Showered in Prayer

Last night we had the awesome privilege of being prayed over by some of our close friends. Sweet friends threw a shower for us to help with gift cards to go towards buying formula for Jonathan and to have a chance to pray over us and for Jonathan before we go. It was such a sweet time. I wish the prayer would've gone on for so much longer. Standing in a big circle holding hands with people that we know will fight battles for/with us, that invest in our family, that encourage and challenge us, and that can't wait to meet our newest little boy was the biggest blessing. We felt so loved in that moment, and the best part is- those people love us like that all the time...it was just a great big gathering of all of them!! We are blessed beyond measure. The Lord has been so good to us. Jonathan is about to enter a great big awesome family of friends.
I didn't get a picture of all the people. (I really wanted one but in the hustle of it all didn't end up with one. So sad!) I also didn't get a picture during the prayer time. Sometimes I wish my life was a reality tv show so I had documentation of every awesome event in my life like this one. However- I do not wish to have documentation of my ugly moments and bad days so I guess it's for the best. Haha
Here are some pictures of the wonderful set up and desserts. Clearly my friends know what touches my heart. :) So much hard work and time was put into this night. We appreciate you all that made it happen.

How AMAZING are these cookies?!

Those are real center pieces you guys! So beautiful. 

There were even traditional Tanzanian treats. Apparently Uganda doesn't have many desserts. Jonathan is coming into the most dessert loving family around. Culture shock.

Cute little African table.

Blessed the heck out of us. A sweet adoption ornament. Gift cards for formula/diapers. Gift cards for dates so Adam and I can stay connected in the craziness. Gift card to Dunkin Donuts- our favorite family past time. Hand made cards. Gifts of money from children. 

When we got home (it was late and our kids were STILL awake- they were such troopers. It may have been the constant flow of cookies and some of their favorite people to hang out with...) we sat at our dining room table coming down off the high of being loved on so well. We cried as we read cards and prayers for our little boy. I hope all of you can find Jesus loving community that loves on you as well as we have experienced. It is such a blessing and we feel the love of Jesus through each of them. Not sure why we have been called to experience the indescribable blessing of adopting but I thank God often for it. Blessed beyond measure.

By the way...here is a picture of Matthew waiting to go to the shower. What a goofy kid...

Adoption Update...

LOTS to share! 

We got our invitation to fingerprint for the final piece of paperwork we needed on September 16th. It was set for October 3rd. We heard that if we showed up to the office early they would let us fingerprint early. So naturally we showed up bright and early at the office on the 17th! Adam's mom was so great to sit in our car with the boys and watch a movie with them while we had our appointment. They let us in early and we got our fingerprinting DONE! We raced from that appointment to our appointments at the health department for shots. Ugh. The boys got 4 shots each and it was rough. Lots of crying and sadness. They did a GREAT job though. We headed straight to ice cream after that! 

I really do feel the need to document everything. Haha

Poor little nuggets after the trauma.

Matthew's choice to fix the boo-boos.

So after our fingerprinting was done...we wait. We checked the mail about 3 times a day until the mail man would finally come- and there would still be nothing. It is so hard to be patient at this point because nothing other than this approval stands between us and meeting Jonathan. 

On Tuesday of this week we had a Spirit Night at Chick-fil-A. We had scheduled it a long time ago and decided we could use whatever money was raised from it to go towards the medical bills, shots, and prescriptions we need for our trip. It is pretty costly. There were so many sweet people involved in the planning and executing of this event. I am so thankful for all of their hard work and love for our family and Jonathan. We heard that it was the biggest spirit night they had ever had at that location. SO many people came out to support us and love on us! It was AMAZING! I tried to take pictures, but nothing could capture it. I'm pretty sure that during the 2 1/2 hours we were there I only saw about 4 tables of people that were not there for the spirit night. I kind of felt bad for them. Haha. A small group of Junior High girls did the hard work of table clean up and drink refills for the crazy crowd. So grateful for them. THANK YOU times a million to everyone that helped and served at this event. We are so very thankful for you and can't wait to share with Jonathan someday about all the ways people cared for him before they even met him. 

Some of the great girls that were on drink/clean-up duty.

This little guy had a little accident during the party that makes him look tough. He also loved my necklace from Uganda. I think it takes away some of the tough factor.

We are one excited family!! 

Matthew's sweet friends Toby and Levi made signs for us. We are Team Jonathan!

Getting to wear his Big Brother shirt! 

So spirit night came and went. No mail still... today we learned of some new friends through the adoption process that are leaving tomorrow to go to Uganda for their little one. I was so excited for them. I was also a little envious...but them I was excited again because they are going to send us more pictures of Jonathan!! I was so excited thinking that I get to learn more about my little boy next week when our friends tell us more about him. Then I ran to the mailbox hoping there was something in there so we could move on to the step of traveling to Uganda. But no... I came back inside sad. I decided to see if I could call and get the status of our application/fingerprints. I had heard this was a useless step because they just tell you to wait until you get something in the mail. I figured it would be worth a try! I called and ended up getting to talk to the officer working on our case!! She was so friendly. I got to share with her that we did our fingerprints early and they were already done. She said she would bump up our file to the next one she would work on. I cried while I was on the phone with her. I didn't know what exactly working on our file meant but I was thankful to know that someone was aware of us and now of Jonathan too. I was hoping in the next week she would finish and we would be a little closer to our little man! 

