Incredibly Tired

I did not sleep one wink last night and it is catching up to me! We are still on cloud 9 though!!

So here is the story of our call. I knew we were number 2 but with the way things had been moving I had really expected it to be next week.....I have been jumping at the phone a little bit but really not thinking too much about. So Monday morning Jackson and I went out to the post office to send the scrubs for the special mothers (orphanage workers) at Hannah's Hope (our agency orphanage) to other families that are traveling soon. Then we ate lunch at Chick-fil-a, our favorite place. I thought, wow wouldn't it be funny if Julie called right now? She didn't. 20 minutes later we were home and Jackson was in bed for a nap and I started an email to Troy and Amber to let them know I had sent them a package. After typing one sentence, the phone rang. I stared at the caller ID and it said AGCI......I started to freak out! I kept saying outloud, THIS IS IT!!!!! The phone rang at least 5 times before I actually answered it. Poor Julie because I was a mess. She asked if this was a good time and I said OF COURSE! and she had a little girl for us and started in on how she was a bit older but still in our age parameters when I remembered PAUL! So I interrupted and asked if I could call her back in 30 minutes so that Paul could come home....see I remembered my hubby:) So then I called Paul and said, "JULIE JUST CALLED COME HOME NOW!!!!" to which he responded with a "she did?".....see I told you we weren't expecting it! Then I called my friend Jeanne to come over to photograph the event:) (trying to be a good blogger;) THEN, I finished my email to Amber and Troy saying something like ahhhh Julie just called I'll email you back later!! Of course, I was jumping up and down the whole time and had to wake poor Jackson so he could see pictures of his sissy.

our first family picture, even our dog Lucy got in on the action

Then after we saw our precious baby girl we made a TON of calls to family and friends and decided to have a pizza celebration for anyone who wanted to attend. We had a great time showing off our new daughter!

Paul googled Olivia's Ethiopian name "S" to find that it means Rose so our friends brought us some beautiful roses!!!

Then today we made our way to the International Pediatrician's office here:



and met with Dr. Dibs who was fantastic. Then Jackson and I came home to this:




So I have been working on that ALL DAY! We had to take it to be signed by this lovely lady:





That's our awesome social worker Susan. Then I had it notarized by another lovely lady who I forgot to photograph but she is in the above pizza celebration pictures wearing the black and green:) So now it is all finished and ready to be overnighted back to AGCI tomorrow morning....I just barely missed the 6pm deadline for sending it back in today.....that would of been something! So now I am going to watch some tivoed dancing with the stars and hit the sack because I am soooo tired.......

THE CALL!!!!

AHHHH! Julie CALLED US! I know I am still freaking out!

Ok the details. I can't post her name or picture because she is not legally ours yet. Baby "S" is 10 months old and was born on May 23, 2008. She is 17 lbs. and 28 inches. She barely has any hair and looks a little chunky but I know she is petite. She is beyond beautiful. We are so excited!!!

We plan to name her Olivia "S" Aarseth. If you live nearby and would like to join us to celebrate, we are meeting tonight at 6:30 at Carmines Pizzeria next to Corner Bakery on Coit and Campbell.


I will post more after we meet with the International Pediatrician tomorrow (this is just a step that is part of the process, she is perfectly healthy:)

Happy Easter!

Our Easter started on Saturday since we knew the weather was going to turn on Sunday, so off to the park we went with our best friends and their son Aidan. It started out with some swinging.....

Then Daddy tried to get the kite going.




Jackson giving it a try.



Fathers and Sons.



While all that was going on the mommies hid the eggs.



handsome boys.


A very sleepy boy getting his basket on Sunday morning. (I am not sure where his shirt is)




Then after church we went to my moms for her birthday/Easter brunch.




My mom and Jackson.....about 5 seconds later we realized Jackson was getting a bloody nose!




No worries though, his Gigi just gave him an Elmo to make it all better


Mommy and Jackson making some bunny cookies....we tried to make crosses too but they just turned to blobs....


Then it was off to brunch where Jackson had his own Lobster Bisque, Macaroni and Cheese, and Creme Brulee.....yep we do it up big for GiGi's birthday/Easter brunch



After sitting so well through a long brunch, the restaurant gave us some bread to feed the ducks!



This was a bit too close for comfort.....I unfortunately don't have a picture of my step-dad picking up the goose so Jackson could pet him.....I was a little busy screaming:)



Hope you all had a great Easter! We spent some time praying for all of the waiting families yesterday and that this would be THE week:) Today marks 6 months of being on the waitlist.

April Official Numbers

Julie just emailed me to let me know that we are officially number


I knew that we were either 1,2, or 3 so I guess this is pretty good, at least we aren't still at 3! Movement is SLOW so I'll take what I can get. I'll admit that I am nervous and anxious and just ready to see our baby's face! The Lord says do not be anxious in anything so I am trying to have a quiet and content heart but finding myself not doing so well. Please pray for us as we wait! And please let us know what we can be praying for you!

Learn Amharic

Well I was hoping to get our bi-weekly update tonight but it didn't come.....So I will just share this with you... It is simple Amharic for adoptive families! We bought this like a month or so ago and I will just admit that I haven't been using it much because it makes me sad to think that we still don't have our referral.....BUT it is really fantastic. It comes with a CD because you know Amharic is crazy hard. And it would be really great for families adopting older children..... It has some much needed phrases like Do you need to use the bathroom? Are you hungry? And so on. Anyways check it out I think you will like it.

Go Barefoot!

CONGRATULATIONS KRISTI!!!!

We are so happy for you guys!! I seriously have been crying all afternoon:) So now we are



or possibly even 2! I am really unsure with the numbers with all the craziness that has gone on lately......if you have a guess then leave me a comment:)

Camping!

Ok let me first say that Paul and I are not campers. We have never camped other than a one nighter with the youth or sunday school here or there....and then we had people helping us. So we have been wanting to change that and make camping a family tradition but we really have no idea what we are doing. So when some friends of ours invited us to join them during Spring Break we jumped in! You know, for 24 hours:) That's just how we roll...... But I did take notes on how to become a camping family so when we don't have toddlers we can actually venture out for maybe 25 hours...... The most important thing I took from this was to purchase a VERY large air mattress. You see, while Paul, Jackson, and I were rolling around on tree roots, our friends DJ and Julie were kickin it at the Hilton in their tent with their DOUBLE QUEEN air mattress....I didn't even know such things exsisted. Seriously this thing rivaled my bed at home! Yes it is a must have for next years trip! Ok so here are all the great pictures!

our campsite:)

playing in the sand pit






a tired boy and mommy by the campfire

the river

our tent:) (not put up by us)

playing on the beach

a family pic

more scenery

crazy mommy
Jeanne and AJ


Paul throwing the football to.....

this.
Julie and Aundi


Jackson getting loved on in the hammock. yes he is a ladies man.

cooking hot dogs:)


Justin and Jackson

playing in the river






Do you see how loved he is? :)



All the kids minus Jackson (he just wasn't having anything to do with this picture!)


all camped out.

Adoption news: We found out the other day from another family in front of us that it may well be another 2 months before we get a referral.....we were originally thinking it would be last week.....as you can probably guess I am not handling this news well.....please pray for us as we continue to trust God in his timing.