recent thoughts

I have really enjoyed reading a lot of blogs lately. You guys have been so honest and that is awesome.

I have also spent some thinking about LynnMarie. I do pray for her and hope she gets hugs and cuddles. I wonder what will be going on in her head during Gotcha Day. I know if will be rough but I wonder what its like when everything that is comforting to you and everything you have known is taken away from you. I can not imagine and can not get these thoughts out of our head. I pray we will be able to comfort her and will be able to give her the love and the things she needs.

It's a very scary thought. Did any of you guys ever dwell on things like this?

I still have a lot of anxiety in the whole preparation for LynnMarie thing. We need to get Operation Christopher Clean up in action. In regards to her room, I have no idea where to even start. Truly. Now its funny, before we turned in our MCC, I knew exactly what I wanted. Now that our wait has probably decreased ( we still may have a year to go) I have no idea. Really. its still overwhelming. Goodness, it's still fun to dream!!!!

I shared our "story" with a new online friend this week. As a read it back, I remember thinking we don't have a story. I was wrong. Everyone has a story. Everyone is different. But as I told my new friend, I look back and smile. God's hand has been on our adoption so long ago. We saw seeds planted and God's plan growing all over the place. I can not believe He allowed us on this journey. I have said this before. Although we are still "waiting", adoption has changed our lives forever. I see things with my heart and not just my eyes anymore. Because of this simple thing, I will cherish these times forever!

Monday Meditations-

Good morning friends! What's on your heart today? What are you praying about?
Me?

I am praying for China, the world is about to watch them intensely! That's a lot of pressure!

I pray for LynnMarie and whoever is giving her hugs today!

I pray for her birth family, I just can not imagine

I am praying for all of you whether you are family, blogging friends or others. You have made me smile on a daily basis and have helped fill my heart with happiness and hope. God adores you and I am thankful that you are such a huge part of my life.

I am praying for Don and Be and Joanna Mei as they continue to bonding to be the family they were created to be. Can I tell you how excited I am to get to Florida and meet you?

I am praying for Amanda at the Starfish Orphanage today!

I am praying for those who will be matching us with LynnMarie and those who make "the phone call", how cool would that job be?

I pray for myself. That I can continue to be real. Once again, adoption has been etched in my heart and has made me open up in ways I never could have imagined

1 year ago

This was my post 1 year ago and thought I would remind myself about the things I we are looking forward to!


Hello friends! What wonderful news to hear that that the CCAA is done reviewing all of JUne 2006. That means there is less than 12 months to go until they review our dossier!

Thanks for all of your wonderful comment on the post below. You guys are wonderful.

There are times when someone says something that really sticks with you. We have been attending our First Friday group for almost 10 months now at the Chapmans and have found such wonderful support and encouragement. The one thing that I have heard is that what we are going through is not just adoption. Adoption takes an hour, parenting lasts a lifetime. We are not just preparing our homes and looking forward to our referral and going to China, we are becoming a family. When I really think about it, its really quite surreal.

The idea that in a few years (hopefully sooner) life as we presently know it will be forever changed. Our priorities will no longer just be on Michael and I, but our child. This has already started. My mind wanders on what life will be like. We are going to be watching everything through her eyes and that is simply amazing.

We are still in the early waiting part and I am having so much fun! My dreams have changed and only for the better. A lot of you know me simply from this blog. My craziness can be found over at my personal blog

I thought I would add a few more things I am looking forward to.

I can not wait to take LynnMarie for walks around the mall.
I can not wait to take her on a picnic.
I cant wait for her first pictures.
I cant wait until that first family Christmas card and portrait
I cant wait until I buy her first Halloween costume.
I cant wait to get her pictures taken in a pumpkin patch.
I cant wait to see her feet in the sand
I cant wait to make her breakfast
I cant wait for her to be able to pick out her own book bag
I cant wait to make Christmas cookies with her
I cant wait to go see Christmas lights around town and have a contest on who ever finds Santa first wins ( I did this with my cousins)
I cant wait to see what she is interested in whether it be dance, singing, piano or whatever she can dream up
I cant wait for her to teach us things

LynnMarie's 16th Lidversary book

15 months down

15 months down, how much longer until LynnMarie comes home?
Only God knows and we WILL wait on HIS perfect timing.

