Summer Bucket List

There’s 104 days of summer vacation

And school comes along just to end it

So the annual problem for our generation

Is finding a good way to spend it

Like maybe. . .

Building a rocket

Or fighting a mummy

Or climbing up the Eiffel tower

Discovering something that doesn’t exist

Or giving a monkey a shower

Surfing tidal waves

Creating nanobots

Or locating Frankenstein’s brain

Finding a dodo bird

Painting a continent

Or driving your sister insane

As you can see

There’s a whole lot of stuff to do

Before school starts this fall

So stick with us ‘cause Phineas and Ferb

Are gonna do it all

So stick with us ‘cause Phineas and Ferb are

Gonna do it all!

I love the theme song of Phineas and Ferb.  I’ve somehow memorized this tune -- even though I've never watched an episode -- and it really summarizes my sentiments.  Of course, “It’s Summer” (by Selena Gomez) is also a fitting song but probably not as little-kid-friendly.  Whatever beat we’re jamming to around here, electricity is in the air as we embrace this sizzling season.  

This summer, nostalgic activities are all the rage.  I’m combining a less structured approach (i.e. no camps or formal programs aside from swim team) with an intentional bent towards nature, crafts, physical activity, and treats that we can enjoy right in our own home and community.   We brainstormed our summer “bucket list,” and it’s great fun splashing into new activities.  

It's fun to reminisce about the "good ol’ days". . . when we played outside till the streetlights flickered on, caught fireflies in jars as the sun melted down, built lemonade stands on hot sidewalks, smacked gum while sorting baseball cards (at least this is what Brian says he did), searched for cloud pictures in the sky, and played endless games of catch, freeze tag, and wiffle ball. 

But why do these have to be fleeting memories?  I’m inspired by tons of great blogs, articles, and websites with summer fun ideas, and our family chalkboard is bursting with upcoming activities.  

So, be intentional this Summer 2011 . . . grab a child (or in my case at least 6 or 7), and make a memory to share with generations to come.  After all, there’s 104 days of summer vacation so let’s find a good way to spend it!

P.S.  We’re still in June, and we’ve already enjoyed some major milestones!  Super Sam turned 5, Village Green Swim Team is in full swing with lots of ribbons being collected, Miss McKenzie turned 11, our adoption dossier is finally on its way to Ethiopia, and we’re crossing more items off our bucket list everyday. 

Yes, homemade Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream was on my bucket list!

Click HERE for the yummy recipe we used.  I'm definitely doing this again.

Moving Forward

     It’s official!  We’ve moved a very small step forward in bringing our child(ren) home.  Many of you prayed with us as we faced some crossroads with plans to adopt from Ethiopia.  After much discussion and prayer, we feel directed to continue our journey with this special country.  Once our home study was completed, we mailed it along with a few legal documents to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.  While a home study considers parenting aspects, this next document is adoption pre-approval based on our standing in the eyes of government (good thing we’ve paid all our taxes!). 

     At exactly 1:27AM today, I awoke to the beep of a text message stating our paperwork was safely in hands of government officials.  For those in the adoption world, you know it means we’re still way out in the process, but every stage builds on the one before so it’s worth celebrating.  I found a few things funny about the text message confirming the papers were safely in the right office:  1). The government is now texting.  Really??      2).  My kiddos are all out of town, and I still woke up in the middle of the night for something child-related.  I can vividly remember being kicked in the ribs by a stretching baby, or having to go to the bathroom several times a night during pregnancy.  Bringing a child into our family through adoption is still waking me up at all hours too – and I LOVE IT!

     Speaking of the kids being out of town, I’m enjoying a very rare 48 hours of solace.  It’s not often (and I mean really not often) over the past 11 years that I’ve found myself home alone.  A few days ago, Brian came home and suggested he take the kids to visit family in NC while I have a little quiet time for myself.  Have I ever mentioned that I am blessed with the best husband ever?  While I slightly resisted the idea of everyone leaving me, I must admit it’s been a really sweet gift that I needed.  So what’s a woman to do by herself?  Well, shopping, beach bumming, lunch dates, Barnes & Noble, gym time, chick flicks, quiet time with God, and reading!  Thank goodness I’ve got some precious pics from Easter to gaze at while I await their return. . .

What's the update with the adoption?

     This definitely tops the list of frequently asked questions these days, and I love it.  Like a mama who loves to talk about her L & D story or one whose face lights up as she recounts cute quips from her child, it warms my heart when sweet people ask me for updates on this adoption journey.  I must admit that lately, I’ve been hesitant to respond.  Not because I don’t want to talk about it, but because I’ve been holding on to lots of emotions unsure of how to wrap my heart around them.  And maybe because I don’t have good answers that allow me to control the outcome of this journey. 

