Early Valentines Day Gift

Bryan and I got an early Valentine's Day present from my mom (yes, we still get Valentine's day presents, we are slightly spoiled!).  We got an IPad!  It is really cool and fun to use.  It's our first Apple product so there are some things that are different that we are getting use to. 

I think blogging on the IPad is a little different.  I could type my post but could not figure out how to insert an image to my post.  Does anyone know how to help me?  Any tips on blogging from an IPad?

Favorite Book Series

I just finished book four in my favorite series of novels by Nora Roberts.  I am kind of sad it's over!  This series is about four friends who run a wedding planning business called Vows.  In each book, it tells the story of each friend and how they find love.  The friends are so funny together and it's fun to read about how they interact with each other. 

These books have helped me take my mind off of waiting for a few minutes everyday.  I would recommend them to any girl who loves a good love story!

Enjoy!

This one's for you mom!

You know it's bad when your mom sends you a text message and ask if everything is o.k. because I haven't blogged in a few days!

I am doing well just super busy!  At work we started second semester and I have a new teammate that I am teaching with.  My other teammate is taking a leave of absence to complete a master's degree and another teacher at our school is filling in for him.  She is an amazing and experienced teacher but we are just going through an adjustment period.  She is having to get to know our kids and her new schedule.  I am trying to make her feel as welcome as possible but its keeping me very busy.  Also, we are making up a snow day this Saturday so that means extra planning this week!  

At night I have been going to the YMCA to workout.  Plus some of my favorite shows started new episodes this week.  So of course after 8:00, I am glued to the TV!  

No news on the adoption front but hopefully soon!  I am planning a baby shower for our adoption agency in February so I am super excited about that...details coming soon!

I am very excited about all of the adoption stories that I am getting to read about through other blogs!  Each and every story is wonderful and different in many ways.  Hearing about the adoption stories makes me happy and hopeful! 

That's all I've got.  There's just not much going on with us these days.  Just hanging out, staying busy, and waiting on our phone to ring!

Roxy relaxing in the sunlight on this pretty but cold Saturday!

New Nursery Stuff!!

A few new purchases for the nursery!  Both of these little things came from Hobby Lobby.  

I have got to quit buying things but it is so much fun!  I can't imagine what it will be like when I know the gender of our baby!  Complete madness!!!

Also, I think I forgot to show you the stuffed dog my mom and dad got Baby Pruitt for Christmas.

Super Cute!  I just love his face!

Please pray for Trisha and Tommy at Waiting for Something Beautiful.  Their baby boy is here! They had a wonderful experience with their birthmother and I can't wait to see pictures of this precious baby boy!

Everybody smile!  Tomorrow is Friday!!!

A New Light & Seven Months

This weekend we finally replaced an old light in my dining room.  It was original to the house.

Before

After

I really like how it looks!  The light came from Lowes and the lampshades came from Hobby Lobby.  I finally feel like my dining room is complete (except for some curtains...it's always something!) 

Seven Months Waiting

Well, it has been seven months now waiting for our baby.  I was really hoping I wouldn't have to do another one of these post but the time has come. Here are some of my thoughts:

I am so happy that I started blogging because I get to see other miracles happening everyday.  Even though we do not have placement yet, it brings me joy when other families are receiving their babies through adoption.  Just to see adoption in action allows me to stay positive and know that my time is coming.

Everyday I wake up and think I hope today is the day.  I really don't know how to stop doing that and I guess I won't until the time comes. 

I continue to rely on God and know that he has that special baby chosen for us we just have to be patient.

I now think about the fact that hopefully somebody in this world is carrying our child.  I really like to think this because otherwise I know I have at least 9 more months of waiting.  I pray that she is not only taking care of the baby but taking care of herself.  Praying for birth mothers has now become part of my daily prayers.  

Everyday I wonder if its going to be a boy or a girl!

Some days are good and some days I wonder why are we still waiting?  Bryan and I both have good jobs, we own our own home, we have a strong, wonderful marriage, we have very supportive family and friends.  Why not us?  

I will end on a good note...adoption has made me a better person.  My faith has grown so much during this process.  Talking to God is now part of my daily life.  I think I will be a better parent because of this.  My heart has grown so much and I feel special because I am getting to experience something that most people never will.  My eyes have been opened and my heart is huge!

But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, "You are my God."  My times are in your hand.