Hakuna Matata

Monday Meditations

Praises

1) Joanna Mei is with her forever family. Oh we can not wait to meet her!!!!

2) Families are still being united

3) My friends have found their Faith!
Prayer

1) The wait- enough said

2) That God will make us the parents He wants us to be during this time

3)The biological families of our children. It's not too early to pray for those who gave our child life. I can not imagine the circumstances that led to our children being adopted

4) All the caregivers in China

5) LynnMarie and her friends

6) Amanda at Starfish Orphanage. What an incredible lady. I pray for her, the children, and the needs of the orphanage.

How are you today? Feel free to be honest!!!!

someone needs your help

To the right of out blog, you will see a sweet face with a Starfish logo. Amanda at Starfish orphanage is an amazing ladies. She keeps several babies in her home and loves on them and even stays with them when they have their surgery. Miss RMJ from Seventh Diamond ( who hosts the Saturday morning chats) asked me to help and do a book drive. Amanda stays at the hospital with the kids and only has old newspapers and magazines to read.

So we are collecting books for Amanda along with other supplies. If you go to First Fridays, there will be a box there in August. If you live in Atlanta and would like to help, I would love to meet you an take what you have and if you would like to just help with the postage that would help as well!

Besides books, we are also going to collect some needed items. I got an email from Amanda this morning and these are her current needs!

Motrin (2 to 11 year olds) I prefer the regular kind and not the concentrated.
Nexcare 3M waterproof bandages all different sizes
Digital thermometer with F and C settings
Goldfish
Cheerios
Desitin Original
Butterfly closures (Small)
Shaklee VitaLea infant vitamin mix

preemie diapers

Email me at amyschristopher@comcast.net and I can give you the needed info to help! Thanks!!! I am going to try to mail to China the second week of August!

blah

I am going to start talking nursery stuff over at my personal blog.

As we continue to wait, we hope to take 2 small trips in the next few months. One will be up in the Ga mountains to celebrate our anniversary in October and the other one will be in August to Central Florida to meet a new nephew and visit friends and family. If any of you want to hang out, let us know. We are looking forward to seeing some old friends any maybe meeting new friends and hopefully get to see Joanna Mei!!! I know there will be at least one China adoption gathering!!

If you have any ideas on where we should meet in Orlando, let us know!

Amy and Michael

Monday Meditations

Is it just me or has your prayer time just gotten awesome and more personal since your adoption experience began? It truly is amazing.

Praises

Don and Be will be with their sweet Joanna Mei oh so very soon!
We have met amazing friends all over the country during this process
Meron is home from the hospital!
Everyone who has prayed and encouraged us especially after my last post! Haha

Prayer

Meron's continued health

The Chapman family- they still need our prayers as they have difficult days ahead of them

the birth mom's of our children- LynnMarie is probably born now and I wonder how her birth and the circumstances surrounding her birth have affected her.

Our agency and the CCAA as they continue to bring families together

Families with SN children. Some of you may need surgery or therapies or other things and I pray you find the right treatment

LynnMarie's caregivers. I hope she gets an extra hug today


Myself. Forgive me for being a bit selfish, but I would love to have your prayers. I am getting a bit stressed and finding myself worrying about things I can not change. I have started taking things way too personally and I think its starting to get to me. Even some blogs are starting to get to me. I just love reading your blogs and stories and have found so much encouragement through them.
***** Update, its not the wait getting to me. I am loving the wait right now. Its more person, relationship stuff that has gotten me down!

You. I will be praying for everyone who gets online and happens to read our blog today!

emotions

Its a little scary. Its been cool. Once Michael and I sent our MCC (Medical Conditions Checklist), I joined several yahoo groups Its been really neat to see people who turned in their dossiers the same time we did, get referrals and watch the beginning of an amazing journey.
At the same time, its make me start to realize that our wait really may not be as long as we thought at all. Then I started a to get a bit worried. A bit excited. My mind started racing but in a good way.
Once we get a referral, time will fly fast. Seriously,I have no idea what we are supposed to do. Truly. Really. This is when I wish my mom and sister lived closer (no attempt at making you feel guilty if Mom and Kelly are reading).

