It's raining referrals!

FINALLY some referrals are starting to come in. I think someone on my yahoo group said that there have been 13 in November already and we are a little over halfway through! This is good news for those of us on the lower end of the referral list.....

We are just still waiting anxiously and patiently for God to send us our little miracle. He (or she) is going to be a perfect fit for our family. God knows the cry and prayer of my heart to get that child that was meant for our family long, long ago. God created a plan for our lives before we were even born. He knew that someday, we would be waiting on our little "special someone" to be born. He knew that I would long to see their big, brown eyes starring up at me. He knew that I would want to wrap my arms around them and see a big, toothy grin. He knew the excitement, and fear, that would well up within me.

Now don't worry family and friends......I know that it will not all be roses. But this time, I KNOW that it is right. I know that as we wait on the Lord, He will renew our strength. HIS plan is in motion and when the time is right, HE will complete the good work that HE has started!

A replenished hope.....

This week has been pretty quiet. It is a stark contrast to last week which was full of activity and "stuff". However, I have a new, renewed hope this week as some great things happened in that busy week.

First of all, I met a wonderful new friend. Well, I actually met her over the summer but had the chance to really get to know her this past weekend. They are adopting TWO munchkins from Russia and I have been so inspired and moved by their families committment to adoption. Thank you Lord for new friends.

Then, we had a successful adoption fundraiser dinner! We were able to raise $2100 and added to our $1000 grant, we are $3100 closer to getting our baby! Praise God for people's willingness to give.

Finally, our dear, dear friends, the Simmons', were blessed with their referral this week! They sent their dossier in one week before us!! It is so exciting that they are already considering this incredible little boy. He is 4 years old and such a DOLL! It helped to remind me that MY TURN IS COMING and I will be able to look into the eyes of my new son or daughter! I can't wait!

Well, that's about all for now....but someday........

Exhausted!

WoW! I really didn't know it was possible for a person to be so tired! But I am!! Things have been kind of crazy, as our dear friend and organizer, Elaine, is in Russia. We have 2 big fund raisers this weekend and she has left all of it in my "capable hands". (Yea right!)

I have been on the phone countless times with another girl in the group making arrangements and plans. I have cut and pasted table decorations, visited many places making sure things are in order. Whew....I will be glad when this week is over!

Anyway, we are having a fundraiser dinner on Sunday, November 1 at 6:00. It should be a real nice time! We are having a family style meal with LOTS of fixins! Anyone is welcome and invited to come. We will also be having a pie auction after dinner. If you can't come, just pray that God will bless the efforts and that children's lives will be changed through this event!

Maybe next week I can get some rest!!

No New Happenings....

Hello blog world! Just wanted to do a quick update. I feel bad because I don't really post on here. I just feel dumb because I don't really have much to say. AnyWHO.....

Things are going ok. We are working on month #3 of waiting. It's really not all that terrible. We are so busy with activities and keeping up with the kids that it goes pretty fast. We are now getting into the holiday season, so I am sure that the next few months will really fly by.

We are also working on some fundraisers. Hopefully this will help with the financial end of things. We keep thinking that we have until next summer to work on the money thing, but you know how God is! As soon as we think we have him in our cozy little box, BOOM...He does something so incredible unpredictable that it knocks us for a BIG loop!!

So....now I am just trying to be patient and content in whatever place I am in. I know my baby is waiting for me and when I meet him (or her) it will be perfect!! I can't wait!

An Unexpected Twist...

Well, I haven't posted for a few days. I feel kind of stupid because I really don't have much to say. But, I thought that I would share what transpired this weekend, because it really made me stop and think that God's timing is definately......unpredictable!

On Thursday night, I was sitting on the couch and watching Anderson Cooper 360 with a friend of mine. We were talking about politics and other issues that Mr. Cooper was identifing on his show that evening. Well, I decided to hop onto our adoption agencies Waiting Kids List. This is a list that contains children that need homes that have some medical condition or some other issue that may keep them from otherwise being adopted.

There, right in front of me was a beautiful, 5 month old baby girl. She had HUGE, round black eyes (just what I want!) and teenie tiny features. She was beautiful! Unfortunately, this little one also came with a medical condition. Nothing life or death necessarily, but a condition that would require multiple surgeries and very possible lasting effects. Well, let's make a long story short.

I continued to think of her and how she needed a Mommy to rub her belly and hold her when she was feeling lousy. She needed to be rocked and talked to....sang to...prayed over. I had a hard time shaking those black eyes and beautiful face. I began to wonder if this was God or if I was feeling things in my own flesh. We began to pray that God would reveal His will in our lives.

