Missouri State Champion and #2!

Here she is, the new Missouri State Queen!!!!!!  When you hear the words, Awesome, Amazing, Incredible, Unbelievable, what do you think of?  We think of the worlds greatest daughter!!!  She competed in 11 events over the weekend and earned 1st place in 10 of the 11 events she competed in.  She was competing against the best baton twirlers in the state of Missouri, and took home these titles:

MISSOURI STATE QUEEN

MISSOURI STATE MODEL CHAMPION

MISSOURI STATE STRUT CHAMPION

MISSOURI STATE X STRUT CHAMPION

MISSOURI STATE SOLO CHAMPION

MISSOURI STATE HOOP CHAMPION

2nd place Mo State 2 baton

Looking at these trophies, they are rather small compared to the Twirltacular trophies from last weekend but trust me when I tell you that size doesn't matter(at least in the trophy world, sorry I could not help myself!  LOL  more urology humor ha!)  The Missouri State titles are the biggest titles you can achieve on the state level.  There is one additional Mo State coveted title, it is the Miss Majorette of Missouri title.  We have never competed in this contest before.  We will travel to Carthage, Mo home of the Precious Moments Chapel(Sam Butcher, artist) the first weekend in May.  Only the first place winners are then allowed to compete at 'Nationals", for the Miss Majorette of America title.  We have competed at Nationals, in South Bend, IN on the campus of Notre Dame the last two years.  If Paeton achieves the MM of Missouri award she will get to compete in this additional event this year at Nationals.  For the MM contest your are scored on model, interview, x strut and your solo routine.  The scores of these events are all put together for one score and this is your overall winner.  In case of a tie, solo score breaks the tie.  

Peaton works very hard and we are super proud.  There is a program at the contest, and you can buy a page, 1/2 page ad and put photos of your child in there, wishes for good luck etc.  This year I wrote a little something and put a page in there especially for Paeton with at photo of her at age 4 in her first Mo State contest and a photo from last year with all of her awards.  I will share it with you here. . . 

You were dancing at two,

twirling a baton when three,

what parents could ask for more?

Then you started twirling competitions

when you were only age four.

You've not stopped dancing.

You've not stopped twirling.

The competitions are too numerous.

You just continue soaring!

Looking back now that you are age ten,

at all you have accomplished

from now through then;

the medals, the trophies, the titles and more,

are not what we are most proud of you for.

It's your sparkle, your shine

the way you live your life,

showing love and kindness to others

and following after Christ!

Mom and Dad

While we were out of town, we received a call and are now #2 on the list for baby boy and girl! So exciting!!  Keep your fingers and toes crossed, I may have a baby soon!!!!!!!

Mountain of God by Third Day

Praising God for His faithfulness and love as we go through the valley and cry out to Him.

We've MOVED again!!

# 2 infant boy waiting list

# 3 infant girl waiting list

It is official we have moved up the list again.  We are getting closer and closer to being introduced to our child.  We are excited at the possibility that we could receive "THE CALL" any day!  We continue to pray for the Lords desires to be our desires in our adoption and for His choice in a child to be given to us in His timing.  Would you stand with us in this prayer for our family?  It has been a long and hard wait , not without some bumps and bruises along the way.  As most of you know we proceeded in faith in this adoption journey because we felt His call to do so.  We just want Him to finish what He has started in us; a desire to be parents again to a 'CHOSEN' child.  

SPECTACULAR TWIRLTACULAR!!

