Today, I started studying this.

Curiousity Kills the Cat

Yes, this is Caleb's Pack N Play. Before you freak out, I know that a cat should not sleep with a four month old, I snapped the picture and then quickly removed Tobi.

Where there is 1, there is 3....they can usually be found staring out the window

Briton and Kaya licking out of the shower faucet. You would think they never had full water dishes.

High Five!

Whenever I start packing, Kaya immediately jumps in my suitcase. It is a regular thing now.

For a few weeks early in our married life, we lived in a hotel. In our "pet friendly hotel room" we had hot tub...Kaya thought it was her bed. One night, it was filled and we forgot to drain it and she jumped in the water...HA! Had to be there.

If you look closely, you can see Kaya helping us pack up our apartment.

One time I could not find Briton and looked everywhere. Finally...Kaya lifted her head and we realized she was laying on top of him.

Kaya fell in the toliet, and I was drying her off.

Kaya helped me send out newsletters one day.

You know in the winter when you seal your windows? Kaya had "unsealed" them for us and then got herself stuck in the plastic covering.

Falling through the clothes drying rack.

Trying on her new "super cat" plastic bag cape.

We are looking to get rid of two of our cats. They are super cute, super fun, super cuddly, but they are needy and are wanting more attention than we can give them. Would you like one or two?

What could be better?

• Than hearing from your social worker that the birth parents rights were terminated?
  

• Than hearing from your social worker at 10am when normally you hear at 4:30?
  

• Than hearing from your friend that she prayed specifically that we would hear an answer early in the day?
  

• Than being able to have Jon off to celebrate with us?
  

• Than to hug a friend in the afternoon because we had to park our car in her driveway?
  

• Than to re-unite at the retinologist with 3 other babies that were in the same NICU as Caleb at the same time?

• Than to hear that all of those babies are doing well?
  

• Than to have a 2 hour wait in the doctors office, when last month it was closer to 5?
  

• Than having a husband to surprise you with a chocolate chip cookie?
  

• Than to hear that your child NEVER has to undergo the traumatic eye appointments?
  

• Than to hear that your child's eyes are developing completely normal and should have no vision problems?
  

• Than to hug a friend in a grocery store who is moving away on Friday?
  

• Than to celebrate the days events with great friends and neighbors by having dinner and dessert together?
  

• Than to hear your favorite neighbor children tell you that they have been praying that Caleb gets to stay with us?
  

• Than to ask the bakery to write the following on a cake "Caleb is Home to Stay"
  

• Than to hear from your gramma saying that she read all about Joshua and Caleb in her time in the Bible this morning?
  

• Than to enjoy a nice cup of coffee and homemade pie?
  

• Than to get to know a new couple from church?
  

• Than receiving TONS of phone calls/text messages/facebook posts, etc letting me know that people have been praying and are now praising God!!

What could be better?

• Than serving a God that is a father to the fatherless and who cares deeply and passionately for the orphans?
  
• Than a God who cares so deeply about the desires of my heart?

What could be better?

• Maybe if I was a little thinner in that picture above?

Yeah, my day was pretty good.

The termination news we have been waiting for!!!

The rights of the birth parents have been removed, makes us one step closer to having full custody!!!

Things went smoothly and God answered prayers!!!

Thought I would give you a short update...more to come...

On the eve of the termination hearing

To those who think that I have had a great attitude about this adoption process,
To those who think that I have great faith,
To those who have admired a simple blog about our journey,
To those who think that they don't have the strength to go down such a journey,
To those who have prayed,
who have encouraged,
who have stood beside us,
who have cried with us and for us,
who have held our hands....

Tonight,
I
Need
You.

Tomorrow is the scheduled termination hearing, terminating the rights of the birth parents. I am nervous, anxious, sick to my stomach, scared, weeping, frozen, paralyzed.

I wish I could say that I have the faith to trust God, but I am praying in my unbelief.

I wish my husband didn't pray tonight, "Whatever happens tomorrow Lord, it will not change our decision to follow You." In my simple mind, that gives God permission to take Caleb from us. As if He needs permission. I am trying to remember the words we sang in church today, and know them to me be true..."He gives and takes away......Blessed be the name of the Lord." This is not just a song we sing, but a truth that we have to live by.

I wish I could skip Monday and wake up Tuesday morning and people could tell me how things turned out.

I feel like Moses. I need people on both sides of me holding my arms up during the battle, I do not have the strength to do it on my own. I need you to have faith for me. I need you to pray for me. I need you to pray for the hearing tomorrow. Pray that Caleb can stay with us.

Tonight, I am a weary warrior.

Such a big weekend for such a little guy

Caleb had a busy weekend!

Thursday we left town and headed 2 hours to go visit both grandparents.
Friday he spent time with Nonni (Jon's mom). Later in the afternoon we headed to visit my mom and work. She is a second grade teacher and she was able to show him off to her fellow teachers and her students. She was a pretty proud gramma!
Saturday he was showered with love at my cousin's baby shower. He was the only boy and was passed around and held by most everyone.

