Psalm 27:14 and Psalm 31:24

So these are the scripture verses I have been meditating on this past week. If you aren't sure what they are go look them up! ;) We are at the 3 month mark of waiting which is really NOTHING. Some days it is nothing and I'm so busy and other days it's just a grip on my heart wondering when our daughter will be brought to us. I have complete faith that God will bring her in His perfect time. I must admit it is MUCH easier the second time around!! Kind of like having your 2nd child-- you don't get as nervous or as anxious as the first time. It is still so very exciting but I know it is all going to work out just right...
So I've been blessed to be able to minister to other waiting families with Bethany. About a year ago I contacted Bethany's Director and told her that I love making digital scrapbooks and would be willing to help edit or make books for couples that may be having difficulty with it. She said "Ok great-- thanks. We'll let you know." I never heard anything until December. She called and asked if I could help them. I was so excited. I filled out paperwork and became an "Official Bethany Volunteer." I am now the Profile Book Consultant and I love it!! I love helping couples make their books go from ok or good to awesome! It is very rewarding! Just this last week one of the families I talked with and reviewed their book brought home a "stork drop" baby after their book had only been "out there" for 2 weeks! I was sooooooo excited for them! I just LOVE seeing families built through adoption. It is such an awesome blessing!!!

Adoption Friends

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my adoption friends-- old and new! There is a special bond people who adopt have that is just so awesome! Back in July I had a bunch of adoptive moms and their babies over for lunch. We were talking about how there was an Adoptive Families of the Tampa Bay Area on Facebook that we had become members of but we thought it would be neat to have a Central Florida group. That night I started one on Facebook. It started out with just the 5 of us from the group and maybe a few more we knew. Right now we have 46 members! I love it! So we got together last weekend for a play date in Winter Garden-- it was 30-70 minute drive for everyone depending on where we were coming from. I always wish there was more time to talk at these things! This time a girl named Jen came with her son and daughter. It was our first time meeting them and we are soooo psyched they joined us! They are awesome! Also a couple that we had met at Magical Families recently relocated to Orlando and hooked up with us! It was great to have them and their boys there!!! Have I said how much I love our group?? tee-hee...
Anyhow, here are some pictures from last Saturday:

Surrender

Ever notice how sometimes it is easy to turn things over to God and sometimes it is really hard?? I have to admit that I still don't think automatically to pray right when stressful situations hit me. I usually get angst and my mind goes a million miles a minute trying to figure out how "I the almighty one" will handle all this with grace and make it work out perfect. WRONG. I'm always wrong when I think I am in control. When will I learn???
A few weeks ago Chris (my husband), was putting Luke (our 5 year old) to bed and Chris' knee dislocated. He was in NC at the time so I did not witness the event but when my tough husband who can "block out" pain says he was seeing stars and was considering going to the ER, I know it was bad. It took three weeks to get into the orthopedic surgeon. He went Tues. MRI Wednesday. Results yesterday: Bad ACL tear. Surgery necessary.
Now my husband is a Physical Therapist so he can't return to work until he is fully recovered-- 2-3 MONTHS! Ugh. I thought I was going to throw up when I heard that last night. Let me tell you why... we are waiting for a newborn baby to adopt and I wanted to take 2-3 MONTHS off!! Really what I think would be best is if we get matched while he is out on leave. He only needs 2 weeks (insert smile) and then it'll be like when he broke his leg 8 years ago-- he couldn't work and was bored to death. So today I am surrendering all of the to God and putting in a special request for our daughter to be brought to us while Chris is out on medical leave... I know He's laughing at me but I'm still requesting. Praying. Hoping. Surrendering for today.

Survey

Well, I haven't posted anything because we are just waiting for God to bring Jenna to us and He currently is not in a rush which is fine. We know He has the perfect precious daughter picked out for us... Don't get me wrong, I do get anxious and do daydream about "The Call" but overall I'm pretty busy so life keeps me distracted! My friend Kelly tagged me in a survey on her blog From Empty Womb to Overflowing Heart, so I thought it would be fun to answer her questions. I'm not playing the game completely but I will answer her questions mainly to have something to post here!! Ha!

11 Random Questions for You:

1. Favorite thing to do in your "spare" time?
"Play" on my laptop or read

2. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
Africa and Australia-- I have always loved those countries and would love to spend time in each of them-- some day I will...

3. If you could choose any dream job what would it be?
Hummmm I think I have my dream job. I love being a Home Health Occupational Therapist The only other thing I can possibly think of is getting paid to help "waiting families" make their profile books or helping people make digital scrapbooks. That's a neat dream job I think.

4. If you have a guilty pleasure, what is it?
Chocolate chip cookies-- I love them and have trouble resisting

5. What has been the hardest question you've been confronted with regarding your childs adoption?
I don't know-- I know I was really bothered when someone I work with told me that laws don't matter and Kaycee's birthmom could come take her away any time. It made me so mad.

