A Birthday to Remember

Do you EVER have one of those days where you lay your head on your pillow at night with a grin from ear to ear thinking that was the most incredible day?? This past birthday was one of those for me!! One that I felt was worthy enough to document…

My day started off little stressful when my 4 year old refused to get out of the car for school in the carpool line. The sweet woman opened his door and he shook his head NO clingy to my counsel in the front. With the sweetest voice said she has had to do this in the past and literally climbed into my car peeling him out. Closed the door and off I was to the gym to start my day.. I knew he was in good hands..

After almost passing out in my class Celebrating my health for my birthday.. I checked my emails and to my surprise. The greatest gift appeared, pictures of our daughter blowing her candles out on the cake we had sent to her orphanage.. I squealed in delight and couldn't wait to show my two friends in my class. We all hovered around my phone taking in her precious little face.. Haircut and all ;) Since we have the same birthday.. Let the party planning start NOW for next year!!!

And of course having two teenage boys on social media they dedicated a post to me which I LOVE!

We ended the night after football practice at one of my favorite new restaurants here in downtown Mckinney Sugarbacon. The older boys surprised me with a Kendra Scott necklace (can I just say my job may be done raising these young men..haha) and Rylan gave me a coffee traveling mug because I always drink coffee and I am always in my car.. My boys know me well!!

And don't you LOVE it even more when your birthday is celebrated more than one day!! My friends threw me a pool party with the sweetest gifts that touched my heart and a cake that was perfectly made! 

This was definitely one of the most cherished birthdays but next year it will be EXTRA special!

2015-Year of Many Changes

Its sort of breathtaking to read my last post knowing what doors were opened last year!! The door of ADOPTION. Here is a brief story on what lead our hearts to adopt from China… I am hoping through this blog I am able to document our journey and update our friends and family.

If you asked me if we would adopt 2 years ago the answer would be No! We have 4 beautiful boys that are healthy and expensive to feed ;-). Our hands were full and so were our hearts .. But You see there has ALWAYS been this deep desire to have a little girl in our family. I yearned for the mother-daughter relationship. Not just to dress her up in cute bows (although that will be so fun) but because the relationship I have with my own mother is lets say strained and complicated… I had 101 reasons why we DIDN'T need to pursue this desire in my heart but still my heart felt like a piece was missing.

We have traveled to China, had a nephew adopted from China and good friends whom we have prayed for their little girl from China. But in my mind it still wasn't for us….(little did we know that a seed was being planted and all these events would be part of our story)

God slowly started to work on my heart. When he moved our family to Melissa, he didn't just move us in a neighborhood with 4 other families that had adopted from China but right smack in the middle of two of them. Our families grew closer together and witnessing first hand the love between all of them was indescribable. One night one of my best friends said to me.. I could see you adopting and I don't just say that to anyone… Say what?? Then later in the year of 2014 a family we had grown closer to through our church plant and community was on their way to pick up their little boy. I followed her updates every day and my heart would explode at all the pictures of them together.. We went to the airport in anticipation to greet this sweet boy we had prayed for along side many other friends. The Holy Spirit was in that airport waiting area. I could feel this overwhelming sense of love and compassion that brought tears to my eyes and goosebumps to my arms. This sweet boys was with his FOREVER Family. It was about 2 months after that I said let's do this!!

So here we are… One year after starting the process and as we are estimated to leave in about 3 weeks to go get our little girl Brooklyn Emilia Stoltzfus! My heart is so full and I can't wipe the smile off my face thinking about the day I get to wrap my arms around her!

I am also including some pics from the sweetest shower my friends and family threw me this past week! So much love and thought went into each detail of this shower. It was a moment I tried to soak in as much as I could. I am blessed to have such a strong support group of friends and will be forever grateful.