A good old-fashion update on life...

Most of the blog (as well as life itself), has been consumed by topics related to adoption, adoption and--oh yeah, adoption! So, just a general update on life itself. We really aren't that exciting, but here's what's going on...

When we moved to Kentucky in August 2005, we thought we would be here 3 or 4 years while Kenny finished his MDiv at Southern...........Fast forward 3 years and a couple of months: We are both working full-time and Kenny is taking a sabbatical of sorts from school right now. He is about a third of the way done with his degree and the plans are definitely for him to finish, just at a much slower pace than we originally anticipated. Which is totally fine with us, because we have fallen in love with Kentucky, our church, our friends and really feel like we are exactly where God has called us to at this point in our lives, much to the dismay of Alabama and soon-to-be grandparents! :)

On other fronts, Kenny is also working on his skills as a craftsman...he and my dad built a stellar island for the kitchen earlier in the summer and it looks great! (Happy Birthday to me!) His latest project is a workbench for downstairs. Finally putting that saw I bought him to good use! And as to Kenny's where-abouts lately, he was able to head to Alabama a couple of weeks ago for the Alabama vs. Western KY game (boy's weekend!) and he got to go to the Ryder Cup which was hosted here in Louisville last week.

And you guys know what I'm up to...if I'm not at work, I'm working on adoption stuff. Our Wednesday night stuff is in full swing and we have about 6 weeks of AWANA's under our belts. We have had great numbers and lots of visitors in our first couple of weeks and I think the kids are having a blast which is really the main thing. On Monday nights the ladies are doing a Bible Study and we are going through a book called Created to be His Help Meet. It's been a great book so far, despite the fact that I think the author is a little...quirky (oh well, I am too!)...but what she has to say is totally based on scripture, so it's been challenging to see how I need to change to be Kenny's "help meet".

And my new secret desire (one of them...the other is to learn how to play the drums!) is to make our yard look pretty...like with flowers and stuff. Yeah, I know, it's not exactly the right time of the year, but I have big plans in my head...(that could be dangerous)! Maybe spring will afford me more time to work on that! My biggest dilemma is my own ignorance and lack of green thumb...don't tell anyone, but I kill things that were once pretty, living and growing! Let's hope that "killing things" issue is only confined to plants.......

And a side note, sorry for the lack of pictures lately. I like to illustrate as I blog. But here lately, when I try to transfer pictures from the camera to the computer, it shuts the laptop off and tells me I've committed a fatal error! Hmmm...my camera is trying to kill my laptop... Further investigation is needed before formal charges will be filed, but a new camera may be in our future.

So, this is what we do...

(Oh, yeah...I forgot to mention that it is imperative that we watch at least 24 hours of football each Saturday, no matter what else is going on. Which leaves little time for...well, anything else! Needless to say, I'll be more than fine when football season is over again!!)

1 year ago today...

A year ago today, we moved into our very first house (as in, not an apartment) in the large metropolis of Taylorsville, KY (think cows, lots of farm land and a permanent skunk smell). Not really large at all (the town), our new home reminded us of our old home...good 'ol Pinson, AL...and we have felt at home here since we started making the drive to Spencer County to come to church a couple of years ago. I can hardly believe we have been in the house a year! Although, when giving directions, we still have to say, "You know, Ty & Angie's house..." before some people actually know where we are talking about. Then, we usually get a knowing nod and smile! (If you don't get it, the nice folks that used to live here were Ty & Angie...your legacy lives on!!)

We had a crew move us out of the apartment in Louisville and a crew waiting here at the new house to move us in! We are so thankful that so many people helped us move and clean and just get settled. And although we had a rocky start...our realtor wasn't very nice to us, our neighbor yelled at me for using the wrong driveway, etc...we love our first home!

Roll Tide!!

