[There are more blackberry-pickin' pictures in my album on Facebook.]
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Thursday's Thought
[There are more blackberry-pickin' pictures in my album on Facebook.]
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Thursday's Thought
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Worth Repeating Wednesday
He thought everybody needed a little bit of spoiling, particularly when they were no bigger than a groundhog. ... You get to be the mother by changing her and giving her a bath and walking her around in the middle of the night and loving her and making her feel like everything's all right. That's how you get to be the mother. That's what being the mother is.
--From "Blessings" by Anna Quindlen
--From "Blessings" by Anna Quindlen
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Coming soon: BABY BOY
Several people have asked me how our meeting with the adoption agency in Texas went. Short answer: Great. We like the ladies we've met there and we like how they seem to handle adoptions.
But I need to back up ...
A couple weeks before we went to Texas, we met with our local attorney, just to update him about our hopes to adopt using the agency we were going to visit. The following Monday (which would have been five days before we left for Texas, for those of you keep track ...) our attorney told us about a woman in Calloway County (that's where we live ...) who was looking for adoptive parents for her baby that is due this winter.
Um, OK ...
So we thought about it for a couple of days and decided to tell our attorney we wanted to learn more about her. He suggested we just talk to her. So we did. First, I talked to her on that Wednesday, then we met with her that Friday (meaning the day before we left for Texas ...). We really liked her attitude toward adoption and were interested in learning more about the birth father.
Meanwhile, we had an orientation scheduled with the agency in Fort Worth on the last day of our vacation. We decided to go ahead with that meeting because we weren't quite at the point to commit whole-heartedly to the local couple. We still needed to talk to the birth father.
So, yes, the meeting was good, but we were also interested in the local adoption opportunity. Greg finally connected with the birth father yesterday, and we've decided to proceed with this ... meaning ...
WE'RE GOING TO ADOPT A BABY BOY WHO IS DUE IN LATE NOVEMBER/EARLY DECEMBER!
Yes, I'm excited.
A few things worth noting:
This time frame is similar to Cate's adoption story, which is summed up like this: We talked to the birth mom, then had a few weeks for people to sort things out, then started going to appointments with the birth mom, then Cate was born 15 weeks later. Similarly, we talked with this birth mom, needed the couple weeks before moving forward and should have a baby in four months. More specifically, we're meeting with the birth mom and our attorney on Monday to talk about some details of the process and then we hope to go to a doctor's appointment with her before we leave for New Zealand on Aug. 14.
This is definitely my preference for an adoption process. Private, independent adoptions like usually financially and logistically simpler and more relational, as far as getting to know the birth mom. Being led a birth mom like this was my hope, but I am realistic enough to know that this isn't the norm. Once again God has shown me his faithfulness to hear the desires of our hearts.
But I need to back up ...
A couple weeks before we went to Texas, we met with our local attorney, just to update him about our hopes to adopt using the agency we were going to visit. The following Monday (which would have been five days before we left for Texas, for those of you keep track ...) our attorney told us about a woman in Calloway County (that's where we live ...) who was looking for adoptive parents for her baby that is due this winter.
Um, OK ...
So we thought about it for a couple of days and decided to tell our attorney we wanted to learn more about her. He suggested we just talk to her. So we did. First, I talked to her on that Wednesday, then we met with her that Friday (meaning the day before we left for Texas ...). We really liked her attitude toward adoption and were interested in learning more about the birth father.
Meanwhile, we had an orientation scheduled with the agency in Fort Worth on the last day of our vacation. We decided to go ahead with that meeting because we weren't quite at the point to commit whole-heartedly to the local couple. We still needed to talk to the birth father.
So, yes, the meeting was good, but we were also interested in the local adoption opportunity. Greg finally connected with the birth father yesterday, and we've decided to proceed with this ... meaning ...
WE'RE GOING TO ADOPT A BABY BOY WHO IS DUE IN LATE NOVEMBER/EARLY DECEMBER!
Yes, I'm excited.
A few things worth noting:
This time frame is similar to Cate's adoption story, which is summed up like this: We talked to the birth mom, then had a few weeks for people to sort things out, then started going to appointments with the birth mom, then Cate was born 15 weeks later. Similarly, we talked with this birth mom, needed the couple weeks before moving forward and should have a baby in four months. More specifically, we're meeting with the birth mom and our attorney on Monday to talk about some details of the process and then we hope to go to a doctor's appointment with her before we leave for New Zealand on Aug. 14.
This is definitely my preference for an adoption process. Private, independent adoptions like usually financially and logistically simpler and more relational, as far as getting to know the birth mom. Being led a birth mom like this was my hope, but I am realistic enough to know that this isn't the norm. Once again God has shown me his faithfulness to hear the desires of our hearts.
