a year ago TODAY....

A year ago TODAY, was like any normal day. I remember sitting in the recliner watching The Real Housewives of Atlanta[yes, I watch this trashy show:(]...Kaz called and said our code word...We made up a code word so that the other person wouldn’t just keep talking about normal stuff...The code word meant good news from our adoption agency...I immediately stopped in my tracks and in my mind Kaz couldn’t talk fast enough. A year ago TODAY, we got a phone call about a baby...A BABY we thought was OUR BABY....A baby we wanted, prayed hard for, and fought for...BUT in the end the birthmom chose to keep him. It’s kind of ironic because 6 months ago almost to the exact day, she gave birth to that baby boy. We were crushed when she decided to keep him...BUT a day later we got THE phone call about our sweet, adorable, absolutely perfect daughter Annie Rice. A year ago TODAY, I thought the road would be easy...Looking back, it wasn’t easy at all BUT I WOULD DO IT ALL OVER in a heartbeat for Annie. TODAY I’m truly THANKFUL for ALL the Lord has done in our life. I’m THANKFUL for the hardships...I’m THANKFUL for HIS PERFECT PLAN...My heart is overflowing with THANKFULNESS...

 a year ago TODAY, I would have never imagined I would be sitting in my living room with a 17 month old little girl...HIS PLAN is perfect....HIS TIMING is perfect....HIS LOVE is perfect....

Praise God from whom all blessing AND TRIALS flow....

a year ago today, I didn't have all these memories...TODAY I AM TRULY THANKFUL!

weekend fun with the Howell's...

We had such a fun weekend...On Friday, I took a sewing class[more on this later] as an early Christmas present from Kaz. After, I met Liz in Columbia to do some shopping before going to see the new Twilight movie! On Saturday, we all went to the Citadel/Carolina game. I had already promised Kaz before the game I would wear Citadel blue proudly, and I did! I didn't pull for the Gamecocks at all...Once in a blue moon when they play the Citadel, I can switch teams for the day:) We had such a fun time with Liz and Todd...I told Kaz driving home that our friendship isn't one where we have to always talk about deep stuff...If we go talking about absolutely nothing for 3 days I leave feeling just as close, if not closer to them. It's very special...I told you awhile back I might tell you the story of how we became friends...Here it is!

At one of our Bethany meetings last March, Kaz and I sat at a back table with 2 empty chairs beside us. A girl came up to me and asked if the chairs were taken, I said no. The couple introduced themselves as Todd and Liz. We briefly talked BUT YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW THIS FROM MY BLOG BUT I AM AN EXTREMELY QUIET PERSON IF you don't know me...HONESTLY! I don't talk a lot in the beginning and in most cases I have been told it comes across as being rude:( The meeting started and I instantly warned Liz not to think I was crazy but chances were that I would cry at least once at that meeting[it lasted 8 hours]...I did of course, BUT so did she:) We exchanged contact information and got to know each other a little. I have to say at first I didn't know what to think...Here we were not even through the home study and we had the nursery done, car seat, strollers, etc, etc, etc...I asked Liz what her nursery looked like and she said we don't have a nursery yet. They had nothing done! I introduced her to Etsy...asked if she had a blog which right there she probably thought I was crazy...and then we left that day. Great meeting. I NEVER expected anything out of our interaction...A few days later one of us emailed each other..I'm more of a texter, emailer, blogger, than a talk on the phone kind of person. That's just always been me, although I'm sure my close friends are reading this now thinking What? It is true...Kaz can attest to this! Liz finally called me because she couldn't take the emailing:) so we started talking every so often. She mentioned if I ever needed a place to stay in Columbia, there house was always welcome. I had a wedding one weekend in Columbia and for some reason I made my mind up that I was going to ask Liz if I could stay. Looking back, I didn't know hardly anything about her or Todd BUT I REALLY TRUSTED them from the beginning. When I arrived at there house, it was like we had been friends for years. We hugged, I immediately felt comfortable, and it took our friendship to the next level...As I was driving home from that weekend, we texted back and forth[I don't text and drive anymore;)] and I remember asking her, "Do you have a best friend." I don't even remember her response BUT I KNEW that she was an answered prayer. Kaz has known since we got married that I have prayed for a best friend. I had one in college and life took us on different paths and it really left some scars...Since then, I have always wanted a true best friend....I now have one. The Lord knitted our hearts together even before that meeting and HE knew that we needed each other at the exact time in life that he brought us together. I talk to Liz on the phone or through text almost every day. I can tell her anything and call her when I'm struggling or at my highest point. She calls me out in love even though I don't always listen to her advice...She prays for me and truly cares about my walk with Christ. Adoption has a special place in our hearts and lives but even more than with just Annie Rice....through ADOPTION I met a dear friend...a friend I know I will have until we are called home. THE LORD IS FAITHFUL, AND HE DOES HEAR ALL OF OUR PRAYERS...