Now
he
is
fast
asleep.

No, my day did not turn out as planned thank you very much.

It all started at 3:30am, when I heard Caleb gasping for air. That doesn't sound right. Come to find out he had puked through his nose. Sparing the details, lets just say it was a mess. And he hated us for using the bulb to clean him up.

Then his nose started bleeding.
At 4am he was wide awake, and I was not ready to wake up. Jon brought his swing upstairs to his bedroom, put him in it, thinking it would pacify him for a while so I could sleep.

4:15a, he starts crying. We give eating a try. He ate a little, not much, mostly screamed.
4:45a, he fell asleep in my arms and we decided to take a nap on the couch

6a- the tears start again, he has spit up all over himself, and all over me. He is crying, and acting hungry. I fed him, he did not want to eat.

6:30a- I made a very healthy breakfast for myself. I have been working hard this week on eating healthy and exercising and I was not going to let this day win. Eggs, spinach, mushrooms and turkey sausage was a great breakfast for this South Beach Diet(er).

6:50a-I laid on the couch and fell asleep. {Maybe I will get some sleep after all!}

8am- Screaming baby, round #2 of puking through the nose and not breathing. Got him all cleaned up and he was ready to snuggle for a little bit.
9am- Screaming baby, acting very hungry, but refusing to eat.

9:45a- I surrendered, and called his doctor. I explained that he has been a grump for a few days, not eating well, puking through his nose at least once a day, and puking all the time. They said to call back.

9:45-10:45a- Waiting to call the doctor back, snuggling with the boy

10:45a- call the doctor. Nothing. They asked me to call back after lunch. Caleb finally ate 3 oz.

11:00-12:00p- nap time for both mom and baby.
12:00p- Me feeling really guilty that nothing productive has happened today.I have not done any housework, I have not done any campus work, I have not done an admin work!! Started to get some things in line to start some work for the day.

12:45p- Doctor's office calls. Sounds like a simple solution. We are doubling his acid reflux medicine. He is on the same dosage since birth and he is now triple that birth weight. We will see how it goes.

1p- Caleb eats another 3oz!
1:30p-2:00p Caleb cries and cries and cries.
2p--- Caleb is sleeping, I am blogging, laundry is in, work has started....

No, this day has not gone as planned.

There was a lot of this: But somehow it is all worth it when you see this:

Use those knees

I have declared today...a day for prayer. The world around me is in desperate need for prayer and instead of feeling shocked, overwhelmed, emotional, I am simply going to pray. Here are some things I am praying for today:

-The US Supreme Court decision about campus ministries:
http://www.intervarsity.org/news/campus-ministry-threatened

-My colleagues at Ohio State University who are engaging in a HUGE outreach all week about modern day slavery. They will be engaging the campus in a week long dialogue about justice and how Jesus plays a role in bringing justice and redeeming the world. They have already had 100 new Christians this year and are praying for many many more this week.
www.osupriceoflife.com

-Adoption "stuff"

-Ministry at Albion College

-Some personal issues

What do you need prayer for today?

Joe and Autumn-Engagement

Click here to view these pictures larger

Hope you enjoy looking as much as I enjoyed taking them!

The Mom Resume

When you are a mom you have a whole new set of skills that are acquired. What kind of job do you think I could land if this was my resume?

• I can function on 3 hours of sleep and lots of coffee
• I can change a diaper in 10 seconds flat in a moving car if need be
  
• I can recognize the difference between a hungry cry, and a painful cry
  
• I know how to pack my purse with my wallet, my camera, cell phone, diaper, wipes and a bottle, concealing it all so that people don't even know I have packed for a baby
  
• I have some bulging biceps from holding a car seat all the time
  
• I have the ability to sleep through the cries of a baby
  
• I can get myself ready, shower included....in about 20 minutes if need be because I need to rush around getting an infant ready
  
• I can swaddle a baby like a tight sardine
  
• I have mastered feeding a baby, checking facebook./blogging and eating cereal. All.at.once.
• I have a great sense of schedule and find myself outlining my day in four hour blocks, based on the every 4 hour feeding.
  
• Crying does not intimidate me. Try me. You will lose.
  
• I no longer feel the need to have showering be a normal part of my routine.
• Wine=lovely. Coffee=lovely. Naps= AMAZING
• I am so self-confident that I can walk around all day with baby puke on me and not care. (I would care, if I would actually SEE and SMELL the puke)
• I can now connect with women on a whole new level
  

Joe and Autumn

Yesterday I had the privilege of taking my dear friend, Autumn's engagement pictures. It was so fun to be a part of their love story in that way. I LOVE photographing people, and photographing my close friends as they celebrate their engagement was the best!

I would love to post millions more, but I am waiting for Autumn to post first, on facebook, or at least show family and friends. I love pictures and I love this couple.

Congrats Autumn and Joe! {I can't wait to take pictures of your 12 kids soon:) }

The best model ever.

