New Pictures

Last week we received new pictures of our sweet baby. Hannah Grace at 8 weeks is 11lbs and 6 oz, she has gained 5 lbs since birth. We were told she is a happy baby with a sweet temperment. Eric said that the bottom picture, she is winking at him. Hannah Grace already has her daddy wrapped around her finger.

The court date is still April 16th. As long as everything goes as anticipated in court, our adoption agency will have our placement ceremony April 19th. As of today, we are 40 days from our answer to prayer. Thank you Lord for this sweet child you have entrusted to us. We get more and more excited with every passing day!

Baby Shower Loot & Update

Our church family threw us a baby shower this past Sunday. As you can see, I will be busy this weekend cleaning up and organizing the nursery. Our friends and family have showered gifts of love for Hannah Grace! You just wait little girl! I hate to admit it, you are a little spoiled already! Your mom and dad can not wait until your home so we can spoil you ourselves.
Pastor Bobby said from the pulpit this past Sunday that Hannah Grace is the church's baby! There are so many people that can not wait to meet you.....who have been praying for you for a long time.
I was able to speak to our adoption caseworker today and she said she saw you this past Sunday with your foster parents. They brought you to church! It thrilled my heart to know they had brought you to church. She said you are looking good....still look similiar to your newborn pictures just filling out a bit more, blue eyes, dark hair with a bit of a wave and sweet temperment. I keep running these descriptions through my mind and imagining you! On Monday you will be 9 weeks old. Your daddy and I talk about you often and reminded each other tonight we have 49 days until the court date - April 16th. We pray and think of you often! We love you sweet baby girl!

Hannah Grace's Nursery Pictures

Eric and I poured hours into preparing Hannah Grace's nursery. It has been nice to have a project as we endure "the wait."
We really have enjoyed that time together and have prayed for Grace, birthmother, foster parents, caseworkers, lawyers, and the process. God's timing is perfect even if we do not understand it.

Our friend painted the mural, the colors on the mural are similiar colors in the bedding. Lisa did an excellent job! I showed her a picture of what I wanted, she added some creativity and ta da! My favorite part, verse on the border reads, "For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me what I have asked of Him." I Samuel 1:27

Hannah Grace, we are ready for you to come home! We love you!

We Have Pictures!

It is with great excitement and joy we present Hannah Grace to you. We received pictures of her yesterday and being a little bias we think she is beautiful! Can't wait to get a cute bow in her hair. :)

We also found out that the current court date planned is April 16 which is the same day we will be able to get her. There is always a possibility it could change and we are praying it is sooner than later. As painful as the wait is, our adoption agency's goal is to protect us (adoptive parent) so once Grace is placed in our arms, she is ALL ours!
Thank you for your continued prayers. We have been blessed by the outpouring of love from all our family and friends! We praise the Lord for this beautiful gift to us!

The Best Christmas Gift!

Many events have taken place since my last post. Tuesday, December 15 found our first potential adoption situation, we were not chosen. We were disappointed.Wednesday, December 16 received an email from our caseworker from our adoption agency in VA stating there is a birthmother interested in meeting us, will be in VA over Christmas? We had already planned to leave that weekend for VA, the caseworker set-up a meeting between us, birthmother and two caseworkers on Tuesday, December 22 (my brother's birthday).

Very anxiously we arrived to "the meeting" and all I can say is the meeting lasted for almost 3 hours and we could sense the God's presence and peace through our entire interview. Birthmom was beautiful, well-spoken, intelligent and caring. As akward as you may think the situation was, we were put at ease and peace from the beginning. The birthmother had very directed questions towards Eric. What drew her to Eric and I was that Eric is a pastor and she told us she believed God has incredible plans for this child. She asked Eric about his testimony, his call to the ministry, and how he planned to balance family life vs the ministry. Eric as we all know him shared and poured out his heart and she really got to see Eric! :) The birthmother and caseworkers cried as he shared what God had done in his life since he surrendered his life to Him and the ministry. The birthmother shared that when she found out she was having a girl she was reading through I Samuel and she knew a couple had been praying for this child and she named her Hannah. Then the birthmother asked me what names we liked, I proceeded to tell her we never came up with one name and then I shared about 4-6 weeks ago through my quiet times and other situations the name Grace keeps coming up and I had shared that with Eric a couple of weeks ago. I have never thought of that name before and thought it was odd. I looked across the table, the birthmother had tears streaming down her face and asked me to stop....then she said I didn't tell you the entire story I named this baby - Hannah Grace! She asked if we would consider naming her Hannah Grace if she chose us. We wrapped up after sharing our hearts and learning more about this amazing birthmother. She amazed me at many levels! We left the meeting, our caseworker told us she would keep us posted.

