Where Grace Lives (for another month)

I really wanted to know more about where Grace lives, so I posted on the internet. I was looking for any information about Quang Nam province. A lovely lady answered my post. She and her husband traveled to Vietnam a few years ago to bring home their daughter. She has graciously allowed me to post some of her photos of Hoi An.

Many of the buildings look burned, like they were still in disrepair from the war.


I love this picture because it depicts how old and new mesh in their culture (or at least that is my perception). There are ladies in conical hats and a man transporting ice by bicycle. In sharp contrast there is a woman riding a motorbike. I can't wait to see their culture with my own eyes.

Finally, I leave you with a photo that is very typical of what we know about Vietnam and a huge source of livlihood for many families there...boats in a fishing village. Linda - thanks for letting me share your photos.

I'm Thankful For...

Thanks Jenn for sharing your blessings. It was a great idea. God has blessed me so much, here are a few of the things I am thankful for:

1. Thank you Lord for loving me, guiding me and for all the blessings you have given me.
2. I am thankful for my family and friends. I am surrounded by the most wonderful family and friends who love and support me no matter what happens. My fabulous sister Terri is going with me to Vietnam.
3. Thank you for all the wonderful friends I have made on this journey to Grace. Most I have never laid eyes on, but I feel like I have known them forever. They are all so caring and supportive. This road would have been so hard without them.
4. I am thankful for my dear Ellie. She walks on all fours, but she has been my baby for almost six years and loves me no matter what.
5. I am so thankful for Gracie's birth mother. I cannot imagine the pain she felt when she left her baby girl. I pray that she finds peace and that her life is comfortable.
6. Thank you Lord for my Grace. I can't believe that I am her mother! I am so thankful that she is so healthy and well taken care of and that her caregiver looks like such a sweet person.

Happy Birthday Gracie!!

Today Gracie is four months old. I got new photos today. What a great way to start the weekend! She has the longest toes I have ever seen. She also has little dimples in her hand because she is so healthy. I can't wait to kiss those chubby cheeks.



Last month there was a photo of her laying on her belly. She really looks like she is concentrating hard to keep her head up. Not this time! She looks like she is ready to break into a crawl! My girl is strong and healthy. I am so thankful for the ladies who care for her. The same lady has been holding her in a couple of the pictures. This must be her nanny and she has the nicest, sweetest smile. My baby is healthy, well fed, and being taken care of by nice people.

Gracie - on your next birthday momma will be on her way! Not much longer.

Christmas in Vietnam!!!!!!

Last Christmas I never dreamed I would be spending this Christmas holding Gracie!!! My agency told me that I would be spending Christmas and New Year's in Vietnam! I still can't believe it, less than 40 days (thanks for the counter Kelly) and I will be holding her.

I am so glad to be traveling with Kelly and Justin. Lucy and Gracie have been roommates all their lives and they will spend their first Christmas together. I can't begin to explain to you the emotions I am feeling.

Less than 40 days!!!!! Thank you Lord. I am richly blessed.

It's Football Time in Tennessee

LaLa this is for you - check out Gracie's uniform!

University of Tennessee football is a big deal here in Tennessee. I have been going to games all of my life. You keep up with the schedules of ALL the SEC teams. You have to because each game matters.

We are playing #11 Arkansas (Kelly, I love ya but this is football) this weekend and we already have two losses and both were to SEC teams. We've got to bring it this Saturday. If we lose we have no chance of getting a decent bowl game.

It's to bad that UT's newest cheerleader won't be home until the season is done. She would be lovely in her uniform. It is waiting in her closet for her.

Manicure Anyone?

Check out those fingernails, she could get a French manicure! She obviously grows nails better than her momma.

First on my packing list is baby nail clippers. I am surprised that she didn't have scratches all over her little face in the photos. I am so glad that my sister (experienced mother of three) is going with me to Vietnam. I think trimming her nails will intimidate me just a bit.

My nail trimming experience is with my dog Ellie. She is very uncooperative. She squirms all over the place. That is where my nail fear comes from!

Yes, she has very long nails. But check out those beautiful little fingers. I just can't wait to kiss them.

Gracie's Room

My first try at the video didn't work. I think I have the hang of it now. Here's my baby's room.

Baby, Baby, Baby

A very good (and pregnant) friend of mine is visiting from Dallas and four of us got together last night to catch up. I was great to see her and witness her happiness. She and her husband have a great story.

After a long battle with IVF they decided to pursue domestic adoption. They had one terrible adoption experience, but then six weeks later they were blessed with a beautiful and perfect daughter. When she was almost a year old, my friend found out that she was pregnant!! In a couple of months they will be adding a son to the family.

There was also a baby there last night. Another friend has a four month old little girl! She and Gracie will grow up together!!

While we gazed at pictures of Gracie, we had in our presence a beautiful baby and a precious toddler. It just doesn't get any better than that!!

Look at Those Rosy Cheeks

I can't believe it has been so long since my last post. I guess I have been busy calling/emailing friends and also staring at her photos. I still can't believe how lovely she is. I want to kiss her cheeks over and over again.

I have the glider in her room now. I was dying to try it out, so I picked up Ellie (the dog) and attempted to rock her. She wasn't up for that and immediately jumped down. My father keeps ordering me NOT to put Ellie in the baby bed! I would never do that but Daddy seems terribly afraid after the rocking incident.

There was one little piece missing from the baby bed. It was a tiny piece. I am waiting for the shipment from the company. Her room is adorable. I can't wait to finish the bed so I can post pictures.

A big thanks to my friend Kelly (and thanks for the link idea) for her lovely words. It's funny, I have never met Kelly but she is a very dear friend. She was one of the first people I met after deciding to adopt. Our girls are now roommates and we will be traveling together, hopefully very, very soon!

