3 fun dinners, 2 baby showers, 1 5K & 0 Home Study News

It's been awhile since my last post - mostly because my computer had a virus but also because it's been an action-packed couple of weeks! We've spent time with some special people and had tons of fun. Here are the highlights of what we've been up to:

Andy, Summer (our newest NSMC addition!), MaeBelle and me joined Noble Academy in Greensboro for their 2nd annual Walk N' Wag 5k. It was MB's first race and she did great. She even scored a cute bandana for her efforts!

That same day we had the privelege of hosting a baby shower for Kevin and Sarah (our super star project manager). It was a co-ed party with most of the NSMC gang and Sarah's parents. We are so excited for them as they anticipate the upcoming arrival of their little girl!

After numerous dinners at their yummy sushi restaurant in Mebane, we decided it was time to have this Chinese couple over for dinner to our house. We shared a meal, conversations about faith and some funny photos with these two. Jean and Tina have invited us to attend their wedding in China Town in NY this summer! We are SO excited about this unique opportunity!

Next was another baby shower for my cousin Amber and her husband Jimmie. They are also expecting their first this summer - Ayden James! Aunt Becky is pinning the flower on the glowing mommy-to-be. Can't wait to meet my new cousin very soon!

Among these things were more dinners with special friends - some new, some old. And of course, lots of conversations and thoughts about our little girl. We haven't heard any news from our home study agency so I'll be checking into that this week.

Jubilee Sue - a must read!

Congrats Rupp Family on being one step closer to your sweet Jubilee!

There is a family on the other side of the world who I haven't met. But Kayla Rupp, who has three sons and now this precious daughter, was so kind to answer my initial questions about the adoption process and share her experience with me, a perfect stranger. They are also going through Small World Adoptions and were matched with this beautiful face a few months ago. After finally receiving their LOA (letter of approval) from China, they will be bringing her home, Lord willing, in August! This is such an encouragement to me as it's a reminder of why we're doing what we're doing. So that one day we will know the face of our own little girl and be able to post a similar announcement.

Please check out their latest post concerning Jubilee. You will be blessed! I promise.

new friends

We had a relaxing and enjoyable weekend with Frank and Sharon Dees from Youth on Mission in Rocky Mount. They are such special people who we are really enjoying getting to know. After the four of us had dinner together last month, we decided we needed to hang out more! So, they drove up on Friday afternoon to spend the next 24 hours with us. Yep, we had a full fledged sleepover complete with pastries from T. Distefano's the next morning! The Dees have such big hearts for the Lord and missions - we're excited to be able to witness all that he has in store for them.

HOME STUDY UPDATE:

I'm happy to update that this past Friday Andy and I were able to mail everything we've been working on for the past month back to Amazing Grace! The only thing we have left to do is watch 6 hours of training videos but AG is willing to start processing our paperwork while we work on that. It was a great feeling to send everything back to them knowing it means we are on the way to the next thing! So, now we wait to be contacted by our social worker who will schedule our 3-4 interviews. I'm really looking forward to this part!

*Please keep praying for our little one!

our adoption scripture

Andy and I attended the C12 Annual Member's Banquet in Greensboro last week. The gift given to the spouses was a plaque with the word "Trust" on it. Engraved behind it was Proverbs 3:5-6. As I read it, I realized how much it encompassed our past few years. We've truly had to trust God's goodness, even when we didn't understand it. After desperately trying to seek his will, we felt the Lord graciously leading us to move forward with adopting from China. I know this verse will continue to be a help to us as we wade through the waters of this whole process. I hope you'll find it to be an encouragement too:

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart; Do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." Proverbs 3:5-6

After realizing this was a great verse for us, I looked up the company who made the plaques, Lighthouse Christian Products Co. They make a variety of items but the cool part is that a portion of their proceeds go to New Day Foster Home whose mission is to provide "life-saving surgeries and a loving home to orphans with special needs from around China"!!! Coincidence? I know better!

