to watch you standing there, knowing that it was making you nervous. Yet, you persevered, and I can't say enough about how proud I was to watch that. You are an amazing young man, and on days like that one I get a glimpse of the man you are growing to be. It makes my heart almost burst with love and pride. I couldn't ask for more in a son, Bryan!

In honor of Bryan, I thought we could have a little Geography quiz here ourselves. Go here and take the US Geography quiz. How did you do? I scored 135/150. Good luck!