God is in the details!

I have so much to share and so little time! Our flight leaves Wednesday. MK leaves Tuesday, yes tomorrow! :( Our alloted 4-50 lb.bags are bulging with so many items! I think I CRAMMED over 200 clothing items to bring to the orphanage and village children. Then there's 200 pair of sunglasses, 150 matchbox cars, 150 notebooks and crayons packs, suckers, balloons, jump ropes and more filling another suitcase. And, of course, I didn't leave out clothes and items for our boy! There's probably 10+ lists floating around my house right now and I'm not sure if one of them is completely marked out! BUT we're getting so close! The excitement and anticipation is almost too much! (But I'll bear it!)

On another note, yesterday I found out that our friend Godfrey's daughter has a heart condition that needs to be treated in the US. Godfrey is responsible for so much in helping us with our adoption. He will be our driver and so much more while abroad. He devotes his life to helping the children in Uganda. While being a driver is his job, he works with AWAKA and 60 Feet Ministries. He gives an unbelievable amount of time, energy, and resources to others! AWAKA is helping raise funds to help Godfrey bring his daughter to a cardiologist in the US. If you can, please follow this link to find out the details on how you can give in this need. Although we haven't met Godfrey yet, we already count he and his family as friends! I'm thankful for the opportunity to give back in a small way for what he's done for my family in bringing home our son!

And last on this entry's agenda... I HAVE to tell this story to reflect God's greatness and how He continues to work on the details of our adoption! I have often prayed that F would have a friend here in OK to share in his culture and heritage. Last week, I received an email from a family that lives in OKC and two months ago adopted two little boys from the SAME orphanage as F! Not only that, but they were great friends! The family had so many great things to say about F. I am so happy that he will be able to have friends from his country so close to us!

Full of Life!

And never short on expression!

Today she found a sucker in a drawer and had it in her mouth before I could say anything. I told her she was a little skunk. Her reply,

"I'm not a dunk (skunk), I'm Princess Sleeping Beauty!!"

Disclaimer: All wardrobe choices designed by the one AND ONLY MK!

before and after...

Roger always comments on how he can't believe how bald he is getting when he looks at pictures. So I told him I could maybe help him out a little using photoshop. I was having a hard time finding a large patch of his hair to clone and paste on top of his head, so I went with the closest thing I could find in the picture...Montana's hair. Not quite the look he was desiring! ha!

"Professional" Photosession Provides Comic Relief!

With our last week of preparations, I've been trying to be as thorough as possible with ANYTHING we may need to have with us. Yesterday I decided that we needed to make a few extra passport photos to bring along with us. So we venture to Walgreens at Woodward to pay the highly overpriced $20 for 4-1" pictures. Tammy, their photography specialist, prepared the set and motioned me to come forward. I sit in the chair, give my best smile, and she snaps a few shots. Tammy takes a few moments to look at the picture and then tells me that I can't smile for passport pictures because the "passport people" are very picky about that. What??? I have been the owner of two smiling passports now with no known problems. So I'm looking at the camera, not sure the face to give. Somewhat confused, I'm taken back to senior pictures. You know the ones where you look at the camera somewhat mysteriously and it supposed to look good... Okay, back to Walgreens....So she's got her little point and shoot camera in hand and I am certain she takes at least 20 seconds pushing several buttons, zooming in and out, looking at the screen... In the mean time, it's getting even more and more awkward for me trying to know what face to give. At this point, I've probably tried out several different facial options. Come on Tammy, this is a passport photo. You're shooting with a point and shoot. Take the picture!

Roger goes in for his pictures, she looks at the picture, and then informs us... "You know, passport pictures never are the best pictures...." Ouch!

We wait in the store for close to 30 minutes and I ask her if she thinks they will be done soon, or if we should maybe go eat and come back. She tells me that for some reason the background turned out a little gray because she felt rushed during the pictures. Rushed??? Really? She was going to need a little more time to do a little "whiting out".

A few minutes she hands over the picture...

Yes, folks, I do have my booking shot if ever needed!

Thank you Walgreens and Tammy for taking your job so seriously! We need more folks like you!

It's here!!!

That's right! You're reading it correctly! We'll be boarding a plane this month! We've received a court date of May 23rd!!! We're rejoicing in God's provision, love, and miracles! And the list for preparation begins...