Memphis 2009, Miss Majorette TWIRLTACULAR Grand Champion, Hall of Fame Twirling Champion, Strut Queen Champion.  She is fabulous, what can I say, we are so proud of her!  Who would of guessed that for the 48 hours prior to this competition she would have been sick with the tummy flu.  Not to mention she recently got her cast removed from her L arm!  She is a true champion!  Funny story. . . it is hard not to get caught up in the competition as a mom so with that said, Paeton had not practiced much due to her lack of energy from the flu.  A girl that I had seen practice the entire day, and perform her routines almost flawlessly for the judges was competing against Paeton of the Hall of Fame Twirling Champion.  She went out and did her routine and was amazing!  I went over to where Paeton was sitting and said, "watch this girl, she is your competition, she is amazing, she has worked hard all day and practiced her routine and frankly Paeton she is going to kick your butt and take your name!"  (Let me say this is not one of my prouder parent moments, I was a little caught up in the competition, This twirler was good, but I knew that if Paeton had put in the practice time she had the ability to take this girls name.  It was not her fault she was sick I know)  So, Paeton is up, it is her turn to do her performance and . . . she nails it!  I do not know where the energy came from as it was toward the end of the competition but she did awesome!  It was a thrill when she was called the champion of this event at awards!  You can bet I'll be telling her this same motivating line next weekend at the Missouri State Competition in Kansas City!  LOL, yes I am kidding!
One of our favorite judges we always look forward to seeing is Ms Kelly.  She loves baton twirling!  Her second favorite thing is these cuties pictured here.  Left to right, Decinda, our high school senior, and new MAJORETTE for LINDENWOOD College in St Louis, MO this fall!  Way to go Decinda, we are your biggest fans!  Pictured in the blue, is of course the world's greatest daughter, Paeton!  Pretty in pink, Willow, and Missouri State Queen, nov 0-6 yr, Lily!
Paeton and her friend Willow at the Memphis competition.  This was Willows first twirling competition!  She was FANTABULOUS!  She is likely to be MISS MAJORETTE of MISSOURI, soon!  Get her autograph while you still can!

Tremendous Loss

I just read on another Ethiopian adoptive mom's blog that the orphans of Ethiopia have lost a great friend, advocate and savior.  Mrs. Haregewoin Teferra from Melissa Fay Green's book, "There Is No Me Without You", passed away yesterday, March 17, 2009.

I read this book on our recent trip to Colorado.  If you have not read it, I highly recommend you do.  It is life changing.  After loosing her own daughter, Mrs. Haregewoin Teferra has been a mother to thousands of Ethiopian orphans.  This is a HUGE loss for the Ethiopian adoption community but a HUGE gain for the Kingdom.  Her work will continue to bare Godly fruit for generations yet to come.

I don't want to SHOWOFF!

This is a picture of the junior company girls with studio director, Ms Kara and one of the dance teachers, Ms Susan.  Paeton is pictured, second from the left.  This group is just so darn cute and did an incredible routine to, "Happy Working Song".  It was a really fun full day, and a great distraction for me since I had such a crummy day on friday.

Paeton had a dance competition in St Louis all day saturday.  It was held at the St Charles convention center.  It was a lot of fun and the girls did an amazing job!  The red dresses are for a big musical line production.  The song, "I don't want to showoff", from the Broadway hit musical, Throughly Modern Millie.  They were totally FABULOUS!!!

Paeton and I will be traveling again this weekend to Memphis, TN for the TWIRLTACULAR baton twirling competition.  This is always a really fun competition and gives us great practice for the next weekend which is the Missouri State baton championships.  

We are looking forward to the exciting possibility of more referrals this week, court appointments, and embassy dates for families waiting to travel to pick up their children.  Please stand with us in prayer this week as we wait on the Lord for more of His answers to many prayers.

Terrible Two's

Oh I am having such a hard day today.  I feel so helpless and out of control in this wait for our baby.  I can not seem to think of anything else lately.  I was just sure that there would be some referrals given out this week, even if not mine it is such a blessing to see other families connected to their children.  I can hardly wait to find out if we will be having a baby boy or a baby girl.  If we will be blessed with one or the possibility of two?  I would love to start getting the nursery in order but since I am a gender specific person I can not start that project until I know what I'm having.  It all comes down to my not fully trusting in Gods timing and His plan, I do trust Him and I'm not worried in the least, what ever child/children we are blessed with, you Lead Father, I will follow.  I am surrendered to His pan.  Am I struggling because it took so long for me to fully surrender to the Lord in regard to this adoption?  Yes, it was I that ran from this calling, afraid, with so many questions, and selfish motives.  But, then I, more than 6 months ago came weeping at His feet, crying out, "Yes Lord!  Yes Lord!  My answer is yes!  I am giving up the doubts, I don't even fully know what you are asking of me but I surrender, my answer is YES!"  That's it, I surrendered, I'm ready to do this, my heart is ready to mother another blessing/s from you.  Ahh, but the Lord must not be ready to give me this mission yet.  Just because I am ready now, or at least I think I am, I still need to wait on His lead.  And this is just so hard for me.  I know I must sound like a 'terrible two', selfish, me, me, me.  I feel guilty because the fact is that in order for me to receive my child, someone way across the world will lose theirs.  May be even die.  She will make a very unselfish decision to give her child up because of health issues, or a variety of other reasons that she can not provide for her child.  This reality is very sad to me.  Today I am feeling frustrated, sad, guilt, just not good.  I will crawl back to the feet of Jesus and cry out to Him again, repent for my lack of faith and trust in His timing and His plan.  I am thankful, for I know that my Father will forgive my weakness and in His love for me, He will restore my faith in myself, in Him and in His divine plan for us and our child to come.  

