My new addiction.

As I've written about before,  when I find something I like, I tend to go a little overboard with it..... Currently, my wardrobe is focused on scarves and sweater coats.  Guaranteed outfit at least five times a week.


I'm trendy like that.


My new addiction is making wreaths. I'm up to four in the past few months.  


It may be time for a support group.


Thanks to Pinterest, I can make really cute wreaths and appear to have smidge of creativity and skill.


Here's the latest wreath I made this weekend.  It's easy to make.  I pinky-swear promise. 

I used a straw wreath and kept the plastic wrapping on it. Then I wrapped a tri-color string around the wreath.  

The flowers are made out of felt.  I bought rectangular sheets of it from a local craft store.  They look way more difficult to make than they are.  (Rest assured, I only attempt crafts with three-step directions or less.) 


I take absolutely no credit for the design.....Here's the Pinterest link to the wreath.  


It's so cute I'm trying to figure out where I could put another one (or three), like it in my house.  


Or maybe I'll just ditch my scarves and start wearing them around my neck.  

Today

I live in a city where today holds great significance.  Martin Luther King, Jr. pastored a church on Dexter Avenue in Montgomery.  He became the champion of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, an act of nonviolence that changed the course of history.

I also live in a state that celebrates another man's birthday on this day, General Robert E. Lee, a confederate soldier.  Both are recognized as state holidays.  And some residents of this state are very vocal that they celebrate Robert E. Lee day, NOT Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Oh, the joys of the deep south.

There has been much hope restored to this city that for so long lived racially divided.  It is a town rich in history, in triumph, and in pain.

As a family that now has an african american baby living with them, I am forever grateful for the courage and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  His decision to speak words of freedom and justice did not come without pain and sorrow.  He sacrificed his comfort and a life of ease in order to speak for those that had no voice.

Today I feel the weight of that, because he spoke for the little boy that we hold in our arms.

“I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls 
will be holding hands with little white boys and girls.” 
                                                                                                                -- MLK

Our city is not yet completely healed from the wounds of segregation.  The dream for all children to be given an equal education has not yet been fulfilled.

While blatant segregation may be gone, our diverse city has not embraced each other fully.  Yes, we are a city that, on the surface, acknowledges each other in passing.  But we don't have authentic community with each other.

The best way to tell? Our churches.  While I am thankful to say that our church has families of all races, worshipping together, we are still far from where we need to be based on the demographic population around us.

Brian and I have had many conversations about raising a child of african american or african descent in this city.  Frankly, it scares me at times.  Not for how we will be treated, but for what our child will face.

Everyone loves a baby and toddler, with chubby cheeks and sweet coos and giggles, no matter their color.  But what happens when that child grows into a teenager and asks your white daughter to prom?


“I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls 
will be holding hands with little white boys and girls.” 

Thank you, Dr. King, for your dream.

It's become my dream too.  And though I am, at times, anxious about what the future holds-- I know that this dream is taking shape, because I see it happening in the families and churches in our city.

Things are not healed in our city.

But they are healing.

Reconciliation is coming.

Through foster care.

Through adoption.

Through our churches that are beginning to welcome EVERYONE who walks through their door, no matter their color or their place in society.

Through ministries where we are serving TOGETHER to care for poor.

Thank you, Dr. King, for your voice and your willingness to speak for those that couldn't.  Your former city is not healed yet.  But we're getting there.

Update: Our Nursery- the finished product!

The nursery is done! It only took us eight weeks (jeesh), but it is complete and we love it! 

Update: See the bottom of this post for links to where to find some of the items!

Love, Love, Love our world decal!
 X's for our journey to our kiddos- one for our foster journey in AL
and the other in the DRC! 

Shout out to Pinterest for the inexpensive wall idea!

I've had some people ask where I found some of the products in the nursery - I found some great deals! 

Baby Bedding: Dwell Studio for Target   It's on clearance right now for less than $50!

World Map Decal: Bubba Doodles on Etsy  You can pick your call for the map and X's

"Love Makes a Family" Decal: Trading Phrases

Animal Prints: Idea from Pinterest.  I used frames, scrapbook paper, and burlap from Hobby Lobby

Lamp: Target

Changing Table Pad: Amazon

Today's Post Brought to You by the Southern Swoop and the Number 3.

The cool thing about having a blog is that you get to see how people ended up at your site...  I can see from which countries people are viewing the blog, which referring blogs they are coming from, and which keywords are leading them to this page. 


Which brings me to a very interesting and somewhat amusing bit of information....


So far this month, the top three keywords that have lead people to my blog are........


1. Southern swoop


2. Southern swoop hair


3. Number 3 


And for the ENTIRE time I've had my blog..... "Southern Swoop" ranks 2nd all-time on my keyword search. 


(Don't know what "Southern Swoop" is? Head over here and I'll fill you in....)


I was kinda hoping that "adoption," "orphan care," "foster care" would be in the top ten of what led people to Waiting on a Word.  


