You Go Girl!!

Umm...Okay, so this post is going to have nothing to do with adoption, school, my husband, my family, church, singing, etc...none of that. This post has to do with this:

Girls, you might be wondering what this is. Well, let's just say that it is the answer to all of your bathroom problems. Ever had to "use the facilities" in a nasty, dirty bathroom and envied your husband, brother, son, etc., who could go standing up? Ever had to go outdoors while camping and had a bit of a "trail mishap"? Ever been stuck on a boat with your crazy husband who refuses to pull up on shore and makes you go in the FREEZING cold water (and then drives away thinking it's funny)? Ever had to "hold it" for 9 hours straight while in Cuba stressing out your bff because you couldn't hover? Well the GoGirl is your solution!! You can now go standing up anywhere, at anytime. I know...you are going to all go to GoGirl website now and order one...because "life's greatest adventure shouldn't be finding a bathroom."

I do need to give credit to MckMama for sharing this with me....and I know you will continue to share this good news! I only wish I was the one to think it up!

Men...you just finished half of your Christmas shopping!!

B:)

Stay Tuned....

What an awesome day...we got to announce our news in church today...to a response of clapping and spontaneous song...I can't believe it's for us. I just can't believe it's finally our turn. God is so, so good. Stay tuned for more!

Lucky?

I would really like people to stop telling me that I am "lucky" to not have to go through those first 6 weeks of torture, or "lucky" not to have to deal with the pains that go along with pregnancy, or "lucky" that I'll get my kid just in time for the fun part. I can empathize completely that those things can be really, really hard. I am not taking away from that. But, I am sure that none of these people would be willing to give up any of those things if it meant not having their little one, and I would have given anything to be in those shoes.

Even as our process moves forward, I know that I would not change my broken heart, sleepless nights, seemingly unanswered prayers, depression, unsuccessful procedures, too many needles to count, unanswered questions or dollars spent for anything because it is leading me to my baby. A part of my heart is missing because I know that my baby is likely born and living in another country. MY CHILD not with me, and that tears me apart. When I bring him home, I know I'll feel whole again, but I will never forget that I am missing part of his life because I am stuck here while he waits for me to bring him home. How lucky is that?

So, please stop calling me lucky. There is nothing about the journey to my child that has been lucky. It is blessed, it is God-led, it is the answer to every one of my prayers, but it is not lucky.

So...to the next person who tells me that I am lucky without handing me a check for a large some of money...there is a strong chance you might get punched.

Bam! Hiccups...

We are a tad on the excited side. After our approval call on Wednesday, we needed to get a few things together (colour passport copies, signed paperwork, pics of us and our house, etc) to send to our agency so that they can prepare our application package and dossier to send to Russia. Of course we had all of that finished on Wednesday night so that Mark could drop everything off on Thursday...we've already waited for what feels like forever, so we're trying to get all of those little things accomplished as fast as possible.

But, true to my form, I forgot to sign my flipp'n passport...meaning an extra day and an extra trip to Toronto to drop the forms off...a small error...but if you know me...typical (I've already had to get another passport for forgetting to include my middle name on my first one...)

Next, we find out that we had filled out, and received feedback on the entirely wrong form!!! When adopting internationally, you need to either ask Canada to grant the child immediate citizenship, or you ask for Canada to allow you to sponsor the child to immigrate to Canada (like anyone coming to the country to stay). Well, in this whole process, no one seems to know exactly what they're talking about, and unfortunately, you often get the wrong information. So we were led to fill out the immediate citizenship form, only to learn yesterday that we need to go with the other option because we are adopting from Russia. Why couldn't someone have told us this when we asked specifically which form to fill out? So, we are frustrated. My hope and prayer is that the hiccups happening now mean that things will go smoothly once we're in Russia where and t not crossed could delay you days or weeks.

Overall, this is just a small hiccup in the big picture. If I've ever been reminded that God is speaking directly to me, this has been the week. This whole process has reminded me that God is real, working in my life, and holding my hand as I walk down this path. Even those times when I try to let go, He's still close beside me...I praise Him for that! I was supposed to be away directing a week of camp this week, but I decided that I should stay behind in case I received interview calls for teaching jobs for next year. I knew deep down that there would be no calls this week, but I also knew I couldn't be away. God had a different plan. I'm going to start working on a post about this subject directly because I've been moved this week to fall at his feet in thankfulness for speaking to me even when my ears were plugged and for walking beside me when I refused to hold his hand. God is alive, He is real, and He is so so so good!

What a Day!!

My heart is full! Of course, my head is overwhelmed trying to figure out what the heck our next step is....taking pictures of our house and us (not gonna lie...used some older "Becky-friendly" ones) to send over with our application and dossier, figuring out how to apply for citizenship for a child who's name we don't know, figuring out where the region we'll be travelling to is (it's Tyumen...still don't have it nailed down, but I know it's nowhere near Moscow), and FINALLY making plans as to what we're going to do with the baby's room. Like actual, real, pick-out-a-paint-colour, choose a pattern, let's start shopping REAL plans!

THIS is what I've been waiting for. Getting to tell our family and friends what we have to look forward to...getting to keep his or her eventual name a secret to get back for all of those surprises from our family (jokes!)...getting to plan and dream, and really feeling like it will come true...This is my positive pregnancy test....I am so blessed!! It's so, so awesome to have so many people congratulate us....our child is coming into our lives knowing that he was loved and thought about and prayed for by SO many long before we ever knew him!!

"But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, be patient! For it will surely take place. It will not be late by a single day." Habakkuk 2:3

It will!! It will!! It will!!

B :)

p.s. It it wrong if I send Mark out for icecream late at night now or park in those pregnancy spots?? Just asking....

APPROVED!!!

We finally received our approval letter from the government of Ontario giving us official permission to become parents! In the adoption world, this means that we are officially paper pregnant...I can start the baby timers, and begin waiting for "the call" (which won't happen anytime soon because we still have a few small steps to take before our stuff is in Russia.


God is SOOOOOO good!!!!