She's growing up

I'm off to watch Glee on Netflix but I had to post this picture from today. My baby girl, that will start Kindergarten next month, has been very curious about getting her ears pierced lately. She's been asking if it hurts, how much it hurts, do people have to get their ears pierced, etc. Of course, I told her that no one ever has to have their ears pierced. Her ears are beautiful with or without earrings. :) So, fastforward to today. We were in Claire's at the mall looking at hair clips and other girly stuff and we saw a little girl that was getting her ears pierced. She was probably 4 I guess. Isabel stood and watched the WHOLE thing. She stood positioned in a prime viewing spot not to be distracted. The little girl only cried when they put marker on her ear cuz she thought it was the real thing! When they actually pierced her ears she didn't even cry. Isabel was amazed and right then, her mind was made up. She came over and said, "Mommy, I want to do it today." I said, "Well, are you sure? We can wait until you're sure you're ready." "No Mommy, I'm ready today. I want to do it." So, we went over and picked out some cute little earrings. They cleaned her ears and marked them with a purple marker. The lady suggested that Isabel do both at the same time while her co-worker came over to do the other ear. Isabel thought that sounded like a great idea so she could just get it over with. Well, they did it...and she cried. She cried big tears. I felt so awful. I wanted to help her and I wanted to rewind the whole scene and just tell her no. But then, she smiled when she saw them. They let me put the antiseptic on them and it started to feel better right away. I wiped her big tears away and she was ready to look at possible earrings she might pick out after she keeps the first ones in for 6 weeks. She was proud of herself for doing it. I was proud of her too...but I couldn't help but want to just pick her up and make her a baby again. I can't believe she'll be in Kindergarten next month. I already have tears in my eyes and I haven't even been to Open House yet.

I'm off to get a kleenex but here she is in all her beauty, so proud of her new earrings!

Love,

Motherhood is a Calling

I just read the most powerful article I have read in a long time. I just keep mulling it over and over in my mind. I want to keep thinking about it too. I think if you're a mom, then you definitely need to read it.

The author talks about how Motherhood is a calling, not a hobby.

"Christian mothers carry their children in hostile territory. When you are in public with them, you are standing with, and defending, the objects of cultural dislike. You are publicly testifying that you value what God values, and that you refuse to value what the world values. You stand with the defenseless and in front of the needy. You represent everything that our culture hates, because you represent laying down your life for another—and laying down your life for another represents the gospel."

I want my calling as a mother to represent the gospel...to my daughter and to others. I want to lay it all down, to lay down my desires, lay down my goals, lay down all the times I get annoyed with saying the same things over and over again. To die to myself, and live for others.

That is the gospel after all.

Please, please go read the article:
Motherhood is a Calling

Our July official number!

{Source}

Today we received our official July number! We're number 40!!
I can't believe we're about to be in the 30's. That is craziness to me. It's getting closer and closer! We're getting closer and closer to meeting our daughter in Ethiopia. Wow.

We have a lot of work ahead of us. I think most of you know that we have moved to Texas! We are super excited about being here. So far we really love it. I love that we all have a tan already and we've only been here for a week and a half. I love that there are TONS of varied Spanish radio channels here. I love that everyone here is really friendly. Unfortunately, because we have moved states, homes, jobs, EVERYTHING....we have to redo our homestudy. We knew we would but it's a lot to gather all over again. Thankfully, the timing of it all seems pretty perfect. We received word from our agency that the court system in Ethiopia will be doing their annual closure sometime in August and September. During about a two month span they won't be having any court appointments. So, our hope is that we can use that time to get our homestudy, fingerprints, and all updated and then be ready when the courts open up again. We still have a lot of fundraising but amazingly, a really sweet friend gifted us with enough to cover our updated/new homestudy here. God is so good to provide each detail at the right time. We know He will provide all we need to cover the next amount.

I looked up Psalm 40 and I wanted to share verse 1. We are going to keep on waiting patiently for the Lord and for His timing. He is faithful to lean in and hear us when we call out.

"I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry."

Alright, I'm going to leave you with two fun pictures.

Isabel and her new cowgirl hat at the Stockyards.

Brian's Texas waffle!

Adoption Garage Sale in DFW Area

I haven't posted in a long time because well we have packed up our entire house and moved it to Fort Worth, Texas. I know some of you that read my blog also live in this area so I wanted to share this info about a HUGE Garage Sale happening tomorrow in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. It is an Adoption Garage Sale for our friends the Delgados. They are adopting sweet little Baby A. Here is the info about their sale! Here is a link to their blog.

Where: 4740 Western Center Boulevard, Haltom City, TX 76137 (in front of Grace Evangelical Methodist Church)

When: Saturday, July 9, from 7am until people stop coming

What: toddler bed, stroller, stove, couch with a pull out sleeper, lots of clothes, toys and many many more things you just can't live without

All proceeds from the sale will go into Baby A's adoption fund.