Psalms 31: 14-15

I hope everyone has a great week!

I am going back to work tomorrow after being at home for a week because of the snow. 

 I dread the alarm clock!

One more post today...

Bryan and I always cook Sunday dinner.  It's kind of "our thing."  Usually Bryan grills because if you don't know by now, Bryan is a wonderful griller!  I thought I would share with you tonights dinner.

I made home-made potato chips tonight for the first time.

You have to slice the potatoes about an hour before you bake them so they will dry out.  I just laid them out on some paper towels.

Then you just put them on a cookie sheet and bake for about 15 minutes at 500 degrees.  I brushed mine with some melted butter and added salt & pepper.

They turned out to be really good!  I served them with homemade ranch dressing for dipping.

Bryan grilled cheeseburgers which are always super!

The final plate!

One more random thing...

I went to Food Lion today grocery shopping and they gave me free flowers!  They were past date and were going to be thrown away.  Look at how pretty they are! I couldn't find a vase so I just stuck them in a mason jar. It kind of made my day!

Happy Anniversary!

Yesterday was my grandparents wedding anniversary.  They have been married for 62 years!  They are the heart of our family and the best grandparents in the world!

Happy Anniversary Mawmaw & Pawpaw

We love you!

Prayer Request

Please keep a co-worker of mine in your prayers.  Her husband was rushed to the hospital today.  They believe it was a heart attach.  They transferred him to another hospital to run more test.  My co-worker is Susie and her husbands name is Rick.

Our school has had a rough time lately...but we are pulling together and becoming an even stronger tight-knit family!

Is there anything you need me to pray for?  Leave me a comment.

Book Talk

I wanted to share with you a book.

 Adoption is a Family Affair.  

By:  Patricia Irwin Johnston

I bought this book for our parents for Christmas because our agency recommended it for family members.  I wanted to read it before I gave it to them but I ran out of time.  So my mom finished it and passed it to me.  I thought the book gave really good practical information for the supporting families of couples who are adopting.  The author covers topics like how adoption works, myths and facts about adoption, the right and wrong things to say, and how to help prepare. One part I thought to be helpful was some things for the grandparents to do when we bring the baby home (prepare dinners, help with laundry, and even grocery shopping).  It is not a really long book, and I would consider it an easy read.  After reading the book, my mom actually called and apologized for a small thing that she would sometimes say that the book recommends not to say to a couple who is adopting.  It wasn't anything offensive to me but was just not the main focus of the adoption process.  She said she really enjoyed it and is glad that she read it!  

Enjoy!!!

Another Day At Home

Due to the snow, I have been home all week long!  Monday was great because the snow was fresh and fun.  We had a great time hanging out with our friends and enjoying the day off together.  You know the first snow day is always the best.  

Yesterday, Bryan was home with me again because his office closed two days in a row which was very unusual.  There wasn't as much to do yesterday.  I think our highlights were going to get lunch at KFC and shopping at Dollar General. Last night we did play a round of Tiger Woods Golf on the Wii (Bryan only won by two strokes).  

Today Bryan had to go back to work.  The sun is out so maybe some ice will begin to melt but it's just so cold outside!  Our neighborhood streets are solid ice!  I may try to venture out this afternoon for some lunch with Angela and I would love to go the Y tonight...Cardiodance!!

I have to admit that it is wonderful not having to set an alarm.  If I could start work everyday about 9 it would be perfect.  My internal alarm clock wakes me up about 6:30 everyday but I can easily go back to sleep for about an hour or two.  Watching Regis and Kelly has been another one of highlights.  Regis is on vacation, so Kelly has had a different co-host everyday this week.  I just think Kelly is hilarious!  I love when she tells funny stories about her kids.  

My prayers are with Trisha and Tommy today as they are waiting for their phone to ring.  Their birthmother is due today and they will be blessed with a beautiful son!  Keep their family in your prayers as they have some traveling to do and the roads are still icy in some places.  I am so excited for their family and I can't wait to see pictures of their son!

Have a great day!

Fun in the Snow & Polar Plunge

Bryan and I had a great time in the snow today! We ventured out this morning and visited our friends Scott, Angela, and Braden.  Angela attempted to build a snowman but the snow was too soft.  

