8 months since LID

Today (Dec. 4) marked the 8th month since our LID. Another month in the books, and who really knows how many more to go. December referrals should be coming any day now. We'll have to see how many days they cover.

A lot of people seem to be getting really down about the wait lately. Maybe it has something to do with this being the holiday season, too. We've been down a little, but we plan to see this through. I figure if Kevin Costner and Dennis Quaid can become fathers again after age 50, I can handle it, too, although I still should be under 50 when our turn comes. ... Kevin

Enid Lights Up the Plains

Our church had a hot drinks booth at the Enid Lights Up the Plains celebration Friday, Nov. 23.
Enid is where both Kevin and I work, and each year it rings in the holiday with a display of lights downtown, entertain-
ment, carriage rides and fireworks.
It had been a few years since we had a booth (because of a change in the fee) but this year we did it again as a fundraiser, with only me and our pastor and his wife and daughter showing up (which was OK because there was not really any more room in the booth!).
So, we were setting up as the downtown Square was filling up with people and the entertain-ment was about to begin when we turned around to get more cups and turned back around and it was snowing, quite heavily, just like that.
It really was lovely, and people started cheering. There was no wind, and the festivities continued, albeit ending a little quicker than normal because everyone was getting wet (and it was cold!).
Anyway, it was good for business, because we sold out. We had so much fun.
We watched fireworks in the snowfall, which I had never seen before, and it was beautiful. The pyrotechnic gurus lit them off all around the Square from the tops of buildings as the finale, and it was quite spectacular. Kevin was at work nearby, but he got to come out and see the fireworks.
A small slice of small-town life (even though Enid is the biggest city I have ever lived in).

Violet

(Photo by BONNIE VCULEK)

Leap of Faith

This song from the second Big and Rich album sums up our adoption journey pretty well.

"Leap Of Faith"

I put myself on a limb
And I feel it giving way from the weight of the rain
If I break or I bend
I get myself together again, put my face to the wind

It might be a long, long way to my golden day
That's a chance I'm willing to take
There's no chain, no cage that I won't break
In this long, long leap of faith

I close my eyes
And I walk right to the edge, throw my hand up to the sky
Oh, I'm not afraid
I'm not afraid to live this life through my dreaming eyes

It might be a long, long way to my golden day
That's a chance I'm willing to take
There's no chain, no cage that I won't break
In this long, long leap of faith

To a rocket I've been tied, I'm ready for the screaming ride
It's full of fuel and I just lit the fuse
I'm a raging, burning ring of fire, and I get hotter as I get higher
And I'm tearing a hole right through this sky of blue

Oh, There's no chain, no cage that I won't break
In this long, long leap of faith

To a rocket I've been tied, I'm ready for the screaming ride
It's full of fuel, and I just lit the fuse
I'm a raging, burning ring of fire, and I get hotter as I get higher
And I'm tearing a hole right through this sky of blue

In this long, long leap of faith.

Our first Moon Festival

Tonight we went to the home of our Great Wall China Adoption regional representative for a Moon Festival party. There were several attending from the referral to the already been there, done that crowd.
It is so good to find those who know what an LID is or RQ, and it is great seeing the kids and knowing that one day our little girl will be among those playing.
We did find out we are the new kid on the block, as ours is the newest LID (much to the glee of the previous new kid) but there are others in the same boat as us - waiting and wondering.
We couldn't stay long, but we enjoyed the fellowship.
We have been blessed by this journey in so many ways. When we walked out of their house, a new moon was setting in the west. The party may have been a little late for the full moon, but for us and all we have been through in the past few weeks, the timing was perfect.

6 months and counting

We hit the 6-month mark recently, and on Tuesday we will celebrate the 1-year anniversary of when this crazy, wonderful journey began — as we walked in to a seminar on adopting from China and our hearts were stolen.
The wait is longer than we anticipated, but if we had known then what we know now we may never started on this roller coaster ride, and that would have been tragic.
So, here's to the next year, may it bring speedy referrals!

September was a difficult month

September started out bad when my purse was stolen on our anniversary, then my Mom got sick and finally we learned Dad was to have double bypass surgery.
Daddy died Sept. 26, two days before his 70th birthday, never recovering from the surgery. He was excited about our adoption, and his presence in our lives will be missed.
This month has indeed been hard, but we will endure and know that God has an ultimate purpose in mind.

Violet

5 months since LID

We hit the 5-month mark since LID today (Sept. 4)!
People in the U.S. also were getting their referrals today. It's great to see the pictures of the babies, but I will admit to getting a little jealous, too. I really wish it was us.
We realize our day will come, but since CCAA still isn't through November 2005 yet, it's going to be a long, long time.
Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we deal with the wait.

Kevin