A better version of Sea World!

We are busy loading up the van to head to Florida for the

week and the kids are so excited. 

They have all been waiting on the edge of there seats for when

we tell them to jump in the Van so we can start our trip. 

Jackson in particular is most excited to see Sea World. 

To pass time Jackson set up a Sea World in the kitchen for the

girls to bring there dolls to.  I have been busy loading up but I

had to go get my camera out of the van because I thought this

Sea World was to cute to pass up.

Each bowl had a different sea animal in it.

Looks like these tourists are having a blast!

I feel bad for this guy below he some how fell into the tank with a shark and killer octopus. {yikes}

 Sweet Elizabeth! Notice she is missing a tooth.

  That was quite the excitment around here last week. 

Every time I get to experience a first with her I feel so blessed.

Ok well we are off

let's see how the real Sea World compares {grin}

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Random

A couple weeks ago I took the older girls to see a

Cinderella play in the city. 

They were beyond excited. 

They got to go back stage before the play and get autographs.

I don't even think the girls were breathing in some of these

pictures they were so nervous. 

 We made memories that I will never forget.

Next week we are taking the kids to Florida for the week. 

I am so excited because it will be our first time going to

Disney World as parents.  We are driving to save money and it

will be about a 16 hour drive {yeah I know you are jealous}. 

It will be just Eli and I and our 5 treasures. 

I know it will be really hot and alot of work but this will be our

first trip with just us as a family. 

I think Eli and I are as excited as the kids if not more. 

I am also excited that I am going to meet one of my bloggy

friends face to face when we go down there. 

I love all of you guys.  You have given us so much prayer and

support in our adoption journey.  I can't wait to give her a hug

to thank her for all the encouragement and prayer and to

meet her beautiful family.

Also on Friday before I leave I will be depositing Anika's

money into her fund.  So if any of you would like to donate

and help her family bring her home you can click on the

Chipin button on top.

Ok and one more thing; I would love if you would pray for us

tomorrow.  As you know we are anxiously waiting

to hear whether or not the kids will qualify for an adoption

subsidy so we can move forward and finalize.  Once this

paperwork is submitted it could take up to 8-10 weeks to hear

back on this matter.  The state is way behind on paperwork.

A sweet lady at our adoption agency is going above and

beyond and made an appointment to meet face to face with

the state tomorrow.  We are praying that they at least give a

yes or no answer to her tomorrow so that we will know how

soon we can finalize. 

As you all know we can't move out of state until we finalize.

Just thinking about finalizing gives me butterflies. 

 We Can't wait!!

So please if you remember say a quick prayer for this

paperwork to get done quickly and favorably so we can

finalize!!

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When

When

did she

get so

big?

{Sigh}



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Guess what!

Guess what!

ANIKA HAS A FAMILY!

Praise God and his perfect timing!

You can read all about it here.  I love the story!

I will be depositing all the money raised into her account next

Friday so let's continue to bless her family with the funds

needed to bring Anika home. 

 I can't wait to see what the grand total is!

Have a beautiful day everyone!

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Quick prayer

Hey everyone I fully believe in the power of prayer so just thought I would ask my bloggy friends to pray at 2 today.  We have a house showing.  Totally trusting God to sell our house.  Thanks!

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Blessings in the rain!

Sometimes God gives us a time of rain and we can't see the

sunshine. 

As I have mentioned many times on my blog my family and I

have been in that time of waiting for God to give us answers. 

Last Wednesday night I joined in on the day of prayer and

fasting here and my Dad and I also set aside a time of fasting

Wednesday night where we specifically prayed for God to

show us clear direction on our families move,

timing and location of it all. 

Well I think God had been whispering it to us all along

but we had choices to make about which land to build on and

we weren't wanting to rush any decisions. 

So let me warn you when you pray and fast and two or more

come together before God expect to get answers.

God didn't whisper this time he shouted!

So you can fully understand what I am about to tell you I

need to tell you my parents and sister's living situation first. 

My parents live in a condo that has a basement.  Above their

condo is another condo where a single older man lives alone,

next to his condo is where my sister and brother in law live

with their family.  So my parents are diagonal to my sister. 

On Friday my brother in law was working in my parent's

basement.  Friday evening is my parent's date night

so my Mom and Dad left and said bye to my brother in law

who was still in the basement working.  My parent's decided

to see a movie that night and drove all the way to the theater

to realize that they were a few minutes too late for the movie

and decided to just head back home. 

