Making An Impression

About two weeks ago we went to one of our favorite places - Little Mulberry Park. Eric took off to the bike trails. Grace and I went for a jog with the help of the BEST jogging stroller (The Bob)....I call it jogging these days. Back in high school and college I competitively ran cross country. After Eric's bike ride and my jog, we head to the playground for Grace's enjoyment!

As I was jogging, a lady was jogging towards us and she motioned for me to stop. When I stopped she said. "I know your daughter." I know I must have looked at her like she was crazy. You see I had never seen this woman before and was quite puzzled. She asked, "was your daughter at the Lifeway store a couple of weeks ago with her grandmother?" I thought for a second...yes, she was. My mom was in town and kept Grace for the weekend and mentioned they went to Lifeway on one of their outings. Our park friend says, "I ran into your mom and your baby a couple of times at Lifeway and she was so friendly and sweet. Every time I passed them she would wave and smile at me." Then our park friends says, "her name is Faith or Grace?" I said, "sounds like you did meet my daughter and her name is Grace." I thanked her for her kind words and we both we back to jogging.

I had to sit back in amazement of once again our precious Hannah Grace making an impression on others by her warm engaging smile and sweet hi when she comes into contact with others. Grace rarely meets a stranger. What struck me about the depth of her impression was that we were not taking a casual stroll in the park...our park friend saw her and at first glance in the middle of a run noticed her and stopped me.

 How we pray Grace will continue to greet others with a smile and genuine love and concern. Our prayer is that she is drawn to the Savior at a young age and understands the hope of her calling (There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling. Eph 4:4). When others ask her why she is the way she is, Grace boldly shares her spiritual adoption in Christ. We thank the Lord for the favor He has bestowed on our gift - Hannah Grace.

Our Little All Star

Is this not the cutest thing you've seen or heard?

Perfect Love

Here is a link to the blog post written by our adoption caseworker. She is referencing our family and I wanted to share it with our followers. Can't wait to see how our Hannah Grace adoption story continues to unfold!
http://flsadoption.blogspot.com/2011/02/perfect-love.html

A Couple of Snapshots of our Sweet Pea!

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

We sang this great hymn this past Sunday at church. For the past couple of years whenever I hear this song or we sing at church I can not contain myself and the tears start rolling. Why you might ask? I believe this hymn has been for lack of better words is our family's (Eric, Heidi and Grace and before Grace, Eric & Heidi) motto. God has been so faithful to our family the past 6 1/2 years even when we chose not to see His faithfulness. He was and is and will be FAITHFUL! I see His faithfulness in miracles we witnessed, in brokeness, in challenges, in spiritual growth, in break-through, in God ordained friendships, in adoption, in our personal passions, in our daily needs, in our extended family, in our prayer life and the list goes on....I am sure you were wanting an update on Grace or a picture, I will post one soon. This blog has served not only to brag on God's goodness and faithfulness to us through adoption but has some how served to be therapeutic for me. Thanks for listening!


Great is thy faithfulness, O God my father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou for ever will be

Great is thy faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me

Great is thy faithfulness
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy and love

Great is thy faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me

Great is thy faithfulness
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside

Great is thy faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me

A Thoughtful Gift...

Grace received her first self portrait drawing. I am amazed at the giftedness and talent of our friend Diane Wade. She is an incredible artist and translates her passion for art to students everyday as an elementary art teacher. One of the most influential teachers in my life was an art teacher, oh how I digress.

It amazes me the attention to detail of this drawing and how it closely resembles Grace at this time of her life. Diane, thank you for a very thoughtful gift and I love the frame too! We appreciate your love, support and friendship.

Couponing

I have been researching and talking to friends who coupon for a couple of months. I have been trying to wrap my mind around all involved....it seemed overwhelming to me. Recently I came across a show on TLC called "Extreme Couponing." Those people on the show are serious about the coupon thing....I was amazed! Realizing after viewing the show, I am a visual person and until I actually saw someone go from start to finish and grocery shop. I could not put all the pieces together. Once I saw the show and had the basis knowledge of research the practices really started to click for me.

I began a couple of weeks ago to follow the coupon strategy of buying a couple of Sunday papers (I buy them Saturday night), cut and organize coupons (Sat night), check out the grocery store sale flyers and only buy items that are on sale and I have a coupon. I bought a large binder with baseball card holders to house all my coupons in an organized manner. I've had to be disciplined to buy only the sale/coupon items and those essential items I need that typically do not go on sale - meat, chicken, milk, eggs, veggies and fruit.

Couponing is definitely worth it if you are considering it. Make no mistake it is time consuming, requires one to be very organized and not for the faint of heart. I would not consider myself to be the most organized, however, it is possible. Time consuming plays on the front and back end. Front end - clipping and organizing the coupons, back end - to get the BEST deals you have to shop at 2-3 grocery stores. There are valuable websites that share where you can get the best deal. Sometimes it is easier for me to just read the weekly sales paper from the grocery stores and plan my grocery list before I walk in and go right down the line.

For example, today I went to Kroger paid $34.40, between Kroger Plus card, manufacturing coupons and the coupon doubles I saved $29.48....not bad when I could have paid $63.88. Next to Publix paid $40.75, between Publix B1G1, Publix coupons and manufactures coupons I saved $29.13...not bad when I could have paid $70.08. Grand total spent - $75.15. This can last us close to two weeks and we can eat at home most every night.

I hope to stick with it. I am a competitive person by nature so I always attempt to save more. I desire to be a wise steward of what the Lord has entrusted to us. As I think of being a wise steward in the role of being a wife and mother, I am reminded of Proverbs 31 (Virtuous Wife).