6. If you could meet anyone dead or alive, who would it be?
Mother Theresa or Oprah

7. Favorite restaurant?
We really don't go out to eat that much- I like Bonefish Grill and I also like a local Italian place called Naples

8. What book are you currently reading?
No Biking in the House by Melissa Fay Green and Dinner with a Perfect Stranger by David Gregory for my Christian Girls Book Club

9. If you struggled with IF, do you ever feel that people regard your decision to adopt as a "last resort" or "second best"? If so, how do you deal with it?
I didn't struggle with it exactly but when I was miserable on bedrest with my second son and crying because I knew I could not physically have anymore children my sister in law said "you guys can always adopt" I never forgot that...

10. Whats to your immediate left?
My iPhone and my dog

11. If someone gave you 1 million dollars, how would you use it?
These days 1 million is not really that much... sad but true. I'd buy a new house with a pool and pay for all my kids prepaid college plans in full. I'd donate $100,000 to charity Then it would be gone. :)

Thanks Kelly for stimulating my mind!! I'm so looking forward to our Central Florida Adoption Play Date this Saturday. Stay tuned-- I'll post some pics!!

Happy New Year & Philippians 4:6

We had a wonderful Christmas with lots of family, lots of laughs and lots of good memory making moments!! Now on to the New Year 2012! Every New Year Chris & I set goals for ourselves and for our family for the new year. We had done it on New Year's Eve but I needed more thinking time so I think we'll do it this weekend! We met several of our goals from last year and will probably put some of the ones not met back on this years list.
Lately I'm frustrated with myself at being anxious about our adoption process! We were asked to turn everything in ASAP in December by our adoption agency and then.... nothing. It's kinda strange but I know that God has a plan. I know our baby girl will be presented to us when she is ready... blah blah blah. I've done this before. I have 3 kids to keep me busy. Why oh why am I anxious about this. I try not to think about it. I keep trying to tell myself it'll happen in June or this summer so I can put it out of my mind. In the mean time people keep asking me if I'm crazy to want to add another child to my bunch. Today when someone asked I said "Yep I am." I was feeling tongue tied when asked that before but now in all reality I am nuts and I'm so excited for it! I have 2 kids that are potty trained and can dress themselves and everyone sleeps great so bring on another!!!!!!!!!!!
I love my kids. I love our family. I can't wait for our final member to join us and sleep on my chest and coo (and cry and spit up and everything else!!). Yes, it will be tough but a good tough. Ok so that's where we are at! No news and trust me when I have some I am not afraid to tell and ask for prayers!!!! For now I will stay busy with work, house decorating-- I think I'm going to redo the kids rooms, and making awesome memories with my littles who I love with all my heart!!
Stay tuned.

PS And yes I am focusing on Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
I'm trying....

(My mom, my brother Derek - NYC, my brother Kristofer- Boulder, CO, Kaycee, Chris, me, Luke & Zack on Christmas morning)

Merry Christmas & Happy 2012!!

Happy Holidays Everyone!
I decided to post our annual Christmas letter on our blog to a) save paper and that expensive ink b) get my Christmas cards out in time and do the letter later! All our cards went out this week and now I'm sitting on the couch with the ambiance of the lit Christmas tree and reflecting on this past year...
Chris got a new job in the spring in The Villages at a very nice, upscale skilled nursing rehab facility. He really enjoys it and it allows our children to go to The Villages Charter School. He is also 20 minutes closer to his mountain biking trails and still enjoys riding once a week with a group of guys.
Luke started Kindergarten and loves it! He enjoys coloring, drawing and playing with Legos. He also participates in bowling after school once a week! He went to Legoland with me in October which was great fun!
Zack really learned to swim this summer. He loves it and is a little fish! He also became completely potty trained this fall (Thank God!!) He loves going Sea World, playing with trucks and his favorite characters are Diego & Spiderman!
Kaycee has amazed us this year! She is so animated and happy! She loves to sing and dance and she just started walking this week! She loves her brothers and never fusses when they give her big bear hugs (or headlocks)!
I am still working in Home Health 3 days a week and really enjoying it. I have the flexibility to participate in all the kids school activities and enjoy special one on one days with the kids. I have started a Central Florida Adoptive Families page in Facebook and have made some great new friendships with local families. I also started a "Play and Pray" group at my house once a week. I got inspired after attending the Women of Faith Conference in October and now have some friends over with their kids-- the moms do a bible study (and pray) while the kids play. It's a little chaotic at times but it's better than nothing and I think we all enjoy it!!
Our big news that most people already know is that we are in the process of adopting our fourth (and final) child! We are so excited to add a newborn baby girl to our family! We actually mailed all our paperwork in today and our profile book has already arrived at our adoption agency! So now we wait to see when God will place Jenna in our arms and lives forever. We pray for her and her birth mom daily (where ever and whoever they may be).
We pray you and your family have a wonderful holiday season and awesome 2012!!

Much Love,
Kierstin, Chris, Luke (5), Zack (4) & Kaycee (1)

Profile book completed!!

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Profile book is done, double checked, proof read by our adoption agency and ordered!! Now to our next pile of paperwork...