Still Waiting...

Well, we are still waiting for the shared list China posts once every month. The word from my agency is should be very soon... but that's it. There are many challenges with this whole process, with the main one being time zone differences. China is fourteen hours ahead of us, meaning that as I post this, China is already into Wednesday. While we sleep, they work, while we work, they sleep. So communication is tricky. I am addicted to the email and rumor boards and I slept very little last night. I've done eight loads of laundry and stayed so busy today that I didn't have too much time to think. But now, it's night time again, and I hope, hope, hope that China posts that list and we can find out who our little Mia is and where she is. It will make all this real to me... right now it feels like I'm pretending. This is without question the hardest thing I've ever endured... it is teaching me to deal with frustration, to learn more patience while waiting, and to trust that others do have your best interests at heart. These are all hard lessons, and we just happen to be learning them all at one time. I know God's plan is perfect, His time is flawless, and He's got this. I must trust that this is so. Please continue to pray for us as we wait, and for Lily in China who will ultimately match us with a little girl who will become part of our family forever. What a big task she has.

Happy Birthday Griff!

Griff had the big "40" birthday yesterday. I can't get over how fast time goes by... I remember his 21st birthday when we were in college... and now here we are 40 years old. What?

We had the family over to celebrate with Mata's Pizza and cake. I have a surprise planned for him later on today. I'll have to talk about that later.

No news about the November shared list except that our coordinator thinks it will be next week sometime. I had just gotten my hopes up that it would come out on Griff's birthday. Proof that God has a sense of humor: I was driving home in my car alone last night from going to get the pizza for the birthday party. I was praying out loud to God that he would hurry up and send that list on Griff's birthday. And guess what song comes up on the radio? Amy Grant's "Give it time"... Just give it a little more time. Now, that's funny...:) Happy Friday.

Being Thankful

I always get excited about this time of year because I know that Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner. I am especially grateful for the holidays this year as it is a wonderful distractor to the fact that I want to go to China right this minute and get our little girl. We continue to wait for the shared list... any day now I am told.

Anyhoo... while we wait, I thought it would be a good idea to begin to name just a few of the thousands of things for which I am grateful.

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." Psalm 100:3

I Am Thankful...
1. For the redemption I have through Christ Jesus.
2. For being born into a wonderful, loving family.
3. For a great, supportive husband.
4. For my three precious boys.
5. For the sweet little girl that waits on us in China.
6. For a strong church family at Meadowbrook Baptist.
7. For my health and the health of my family.
8. For a great job that has made such a difference for our family financially.
9. For friends... old and new.
10. For what God is teaching us right now about FAITH.

Any day now...

Any day now, we are expecting China to release another shared list. I am prayerful that we will be matched with the baby girl God has planned for us. This is a very trying time because we are absolutely powerless, not at all in control. But the one huge assurance I have is this: God's got this... He's going to work it all out. Just breathe in and out... and pray.

The family and I shared our story at church Sunday. So many people came up to us and told us how much they enjoyed hearing our story. I so hope that other families will be encouraged and will consider what their family can do for an orphan. Not only is this adoption a blessing for Mia, but it's a blessing for us... in a mighty way.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him."
Romans 8:28

Orphan Sunday

Orphan Sunday from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

This is what started it...

Just wanted to post the youtube video that lit the spark for me... I am amazed how God knits situations together. Enjoy... I still can't watch it without crying. I cannot wait to put our video on. Love to you.

P.S. Scroll down and stop my playlist so that you can hear the music on this video. :)

Shock, Awe, and every other emotion...

What a great day... we found out this morning that we are ready to be matched... now... so, when that list comes out in a couple of weeks... a little girl will be matched up with the Fairleys in Glencoe, AL, USA. I was preparing myself for this in a few months, and now my heart beats out of my chest because I'm discovering that God's plan is far exceeding my own. He is teaching me so much right now.

Then, after I get this awesome news, my pastor calls. He's preaching about Christian compassion and wants us to do a Q & A session in the worship service Sunday! I'm scared, Griff is terrified, but I know that God is working, and I'm going to be obedient. He'll get me through it and He'll give me the right words to say in front of all those people. Lesson learned today... When you get on board with Jesus, you better hang on. I am finding out why He made me... for what is happening right now in my life.

I continue to plead for your prayers. God will be using so many people in the next few weeks to provide a home for one His children. Pray for all whose hand will touch this situation of bringing Mia home. Love to you.

Home Study Complete!

We got word yesterday that our home study is being finalized now. It's almost ready to send to DHR for approval. This means that we were able to get through the home study process in six weeks. Wow... Thank you, God...

What this means now is that we are ready to be matched with a child. The adoption agency told me yesterday that we definitely would be ready for the December shared list. Can you believe it? I might possibly know where my child is very soon. We need your prayers... we covet your prayers. Please pray for all hands that are working on this sweet union of baby and family. Pray for Lily, who is our agency's representative at CCAA that will actually match a baby girl to our family. I am told she is a strong Christian and prays over each list. Ask God for His divine intervention in this situation. I have the assurance that God is in control and it's going to be okay. If you are reading this, we love you and appreciate your interest in our journey to get our baby girl.

Fun Weekend!

We had a fun weekend with Trick-or-Treating and Birthday celebrations. The whole family went to Coosa Veranda for Halloween again this year. Nolan was Batman and Molly was BatGirl. The three oldest went as their handsome selves. I can't believe that they are growing out of the dressing up stage. I hope they'll change their minds next year and dress up again. We all couldn't help but speculate whether Mia would be with us next year. We talked about what we'd dress her up as and wondered what she'd think of this American tradition. I so hope we'll have her this time next year.

My grandmother and her twin brother celebrated their 80th birthday this week. We celebrated by having lunch together at Top-o-the-River. It was a lot of fun and I ate way too much! It was a fun weekend.