Sorry, folks. No Christmas card this year. I remember toying with the idea of eliminating our card last year, realizing that it would save us quite a bit of cash if we didn’t do one. But I love receiving your cards so much that I just decided to bite the bullet and continue the card last year. This year is a bit different. Life is in limbo for us and with an impending trip to China, every dollar saved is a dollar towards our final adoption and travel fees. So, enjoy our Christmas card/letter/blog here and hopefully next year we’ll be able to send out cards again!
2011 in Review
In January we rang in the New Year with my (Brooke’s) mom and stepdad in Barrington, IL. It was somewhat of a last minute trip, so it was fun and exciting. But we came back to Lincoln in full job search mode. Jay began interviewing across the country for his next career opportunity. Thankfully God provided that opportunity during Spring Break. We were flown out to Northern California for a final round of interviews with LifePointe Christian Church. The boys loved staying in the hotel even though the swimming pool was outdoors and too cold for a dip. We left CA with a job offer in hand. Even though it meant moving across the country, farther away from family and friends, it was a solid job offer during tough economic times. We would have been foolish to decline.
We came home and put our house up for sale by owner and enjoyed lots of showings, great feedback but no offers. Jay packed up the Corolla in April and made the long drive out to CA alone while I stayed home with the boys allowing C to finish 2nd grade in Lincoln. Jay settled into his new role as Associate Pastor and I began the task of packing up the house. Sounds like our Christmas letter from 5 years ago when we left IL for NE, doesn't it?
Jay came home every month or so and after school was out for the summer we listed our home with a realtor thinking it might just go quicker if we get more exposure. We had lots of showings and good feedback, but as you know, we still haven’t sold that home. So, we continue to wait. Ugh!
But not all the drama has been bad. After 2 years of trying to adopt internationally, at the end of August we received our referral from China! We were matched with a darling little girl with special needs. What excitement she has brought to our lives! I immediately called a good friend in Minnesota because I couldn’t keep the news to myself. I’ll never forget when she said, “Brooke, maybe this is why your house hasn’t sold. Maybe your daughter is coming first.” Oh, how we see that to be true as we continue to wait on the house. If the house sells, then we risk delaying our daughter by 6-12 months, and we’d have to update all our paperwork in CA resulting in thousands more dollars of adoption costs. As frustrating as it is to live in limbo, we feel God is protecting what little amount we have in our savings account and is bringing our girl home first.
Thank you all for praying for us during yet another trying year. I knew that when we jumped into international adoption that we could be left with nothing at the end. But I think God has been using this time to make us completely dependent upon Him. We continue to trust Him for everything we need and He keeps providing. We’re grateful for His provision but we’re tired of depending on so many people for help these days. We’d like to see an end to this state of limbo. We’d appreciate your prayers for an expedited adoption and a simultaneous sale of our home. We’d really like to move on with our lives in N. California!
C’s Corner
Since the house didn’t sell in the spring, C was able to wrap up 2nd grade in Lincoln and spent a fun summer with the neighborhood kids. With Jay gone, we made summer nights fun and late, often bike riding with neighbors until 10pm! Jay came home for the 4th of July and we enjoyed the holiday by setting off fireworks in the street with the best neighbors we could ever ask for! The kids just loved it! Our street really knows how to party!
C started 3rd grade this fall and oh, what a difference it is! So much homework! So much testing! But he continues to be a great student, adapting well to all of our changes. His favorite subjects at school continue to be recess and lunch, but he’ll tell you seriously that he still loves reading, PE and computer. He has a great teacher this year and we are thankful for her!
C turned 8 in September but kind of missed his birthday with all the family chaos. We celebrated quietly with an extra large decorated cookie from Sam’s Club and a trip with a friend from school to a nearby family fun center with mini golf and arcades. For Halloween the boys were the Blues Brothers, which caught the eye of all the adults. I can’t wait for the boys to be old enough to enjoy the classic movie from our hometown - Sweet home, Chicago!
For C, it will be tearful to leave our neighbors and friends in Lincoln but I know he will adjust quickly.
E’s Edition
This is my last year home with my baby. With finances as tight as they are, we did not enroll him in preschool. Just like his big brother, I’m teaching E what I can at home. He’s so different from C. At this age, C was reading nearly anything you put in front of him. E, on the other hand, can sound out whatever you put in front of him, but the motivation to read on his own isn’t there yet. He’s more the athlete, always active and trying to keep up with the bigger kids. I can’t believe I’ll be registering my baby for kindergarten soon!
Unfortunately, E’s birthday was definitely messed up! He turned 4 only 2 days following my gall bladder surgery in April. I had to cancel his birthday party and throw out the cake that I had carved in the fridge. It had been a brown dog pillow pet cake and all it needed was the icing and décor. Instead, Grammie (my mom) came to the rescue and drove out to care for the boys while I was recovering. She took E to the Dairy Queen where he got to pick out an ice cream cake. He chose Spiderman and it was delicious! Grandma Collins also stopped through on her way from Texas to Wisconsin and brought gifts for the birthday boy. But because everything was so messed up that weekend, his birthday somewhat lasted days on end with gifts and well wishes slowly rolling in. We later celebrated over cupcakes with the neighbors when Jay was home to enjoy it all. So, a seemingly never-ending birthday was fun to have too!