Adoption is like that. During this process I have made so many friends online. Thank you all for your kind words. I treasure them all. I will keep them along with my blog on cd. What an addition to a baby book. It will be so wonderful for her to read it all someday.

Please know that I pray for all of you waiting for referrals, waiting to travel and just waiting in general. I pray that those of you who have returned will have an easy transition with your new family. Gracie is proof - prayer works!

At Last: Gracie's Referral!

Those eyes. That mouth. Those chubby little cheeks. She is so perfect. I can't quit staring at her pictures. She was born on July 17 and she is adorable. I wish I could go and get her today!

Interesting fact - she was born on the day I received my I-171H! This is what true joy feels like. I am praying for all of you waiting for referrals. Seeing your child is truly worth the wait!!

Finally - Construction Complete!

Well, almost. The painters are painting Gracie's room as I type and the plumber is coming this evening to finish hooking things up in the bathroom.

Last night I moved all my furniture into the new master bedroom. I still have to move the closet (large task) and then various bathroom things.

My goal for the weekend - set up Gracie's room. I have been waiting for this day ever since I impulsively purchased all of her furniture. It's been stored at Mother and Daddy's. Hopefully I will be posting pictures of the room very soon!

Then I hope to post pictures of the little girl who will sleep in that room (I am praying very hard). I am thinking positive.

A Few Things I Want Gracie to Know

1. Who Jesus Christ is and how much he loves her.
2. Her best is always good enough. I don't want her to avoid new things for fear of failure, but I want her to try her best in everything she does.
3. I discipline her because I love her (well maybe someday she'll understand that one).
4. It is our responsibility to help others who aren't as fortunate as our family. I want to always continue helping her orphanage and she can learn about helping other children.
5. We should always treat others as we'd like to be treated.

The Construction is Almost Finished

Today they are building shelves in my closets, my fabulously large closets. They are also finishing little things like putting on the door knobs and setting the bathroom vanity in place. The plumber is coming this weekend to finish connecting the sink and the toilet. The painter is coming on Monday to paint the trim in the new master suite. He'll also be painting Gracie's room a different color.

I am so thankful that we are so close to completion. But, I want to move in now! I had grand plans to go ahead and move my clothes, shoes, etc. into the fabulous closet this weekend since it will be finished. Then I realized that there was crown molding in the closet!! Who puts crown molding in a closet? I guess they were striving for consistency. As hard as it is for me, I will be patient and wait for them to paint the trim in the closet.

Waiting, that is all I do. It's getting old. There is no additional baby news. I will let you know if anything happens.

Movin' On Up

I am now offically # 3 on the list for the referral of my baby girl. Wow, how exciting! I am elated for the mother who received her referral but, selfishly, I am excited for myself as well. I am just a little closer to my beautiful baby girl. She could have three heads and I would still think she is beautiful!

Another mother in front of me was told to expect her referral this week. This is too much for me to comprehend - I may be #2 by the end of the week. I have never been so excited to be in second place!

Okay - I must confess that I was getting a bit down because of the lack of referrals this month. Thank you Lord for bringing together these families!! I pray this means that Gracie's referral will come in October after all. Please keep praying for Gracie and I and for the other families. Waiting is so difficult.

I don't have much to say.

My referral won't be here until next month. I hope that I can travel in January. I'd just like to move up the list.

When?

I know that I am being redundant. I can't help myself. Those of you who are adopting understand how I am feeling.

I should be getting my referral at any time. But I am trying to keep myself calm. I know that anything can happen. Here's the facts. There are supposed to be at least three referrals this month. I am number four, but one of the people ahead of me is someone waiting for a 3-5 year old girl. Logically one of these referrals should be Grace.

But Grace and my fates are so dependent on outside factors. Will the agency offer this mystery person an infant? Will they want an infant? Strangely the wait for older children is long. They might want to get their child now. Or they might not want to even consider a younger child. The uncertainty of it all.

I pray for referrals on Monday. I pray for Grace's referral on Monday.

A Fashion Show-Wardrobe for Vietnam

A Rude Awakening

This morning the phone rang unusually early. I was certain it was a call about my referral and I jumped out of bed quickly. Due to construction I do not have a phone line in the bedroom. So I maneuvered furniture - sidestepped the sofa, breezed by the ottoman, stubbed my toe on a chair. Do you have a visual?

It was my father calling to inform me that the painter was coming at 7:00 a.m. I love my father but what a disappointment! I am very antsy these days. The call could come at anytime. They said three infant girl referrals in September. I am number three on the infant girl list and September is almost half over.

Beautiful Ellie

This is my Ellie. She is a five year old Yorkshire Terrier. I hope that I am a better disciplinarian with my daughter. Ellie is rotten and too smart for her own good (or maybe mine).

Life is a Rollercoaster of Emotions

It is NOT like me, but I am so emotional these days. I think that it is because I know in my heart that she has been born and is out there waiting for me. Just as I am waiting for her. The thought of that is simply amazing. It really tugs at your heart. I am getting teary as I type this!

I really lost it the other day ( I was literally blubbering) when I received an email. It was from another mother in Tennessee. She and her husband are adopting a little boy with chubby checks from the Red Cross orphanage in Danang. I had emailed her to congratulate her and her reply took my breath away.

She said that they hope to travel by November. My agency almost always refers from the Red Cross orphanage. Since I will have my referral by then, she said that she would hold my Gracie and tell her how much her Mommy loves her. She said that she would tell her how I was waiting to bring her home. She promised to take pictures. She is such a special person. And I have tears rolling down my face as I write this.