A week of "lasts"

The blog title sounds kinda sad when I read it back....but I'm so darn emotional this week, it pretty well fits!  I'm figuring this is all pretty normal, I remember both my SIL and tons of my friends telling me about feeling so sentimental about everything with their "firstborn" right before their second joined the family.  I have no fears of "will I be able to love Ellie the way I love Max?"  I'm already crazy in love with my girl, but more of "will my little man struggle with feeling less important once he's no longer the only kiddo we're giving our attention to?"  Seriously....I'm so emotional these days, everything I do
with Max turns into an "ohhhh, this is the last time it will be just you and me...." some of them are bigger deals than others, but most of the time I find myself thinking "am I really crying about this?!"  

Today Max and I had our last lunch date before E comes home.  I fully realize that Max and I will continue to have lunch dates after she's home, but I seriously felt this urgency to go out with him "one more time."  I said to him as we sat across from each other "you know buddy, even when Ellie is home, and I'm sharing my attention with the two of you, nothing will ever change how much I love you or how special you are to me, you know that right?"  He paused just long enough so I knew he was actually thinking about his answer :)  "Mom, I know you always love me, but Ellie's going to be new in our family so she's probably going to need more attention right, like to learn stuff from you and dad, so it's ok."  Melt my heart, this boy is amazing! 

I don't doubt that we will have our share of struggles, jealousy and fighting as we grow and journey as a family of four.....but man oh man do I have one incredible little boy!

The best surprise EVER!!

We've been down in Texas for the past week tagging along with Stephen on his work trip.  Our last seven days have been jammed packed and there's been very little family time.  Lots of Max and I hanging out at the pool during the day, but not a lot of time for the three of us :(  Stephen was able to last minute move some things around and we made our way to College Station, home of Texas A&M, Stephen's alma mater.  Max is obsessed with a handful of things....baseball, musical instruments, and Texas A&M.  In all fairness, his obsession has largely been influenced by Stephen's love for the school, but he's obsessed none the less!  Max was completely surprised and kept asking "are we at Texas A&M?!?!" as we drove up to campus.  Stephen (being in development himself) has a lot of friends at the foundation on campus so Max got the VIP treatment!!

Our ride for the day!  

 Sooo excited!!!

Its such a beautiful campus!

 

Private access ON the football field!  I was even pretty excited about this!

Next stop, Blue Bell Park, home of A&M baseball!  Max was beside himself excited!

Max explained to me "I hope that when I come here, the A&M catcher is ready to be tired (he means to say "retire" but its so stinking cute, sometimes I don't correct him!) because that's what I'm going to do!  I'll just be an A&M football fan, but I'm going to be ON the baseball team!"

 This was such a special day for Stephen to get to share with Max!

Max "posing" next to Stephen's signature on the alumni wall for the Singing Cadets.  

 Max just couldn't contain his silliness he was too excited!!

We ended the visit with some awesome Texas barbeque and Max couldn't stop talking about all he'd just saw!  I'm not sure what plans God has in store for our boy's future, but I sure wouldn't be surprised if they include Texas A&M!  Feeling very blessed to have this special time with Max before we bring our sweet girl home!!

Officially a kindergartener!

Well, he did it!  Max went and graduated from preschool!  Amazingly, I didn't cry....but it sure was an emotional day!  He's growing into such an incredible young man and Stephen and I are unbelievably proud of him!  Max is SO excited about kindergarten, and that excitement is contagious!  Though its sad at times to realize how quickly time is passing and how fast he's growing up....we are looking forward to all the adventure he has coming up and seeing all the amazing ways God will work through our boys life!  Here's the graduate!!

 

Heading into his last day of class!

 

 Receiving his "diploma".

 

 

 Party in the park with his friends!

 

The kids drew "when I grow up I want to be...." pictures.  Max's answer....a baseball catcher of course!!

SO proud of this cutie!  What an AMAZING summer we have ahead of us!!!

 

 

 

1 month till take off!!!

