We Have a Graduate in the Family...

...a PreK Grad that is!

To my utter disbelief, this girl has graduated Preschool (4 yr old program).

We have loved her school & had such good experiences the past 2 years.  The teachers are all so genuine & caring about their students.  You walk down the hallway and just feel the love.

  

Receiving flowers from Noni 

 

 We are sad to say goodbye to these two wonderful teachers!

G is the little bit, front and kind of center. Green dress. 

We enjoyed their Graduation program!  They learned so many songs...I was amazed! 

I cannot believe my first little love will be a Kindergartner next year!

Fortunately, her preschool also has a K5 program, so that is where she'll be again next year.  LOVE that!

And...K will start attending 3 half days at the same school (PreK3).

I'm mostly dreading this, but kind of looking forward to a little break.

I don't know what I'll do with myself for 3 mornings a week, but knowing me, 

I'll fill that time up quick.

I might as well take advantage of a little 'me' time before the other babies get here!  

Babies are getting too big.  Sigh.

~ 6 in Love ~

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was really special this year for several reasons.

I love nothing more than getting to be a Mommy.  

G & K are my world.

I thank God all the time that he chose me, although undeserving, to get to be their mom.
Truly, they are a gift to me.

*And I understand, as many of you do, what it is like to lose a baby, as we miscarried our first one early on.  And although it was the most difficult thing I've ever been through, our faith in God only grew, and now we appreciate the lives of G & K so, so much.  

My mom is my hero.

She raised my 2 brothers and I with so much love.  She poured everything into us, and and I am so thankful for her sacrifices and what she taught us.

I'm fortunate to get to live only minutes away, and now, not only is she an awesome 'Noni' to our little ones, but she's also my best friend.  

I'm incredibly humbled - and completely shocked (to say the least) - because our church chose me as a representative of all of our church's mothers this year (a 'mom of the year' type thing).  They honored me with a super special video that was shown during service on Mother's Day.  It featured Cuban Daddy speaking and  G & K running around (so cute!) & yelling,  'Happy Mother's Day!".  I mean, I was completely clueless that they had done that, and was in awe when I saw them up on the screen.  What in the world?!  Embarrassed as all get out, we walked on stage, and accepted flowers and a gift/card from the Pastor & staff.  What a special, surprising, and undeserved honor.  

What I LOVED though, was that they highlighted our desire & journey to adopt!  This was a main focus of the video, and I'm SO happy about that!  Cuban Daddy and I have talked many times about our desire to spread awareness about orphans and adoption. The best part about the whole thing was when someone walked up to us after service, and said that we had indeed inspired others with our journey to adopt; that others had seen our faith in the situation (adopting 2 children, beginning with not a single cent...b/c our God is that great...) and are reminded not to let finances limit them.  Yes!!!  Thank you, Lord.  

I receive the honor, knowing that it's not about me at all; it is all about Him.  To Him be the glory in everything we do.  And if I am a vessel in which He can bring awareness about His children in need of families, I am happy to be just that.  

I was able to spend the day with my family.  

And...I was able to take all the pics I wanted, w/o grief from anyone (Cuban Daddy!) 

My family, at church, after service

My sister in law, my mom, G & me - out to lunch

With my beautiful mom

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms & future moms out there!

~ 6 in Love ~

Haven't Fallen Off the Face...

of the Earth.  

And it feels like I've deserted this blog, but I haven't! :)

We've just had a crazy busy couple of months & I have TONS to catch you up on!  

Coming up:  Mother's Day, G's 5th Birthday, Preschool Graduation, Father's Day, our 9th Wedding Anniversary, Family Beach Vacation, modeling gigs, the end of Soccer, 1st Gymnastics meet, our ADOPT YardSale Day 2, adoption updates (of course), and all the busyness we've been up to so far this summer.  

           A BUSY couple of months, I tell ya!


And to be honest, I've just been ENJOYING our summer together.  I am so glad to be {temporarily!} finished with Adoption Paperwork for a few months.  I was really, really feeling a need to get to refocus on G & K.  I am keenly aware of them growing up quickly, and I'm totally a 'soak it all in' kind of mama.  I just can't get enough of them.  It's a little nuts. 

So anyways, just wanted to let anyone know that's been following, that we are, indeed, still alive.  

And I hope to play 'blog catch up' here in the next couple of weeks.  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*** Quick Adoption Updates:

(1) Our Dossier is still in Honduras, and if it hasn't been completely translated, I think it is close.  Our agency contacted us to expect another bill in the mail (I dared not ask the amount, although, honestly, I don't think it will be too much.) b/c Honduras required that one of their documents be updated/redone in a different format. Hoping that's the last of that, and that they don't need anything else (at this moment!) from us.  