As I have couponed I realize it is more than just saving for my household....couponing allows you to buy items for free or at very low costs so in turn you can give to others. The Lord has challenged Eric and I to give even more in 2011 and one way we plan to do so in our church food pantry. There is such a need!  Another idea a friend gave me is for people in the church who coupon to cut extra coupons, give them to the church food pantry and someone who is passionate and willing to organize the coupons on behalf of the church can make the church's coupon binder and buy those items for the food pantry at great deals as well!

As 2011 kicks off....my prayer is that the Lord teaches me how to be the Virtuous Wife and Mother and that I listen and obey!

Proverbs 31:10 - 31
10 Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. 11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain. 12 She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands. 14 She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar. 15 She also rises while it is yet night, And provides food for her household, And a portion for her maidservants. 16 She considers a field and buys it; From her profits she plants a vineyard. 17 She girds herself with strength, And strengthens her arms. 18 She perceives that her merchandise is good, And her lamp does not go out by night. 19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hand holds the spindle. 20 She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy. 21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, For all her household is clothed with scarlet. 22 She makes tapestry for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple. 23 Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land. 24 She makes linen garments and sells them,And supplies sashes for the merchants. 25 Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come. 26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness. 27 She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness. 28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her: 29 “ Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all.” 30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates.

Grace is #1

December 28th marked Grace's 1st birthday and we celebrated that evening with family and close friends. I am going to post an a paragraph of what we wrote to Grace's birthmother updating her on our month. It really covers everything and it is so neat to recall the month, put it in letters to her birthmother and one day we will give Grace a copy of those letters and incorporate them in her baby book.

"The month of December ended with her birthday. This little girl knows how to have a 1^st birthday party, a lot of it thanks to mom. Grace’s party had an Owl Theme with owl party hats, owl balloons, owl party horns, owl napkins, owl plates, and an owl piñata. Many people came out to celebrate her 1^st birthday; the grand total was over thirty people.  Grace again made out like a bandit being overwhelmed with many thoughtful gifts. We now have a room at the front of the house that is dedicated strictly for all of her new toys.  The highlight of the birthday party was when Grace got to taste birthday cake for the first time. She started off by just nibbling at the cake, but once daddy helped her a little the cake was everywhere and we had one happy little girl."

A couple of people played a key role in our "Owl Themed 1st birthday." Aunt Sarah made Grace's beautiful birthday cake and it tasted wonderful too. My mom was down for Christmas and Grace's birthday and was a huge help with food and decor. Our friend Wendy Arnold is super talented and put together a dvd of pictures and short video clips with music of Grace 1st year. If you are interested in checking it out, here is the link - http://www.vimeo.com/18019924

What a blessing sweet Hannah Grace to us! Happy birthday baby girl!

What A Difference A Year Makes....

As I reflect on this time last year....December 22, 2009 (my brother's birthday), we were in VA visitng with my family for Christmas. We arrived December 19th or 20th and VA received record snow fall - 36 inches!! It was absolutely CrAzY! I was in a panic because the plan was to meet for lunch with Grace's birthmother for her to interview us December 22nd. How are we going to make it with that amount of snow?

Fortunately, VA DOT got their job done and we made it to Lynchburg for the interview; however, along the way I kid you not we saw 57 cars in the ditch. We made it to the Mexican restaurant where I was as nervous as I could be. This was the most important interview of our life! Eric and I were overwhelmed with a sense of peace and did not even review how we would answer questions. We knew God was in control and brought us to this point. We really did not know what to expect since this was the first interview we ever had with a birthmother. At that point we had our album in with our adoption agency about 15 months.

I wish I could recall every question asked or each detail about that 3 hour lunch. All I can say is that it was a divine appointment and it was evident God drew our hearts together during that time. Grace's birthmother directed alot of her questions towards Eric and it was clear she wanted a godly, involved, loving father to her baby. As I have mentioned in an earlier post, one of the only questions she asked me was what girls names did we like. I told her I did not know why but in the past month the name Grace kept popping up and it was not a name we had planned on. I was sure God had this name reoccuring for a reason and we both like it. Grace's birthmother began crying and said when she found out she was having a girl she named her - Hannah Grace and asked if we would be willing to name her that. We of course agreed and left the meeting with feelings of peace, anxiousness and excitement.

We received a phone call from our adoption caseworker - December 24th that Grace's birthmother told her caseworker as soon as she left lunch she told her that we were to be Grace's parents and she was sure of it. They asked her to think and pray about it a couple of days. Grace's birthmother insisted that Eric and I know she chose us before Christmas. We received the most incredible news and best gift ever that we were going to be parents! Grace is nothing short of a miracle....she has brought us so much joy and love! Grace is more than we could have ever dreamed of....and we are blessed to call her ours. We are eternally thankful to God's provision and Grace's birthmother decision. We will be especially fervent in praying for Grace's birthmother this week. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort." 2 Corinthians 1:3

We praise the Lord for hearing our cries and answering our prayers. "I will turn their mourning into gladness;

I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow." Jeremiah 31:13

As I reflect on the gift of my child - Hannah Grace, I am once again reminded of the ULTIMATE gift....God's Son - Jesus Christ who was born to a virgin, lived a sinless, perfect life and died by way of death on the cross to save my life and those who repent and accept Him as Savior and Lord of their life. As Grace has changed our lives, Jesus Christ has forever changed my life forever. I am so thankful he loves me and accepts me for who He created me to be and challenges me in my daily life to more like Him. A baby really does change everything! Merry Christmas!