Spring Break 2008...2009

I love spring breaks!! Last year during our spring break Rusty, Heather, Colt, and Cassie were spending the week with us. I remember they had gone out as a family to do something on Tuesday and I just "happened" to be home to receive the phone call!!! I love the way God works:) Here is the rest of that story...

On the previous Friday, before the Rusty clan had arrived, I spent the afternoon over at my friend Wendi's house crying, longing for a child! That was the first time that I had really let myself be that upset. I remember coming home yelling at God and telling him how unfair I thought it was. It was like He let me have it out with him and then gently held me and gave me a peace that only He could give. I felt it in my gut, I know that sounds weird:), that He was going to give us the child we were supposed to have! I just didn't know it was going to turn out this great:)

The following Sunday at church I was praying and I felt like God led me to read Philippians 4:6 which says..."Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the God of peace, whichs transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." What was cool was about 3 min. later the preacher had everyone turn to this passage during his message:)

Anyway, the key part of this verse that I focused on was, with thanksgiving! My prayer changed from that moment on. I gave my request to God, I want a child, but now added, but thank you for doing whatever you are doing that I don't even know, and can't even see. I know that you are in control and that you have a plan for our family. Thank you for who You are! It was amazing the peace and joy that I would have after saying that prayer! I repeated it all day Sunday, all day Monday, and then on Tuesday I was home alone and went to my room to read and pray. I had just began to say my prayer when the phone rang. It was our agency telling me that this was THE phone call. They wanted me to go to Beau's work so that they could do a conference call with us about a precious 6 week old little boy! Now when people find out that you are wanting to adopt you start hearing about babies all over the place. So up to this point we had already had 3 babies fall through our fingers, which is very difficult, so we went into this phone call guarded yet excited!! (This was the first baby that we had heard about through our agency)

After learning all about this precious baby boy on this Tuesday afternoon, we asked "Is there ANY way that this could fall apart and not go through??" and their reply was, "Only if you decide you don't want him. There is No other way!!" Then our next question was "When can we get him?" and to that they said, "He is on spring break vacation right now with his foster family, (who we love!!) and will be back Sunday evening, so you can come get him on Monday!" You should have seen Beau searching for his calendar! He began stumbling over his words, "You mean this Monday the 24th?" and to that they said "YES!" We couldn't believe it! We went from no baby to having a baby within 6 days!

That night Heather and I primed the nursery, and I painted it the next day. We went and got our crib from Wendi's on Thursday, our friend Jim came and picked up some furniture we wanted painted on Friday, and we left Saturday morning for Texas. I think we averaged about 4 hours of sleep each night. We would just lay there and talk and laugh, so full of excitement and joy! Everyone kept telling us to get our rest now, but we didn't care! And looking back we still don't! I loved having that time with Beau in the quiet hours of the night and early morning sharing in our joy and fears!

Anyway fast forward now to Spring Break 2009! Here is our awesome boy Grant and his cousin Kado, at my brother Todd's house.

Here is Sarah, Emma, and Steven in the perfect climbing tree!! I love this tree!!

Is their anything better then family?? Here is everyone outside playing a somewhat friendly game of football:)

While we were all lounging around, Grant decided to play a little something he put together for us:) I love watching his little fingers push one key at a time...brilliant child!!

Here we are finally back home. During the week Grant had busted both his top and bottom lip, then fell on the concrete scrapping his forehead and nose, and fell down about 6 steps, but all in all it was a great week:)

Grant would like to say..."Happy Birthday Doodaa and Kennedy"...& "Happy St. Patrick's Day"

First off
I would like to say
This is the first poem
I have ever written...ok!!

Today many of you
Will take the time to celebrate
St. Patrick's Day by wearing green
And other fun things that are great

But I'm here to tell you
This day is very special to me
Because its my Doodaa's birthday
That she shares with my cousin Kennedy

I always know I will have lots of fun
When Doodaa is around
And if I squeal or squeak at all
Kennedy will be right there to quiet me down

I do not get to see my Doodaa
As often as I would like
She sends me boxes of goodies
And when I get older maybe she will send me a bike

Anyway to Doodaa and Kennedy
Happy Birthday
And to everyone else
Have a Happy and safe St. Patrick's Day:)

Love,
Grant