Not so much. 


Also on the All-time top ten list was "barbeque." 


Awesome. 


I'm making a difference people.  One haircut and pulled pork sandwich at a time. 

My Turn!

Never one to miss out on what's going on around me, (except last night when I was asleep by 10pm),  I wanted to add my own version of a New Year's list! 


Here goes...

Five things I never thought would happen and did in 2011. 

1. I was a part of launching, ONEfamily, our adoption/foster/orphan care ministry at our church.  I had planned on just helping out with the ministry once someone started it. I certainly wasn't going to start it because that was really going to cut into my schedule and I'm not someone who "starts" things.  I just help once the vision has been planted.  Well, God had another plan and it involved me jumping in and really getting my hands dirty to help start the ministry....and I love it.  So excited to be a part of a ministry that God is using to shake-up the way the families in our church look at caring for the orphan.  So thankful for a church that is receptive to it!

2.  We added another four-legged vehicle of destruction, I mean, dog, to our family. Bandit is our sweet, slightly skittish, renegade who is totally enamored with his big brother, Knox.  He came to us with no manners, probably because he has spent most of his life on the streets.  He does not believe in wiping his mouth after drinking and he passes really bad smelling gas.  A lot.  

3.  I never thought we would already be through 2011 and still be without a referral of our little ones from the DRC.  When we received our immigration approval in June, I thought for sure we'd have a referral by September.  If not September, then surely by Christmas........  And still we wait.  It's hard at times, as we long to see their face.  However, number #4 on this list has definitely helped us focus on enjoying what we have in front of us...

4. Which is our sweet, eight-week old foster baby, "J".  I never imagined we'd be foster parents.  In fact, I actually said out loud, "I could never be a foster parent."  AND.....that sealed the deal....anytime I say "never" to something, it's a 250% guarantee I'll being doing it in the future.  Though I never could have imagined this is the path we'd be on, I wouldn't change a thing!

5.  I blogged.  A lot.  65 posts, in fact.  What started as a once-in-a-while blog to update our long-distance families on the adoption has turned into so much more.  Which is weird.  But I like it.  Thanks for reading my very opinionated thoughts, my bloggy friends.  I hope to get to meet some of you in the real world one day.



Five Things I'm Looking Forward to in 2012. 

1. Continuing to not work out.  Let's face it.  I hate running and getting really sweaty. I'm just not an attractive sweater-er.  I really have tried to enjoy working-out, but I don't.  I attempt to work out consistently once a year and it lasts 1-3 months, on average.   So, I'm not going to try and act like I'm going to work out.  Instead, I will cheer on my friends who run 5 marathons a year while pregnant and hit the gym daily at 5am.

2.  Getting to see our child's picture for the first time when we get the referral.  Can't WAIT!

3. Getting the privilege of watching our little man, "J,"grow and change as a baby.  We love being able to be his parents for the "right now."

4. Walking alongside more of our church family as they become foster and adoptive families.  We had thirteen families complete the fall foster care training class with us and fifteen more families interested in taking the classes this spring!

5. Seeing what adventure God has us on next.  It's been a non-stop roller-coaster ride the past two and a half years with Brian as we have grown together and in our walk with the Lord.  I could never have imagined where we would be today, so I won't even try to predict where God will have us by the end of 2012.  What I do know is I'm excited to see where we go as a family this next year!

10 Things I've Learned in the Past Week.

1.)  I can exist and function at a sub-par level on less than five hours of sleep a night.


2.) Bandit enjoys Christmas.

And what I mean by that is that he enjoys injesting all things Christmas.


From last count, we're at five ornaments eaten.


If offered, he also enjoys Christmas cookies, cakes, candy..... If not offered, he will sit two inches from you in hopes something will drop out of your mouth.



3.) I've learned that after eating said Christmas items, they normally come back up around 3am on our carpet.  In large chunks.


4.) I've learned that it is possible to get really excited when your baby does a Number #2.  Especially if he hasn't since the previous morning.


5.)  I've learned that those number #2's look really interesting.


6.)  I've learned we have a really special network of "grandmas" and "aunts" around us who have stepped in to help us out because our families live so far away.


7.) I've learned that my husband is a natural with babies. Especially the one who currently lives with us. :)


8.)  I've learned that it really is in everyone's best interest to finish the nursery BEFORE the baby comes into your home.  


As you can guess...that didn't happen in our house.  


Oh well. 


But it's almost done!

Thank you Pinterest for my nursery ideas! 

9.)  I've learned it is REALLY nice to have meals being brought to you every night.  If you know a family who just gets a foster placement or adopted child, PLEASE do this for them.  They'll need it! 




10.) I've learned that social media can have some really redeeming qualities.... like the many encouraging and sweet messages we've received about Baby "J" this week.  We are so, so, so grateful for your prayers and support.  Words can't express the love we've felt.  

One Year Later.

