7 Years Ago Today...

7 years ago today, we saw Reagan's sweet face for the first time! Can't believe it's been that long! I will never forget sitting in our kitchen playing cards waiting for the phone to ring. Back then, parents knew that the call was coming, so Tim had taken the day off of work and my friend, Jill took care of picking Ryleigh and Brett (who I was babysitting)up from preschool. We were beyond excited and nervous and it was a very long morning. We got an email that said the package was there and we had a referral, so we knew without a doubt we were going to "meet" our little girl. When they called they told us her information and said they would email the pictures. We ran downstairs to the computer to open the pictures and couldn't believe how cute she was! Tim's first comment was that she looked like a Reagan! He printed the pictures in 16 x 20 posters so we could study every detail. We looked up her province, city, and orphanage. We had a list of people that we called to share the good news. I remember calling my friend and fellow adoptive mommy, Sheri first because I knew she would share our excitement! When Jill brought Ryleigh home, she and Brett and Jordan and Rylee (Jill's kids) looked at the pictures and oohed and aahed over how cute she was! It was such a special day! Over the past 7 years, our hearts have been changed so much and it all started with our little Reagy-rooster! So many lives have been changed and touched because of this precious child that God gave to us. She is growing into such an awesome, Godly young lady. Her school pictures are so adorable and she looks so grown up! I am so proud of her and in awe that God blessed us with her! I wish I could thank her birth parents for giving her life and making sure she was safe. I am sure they could never imagine the amazing child she is. I pray that God gives them a special peace and comfort when they think of her. Happy referral day, Reagan (Gan Po Xin)!

We have a new reason to celebrate this day now, too! My nephew was born this afternoon! Augustus Wayne joins my brother's other 3 kids and doubles the amount of boy cousin's my kids have! So glad Ben is not alone and that Ethan will have a cousin to play with! What a blessed day! No news from China. The government is closed until the 8th for some kind of holiday. We are praying the when they pass along the letter from Dr. Tong that they will release Ethan to be adopted. He is still in the hospital and still on medication, but his heart rate has been "well above 60" according the latest update. I get very sad thinking about him sitting in a hospital bed all day and night. I pray that the nurses find ways to interact with him and that they have a heart for him and try to do special things for him. It is so tiring waiting and waiting and wondering and wishing. Tim and I laid in bed last night and watched the video of him and laughed at how cute he is saying no and starting to get mad! I can't wait for the day that he is throwing a tantrum and I get to see it and deal with it! I got a taste of a great 2 year old fit today when Caysie was in my office with her mommy today. It probably doesn't make sense to anyone, but I would give just about anything to have him screaming and saying "no" to me like Caysie was to her mommy. It made me miss him. That is what I was preparing myself for when I returned home from China with him. I was ready for those moments, now things just seem quiet and lonely. God has given me the strength to keep going, though, and I know that His way is better than mine, even when I don't understand it. We really appreciate the love and support that continues to be poured out on our family. Our specific prayer requests are that we can travel soon, that our girls will be okay while we are gone, and that some or all of the grants we have applied/reapplied for will get us the financial means we need to complete Ethan's adoption. We would also love to get Reese's referral so we could possibly make just one trip to complete our family. That would be the best outcome from all of this mess! Thanks for the prayers.