I was at the store looking for a curtain rod today and I got a call from a strange 3 digit number. I didn't answer. Then there was a voicemail from that number. The officer was calling me to tell me that she had finished our case and had approved it! WE HAVE VERBAL APPROVAL! No letter yet, but that should be here early next week!! I contacted our agency right away and they said work towards our court date will be started on MONDAY!! What a day! This reminded me of a few different moments along this journey. In the same day that we scheduled our home study we learned that investigations were being done on a baby (who would soon be our baby!). In the same day that we planned on sending out support letters we got 3 phone calls and had the large amount of money we needed to finish paying agency fees and that we would need for travel and living in Uganda. Now today I learn that we will get more pictures of our little boy AND that we are approved and only a couple weeks away from being in country with JONATHAN!! 

Once again- God's goodness overwhelms my heart. I actually screamed out loud a couple of times today with excitement. Matthew asked me why I screamed and I tried to explain but I'm not sure I really did a good job because of my joy! God's timing is strange. I don't always understand it. I can't say I've understood it each day that I stood at the empty mailbox. But I do know that His timing is perfect. Today was the exact day that we needed to hear this news. He knows the exact day we will travel, the exact day we will get a court date. He already knows the date of the first time I get to touch my little boys face, fingers, toes....I don't know it yet but He does. I am so grateful to be serving and following a God that already knows. It is reassuring to be able to rest in His promises of faithfulness. I am so thankful to have been able to experience and learn new things about who God is through this process. I am blessed to have been called to this. 

Little boy...we are so close!! I love you and can't wait to meet you!

Please thank the Lord with us for his provision, faithfulness, timing, and love. Pray for the legal stuff on the Ugandan end as things are scheduled. Continue to pray for Jonathan as we are apart from him. For his health, care, and growth. Pray for us now as we start to pack and things get even crazier. Please pray that when we do have to buy plane tickets on short notice that we would find good deals. Tickets are very expensive, especially when you have to buy them so close to your travel date. Thank you for how you are partnering, supporting, and encouraging us along this journey. We are so grateful for all of you!

27...

I turned 27 a few weeks ago. Things are busy so I haven't posted anything yet. It was a great day/week. On my birthday I ate WAY too much food. Breakfast with the family. Lunch at a friends house. A free Camicake (my favorite) for snack. Dinner with the family. And ice cream at my small group at church. If this is any insight into my year then I am going to be many extra pounds come my 28th birthday. Haha. I also renewed my license on my birthday which wasn't my choice of a good time, but it didn't actually take that long so that was nice. I received lots of fun things from my boys on my birthday that made my heart happy.

Great choice of birthday balloons! Mickey from Andrew and Toy Story from Matthew. 

Matthew's choice of flowers for me.

Andrew's choice.

Adam's choice (with the help of the boys)

Little surprise on my muffin at my Cracker Barrel birthday breakfast from the boys.

Thankful for this one.

And thankful for these two. 

My birthday dessert from Sharlie. She made me wear the hat for the picture too. I mean it does scream celebration!

On Saturday we had some people over for a cookout. It was fun having friends in my home. I felt very loved by those who came out for my birthday. I really like just hanging out with people, and especially when it is something we can host at our house. I LOVE having people in our home. Adam did most of the work, he grilled and even made macaroni and cheese (that was delicious!!). Adam's mom brought some other sides and a yummy cake. We got to swim as a family with some of Matthew's friends after everyone else left the party. I guess I had too much fun during my party because I don't have any pictures to show of it. I'm so thankful for how everyone loved on my for my birthday! Thanks guys.

Date with Matthew

Last Saturday I was woken up with a kiss on my cheek by a handsome little boy with flowers! Matthew asked me if I would go on a date with him. OF COURSE I said YES! I got up and got ready right away.

So sweet!

 When we got out of the car he held my hand on the way inside. He held the door for me. He also told the hostess how many people we had for breakfast!

 We played our own version of checkers while we waited for our food.

 Before breakfast he prayed for our meal. He even thanked God for his beautiful mommy. Then my heart melted.

He even paid for our meal and bought me something from the store.

The date was perfect. I had butterflies! I couldn't help but think during each part of our date that all of this will be gone too soon! He needed help cutting up his pancakes and I could not have been happier to help him. He's growing up way too fast. I'm sure before I know it he will be wanting to take another girl on a date. Please slow down sweet boy! Thank you for such a wonderful date. 

I'm so grateful for the best father for my boys. He wants them to learn how to treat a lady and works hard to make that happen!!

Fake Birthday

Last Friday was my fake birthday. It's a real thing- a fake birthday. It is celebrated every year in our house on September 13th. When we were first dating Adam would pretend that he thought that was my birthday. I thought it was a joke -but then he actually celebrated it. I thought he was proposing the first time he celebrated it...I ended up with a fishing pole instead of a diamond. Every year we celebrate my fake birthday with doing fun things that are hobbies or interests of Adam's. It is always a good time.

This year was very fun! Here are some pictures of the day.

First we got a massage. It was so wonderful.

 Adam's grandparents bought all the grandkids a fence post at a local playground when he was younger. We found it!

 This is blurry :/ but we went to the shooting range. This was a blast!

 Apparently I'm a natural at this...

 Hoping this means an intruder wouldn't do us much damage...

 Of course we went to Adam's  my favorite restaurant. Buffalo Wild Wings.

I did get one of my all time favorite cupcakes from Camicakes. 

I

 We went out on a canoe ride at sunset. My handsome, blurry chauffeur. 

 We went to an island with a bunch of birds in trees...to use my new BB Gun. Oops. Haha.

 It was such a pretty night.

 I'm pretty hard core with my BB Gun. Please laugh at this and don't think this was supposed to be a good picture of me.

As you can see- my fake birthday is a big deal. I won't complain about extra time with Adam and extra birthday celebration. I'm so thankful for such a creative, and fun husband.