On Saturday, we received confirmation that she indeed was NOT our child, but that she was going to be the child of another loving family who so desperately needs her. I thank God that it helped me to realize that I need to be ready. I need to have all my "ducks in a row" so that at any given moment, when those big, round eyes look at me again...I'll be ready!

Adoption Update

Well, I almost had to laugh typing "Adoption Update" because.....THERE IS NOTHING TO UPDATE! :o) LOL! Things are going along. The courts in Ethiopia are closed right now so there is not too much going on. We are just sitting and waiting on the timing of God. This is a hard thing to do, but it is very necessary!

I have learned in my 35 years that it does you NO good to rush God. We must wait and be patient in all things. We have to trust in God enough to know that He knows what He is doing and wants only good and perfect things in our lives.

So....that's the update....we are simply waiting on Him and our baby. We are excited and think about the baby everyday. I can't wait until the day that I can post something else!! :O)

Ta ta for now!

Day with the Family

I love my Saturdays with my family! I know that many times I gripe and complain because it seems like my entire weekends are filled to the brim with baseball, football, and errands. Many weekends I long for a day to stay in bed, watch tv, and be selfish. However, today I stopped and really looked at my kids. They are such beautiful and well behaved children. They are kind, considerate, gentle, funny, and loving. I watched Mo dance at TGIFridays. I watched Zeke giggle at silly things that only Zeke would find funny. I realized that this IS how I love to spend my Saturdays. This IS who I love being with. This IS who I am and want to be!

Remembering 9/11

I was trying to think back today what was happening the day that American history was changed forever. There are so many memorable days that I wish I could've been a part of...or at least was alive when it happened. However, September 11, 2001 was not one of those days.

I remember that we had woke up early. We had taken in an 11 year old child from Haiti that was in dire need of an operation to fix her spine. We had her for several weeks and September 11 was the day that we were scheduled to have our first consult with the spinal surgeon. I remember my dad calling me early that morning and asking if I had turned on the news. I told him no and asked why. He asked if I had heard anything about the World Trade Centers being hit by terrorists? I reported that I had not heard the news and was admittidly a little agitated with his questions. I was in a hurry to go. I was trying to get the kids fed and dressed. I was running late....me, me, me.....

Well we went on to St. Louis and as we were sitting in the waiting room at Shriner's Hospital, I remember watching in disbelief as they showed the footage over and over and over. I was reminded that no day in life if guaranteed......

Today I want to remember all of the people who lost their lives that day. I want to remember and honor their families. This is a difficult day for all America as we remember what was taken from us on that day.

Welcome to my blog...

Welcome to my first blog entry. I will try and keep up with this. However, I can get a little behind on things. I will do my best. Let me catch you all up to date if you don't know what is going on in our world.

We are the Arthurs. There are four of us....hence the title of the blog. However, we are waiting to go to a family of five! (I don't know what I am going to do about the blog when this happens!) Jeremy is working for the utility company that he has worked at for 13 years. He is a wonderful husband and father and also coaches Zeke's baseball team. Zeke is 9 years old and in the fourth grade now. He is an excellent, straight A student. He is involved in so many things: Baseball, Basketball, Football, Violin, FINS swim program, KidsBlast Children's Program, and much more. We are so proud of the little man that he is becoming and can't wait until he becomes a big brother AGAIN! Moraeah (Mo) is 5 years old. She missed the kindergarten cutoff by 3 days, therefore, is enjoying her last year with me! She is going to preschool 2 days per week and doing awesome. She recently started riding a bike with no training wheels, so this is something new and exciting for her!! She is also in dance and gymnastics and doing VERY well. She is a natural athlete and is very coordinated. We are also so proud of all of her accomplishments. Being a big sister will be a new adventure for her, but one that I am sure she will do well with! I can hardly wait.

And me?? Well, I am still working as a parent educator for Parents As Teachers. This is my 8th year of this. I love my families and children that I work with. I thank God that they are so supportive of my efforts to adopt and have been a very good support network. I am also working at Curves. This is a women's fitness center where I live. I have loved this job. I am again so thankful for the wonderful women I have gotten to meet. Besides all that....I just take care of the family.

Well, I hope you will follow my blog as we wait for our new little one to arrive. Please keep our family in your prayers. It is not an easy thing to wait indefinately for your child to come. However, we believe that God's timing is perfect and will be perfect when he (or she!) comes.