A few things...

I'm feeling quite a bit more like myself this afternoon. Not so sobby. [She says, embarrassed.]

Thank you, each one of you, for your kind words of encouragement this past week, and for your prayers. I appreciate you all so much. Mark, too. He was reading through my comments with me on the couch last night, and said, "They're all so nice."

You are all awfully nice. Thank you for your friendship. (And for putting up with my raw, emotional self over the past few days.) I'm hoping that much of that is due to sleep deprivation and is not the new me. ~smile~

I'm sure you're all wanting to know more news about the little girl we get to adopt.

So do we!!!

But we've heard nothing. I've tried not to be pestery with our agency but at about 4:00 this afternoon I finally called, and was told, for the second day in a row, that the baby's caseworker is still out sick, so... "when she gets back into the office..." Yeah, yeah. So we wait. (You'd think we'd be good at this by now, wouldn't you?)

I don't like it one bit that this precious little girl of ours now has a mommy and a daddy but hasn't been able to hear our voices or be held by us. But we'll have plenty of time for that in the future. At least we don't have to meet her and then turn around and leave her for six months like we had to with Isaias.

A few things have come up in emails or comments that I'd like to clarify:

1) We have only one foster child in our care right now. For one [loooong] day we had both the 6 week old and her 13 month old sister in our care, but I was in way over my head with those two, in addition to my three. The 13 month old was a very YOUNG 13 months, and spent much of that day whining and fussing and needing to be in my arms.

But you see, that's where the baby spends much of her time, so then, that wasn't working so well. It was very apparent that this older girl needed a foster home where she could be getting more attention. Maybe one with less than four children. Our house was so chaotic that day I cannot even aptly describe it to you. My mom was here with us- she stopped in to see how things were going and she immediately saw the wisdom in staying for a good part of the afternoon. And we were *both* overwhelmed. And I would say we are both of the competent-mother variety. (She, especially.)

2) Homeschooling. A couple of you have mentioned that you don't know how I'm doing it; what with the foster care and the regular care of our kids and the house and meals and the homeschooling.

We haven't cracked open a "school book" for weeks. What we're doing for school right now is this: Learning How to Care For a Baby and Learning How to Love and Care For One Another When There's a Baby in the House. And we do actually consider that school around here. Throw in a bunch of stories on the couch and some outside play and chores? A wonderful day of school.

The kids have been absolute gems. (Er, aside from the recent bead incident and a few normal hiccups that come with having a new person in the house.) Our Ella? I could write fifteen posts on that girl. She is *great* with the baby. She chooses the baby's clothes every day, helps with EVERYTHING, including diaper changes, bottle feedings, burping, holding, and distracting the baby until I can get that bottle ready. Here's a common sight around our home lately:


(When I told her the other day I was so enjoying watching her be a little "mama" to the baby, she shrugged and said, "I'm just practicin'!")

And when she's not doing that, she's doing this:

15 comments:

  1. Adore your family and the love around the house!
    :)

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  2. AHH! I can't imagine how much you must be itchin' to get more info on her! Our friends are going to get their baby this week. They are adopting from Ethiopia and he is so yummy, I can't wait to kiss that boy! I can't imagine how she must feel!

    I am super excited for you guys and have been praying for you! I just read most of your adoption posts. We looked into overseas (and still may do that someday) but for now, God is calling us to take the children here.

    It blows my mind (in a GREAT way) how He reached down and said...I want this precious baby with Stacy. Awesome.

    Your little boy is a doll too.

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  3. Hi there! I know exactly how you feel about meeting your new daughter..... wanting to hold her, love her smell her sweet baby scent. We adopted our youngest from Haiti. It was a long 16 month wait. I thought I'd die waiting. Now, he's a bouncy loving almost 5 year old! I love your blog it's inspiring and most of all REAL! Thank you for sharing your heart and pieces of your life with me :)

    blessings,
    Missy

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  4. Stacy,
    I am praying for you. I remember well the days of waiting for our two from Liberia. We thought we had learned the art of waiting but it is the last few days and weeks that get even harder because of the reality of adoption being completed.
    Your precious baby will be in your arms soon and I promise that this aching will be a distant memory very soon.
    As for school, our motto is "life is school". In the adoption this became even more evident. Your children will learn more about life during this time than they could ever learn from a book.
    ~Heather D.
    www.lazydranch8.blogspot.com

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  5. Yesterday I shared with the kid's the happening's of your journey and then we prayed. Oh how I wish you could have heard them.
    So sweet!
    Praying for you today,
    Dana

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  6. Hi Stacy :) What PRECIOUS pics of Ella!

    I love the way you are doing school these days - such marvelous lessons, those. We did the same when Mr S came, and the memory of those days is such a blessing.

    Love and prayers, Q

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  7. Ella is such a precious "little mama", but looking so grown-up! Just look at her reading that book! What a cutie-patootie. I hope you can see it too, but from an outsider's perspective you sure are training and teaching those children so well. Miss you tons ~ Camee

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  8. Ella is getting so big...bless her little mama heart!

    Stacy~bless you all and I have been praying.



    Kimmie
    mama to 6
    one homemade and 5 adopted

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  9. I am praying that you get tons of answers on Monday and that you get to hold your girl at the begining of the week.
    And that the weekend goes by quickly!
    And that in the meantime, He provides all you stand in need of emotionaly --and all she needs too!
    Love you!

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  10. I'm so happy for you about the new baby coming. Sorry I'm a bit behind on my reading. I had to laugh when you mentioned being worried about doing her hair; I'd be too. :-) I'm sure you'll get the hang of it though.
    You're in my prayers.

    And what a big helper your Ella is! I only hope mine is as much when our next one arrives.

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  11. That Ella... what a sweetie. She blesses my heart, as do all of you.

    (((Stacy)))

    Still praying, so many times throughout each day. I pray He will work all things out, and that you will be able to hold your new daughter very, very soon.

    The Lord will accomplish what concerns you;
    His lovingkindness is everlasting.

    (from Psalm 138)

    Love you, friend!!

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  12. I'm so happy you are getting a precious little girl! My sister has been doing foster care for 0-3 year olds and it has been such an emotional roller coaster. She has a cocaine baby right now under five lbs.
    I don't know how you do it, Stacy. You must have been hand-picked for this very special task.

    Grace and Peace to you today,

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  13. That is great news about getting a sweet little girl, what an answer to prayer!

    Praying for you family today.

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  14. I bet you ALL are so anxious to meet the new little one. God bless your hearts for being so willing and open to His leading you to care for these special children. What a blessing your daughter must be and how proud I'm sure you are. We'll continue praying.
    Blessings,
    Trina

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