A Better Day!

The excitement is building! Rumors are beginning to float around and right now they are all over the place. We are seeing everything from late this week to mid March referral arrival and nothing close to narrowing a cut-off date. This is very common for early referral rumors. This is where great patience is required.

One thing that I have to keep in mind is that they are exactly what they are and that is rumors. Nothing to bet your house on, just rumors. But when you have been waiting for almost 2 years, you grasp at anything that you can and hold on for dear life, especially if it is positive. And, with that, if it is not positive, you let it keep you awake at night. As I have been reminded almost on a daily basis since we began this whole journey in 2005, guess who is NOT in control and guess who is.

So, that is really all I have, which is pretty much nothing. Thanks for your concerns on my crying day yesterday, today is actually better. I still look quite tired, probably because I am. I was at the Y before 7:00am today and haven't stopped yet. Wednesdays are a little crazy for us, like most every other day. I have family coming this weekend and that IS exciting. Our church shower is Sunday and they are coming Friday so we can get in a little shopping before the shower. Ooohh, now that sounds like fun. Thanks for checking in on us and hopefully, I'll have a little more news tomorrow. Goodbye February, Hello March! This IS our month! Stay tuned, same bat time, same bat channel!

Try Not to Make Eye Contact!

First of all, let my offer my humble apology for not blogging yesterday. Yes, I am well aware that I said that I was going to post everyday until we get our referral and already, I have failed. The day just got away from me and my "little" project of completely redecorating Zac's bedroom in 5 days is making me crazy, or crazier I guess I should say.

Secondly, let me just warn you, it will probably be in your best interest to avoid eye contact with me today, I am a bit weepy. Okay, a whole lot weepy. So far I have cried twice at the Y today, not because anyone made me, just because I felt like crying. Pat, this would be a good time to remember that I don't always have an answer for why I am crying. I then proceeded to WalMart where I cried once in the van on the way there and once in the WalMart. The episode in the van was brought on by that blame Pedigree commercial that obviously makes me cry even when I think about it, and the one in WalMart I suppose could be pinned on the fact that I could not find the Herbal Essence Pin Straight Shampoo that I was looking for. At least that's the only thing that I can figure out that I was doing when the tears began. Oh, I didn't utter a sound, so there was no wailing, just some rolling tears and a little snot, if you will.

So, yes, the month of February is about over and we are next! Just know that if you make eye contact with me, I could just cry.

What am I counting to?

I was telling Pat something about the blog today and he said that he was wondering what I was counting down to. So, I guess that I will have to change my post titles to no count down since I don't know for sure when we will get our referral. I was counting down to the end of February, but since there is no guarrantee that they will come March 1, I suppose I need to change my counting ways!

We have began a huge project and that is trying to get Zac's room ready upstairs. He is moving into the bonus room, which was Seth's old room. We are going to make Seth's old room an office/guest bedroom so the pressure is on. We went Saturday and purchased paint and it is looking great. It will be a sweet room. So now, our "spare" time is spent on painting. It's a big room, lots of angles and lots of trimming. Pat and Zac helped do the rolling, but I am the only one that can trim, or that's the story and everyone is sticking to it.

Consider Yourself Warned!

February is quickly passing and we are about to be at the end of it. I can't help but feel in my gut that we will hear something very soon. Call it instinct, call it a gut feeling, or call it the chicken stir fry that I had for dinner, who knows? We have worked so hard today on Zac's new room. He will be moving upstairs to the bonus room and we are trying to "cool" it up a little bit. Jeremy, Manda and Will came yesterday to enjoy the festivities of Elijah and Macklin's birthday party and stayed all night with us. Manda and I worked this morning in Jadyn's room, putting things in drawers, in the closet, etc. I have mush for brains and I couldn't make a rational decision as to where to put her socks. You see, I have a chest of drawers and a changing table and I want to put everything in the most efficient locations. I think there may have actually been a tear or two shed on Friday morning when I was facing that all important decision that all expectant mothers must face - "do I put the socks, tights and leggings in the same drawer in the chest, or do I seperate them and put the socks in one of the drawers in the changing tables?" I just couldn't decide what the most efficient location would be. Anyone want to come help get things situated? I might cry - consider yourself warned! Our church shower is next Sunday, so I'll have some more things to put up after it!

To Work or Not to Work-That is the Question!

