Blessings

A few months ago I found out that because Ben & Cait's adoptions were finalized in 2010 and they were considered "special needs" adoptions, I am going to be the recipient of a rather large tax refund.  When I say large, I mean it will allow me to be debt free.  Yes, DEBT FREE!  This is huge!  This is answered prayer, I wondered why their adoptions took so long, God really knew what he was doing, I almost can't believe it, huge.  So, this amazing blessing (when the amendment to my taxes actually files)  leads me to wonder what exactly I should be prepared for.  It gives me such amazing freedom.  Freedom from the 8-5 grind, freedom to pursue a ministry opportunity I have been thinking about for years, freedom to serve God with abandon.(which I should be doing anyway, but I worry so much about the future)  I'm nervous.  I feel like God has something planned for me, something drastic. something my small brain will not be able imagine.... or maybe I'm just imagining things.  that's the problem, I just don't know.

And so, I wait and pray. and pray and wait.  Your prayers (whoever you are :-)  would be greatly appreciated as well. 

My princess

This girl is four years old today.  Every year I think back to what it was like when I found her.  Here is the story.  I knew her birthmother was pregnant since she was about 2 months along and still visiting with Ben (sporadically)  I knew the chances were good that she would have this baby placed into foster care since she has a long history with DCFS and Ben was still an open case.  I asked the caseworker every so often when she was due and what she was having.  He told me that she said she was due in May and she was having a girl.  Something deep inside me kept saying "April"  I don't know, maybe the voice of God. LOL.  but for a few months, I kept hearing April as her due month, I knew she was lying to the caseworker to buy time.  I happened to know where she was living at the time and it happened to be on my way to Wal-mart, so one day I just turned and lo and behold, there she was walking down to road in the rain, HUGELY pregnant.  I called the caseworker when I got back to work and told him I saw her and she was due not in May, but any time.
about 2 weeks after I saw her, she had the baby.  Now here is where it gets interesting.  I have a friend who had twins on April 10 so on April 12, I was on the hospital website looking for pictures of her boys.  suddenly i saw this baby girl and I knew it was her!  I did a little double checking and even called the hospital and asked for her birthmother by name, (yes, I am ashamed to say we hung up when she answered).  I notified the caseworker who did what he needed to do, and a few weeks later on May 15, my baby girl came home!  I drove around for a month with her carseat in my van and had her bag packed.  I just knew, that when the time was right, she would come home to me.  God has amazing timing.
Caitlyn Amelia Joy is such a blessing and we all love her very much.  Happy Birthday to my Princess!