     Just a quick recap of what’s been happening on the international adoption scene:  Ethiopia’s adoption program has been on the radar for needed reform these past several months.  There have been child trafficking cases and corrupt agencies who are being exposed, and this filthy part of humanity just makes me sick.  As a potential adoptive parent, I am adamantly in support of the highest standards of ethics, and I want to fight for the rights and preservation of families above all.  But the divide in the adoption community has been how to handle that.  Initially the main social services agency in Ethiopia felt that reducing the # of adoptions (potentially by 90%) would help eliminate the corruption.   This could lead to potential shutdown of adoptions altogether as we saw happen in Vietnam and Guatamala a few years ago.  While officials are weeding out evil, what happens to the innocent children?  They face indefinite institutionalization which has proven detrimental time and time again.  And what about those who have special needs who face death if they do not receive better medical care?  I know of many cases like this personally where a child would have died in a matter of days if they remained in the care of a third world orphanage.  So can there be another solution for these children while at the same time protecting them from corruption? 

     I don’t claim to have answers.  I wish I did.  I like things neat and tidy that I can fix.  But in times like this, I’m just trusting God to watch over His children and give us wisdom in the meantime.  I’ve prayed for God to break my heart for what breaks His, and there have been a lot of breaking points lately.  I’m starting to understand what friends meant when they said adoption isn’t for the faint of heart.  The reality of this uncertainty is that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness.  Through these recent up and down reports, God has used this time to expose us to some special needs situations that we may not have been open to before.  Who knows what is in store as we trust Him with the greater picture?

     We’d be most grateful for your prayers too. . . that we would be able to clearly discern if we are to remain with the Ethiopia program during this tumultuous time, that we would have clear direction if we are to switch to another country such as Uganda, and that we would trust Him completely for the medical needs of our future children.  I’m so glad that it’s not a burden I have to bear alone.  These Ethiopian babes are God’s first, and He’s holding them and us tight! 

     On a much lighter note, March has been a whirlwind already.  Some highlights include:

*Brian and I celebrated 13 years of wedded bliss.  I really think I’m the luckiest girl on earth, and I still can’t keep my hands off this man after all these years!  Life is sweet with him by my side.  It’s also birthday month for several in our family so it’s been one big sugar-high!

         *The Adoption Home Study is pretty much complete. . . the family interviews were just precious, and I really wish I had recorded them.  The kids met with our social worker privately as we strained our ears to hear answers from the other room.  When Luke was asked to share something about himself, he said, “I want people to know that I love God, I love my family, and I love the Dallas Cowboys!” Glad he has his priorities! Later when asked if they had any questions about our adoption plans, McKenzie said, “No, but I really like your earrings.”  That’s my girl!  When Jake and Sam were asked if they were hoping for a brother or sister, Jake said either was fine, but Sam was completely honest when he answered, “I want a boy so I can beat him up when we wrestle.”  Hope they don’t take off points for that one!   So now we’re pulling together some final documents, and then the real waiting will begin. 

     Finally, here are a few action shots from this month:

All 8 Grey/Forrester cousins celebrating Jack's 3rd birthday

March 7, 1998 . . . "To Infinity and Beyond"

Luke meeting cousin Charlie for the first time

Delicious Birthday Cupcakes!

Taking a stroll down the streets of Colonial Williamsburg

Here We Go. . .

Playing catch up in life’s journal seems way daunting (and probably way boring for anyone happening to stop by this page) so I think the best place is to jump right into the current chaos.   We all know that life can be unpredictable and lead us down turns we never expected to go, yet when we look back we can see how every twist was part of God’s perfect plan.  I’m really excited about the latest example of that in our lives, and that is in relation to our adoption journey.  Yep, I’m saying it, OUR ADOPTION JOURNEY, which means it’s really happening.  Sometimes I have to do a reality check myself! 

For those who know me well, you’ve probably heard me mention that adoption was always a possibility for us, but then a few kiddos into our family, and I pretty much only gave that idea lip-service. I’ve admittedly been enjoying the newest stages of independence in our kids – I really love that we can safely ignore them in the early mornings while we catch up on sleep since they can all fend for themselves now, and I definitely was glad to see the diaper era go alongside the Wiggles (after all we’ve already changed 22,000 diapers by conservative estimates).  I’ve given away every last baby item in our house so I really felt like that train had left the station.  Until recently, which only by the grace of God, there was no denying what was stirring in our hearts.  Through a series of events and nudges, we began feeling like someone was missing from our dinner table, from our bedside snuggles, from our family circle.  This feeling was different from the desire to reproduce more of ourselves, it was more of a calling that our child was already out there somewhere waiting for us. 

To be perfectly honest, we fought that calling.  Brian and I tried to convince ourselves in so many ways that this was someone else’s call, but when it all came down it felt so right to say, “Yes, we hear you, sweet child, and we’re coming for you!”  I literally prayed over the globe we use for daily geography lessons asking God to show us where that voice was leading.  We talked about many options locally, but in the end we feel a global call to go to Ethiopia for our child.  I’ll have to save “Why Ethiopia?” for another post, but I will just say that God loves all the children of the world, and He is sending us there.

So if you’re kindly taking the time to read this, will you join us in prayer?  Pray for this harried momma who needs more of God’s grace than ever, pray for our sweet child who is waiting, and pray that paperwork and pennies will come together to make this dream become reality.

 The kids found Africa on the big globe at the Norfolk Zoo. . . I couldn't resist a picture!!