Wow, what craziness! I read this morning that the CCAA is opening back up on 2/24/07. If that is true, it's a little quicker than I thought. It was my understanding that they were to return to work on 2/26. I hope that this is true, it could only speed us up. I anticipate that referrals will be sometime in the first 7 days of March. So I guess I should have started the countown at T minus 11 or 12, but 7 sounded like a good number. I am counting February out of here. Next week is our shower and we are SO excited about it. We are beginning again, which is crazy to me. People ask "what do you need?" and I just say "mostly everything!" because I got rid of everything. If I did not get rid of it, it would be dry rotted anyway. Zac is 14 you know! That's what I mean by craziness. Oh well, I am already not sleeping, so I guess I am preparing to get up with a baby again. It's been along time since I have had to do that too. Stay tuned and be sure and check out Pat's blog which is listed above. He has been talking about the adoption and how God has dealt with him on this subject. Now that's craziness!

Well, We're Another Day Closer

Every morning when the clock goes off Pat says, "well, we're another day closer." I just love the way that sounds. He is so encouraging and is so excited. He cannot wait to have a little girl. I have been trying to get him to put is in a pool and he has refused for years. I told him that I am going to have Jadyn ask him to put her in a pool when she gets old enough to talk. :) He said that I had better not and gave me "the look". Life with a little girl, he has no idea what he is in for. But, I want Pat to experience what it is like to be loved by a daughter. It's the sweetest kind of love. I can't wait for him to know this kind of love. We are another day closer and I fully expect to begin to hear some rumors the beginning of next week. The CCAA is closed all this week for Chinese New Year, so there is not much out there. The countdown is on, we're ready to see that face, and this will be the first place that her picture is posted for public viewing! Check back often, you never know when we might get "the call".

Counting February Outta Here!

Today is February 21, 2007. Officially, we have been logged in for 16 months today. That's a long time in case you didn't realize! :) I could have carried and given birth to an elephant by now. But let me just say: LET THE COUNTDOWN BEGIN! Most of the time referrals come the end of the month, so I am counting down the end of February. I will be posting a message everyday until we receive our referral which should be the end of February/first of March. Pray that it is closer to the end of February. Finally, we will have a name, picture, birthdate and our prayers will have a face. Our hearts are filled with joy and anticipation and especially love. Join me as we count down these next few days until we see the face of Jadyn!

Lesson 2 - How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count ...

What a fitting day to talk about love. So many things have rolled around in my head during the past two years and one in particular is thoughts of love. How important love is to our lives. I was fortunate to grow up in a very loving family. Saying "I love you" was something that was spoken sincerely and spoken often. That is something that has carried into my marriage. I love to hear the words I love you. One of my favorite children's book is Guess How Much I Love You and it warms my heart. It is the story of Big Nutbrown Hare and Little Nutbrown Hare and there debate of which one loves the other the most.

"I love you all the way down the lane as far as the river." cried Little Nutbrown Hare. "I love you across the river and over the hills," said Big Nutbrown Hare. That's very far, thought Little Nutbrown Hare. He was almost too sleepy to think anymore. The he looked beyond the thornbushes, out into the big dark night. Nothing could be farther than the sky. "I love you right up to the moon," he said and closed his eyes. "Oh, that's far," said Big Nutbrown Hare. "That is very, very far." Big Nutbrown Hare settled Little Nutbrown Hare into his bed of leaves. He leaned over and kissed him good night. Then he lay down close by and whispered with a smile, "I love you right up to the moon - and back."

I use to tell my dad "I love you up to the sky and down to the ground" and that's alot of love. When you experience that kind of love, it gives you a glimpse into the love of God. How can I love a child that I have never seen and that another woman carried and gave birth to, but yet the love I feel for her is as deep as the love for my boys? It is a love that can only be placed in your heart by a Holy and loving God. I cannot even fathom how much the Father loves us, but for this love, I am forever grateful.

How Deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure.
That He should give His only Son,
To make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders.
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannon give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom.


Love... How thankful I am that I cannot possibly understand how much God loves me but one thing I know for certain, I do love Him "up to the moon - and back" I thank Him for teaching me more every day about love.

Jadyn's Quilt

Here is the quilt that goes with Jadyn's bedding. I still have a little work to do on the bumper pads and they will be finished also. I had them made, but I have to add some extra ties on the sides to help them to stand better. Everything matches so well and I love it.


