wOrDlEsS wEdNeSdAy...

Drawing Nearer

As we draw nearer to the final adoption date on April 28th my heart sings a new song. A song of many praises and many languages of thanksgiving. I can barely even tell you how we got here, for my mind is overwhelmed with today, the rest is a blur really. I know THIS is where we are; I cannot even tell you any part of my future. I don't know what it holds.

Don't get me wrong, I remember the things of the past and the journey we have been on but I tell you the only reason is because of the scars it has left. Not because I am sorrowful, not because I wish things could have been different. They aren't and they will never be. I cannot waste what I have been given today on dwelling in the past. I have scars and they all have a meaning. The best meaning they hold is that I have drawn that much closer to my God and King! My Father, my Savior! I would not trade these scars. I will not try and hide my scars, I will tell their stories with a smile; glorifying the ONE who CHOSE me to bear them!

I am grateful for where God has brought us thus far! It has been an amazing road. If we had to give up our lives tomorrow. I would be able to say straight faced that I feel like I did everything to the best of my ability with what YOU gave me. I cannot say that I did it perfect but I know that I did do something with everything and in those things I felt like HE was pleased and received the glory (most days, OKAY some days!)

It makes my heart really sad to think of the "what ifs" and "it could've been"s. I mean if we had been given the chance to raise our own children I would not know BEAR nor MOE! Where would they be. I would not be able to do this work for the KINGDOM loving on the orphaned had we our own family. I know early on in our hearts (while we were engaged) we had talked about "adopting" some day down the road. But would we have followed through after we had our own children? Or would we have been "satisfied" with what we had and decide enough is enough? I am grateful HE chose us to be uncomfortable so that we may further advance the KINGDOM in this way! Otherwise we may have just done nothing and been okay with status quo.

As the time draws nearer I am realizing these things that I am grateful for more and more. I look at Bear and Moe with a deeper love than ever before (even though they can irritate me during this teething phase :)). I look at Bear and think of the connection I had with him from the moment he was placed in my arms and I knew from that moment that he would always be a Wachsmann. I knew that the scars I had bared would match the same scars that his little life already had from his rough start in life as well. We were a perfect fit from a divine plan unforeseen.

Would you say God was in this? Yeah, me too! As the adoption date draws nearer... so do I, to my Father, my God and whisper many thanks to HIM for HIS plans for me and OUR FAMILY!

Our Bear 7 days old

And then there was Moe 6 weeks old

The Weekend in Review...

We were blessed to have the Gathright family come join us for the weekend. And we being the friend loving, game playing group that we are decided it would be fun to have a large chunk of our friends over to enjoy some good ol' fashioned grilled food and some fun new games.

When Tia and I started out on planning this weekend a couple weeks back our main thought was "YES! A weekend that we can get together and take our kiddos pictures in the bluebonnets." (which, BTW is a HUGE TEXAS tradition.) I have since then been scoping out possible photo shoot locations.

Some possible locations in hand and a back row FULL of toddler car seats we had a mission. At least ONE good picture of EACH of our children with at least ONE bluebonnet was sought after!

Nope not us!

A few days before, our Jeep Wrangler decided it was going to start overheating, therefore forcing J to drive our Camry. He had to work that Saturday of our bluebonnet shoot so I would take him to work that morning. As I was driving to drop him off... the brakes sounded ROUGH, in that they were grinding and being very "grabby". I was not comfortable with this activity, especially thinking the car was going to leave us stranded out in the middle of nowhere with 3 toddlers.

The Camry finally had enough! I called my uncle (whom conveniently lives next door to us) and he said he didn't think I should drive it anymore because it sounds like the brakes are about to lock up; he would look at it later.

GREEEAAAAT! I call Tia who was at home getting ready for our picture outing and tell her there is no such trip in the near future!

Humpfh; setback!

Now we are without vehicle but I still have to chance it "just one more time" to get J from work. That was the scarriest drive of my life! Lots of down shifting and praying!

We decided that since we could not go to our destined bluebonnet patch that we would have to settle for some fun outdoor shots instead. I settled the boys in for their SECOND attempt at a daily nap and we headed outdoors with Tia and AK. I was snapping off shots left and right and having fun even though the land out here is not as colorful as the bluebonnet field, but whatever!

Snap, Snap, Snap, FALL! And no that is not an indication that I took so many pictures it lasted through two seasons! I was then taking upshot pictures from the ground my friends! I fell straight down a hole in the ground that is SUPPOSED to be holding a post for our, "ahem" FENCE!

"What's that Duke? Bri fell in the well?"

There I was covered in fire ants all the while trying to dig my shoe out of the black abyss, getting beat up by a flailing hand smacking at my ant covered leg. Anna Kate found this experience to be somewhat dull and started toddling down the hill into the dry creek bed that runs on our land near where we were taking HER pictures!






Limp home!

On with the party plans. I was in full swing getting everything ready for the party that night. I think I sat down a total of 2 times (maybe 3, counting my trip down the hole)... so anyway I was busy getting ready for the upcoming grilling out and game playing night.

Friends came, we ate and played til late in the night (okay til about 10 but for this ol' fuddy duddy that is late!)

All in all we had a fairly good weekend. A couple mishaps but a good story none the less.