It's official!

Fu Jun is officially Kambry Hope follwing our refinalization hearing this month!

Kambry's Gotcha Video

Finally, after 7 months home, we've made Kambry's Gotcha video. Thank you, Kuyler! Please turn off the music at the bottom of this page before starting video. Enjoy!

And there's more ...

These pictures of our sweet boy were taken last week by a mommy receiving her precious daughter. Thank you "M" for blessing us!

Doing the Happy Dance here! We just found out our dossier was logged in with CCAA on November 12. Let the countdown begin ...

Currently it's taking 90 to 120 days from LID to LOA (Letter of Acceptance). That's around the first of March.

What I am thankful for:

Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior

My husband

My children

My parents, brothers and sisters Johnson and Darnell

My dear friends

My church family

My country and its freedoms

Birth mothers

Good health

The things I take for granted

The trials that have brought me closer to the Lord

That His plans are far greater than my own

"...give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

1 Thes. 5:18

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

Happy Birthday, Oklahoma!

Our town celebrated Oklahoma's Centennial in a big way yesterday with events planned all day long. Our football team also won 2nd round playoffs and advanced to semi-finals next weekend ~ go Big Red!

10:30 a.m., ready for the party! 12:30 p.m., too much party :)

6:30 p.m., in awe of the fireworks

Yep, that's me, the real deal, nothing super, nothing special. Just the sleep-deprived, older mommy who is blessed beyond my wildest imagination. There's a lot going on in the world of adoption right now, and it causes me to reflect, and reflection causes me to share my heart. With the seemingly never-ending referral wait in the China program, the rigorous regulations, the closing of some IA programs and the corruption in others, I stand in awe that I have been so blessed. Four years ago God instantaneously and miraculously invited Clayton and I to join Him where His heart is at: adoption. We were totally clueless about the process, the cost, the heartache and the extent of the blessings! We proceeded on blind faith, only pausing occasionally when our own doubts and weaknesses crept in. In one weak moment I asked myself many questions, questions which I now realize may be typical, but have proven totally irrelevant! I wondered if I could love a child not born of myself, a child that didn't "look like" me, how I would survive not knowing his/her exact birth date, the circumstances of his/her "fatherless" state, his/her biology, siblings or not ... and on and on. These are all questions worth pondering but can also be traps of the enemy, lies he wants us to buy into, tapping into our own weaknesses and fears rather than relying on the strength of God Almighty.

My four year old daughter knows she is a victor, not a victim, but only because of Jesus! If you have a minute, she'll tell you all about Him :) I'm not so naive to think my children won't someday have questions about their birth family or find themselves wondering who they are and how they fit in. I can't fabricate the missing pieces, and just as I have learned to accept them, perhaps they too will find some comfort in knowing I am their "real" mommy and they are "real" siblings because they have been adopted by their "real" Heavenly Father. And that is my charge: to love, nurture, provide for and guide them. I take that very seriously. The rest is icing on the cake!

I've been kissing boo-boos, potty training, soothing after countless night terrors, teaching to tie shoes, praying for and with, and loving on my beautiful kiddos for 19 years now, so if you ask me if they are "real brothers and sisters," or I'm their "real mommy," I'll say a resounding, "Yes!" Additionally, three of them have birth parents I pray for. And to those birth parents, I say, "Thank you for choosing life and giving me the privilege of being their forever Mommy."

To think that God would give our family this short four-year time span to add three beautiful children to our family is amazing to me. Thank you, God!

Random ramblings

How could I not start with that picture! This is Kambry's true personality. What a week we've had. My kitchen counter looks like a medicine cabinet with a variety of liquids and chewables for various ages and symptoms.

Three "K"s left on the bus,

but the teacher called and said, "Kolton's still contagious."

Maybe next week we'll be healthy. Did I mention my dryer went out 3 days ago (yeah, no laundry!). Daddy's made several trips to get parts, none of which have healed it. So, Santa, if you're reading this, I want the largest capacity washer and dryer there is, but I need it now :)

Despite sickness we've had a lot going on this week. I finally finished Kuyler's senior scrapbook, now that he's halfway through his first semester of college.

We celebrated Kolton's 12th birthday, even though he was sick. Happy Birthday, my bighearted boy!

We finally received the FedEx package containing our PA and Kaeleb's original referral docs and pictures! Now that we have his Chinese name in print I taped it to some of the items in his care package and sent it! Poor FedEx guy didn't know he would be stalked by the crazy lady with the camera :) Care packageHave a great weekend!

God's Plan A

So, about the time change ...

Don't get me wrong, sleep is my LONG LOST friend, and I am an early riser ... but since the time change I have 2 little girls up and running at 6 a.m.! So much for my other long lost friends, quiet and solitude :) We had a great weekend hosting a family gathering. The kids enjoyed their cousins, and we all enjoyed fellowship and food.

My 3 beautiful girls before Kenzie's singing performance at the Charity Concert.

What can I get into next??? It's my first Halloween and what on Earth has my mom got on me? Charming!

Now if only we could rid our home of the virus that keeps rearing its ugly head ... for 3 weeks now! Somebody needs ibuprofen every 6 hours for fever, somebody needs a trash can close by for the upset tummy, and so on... but life goes on.