Different things on my mind......and our Yard Sale.

So we thought we were going to name our daughter

 Sarah Kate, however it just never really clicked with me, then last week Mike said he wasn't sure he still wanted to use that name, he likes "Olivia".  However, now I can't move on from "Sarah Kate" I have been referring to her as Sarah Kate this entire time, and now I am not sure that I can change.  And like I said before it never really clicked, I had some reservation about it, but now I am having a hard time with changing it......

I may not have the pregnancy hormones running around, but I do act and feel like I do, ha. 

So as for now, she doesn't have an American name.  I think that may be part of the problem. She has a Chinese name and her file had an American name, so it is hard to look at this little person who has a name and think of another one.  We shall see how this ends.......

obviousley she has to have a name. 

 

We have decided that the kids probably will not go with us to China (insert sigh). I don't know how I'm going to leave them for 2 weeks and be half-way around the world, but I do know God will take care of them. 

I can write excuse after excuse, but the bottom line is money......(insert another sigh). God continues to provide for this adoption.  After my "freak out" over the whole financial part of this adoption, God gave me an overwhelming feeling of calmness, that it would all work out.  And it has.  We will only need to have 1 maybe 2 fundraisers to help with some of the cost.  However to take the kids, we would be adding another $6-8K to the cost of traveling.  That would be a lot of fundraising, that I don't think is possible.  But again, God does provide, so if it His plan for the kids to go, than I know He will make it possible. 

 

Speaking of fundraising, we are having a Yard Sale at our church.  Have I mentioned just how wonderful our church family is?  They are amazing! We have felt an ENORMOUS amount of support from them since Day 1 of this adoption journey. 

We will be having a multi-family yard sale on

 

Saturday, November 10. 

 

So if you have any items you would like to donate or some money burning a whole in your pocket, this is the perfect way to get rid of both!!

Family time.....

This weekend was so nice.....we had a great family trip to the mountains. Mike has school 3 nights out of the week and I work 3 other nights out of the week, so we don't have much family time right now. The one night we are all home, usually consists of some type of ball practice or game. Well this past weekend I was off, so we decided to let the kids miss their games and have a nice relaxing weekend as a family. It was perfect. We drove up to my mom's cabin on Friday, went to an apple farm Saturday and then went to my brother's that night to spend some time with them and watch the Georgia game.....(not quite the game we were expecting). They live about an hour away, so we don't get to see them very often. We got home Saturday night and were able to attend church Sunday as a family, without me struggling to stay awake from working the night before. It was exactly what we needed. I am so thankful for these moments!

There were a lot of Asian children at the apple farm, or maybe it was because we were surprised to see such diversity in the GA mountains, however I couldn't stop staring. I know, we always teach our children not to stare, but I just kept seeing them and thinking about Sarah Kate. Oh, how I wish she were here to enjoy these times with us. I know she will be soon, I know God is planning the perfect time for us to meet but I still miss her.

 

I also kept seeing pregnant women.  I see pregnant women ALL the time, thanks to where I work, but it is so different when I see them out, rather than in a bed laboring.  I kept thinking awww, they're pregnant, then I thought, hey I'm expecting!  The paper pregnancy can be great, there's no weight gain, no stretch marks, no morning sickness, no hormonal changes, yet still tons of crazy emotions.......  However, I don't look pregnant, so most people don't know we're "expecting", I don't feel her moving inside of me, telling me she's ok, I don't have her with me 24/7.  I only have faith, faith that God is protecting her, as I would be if I were pregnant. We have a picture from a year ago and we (very thankfully) have a 20 second video of her.  She on the other hand has NO clue as to who we are, I pray daily God will prepare her heart for us, so that she will have some kind of comfort in us.

 Sarah Kate, I hope you ALWAYS know that you were loved and wanted long before we ever met!

Today the kids were stuck inside all day, they were off for Columbus Day, while I rested after working last night.  About 4:00 I had them get dressed, yes they were still in their pajamas, and we went to get a pumpkin. It was short and sweet but atleast they could get some fresh air.  If you know our kids, you know they are FULL of energy, the longer they stay inside the more energy they have.  How I wish they could share some with me!

Out of Translation......

Our Dossier is out of translation!

This isn't a very big thing, but it does mean that things are moving along.  As long as things are moving I am happy!  I would be happier however if we received the LOA in record time.......:-) 

 

This week China is closed, yes closed.  The country shuts down for an entire week for the National Holiday, October 1, 1949 was the day China became The People's Republic of China. 

This also comes the day after (September 30th) the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival.  This is a very old Chinese tradition of appreciating the moon, family time, eating moon cakes, and remembering family members that are far away. Learn more here about the legend of Chang E and the moon.