Our Sierra Girl!

My goodness, it has been a long time since I've posted! Partly because this has turned into an adoption blog and nothing has happened with an adoption lately. But, other things have happened in life, so here goes a new blog post!

The beginning of September we had to put down our sweet Ellie girl. She had gotten out while we were gone one day and somehow injured herself, resulting in her back legs being paralyzed. We took her to the vet and tried a cortisone shot, but the next day we knew we would have to put her down. Our hearts were broken.

A few weeks later, we were just missing having a dog around. We started looking thru some ads and found a German Shepherd mix puppy in our area... for free!! The owners sent a picture of her and we absolutely fell in love! We immediately went out to pick up our new pup! Already she has stolen our hearts and helped heal the wounds left from losing Ellie. We named our sweet girl, Sierra! She has been learning to sit and fetch and not jump and all those things puppies need to learn! Joe is especially happy to have another 4 legged companion!

Nursery Before and After!

The nursery has been a slow work in progress. It took me a while to decide just what I wanted to do. Then I had to clean the room out and find a new home for everything that was in there! If you've read previous posts, you know I was given a crib - which I painted white. My mom had an old dresser that she said I could have, but it sure needed some TLC! We moved an old rocking chair upstairs. I had an old end table already that just needed some new paint. Of course, I painted the walls and sewed new crib bedding and curtains. But before you see all that - you MUST see the before pictures. Pretty bland!

 Wow! I think this dresser has seen better days! I have no idea what the red stain is on top!

Bland white walls. Even the red curtains don't add much!

Now for the after! My beautiful 'Under the Sea/Sea Turtle' nursery is complete. A lovely aqua blue covers the walls! The crib my grandma gave me I painted white! It looks stunning against the colorful quilt, crib bumpers, crib skirt and crib sheet that I made! Our fundraiser turtle puzzle is complete and framed and hangs over the crib! Each time I look at that puzzle, I am overwhelmed with gratefulness for all the generous donations to our adoption!

Can you believe how different that dresser looks?! Bright white - new knobs! And a changing pad with a cover that matches the crib bumpers!

The little white table sports an awesome lamp I found that goes perfectly with the curtains I made! By the way, the green polka dot curtains were kind of the inspiration for the whole nursery!

My nieces gave me a few small stuffed sea animals and I put them on the little white shelf with a few books from Grammy and Lil Ribbert the Frog from Aunt Kelli.

Notice my stuffed turtle collection in the crib?! And last but not least, the cute sea turtle picture that my talented sister Rachael painted! (Sorry, I don't have a close up!) I hope to have letters spelling out our baby's name to hang over this picture!

 Well, that's it! We don't yet have closet doors, so I didn't take a picture of that wall!

I am so happy with how the nursery turned out!

Now all we need is a baby! I walk by the nursery everyday with a great longing for it to soon be a home to a baby! Please pray with us that a baby will soon join our family!

If you like our nursery transformation, please leave a comment and let me know what you liked best!! Thank you!

Puzzle Piece Fundraiser Update

When we first thought about doing the puzzle fundraiser for our adoption, we talked to our pastor about it and what his thoughts were on it. He was quite excited and asked what our goal was. Well, a 1,000 piece puzzle at $10 per piece would - if we sold all the pieces - raise $10,000. Our pastor asked what would happen if we were given more than our $10,000 goal. We said that would be great, but inwardly, we both thought there was no way we would ever raise that much. Oh, we of little faith.
We sent our friends and family information on our fundraiser and put a little insert in our church bulletin. Immediately, funds started coming in! We were so excited at everyone's generosity! Within the first week, we had met our $10,000 goal - we were so overwhelmed! Friends, family, even complete strangers that we had never met before gave money to our adoption!!
I was reminded of the phrase from a Bible verse that said "pressed down, and shaken together and running over.'' That is exactly how I would describe this blessing. God had given us sooo much - we were completely overwhelmed with His goodness. I grabbed my Bible because I wanted to know what the whole verse said and here are the words I read: Luke 6:38 "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

You know, if how much I give is how God decides how much to bless us with, then I figure He would sprinkle a tiny bit of blessing on us. I don't deserve much. I'm not a good giver. But God, in His great goodness, decided we needed so much more than what we deserved! He filled our savings account up, then he 'pressed it down and shook it together' to make some more room and filled it even more, so much more, that it's running over! We cried many tears of joy as we praised God for His blessing. Even now as I type this I have tears streaming down my face!