It's unbelievable to think we have been in the adoption process for a year now. 


It's also unbelievable to think that we don't have a referral yet. 


When we started this last December, the estimated time from start to finish was 8-12 months.  


We thought we'd been in Africa now, meeting our children. 


Instead, we still wait for a picture and for their name. 


We are close.  Three more spots to go. 


But we know from those ahead of us, the wait after referral is just as long. 


As much as a year before travel. 


It's hard to answer questions that are lovingly asked by our friends and family.  

We don't know when we'll get a referral. 

We don't know when we'll travel. 

We don't know why it's taking so long. 

I wish I did. 


But I don't. 


So I hold on to this promise that I was reminded of from reading the other day.  

"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about the things we cannot see."  Hebrews 11:1

I'm holding on to the call that Brian and I believe God gave us toward adopting from Africa.  Right now it's just plain faith that God will finish what He started in our lives with our DRC adoption. 


The reality of the wait is disheartening. 


So we hold on to Faith.  


Faith that He is working even when it seems like He isn't.  


Faith that He knows our children. 


Faith that His timing is best. 


We are so thankful for those who are walking through this journey with us, praying for us, encouraging us, and spurring us on.  Forgive us when our responses are short to your questions. I wish we had more to share. 


For now, we wait by Faith. 


Choosing to trust that His hand is on this.  

3 Years.

3 years ago tonight, I said yes to Brian as he bent down on one knee, asking me to be his wife. 


It's an easy date to remember, we had gone to dinner and come back to his house to watch the Heisman Awards, or so I thought. 


Until we stepped out in his backyard...  he had decorated the ginormous tree in his backyard. 

After opening a few gifts, brought me around to the other side of the tree, knelt down on one knee, and said a bunch of sweet things I wish I remembered. 


Then he hit a switch, and this appeared on the fence behind him....

Pretty impressive, huh? 

I got myself a good one!  

3

After quite a while sitting at #4 on the wait list for the DRC, we have finally moved to....

It's encouraging to have moved, because that means that a "blog friend" of mine who was at the #1 spot received their referral of an infant last week! 


This week marked the presidential elections in Kinshasa, where things have gotten a little turbulent.  We are praying for peace as the winner is announced and for safety for the little ones in the orphanages around the city. 

In other news, our little man turns four weeks old today! 

Our week in review: 

• Brian changed his very first diaper
• Even after that experience, Brian is still willing to change more diapers. What a good man! 
• We are existing on less sleep.  MUCH less sleep, while both still working full-time. 
• The dogs have gotten used to this eight-pound eating machine that makes weird, high-pitched noises.  They love to give him big wet kisses.
• Coffee is my best friend.  Dark chocolate is running a close second. 

Plunging

A few months ago, my husband and I decided to dip our toes into the world of foster care.

From September to November, we had been taking classes to be certified as foster parents. The original plan was only doing respite foster care, which is short-term care to help out other foster families.

Two weeks ago, our social worker called and asked if we would be willing to accept the placement of a two-week old baby into our home.

Gulp.

We knew a call like this would come....because God was changing something in our hearts about fostering.

He was making it clear that we were to be foster parents. Potentially for the long-term.

Gulp.

But let me make something clear.  Fostering is not what I ever wanted to do.

I didn't grow up dreaming to be a foster parent-- Longing for days when I would have children who had experienced trauma placed in my home.  Living with the unknown of how long they would be a part of our family.

Nope. Definitely didn't picture that for my future.

But a few years ago I made the decision that God's dreams for me were always bigger and better than my own.

So I laid my plans aside.

And we decided to do full-term foster care.  We plunged head-first into the pool of parenthood.

From childless to two-week old in a week's time.

Yup. Definitely not my plan.

But.....

We have the space. We have the time.  We have two dogs that love to give big wet kisses to small children.  And more importantly we have a lot of love to give.

Last Saturday, we welcomed a little baby boy into our home.  One week prior, when we accepted the placement, we had NO baby items in our house. NUH-THING.

Though we are in the adoption process, we are still a ways off from traveling. So we weren't prepared.

However, we have some pretty great people around us who stepped up to the plate and helped us get what we needed to welcome the little guy into our home.

• Meals have been provided for the month of december.  
• A friend came and put our baby furniture together.  
• Diapers and wipes and baby items have been donated.  
• Plenty of outfits have been given that make him the handsomest baby on the planet. (obviously). 

We are surrounded by the true definition of "community."

There is no timeline for how long we'll have the little guy.   Could be days, months, or years.

Since his tomorrow is not promised with us, we will focus on today.  We will love him, and kiss him, and give him the chance to learn what it feels like to be wanted.

We have been given such a gift for this time.  The ability to pour into a little human that otherwise would be in a very unstable environment.  What a privilege and an honor.

It's still not something I've ever wanted.....but I know it's right where we need to be......




****Because of privacy and safety issues, we can't share his name or pictures, but we'll try and share as much as we can about the journey!