I like to pretend that I despise football, and for the most part I do. But I actually don't really mind watching Alabama play--but only Alabama! I don't want to see or talk about any other team, I don't care how good they think they are! So, I'm gonna brag a bit...Alabama just beat Georgia, so Kenny and I just sang a rousing chorus of "Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer". I tried to find the song on YouTube so you Kentucky people could get a taste of what you will hear next week when we beat you...........

I'm sorry, but we have to break up.

Here we are 4 months and 1 week into this little adventure we have going on...and we are making pretty major changes!! Due to some changes and uncertainty at our previous agency, we have decided to change our adoption agency. The last several days have been a roller coaster as I made phone calls, talked to this person and that person, received advice and much prayer support (Thanks...you know who you are!)...I knew as soon as I got off the phone yesterday, that God had a new direction for us...

The new agency that will hopefully take us under their wing is located in Louisville, which makes me very happy! (I have little faith in our United States Postal Service--Sorry, hope I don't offend anyone; It's not personal!--which consequently causes me much stress when I must mail documents miles away, that have cost me many hours and dollars to obtain!) We are also hoping (praying, fingers crossed, etc), that things may go a little faster than we had originally thought with the new agency...we'll see how things pan out! Although this has been frustrating, somewhat time consuming, and confusing, I have NO DOUBT in my mind that God orchestrated this change and it was part of His plan from day 1! We may never really know why, but I know that the path God sends us down is sovereign and well-thought-out. And if I've learned nothing else here lately, I have learned that there is always a reason for waiting; always a reason for a change.

And a pleasant discovery as we looked into this change...we have REALLY gotten a lot done in the last 4 months!! Our homestudy is complete, we have filed with USCIS and simply await approval, and our dossier is complete and only lacks federal authentication before it can be sent to Ethiopia to be translated into Amharic! Our prayer now is that our dossier won't need much added to it or changed to be ready for this new agency. Application for the new agency will go out in tomorrow's mail...I'm pumped!

I'm sorry, but we have to break up. It's not you; it's me. I've found someone else...

Got wisdom?

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. James 1:5 (NIV)

Wondering, Not Wandering

Kick back, grab your morning coffee, and let's read...this is part of a devotion I was reading this morning and I loved it so much, I wanted to share it. Excuse the sappy, emotional post, but even if you aren't dealing with these specific issues, this is a good reminder that our awesome God is in total control...whether we like to admit it or not!

"The Bible says that God knows the exact number of days in our lives and that He plans each day for us before we are born. He knows us intimately, long before our mothers were born or felt the first twinge of pregnancy. We see the linear progression of our lives. God sees the eternal past and future and knows how all of the events we face will fit together to accomplish His will.

Only God knows why your waiting to conceive [or adopt] is a necessary, critical part of His plan.

Because we can't see our situation through God's eternal perspective, we feel tempted to slide toward generalities. We simply want a child. We don't know what might lie in the balance of when we conceive [or adopt] and which child we are given, so we think we could get any child at any time in order to be fulfilled.

But right at this moment God is orchestrating so much more than your life. His care and control over the events of the world do not diminish in the slightest His care for you. Rather, He is moving the world together for the perfect time for each child to be born.

The Bible insists there is an ordained day for every baby to be born, and so it follows that there is an ordained day for every baby to be conceived. If you are waiting to become pregnant [or adopt], you have the assurance of knowing that God is not putting you off or ignoring your request or wasting time. If God has chosen to grant you children, He is even now moving you toward an exact day and time for you, or a birth mother, to conceive, and an exact day for this sweet baby to be born. It is hard to understand why we must wait for the appointed day when we feel we would be happy with any baby we could conceive [or adopt] between now and then. And it can confuse us to know whether or how we should pursue medical treatment, since God already has pre-ordained everything.

But we know only part of His plan for our lives; He reveals to us daily how we are to live in each moment. We are asked to entrust the whole of our lives--including this struggle--to Him. Because we know He plans each birth and life so carefully, we can take comfort in the knowledge that He is a God of specifics. We may be wondering about the road we're on, but we're not wandering on an aimless path. It may seem that time waiting is time wasted, but in truth, each day that passes brings us closer to the specific day that God may have appointed for our child to be born."