To date, we have been given over $12,000!! Thank you to everyone who donated to our adoption! God urged you to give and you did and now our dream of having a child is so much closer! 

Our puzzle is put together and we will soon start writing the names of those who have donated on the back. I think soon, we will have our baby. God led us to a great adoption agency, and he provided a HUGE portion of our adoption expenses.  So we know that He has a baby for us! We cannot wait to meet this little one that is part of God's plan for our family!

Adoption Fundraiser

As most of you know, we are in the process of adopting a baby. With the adoption comes lots of fees! To help pay these fees, we have decided to have a Puzzle Piece Fundraiser! Basically, if you would like to donate to our adoption fund, then you can buy a puzzle piece for $10 and we would write your name on the back. You can buy one piece, or as many as you want! Once we sell all the pieces and have names on the back of each piece, we will put the puzzle together and hang it in our nursery. The picture will be displayed, but we can always turn it around and take a look at the names of the generous people who helped make our adoption possible!
Since our nursery theme is Sea Turtles, this puzzle was the perfect choice!
If you would like to donate, there is a PayPal Donate button at the top of the page! If you are local, you can also give donations directly to us! We greatly appreciate any donation!!
Already, you have surrounded us with love, support and prayers and we are so very grateful.

-Joe and Candice

Special Gifts

I've recenlty been given two items for the nursery that will be greatly used in the future. First, a dear friend gave me an old bassinet. It needed some TLC, but I cleaned it up, found some foam and cut out a new mattress for it and made some new sheets for the mattress. It sits by my bedside and is ready for our little one to dream away inside!

Then, my grandma gave me a crib that she had used in her Bed and Breakfast, but no longer needed. The great thing is, it was a style that I had looked at getting, but was not in my price range! It was gorgeous as it was, but I wanted a white crib to go with the theme of the nursery, so I put a few coats of paint on it. Then I finished sewing up all my crib bedding and got everything set up and I absolutely LOVE the results!

I am so thankful for these two gifts, from two special people!

Waitin' By the Phone

I remember when Joe was deployed, I took my phone with me everywhere! I did not want to miss his call. Day or night, my phone was right beside me. I would sometimes even just hold it and will it to ring, hoping he would be on the other end. Anytime the phone did ring, my heart started beating faster and I would get excited thinking it may be him. Sometimes it was, sometimes it wasn't. But no matter what, I was going to have that phone with me at all times!
Now, I'm waiting on a different call. The call from our agency that they want to show our profile to a birthmom. Or the call from our agency that they have a baby waiting for us. I get all my emails on my phone as well. So our agency could email us about a particular situation to see if we are interested. So each time I hear that beep, I get excited, my heart starts beating faster! Could this be the email? A few times, I have received an email from the agency and when I see who the email is from, I can't help but think, 'this could be it'. So far, they have only been informative emails - nothing about a possible adoption situation.
So, I keep waiting by the phone. It goes with me everywhere. I wait for the call. I wait for the email. It will come someday. I just hope it comes soon!

Baby Quilt!

I finished my baby quilt! I don't think I have ever finished a quilt project this quickly! I think that for several days when my hubby got home from work, he would find me at the sewing machine! There was lots of love and prayers put into every stitch of this quilt! I cannot wait until all the bedding is done and we get our crib and put it all together! Then, of course, I can't wait for baby to get here and to be able to use it all! But for now, I am happy just having the quilt done! I love how it turned out! Love it, love it, love it!

