Good News!!!

Just wanted to let everyone know that we got the call today to start our dossier. We are just so excited and on cloud 9!!!!!!!

I've been tagged

I got my first tag from a fellow blogger-April at vietnambabygirlsmith.blogspot.com

The details:List 7 random things that people may not know about you. The rules are to link the person who sent this to you and leave a comment on their blog so their readers can visit yours. Post the rules on your blog. Share 7 facts about yourself. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, linking their blog. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. 1st hold up your right hand and repeat after me"I --insert name here-- do solemnly swear not to pass judgment on Jessica or any parties involved in this open & honest meme...so help me God!"Ok. You may proceed!

1. I am a control freak or I guess what you’d say a compulsive worrier. I really don’t like this about myself. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been this way. While growing up I would refuse to ride in an elevator. I didn’t want to get stuck in them. Luckily, I grew out of this fear. I am also a freak about making sure things are turned off. I will go back and check things 4 and 5 times to be sure. I will also call Eddie some mornings, even though I’ve already checked it. Oh, you really can’t leave candles burning around me. Sometimes when my mom has candles burning I will blow them out before leaving.
2. I have lost 44 pounds since last year. A friend at work and I joined Weight Watchers last year on February 15th. I am now proud to say that I am a lifetime member!! It was very hard at times but I feel better than I have in years
3. This is kind of sort of like April’s story. When I was 7 my dad brought me home a stuffed animal. He was a bear with pajamas on and I named him Sammy. I slept with Sammy until about 4 years ago. My mom had to sew his head back on and he is missing one of his eyes. I loved this bear and I guess he was my “security blanket”. I did not put Sammy up in my closet until Eddie gave me a new bear. I now sleep with the new one and I decided to give the “Old Sammy” a break.
4. I have been pregnant four times and lost each pregnancy by the 9th week. Eddie and I were at an informational meeting at CHI on May 9th, 2005. I whispered to Eddie that I thought we needed to go get a pregnancy test before we went home. I just had a feeling that I might be pregnant. That night, I took the test and we found out that we were pregnant. We were so excited-It was one of the best feelings. After going to doctor and doing some blood work, I was told that I would miscarry. Since then I’ve had three miscarriages. Each one was very hard but during these times my faith became stronger. I still think about the “what ifs” every now and then. But, I feel that God was leading us to adoption. It just took us a while to figure it out. It’s just like that song by Rascal Flats-God Blessed the Broken Road. He blessed the road that is going to lead us to our son, from Vietnam. Saying this and feeling it in my heart, makes me smile.
5. We are naming our son after my Pa. I was always very close to my Pa; he was a great grandpa. I loved that man better than anyone I thought. I was always his little girl. I decided long ago that when I had a little boy that I was naming him John. My Pa has been
   gone almost 4 years now. I still think of him all the time. My Granny was very happy when she found out that we were adopting a little boy. She knew his name would be John. I will one day get to tell my little John where he got such a strong name.
6. As Eddie says-I wake up singing with the birds. I am a very happy person in the morning.
7. We do plan to adopt to again once we get John home and settled.

I am going to tag the following:

journeytoourchild.blogspot.com

katherineanddrew.blogspot.com

mistyandtyler.blogspot.com

benteminhsmith.blogspot.com

millertime-vietnambaby.blogspot.com

We got an update--YEAH!!!

This week we received 3 referrals!!! Two infant girls (2 months & 6 months) and one infant boy (3 months). That is really-really good news!!! There are familes in Vietnam right now and there will be more to travel soon. I check the blogs daily for any updates--they both have such cutie pies. According to our calculations we should be at #89. Hopefully soon we will be asked to start our dossier. We are planning to move but we found out that we cannot move until we submit our paperwork for our dossier. Our house was already on the market before I found out that we needed to stay put. Who knew--Im just glad I checked before we up and moved. It was so good to get the news that we did have referrals this week. I am hoping that things get back on track and we start getting them every week.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

Bible Verse Of The Day

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Psalm 46:1-3

When we are in God's will, we're in his perfect love; and perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). If you're fearful today, perhaps you're underestimating the keeping power of his care and concern for you.

God is our refuge and strength,an ever-present help in trouble.Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give wayand the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,though its waters roar and foamand the mountains quake with their surging.

TET in Vietnam---

Our agency is having a TET party this next Thursday night. We went last year and we are looking forward to it again this year. It's a chance to meet some of the waiting families, families who are just starting the process and families who are home with their children. I hope everyone in the Nashville area is coming-we look forward to meeting you. Our February newsletter had some information about TET. I am going to share some of this newsletter for my family.

TET year of the Rat is a huge celebration lasting three days. Families save money, store food and plan far in advance for this major holiday in Vietnam. They buy new clothes, paint and clean their homes, cook three days worth of food, pay off all debts and make amends to rid themselves of all bad feelings. Cleaning is frowned on during Tet because one would not want to sweep out any good luck.

The marketplace is very busy the week before Tet, as people buy food, trinkets, firecrackers, flowers, and other items in anticipation of the holiday. At four o'clock in the afternoon on Tet eve all the markets close down so the people can go home and prepare for midnight when Tet begins. The atmosphere is very festive. Incense is burned in the homes. The color Red, symbolizing good luck and happiness is seen everywhere. There are dragon dances at night. Food is plentiful, homes are decorated, parks are full of crowds of people dressed in their best new clothes and for three days the people have a fabulous celebration.

Not only is Tet the beginning of a New Year, it is also everyone's birthday. The Vietnamese do not acknowledge the exact day they were born. A baby turns one on Tet no matter when he/she was born that year. Children say they were born in the year of the symbol of the lunar calendar for that year. On the first morning of Tet, adults congratulate children on becoming a year older by presenting them with red envelopes that contain "Lucky Money," or li xi. These envelopes are given to the children by parents, siblings, relatives and close friends.