IT'S OFFICIAL I'M A MOMMA!!!!

We made it through court today. Gracie is officially, legally and most importantly FOREVER our baby girl. Oh God is soo good. I was worried as always that the "boogie man" would somehow snatch our precious gift away. But of course my God said what is for you is for you. Sooooo next stop Ethiopia babeeee. Can't wait to go and get my sugah woogah.
This Saturday is my baby shower given by my BFFs. It's going to be a blast and I can't wait to get a peek at my sweet girl's bounty. I've attended many showers, never thought there would be one for me.
Look what He has done.

Gracie's Rolls

Gracie's Rolls Royce arrived yesterday and I was so excited to get it. We saw it over the weekend at BabysRUs and just fell in love with it but not the price! Being the frugal mommy that I am, I searched the internet and found it for $100 cheaper. Yay for me. Well Poppa bear was being a frowny pants today and wouldn't help me put the stroller together. Hmmp, I discovered with the right motivation I can be quite handy. Voila the fruits of my labor. Can't wait to see my baby girl in this!!!!

Care Package

I mailed off Gracie's care package yesterday! Soon she'll get a glimpse of her momma & daddy. I hope she finds us worthy (smile). We slept with her little blanket for over a week. Hopefully it will still have our "loving aroma" by the time it reaches Ethiopia. The little toy in the right corner is actually a recorder so we were able to record our voices for her to hear. According to some of the other families they will tape our photo above her bed. I sure hope so, maybe that will get her used to our faces and thereby make for an easier transition.
Hubby and I have decided that we are for sure going to get our princess. Wow it's hard to believe that in a few short months we will be on our way to Ethiopia. I'm so excited about our baby that I'm not even nervous about the flight anymore. Also it will be wonderful to tell her that we went half way around the world to bring her home. This is such an exciting time for us. I spend a good portion of my day daydreaming about our life with Ms. Gracie. Oh again I must say God is good!!!!!

GOD'S GRACE!!!!!

Has at last given me my Gracie!!!!! Hubby and I are out of our minds with joy!!! Ok this is how we got "The Call" . Hubby and I had just sat down at the movies, we were going to see Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins. I heard my phone buzz and thought it was one of my girlfriends texting me. I looked over at my phone and saw missed call CHSFS. I started shaking and beating poor hubby on the arm. I uttered something like "phone the people go go" My sweet hubby immediately knew what I meant and we both rushed out of the theatre. I called the agency right back and I was trying to explain to the receptionist that someone just called me. Someone called Kristi, my specialist's name is Kristina, but I just couldn't get that out I was shaking all over. Anywhoo, somehow she patched me through and we heard those beautiful words "Is this a good time?" I said yes, yes we movies, yes! As soon as she started talking, I started bawling. She went on to tell us about our baby girl born Nov. 29, 2007. She's healthy, gorgeous & meeting all milestones. God is sooo good. Hubby and I quickly left the theater and rushed home to open up the email with her info and pic. We prayed first to give God thanks for this unbelievable Blessing, then we opened the email. HEAVEN!!! She has BIG chocolate eyes, chubby cheeks and a sweet little nose that reminds me of mine. She's beautiful and perfect for us. I can't show her picture until we are through court but I posted evidence that she is truly my child. You see she has her little hand already in the Fight the Power position! Hee heee Barack meet your smallest supporter. Thanks to all my loved ones who put up with my craziness over the last few months. I know it's been tuff. Wow what a difference a day makes. Luv yall

Still Playing with Dolls

Because I still have no word on my Gracie!!! Actually I'm in shock. I really believed we would have heard by now. We are going into our 8 month on the official waiting list and to my knowledge no one has ever waited this long for an infant girl at our particular agency. I could be wrong. I spoke to my program specialist in January and she said she really didn't see it going to much past 7 months. Well I guess she would benefit from Lasik bless her heart, because we are still sitting here with bupkus. We're number 1 on the list for an infant girl but I find no joy in that. We could sit at the top of the list for God knows how long. I realize that God has Gracie all picked out for me. The human part of me is just so weary of all this waiting and the unkown. One of the waiting moms is considering a referral of an infant and the baby must have some medical problems. My heart goes out to her. That must be sooo hard. I pray everything turns out well for her family and the baby. This adoption has been the hardest thing I've ever attempted in my life. Hubby and I had talked about maybe trying again for a boy but I don't think I could stand up to this ordeal again. A coworker and his wife adopted a newborn baby girl domestically. She's 10 weeks old now and he brought her to work for a visit. Oh she was just so sweet. I held her and just felt warm and fuzzy inside. However, I must admit I also felt heartbreak because I wonder if it's ever gonna really happen for me. Everyone please keep us in your prayers.

Total Melt Down!

The above is a scaled back version of how I feel inside. This morning I awoke in complete melt down mode. The referral is not coming. They are not gonna let me be a Mommy. If it does come then we won't make it through court. Today I was in Burlingtons and I'd picked up a couple of cute Christmas dresses for my Gracie. I almost started to hyperventilate. I started thinking this is bad luck, I shouldn't be shopping for her already. Good grief, never mind the fact that hubby an I have already tricked out her nursery. I attempted to calm myself this evening by looking at other Ethiopian adoption blogs. Oh the beautiful babies! Just about the time I thought I could exhale, I came across the blog of a woman who'd received a referral and on the day before her court case the birth parents changed their minds and took the baby back. I don't think I will ever be able to sleep again. I'm crazed & terrified. As I've said before adoption is not for the faint of heart. I just hope that my head doesn't explode and roll off my body before my baby girl can get to me.

Seven Months Come.......And Gone

Well today it's been 7 months since we were placed on the official waiting list by our agency. The timeline originally was 5-7 months but obviously we are going beyond that. So we wait. I feel that there's something else I should be doing to prepare. The nursery is ready but I know there's much more. I probably should be reading some parenting books but the advice these nuts are giving I'll pass on. I saw a Dr. Phil show yesterday that made me hold my stomach and moan. 17 yr. old manipulative brat, cursing, hitting & treating his mother like she was a dog. The mom yelling crazily because she's been pushed to the breaking point. Dr. Phil jumped all over the poor woman, suggested that she was chemically imbalanced and the whole 9. The wayward child/demon sat there with a smug look of satisfaction on his face. I was stunned. So are you supposed to praise a chile that's calling you an f$%*%# pig?! It was heartbreaking to watch. Any chance that woman had of saving her child was dashed the moment she stepped on that stage and exposed him to that charlatan and his bimbo wife. Oh Lord, give us what we need to be good parents because the world has gone mad!!!!!!!