Bountiful Baby Blessings

So much has happened in our lives over the last month! Here are a few of the highlights:

- Eric went to Haiti on a vision trip for our summer college mission trip.
- I ended another quarter of school (fun with grading, planning, etc.).
- We celebrated my niece's 4th birthday and my dad's 60th birthday.
- I almost completely lost my voice, but it came back to me a week later.
- I attended a women's conference with church friends.
- We helped out with some church activities such as The Wild Game Dinner.
- We had a surprise visit from my parents!
- Had time to spend with friends!

I'm looking forward to what lies ahead!

A large part of the last month has been family. In particular, the first Saturday in March was full of family time! I loved it! I'm a family girl . . . always have been . . . so time with family means so much to me! A couple of Saturdays ago, Eric and I had the privilege of meeting Eric's mom for breakfast and then having family birthday day with my dad's side of the family. To our surprise, there were two special adoption blessings throughout the day!!!

Adoption Blessing #1: Baby goodies from Eric's Mom!
Eric's mom gave us a photo album, Baby's 1st Christmas stockings (one blue and one pink since the gender is unknown), and some baby toys! The toys were so much fun to play with . . . I mean look at. :) Yes, I played with them at a restaurant table! I admit it! That really gave me the extra excitement I needed during this waiting time!

Adoption Blessing #2: Baby blanket from Grandma!

Our niece testing out our new baby blanket!

My Grandma asked me a while back for our baby room colors. I showed her the bedding and that was the end of it. I knew she wanted to make a blanket for our baby-to-be, but I had no idea I would have the honor of having the blanket so soon! In the midst of celebrating family birthdays, I was given a gift bag to open! Inside was a soft, beautiful, made-with-lots-of-love baby blanket - handmade by Grandma herself! The blanket was even made in a shape that corresponds with the octagons in the baby room bedding! My niece Abigail tested out the blanket and approved 100%! This blanket was yet another volt in my excitement charger.

Thank you, Grandma and Momma Miller, for the very special blanket and baby goodies! Eric and I can't wait to have a baby to use them!

Refreshment

Do you have a favorite refreshment? Maybe cookies and milk or strawberries and fruit dip? Maybe quiet time in your car alone or sitting on top of a mountain in solitude? Maybe going for a run or laughing with a loved one? Refreshments don't have to be edible, just consumable. What?! Yep, consumable. It is easy to imagine consuming cookies or strawberries, but sitting on top of a mountain? Sure! When I sit on top of a mountain in solitude, I consume relaxation and God's peace. When I go for a run, I consume extra energy and an emotional outlet. Aside from my all-time favorite refreshment of spending time with God, what's one of my other favorite refreshments? Writing.

Over the last several weeks my writing flame was almost out, but its flicker is back! I have really missed writing on our adoption blog. How is writing on an adoption blog a means of refreshment?

- Helps me keep track of our adoption journey
- Allows me to go back and see God's hand at work
- Reminds me of where we've been and where we're going
- Serves as a prayer reminder
- Provides the opportunity for others to learn our story of what it's like to be on an adoption journey
- Acknowledges truths about God
- Gives me a chance to wrestle with issues that come up along the way
- Gives my mouth, head, and heart a place to reflect and release
- Creates a record of adoption thoughts and experiences
- Offers an adoption advocacy platform

I know our adoption blog only covers the adoption part of our lives, but having an outlet to share my thoughts throughout the adoption side of our lives is so healthy for me and hopefully helpful for others. Refreshing? Positively! There are some days that I think time is flying fast, and there are other days that I think our adoption placement day is so far away. However, having a place to record what is going on inside of me during this waiting time has helped me more than you will ever know. Refreshing? Absolutely!

What brings you refreshment? Leave a comment to share if you would like!

Refined by Fire: Fueled by Faith

WAKE UP!!! Have you ever had one of those moments? Over the past several weeks, God has gotten my attention in a way that was uncomfortable and difficult, but he took me through that refining fire only to make me stronger and more like Himself.

The Friday following my wake-up call I read over the upcoming Sunday school lesson. The title of the lesson made me inwardly chuckle and say, "Okay, God. I get it!" The title: "Choosing Repentance: What Happens When You Stumble?" The lesson explanation included this statement: "God's grace includes the promise that when we genuinely repent of our sins - when we grieve over what we've done and do a 180 degree turn back toward truth - we can return to a restored relationship with Him" (Collegiate Magazine: Winter 2011/12 page 48). 180 degree turn . . . sound familiar?

The title of our adoption project is 180 Degrees: Turning Lives Around Through Adoption.  When we first made this blog, our project title was intended to show how adoption can turn around the lives of adoptees. The conclusion of our first adoption showed us that God was using the adoption process to turn our lives around, too. Reading the above statement about God's grace and our repentance reminded me once again that God is turning our hearts back to him through means of a refining fire.

God uses times of waiting as a refining fire. Fires can be furious and destructive, yet they can also be fulfilling and warm. Have you ever sat around a warm campfire on a cold, fall evening? We are in a cold season of waiting, but God has a fire blazing all around us to fulfill and comfort us. Not only are we surrounded by a fire, we are IN the fire. This reminds me so much of Daniel's three friends from the Bible. They were placed in a firey furnace to face destruction, yet God walked with them through the fire and brought them out alive and refined, fueled by faith!

God has certainly used our time of waiting as a refining fire to fuel our faith. We have learned so much about ourselves, each other, those around us, and God throughout this process. I am thankful today for God's redeeming love and grace . . . his fire and rain. 

Covenant Care's 7th Adoption Placement of 2012 3/15/12

Two placements in one week (March 13th and 15th)!!!!! We are so excited for these families, but we must admit that we wish we were the ones in the video!!!!! Pray for these birthmoms who have made adoption plans for their children. While these happy couples in the placement videos rejoice in the new addition to their families, there are birthparents grieving the "loss" of their children. We are thankful to be a part of an adoption agency that ministers to birthparents both before and after placement!

Covenant Care's 6th Adoption Placement of 2012

This blessed couple welcomed a new child on March 13th! This is a sweet reunion for sure!

Covenant Care's 5th Placement of 2012

Covenant Care had its 5th placement on March 1st! A video has not been posted by the agency yet, but I will definitely share it when there is one available. We can't wait until we are the people in the video! I'm thankful already that our unknown birthmother will be choosing life for her child. God has a plan!

Covenant Care's 4th Adoption Placement of 2012

Covenant Care had its 4th adoption placement on Feb. 29th! Check out the sweet video!