The call we've been waiting for...

It was a pretty normal morning.  I dropped Gavin off at speech, took Jacob and Casey grocery shopping, stopped at Starbucks and decided to get hot chocolate for the boys, the hot chocolate ended up spilling all over the car... you know.  Life with three boys.

I was driving home when I saw the phone number that I have now memorized as our adoption agency.  Could this be it??  (The last four times I thought it could be, but they were just checking on me to see how everything was going and if I had any questions.  Have I mentioned that I LOVE our adoption agency?!)  Since I was driving and had all three boys in the back seat, I decided to let it go to voicemail.  I had a feeling though... a feeling this was the call we've been waiting for.

I got home, fed the boys, put Casey down for his nap, and got Jacob and Gavin quiet and settled.  Then Adam and I went into our bedroom, prayed together, and listened to the voicemail on speaker.  My pulse raced as "my feeling" was confirmed that they had a referral for us!  I took a few deep breaths and could feel my hand shaking as I called them back.  I listened intently, not wanting to miss a single word, as they relayed all of the information they had about this little girl.  Thankfully my trembling hand didn't have to write anything down... because they were going to send it in an email along with some pictures.  Pictures!!!

After getting off the phone, I described every detail of the conversation as carefully as I could to Adam.  Our eyes simultaneously filled with tears.  Then we immediately opened the email to see her pictures.  My face couldn't help but light up with all of the cuteness.  Chubby little cheeks, button nose, dark eyes, possibly strawberry blonde hair?  The attached medical report was confusing at best, but overall, she looked in pictures and on paper to be a fairly healthy little girl.  After putting her weight, height, and head circumference in a gram to pound converter, we were delighted to see that they were all above average for an orphan in her situation.

In the beginning stages of our adoption process, I talked to a mom in Louisiana who had adopted two girls from Russia.  She had given me some very solid advice... like not to be alarmed if there is something that sounds concerning in their medical report.  Almost all of them have something.  Fortunately, some of the best International Adoption doctors and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome experts in the nation work out of the University of Washington.  She told me to call them when I got a referral and they would explain everything to us and give us their best advice.  So that's what we did.

We had to wait four days until our phone conference though... and there was only one problem in the meantime.  I fell in love with her.  I promised myself I wouldn't, that I would keep at a distance until we were certain that her medical records checked out.  The next morning though, after reading the first chapter of James and praying, I got this overwhelming feeling that I wanted to go get this little girl, hold her in my arms, and bring her home forever.  James 1:5 says, "If any of you needs wisdom to know what you should do, you should ask God, and He will give it to you."  James 1:6 says, "When you ask for something, don't have any doubts." Since the beginning of our adoption journey, we have been asking and praying that our first referral would be the girl God has chosen for us.  So we are choosing to trust that she is.

Praise the Lord, the phone conference last night confirmed our decision!  The IA doctor told us that she was an average/above average referral from Russia.  He was very positive and encouraging throughout the entire phone call.  So... this morning we called our adoption agency and accepted the referral!

I read on another blog about a book called When God Winks at You.   It is about how God speaks directly to you through the power of coincidence.  For those of you who know our story, the night when I prayed to ask if it was God's will for us to adopt was November 6th.  That SAME day, halfway across the world, our sweet little girl was born.  I'd say God is definitely winking at us.  ;)

Little Gym

OH, everyone please clap your hands and sing along with me.

How do ya do you super beasts, how do ya do?

How do ya do you super beasts, how do ya do?

Well, we come to gym for fun and we get you on the run,

How do ya do you super beasts, how do ya do?

After six years of Little Gym with my three boys, this song might just be stuck in my head forever.  ;)

This was Casey's last time... :(  Too many goodbyes for this momma lately!

In super beasts, they are supposed to be pretty independent.  Casey had a hard time with that part.   See how everyone is on the wall but him?  ;)

It's hard to take pictures when he wants me right beside him.  I had to let go of his hand and snap the picture before he could protest.

Sometimes he gets distracted by the fun though.  ;)

He usually takes a few water breaks...

Then he's back to jumping,

climbing,

and balancing.

Casey is a bit afraid of heights though.

Sometimes it's just easier to go under the balance beam!  ;)

Here is his teacher Miss Megan.  She is pretty much the best.  I guessed that she was pregnant before she even started showing... and I'm not usually able to do that with people.  She is due with her first little one on the Fourth of July!

She was A-mazing with Casey.

At the end of the year, they get the cutest little medal.

Tadaa!

Casey isn't one to follow the crowd for sure.

But thankfully, he agreed to sit on the throne for a few pictures.

He actually stayed way longer than I thought!

He was pretty excited about his medal!

As bittersweet as the last day of Little Gym for Casey is, there are two things that kept my chin up.  

1.  I'm going to have his birthday party here in August.

2.  Soon I will have a little girl to bring here!

Teeball

Gavin had such a fun time playing teeball this year!

His team was made up of his preschool buddies, so that made it especially fun (and a little unproductive at times ;)

He always makes such BIG progress by the end of the season!

(Even though I think he missed the ball on this one.  ;)

The coach was my really good friend's husband... and Gavin's best friend's dad!

Everytime Gavin took his helmet off, his hair was everywhere.  I couldn't help but smile.  ;)

The outfield... where they ALL run after the same ball and end up in a dogpile.  

They didn't really understand that there are specific outfield positions yet.  ;)

So proud of my sweet little guy!

 I think he might be a little proud too.  ;)

The Limo Ride

Jacob sold enough cookie dough for his school fundraiser to win a limo ride and pizza lunch!

 Here are all the lucky first graders who were able to go.

 Since I was there to take pictures, they decided I might as well go along for the ride.  :)

 The kids were beyond excited the entire trip!

 Testing out all of the buttons and gadgets.  ;)

Driving past McDonalds...

 ...which made everyone scream and cheer!  ;)

 Peeking out the back!

 As sweet as it was to see how excited these first graders were, I couldn't help but think about how much fun it would be to ride (and put these fancy glasses to good use ;) with my hubby or some girlfriends!

Thanks to everyone who bought some cookie dough for Jacob!  He was so so happy and grateful to experience this once in a lifetime event.  :)

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This post is dedicated to my mom for sure.  Not only did she fill my entire yard with beautiful flowers for my birthday, she watched our boys throughout the entire weekend for us!  Adam and I were able to go to a movie and the Melting Pot one night and the next night, we took Jacob and Gavin to a Mariner's game.  Since it was a late game and Casey is pretty young still, he stayed home with Grammy.  :)

 Two very excited boys!!

 A quaint little cupcake shop in town had it's grand opening on my birthday, so we picked a few different flavors for everyone to try.

 Then we were on our way to the game...

 Not a bad view for ten dollar seats!

 Every time an Alaska plane flew overhead, the boys would shout, "Look!  It's Daddy's airplane!"

 My mom found this birthday package online where you get a tote bag with gift cards, a Mariner's hat and ball, and a message on the giant reader board!  Jacob was bursting at the seams waiting for it to appear, so I'm glad he only had to wait until the bottom of the second inning!  ;)

My Jakey has the best little heart!

 Gav really liked the peanuts and cracker jacks.  ;)

Did you know peanuts can double as binoculars? 

  Mommy's little photo shoot while Daddy was getting garlic fries.

 I think the theme was Jacob sticking his tongue out.  ;)

 Such a fun birthday weekend!  Thanks again mom for making it all possible.  :)