{waiting}

Melissa had her first interview for the home study today. It seemed to go well. The hardest part though is the waiting. On Thursday, of this week they are having a team meeting to decide the next steps. We are hopefully that we will get to attend her birthday on the 13th and that we will be able to hang out with her soon. The waiting reminds you that GOD is in control.

{home studies}

This week I finished all the homework to begin the interview process for our "home study [ho.me. st.u.dy. a time where the program manager interviews you and your spouse seperately and together]. My interview will hopefully be early next week. Please pray that the time goes smoothly and quickly.

Also Charlie's grammy is currently in the hospital with pneumonia...so we are currently down at the coast sitting by her side. Please pray that God would take away the pain that she is feeling, at this point we are uncertain on how much longer she will live.

{love continual}

There is a simple song titled "Continue" by Enter the Worship Circle that states:
Continue to love me, With that same love
Righteous and unchanging
Continue to love me, With that same love
Priceless and unfailing
Your love it reaches to the sky
Your righteousness, a mountain high
How priceless, Your unending love
Both high and low among men
Take cover under Your wings
How priceless, Your unending love
(Hear it at http://www.entertheworshipcircle.com/downloads/downloads.php)

The words though simple to me resonate. It states that love, the eternal type, is better than anything else. It is sweet. It is awe inspiring. It is grateful. It is righteous. I can't help feel that way today. I replay the weekend and I am in awe of a little girl who is so amazing and I am in awe of a God that cares enough to bring her to me.

{the best part}

The day below was definitely perfect....but the best part was the ending. I accidently said "We had so much fun, I wish you could stay forever". But what was amazing was her response....she said, "That would be great, I could live here and be your daughter and we would never have to leave each other". Charlie and I are were stunned and thrilled all at once.

{a perfect sunday}

We arrived at church this sunday and right away we noticed that are soon to be little girl was there. She walked up and asked if she could sit with us during the service. (Remember at this point she still thinks we are just friends that she met at Church). Of course we jumped at the idea and her respite workers helped to give her some boundaries for sitting with us. Throughout Church she sang, held our hands, drew angels and flowers, prayed and snuggled. It was so wonderful to have her sitting in between us. Charlie looked so proud.

After Church she got to come eat lunch with us and carve pumpkins. Charlie did I really good job giving her the rules of the house: ask permission and follow instructions. She had a flawless day with both of the rules and was so agreeable if we said no to something. We spent most of the day outside. Charlie and her went on the swing in the Oak Tree. Then she carved her pumpkin with my help while Charlie worked on the pirate ship pumpkin. It was so cool to see how creative she is. As well, you can tell that she loves projects. When ever she followed the rules or did a good job we would give her a high five. Her smile got bigger as the afternoon went on.

After pumpkins we chased butterflies in the field, raced down a steep hill and then fixed a snack and some books to hangout on a blanket in the yard. The 3 of us just sat around reading together. She read "Jump, Frog, Jump" to us and did such a good job. We gave high fives all around.

{a good old fashion homecoming}

This Sunday was homecoming [ home.com.ing. a southern church tradition where every member near & far returns for preaching & a pot luck] and our little one got to attend with her respite worker. She ate lunch with us...and politely reminded me that I was supposed to tell her not to eat all her bread before anything else. Charlie and her talked and had a scary face contest. Then after lunch we hiked through the desert line picking enough treats to fit on a small plate...chocolate cake was everywhere. To run off the sugar high Mr. Charlie and the two of us went out to the graveyard (behind the church) and raced. When she had beat me royally...we all took a break and caught butterflies. What a day.

{you're the one}

After waiting all day we found out that we were picked as the first choice for a little six-year old girl. Yep....the one we had already fell in love with. While the process is never final until everything is completed: pre-service, paperwork, homestudy, etc. we know that the doors are opening and we are so thankful.

{back to school}

After meeting her (as only a friend of course) we were determined to get all our paperwork in. We began meeting with a program manager for adoption here in Asheville and found out that the process includes becoming a licensed foster home. [li.cen.sed. a home that has been given approval by the state to care for foster children] We started our first classes middle of September and shoudl be done at the end of October. In order, to begin your paperwork you must complete 30 hours of pre-service training [pre.ser.vice. a fancy word for parenting classes]. Though the classes are emotional, and time consuming we are so thankful to have the time to learn and talk about becoming a parent with others. The skills we have learned we know we will use over and over and over again.

{the first meeting}

When we met her for the first time at church she had butterfly sandals on and was grinning from ear to ear. She talked to us about her favorite books, hunting, dance, school, her church, and of course butterflies. Not only that but at the end of the Church service she ran over and gave us a picture of a beaver and a bush with a bow on top. Right a way we began to fall in love.

{beginnings}

A friend of ours who is a respite worker [res.pite. a person or family who babysits and helps care for foster children when they are not with their foster familes] came to us and told us that she knew of a little six year old girl who was up for adoption. Adoring the little girl herself, our friend, had been praying for the perfect match for the little girl. [mat.ch. an adjective that describes the process in which children and families are brought together in adoption] The more she thought about...the more we came to mind. When she first approached me (Melissa) about it I was so excited, yet was afraid that Charlie would say "no". However, when I told him about it that evening he was the one that said, "let's call the social worker about her tomorrow".