She's Ours!!!--Unofficially!!

Yesterday, November 20, 2010, we got a call from Judy at Global Adoptions asking some questions about what our motivation was for adopting; did we realize that there are many unknowns with adopting; have we looked for support for her particular "need," etc. I'm so glad that Eric answered the phone. I was driving to Dad's and would have driven off the road if she had called me and tried to get me to answer all those questions. Eric was a nervous wreck talking to her, and was worried that he had messed something up. Judy said we would know "soon." But, I wasn't sure her definition of "soon." So we waited, not expecting another call back so soon.

Fast forward about an hour. We're eating lunch and the phone rings again. Again, its Judy. I braced for the worse. Eric went outside to talk and I followed a few minutes later. As he's talking, he shakes his head yes!!! "Yes?" she's ours!!! There were three or four other families who had put in their application for her. All I know is that God is all over this one!!

We're going to Eastern Europe! My mind is reeling with all the to-do's we have to get done before we can travel, but we can go as fast as we want now. We just have to get everything in order before we travel. I'm glad next week is a holiday week. I hope that we can get through a big chunk of the paperwork while we are both off. I may send the kids to Mom's for a day so that we do have a couple hours of quiet to work.

Look out little girl--we're coming to get you. Introducing the soon-to-be newest member of the Elliotts:

Of course, if you feel led, you can donate to her adoption fund: http://reecesrainbow.org/sponsorelliott

Cool Necklaces

Want to win one of these beautiful necklaces? Go here: http://networkedblogs.com/b9k8O

Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving, and we as a family have so much to be thankful for. We have a wonderful family who is so supportive to our new adventure. We have the best small group anyone could ask for--four of our families are going through the adoption adventure with us. We have a great house that I love (even if I do want to change a few things). Our children are amazing!! They are so excited about having a new sister. Our friends are super.

In just a few months, we will have another wonderful blessing in our house to be thankful for. I can not wait to hear those little feet running through our house.

Telling

We showed my family, specifically the Mattox side, her picture this weekend since we celebrated Thanksgiving with them. Everyone seems so excited and offered any support they could. Dad seemed to warm up to the idea after he saw her beautiful picture. Mom hasn't seen her; neither has Eric's family. I just can't wait to show them and the world our daughter.

Mom finally saw her picture the other day, her response, "I love her already." She's pretty excited about having another granddaughter.

Eric's mom saw her picture by email this week. It's hard when you live three hours away. She, too, thinks she looks a little like Jules.

I know that our whole family will love her as much as we already do. Now just to get her home.

Application

November 18th--

We finally finished the application for our little Eastern European beauty and overnighted it to Global Adoptions in Maryland.

November 19th--a.m.--

Judy emailed Eric to let him know she had received our application and would let us know as soon as she could.

God's Plan

I know I'm not the first one to go against God's plan thinking mine was the better way. I know that He has been working on my heart towards adoption for a LONG time.

I think back to when we first moved to Nashville in 2000. I had a sweet girl in my 8th grade class; she was a cheerleader and had two siblings who were adopted from Eastern Europe(I think). I always found it facinating the process and how she felt about having siblings who were not biologically related. They were as much her brother and sister as any biological ones could be.

Again, a couple years after JD was born, great friends of ours chose to adopt a little boy from Eastern Europe. I remember talking with Eric and saying I wasn't sure if I could love another child as my own, boy was I wrong!!!

My best friend was adopted as an infant.

We have been placed in a church with a heart for orphan care (a church I didn't want to attend at first but have grown to love); in a small group with three other families in the process of adopting from China, Eastern Europe, and Ethiopia.

I have a couple school friends who have adopted or are in the process.

I can only imagine that God put me on this path to fulfill this goal of His. We are supposed to take care of the orphans, and for our family, it means welcoming a new child into our home. We know that it is going to be a long and frustrating process, but I have many supporters. I have friends I can call and text with my frustrations. "One page at a time." I'm thinking it's more like "one blank at a time."

I am excited, nervous, scared to death, and can not wait to meet my child that God has made for me. I think I realized this was what we were supposed to do when I thought, I have a child out there who doesn't know me; one who has never had me hold them when they are scared; one who has never had a bottle from me when they were hungry; one who has not had me kiss their boo-boo when they fell down; one I have not tucked in at night or kissed good morning. Mom and Dad are coming to get you!!!

Our journey has begun...

A few weeks ago, around October 29th, I saw this precious face on Reece's Rainbow, a site great friend of ours are adopting from. I feel in love. She is an "other angel" on their site, meaning she does not have Down Syndrome, but she does have some other health limitations (more on that when we get matched).

We had talked about adoption, but had never made any decisions about yes, this was something we wanted to do. Well, God's plan is always better!! We decided to persue this little angel. We talked with Casey and TJ a few days later about the process and prayed with them about it and have recently started filling out the moutains of paperwork. We're so excited about this new chapter in our lives and can't wait to share with the world.

So, the Elliotts are growing our family through adoption! There's going to be ONE LESS!!!