They got home and started watching TV when they heard a

loud boom coming from the condo above them.  The Man

that lives above them is disabled and older and has often 

needed my Dad's help so my Dad was worried when he heard

the thud that the man had fallen and needed help.  So my

Dad went up to check it out and realized smoke was coming

out of the attic and the Man's door was dead-bolted.  My Dad

ran to get my brother in law.  They worked on forcing his

door open.  My Dad literally used all of his body strength and

busted the door down.  Immediately black smoke shot out the

door and my Dad and brother in law tried to go in and find

their neighbor but it was too dangerous the smoke was too

hot and thick they couldn't see or breath.  They had already

called 911 in the process and ran to all the neighbors

(including my sister and her kids) to get out.  Everyone was

freaking out thinking about the neighbor who was still up in

that fire.  The fire department got there and was getting

ready to go in when the man from upstairs pulled up in his

car clueless to what had been going on in his condo. 

Praise God he wasn't home when the fire broke. 

The loud boom that my Dad had heard wasn't him falling but

it was a kitchen cabinet that was on fire falling.

So the Man from upstairs quickly learned that my Dad and

brother in law where ready to sacrifice their lives for him.

This in it self is a testimony because this man is not a 

Christian and most people wouldn't left a finger to help him. 

He hasn't exactly been the kindest neighbor. 

 I really feel God used this situation to show

God's love to him through my Dad. 

Ok so back to this fire.  The fire fighters later found out that

the fire was an electrical fire caused by the dishwasher. 

The Man's condo is totaled. My parent's condo is also

unlivable for a couple months it was soaked with water from

the firefighters and filled with smoke.  My sister's condo is

still livable but they did have to cut a hole in her wall and

ceiling to get to the fire.  

First of all let me say Praise God that no one was hurt. 

This was a really bad fire but nobody was hurt. 

It is literally a miracle that my parents decided to drive all

the way home from the movie.  If they hadn't things could

have been bad really bad.  My brother in law would have still

been in the basement oblivious to the fire until it might have

been to late.  My sister was literally on the third floor in the

room right next to the fire with her two small girls.  If they

hadn't been told about the fire they could have gotten

trapped up there with no way out. 

All around this is an absolute miracle.

We asked God on Wednesday night to show us his timing

about when to move and my parents condo is literally

unlivable because of a fire 2 days later. Hmmm. 

I think God is making it pretty clear. 

Especially to my parents, that the time to move is NOW.

So now we are just praying and trusting that God will bring

the right buyer along for our house at the right time and

speed up our adoption finalization. 

Trust me it isn't going to take a fire to get me to move.

What amazes me the most is how my parents are handling all

of this.  They are staying at a hotel with most of their things

ruined.   My Dad is sore from breaking down the dead bolted

door.  There home was destroyed yet they feel and know that

God is in control and continue to praise him. 

They have a peace and Joy even in the rain. 

Praise God for his never ending love and faithfulness.

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Spoiled

Ever feel like you are barely hanging on?

I had one of those days earlier this week.

I actually sat down all ready to write about my

"horrible" day and how frustrated I was.

 I found out we were further behind on our adoptions

finalizing then I thought.  It really overwhelmed me and

made me sad.  We can't move out of state until our adoption

is finalized.  I mean technically we could but it would cost a

whole lot more in legal fees and time to get a new home study

and ICPC etc...  We have just been playing the waiting game

in our lives in so many areas regarding selling our house,

building a house, which land to build it on, finalizing our

adoptions, hearing about whether

or not the kids qualify for adoption subsidies the list goes on.

On this particular bad day I felt

so overwhelmed with all these unsolved questions and with

house work and laundry and all the

errands I was behind on.  I was also as always just feeling a

little too plump.  I have been trying to loose a few pounds

before we go to Florida at the end of the month so I don't

traumatize the locals when they see me in a swimsuit.

Ok so back to the point

I sat down to write this whiny post and as I was editing the

pictures to put in the post my mood changed. 

While I began

to type sweet Zoe snuggled in my lap and laid her head on

my shoulder.  The mood was gone.  I felt as if God was

shouting at me from the heavens saying "Rachel get over it!" 

I mean I know God cares for me and wants to bless all of us

and truly cares for our burdens. 

On this day I was just acting like a spoiled child. 

I had forgotten in those moments of frustration that

his timing is perfect. 

I would hate to rush anything and ruin his perfect

plan.  I am beyond blessed.  While I wait for the adoption to

finalize I am still their Mommy.  I still get to hold and love

them unlike so many parents around the world desperately

waiting for their children to be in their arms.  I get to live in

a beautiful house while I wait for someone to buy it and

then I will get to move to another beautiful house.  And

unlike some dear friends who are suffering through cancer

and health uncertainties my family is healthy. 

Seriously, I could do nothing in that moment but repent to

God tell him I trust him and his perfect plan and thank him

for this beautiful life he has given me.

Don't we all get a little spoiled at times.  Caught up in the

very small details of the day and forget the big picture and

purpose of our lives.

Late this week I was catching up on some other blogs and I

found this. 

Read it and you will immediatley realize how blessed you are.

And speaking of blessing lets continue to give to Anika and

bless her adoptive family with the funds to bring her home. 

You can read about her here.  Seriously even a $5 or $10

donation will make and difference and you won't even miss

it.



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