Late Saturday night, we received an email from our agency that our Travel Approval for Elli had arrived! What else could I ask for Mother's Day?!?!? Okay, well Elli in person would have topped it, but Travel Approval was pretty sweet.
Since our agency was expecting our TA any day, we have already sent in our Consulate Appointment form and should have a confirmed appointment by the end of the week. There is much to do before we leave in order to get ready for our trip and bringing Elli home.
I was sooooo hoping that the house would be done, but that just isn't going to happen. Elli will have lots of fun when we get home helping us on the house I am sure. We may have to fix a room safe for the kids while I paint and clean. Instead of thinking of all the craziness that it is going to be, I just try to think of all the memories we will be making....okay, I can't - it is going to be crazy! But, I think we are up for the challenge.
I had a good day with the kids yesterday. After church, Rodney and the kids took me out to lunch. My mom left right after church for a 2-week school of ministry session with my dad, so we spent the remainder of the afternoon with Rodney's mom. We didn't get in until late and I totally forgot to take my annual mother's day picture with the kids....we will have to fake it next Sunday when we are dressed up :-)
I am so thankful to be a mom. It is the best thing that ever happened to me. Each one of my kids are so different and such treasures. As they grow and enter different stages, they continue to enrich my life in a different way. I miss the toddlers and infant stages of the boys, but I am loving the age they are now too. I can't imagine not having Anna. She entered our lives and became our daughter in a different way than the boys, but it was perfect in it's own way. She brings such a different dynamic to our family and has helped make us who we are as a family of 6. I don't know what all Elli will bring or how we will change, but we are excited, totally in love and can't wait to see what the future holds for us.
I couldn't have written my story or planned my life to be what it has become. I only wanted 2 kids - a boy and a girl. Didn't want to live where I grew up and never, in a thousand years, thought I would marry a country lovin', hunting, truck driving man. However, there is no way I would change anything about my life...well I might change the hunting thing. God's plans are always so much better than what we could have ever planned ourselves. When something wonderful happens in our lives, I think to myself that it couldn't get any better...and then it does. There are disappointments, heartaches and troubles because this life isn't perfect. But life is pretty good.
So thankful for our Travel Approval, a great Mother's Day & sending our love to Elli,
Rodney, Marcy, Carter, Jacob, Parker & Anna Mei
