a little encouragement - taking over the blog world!

Dear Friends,

We have been approved to adopt for almost 11 months!
With no contact.
Except from a probable adoption scammer.

So we need a little encouragement from YOU.
And we need some help.
So.
We are trying to take over the blog world!
If you have a blog,
any kind of blog,
a family blog,
a craft blog,
a blog about dogs,
a blog about logs,
a blog about school,
a blog about you being cool,
PLEASE consider helping us spread the word.

We have had friends who have done blog spotlights on us and our hope to adopt.
We have friends who have added our adoption button to their blog.
If you can do either of these things (or both!) we would be absolutely thrilled.
And it would make our hearts so, so happy and encouraged.

P.S. - if you want to do a blog spotlight on us you can feel free to use photos from this blog or our adoption blog!  And you could email us some questions and we could email you some answers!  Whatever you could do to help would be so appreciated!

We think you are all wonderful!  

empty arms

I know many of you will have no idea what I'm writing about.  And that's okay.  

But did you know that empty arms can seem so, so heavy?  

Did you know that your arms can literally ache to hold your child 

and that your heart aches even more to be called a mother.  

Your ears desperately want to hear a baby's cry or the little laughs and squeals of a child as he or she runs around, giggling with delight.  

You wish you could get up at 2 in the morning, and 3 in the morning, and 4 in the morning to rock and hold your baby close.  

You can just barely smell that new baby smell and when your friend's baby spits up on you, you don't mind at all.  In fact, you actually like it, because it smells like you've been holding a baby.  It reminds you that being a mother is the most precious thing.  

When we had an adoption scam, for a brief moment we thought - this could be it.  We could finally be parents.  

Our arms ache so badly to hold our children.  

And our hearts hurt even more.  

Our families are hurting.  

I know our parents want to be grandparents and our siblings, aunts and uncles. 

And I know Richard would drop everything to be able to be a dad.  

We can't wait to find our little that is meant to be ours. 

if you came over today.

If you came over today, I'd invite you in out of the rain.  I would ask you if you wanted to take your shoes off and get comfy.  I'd give you a red mug full of steaming hot chocolate because there is just something about cozying up with hot chocolate, no matter the season.  Especially on a rainy day.

If you came over today, I would ask how you are and I would be so excited to listen to your stories about life.  I would tell you about Richard and I and how we are making it one day at a time.

If you came over today, I would tell you that I'm trying to learn to not waste my time, that it is a bad habit I've gotten into over the past few years.  I would tell you that I'm learning to do the things that matter most.  I would tell you that I am loving reading the scriptures more and more each day and that reading them just fills me with light.

If you came over today, you would see a huge mess of paper and crafting supplies.  I might ask you to help me make some mail for the Young Women's camp that I'm in charge of next week.  I might ask you to cut some paper or write up a cute quote.

If you came over today, Carly would be so happy to see you!  She would jump up and sit on your lap and cry until you pet her.  She would bring you her toys and would want you to take her on a walk.

If you came over today, I would ask you to stay for dinner.  I would tell you that we are probably having fish and chips (our version of a Great Britain meal - nothing fancy though).  You could help me cut the potatoes and bake them in the oven for some delicious fries.  We could make a fancy dessert together or maybe, if it had stopped raining, we could ride our bikes over to the local ice cream stand where they make the best soft served ice cream you might ever have.

If you came over today, I would show you our nursery and ask you to pray that our little baby might find his or her way there soon.  I would show you how we are almost done decorating and the little baby clothes we recently bought.  I would excitedly tell you about the little baby projects I want to work on.

If you came over today, it would sure be a lovely time.

sweet summertime

We have been enjoying beautiful summertime weather over here.  Richard is done with finals and I'm almost done teaching for the year.  We are loving our crazy and wild life over here! 

our beautiful tree outside our house

My brothers and Richard enjoying some carnival food

delicious deep fried oreos!

My two brothers and I

We are growing lettuce! 

Washington D.C.'s Eastern Market

We ended our Saturday in D.C. with a trip to our favorite monument, the World War 2 monument. 

We love summertime!  We have also been doing a lot of strawberry picking, bike riding, and dog walking.  We are so excited for more summer adventures including a family reunion, my brother's wedding, and time with friends!