Some of you know our story; many of you, I'm sure, don't. In my effort to hopefully use this blog to encourage another, I'll divulge a little. At this point in our lives, we have not been able to have children biologically. But to clarify, adoption is not "second best" for us, rather "God's best" as we seek to start our family. God may choose to bless us with biological children in the future. He may continue to bless us with children through adoption. But for now, we wonder...is our child already conceived? Are they already born?!? Where are they? What are they doing? Are they safe? Do they feel loved?

And although I don't always claim it, I know that God doesn't have us just wandering on an aimless path! The wait is hard. It's frustrating. It doesn't always bring out the best in me. But...

"All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:16

Hurricane Ike hits Elk Creek!

No, I'm not comparing us to those hit much, much harder in Texas, but Sunday we had our share of hurricane force winds...category 1 winds to be exact! And how far off the coast are we?!?

It was partly cloudy, the sun would peek through every little bit, not a rain drop in sight and wind gusts up to 80 miles an hour!! Sunday when we got out of church, it already looked like a disaster area...trees down everywhere! Fortunately, we only lost a few shingles and quite a few branches from trees in the front yard and only lost power for a few seconds. But...Metro Louisville is apparently a disaster! This is day 2 for me of no work because our building has no power and no sign of it returning anytime soon! Jefferson County schools have already told parents to plan on schools being cancelled for the WEEK and LG&E is saying it may take up to 2 weeks to get all power restored...all from wind!!

This is really weird...the weather is great and here I am, hanging out at home in the middle of the day! I'm enjoying my "free" time off, although it was quite unexpected!! :) (And yes, poor Kenny has had to work!! Believe me, he is definitely giving me a hard time about not having to work!)

Take a right...no...wait...a left!!

Today I ventured to the state capitol of Kentucky to visit the Secretary of State's office and get our dossier authenticated. Fortunately, I was accompanied by good friend Nicole (Thanks for giving up your Thursday!), because finding the Secretary of State's office isn't quite as easy as it sounds!! Who would have known this office would actually be in the State Capitol building?!? After following some faulty MapQuest directions and giving ourselves an impromptu tour of Frankfort, we marched ourselves up the million stairs of the Capitol building and straight into the front doors. Once inside, we signed in, were given small green circle stickers (very official!), walked through a metal detector (minus our purses...because if I was packing heat, I wouldn't have put it in my purse!), and sent on our way with vague directions down the hall. We walked straight past the governor and lieutenant governor's open office doors and actually past the lieutenant governor, Dan Mongiardo, himself, enjoying a cup of coffee in the hallway! Only in Kentucky would security be so lax that we could have probably sat down in the governor's office with no questions asked!!

So, forms were authenticated with no problem and we headed on our way, making sure to retain our "official" green stickers so we would be allowed to exit! We grabbed lunch and hit up the Chocolate Cafe' on our way home, where I was persuaded by the chocolate shop man to indulge in my very first ever Kentucky bourbon ball. Don't worry...since I was driving, I only had one!

"Dozer's" next stop: A trip to our adoption agency to be checked before heading to Washington, DC for federal authentication!! (Don't forget to vote!!)

Productive Insomniac Thinking

I've turned into a slight insomniac over the last several weeks...hmmm, guess you could say I have other things on my mind. So, last night as I tried to will myself to sleep, I decided to add a poll to the blog! At last, interactive blogging!!

As you all know, we are waiting on approval from USCIS to be able to be at the point of receiving a referral. Our homestudy was sent in on September 2, starting the countdown, which could take the average 30-50 days...or longer...or sooner...that's for you to decide!!! Check out the poll to the right and cast your vote as to when you think our approval will grace our mailbox! The winner will receive $1000 Monopoly dollars, good towards....well, nothing! :)

Happy voting!! ...Not quite as important as our upcoming presidential election, but I'm thinking it's pretty close!