This afternoon, there was a Polar Plunge in our neighborhood.  The Polar Plunge was in honor of a young man in our community who was in a terrible accident a couple of weeks ago.  His name is Clay and he is a volunteer fireman who was responding to a fire when he flipped his truck.  He is a senior in high school.  He is currently in the hospital with some major injuries.  Our community has really pulled together for this young man and has some scheduled fund raisers to help out the family.  Everyone who attended the Polar Plunge today donated $5 to give to the family.  The pictures turned out to be really funny! 

 The jumpers were friends and family; they decided to wear funny costumes or not much at all!  I wish you could have seen their faces when they came up out of that freezing cold water!

Please keep Clay and his family in your prayers!

Stay strong Clay!

Saturday Project

Bryan and I really like cookbooks and have a pretty good collection of them.  I have been thinking and looking for some creative way to display them in the kitchen.  I didn't want a regular bookshelf, I wanted something old. Well, this turned into todays project.  Bryan and I went shopping at antique and junk stores in the area.  We came across an old wooden crate that Bryan said he could hang on the wall.  It turned out to be perfect! 

Also, Roxy got a haircut!

Have a great rest of the weekend!

Tough Day at Work

Our school had a shocking incident today.  One of our eight grade teachers left school a little early today because she wasn't feeling well.  She got in her car and headed down the road when she stopped her car.  A parent saw her and reported it to the school.  Our principal found her slumped over.  He called 911 and rode with her to the hospital.  She had a heart attack and passed away.  Her name was Cheryl and she was a veteran math teacher.  Our school is in utter shock!  We all stayed after school together in the library until a final call came through to let us know the news.  

Please keep her family and our school family in your prayers!

We are going to have a rough week ahead of us.

Just a few random things:

CONGRATULATIONS to Brantley & Richard who welcomed home a beautiful baby girl! 

 I do not know them personally but I have been following their blog for a while.  I was overwhelmed with joy today when I checked their blog and saw beautiful pictures of their brand new baby girl.  I can only imagine the overwhelming joy and happiness they are feeling right now.  According to their blog, they waited about 8 months for their little miracle to come home!  God is good!

Today was my first attempt at "couponing!"  I hate to call it a resolution because I am afraid I won't keep it up but I am going to try.  I did a little research and found out that today was double coupon day at Harris Teeter.  After a little shopping, I got several bags of goodies and ended up with a savings of $15.04!  My total bill was lowered to only $24.00 which is pretty cheap these days.  I am satisfied with my first attempt and motivated to keep it up!  My next step is that I want to check out some coupon websites.  Any suggestions?

Lastly, I noticed today that I am up to 40 followers on my blog which amazes me!  I never thought so many people would actually be interested in our journey.  Because of my blog, I have made connections with many new people that are experiencing some of the same things that Bryan and I are going through in our lives. Just today I received a message from someone who is experiencing fertility issues and she came across my blog.  Her mom lives in my town and she comes to visit her often. So she mentioned maybe us meeting up for coffee so we could talk.  I think that's a wonderful idea and being able to share my story with others feels great!
Maybe that's part of God's plan for me.

Trusting in God has gotten me this far and I know there are wonderful things to come!

I hope everyone has a great rest of the week!

My Thoughts on this Monday

Today was my first day back to work after being off for two weeks!  Overall, it was a good day.  The kids were excited to see each other and show off their new stuff.  I noticed a lot of new shoes this year! 

My mood was a little off today.  I am not sure why but I felt like I was in a daze all day today.  I have to confess that when Bryan and I started the adoption process, I just knew that we would have a baby by now.  When we began this process in November 2009 I was thinking that by the following Christmas 2010 we would be parents.  I guess to be honest, I feel a little let down.  I almost feel bad admitting this because I know that I should have never set a timeline.  In the adoption world, that is the worst thing you can do but oh well I mentally did it.  

Now what?

I will continue waiting faithfully and praying that in God's time, we will become parents. 

I will stay positive!

I will enjoy our time with just the two of us.

I will continue to exercise and take care of myself.

I will try to stay busy because sometimes downtime can be the hardest times.

Be strong, and let your heart take courage,

all you who wait for the lord!

Psalm 31:24

Soap Giveaway

Check out the Bright Star Soap giveaway at Joy for the Seasons!  I ordered some of these wonderful soaps for Christmas presents this year and they are great! 


 All of the soaps that this family sells is helping them to support their adoption. I want to support them in anyway I can. 
Good Luck!