I am trying to improved my photography skills. I really want to learn to take great pictures. It is such a passion of mine. I am learning a lot, mostly by failing, but slowly I am learning. I am so glad that I have the cutest little model to practice on.

Everyone needs an Alice

I have a new obsession... Alice.com.

I travel to the site at least once a day pretending that I am going through my shopping list. I actually have a filled cart there, I just haven't purchased anything.

Alice is a great website. It is a shopping site with incredible deals and free shipping....all the time.

I am a sucker for a good deal.

And we are trying hard to pinch pennies wherever we can.

So why can't I bring myself to purchase my groceries from here?

Because, when Jon and I moved to our town, we promised to keep our money in the town. We said that we would do our shopping here, eat out here, worship here, send our kids to school here, basically to believe in the town, to pour into it, and to put our money where our mouth is. And we have done that, most of the time.

But Alice is calling my name. So much so that Jon and I had a conversation about it, because I couldn't get it off my mind. He said that we should do it, and with the money we save, we can give to one of the non-profits in town.

We want to care about our town, by words and deeds. We want to invest in our town. But what to do when shopping online is just SOOOO much cheaper?

Any of you have this dilemma?

April 26

The above pictures were pictures we took on our first walk with Caleb. It was a beautiful day, the snow was melting like crazy and we were dying of boredom in the house!! Off we went, and now it is one of our favorite things to do with our boy.

An update on legal issues:
-The birth mother requested to postpone the hearing that was scheduled for this morning because her mother was rushed to the hospital with cardiac issues. There will be a hearing on April 26 at 9:30a. Please pray. Jon and I were feeling discouraged today and then we were both convicted that we were not praying about the situation. We were taking it for granted that things would turn out the way we want them too. Time to go before the King of Kings on our knees.

Round #2

Tomorrow, Monday 9am, we are going to try again. The judge is going to decide if the rights of the birth mother will be terminated or not.

Pray.

We want our boy FOREVER.

Updates to come.

My 1/3

Sometimes, you a need a good friend. A friend who listens. A friend who speaks the truth.

Sometimes you need a friend who is in the same boat as you.

Sometimes you need a friend to laugh with. Sometimes you need a friend to cry with.

Sometimes you a need a friend to that you can give you advice,

And sometimes you just need to talk, and you know that friend can do it.

But most the time you realize that life is not the same without your other 1/3:) Dear Krista, I wish we lived closer together. I value our friendship and can be so real with you!

Today I mourned the loss of a good friend....

Not a human friend, but a friend that has stuck close by my side and is a very important part of my life. This friend is the undergrad InterVarsity chapter at Central Michigan University, my alma mater. For reasons too many to explain on a simple blog the chapter was shut down today.

Don't give up hope dear ones, we serve a God who is the Resurrection and the Life. A God who gives and takes a way. A God who brings new life.

And for that reason I will hope.

And remember all of my memories of my old friend.

I remember hiking out to Narnia for the first time as a student with my friends. Cedar Campus IS...a beautiful place, though it is still nature-ific.

I remember the times at Chapter FOCUS week, spending time in prayer and scripture and being trained to do ministry on campus!

Thank you old friend, for introducing me to one of my closest friends

My old friend taught me how to do inductive Bible Study and how to train others in it....and make them addicted! My old friend taught me never to leave home without a pack of colored pencils, because you never know when it is time to manuscript a passage.

My old friend gave me a love of going to a dorm room and asking them if I could take out their trash, do their dishes, even...yes clean their bathrooms, even a boys bathroom. A boys dorm bathroom. Yes, it is because of this old friend that I ever would be willing to serve this way, to be bold in this way, to invite others to do it with me and to ENJOY it.

This old friend showed me how to spend HOURS of my time meeting new students, following up with contacts, baking cookies for new students, delivering said cookies for new students, spending time in prayer for new students and completely overextending on my introverted tendencies. Why? Because New Student Outreach is just that important.

I learned to be bold through this new friend. I learned that people will not study scripture with you or have spiritual conversations with you if they are not invited.

I learned to pray for my campus. I learned to pray for my professors. I learned to pray for my friends. I learned to pray for my classmates. I learned to pray...and pray often. And to expect God to answer.

Because of my old friend, I am now serving on staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

Some of the most memorable times with my old friend was spending days together in prayer. We would have prayer rooms and have people praying around the clock for days. God met us in intimate ways. God broke us and made us more like Him. Oh, how I loved those prayer gatherings.

My old friend taught me about justice and how a Christian should be involved in pursuing justice.

If it wasn't for my old friend, I would have never learned to worship in other languages. I learned about ethnic reconciliation and ethnic identity. I began to care about God's purposes in the world.

My old friend taught me how to deal with conflict well.

There is so much that I could say about my time as a student at CMU while involved with InterVarsity. And it will be said....just in my journal. And to the Lord. But not on here, it is too close to home.

Today I mourned the loss of a good friend.

But man am I glad that there is hope for resurrection.

Praying for the resurrection of the chapter.