Bow the Knee

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We have hit a huge snare in the adoption process in the Kolkata courts. We have processed frustration, anger, fear, and have landed on submission... for now. Our church sang this beautiful song this morning and it ministered to me in a mighty way. I wanted to share it with all of you. We don't understand why this has happened or what it will mean for Joseph and our family, but we are bowing our knees tonight. Pray with us.

A Few More Pictures

We don't know what happened, but I just got these pictures today. They were taken on the same day as my last post. I wanted to show off his "sitting up" picture and more of those EYES!!! He's 9 months old on January 30th!! COME ON SCRUTINIZATION!!

Precious Peanut

We have some new photos and a description to share with everyone. A traveling family reported that he seems very small (which we were aware of) and kind of shy. She said that he smiled easily, making eye contact, and is SITTING UP! WHAT A MILESTONE!!! These pictures do not help my anxiousness to get him as he needs his mommy to fatten him up!! A little known fact about me is that I LOVE watching my boys eat! My friends laugh at me, but they are both so picky that I am always thrilled when they have a good meal-- yes, they are 5 and 7 and it still makes me so happy when they chow down. It's funny, my job at the hospital as a Speech Therapist is also all about getting people back to eating food. I'll have my job cut out for me with this wee one, it looks like!!! Turner nicknamed him "Little Joe". IF ANYONE ELSE CALLS HIM JOE, I WILL SEEK AND DESTROY, but it's cute when Turner says it:)

LEMME AT 'EM!!

I just got these new pictures this morning. They were taken by the homeland tour group on 1/4/10. They make me want to jump into the computer screen to hold my baby!!! I am praying with added zeal today for MARCH!!!! Enjoy these gorgeous pictures and his dreamy eyes!

New Resolutions

I am so NOT a New Year's Resolution maker! Sure, I need to get acquainted with the treadmill we purchased a year ago and pipe down on the chocolate and pizza, but well... I just really don't care so much about that at this stage of my life. Maybe I will get skinny...maybe I won't, but I am not going to lie to myself about it! What I AM going to do is revisit some amazing books and try to digest the material more thoroughly. There is also a new book my husband got for me as a Christmas gift that may not be as "well known" to some of you, but I can already strongly recommend it as a resource to both humble and inspire. I have decided to list these books in an effort to hold myself accountable and to maybe help others find some great books without wading through the others to find the "greats". These books are my favorites on various topics. Let me know what you think if you get a chance to read or have already read a few of them.

This is the book I got for Christmas. It is a collection of Puritan Prayers. WOW! It is inspiring to read their insight and devotion to the supremacy of God!

You can take every book you have ever read on marriage and turn it into the used bookstore. After you read and "digest" this book (which I plan to re-read this year), you will have a stronger marriage and a closer walk with the Lord.

I recommend this book A LOT when I am asked about homeschooling. I do not find him offensive at all because we homeschool, but he is very direct about the importance of Christian education for our children. If you have ever considered homeschooling or just want to understand the "weird neighbors" :) this is a priceless book.

I have listed this one last, but it will be the first one I re-read this year... I wonder why?? This parenting book is just amazing! I have read SOOOOO MAAAANNNYYYY, but this one just takes all of the twaddle and boils it down to the main point. In addition to the adoption education (I don't have any favorites yet... any suggestions?), I think just wise parenting and strengthening our relationships with the Lord and our husbands may be the best things we can do for our newly adopted children.

I hope this blog post isn't too much like an info-mercial, but I love it when people recommend books to me. Sometimes I disagree with the recommendation, but it is always a journey to read up!!!! Well, I'm off to finish an adoption book tonight! Happy reading!!!

NOC!!!

We heard this morning by e-mail that our NOC was approved!!!! It was our prayer that we would get it before Christmas and be ready for the court proceedings when they re-open in January!!! "The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy!" Psalms 126:3
This only took 28 days!!! We were told it would take 2 months or longer!!

Friends and family-- I am going to ask you to do something for us. Please pray that the current interim judge remains on the bench through our court process which will begin in January. He/she has proven reliability and gets the cases through in a timely manner--unlike the prior appointee, I understand. Thank you for your prayers!!!

Yuletide Crooning

We were blessed with tickets to Silver Dollar City for Christmas. Thank you, "Grandma Lena"!! It was such a magical evening for all of us! There was just one thing missing.... I wonder if Joseph would have been as captivated as his brothers! I am so enjoying each moment with my family this season as I want to live each day contented and delighted with the joys contained therein. It is a struggle to put our baby boy into the backs of our minds knowing that if somehow the governments and red-tapers would put the children FIRST, he would be in our arms this Christmas!!! There is a reason for everything, I tell myself. I also remind myself that the laws are in place (at least in part) for the protection of the children I cherish. My dear husband reminded me that GOD IS SOVEREIGN-- even over governments. He has also ordained each day in the life of our much-loved Joseph!! SO I will just say to my sweet one, "We miss you, baby--- Merry Christmas. When you get home, I'll show you the movies of your brothers singing to you!!!"