Conversation Starter.......

Thanks to The Seventh Diamond for the inspiration for this post. Come on over I'll share my pickles and ice cream with ya. Earlier today I read a post on her blog called "Searching for The Idenity of an Adpoting Mother" and it got me to thinking:

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Listen friends and family we here in the adoption community are any where from 1-20 months + pregnant and some days we just feel so excluded from the mother-to-be community. I know sometimes you may feel guilty because you think perhaps you have something we don't but you are so very wrong.....we may not have a belly to put our hand on but we have our heart. You may be able to go to your Dr. and hear the heart beat but we can walk into a nursery that has been eagerly awaiting for in some cases 20 months and sit on the rocking chair and hear in the stillness a faint giggle and smell her blanket that is resting on the corner of her crib. Don't get me wrong I'm so incredibly happy for you, you are truly blessed in different ways than I.

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Please include me in your circle when your telling all our other friends that diapers are on sale, I'd love to hear the stories of your delivery.....Please don't look on me with saddened eyes when you tell me your pregnant cause guess what!!!! We have something in common! I am pregnant too.....allow me to be a player....please don't leave me on the side lines....please.....Invite me to all the baby showers, I love to give all my friends children squeaky shoes! plus a portion of all the sales go back to where my daughter is sleeping at night right now....it's ok you can hand me your baby to hold for a moment while you tie your shoe.....I promise I won't run off with him/her.....I am patiently waiting for delivery of my very own.........yes it is oh so much longer than 9 months....and I'm really doing ok with that....I do not want to rush what is already Gods great plan....and I'm pretty confidant that He has her all ready picked out for us.

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So go ahead ask me anything you want to know about where we are in the process.....you don't have to ask other people what's going on with us, you won't get a more accurate answer than from me and you won't at all upset me by asking...I LOVE to talk about it.

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I know many of you are praying for us....feel free to pray for specific things that are going on....for example that we swiftly exit the review room, and that we would continue to dream about her and that she will be safe in our Fathers arms of protection until she is in our own. Have faith with us my friends and family....she will be here with us one day.....in the mean time we have the LONGEST gestation of a pregnant person you will ever know and we need you more now than ever.

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As for those of you who are there for your friends who are adopting....Thanks.....more than you'll ever know.

Things that made me smile this week.

Virginia Tech College in fear again...

I heard this prayer on a Christian radio station today and I thought I would share it all with you.

Father, the unthinkable happened on Monday and then again this morning with the threat of a bomb at Virginia Tech, we come to you with open arms not knowing what to do. Please be with the families, friends and roommates of those who lost loved ones. Father also be with those who's hearts are full of fear. The country is emotionally wounded and those who are right there on the VT campus are shattered and anxious Lord. I also know that there are college campus all over the country who are fearful, I pray that you would calm their hearts, be with those who are struggling emotionally today and help them to deal with what has happened. Lord be with the counselors and faculty as they work on trying to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. I pray too that the Christian organizations that are also on campus at VT that your hand be on them as they reach out to minister to the hurting. I pray that you give them the words of life that only you can give. I pray for clarity, comfort and healing to those who are there struggling through this confusion. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Happy Easter Everyone.

EASTER COOKIE RECIPE

To be made the evening before Easter.

You need:
1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
1 cup sugar
zipper baggie
wooden spoon
tape
Bible

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (this is important-don't wait 'til you're half done with the recipe!)

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces.

Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus
was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed through repentance and the Atonement. Read Isa. 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet.

Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matt. 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matt. 27:65-66.

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.
Read Matt. 28:1-9

My Overflowing Cup!

There are so many things going on right now that I don't even know where to begin so here is a list not necessarily in chronological order, most are "blessings" and some are "blessings in disguise".


1. Blessing: My daughter has moved back home!!!! She was having a hard time with the living arrangements and thought it would be less hassle to just drive the 45 min drive to college. I am tickled pink. I had a really hard time with her leaving in the first place. We are very close. I know she will only be here for a few months before she gets her own apartment but at least I get a chance to put some projects on the back burner and spend some good mother/daughter time with her. YEAH!!! I LOVE YOU JAC!! ( aka PAN).


2. Blessing in Disguise: The CCAA has sent out referrals up to Oct. 24th, it is only 11 days. How is it a blessing in disguise you say? Well it wasn't less than 11 days!!!! ???? Right? I'm hoping for an increase in the coming months. Sooner or later it has to level out again. I'm all for sooner.


3. Blessing: I finally got my dog Bailey in for his haircut yesterday! He looks great! I had so much going on yesterday I totally forgot him at the groomers and had to make another trip in town to get him! Glenna said it was ok and she didn't tell him his Mommy forgot him ;O) I was only 15 min. late....does that make me a bad doggie mom?!


4. Blessing in Disguise: DH has a job that requires him to drive a lot. He is a service technician for a major machining company based out of Japan called Mazac. His head office is in Montreal and he covers the Maritime provinces. While the company gives him a monthly car allowance plus 40 cents a click he has continued driving his little '92 Ford Festiva hatchback that has been incredible on gas and holds all his tools in the hatch, but alas yesterday on his way to Halifax the transmission started to act up, he thought he would just keep adding fluid to it till he got to his destination but then you wouldn't believe what happened , 50 feet from a rental car place the drive shaft went in it!!!! He just shook his head with a mad grin on his face and walked into the rental shop, ordered up a car for the rest of the week and asked if they could call a tow service to take his little blue hemi to her grave. He thought he could hold off to closer to our trip to get a new car but evidently we can't. So I have spent the day yesterday test driving cars, and it looks like I'll be doing the same today. I'll keep you posted. I'm down to a Toyota Matrix, Dodge Caliber or a Vibe. Blessing: He wasn't driving on the highway when this happened. Thank you Lord for your protection over him.


5. Blessing in Disguise: This morning I ache........all over.......We started a fitness group at the ministry center on Monday and Saturday mornings. This was my second workout. Sooner or later after a few more rounds the pain will cease and I will have more endurance. I want to be physically fit for all the running around I'll be doing in China and when we get home so it is a small price to pay.


6. Blessing: I have a great network of friends and family. I just want to say thank you for all your support and love and patience as we hurdle through this emotional time in our lives with this long pregnancy. I appreciate all of you. Thanks for celebrating all our ups and downs with us.


7. Blessing: We are going to the PEI adoption group dinner this coming Sunday at a local Chinese food restaurant. I just love soaking in the atmosphere with all the children and their laughter. I love looking at my husband watching and talking to the children, he gets this beautiful glow on his face that empowers me. I tape record it in my mind and play it over and over. We have two new members in our group who just arrived home from China last month so it will be great to see them if they come.



8. Blessing in Disguise: Lipton black tea! Caramel twist and Hazelnut flavor. It is like having desert in a tea cup! Too many before bed,,,,,not a good idea!

9. Blessing: Shane was at the right place at the right time when this baby arrived at the future shop! It was a opened box sale the video camera and all the paperwork inside were undamaged but the box was destroyed so they sold it to him $150 off!!!!! He knew we would need it for our trip so he scooped it up!!!!

10. Blessing: I have come across my first blog party, it is a great way to get to know people who are out their in blog land who are ordinary every day people that have real life issues like most of us do. You can grab a java pop on over by clicking the link on my side bar. Sign in and go mingle. The party goes from March 2nd to March 9th. I think when I signed in I was the 723rd attendee!!!!!

Did I mention how excited I am that my daughter is back home! Yeah!