Thursday December 24, Eric and I had finished having lunch at my parent's house when I received the call from our caseworker who told us the birthmother chose us to parent her baby girl. The caseworker told us the birthmother chose right after the meeting and they suggested she think and pray for a couple of days. They met with the birthmother the morning of December 24 and she was still resolute in her decision and asked the caseworker to please let us know before Christmas. We received the best Christmas gift, we were going to be parents!! :)

Baby girl was due January 8. Today, Eric and I took the day off - ran errands, bought her first outfit, enjoyed talking about being parents and what we thought she would be like. We have already fallen in love with this baby! I received the call tonight from the caseworker that baby girl was born this morning  - December 28 (1.5 weeks early). We named her Hannah Grace, we will call her Grace. She weighed 6lbs 6oz, 20 inches, and healthy. As this is being posted late....I can not sleep. Grace is here...she is real...we are parents....she is an answer to many prayers.....we could not be happier! We praise the Lord for how he has put our family together. It is not over....Grace will stay with a foster family for 2-3 months until all parental rights are terminated. I can not wait to post, we have a date and get to pick-up Grace. Stay tuned!

Luke 1:37 - For with God nothing will be impossible.

I Samuel 1:27 - I have prayed for this child and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him.

Trusting in His Sovereign Will for Our Lives

Tonight we are one step closer to Baby Evje. What does that mean? We found out today that the birthmom considering us to parent her child chose the other family. God answered our prayers....you might ask how is that? We asked the Lord to make it very clear to the birthmom on what family she should choose. While disappointing....we our trusting our Sovereign Lord that He has another child out for us.
"Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge." Psalm 62:8, we are trusting in the Word and His promises tonight. This is the cry of our heart. I can not thank our family and friends enough for your love, support and prayers.

UPDATE

I realize it has been almost a year since I have posted anything to our blog. It has been a busy year! To be honest I started this blog over a year ago anticipating that we would have a baby in the coming months, and what a great outlet to blog and update my family and friends who live at a distace on our child's growth and development. We submitted our profile to our adoption agency in October 2008. Here we are 14 months later and still no baby. Of course that was not my plan.....so as the months has gone by I thought about posting and think who wants to hear about Eric and I?? As the days go by and still no activity on the baby front.....God is his grace reminds me, Heidi, where do you find your identity? Are you finding your identity in a baby or being a parent? Heidi, please find your identity in me and where I have you right now. Heidi, look outside of you and see the ministry I have placed all around you. I trust God will provide that special child to us in His timing (Isaiah 55:8-9). As Eric and I march on in this journey of faith we claim Luke 1:37, "For with God nothing will be impossible."

Three weeks ago our agency (VA) sent an email from another Christian adoption agency (AR) and this agency was looking for some adoptive parents who were interested in a potential adoption situation. This agency did not have any profiles to show this birthmother. Eric and I stepped out in faith and submitted all the information required to this agnecy knowing that if the adoption went through it would cost us twice the amount of money it would cost us if we went through our current agency (VA). As it stands today, the birthmother is trying to decide between us and another family to adopt her baby boy. We were told two weeks ago she would be making a decision. Apparently the birthmother likes both families and this is a very difficult decision for her. We are still on pins and needles and this has been the longest two weeks of our lives. We hope to hear soon what her decision is. If we are not chosen it will be difficult, we have been praying that the Lord make it very clear to this birthmother what family she should choose. We know there is another baby out there for us. Thank you for love and prayers. We are BLESSED!

Christmas time is here......

We have had a busy past couple of weeks.....Christmas parties consuming most of our time. We were able to have our 1st Christmas party at our house this year and hosted the Children's ministry workers which was alot of fun! Eric ended up with a giant acorn at a white elephant ornament gift exchange at one party. Eric had his performing debut as the angel Michael.We have enjoyed the hustle and bustle; as I remind myself it is not about the hustle and bustle but remembering the birth of our Savior! Jesus is the reason we celebrate!

Heidi, Amy and Amy - Girls Night Out

Eric as the Angel Michael in Children's Christmas Play

Eric & The Angels

Heidi & Angela

Kids at the party!

Christmas party at our house, first use of the dining room!

Jon & Eric - Rock Band

Eric & Anna Belle

Heidi & Eric

Family trip to VA

After our trip to FL we flew straight to VA to see my family. We had a fun time! The rain that found us in FL followed us to VA......none the less we had a great time. We spent alot of time lovin on my cousin Amy's son - Gray! We dressed him in a hotdog costume...wanted to make sure it fit for Halloween. One of Eric's most favorite things to do at my parents is to get in the hot tub. My brother joined him one day and the dog Jaxson was thinking about taking a swim. The last day of our trip we went out to breakfast with my parents and found the oldest house a freed slave purchased in Orange county, they gave a tour of the property and house......on the way home I got to ride in my dad's convertible Porsche with the top down!

Ft Lauderdale, FL Vacation

We went to Ft Lauderdale the end of September for our vacation. We had a great time! The relaxation was wonderful....Eric and I both had our first massages. The beach was beautiful besides the rain we received both days from 1pm through the evening. I especially enjoyed the pool which as located on the 5th floor and the balconey overlooked the ocean, magnificent view! It's amazing how quick vactions come and go!!