THE REFERRAL {part 2}

Today Children's Hope International will receive some paperwork from Team Chase that says

to our son!

What an amazing feeling!!

P.S. I promise to give all the details of our Referral Day and What's Next soon {just waiting on info regarding what I can and can't share! :)}.

THE REFERRAL {part 1}

 

 

Stay tuned! :)

Lucky 13 and the BEST. NUMBER. EVER.

As promised, this week is supposed to be about our adoption {as if I could talk about anything else!}.  But, before I share what's been going on, I want to give you a little glimpse into the beautiful Ozarks in the Fall as viewed from my room this week at the Missouri School Counselor's Association conference. :)

Isn't it gorgeous?!  Ah, Tan-Tar-A...how I love a little get-away to learn new stuff! :)

OK, now for the main show...

So, on Monday, there was ANOTHER referral in our agency.  This time, it was a 6 1/2 month old boy.  We were ecstatic to realize that this means we've moved up to

YEA!!

However, that excitement quickly turned to crazy, over-the-moon, hyperventilating anticipation after we realized {through a chain of events}, that we are number

for a boy!! 

WE ARE AT THE TOP of our journey to a son!!! 

Basically, if there is any boy under age 3.5 years for our agency to refer, he will be ours!

The only way we would get a girl is if there are 8 girls before there is 1 boy {we're thinking that's not likely} and the only way we'd get siblings is if there are 6 sets of siblings before 1 boy {again, not gonna happen}.

We are all feeling like this 

all. the. time.

We are so close, friends...SO CLOSE!

PLEASE join us in praying that it's soon...I'm not sure how long I can hold my breath like this without passing out!

TC:4&C Blog Schedule

First of all, thank you, thank you, thank you for your input on our blog poll.  Based on the results and the ideas I've got brewing, here's what I'm thinking:

I am going to loosely schedule my blog each month to reflect the following:

Each weekend, I will pick one picture {or two} and do a Wordless Weekend (I follow several blogs that do this and LOVE it!)
Then, the weeks will be structured with an emphasis as follows:
Week 1: Our Adoption
Week 2: Creative Endeavors
Week 3: A Global Worldview {Reaching the World through Adoption, Missions, and Other Means}
Week 4: Team Chase Miscellaneous {Parenting, Spiritual Discoveries, Recipes, Hobbies}

Please note:

• This is a LOOSE schedule {which is an accurate reflection of our lives!}.  I am reserving the right to post as many or few times as I have time for each week and will interrupt structure when pressing news occurs. :) 
• I'm committing to try this for the next eight weeks to see if I like it and if you like it.  I will be asking for input at the end of that time, so be prepared to share!!
• If you are willing to "guest post" about any of the given topics (particularly if you want me to feature an event or you'd like to share a something during the Global Worldview), PLEASE comment here with your E-mail address, blog address, or any other pertinent information.  I love to feature others and broaden my horizons! :)

Thanks for reading!

Sweeter than Cotton Candy

...is the fact that this girl is one step closer to being a big sister again!

Yep, there was another referral today {second 5 month old baby girl in 5 days!}.

So, for the weekend, we're sitting at number

We are beyond excited!

And, in case you're wondering, the soccer ball is in reference to the soccer game our little family of four went to a couple of weekends ago {where the kids had cotton candy for the first time}.

Have a happy weekend!

Pecans

My parents went to my "Big Uncle Charles'" Southern-plantation-turned-ministry-retreat earlier this week and brought home 50 pounds of pecans (not sure if that was an exaggeration or a real weight!).  So, I am about to be blessed with lots of pecans.

Because I am inept in the kitchen, I need your

HELP!!

Please comment with your best, easiest, yummiest recipes for pecans! :)

Welcome Back, Butterflies!

Have you ever had butterflies in your stomach?

You know the kind...sometimes it's from nerves, sometimes from excitement...

{For those of you who have had a baby, sometimes it's the first little flutter of movement.}

source

 When we changed our preference WAY back in March, the stomach butterflies began.  EVERY. DAY.  Every time my phone rang, I lept to see if it was CHI, calling us with our referral. 

{Somehow I was convinced that it would be any time since we were open to a child up to age 3 years.}

And then...the lull. 

The butterflies left my stomach.  I'm not sure how or when it happened...maybe all at once

or 

maybe like the monarch migration in the Fall, the leader of the butterfly kaleidoscope headed out and slowly, the rest followed.

 However it happened, it happened.  Though I remained hopeful, the excitement had faded.

I am happy to report that the butterflies have returned...the excitement is back.

It's a good feeling.

P.S. Please take our poll on the sidebar to let me know what you like to read on our blog! :)