Chicago bound

Well, it is spring break for my family. We will be heading to Chicago to visit Tim's parents. Wish we were headed south, but that will just have to wait until summer. We always have a great time in Chicago. We love to sight see and visit downtown for LIGHT shopping.
Wanted to let everyone know that the day after we return, Brittany will be trying out for track. Please pray for her as this will be her first time trying out for something. She is a great runner, and I am sure she will do fine, but you never know. I would hate for her to not make the team and always pass up other things that she would have to try out for. She is sort of sensitive in a way that if she feels not good enough, she just gives up.
Emily has had her first appointment of what I fear will be many. Trying to figure out why she is so delayed. The first doctor said that he definitely felt that she had signs of Autism, however that she did positive things that other children with Autism didn't do. He does however feel that we need to have her checked by the neurologist to rule out a seizure disorder. She has had at least 2 seizures that we know of, but she doesn't sleep through the night, and he feels that possible seizures are responsible for this. I will keep everyone posted as I find out more. For now, we just laugh at the cute things she does, and try to sympathize when she does the not so pleasant things.
Audrey is so big! She is very talkative and seems to be right on track developmentally. She is friendly and very much a show off. Much like Kaylee in the actress department. Those two I will definitely have to look out for in the future. I bet they could come up with some pretty distressing ideas in the next few years:)
As for Tim and I we are enjoying having 4 children. We both love our job and completely feel as though we are right where the Lord wants us work wise. We do feel like we are to adopt again, a feeling we just cannot seem to shake. We have to sell our house before that can happen. We have a sale sign in the front yard, so hopefully, somebody somewhere will come along and make an offer. Have to go for now, children are hungry and places to go before we leave. Love to all.

MISS USA

Jami Stallings, MISS INDIANA USA

GOOD LUCK at MISS USA

WE LOVE YOU!!!

The Lord's perfect plan

Do you ever wonder why? Why some women who want a baby and are merely days away from delivery suddenly loose their child. This leaves her so empty handed, to push through labor, and afterwards, be engorged because there is no baby to feed. Women to don't choose this but then, the unthinkable happens! This saddens me so much. I know that whatever happens, happens for a reason, and that the Lord knew what was going to happen and that he planned for things to happen the way they did. What about the mothers who don't want their children, who abuse them, who call and just give them away, because it wasn't in "Their Plan" or who use drugs in effort to abort, or who just simply raise their child and forever mistreat the child out of resentment. This past weekend has been especially hard. I have just now begun to stop and think about all of it. Tim and I have 2 set of friends, one set who we are praying for due to the loss of their baby. She was merely days away, and now have nothing to hold, nothing to feed, just an empty heart. I am so sad for this couple. It was just a week or so ago, that the man told Tim that he had bought his baby girl an Easter dress. I pray that God would heal their empty hearts, and that his glory would be seen in all of this. Our next set of friends have brought their baby girl home. We are rejoicing with them. The baby girl who was given up by her mother. The baby girl who had no love, but is blessed to with the new family. This little girl has had the Lords hand on her protecting her from day one, and all the while, knowing that she would end up in the right home. I am so happy for this family. They heard the Lord speak and followed his voice. Praise God that they are so willing to seek him in all they do, hear, and say. I love this family and can rest assured that this baby will be forever taken care of. She will be raised with Christ in the center and the knowledge of him. Praise God. God is truly a God who I will never understand. His control over all this earth is something I cannot comprehend....

She's ours

We finally did it!!! We were able to finalize the adoption of our baby. She's technically not a baby, she 18 months old. None the less, the adoption agency was so gracious as to let us finalize, even though we didn't have her completely paid for. We have been looking for this day for so long. We went to court yesterday and I couldn't have asked for 4 better children. All of my girls were so quiet, polite and very respectful. It is so awesome to sit before a judge, state your case and see the judge with a smile on her face say "I will grant you your plea". This is exactly like the memories of the first time you hold your child, or the first time they smile, or the first time you walk out the the hospital, knowing forever and ever, your child is yours. Not someone else's, not just borrowed, not just a niece or nephew. Emily is beautiful, and we are so Blessed to have her. I can't really imagine life without her.

its just me

I just need to vent.
I am SO stressed right now. I feel as if we will never get a quote on the cost to build on to our house, or if we even can (the contractor is coming tomorrow). I have a child in mind that I would love to adopt, but out of fear someone will come into the pic and swoop him up and take him, keeps me from saying who it is! I know this is silly, because the Lord will allow him to be mine if he is meant to be. I feel as if I will never have enough money to adopt.
I am sick and tired of winter, spring needs to hurry up. I am a summer person, not winter. I want to go to yard sales, and have a yard sale.
I know I am really negative. I don't mean to be, or do I?
I have on several occasions had what I thought was family or friend, hurt me. I don't think they meant to, but I have learned not to share my inner heart thoughts with anybody!!!! I hate that when you need to say something to someone, you get shunned, and when you shouldn't say anything, people force you to. I feel as though I am on the back burner of most of the relationships I have. I have opened up so many times, and time and time again, end up hurt. Maybe I expect to much from others. Maybe I am not the right kind of friend. Whatever the case, I need to just get over it!!
I know that the Lord has put me on this earth for a reason, I do believe that he uses me each and every day. I love the children I work with, and want to fill my home with children. This is what makes me the happiest. This is what if I had to say was what God wants of me. I on the other hand, cant stand it when people tell me "You already have 4!" or "You have already gotten to adopt, why do it again?" or my all time favorite "Why adopt?, Can't you have your own?" My girls are my own, and I never knew there was a limit on how many children you could choose to love and have in your home. Hopefully this negative attitude won't last long. I hope I haven't dragged anyone down with me. I just really needed to put in writing what I feel and not keep it locked up any longer!!! I will let everyone know what the builder says, if it is reasonable for us to build. Hopefully it will be, I really want and feel the Lord telling me to adopt a little boy! Every time my phone rings or the doorbell rings, I think oh maybe a Haitian is calling:). I can dream right???

Answered Prayers

I earlier spoke of a friend who had just found out that she had cancer. I am happy to announce that she has successfully gone through surgery and that doctors think that she will make a full recovery!!! She opted to have a complete mastectomy with reconstruction at the same time. I am so proud of her for her courage. She is a real trouper! The Lord answered a HUGE prayer. They have found out that the lymph nodes were free and clear of cancer! This was something that they were very concerned about. God is so good!! She will need to have chemotherapy, so please continue to pray for strength during this, as we all know how hard that can be. Pray for her children to grow in faith and rely on God for all their worries and concerns. Pray for her husband to not forget to care for himself as well as his family. We plan on seeing this family this weekend. I will post more as soon as I know more on the situation. Again, God is so GOOD!!