Adoption Bug Apparel

So recently I came across a website called AdoptionBug.com. They make shirts about adoption for the whole family to wear! Adult T's, youth T's, onesies for the little ones! They even have some Christmas ornaments for adoption! I have several favorite items!
Number One would have to be their 'Worth the Wait' onesies! They have them in pink or blue!
My next favorite would have to be their 'Blessed by Adoption' shirts! Oh, and I could go on and on! So just go have a look for yourself!
I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my little one and we can all sport our AdoptionBug apparel together!

Sneak Peek

My friend Alyssa talked me into going Black Friday shopping in Amarillo. So Alyssa, Jess (my SIL) and I left early Friday morning for a day of shopping. I've been itching to buy baby quilt fabric so I was excited to finally be able to shop for it! I had a few ideas for quilt colors that I found online that I really liked - mostly greens and aquas with a tad bit of yellow - to go with my sea turtle nursery theme. Well, with all the greens and aquas they had at Joanns, there were few I liked and few that went well together. I found an orange that I liked that reminded me of sea coral - but it just wasn't all coming together. Alyssa suggested a brown color to tie it all together. At first I didn't like the idea - but we found a bolt of brown with white polka dots and layed it beside the rest of the fabric. Alyssa and Jess both loved it right away. While I did like the colors together, it wasn't what I had in mind. But the more I looked at it, the more I liked it! Finally I decided to go with it! And I'm so glad I did! Because each time I look at it, I love it even more!

So, here's a sneak peak of the quilt fabric.

I hope to be able to not only sew a quilt, but a crib sheet, bumpers, dust ruffle and a curtain! Yay! And with coupons and Black Friday sales, I saved some money, too! Yippee!

Now, I had better get busy!

Let the Waiting Begin

Finally, we are finished with all of our paper work and classes! We got our profile book printed and everything sent off to the agency! Yay! Now, we just wait! We could be waiting a short time. We could be waiting a long time. We just really don't know. I'm trying my best to be patient and to not get my hopes up too high about things happening soon. Oh, but I really hope it doesn't take forever, either!!
In the mean time, I have plenty that should keep me busy. We still haven't got anything set up in the nursery. I am anxious to get that done, but other things have come up financially and the nursery has been put on the back burner. It will get done - even if it's a mad dash to get it done, it will get done!!
I also want to make a baby quilt - I have finally decided on a pattern, just have to decide on fabric now!
We also need to get the necessary stuff, too. You know, like bottles, diapers and baby shampoo! Not quite as exciting as baby clothes, toys and blankets - but, you gotta have them!
So, while we wait, there is still plenty to do. I just hope that the wait isn't forever. That I can be patient and know God has a baby out there for us and He will bring it along in His time. Oh, but I'm so ready for baby! I'm so ready to be 'Mama'. I'm so ready to love and care for a little one. To teach him/her and watch them grow! I'm just a waitin'!!

Baby Stuff

Why yes, I HAVE already started to collect baby stuff! We don't know when this little one will be here and I want to be prepared. That and I FINALLY get to shop for and buy stuff for a baby - I've been wanting this for soooo long!

Here's my collection so far, 3 onesies, some cute pj's, some books from Grammy, a turtle pillow pet from my dear friend Alyssa, 4 washcloths, 2 hooded towels, a cozy fish blanket and a flannel blanket that I made. (Notice the 'Under the Sea' theme?!)

I was looking over the sale fabric and found a bundle of flannel baby fabrics in different blues, yellows, and greens with sun, moon and stars prints! For eight bucks, I couldn't resist!

I found a tutorial online for a rag quilt and decided that's what I wanted to do. I didn't have enough fabric, tho, so I had to wait until I made a trip to Hobby Lobby to get some more. I finally got my fabric and got started, thinking it would be a quick project. Well, it took just a bit more time then I thought it would - but the finished product is just too darn cute! The pictures really don't do it justice! I can't wait to bundle up my little one in this super cute and cozy blanket!

Home Study Complete!

