A Match Made in Heaven

I have to take a break from the birthday celebration update to celebrate a much more important occasion - our wedding anniversary. Doug and I got married 7 years ago. We had a great wedding - filled with love & the Lord. While it was a wonderful day, the days since then have just gotten better and better!

Doug was an answer to prayer in my life - I had just become a Christian but wasn't being obedient in trying to be equally yoked. God used a mutual friend to introduce us (on a blind date no less) - who didn't know either of us was a believer. God intervened into our lives and brought us together; I am so grateful and pray that our marriage and our life together would be one that would glorify His greatness.

I love you babe and can't think of a better way to spend my life than being your wife.

The birthday Celebration continues...

On Saturday, my actual birthday, I got to plan my day

The perfect day according to Karen...

...the morning at the beach with our best friends..

...a massage in the afternoon by myself...

...and dinner out with above friends!

(there are some great pictures of Matt and Doug boogie boarding that deserve their own post - stay tuned!)

Before we went out to dinner - the kids gave me y birthday present.....

then it was off to PF Chang's for some great food -

a great birthday without a doubt!

A Birthday Celebration

The birthday celebration for me started out early this year. Although my birthday wasn't till Saturday, I got my first present on Friday morning when we receive an email from our adoption case manager that our documents for Katie's adoption were on their way to China! (Yes - we have decided on a name - Katherine..to be called Katie). The process of getting the required paperwork to China involved 13 documents - including the official approval from the US Government. Every document needed to be notarized - every notary signature needed to be certified by the County Recorder, every county seal needed to be authenticated by the Secretary of State of California and every state seal needed to be authenticate by the Chinese Consulate! It is an arduous process - but one designed to protect these children form being trafficked. It is a relief to have it out of my hands and into someone else's - all the while trying to remember that it truly is in His hands - hte one that holds Katie close to Him while she waits for us.

After that great beginning, it was off to the beach with some Lucky Mommy's for some fun! Gracie and Ryan met us there (we missed Kailee & Mia!) - and Destiney and the kids joined us too. A highlight of the day was that Matt was here too (we haven;t seen that much of him this summer - now that's he a full fledge high schooler - he's got a pretty full social schedule!). Becky simply adores her big brother - and she loved having him there with us!

Gracie got a hold of Paloma's goggles & thought she was the bomb (which she was!)

Vincent was innocent & listened to the big kids....

Then everybody got into the act with Paloma as the "victim"!

Evidence that a good time was had by all!

There was so much cool stuff for my birthday that I've had to split it into several posts....more to follow!

Wordless Wednesday

Grace Bubbles

Luci Swindoll calls those little moments that we know God is granting us favor is situations when we certainly don't deserve it "grace bubbles" - little reminders that the Father above loves us and wants to shower us with undeserved grace. Today - I experienced an abundance of those grace bubbles.

Today, our dossier (the documents that China needs to approve our adoption of the next little Yingling) did the tour of southern California- on the wings of angels clearly! First, we started at the AAA to take advantage of the free notary services that we have as premium members - saved about $200 (grace bubble #1)! Then, it was off to the county office for the notary certification....but we only had to go down the street as a couple of months ago, they opened a branch location a mile form the house (grace bubble #2). After that, Becky and I loaded up the dossier and headed to LA for the Secretary of State certification - and there was no traffic (grace bubble #3) - normally this 24 miles takes an hour or so - less than 30 minutes today!

After only 10 minute wait, we had the Secretary of State seals - and off to lunch with hubby (grace bubble #4). Then - up to the Chinese Consulate. Becky fell asleep on the way there during the paltry 10 minute ride (sleeping baby = grace bubble#5) - and I found a parking space after only the first circle around the block (#6).

After bundling a sleeping toddler into her stroller - and collecting all the snacks & toys that might be needed should the baby wake & the wait be long - we headed to the building - where the door read "hours 9 am-2 pm" - a quick look at the phone revealed a time of 1:58!! Yikes!! Up the elevator - into the room -take the ticket - with a time stamp of 1:59 (bubble #7). We were the last ticket for the day!

After a 2 hour wait - we were the last number called - it was our turn. I had everything in order...until they asked me for "the letter from your agency" - what was that???? After 10 minutes of trying to find out what they were looking for - I pushed all the paperwork I had through the window in desperation. The clerk pulled out the PA - and said "this is it" (Grace bubble #8). I just needed a copy of that & my driver's license - they had a copy machine & I had the quarters - but only because the parking meter was broken & I had just thrown the handful of quarters intended for the meter into the diaper bag (#9). Got the receipt - be back on Wednesday - down to the car - and no parking ticket at the broken meter (#10).

