NEW BATHROOM LOOK

We decided to get a new bathroom set since we are moving. We found this monkey theme at Target. We both thought it was cute. We also found these cute pictures of a boy and girl monkey. Hannah really likes it.

All Aboard!!!!!!!!

This past September Nashville got a small commuter train that runs from a county east of Nashville to down town. One of the stations is just a few miles from our home. Every morning Hannah and Greg would see the train picking up the passengers. Hannah always said that she wanted to ride. Unfortunately the train only runs during the week days and business hours. this past Saturday we took a rode trip down to Chattanooga, TN. The Tennessee Railroad has a small trip that you can go on. You ride 3 miles down to the turn table and machine shop then back to the station. Hannah had a great time. I hope you enjoy the pictures. For some reason Hannah has become afraid of heights. She did not want to walk up any of the stairs leading into the box cars.

We are also proud of her. She wore her big girl underwear the whole trip and stayed dry the whole time. She would even hold it until we could get to a bathroom.

Picture of the new house

This is a picture of the house that we are buying. Greg went out there and took some pictures. We are still waiting for our agent to be able to get everyone together for the closing. I hope that it will all be on the same day. I will keep you all posted on the progress. hey, anyone want to come help us move? :)

LID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are LID 4/4/07. I have been wondering when we would hear on this. Now I'm not sure how long this means we will have to wait to hear when we can travel. When we turned in our letter of intent on Ethan we were told it would probably be 5 months from that day. When we got our LID Greg was told that it would be 5 months from that day. I think that it is the first if the way that I read the papers is correct. I am still praying that it is before my sister has to start school. I have still not found anyone that would be able to travel with me. Well, let me say someone that would understand that they are there to help me out and not BOND with my new child. I did have someone offer to go if my sister cannot but she then said that she would hold him for me all the way home. I think that is a no.

Praise to God Almighty

I know this is the third post for me tonight. I had to post this but wanted to post it separately. Today Greg and I went house hunting again (while Hannah was at daycare). We looked at about 10 houses. We saw some that were definite NOs. We started out with a 7 went to a 0 then our second to the last was the 10. Greg almost started crying as we were pulling into the drive. I talk about this one more in a minute.

While we were looking at our third house Greg got a call from our social worker. We had applied for a grant from Shaohannah's Hope for Ethan' adoption. We have been waiting to hear from them to see if we qualified for anything. Well, our social worker got the letter in the mail and had to call us while we were out to let us know. We were given a grant. Praise God!!!! We still have about $5,000 more that we have to get. We are praying for another grant from our adoption agency's fund for special needs adoptions.

Ok, back to the house hunting. We looked in three different counties today for our house. We got to the second to the last house and knew that was our house. It has everything that we want. It is in a country setting. It has 1.62 acres of land. The house sits just about in the middle of the lot. It has about 1975 sq feet one level. This house is so well kept. We made an offer and we have a verbal agreement with the owners. We are just waiting for them to get back into town to sign the papers. We will be moving sometime in May. Gwen, the house is in Sumner county. Unfortunately we will not be closer to you all but farther away. We can still get together though. Oh, I almost forgot. There is a house two doors down that has horses. Hannah will be so happy. Their property actually runs behind this property.

I have to give God the praise for this. When we pulled up and went in even our agent thought it was a great house. He even talked about what a great price it was. Greg was kind of worried that they would not accept our offer or that they would have gotten another offer before we got ours in. They both were talking as we left that it had not been on the market long so it would probably go fast. I was looking at the stats sheet and saw that it had been on the market for 81 days. Greg said that he could not understand why it had not sold yet. I told him that God knew that this was the house that He had for us and He was saving it for us. I am so thankful for all of the things that God has been doing for us lately. He matched us with our son very quickly. He has given me a promotion at work. He has given us a grant for our adoption, and He has lead us to our future home. He is such an awesome God. I am overwelmed when I think about how much He loves me. Everyday I am learning more and more just how much that is. I know that He really wants only the best for His children. I love you God!

Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future."

Photos of Gotcha Day and Easter

Here are some pictures of Gotcha Day, which we spent the morning house hunting. We then had supper with the Oatsvall Gang. It still takes Hannah awhile to warm up to them. I have not been able to get a good picture of her in her Easter dress. Greg and I went to Cracker Barrell this morning before we went house hunting. We found this monkey shirt there. Since Hannah was born in the year of the monkey we had to get her one them. She loved it.

Favorite Photo Friday

This is a picture that I took awhile back. For some reason Hannah likes to place her shoes inside of her Daddy's shoes. I thought this was the cutest thing when I first saw it. She is definitely a huge Daddy's girl.

ADOPTION DAY

I think that celebrating Hannah's adoption day this year on Easter was so appropriate. After all we were celebrating Jesus' resurrection that allows us to be adopted into God's family. I am so thankful for all that Jesus Christ did for me. What touches me even more is that Jesus would have died and rose again even if I were the only person on Earth. He loves each of us that much.

Sunday afternoon after church we came home and took a nap. When we got up we went to the movies. We saw "Meet the Robinsons." It was a wonderful movie. The first scene was of a mother taking her baby to the front door of an orphanage. You could see in her face that it was not something she really wanted to do but that she felt she had to do. I look over at Greg while crying. Neither of us were aware that this was part of the story line. Next scene Lewis is now 12 years old. He is a genius that is always trying to invent something. At all of his interviews for adoption he shows his latest invention but it always ends up bad. The orphanage director tells Lewis that there is a family out there that will want him. Lewis then replies, "why would they my mother did not want me." Ok, crying again. The director asked him if he ever thought that she might not have been able to care for him. I was thinking of my beautiful little girl and boy. Just imaging what their mothers were thinking when they took them to be found. When we left the movie all I wanted to do was to hold my baby tight and tell her over and over again that I love her. I am also waiting for the day that I will hold Ethan in my arms. I highly recommend the movie to everyone. I would like to get it on DVD when it comes out.

I will post pictures later of our adoption weekend.

Gotcha Day 2 Year Anniversary

Today if you take in the time difference is our 2 year anniversary (April 7, 2005) for Hannah's Gotcha Day. If I am remembering correctly we were probably on our way to our hotel in Changsha. There were so many emotions running through me head as we were flying in to Changsha. The dream that I have had for life was about to come true. I was going to become a mother. For several months we only had a picture of our Hannah. From the moment that I saw the picture I was in love with her. She is my baby. We have been so blessed the past two years to have her in our lives. It is so hard to image my life without her. She makes me laugh, cry, and want to scream and sometimes all at once. I would not trade her for anything in this world. I thank God that He has intrusted her to us for the time being.

I remember the day that we went to get her. When the bus pulled up to the civil affairs building and we all started to unload we could her the girls crying inside the building. As we walked into the room all the families were looking for their baby. We all waiting patiently for our baby's name to be called. the moment that they put her into my arms it felt so right. She fit perfectly. I still love holding her in my arms and rocking her.

Elvis and Hannah

Greg has got Hannah hooked on Elvis. We have a cd that she loves to listen and sing to while we are in the car. She will ask to listen to Elbis. I think that one of her favorite songs is the Good Luck Charm. I have been trying to find some of his movies for her to watch. I always remember watching his movies (reruns of course) after church on Sundays. I would stand in the middle of the living room dancing and singing. I think Hannah has picked up on my old habits.

House Hunting

Coming this Wednesday our house has been on the market for one week. We have had one offer on the house that we have counter offered on. We also found a house that we have made a verbal offer on. It is a cute house in the country. There are cows next door. Hannah would really like that. We will see if they accept our offer. We will also be looking at more houses on Saturday. Hopefully it will be over early so we can celebrate Gotcha Day with Hannah.