Let's talk...

Last night we went to Ashland Avenue Baptist Church in Lexington, KY (rather spur of the moment) with friends (and pastor) Nick & Kyndra, to the Mars Hill Conversations...Their discussion last night was on adoption and they had invited two great men from Southern Seminary who have personal experience with adoption, Dr. Russell Moore and Dr. Randy Stinson, to speak.

Besides sitting there in tears much of the discussion as I listened to some of their personal stories (and wanting to leave immediately to go to Ethiopia!), I was reminded that adoption and caring for orphans is as much a command from God as tithing or loving my neighbor. Some people will pray for those adopting, some will encourage those who are adopting, some will support financially, some will actually adopt...but we as Christians have ALL been called to have a hand in adoption as we care for orphans. And while my thinking is probably skewed (I'm only human, what can I say?), I somehow feel differently about this command. I feel honored to be able to adopt. I feel like God has chosen us to adopt. I feel selfish in my desire to adopt! We have been given an incredible opportunity and have already been blessed beyond measure and it's only been 3 short months. I can't help but think how this child is going to flip our world upside down, but in the best way possible! ...I'm glad we went!

“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” James 1:27

The countdown is on!

Amidst my certain uncertainty that the folks at Spencer County hadn't a clue what adoption was, I approached the local courthouse on Main Street this morning not knowing exactly what response I would get. After a frustrating phone call last week where I attempted to find out where I needed to go to get our dossier authenticated at the county level, I just knew this would be a disaster in the making...

I was pleasantly surprised. I must apologize to the County Clerk's office for underestimating their abilities. Once we determined where I needed to be, I was able to get our documents authenticated with little explanation of what I actually needed. Although they told me they didn't think they had authenticated any paper work before for an Ethiopia adoption...I'm proud that we can bring a little diversity to our tiny county! First, a new McDonald's, then, a baby from Ethiopia...how much more change can Spencer County handle? :) This was our dossier's first stop...next stop: Frankfort, KY, the state capitol, to visit with the Secretary of State.

In other, most exciting news, our completed and approved homestudy was sent to USCIS on Tuesday, beginning the estimated 30-50 day approval process for our I-600a (remember when we got our super cool digital fingerprints...). The countdown has begun! So, hopefully...prayerfully, we will received our I-171 (a "golden ticket" of sorts) sometime in October, if not sooner, which means we would be ready to receive a referral!! That is super exciting to me!!!! And to give you guys a little bit of an idea of what a referral may look like for us...we have been approved for 1 or 2 children, under the age of 24 months, either sex. I know what you are thinking...Twins? Maybe. Siblings? It's a possibility. We could go from a family of 2 to a family of 4 overnight, Lord willing. But who knows what (or who!) God has in store for us...

We wait. As patiently as my little heart will allow. (And yeah, the golden arches have made their apperance in our little town...it's been an exciting week!)

The FBI called...

Good news...Our FBI clearances came back today!! Even better news...neither of us have a previous arrest record!! Don't worry, there wasn't actually a concern! I haven't done anything illegal in at least 10 or 15 years..............joking, mom!

And a prayer request...without writing a book here, let me give you the Cliff's Notes on this...please keep our adoption agency, Carolina Hope, in your prayers over the next several weeks. They are currently working on partnering with another agency to receive Ethiopia referrals and have hit some bumps in the road. The process is taking a little longer than they initially thought it would and as a result, possibly delaying referrals. They want to be able to provide more referrals and younger referrals to their waiting families. We are not quite at the point of being able to receive a referral, but will be soon. Please pray for Carolina Hope, as well as partnering agencies, that they have guidance and will make the best decisions for their waiting families.

Oh, yeah...Roll Tide!! In honor of our big win over Clemson this weekend! (That's really more for Kenny than me...by Saturday night, I had had my fill of football!!)