7 Childs

My shy girl wouldn't even show her face for the harvest festival parade, nor sing or dance for the doting preschool parents on Thursday. This made her Momma want to cry until I spoke to her teacher who assured me she does participate in class and enjoy herself but all these people are just too much. And come this spring, she'll probably be just fine, and I'll get to see her with a smile on her face. Whew. I didn't know something like that would hurt my heart like it did. Mary-Michael didn't think anything of it as she pointed out her friends from class that she'd been telling me about while munching on her sugar (aka candy and cupcakes). So, I didn't make a big deal of it, and we enjoyed ourselves a bit more once the crowd dissipated. I'm not a big crowd person, and I definitely don't like being the center of attention, so I totally understood. 

She had the following conversation with me the next day while in the car. 

M&M: Momma, I want to have 7 childs. 
Me: That's a lot of children. Why do you want 7?
M&M: I want a REALLY big family. But Momma you don't have 7 beds. 
Me: Well, we can always get more beds. Are you and the children going to live with us?
M&M: Yes, with you and Daddy because I love you SOOO much. 
Me: That's so sweet. And how many babies is Frazier going to have?
M&M: Silly Momma. Frazier's a boy. He can't have babies just like Daddy can't have babies. Only girls can have babies. Daddy had to marry you to have babies. 
Me: That's true. Well, who are you going to marry?
M&M: Frazier. 

I think he's a rather good choice. I love her innocence and this sibling love so much!

Love This

I love this new picture of Leila just last week (it makes her feel like she's closer knowing it's so recent!). We had a friend there on a medical mission trip, and she had a few moments to visit with her. She looks so much better than she did earlier this year when she had lost a lot of weight. Thank you Jesus for prayers answered!

Celebrations

Well, not only have we been celebrating the exciting news about Leila, we've also had many other reasons to celebrate moments in time with friends and families. 

We enjoyed a night away for a wedding of longtime friends of mine from UVA (they met at Ragged Mountain - one of my places of work in college). Jenn and Meade had a beautiful wedding at Early Mountain Vineyards in Madison, VA. This was the only picture I managed to take of the fireplace where they had their ceremony because the evening was just too fun!

Borrowing and riding on a tractor is always an excuse to celebrate for this future farmer who's favorite word is "tractor."

Mary-Michael enjoyed a princess party to celebrate Sherry Lee's 4th birthday. 

They had their nails painted at a real nail salon and then had homemade cupcakes and drinks at the Starbucks next door.

Pretty princesses!

My cousin Shirley baptized her sweet baby boy, Jacob, on September 29th at my Nana's Episcopal church. 

We enjoyed a celebratory luncheon to honor Jacob at my Nana's place. The kids had a great time entertaining baby Jacob. 

We couldn't miss our annual visit to the State Fair where tractors were in abundance. Tractors = happy for Frazier.

And another tractor.

Teacups with Daddy. 

We headed to Alexandria to help throw a baby shower for Aunt Keesha after the fair. Here's the radiant mother-to-be!

There were so many beautiful decorations. 

  

The guest of honor getting more than enough assistance from my little girl with opening presents. 

We left the baby shower to head back to Mechanicsville to celebrate my stepdad's 60th birthday. I didn't get any pictures but a good time was had by all!

Prayers Answered!!

Like we believed He would, God came through today!! As Mark Batterson says, "God won't answer 100% of the prayers we don't pray." Well, ladies and gentleman, we prayed and so did many of you, and God answered!!!

The head of the AG church in the Ivory Coast appointed the new orphanage director (who is pro-adoption and more willing to be held accountable) to make adoption decisions and funding decisions (for the children - to ensure they have the clean water, food and basic necessities of life). He also said to move full steam ahead with the adoption of Leila and Immanuel whom some friends of ours are adopting. Michael called our adoption contact tonight and said to get ready to move forward tomorrow with pulling together the legal documents and searching for the birth father's death certificate and Leila's birth certificate. Wow, what a joy and blessing this is!

Today, Geoff also completed our last tiny detail of the Homestudy, so now we move on to the I-600a form (US government form that deems us adoption ready). More details to come as we learn more, but in the meantime, keep praying and join us in praising our great God. Wahoooo!!!