(2) We raised a total of around $1,000 from the 2 days of our ADOPT YardSale!!!

(3)  It's July - Really hoping and praying we receive our Waitlist Number this month!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Until the official blog updates....here's a sneak peek: 

LOVE this guy!

Family Vacation = Some of the best memories ever. 

I wanna go back!!!!!!!!!!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for keeping up with us & for the prayers!

~ 6 in Love ~

Dossier IN Honduras!!!

Okay, now we're talking!

I just received this email from our agency:

" I also wanted to let you know that your dossier has made it to Honduras safely and is now being translated. ;-)"

Yes!

Thank God!

Thank you for the continued prayers!

I'm feeling good tonight, 

~ 6 in Love ~

Dossier SENT to Honduras!

See these smiles?!

We're happy because THIS... (our Dossier)

... is on it's way HERE:

Honduras!

(I received email confirmation from our agency that it has been sent!)

Which brings us one BIG step closer to 

our babies #3 & #4!!!

(Note:The children featured in this photo, although from Honduras, are NOT our babies...

they just representing for the time.)

-------------------------------------------------------------

What's next?

We have sent the $2,000 Translation fee.  So, we will wait (a month or two) for it to be translated into Spanish.

Then, our agency's representative in Honduras will take our translated Dossier to IHNFA (the government entity in Honduras that oversees adoption).

IHNFA will review (and if no additional paperwork is needed - Please, God.), they will assign us a NUMBER!  This means we will officially be on the waiting list.  

(IHNFA usually meets about once a month, and we will receive a new number each time, as we go up the list towards #1!  Close to #1 = time to be matched with our new babies!)

Once matched, things will move quickly.  So right now, we're entering the long "Waiting Stage"...which I feel is a whole heck of a lot better than the "Paperwork Stage" that 

nearly killed me.

I am SO excited that we don't have to do any paperwork/updates for about 6 months!!!  I seriously can't tell you what a relief this is.  But, as 2014 approaches, we'll need to update some forms, our orphan petition, doc appts, fingerprints, and Home Study.

And, since we have about $20,000 more to raise before reaching #1, we'll be spending this year FUNDRAISING!  Also, we have some agency-required 'adoption education' that we need to work on during this time.  

-----------------------------------------------------------

Overall, this is a thrilling announcement!

Thank you, Lord!

If you think of us, please pray that the translation, meetings, and number assignment go smoothly and quickly.

And that things are orchestrated in Honduras in such a way that the orphans waiting for a family are matched as quickly as possible. 

And that in the meantime, God protects our babies, cares for them, and prepares them to one day be with our family. 

Yes!

~ 6 in Love ~

Continued Yard Sale: Postponed Twice- Oh, the Rain!!!

Okay friends.

If you recall, we had our 2nd Annual ADOPT YardSale last Friday 

(& made $757!!!).  We were going to continue on the following day, but it stormed every single minute of the day.  Ugh.

So, then we were hoping to have it this Saturday (as in like a day from now).  But, you guessed it.  It's expected to STORM ALL DAY.  I'm beginning to think we're meant to have a garage and basement full of generously donated, but absolutely no room for, items for the rest of Spring.

See, it rained last weekend.  It's raining this weekend.  We can't the following 3-4 weekends.  So...

I know a few of you have been asking, but I'm sorry I don't have a new date yet.  

*But, NO, it will not be this weekend.*

2nd Annual ADOPT YardSale...

To be continued.

~ 6 in Love ~

(And b/c we just HAD to take advantage of the non-soppy days...we headed to the park today)

"Am I Adopted?"

We've been really open with G & K about the adoption.  

In most ways.  They know to expect two new siblings that will be younger than them.  They understand we don't know if they will be boys or girls.  They know about what age they will be when they will become big sis & big bro.  They know they are coming from Honduras and will speak Spanish (which is one reason I'm pushing Cuban Daddy to teach G & K).  They know that we are raising money and doing paperwork (a little knowledge, at least).  And they know the new babies won't come from Mommy's tummy.

They know the word 'adoption.'

But they haven't yet questioned WHY children don't have a family, or why children would need a new family.  I dread that day, and pray that God gives me the right words at the right time. 

Because, not only is it tragic, but it's nearly unexplainable.

--------------------------------------------------------

Cuteness alert.

A few days ago, while I was cuddling her before bedtime, G looks up and asks me, 

"Am I adopted?"

"No, sweetheart, you came from Mommy's tummy.  And I love you so, so much.

But, I'd love you the same even if you were adopted."

Nods.  More cuddles.

That's a hard subject to wrap your mind around at age 4.

It's a hard subject to wrap your mind around nearly 3 decades older.

I think this photo speaks for itself:

G & I at age 4.

There will be loads of love, 

adopted or not.

~ 6 in Love ~