God surely granted this undeserving servant favor today and showered us with grace bubbles all day long - praise the Lord!! Some might call it luck - but I know that it is only through God's grace that this task got accomplished today - and I am thankful and grateful beyond words for the bubble shower that I received today!

Just another day in paradise

Otherwise known to us as San Diego! Saturday started out easily - after breakfast at Red Sails (Doug's all time favorite breakfast place), we relaxed at the hotel for a while. DOug proved to be a far better play doh partner for Becky that I was - and they worked on their creative projects for a good part of the morning! I am not a big fan of play doh, but I had inadvertently left the travel bag with the toys in the garage and play doh was all the drugstore had in the way of inexpensive entertainment!

A little later in the morning, some favorite friends met us at the hotel to swim & hang out. They have two boys who are 5 and 3 - and Doug can do things with them that he can't do with Becky.....

Saturday night, it was back to Petco Park for the Cardinals game. Earlier in the day, Matt and Ashlee had joined us so they went to the game with us - and it was a great one!

The good guys won - and took the series 3 out of 4 games! World Series...here we come!!!

Some Favorite Things

We came down to San DIego Thursday night for a long weekend (ok - we really came down to go to the Cardinals v. Padres games!). We stay at our favorite hotel - Humphrey's Half Moon Inn & Suites. Friday morning, we tool a walk on Shelter Island after breakfast and we lucky enough to see one of the aircraft carriers coming in from an exercise. It is an amazing site to see - and you can't help but feel a sense of pride in being an American when you see these majestic ships and their crews whose purpose is to protect our freedoms.

Becky was a little over whelmed with it - she wasn't really sure what to make of it

The hotel has an assortment of "pets" a family of ducks - this is "daddy duck" (according to Becky) who let her get close enough to reach out & touch if mommy would have let her!

There is also a really nice fish pond and some tropical parrots - very cool; the mommy duck and her four babies also live here

General cuteness....

Then some swimming in the pool with daddy

After all the day's activities (and a great two hour nap!!), it was off to Petco Park for the baseball game - Becky was all decked out in her Cardinals gear!

We met our good friends David & Susan at the game

Albert's at the plate.....

While the outcome of the game was less than desirable, we did have a great night and Becky made it through the whole game in good spirits...oh well - there's always Saturday night's game!

Thankful Thursday

Today, I am thankful mostly for all the wonderful friends God has knitted into my life through this adoption journey. I got an unexpected call from one of them this afternoon - just to say hi & that she was thinking of me.It lifted my spirits and got me to thinking.

When we started this journey, it was about us getting a child - building our family and answering a call inside of me to be a mommy. What God has done with it amazes me- talk about enlarging my territory!! I am thankful that God sees SO much bigger than we do - that He can see how my desire for one thing can turn into the fulfillment of so much more.

My CWA friends have been a lifeline through some tough times - both before we got our referral and since Becky has been home! God enlarged my family not by just one child, but with families around the country who have hosted us in their homes, sent us gifts, prayed for us and loved us through this journey.

My Lucky Mommy's are my daily dose of sanity and my sounding board on everything under the sun. God uses all things - including blogs - to His purposes!!

Through this adoption journey, I have re-connected in a deeper way with my dear friend from high school and his family. His wife Kim has held me up in prayer and with good, sound advice every time I am at wit's end. SHe has been a role model to me in how to do this "mom" thing to a spirited and smart China baby.

I am thankful for my friends, but I am mostly thankful and amazed how the Lord took the desire of my heart, gave me the desire of my heart, and in the process blessed me more than I dared to ask for. What a gracious and loving God to shower His goodness down in our lives in a bigger way than we could have imagined!

Praise God form whom ALL blessings flow!

Handmade with Love

Today was a day filled with things handmade with love for Becky. This morning, she picked out the pinafore that grandma made for her. These are my favorite all season items - they can be worn with short sleeves & bike shorts, long sleeves & jeans, no sleeves & bloomers - and one of them she has is reversible!

Then this afternoon, we received a package in the mail from Aunt Kathleen (my stepdad's sister). She knitted this lovely ensemble for Becky - who absolutely loves it! After we put it on & took some pictures, I took it off (it's a really warm cape and it's really hot here!). Becky insisted that she wanted her "blankie on" - and even wanted the hat! She wore it around all afternoon!

I love that she is loved like this!