Friday, July 24, 2009
New Zealand bound ... almost!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Pandora Radio
Pandora and I have become fast friends the last couple of months. (YouTube and I have been friends for awhile now.)
For those of unfamiliar with Pandora Radio, she provides music for free courtesy customized radio stations online. I make stations based on artists I like (like, let's say, Matt Nathanson ...). Then Pandora plays a song by Matt Nathanson, then follows with something like Matt Nathanson (take for instance, Snow Patrol ...). I can tell Pandora if I don't like a song, or if I love a song. Then my smart new friend will continue customizing the station based on my preference. She'll even tell me about artists and their albums, and go as far as to recommend other people I might like.
Like the song above by Joshua Radin. I mean, I might not have otherwise ever had heard it. If it weren't for my new friend Pandora.
I've learned some other songs, thanks to Pandora ...
And I have many other friends, thanks to Pandora quickly learning what I like. Luckily, you can be her friend too. And, you know, I'm looking forward to Aug. 5, when I can upgrade to an iPhone ... that means Pandora can go everywhere with me!
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Thursday's Thought
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Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Worth Repeating Wednesday
If you could see the person God intended you to become, you would rise up and never be the same again. --Kolette Hall, an inspiring designer, on her blog
Monday, July 20, 2009
Don't mess with Texas ...
That's all of us posing on the back deck of the house we stayed in for four nights.
It was fun hearing about Peggy's family. That's her cousin, Don, and his mom, Celeste.
_____We took a couple trips into San Antonio. First for Sea World ...
Did you know flamingos are pink because they eat shrimp? Seriously.
We got a small taste of Austin, starting with Rudy's BBQ, then continuing with visiting with Greg's cousin Alyssa and her husband, Stephen.
That's Alyssa (left) with Greg's youngest brother, John, and his wife, Christine. John and Christine were our vehicle buddies!
_____
More to come on our visit with the adoption agency in Fort Worth.
There are many, many more pictures in an album I created on Facebook. Even you non-Facebookers can view them. Just click here.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Thursday's Thought
How far in do you think I'll make it?
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Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Worth Repeating Wednesday
Our hunger for the immediate clouds our perspective and often crowds out our ability to be thankful. ... God doesn't measure us by the list of our accomplishments, but by our faithfulness to the work he's given us. ... God reminds us daily that his most beautiful charms are the ones that take time to develop. There is no quick way to become someone's friend or build a lasting marriage. ... God's work unfold slowly, and good things are worth waiting for. But in our lives of instant gratification, the only thing we're slow about is learning God's ways. ... God's enduring work doesn't happen on the high peaks of passion but in the flatlands of perseverance.
--From "Butterfly in Brazil" by Glenn Packiam
--From "Butterfly in Brazil" by Glenn Packiam
Sunday, July 5, 2009
A really happy July 4th ...
The Annual Taylor Fourth of July Gathering was moved to Kentucky Lake this year, thanks to Greg's aunt and uncle having a lake house and two jet skis. A pontoon boat also was rented for our enjoyment. Taylor family functions are always fun, but this one definitely tops my list.
And I even woke up with sore arms from tubing. Greg drove the jet ski that pulled the tube. Being thrown about the water while working to hold on to the tube was definitely the lake highlight of the day for me. Strange, I know.
Cate loved the pontoon boat and swimming in the lake ...
There are many more pictures in a Facebook album. Go look here.
Creative Memories
Quite some time ago, my sister-in-law Christine showed me a Creative Memories album she's scrapped. I really liked the format of the PicFolio album and was waiting for a project to come along. I decided Greg's cousin's wedding was a good project. Basically, there's different slots for pictures, so I scrapped some and filled others with pictures. Here's a sample of Zak and Alysha's wedding present, which I gave them at the Annual Taylor July 4th Gathering ...
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[I had more pictures, but for whatever reason Blogger had a mind of its own and was turning a couple of the horizontal ones vertically, so this is what you've got for now ...]
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Saturday, July 4, 2009
Happy July 4th!
So, with that, we're thankful for our freedom here in the United States and the veterans who helped preserve it through the years.
Oh, and, Cate really liked that pig at the festival last night. In fact, she told another girl it was her pig.
July is also a good fishing month, apparently ...
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Thursday, July 2, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Worth Repeating Wednesday
Have you ever noticed how you become more like your friends the more you spend time with them? ... Or maybe you've noticed it more with your kids -- they are more sassy or argumentative after spending time with a certain friend. The influence can be positive or negative, but the truth is, we become like those we hang with. The same is true with God.
--Jill Savage in "Real Moms, Real Jesus"
--Jill Savage in "Real Moms, Real Jesus"
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