E is so excited to have a baby sister to love. I’m awed that he thinks of her at random points during the day. He’ll just bring her up in conversation like, “Oh mom! That reminds me of my sister!” So sweet!
Adoption Update
Oh, next year our daughter will be home and she’ll have her own section of our Christmas letter! Happiness!
If you’ve followed our blog long enough, you know where we are with the adoption process. As mentioned earlier, we are waiting for our LOA from China, which basically states we are officially approved and she is indeed our daughter in China’s eyes! That little piece of paper should be here any day now (and then I'll be able to post her picture here, so stay tuned)! Once received, we will sign it, send it back to our agency, it takes about 2 months for US Immigration to get the final paperwork and visas, then we get our travel approval, book our flights and we’ll be off! I hear China is beautiful in the Spring! ;)
We’re all anxious for a trip overseas. We hope to be able to take the kids with us, especially since it would be such a learning adventure for C. Even E is at a good age to remember such an amazing trip! But we realize that we might not be able to make that happen financially and will leave the kids with family or friends while we travel. And honestly speaking, it might come down to only one of us traveling. We’ll see how our fundraiser progresses.
Again, thanks to all of you who have been a part of this adoption journey from the very start! Thanks to those of you who have given to our cause! By the world’s standards, we’ve probably been given enough reasons to give up on our adoption dreams. But we believe we’ve been called to this by God who first adopted us into His forever family. And we will see it through to the end and we will not let anyone stand in our way of what He has called us to.
Brooke & Jay
And finally it's down to us. Two weary travelers of this LONG winding road of real estate, relocation, and adoption! We're tired and we just want to be settled in a home of our own in CA. Jay loves his new job. The church is small, in the 300 range in terms of regular attenders. They've been meeting in an elementary school for the last number of years and just this last weekend, they moved into their own building - an old Harley Davidson showroom. It will be prefect for our growing church. We are excited to be a part. It seems we have a knack for moving churches into larger facilities - first Willow Creek expands and doubles it's square footage. Then Lincoln Berean builds a new auditorium. And now LifePointe gets it's first building. It's fun!
Jay continues to battle back problems. We're still holding off surgery, mainly since we're still paying my medical bills from surgery this spring. He's taking it easy, avoiding lifting or strenuous sports that could hurt him further. But soon enough, Jay will have to have that darn disc repaired!
As for me, I'm doing my best to hold it together. Some days are better than others. I'm really excited and ready to make a home for ourselves in CA but just so stressed that it doesn't happen. Living in limbo like this is not fun. But I love that I have my boys and the sweet picture of my girl in China! They really keep me going. I'm thankful for all those who have served our family and who continue to serve us in so many ways. You know who you are, but since this blog is public, I won't mention your names. But we love each and every one of you and we're ready to let all of you off the hook for your service. Thanks for standing by us with understanding and patience!
I hope this Christmas gives you much to celebrate. Even though its been another trying year for us, the birth of our Savior gives us much hope and reason for celebration.
Brooke & Jay
And finally it's down to us. Two weary travelers of this LONG winding road of real estate, relocation, and adoption! We're tired and we just want to be settled in a home of our own in CA. Jay loves his new job. The church is small, in the 300 range in terms of regular attenders. They've been meeting in an elementary school for the last number of years and just this last weekend, they moved into their own building - an old Harley Davidson showroom. It will be prefect for our growing church. We are excited to be a part. It seems we have a knack for moving churches into larger facilities - first Willow Creek expands and doubles it's square footage. Then Lincoln Berean builds a new auditorium. And now LifePointe gets it's first building. It's fun!
Jay continues to battle back problems. We're still holding off surgery, mainly since we're still paying my medical bills from surgery this spring. He's taking it easy, avoiding lifting or strenuous sports that could hurt him further. But soon enough, Jay will have to have that darn disc repaired!
As for me, I'm doing my best to hold it together. Some days are better than others. I'm really excited and ready to make a home for ourselves in CA but just so stressed that it doesn't happen. Living in limbo like this is not fun. But I love that I have my boys and the sweet picture of my girl in China! They really keep me going. I'm thankful for all those who have served our family and who continue to serve us in so many ways. You know who you are, but since this blog is public, I won't mention your names. But we love each and every one of you and we're ready to let all of you off the hook for your service. Thanks for standing by us with understanding and patience!
I hope this Christmas gives you much to celebrate. Even though its been another trying year for us, the birth of our Savior gives us much hope and reason for celebration.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our family to yours!
Brooke, Jay, the boys and 1 girl waiting in China
Oh yes!! China is lovely in the spring!! Did you steal that from me? Love it!!! Prayers and Hugs!
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