Today we received the news that our Home Study process is complete and that we are officially
Approved for Adoption!
Such exciting news!! We are now one step closer to meeting our precious little baby!
Now we have to put together our profile book - which is basically a mini scrapbook about us that will be shown to birthmothers so she can choose which family she would like to have adopt her baby. Considering how I love to scrapbook, I don't think this will be a hard task to accomplish! I'm already going through our pictures trying to find those that best capture who we are!
Once all that is done, we will simply be waiting for baby!
Guess that means we ought to start working on that nursery! How exciting!

Home Study Visit

Today was our Home Study Visit. In addition to all the paper work, someone has to come out and inspect the home - make sure it's safe and that there is space for a child. With our paperwork, they gave us a Safety Handbook with suggestions on child-proofing and making a safe environment for a child. Most of it I don't think that most parents follow - but, I suppose, if we have to have a child-proof house to be approved for adoption, that's what we will do! So, we went around and put outlet covers in all the outlets. We put our medicine in a locked box. I put all my little scrapbook embellishments up on a high shelf. Put a few locks on cabinet doors and drawers. Installed smoke detectors in every bedroom as well as one carbon monoxide detector. We now have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen! We have a fire-escape route mapped out on a piece of paper and it is hanging on the refrigerator next to the list of emergency numbers and doctor information! All our garden tools are in the shed - although we don't have a door on it yet... that will come! We have hand rails for the front and back porch - they just aren't installed quite yet! And the list goes on!!

Our case worker was a very sweet lady and we felt at ease with her! She said she was very impressed with our paperwork that she had looked over. Often, the agency will highlight areas where they need more information and she said we had very few highlighted areas! She didn't go inspect everything - just asked if we had it done. She chuckled that we had actually mapped out a fire escape route because she says people rarely have that done! She looked around and said things looked good and we had plenty of space.

Also, she had a typed copy of our home study paperwork - which is a good thing, because that is part of the process that takes some time. So we could be very close to approval! We are so very excited to have this part of the process over with! Now, on to waiting for the baby!

Keeping Up with the Joneses

Ok, so their is no Jones family living on our street - but we did need to do some updating on the house! With our pending Home Study, we wanted things to look really nice - AND we had to turn in a picture of our house. So, we decided to paint the house! What were we thinking?! And of course, it has not rained ALL summer long - but the moment we decided to paint, the chance of rain went WAY up! We were able to get some dry days and paint a coat on the 2 sides of the house and get the front all done! Yay! The back is still waiting on a dry day... and more energy to do it! But at least the front was ready for the picture!

Here is the before:

And After:

I LOVE my pretty new house!

My Verse

"He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord." - Psalm 113:9

When I first came across this verse, I felt as tho God penned it just for me. That He was promising me that someday I would have children. Each time I read it, tho, in the back of my mind, I couldn't help but think, 'you know, that doesn't mean biological children, it could mean adopted children.' I would always find some excuse to not believe that. I wanted biological children. But each time I read that verse, that was always my thought process. Until finally one day I realized, it did not matter to me HOW I became a mother, just that I had the opportunity to become a mother. Unbeknowst to me, as I was struggling with whether to keep trying to get pregnant, or to adopt, Joe was also thinking heavily about adopting. When I finally talked to him about it, we both knew it was time to start pursuing adoption, we both knew without a doubt that this was how God intended to start our family.

So, it may not be the way I had originally planned it, but I - a barren woman - will have children! Praise ye the Lord!

A Light at the End of the Tunnel

For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to get married and have several children. All my dreams as a child were to grow up and be a mom and have a family. That dream has been so incredibly distant these 7 years of marriage. I thought by now I would have a few little ones running around keeping me busy. Yet there is no pitter patter of feet running thru the hallways, or the laughter of children heard within these walls. It is a quiet place. A place where I often despair if I will ever see my dreams of motherhood come true. I sometimes shut myself off from the world - it is too painful to see other women playing with their children, holding their precious baby, giving tons of hugs and kisses. Will I ever have my turn?