Packing for China, a trip to China, decorating her room, buying furniture, figuring out what kind of furniture to buy, making a decision about her room, looking for good deals (thank God for Kim and Donna), buying clothes, adjusting work schedules, redoing the budget, getting the house clean.Then I went a bit further and thought about savings accounts, and college tuition's and private vs public schools. Wow, its a really big deal! Our life will change. Oh I am looking forward to it but boy am I little bit afraid. No, wait, I am completely overwhelmed but would not change this excitement for anything. We really do not know how long until we get a referral. Its fun to think about, fun to dream about and fun to pray about.

God has brought us into this amazing journey. It is so indescribable! Can you believe all the things that have happened? Wow!

So now, I will take a deep breath, google some stuff , dream some more and read some amazing blogs. I have had the most amazing encouraging emails this week who have really lifted my spirits.

the parent you want to be

Lots of you gave us some great ideas on books to read. Last week I was waiting for Michael while he was working in the church bookstore and found this book and decided to read it.

Neat book, easy read. Will be reading again. This helps you figure out what traits you need to work on to become a better parent . It talks about how kids watch your behavior, hear your words and develop behavior that matches your own. It has several "tests" that you use to figure out the top traits you want to work on and then takes several topics and goes over ways you can better yourself. I look forward to Michael reading it as it also encourages spouses to communicate on the different traits!

I think both waiting parents and parents who have their children will get some great info. It helps you see the kind of parent you want to be and how to get there! I have read several marriage books by this couple and they are good as well!

Monday Meditations

Hi friends! Its Monday although I do pray for all of you and our LynnMarie daily, this is the day that I share my requests and thoughts with you!

I hope you will share with me as well! I have enjoyed this Great Adventure of adoption. I really have. It has been smooth sailing and just an eye opening experience I am thankful that I have followed some of you on your journey, the ones I have met in the hospital and just this blog thing in general. I am thankful that the China adoption program has led people to bring children home from other countries. I am thankful for the support system we have in Atlanta.

What are you thankful for?

Today I am praying for LynnMarie. I am praying for the people who are caring for her. I pray she gets an extra hug today as she very well could be born. I pray for her birth mom and her circumstances. I hope that if you have your children home with you, that you will pray for those who cared for your child..

I pray for each person who touches her paperwork and that is a lot of people. I am praying for those who have tried to steal our joy. I pray that I will respond if needed in a way that is loving and respectful.

Thanks for reading!!!!!

Unfortunate News

Today we discovered that my father and his wife will have no part in LynnMarie's life. It is unfortunate, but it is his choice.

We went out for a cookout at his place, and out of the blue, as we were leaving he said he needed me to do something. What he needs is for me to rename my daughter because he can not have his mother's name associated with my mother's name.

You need to know that my father left my mother for another woman, and eventually married that woman. I have struggled over the years as they have used me as a ping pong ball of sorts. I got past the fact he abandoned his family, that my mother put me through college all on her own and that my father only paid child support when threatened with jail time if he did not pay for my younger brother.

Only in recent years has he started bad-mouthing my mother, making her out to be a selfish, uncaring person.

When we announced our decision to adopt, he told us he would recognize any child of ours as his grandchild, no matter how or where she/he is born. Last month Amy posted here about the anniversary of our name choice. Many of you have been praying for LynnMarie and we have even received some quilt squares with her name embroidered on them. Her name is not going to change, and we will not allow my father access to her, not that he would want to as her name is so evil in his eyes.

friends,lunch and books

So yesterday I was able to have lunch with a very sweet friend who I have not had the chance to get know much and had a great time. This friend has had a great impact in our adoption. Anyway, we chatted and talked and although I was incredibly sleep deprived, she got me thinking.

When we got logged in we started reading books, books on China and parenting. Now, that our wait may be shorted than expected, I think it is time to get back to the books and this is where we need your help. I need some book recommendations. I'm talking parenting, attachment, special needs, adoption, China. The first book we are going to get is called Babywise! I know that James Dobson has some great books.

So my friends, tell me what we should read and why? Bring it on!