The mural is almost finished, one more visit from Roseanne will do it. I narrowed the mural down quite a bit and made a few changes. Roseanne is now painting the curtains to look like the real curtains on the window and it looks so good. I am so excited about it. It is all coming together. Here is a picture of the mural at this stage.





And finally, here are all of Jadyn's friends waiting on her to come home.

The View From Down Here-Lesson 1

You asked for it, so here you go. What have I learned during this long journey of adoption? A journey, that I might add, that is not over. We are still traveling that road and looking for a place to rest. Sometimes, we need the rest more than others. Sometimes, we find ourselves running and other times we are simply dragging our feet. What a journey it has been!

From the time that we began this journey almost two years ago, I held onto a picture in my mind of Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus while everything else is going on around her. That is precisely where I have found myself and how I have coped with the increase wait times, the disappointments along the way, and quite frankly, the thought of my daughter being in an institution in China and my inability to get to her. At the feet of Jesus, that is where I have stayed. Never before in my life have I ever been forced to rely on Him so much. Isn't that exactly what He wants us to do? So what's the problem? How hard can it be to completely and fully rely on Him? How hard can it be to trust Him completely? How hard can it be to sit at his feet and focus on Him, rather than everything that is going on around me?

It's hard, very hard. At times, I have found myself, sitting at His feet, yet looking at the giant that I was facing. The giant of increasing wait times, etc. It was during those times, I realized I was no longer focusing on Him, but the other things and they were huge from where I was sitting.

One of the verses that God has repeatedly given me during this time is this...

"For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." Isaiah 41:13

From where I am sitting, it's looking pretty sweet right now...

I See The Moon and The Moon Sees Me!

I got up Saturday morning and one of the first things I do is look out the front door to "check the weather" as my Dad use to do. My eyes immediately were drawn to this beautiful moon that was shining so bright in the daylight. The picture does not capture how bright the moon really was. You could see the surface colors and it was so vivid. So many times throughout this journey I have looked at the moon and it is one of the few things that links us to Jadyn right now. As she is in China and we are on the other side of the world, it's the same moon that shines over both of us. When I see it in the daytime, my mind always thinks that maybe a very loving nanny is walking Jadyn outside to see the moon. She points and shows it to her and they look at it, just a few seconds and at the same time that I am standing on my front walk in my pajamas, looking at the moon and thinking about my little girl. Maybe a stretch, but somehow it give me such a peace. I really needed to see that daytime moon Saturday morning and I thank God that He put that moon in the daytime sky just for Jadyn, her nanny and me. I see the moon and the moon sees me...

How I Am Feeling Today

Today is one of those days where my emotions have been "running crazy". Here is my post from the babyjellybeans site that pretty much sums up what I am feeling in my heart...

When I think of the whole process, it overwhelms me sometimes with raw emotion. I don't understand why God chose for us to be in this place, at this time, but He did. And for that, I will be forever be grateful. It is so hard to describe how you can love something so much that you have never seen, felt, smelled, touched or held. Hmm, much like my love for God I would say. We are in love with a child we have never seen and that boggles the mind. How can I love something so deeply that I have never seen? That, my family and friends, is the overflowing of the love of God in my life. It is a love that is so real it consumes you, yet so tender, you just want to share it with the world. Isn't that what it's really all about. Sharing God's love with the world. When I think of the complexity of it all, it always leads me to the God I love and His grace. He has chosen to entrust us with this gift of undescribable love in our hearts. A love that can only be placed there by the Creator. Wow.

October 13, 2005 - The New Cut-Off

The CCAA has officially revealed the new cut-off date. The website was updated tonight and they managed to get through October 13, 2005!!! This means they are in October and it is SO good to finally see that month on their website. Now, what's next? I'm glad you asked. WE ARE!!! This leaves us in the position to almost be a shoe-in for the next batch of referrals!!! This sounds unbelievable to me and I think that reality is beginning to sink it. I guess you could say that I am pretty much a wreck!

My sweet friend Becca gave us this plate for Jadyn's room and I think it pretty much sums it all up. "We prayed for this child and the Lord has granted us what we aked of Him". From the very beginning, Jadyn Grace Hood has been bathed in prayer. We don't have too far to go now. Continue to pray daily for Jadyn, her birth family, her health, her country and her new parents who are so anxiously waiting for this baby girl. We are almost there Jadyn!