Mother's Day and room at the table

Mother's Day 2011 was a hit although plan A ultimately gave way to plan B. Last year we all met at Duke Gardens after church for a picnic. It worked out so well that we hoped to do the same this year. The forecast called for rain so we decided to bring the picnic indoors to our house. Fortunately, it quit raining by lunch time and the men were able to get in a game or two of corn hole in the drieway. Not quite Duke Gardens but it worked!  Andy and I are so blessed to have such great moms. We love that they are both so close by, allowing us to spend this special day with them each year.

Our special guests were my mom and dad, Lynne (mom's best friend of 50 years!), Mom and Pop Lynch, and the Neymans. There was definitely room at the table for one more! It would be nice to think that seat will be filled by our little girl next Mother's Day but I'm careful not to set that expectation. One of these Mother's Days though (insert sigh here)!

While the game of corn hole was going on outside, there was a ferocious game of Donkey Cong Country going on inside. Here's a picture of Evan giving Lynne some lessons on how to work the Wii.

*A quick update on where we are in the adoption process: 3 shots and 2 blood draws later, we completed our physicals yesterday. Once we get all of the tests back, hopefully by the end of the week, we'll be able to mail in our paperwork (everything we've been working on for the last month) to start the home study interviews. I am SO ready for this next step!

A few pics from our great weekend

Anna and me - "my family, my journey" adoption book

My buddies :-)

Pool time with the kiddos!

Thanks again ladies for a great weekend! We're already looking forward to the next one!

He hears me!

Since my latest post, I have received some things that will help me out with those Easter wishes. Amazing how the Lord always knows and hears the desires of our hearts :-)

Dress, Adoption Journey book, pink ribbon, "Fancy Nancy", "What Is God Like?"

Over the last week or so, our little girl has received her first "gifts". I have been touched (and yes, even moved to embarassing tears) at the thoughtfulness of dear friends (and of course, her Nana and Grandma Lynch).

My mom, already called "Nana" by my nephews, gave me a book for Easter that I had mentioned my best friend, Erin-Ashley, wrote about in one of her more recent posts. Her little girl loves "Fancy Nancy" and I just loved the story of how EA made this Nancy character come to life for her daughter. She let her dress up in fancy clothes and go to a fancy dinner with her grandparents. The pictures that followed were adorable! Anyway, I must have mentioned it several times to my mom because now my little one owns the book. I can't wait to read it to her! Thanks mom!

Then, my sweet friend Kim gave me a present last week from her daughter's closet. It was a precious little dress that she had not been able to wear and has now grown out of. I am hopeful that it will fit our daughter so I can post a photo of her in it next summer. Thanks Kim and Eliana!

And, to top it off, Andy and I spent the weekend with almost all of my lovely college ladies and their families. Kristina, you were missed beyond belief! The four of us girls had been planning a baby shower for Erin (who we refer to as "the other Erin" because, well, there are 3 Erins in my life). She is expecting her first this summer so, leaving the boys and kids behind, we snuck away Saturday morning for some girl time at a local restaurant. Erin was given a sweet pink ribbon to wear to signal the beginning of the celebration....and then one was handed to me along with a white gift bag stuffed with pink tissue paper. I had some apologizing to do to my beautiful friends as tears began to flow. I can't explain where they came from or what happened but they just came. I was completely caught off guard but they were tears of joy and gratefulness. I was just plain touched because of what it all meant: A) My friends were so sweet to think of me and B) It was for a little girl half way around the world that I can't wait to meet! Thanks ladies!

Grandma Lynch has a little project up her sleeve as well. I can't wait to post about it once it's ready to go. Let's just say it's a very special and sentimental item with lots of history!

So, whoever you are, hurry up and get here so we don't just stare at all these sweet gifts! I need to read some things to you in your cute dress. And I just may wear the pink ribbon while I do so!