This n That

I just have to share with you that I am so glad that Spring is here.

Its still cool. But I brought in a few daffodils last week and some of the trees are budding out. I keep cracking a window or two to let some fresh air in and love the sound of the birds singing and the sunlight pouring in.

I pray I never have such a dark winter again. It was cold, wet, rainy and dark.

Can you hear me without really talking about it?

I hope so.

I am emotional today.

I am thankful that

God

is

faithful

and

I can trust him.

He is not human.

I am hoping to have another quiet stay-at -home day today. I do have to go take care of daughters birds sometime but I am sure E will want to drive and we just need to make sure they have food and fresh water etc. No biggie.

Yesterday I ordered some Fels Naptha soap from here to try my hand at making home made laundry detergent. Thank you Elizabeth for reminding me! I also got a recipe for laundry soap esp. for cloth diapers and wraps.

Here it is in case you might want it:

Home made cloth diaper laundry Detergent

1 cup washing soda -Arm and Hammer

1 cup borax

1 cup dollar store "oxyclean"

Use: 1-2 Tbsp / load in a frontloader

Call me crazy but I am sad around the edges that they are potty training little G and they are hoping she will be trained by the time we get there. I had hoped that this last go around I would be able to experience it all. I do realize even if they are successful that she may regress once we get home etc. It will be such a transition for her. I was wondering yesterday if the things in her suitcase would fit. I probably shouldnt "go there" just yet. This picture is the first one we got of her. She was 2 and a half here.......... this my friend is who I fell in love with. My sweet little G.

I did share with the Yahoo Ecuador adopt group the news we had from last week. My mother and her mother have always been women to not speak ill about others. I aspire to be like that. I hesitated to share. But several families in country were having troubles with some of the documents needed so I thought Id let them know that might be the reason. (One of the head people was fired due to incompetence.) I think that a few of the families may have thrown parties last night upon hearing that information. She treated them horribly and needed to be fired a long time ago. So.... privately I celebrated on behalf of my fellow friends that were treated so injustly. I am praying that there is a replacement and that this new person is all that the other woman was not.......... kind, compassionate, and cares about finding homes for the little Orphans their country cannot place. I understand that international adoption shouldnt be the cure- all. These countries need to raise the next generations. But until there is a cure, a fix-all for the problem they need to be placed in loving families. One of the other families in the Yahoo group has been in the process for 3 years and they were matched with a little one last Fall only to be told "never mind. We didnt really sign off on your papers." Their little one is now 5. What a travesty! I WILL NOT have a pity party. We have been given hope. We have more than some other families have. Yesterday we were told that the good news last week was that our adoption WOULD be grandfathered into our agencies old accreditation. She is hoping that on the 25th- the next time the comittee meets (OR POSSIBLY SOONER!! if they hold a special meeting to just sign off on our papers) that our papers will get signed. That is what we are praying for so that it can be sent in.......... with our immigrations paperwork (that expired in December and will now need to be re-done.) The immigrations paperwork will take 3-4 weeks to process and then we will be off to Ecuador!

I am hoping to complete my first knitting pattern. Ive never written one on my own before. I am trying to copy an olympic hat. Lets see how it turns out. I also have my Dads socks on needles, the back of my sons sweater, and just bought yarn yesterday to start a scarf, shawlette for my mother in law. She taught me how to knit several times! Haha! Last time we visited she commented on how her neck gets cold at church from the AC. Her birthday is the end of the month....... I have a few patterns earmarked on Ravelry. One is an Estonian Lacework panel. Then I have a shell patterned lacework piece. I bought linen laceweight and hope that it will turn out nicely. I am itching to cast on but will MAKE myself get this hat done first and type the pattern out since a few people are waiting on me so they can try it. I am nervous because it isnt an exact replica of this!

Husband had ear surgery last week and went back to work on Monday. I had to get up and take him to the work car left in the pking lot so he could travel today. He had to be there by 6 and I am feeling the need for a nap already.( and thats with coffee in my system!)

I have had a phrase in my mind for a year now and yesterday had a vision for a T-shirt fundraiser. (using this phrase) I contacted our youth group director by e-mail and will see if its financially do-able. Ive been concerned that we might end up short with funds for our adoption and this would take some of the worry off my mind. Plus I know deep in the recesses of my mind that if, and thats a HUGE if, we end up with extra that I would love to adopt another child. At this point I figure, "whats one more?" I had checked into Bethany Adoptions and would LOVE to adopt an infant with or without special needs. The costs are prohibitive for us. Weve also checked into adopting/ fostering with the state but I dont think we would be able to adopt an infant. If I could have my"dream adoption" I would be able to adopt an infant and know in enough time to breastfeed. Just sayin'. I can dream big cant I???? Anyhow, back to the T-shirt idea. I am just wondering if it would work? I had also designed notecards, was going to print my watercolor paintings on blank notecards........ and bought the cardstock and envelopes but we were able to get the funds we needed without fundraisers.

But maybe I need to go ahead with the idea?

Have any of you out there had any success with this or heard if these types of things are worthwhile?

Well here is my verse for today:

1 Samuel 1:27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of him.

Praying for a miracle!

Under His wings,

Anna