I will have my turn! There is light at the end of the tunnel. My arms will not be empty for long! No, I am not pregnant. We are ADOPTING! Joe and I had always said we would adopt instead of doing fertility treatments if we were not able to get pregnant. Once it was time to make that decision, tho, it was really hard. A part of me felt that I was giving up on me, that I should try just a little bit longer to get pregnant. A part of me was scared, there is so much to consider in adoption! And a part of me finally had hope... hope that I would actually get to be a mom. That I could actually hold my own sweet baby in my arms. That I could soon hear that pitter patter of little feet and the walls would ring with laughter! Hope! Such a wonderful thing.

So here we are, we have applied to the Adoption and Beyond Agency and have filled out all the Home Study paperwork and turned it in! Now we await approval and then we will enter the agency's program and be waiting for a baby! Such an exciting time in our life! God has a baby out there for us. It may not be the way we planned, but it is HIS plan and it will be perfect!

A New Journey

In April, I decided to leave my job and become a stay at home wife. Many people may think I am crazy - I have no kids, this is a good time to keep working. But I don't really care what society says - I've never really cared much what they say, actually! We live in a world that's all about money and all about the big fancy things you have. Don't get me wrong, I like nice things. I like my home to look nice. I like to wear nice pretty clothes. I like that we have a boat we can go have fun on. But I sometimes long for the simplicity in life. So maybe I won't get any new furniture for a while, or always have a new outfit to wear, and we may not get to use that boat as often as we would like. But what will I have? Time. Time with family. Time with friends. Time for the important things in life.

Then, at the end of May, Joe left the police department and went back to work on the farm with his dad. There were several factors that helped us make this decision. One big factor was his work hours. The continual change between day shift and swing shift and night shift was beginning to take it's toll on Joe. He may now be working longer during the day - but he is home every night! That is so awesome!

In both instances, however, we have truly felt God leading us down this new path.

So, let the journey begin!

Ellie

This summer we decided to get Lela a playmate. We still hadn't quite made up our mind if we wanted another dog or not, when Joe found out there was an adorable little golden retriever puppy that had been at the pound for 2 weeks and they were ready to put it down. Joe just didn't have the heart to see her put down...so we decided to take her home! We named her Ellie because she so reminded us of the puppy on the Cottonelle commercial!! She has stolen our heart and she and Lela play all day long!

It's Been Awhile

It's been awhile since all of my immediate family were together for a holiday! But this Thanksgiving, we were finally all together for the holiday! We certainly had much to be thankful for! Judson had fun hanging out with his nephews - who are older than him! And all of us took turns loving on my neice Aleah!! We ate till we were full, visited, watched football and Brandi even broke out a deck of cards and patiently taught us a new game! It was a long day as we drove to Wichita and back the same day...but such a wonderful day! I hope the next holiday we all spend together isn't so far apart from this one! And, even though none of us wanted to get our picture taken and our clothes didn't coordinate...we did manage to get a photo of all of us together!

Crockpot Wednesday: Kalua Pork

If you go to a luau in Hawaii, more than likely the main dish is going to be Kalua Pork. I loved this dish from the moment I first tasted it and went on the search for my own recipe. Now, it wasn't practical for me to dig a pit in my backyard on post in which to smoke the pork roast - as is the traditional way to do it. Nor is it easy for me to find the banana leaves here on the mainland to wrap it in, either. So, I found a not so traditional method to cook it - in the crockpot. And I was amazed at how simple it is - just 3 ingredients! And it tastes pretty close to traditional Kalua Pork!Kalua Pork

5 pounds pork butt roast

1 T. liquid smoke flavoring

2 1/2 T. Sea salt, divided

Rub liquid smoke and 1 1/2 T. of the salt into the pork roast. Place in crockpot and cook on high for 4-5 hours. When meat is cooked and tender, shred and sprinkle in remaining salt, if needed.

Traditionally served with rice!