Titus Update

Our friend and agency director just got back from Ethiopia last Saturday. She visited the new HIV orphanage, the original orphanage, and our son! We got beautiful pictures (and I mean BEAUTIFUL!!!) and wonderful video! It was such a blessing to get it and to see how much he has changed in just under 2 months! Our friend also bought him a hat at market and had him wear it and then she brought it home to us. I was lying in bed with it and I thought "wouldn't it be cool if there was a hair in it?" I looked and looked and then I saw it. A very tiny, very curly black hair. It almost looked like an eyelash, just a little longer and curlier! I was ecstatic and have it in a tupperware! I put my hand in the hat and slept with it (I wasn't feeling too good that day) and just thought "my son's head was in here last week!" Gosh, I want him home sooooo badly! Just pray that we get a court date soon. We are hoping a court date before Christmas and pick-up mid January, if all goes well. Just thought I'd share!

Annual Pumpkin Pick

We go every year to Shaake's Pumpkin Patch. It was PACKED! We went on a Saturday and the pickings were slim, but we found 3 that we liked. I get pics of the girls every year and I just love seeing them and how they've changed. We saw are great friends (and ex-neighbors) the Rea's there, so that was fun. They just moved to their new house this week and will be greatly missed. (At least they are only a few blocks away)!

Riding Cayenne

Our Uncle Chris' girlfriend, Holly, treated us a couple Sundays ago to riding her horse. We had a great time! Cayenne eats A LOT of grass and was tired after we all road her. I was scared to ride her so I made Chris walk the horse while I rode. The last time I had rode a horse, I got bucked off and my sister landed on top of me! Here are some pics. (Haley was unable to attend; she was sick with kitty allergies).

American Royal

The Grace homeschool group went to the American Royal for a field trip on Oct. 20th. There were probably about 50 of us there, so it was a pretty good turn out. We got a "behind the scenes" tour and then we got to see a junior rodeo. It was pretty neat seeing 6-13 year-olds roping and riding! We got to see a cow get milked and a the famous Cowboy Monkey! Here are some pics.

Lila's Field Trip

It has been so long...busy with school, with Titus' arrival (which we still don't know about a court date), and just life! The Giving Tree (her Pre-K) went to the pumpkin patch. It was a perfect day and every kiddo got to pick one pumpkin to take home with them. Here are some pics and one with Lila and her church buddy, Jalon. A couple of years ago, this little guy picked flowers for Lila and tried to give them to her in the church parking lot. He is such a cutie and they are going to loan us their crib for our little guy!

Funny

Baby News!

So it has been a very long time since I have updated our blog. Most of you know that we received a referral for our little Titus on Sept. 4th! He is just over 4 months old now, which is quite a shock on our system, because we were expecting a 4 year old or someone around that age. We are thrilled beyond belief and can't wait to get our hands on him! He has beautiful big, brown eyes and tiny little fingers. He reminds me of Alex and Vince in a way! I remember last Christmas being depressed, wanting our son to be home, and praying (for the past year) that by the next Christmas we would have him. It looks like it could be a possibility! Can you all please pray that we will get a court date soon and that it would pass the first time. If it does, we will be able to pick him up 4-6 weeks later. It is so hard not being able to hold him; so I hold his picture and rock it. (Kinda silly, but if you're a momma, you know you would do it too!) I can't post any pics of him until court passes. Also, Pam is traveling to ET to check on her humanitarian projects and the new HIV orphanage/house that they have begun. How cool is that?! We hope to see it all when we travel to pick little Titus up. Be praying for safety for her and the 3 other women traveling with her.
In Bible study, we have been in James and this week, we examined James 2, about partiality. James 2:5 "Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?" It has been sobering thinking about what God values vs. what I value. I am so thankful our Father does not show partiality. Money, possessions, status and beauty do not matter to him, just the heart. So I can't wait to experience Titus' birthplace and see what God has to show us! We'll be busy preparing---we were done with babies, so we are being blessed by the body through "loaners". I'll be better about updating when we get a court date! Thanks for the prayers!