17 days...

It seems surreal...17 days until we hold our daughter for the first time. 17 days. We have been on this journey officially for 461 day so far, and many more days of prayer and discussion before that, and we will meet our daughter in 17 days.

Actually, the whole thing seems surreal. We cannot believe we have a daughter. We have seen a dozen pictures of her, memorized them, even. We have seen documents bearing information about her life, filled with so many struggles already. We have imagined her for hours at a time- her smell, her smile, her sounds, her skin, the softness of her curls...yet none have we experienced yet. 17 DAYS and these things will have a REAL memory, a time stamp embedded permanently on our hearts! NO LONGER A FIGMENT OF OUR WILDEST DREAMS!

Our house has been so quiet the past few weeks, and our hearts are still full of pain and sorrow and longing for Gracie. We still have trouble believing she is gone. She will always be our "first". Yet, we are so blessed. Our God deserves our praises and our thanksgiving, even in the midst of a most painful loss, a most painful wait, and a most quiet home...He alone deserves our highest praise.

In Him we will be sustained the next 17 days. In Him we will be able to walk away without her from Hannah's Hope on the 19th. In Him we will be able to live without her until the government says that we can bring her home forever. FOREVER. In the end, the 500+ days of our journey to her will be gobbled up by the rest of our lives. He alone deserves our highest praise.

17 days, little girl. Mommy and Daddy are coming to meet you. 17 days (and counting!)


Blessings, Kindra
7 month old Noel E. @ HH

7 months...

Our beautiful curly-girl is 7 months old today! It has been 2 months since her face has been etched on our hearts. We love you sweet girl...only 32 more days until you are in our arms! Don't get TOO big!! Tight hugs and sloppy kisses!












"May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You." Psalms 33:22


Blessings- Kindra
7 month old Noel E. @ HH

Deep Breath...

I realize that I have been largely absent from blog land lately. Life has taken over the engine of my train, and I am finally getting back behind the ?wheel. Bad analogy. Anyway...

I finally finished the quarter Friday, and realized that since it began in September, life has dramatically changed. Some good, some not so good...

Since fall classes started:

1) Our home was in a state of disaster. We were having our floors refinished, and were living out of the basement. Thankfully, the mountain of dust is slowly disappearing, our furniture is where it is supposed to be, and that PROJECT IS COMPLETED!

2) WE HAD A DAUGHTER! Our beautiful 5, now almost 7 month old girl...huge brown eyes and soft curls. Now, THAT WAS A SUPRISE! (We thought for sure we were going to have a boy!)

3) Brandon and I each got a year older :) GOTTA LOVE BIRTHDAYS!

4) I went to Minnesota for 2 weeks for school. It is always hard being away from my family, but I LOVE MY COHORT L FRIENDS!

5) We received court dates and made travel arrangements so we can finally get our Noel E. in our arms. January 16th, 2011 will be the first time we kiss those cheeks. 35 MORE DAYS! YEAH FOR KISSES!

6) We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family. WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR THE PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES THAT LOVE US.

7) Our precious Gracie girl died. She was our first born daughter. She was with us when we didn't know if children were in our future. She received all of our kisses and loves. She taught us about unconditional love. Our schedules, our lives, revolved around her. Our world feels empty, and home is not home without her. She can never be replaced. Never take one second for granted. NEVER.

8) Somehow I finished school. Somehow I actually completed all the assignments that were due this quarter. Somehow. GOD. ALL GOD. NO ME. GOD.

So, I'd say things have been a little emotional this quarter. No wonder it has seemed like the longest 10 weeks of my life. It is definately time for a deep breath...

Little girl...we are coming soon. God's grace will see us both through. We love you precious one.

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me." 1 Corinthians 15:10

Blessings- Kindra

A Thankful Heart...

We have so many things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving season. God has showered us with a richness of blessings, and He alone deserves our Highest Praise!

Lord, you are an amazing, awesome, wonderful, merciful, tender, loving, forgiving, all-knowing God. Your love and mercies are new each morning. Through each day, You walk beside us, holding our hands and guiding our path. With each misstep, You are slow to anger and quick to forgive. With each doubt and anxiety, You hold us a little tighter, reminding us that everything is in Your hands. You know every tear that falls, You hear us when we cry. You provide for our every need, and offer abundant blessings far beyond those basic needs. You provide us with our health, with family, friends, a church. You give us the opportunity to serve You, to share Your love and Your Word with others. You give us the opportunity to worship and praise Your name freely, and without persecution. You give us the opportunity to be Your children and to know You intimately.

Lord, today and always I have a thankful heart.

Blessings-Kindra

6 month old Noel E. @ HH

6 months...

Baby Noel E. turned 6 months old yesterday @ Hannah's Hope. Oh, how I pray she was showered in love, hugs, kisses, snuggles, and smiles. I know many prayers were said for her here, and many kisses were sent by way of the wind.

We love you, sweet girl. Mommy and Daddy love you so much, and we cannot wait to hold you and give you those kisses in person! 61 more days, love. 61 more days.

Blessings- Kindra

6 month old Noel E. @ HH

Court dates...

This was me today. (Except I have dark, short, spiky hair and bigger thighs.) In the beginning of the day, I was having a temper tantrum because we had not heard court dates yet. In the second half of the day, I was having a temper tantrum because I wanted the court date we did get to be SOONER!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

We learned today that we will tentatively travel to Ethiopia January 15-19, 2011. Our daughter will be in our arms for the first time on the 16th, and we go to court on the 18th. These next 10 weeks could not possibly go by fast enough!

In the meantime, I am begging any adoptive parents traveling before us to get us a little glimpse of our growing girl. We miss you sweet pea...we are saving up our lovin's for you (and sending plenty by the way of the wind!) Our Father's love is surrounding us both! He is faithful and will bring us together very soon!

"Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies." Psalm 36:5

Blessings, Kindra
5 month old Noel E. @ HH

Heartbreak...

Oh, how our hearts long for her. To hold her. To kiss her sweet cheeks. To stroke her soft curls. To look into her big, dark eyes. To comfort her cries. To initiate her smiles. To laugh when she laughs. To feed her when she is hungry. To snuggle her when she sleeps. To celebrate her milestones. To see God's love in her. My heart is broken for her.

I have never known this kind of longing. This is how our Father longs for us. He wants us to be an active part of His family. To hold us. To comfort our cries. To feed us when we are hungry. To celebrate our milestones. To see His love as a beacon of light through us toward others. His heart is broken for us.

Are you an active part of God's family? Have you asked Him to be the Father of your life? He longs to have that relationship with you, and longs for you to be in His warm, loving arms forever.

And just as He wants to be with me, I want be with her. Oh, Lord, please make it soon.

"Cause I just wanna be with you. I just want this waiting to be over. I just want to be with you, and it helps to know the days getting closer.

Every minute takes an hour, every inch feels like a mile, til I won't have to imagine, and I finally get to see you smile." Chris Rice, Smile.

Blessings, Kindra.

Mom to Noel E., 5 months old @ HH