Holy moly! Today marks the one month count down to boarding our plane to Thailand! I can't believe how quickly time is flying! And I feel like my to-do list just keeps growing! For every one thing I cross off, I wake up at two am with two more to put on :) But this is SUCH an exciting time and each little task brings us closer to Ellie! Max's favorite new job has become crossing the previous day off on the calendar...every morning he says with renewed enthusiasm "we're getting soooo close mom!!!"

We have yet to receive official confirmation that our names have been put on the schedule for the July 3rd board meeting, just a "we see no reason why there will be any problem with that date." So please be praying with us that we will VERY soon hear that everything is official!!!

A place just for Ellie!

Just in time for our I-800 to come in the mail....Ellie's room is finished!!!  I had the most AMAZING Mother's Day with my two favorite guys....complete with our long awaited adoption papers wrapped up in an envelope with the words "to mommy, love Ellie" on the front!  My hubby is the sweetest!!

My sweet boy in front of the "Happy Mother's Day" sign and his hand print at church.

We are praying we will be on a plane around June 23rd and see our girl on the 27th!!!  Our agency is getting all the final approvals for us to appear before the Adoption Board on July 3rd and as long as they do then those will be our dates!  To think I'm only a little more than a month away from holding my baby girl!!! 

So here is her bedroom.....I loved every minute of sanding and painting her furniture, making her curtains, and folding her clothes.  I just can't wait to have her sleeping in her bed, playing with her toys, twirling around the middle of her room!

**just a little disclaimer....these were taken on my phone, the quality is terrible, and her ceiling light adds a horrible glare...but you can still get the idea :)

Scapbook paper heart garland hanging above E's bed.

 Max made Ellie both the canvas art and the painted "E" on the top shelf!

  The first baby doll we bought for Ellie!  It will be traveling
 with us to Thailand!

So many fun dress up clothes!!!

 Thank you Pinterest for the DIY curtain idea!

The perfect addition to E's room made by her Aunt Rae-Rae!

Well we're officially "ready" I do believe!  The night I took the pictures, I also started packing :)  It has been so fun, laying out her outfits, along with the perfect shoes and hair bows to go with them!  Please continue to pray as the last couple weeks are going to FLY by.  Pray Ellie's visa is processed quickly and accurately and there are no unforeseen issues that keep us from our girl!!!  Thank you all so much for your love and support!  

Soooo close!!

Praise the Lord!  We have received our Article 16 and we are so incredibly close to having Ellie in our arms!!  Today we mailed off our I-800 (immigration documents to be approved saying we can bring her into the country).  Our agency says it should take about 3-4 weeks to receive word on that, and then its just a matter of time before we get "the date".  That date tells us when we will appear as a family of 4 (heck yeah!!) in front of the Thai Adoption Board.  We will need to be in country at least a week before the date of the board meeting, and with our plans to visit the babies' home where Max spent his first 3 years, its likely we'll be there even sooner than that.  So....all that to say that our agency told us we could be on a plane in as little as six weeks!  SIX WEEKS!!!  I am on cloud nine!  I just want my girl in my arms.  But, also the all too familiar feeling of "holy cow I have soooo much to do" has set in just like it did when we were preparing to travel to bring Max home.  But, I tell you....its the best kind of stress ever!!!



We will likely have a very short notice for booking our flight and hotel which is a bummer financially, but hey we'll do whatever we need to!  Please be praying with us over the next couple weeks as our final documents are processed here in the U.S.  And most importantly, if you could be praying for our sweet girl, we sure would appreciate it.  Our experience with Max taught us so much.  Our children are so strong and have endured more in their short lives than anyone ever should.  But, our God is faithful and so good, and just as He has with Max, we know He will work in an amazing way to heal those hurts in our little girl's heart. 

So excited for this part of the journey and so thankful you all are in it with us!!

Sweet Mammaw

This weekend we made a whirlwind trip to Michigan to love on our Mammaw (Stephen's grandmother).  Her health is declining and they are considering placing her on hospice.  We don't get to see her nearly as often as we would like so we wanted to make a special trip to hug and spend time with her while she's still able to enjoy visitors. 

So thankful God has blessed us with such AMAZING family and equally thankful for a little more time with her!