Catching up.....Finally !!

The kids are doing homework, all the appliances are fed & running, my husband is out taking care of a couple errands, even the dog is sleeping ~ it's my turn to catch up!!! Finally !! I started this blog at a very busy time of year (poor planning there) and hosting the holidays for two large families took up a lot of time. Everything is cleaned up and tucked away until next year. It's kinda sad to pack up the decorations, but I know, that we will take them back out in less than a year! The holidays are one of our favorite times of the year, and a great excuse to bake & indulge in lots of cookies! Our holiday was filled with a lot of love and fun times. My mom, even did pretty good. (Note: My mom can't get around like she used to and is on oxygen 24/7---emphysema. She has her good days and her struggle days, but still holds her own.) My niece had her baby about a month ago so it was her first Christmas, and of course her Great Aunt Terry (yes, I'm a GREAT Aunt already ugg!) bought her the cutest outfit. I didn't have time to take a picture, the ham needed my attention, then she fell asleep. :-( But Emily got to feed her a bottle.

On the adoption front, nothing new. Big frown here. We are still waiting. When we started this journey, I really had hoped that we would have received a referral by now. I was given the impression (in not so many words) that things were moving along 'pretty good'. We have been on the "official" waiting list since April 2008. I know that some other families have been waiting longer than that. I give all of you a boatload of credit ~ what 's your secret ??? I'm not trying to sound worse off than anyone else in our position, but this adoption, (#3) seems to really be a test of paitence!?!?! Some days are easier than others and as the new year begins, I am really trying to turn my paitence into a stronger Faith. In a weird twist, I had to return a few things for Mom the other day....while waiting my turn, being patient of course, I looked around and saw a display of wall plaques, the one that caught my eye, read like this.....

Faith.....is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

Is that a sign or WHAT !???!?!?! I was on the right road!! Guess who bought that sign and another titled Family .....yep, that was ME !!! I proudly hung them on the wall in my kitchen that evening, when in doubt I can look there, and then check the adoption blogs of course! :-) I feel better now! Gotta go check some homework........