Another week passes...

I'm guessing since we didn't here from our agency today it means another week has passed and our paperwork has still not been submitted to Embassy. God has given me so much peace about our situation this week and I'm so thankful!!! We so want her here but trust that God knows when is best.  My sweet friend Tammy is in Ethiopia right now and sent some great pictures of Ada (i think her top 2 teeth are poking out)...so thankful she is growing and smiling!!!

I'm so excited to be going to the Created for Care adoption retreat this weekend in Atlanta. It will be great to learn more about adoption and meet some other families who are going through the exact same thing.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may over flow" Romans 15:13

Still nothing!!

It has been almost 11 weeks since we were in Ethiopia and our paperwork has still not been submitted to the US Embassy. Praying that I will understand God's timing and continue to trust Him. We have received several new pictures from a few families who have traveled recently and are so thankful for that :)

 She is getting teeth!!

She is pulling up!!

It has been so hard to miss these milestones but it has been so nice to have an awesome support system!! The families I have met through our agency have been amazing and so encouraging!!! One friend emailed me last week and reminded me that God loves these babies like crazy...it was nice to be reminded of the bigger picture. This is not about me and God has an awesome plan that I feel so blessed to be a part of. I was sent an encouraging card this week with a bible verse that reminds me:
            The LORD your God is with you,
            He is mighty to save,
            He will take great delight in you,
            He will quiet you with His love,
            He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

I feel so thankful today that I'm a mommy to 4 of God's children. Looking so forward to the day we are all together and praising Him for the process!!!

Catching up

So life has gotten in the way yet again and I haven't been able to keep up with a lot of things...blogging is one of them. And since I keep this blog in hopes of having it made into a book for my kids one day it is important for me to catch up!!!

Lyla Grace had her school Christmas pageant. She was an angel and took the performance very seriously :) Love hearing her sing about Jesus...melts my heart!!!

We went camping with the Wright's at Disney's Ft. Wilderness campground. The kids LOVE it!!

 Carter and Mason 

 Our 10 person tent

 Mason roasting marshmallows with Chip & Dale

Group pic with the kids chowing down on some Smores

We celebrated Mason's 7th birthday. We went to the mall for lunch and some playtime at Pottery Barn Kids (for some reason they think that is the coolest thing to do??). I was able to capture a picture with all 3 kids looking at the camera...rare moment!!

 That night we went to the Armstrong's for a wonderful dinner and some cupcakes!

 Kendall, Lyla Grace & Brooke

Garrett, Jonas & Tate

Then it was off to Nashville for some Christmas fun!!! 

 Yes everyone is looking at the camera...AMAZING!!

 Cookie decorating with Nanna (a Christmas tradition)

 Christmas morning

 Tate loved his new cars

 Hard to get the cousins to pose...too excited about Wii Star Wars game

The girls :)

One of the best things about going home to Nashville is catching up with my girlfriends. We have been friends since elementary school and this was the first time in years we have all been together at the same time with all of our kids. Among the 5 of us we have 10 kids (only 9 pictured missing sweet Ada).

Jamie, Tanil, me, Courtney & Steph

It is hard to believe that we have been friends for almost 30 years...crazy!!!

My most favorite place to be in Nashville is Radnor Lake. I have so many good memories hiking with my mom growing up. The kids love exploring so we met my brother's family for a cold windy day.

 watching the waterfall

skipping rocks

Love this picture...so hard to get all of the cousins together!!! Makes me excited to think the next time we are all together Ada will be with us!!!!

12 years of bliss

Today Clay and I have been married 12 years!! I'm so in love with this man!! God has blessed our family with a wonderful leader, father, husband and friend!!! Thanks Clay for being the man of my dreams!!!! To celebrate our family we spent the day at Sea World with the kids...awesome day!!!

 Petting the stingrays

 riding the carousel 

 Tate passed out in the stroller