It's October!!???!!

I'm sensing it's time to post an update on adoption #2. Before anyone gets their hopes up, we don't have any news. I suppose I'm bringing it up because it's been so long since I've mentioned it on here, I thought such an 'update' might serve as humble plea for your prayers. We do covet your prayers in this. We have felt a strong sense of God's timing in so many areas relating to this second adoption journey, that we want to trust Him and be patient for His timing in this next phase, yet have a sense of anticipation so we're ready and prepared for the big transition it will be.

I suppose I'm mentally 'visiting' these adoption thoughts because the anniversary of our phone call about Ellie is approaching in a few days. I wonder how long we'll continue to associate fall and the approach of Thanksgiving with our excitement and preparation for meeting and bringing her home? If the 'wait' for our second child follows the same general timeline as the process/wait for our referral of Ellie, we would hear something this soon. Yet my mind reminds me that this is wildly unrealistic. After all, we're still waiting with our friends, the Gezons, for their older child referral that's going on 30+ months. Praise the Lord, a sweet adolescent girl has been identified for them and she was to be eligible for international placement this month. Now we wait to hear if the AAC had their September meeting and if the referral became offcial.

Yes, it is possible that they might also refer us a child at this meeting, but again, we're trying to be patient and wait. In the mean time, Ellie brought home 'homework' this week. It's a large sheet of white paper that we're supposed to fill with words and pictures about a place where Ellie wants to travel and how she's going to get there (this week's unit is on transportation). Of course, we're planning to draw the biggest airplane on it and surround it with photos of Alb*nia. We've talked about it with her in the theoretical sense and it's impossible to know what she's grasping and what she's not, but we believe she's at a place now with her confidence and attachment to us where bringing in a child won't be detrimental to her continued development but should enhance it. I think she will be extremely excited when the time comes and we can't wait to share this experience with her. Though we not so naive to think that excitement won't wear off...

In the mean time, we're treasuring our time with her and this current stage of life. It seems that the prince and princess thing has not worn off. This morning it took 4 tries to find a shirt that was 'pretty' enough for her (this makes 3 days in a row of struggling to find clothes that are pretty enough -- we suspect she gets special attention at school when she wears dresses). She finally told Nathan, "No, [not a regular shirt from the dresser but], up there!" Pointing to the closet. Of course! ALL pretty clothes are stored on hangers and would never be folded up and stuffed in a dresser drawer! Fortunately Nathan found a shirt that wasn't too fancy for school yet I had for some reason hung it up with her church clothes instead of storing it with her school clothes in the dresser.

Last week Nathan picked her up from school a few days in a row without me. I was tickled to hear her come in the door each time and holler, "Princess Mommy! Where ARE you? Princess? Princess?" Today I picked her up solo while Nathan was at home working in the yard. As I buckled her in she asked, "Daddy? Where's the prince?" So funny. This coming from a girl who still prefers cars and trucks and baseballs over dolls and toy kitchens.

Sorry no pictures this time. I'll try to do better next time. ;-)