We are #3 (again)

 

So our official wait-list number for September was #3 and it seemed so great to be #3...

and well, for October we again are #3.  

In an effort to be "real" AND "thankful"...here's my short lists of why it is 

so-great & not-so-great to be #3 (again)...

Not-so-great

1. Some moms at school ask me EVERYday when I see them if we have heard anything

2. Would have loved to have our referral by Christmas-time...not looking to promising now

3. We have been on the wait-list for 26 months (enough said)

So-great

1. Far-and-away best reason to be #3 again...GOD's timing is best & He is answering our daily prayers to match us up with just the right baby girlie for our family

2. There is a lot of effort being made to make sure the children up for adoption are legitimately "in need"...this takes time...but it is a good thing that this is in place

3. More time to connect with the 3 kiddos we have here... before life changes

4. Found out this weekend Ellyana has been thinking that everyone is getting their OWN baby sister...she gets one, Zach gets one, BJ gets one...thankful for the extra time we have to sort out the fact that only ONE baby sister is coming home for the family to share :)

5. the list could go on & on but mostly it all goes back to "So-great" reason #1...God is faithful!

Happy 10 years home day!!!

Today is the day we celebrate BJ's "Coming Home" Day!  Two of our kiddos came home on jet planes from other countries, this is the day we celebrate that BJ finally made it home.  He had already been in 3 different NICU's and traveled by ambulance.  He has his own special story!

Our tiny, precious boy got to come home to our apartment in our car with all of his oxygen tubing &  apnea monitor.  The care had been been wonderful along the way...but at the end of it all..."there is no place like HOME"!  So thankful for this blessing!

She is a silly, precious girl

This girl is almost "4" and it is hard to believe!

She continues to bless our family so much &

 a big part of it is through her HUGE vocabulary and imagination!

Her words about storytime..."Miss Dorie is a wondrous story teacher"...not sure we had ever heard the word "wondrous" out of the boys mouths :)

She heads out to play football with the boys in her princess plastic high heels.  Are the words...you can not play football in the princess high heels!...really coming out of my mouth?

She will talk with great authority and report on her IMAGINARY school that she attends.  Her teacher's name changes every day.  We get quite a kick out of Ms. Table, Ms. Glue, Ms. Spaghetti.

We can NOT get her to keep her socks that we put her to bed in on but then the other night I went to tuck her in & she has these on her feet.

 

She spends lots of time playing in her room with her princesses...they all talk in very sweet voices.

She goes to storytime one time a week & gymnastics one time a week.  The other days she does pretty good helping me run errands or do somethings to help others.  She asked the other night what she had to do to the next day...I said a few things and then we have a "Room Mom" meeting at Starbucks...she died laughing and said "I never have meetings at Starbucks", funny thing is I don't think I had either.  She did get a kiddie hot cocoa out of the meeting.

After Ellyana had made a very funny comment to a friend at church today...I asked the friend today...how much of it is a "girl-thing" or is it just a "personality-thing"?  

Who knows?  But we are blessed by it!

We are #3!!!

Some fun things come in threes...

 

And our favorite thing is this picture of great MERCY and GRACE!

So thankful for Jesus (and for a little movement in our waitlist number:)!

End of summer highlights...

 We had a fun trip to Grandma & Grandpa's later this summer & we got to try out their ice cream shoppe...a just right size table.

 These 2 are so funny...they are always trying a new Blizzard type mix of flavors & then split the treat & then analyze what they are planning to order the next time.

 Loving the ice cream cones.

 Buddies.

 Grandma is brave enough to let these 2 crack eggs for breakfast.

 And thankfully, no glasses needed for the boys again this summer.

 Back-to-school donut treat.

 This summer we were "free pool pass" junkies.  Its funny by the end of the summer it felt like we had been swimming a fair amount...and then I started realizing how many "free passes" we had used at various pools around the area...pretty fun for our 3 fishies.

 The kids did take swim lessons this summer...it is wonderful to have all 3 of them as independent swimmers now...it does make pool time way more relaxing!

 Every year we look so forward to the International Student Picnic...connecting Internationals that very recently arrived in America to Christian friends...the day almost takes your breath away at all the countries represented & all the opportunities for friendships

 BJ loved teaching himself to kayak & got to take Sister out for a ride

 Water-balloon volleyball with friends from around-the-world

And one of the things that I miss with the kids back in school...doing whatever in PJ's till whenever!
The boys are having a terrific year and it does feel good to be back in sync...but summer always hold a special place in our hearts!

Wait list...sorry for the confusion...

In my attempt to give a "good" explanation of what the "wait list" is & where we are on it a few posts back...I think it must have been confusing as I have heard from some "congrats on being #1"...so just to keep everyone up-to-date...we are NOT number #1...we are officially #4 for at this time...the last day of each month we get our officially updated number...and we can't wait!
Thanks for your continued prayers!

Finishing up a birthday...

 On our bucket-list for this summer was...teaching BJ to bake...it came easy and very deliciously!

 When Dad was back we celebrated BJ's birthday (again) at his favorite place...Panera!