Prayer for our Nation

I received this prayer via email from my Uncle this morning.  I am committed to pray this prayer, will you join me?  Billy Graham's prayer for our Nation

"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance.  We know your Word says, 'woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done.  We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.  We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.  We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.  We have killed our unborn and called it choice.  We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.  We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.  We have abused power and called it politics.  We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.  We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.  We have ridiculed the time honored values of our fore fathers and called it enlightenment.  Search us, oh God, and know our hearts today, cleanse us from every sin and set us free.  AMEN

"Why God?"

I saw this quote on another mom's blog and I had to post it here......

"Sometimes I'd like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine, and injustice in the world when He could do something about it. . . . but I'm afraid God might ask me the same questions".

                                                                                 ---Anonymous

God of this City

I will be praising God today for His faithfulness to me and my prayer group. We have been praying for specific prayer request for eachother, for our adoption agency, for orphans in Ethiopia, for those serving orphans in Africa, for the continent of Africa, for many many prayers. We all stand amazed at the answers to prayer, the work He is doing in each of us and our families. AMAZED not surprised! God is so amazing, He is just so good! Share your praise report here today, or if you need prayer share that too and I will be praying and praising to God today. Join me in worship through Chris Tomlin's song, 'God of the city".

NUMBER 4!

Oh my goodness, you can imagine my surprise this evening when I received an email from our adoption coordinator that we moved up again on the infant girl list!  A sweet little 3 yr old was referred today to a family who was on the infant girl list, so we moved up!  Tonight as I write this we are # 4 on the baby girl waiting list and # 3 on the baby boy list, I am so excited to see how God works our referral.  I am at peace and praying, "where YOU lead, I will follow.  Thank you, Father, for your faithfulness, for your trust in me to mother another one of Your precious children, for the peace you are giving my heart over this adoption and all the details.  I praise you Father for caring about all the details of our adoption, and taking care to see to each one.  Thank you that I do not have to worry over these details, Father you have them all under control.  You are God, you are worthy of my praise, thank you for calling me to be Your hands and feet here on earth, I am humbled by your trust Jesus, it is in your name I pray, Amen."

Moving to #3 and #5

Henry posed for this picture today so that we could let everyone know we are now number THREE on the waiting list for an infant boy!  We are all very excited, Parker is thrilled to be one more step closer to hearing about his "brother".  When I first embarked on this journey, last summer, I felt like we would be given a baby boy from Ethiopia to call our own.  We did not specify gender, we wanted to allow God to choose the infant for our family.  As time has gone on, I still feel at peace with this decision but I have a desire for a baby girl and a baby boy for our family.  I do not know how God will work this out for us.  We were approved to bring home two infants/children under 36 months, and we are open to the possibility of adopting twins.  I must be honest here and tell you that my children are praying that God blesses us with TWINS, a boy and a girl!  This possibility excites me and scares me to death!  I know how much work one baby is, but I also know that if God calls me to this blessing, then He believes we as a family can handle twins.  My trust is in HIM!

These little sweethearts are messengers to tell you that we have moved to the  number FIVE spot on the waiting list for an infant girl.  The possibility that we may be referred a "sister" for Paeton has her in a state of pure joy!  She wants a sister, she will settle for the boy/girl twins but her heart is set on a baby sister.  Please pray for all of us to be yielded to Gods call when we are presented with our referral.  Deep down I know that we all will leap for joy when this day comes no matter what gender of child we are given, but I am starting to feel that there may truly be some tears because of certain expectations and desires in our hearts.  Really what I am asking is that you keep both of my dear, sweet, greatest children on earth in your prayers as they open their hearts to HIS gift to us, keep us all in your prayers as we open our hearts and allow our HEAVENLY FATHER to bless us again with another of HIS most precious creations!