a little bit of everything...

I’ve been kind of MIA this week...There’s a very good reason. I simply have not been motivated to do anything! My “normal” schedule if you will has been changed due to me not scheduling any weddings after November 5-the end of February. I did this intentionally to have some time with my family and some free weekends, BUT my daily scheduled has changed drastically and I just haven’t been able to figure out how to use my time the last few days! I have so many things I want or need to do, BUT I just haven’t! In some ways it’s good, other ways I can’t do nothing for the next 3 months! BUT I’m also being a little hard on myself because I’ve worked non-stop even after getting Annie Rice so a few days to do nothing except watching VeggieTales and Nemo, read books, and play with toys is ok right?

I mentioned in my last post Annie Rice has been sick. She got her flu shot on Tuesday...

She is learning so much. She is getting close to standing on her own...She has learned to tell me NO, which isn’t a good thing. She has learned to say what the monkey and sheep say...She’s growing up too fast:( I got out of my car the other day and looked at her and thought, wow is this really true. Sometimes life doesn’t seem real, but I am so thankful for this sweet little girl who brings more joy to our lives than I could have ever imagined! Her and Miley have become best buddies! Kaz and I were cooking in the kitchen last night and heard Annie Rice just a giggling away..Kaz looked and her and Miley were playing a game with Annie’s toy balls! It was the cutest thing! Every morning Miley goes in her room when I get her out of bed, and Annie Rice always says Hey pup pup!:)

I have been a cooking machine lately....I have a love/hate relationship with cooking. I LIKE to cook, BUT hate knowing I have to do it everyday. So I decided to do something I haven’t done in awhile. Make freezer meals! For me, it’s the best thing because I can still cook when I want BUT if I don’t want to or life gets busy, we have something to fall back on instead of eating out! Freezer meals are great, easy, and ends up being a littler cheaper because I make so many of the same thing at a time:) Yesterday I made 4 bags of crock pot taco soup, 4 Broccoli and cheddar casseroles, 4 bags of sloppy joes for Kaz, and 4 containers of chicken enchiladas! I still have 8 other meals to make and we will be good to go:) That should last us all of December:)

Tomorrow we are going up to Columbia to spend the weekend with Todd and Liz. We are going to the Citadel/Carolina game on Saturday! There’s not a doubt in my mind that Carolina will win BUT I promised Kaz I would wear Citadel instead of Carolina...Let’s just hope I don’t change my mind:) I’m really looking forward to the game AND THEN my family is having a little party on Sunday for Annie Rice! We are so blessed!

I’ll be back next week!

fun times at the citadel....

This past weekend, we went to Kaz's old Alma Mater, The Citadel. Kaz's dad was in town for the weekend and it was The Citadel's homecoming so we went to the open barracks, etc. We had such a fun time, but my sweet Annie Rice is sick now:( BUT it was a fun weekend;)