Mail Call...

Mail Call for Baby Shook!!  We love getting gifts in the mail!  Some of you don't know, but Michael has a new love for the guitar.  He pretty much taught himself to play in about 2 months recently.  He can also play the drums and piano!  Yes, he is smart and VERY talented.  That is one of the reasons I love him SO much!!

I am sure Baby Shook will be smart like his/her Daddy!!  No we do not know whether it will be a boy or girl, but I am sure I can doll this little onesie up for a girl if needed. :)  We are open to whatever God wants for our family.  But just look how cute this is...I absolutely love it!!  Check it out!!

SOOO Sweet!!

Smokey Mountain Family Vacation 2013

This past weekend Michael and I woke up bright and early Thursday June 13, 2013 to meet his family in the Smokey Mountains for our annual family vacation.  We are still on a budget, but who says you can't have fun on a budget?  Not me...because we did!!

We had a minor problem a few days prior while my car was in the shop getting a new wheel on the front right and rear left due to an accident a month ago in Tupelo with a large pot hole.  Oops!  Thankfully it was covered under warranty.  Anyway...check out my ride for a day.  Let me just say, this looks like a great mommy ride!  I enjoyed riding in an SUV.  No van for this "mommy to be!"  Just thought I would throw that in for all you people wanting to see this "mama to be" drive a van.  You know who you are...HA!  Nothing wrong with all you van people, but I am just not a van person.

OK, back to the mountains.  After we got my car back (the day before we left) we were off!  The first day wasn't bad.  Just lots of driving until we arrived to this...

This cabin had two floors and a basement with 3 master bedrooms and 3 master bathrooms on each level!

Main floor living room

 



View from the balcony

 

pool table in basement

 

Dinning room table on main floor

 

ping pong table on screened in porch basement level

Welcome to our cabin of relaxation for 4 days.

And then the dreaded grocery store run.  See...

 

That's how we roll!!

After shopping we drove back up the mountain to our cabin to grill out and REST!!

We cooked brunch in the cabin every morning.  We had biscuits, gravy (tomato, chocolate, and regular), bacon, sausage, hash browns, ham, apple turnovers, and more.  Did I mention that we had 5 separate families on this vacation?!

After brunch on Friday we decided to visit the Titanic.  If you have never been I suggest you go at least once.  On this particular day the museum had the famous, Wallace Hartley, violin on display for all to see.  Hartley became famous for leading the eight member band as the ship sank.  His body was found frozen with his violin strapped to him because this was his prize possession.  He was going to meet his finance in order to get married, but his journey was soon ended after the tragic sinking of the ship.  Such a sad story.  Everything was very sad because it isn't just a romantic movie.  It really happened!  These were real people! 

I was Sarah Roth, 3rd class passenger, age 26.  I was on my way to get married to the man of my dreams.  I made my own wedding dress by hand and was so excited to get to wear it.  It was tucked away in my trunk and my bridesmaid was on board with me.  The man of my dreams would be standing by in New York City waiting for my arrival.

Michael was William McRae, a crew member/fireman/stoker, age 43.  He worked down in the boiler room.  The interesting thing is that the Titanic was on fire from the day she sailed from Southampton, England.  The officers knew it, the crew in the boiler knew it, but none of the passengers knew it.  They would have panicked so the captain asked everyone to keep it a secret.  The fire started in Bunker No. 6, where hundreds of tons of coal were stored.  Flames were raging in the bottom of the bunker, but they hadn't broken through to the top.  There were 12 fireman working in shifts, fighting the fire around the clock.  Just when they started making progress the Titanic hit the iceberg and the frigid 28 degree water finished the job.

Alex and Miley

We were able to place our hand in 28 degree water that felt just like the night the ship went down.  You could also shovel coal into the fiery furnace.  The crew members did this job for eight to ten hours in 100 degree temperature just to keep the ship running.  It is amazing all the things that happened in such a short amount of time.  All of the stories are unique and touching.  Everyone should see this at least once.

Me and Michael

Barbara and David

Annette and Danny

That night we played putt putt golf and I won!  Poor Michael, he just wasn't ready for that game.  We also rode go-carts with the kiddos one time around!  You're only young once, but you can be a kid forever!!  We ate at Huck Finn's that night with the family.  I had spicy grilled shrimp...Yum!

I won!!

 

Mr. Huck Finn! (a.k.a. Michael)

Saturday Michael and I walked the streets of Gatlinburg did a little shopping.  The next stop was Lil Dolly's!  If you don't know what that is...well, let me just tell you.  It is the famous quilt store.  All Southern girls love a good quilt!  I purchased a beautiful green baby quilt for Baby Shook.  I can't wait to wrap that tiny little baby in that gorgeous quilt!  That night we ate at The Old Mill.  Wonderful place to eat.  And I love The Old Mill pottery store.  Next stop...the cabin for more relaxation.

baby quilt

Sunday was another travel day and a stop at the Bass Pro Shop and Knife store.  You know men and their toy's.  HA!  But they do have some girly stuff too.  I purchased Baby Shook's first Smokey Mountain black bear at the knife store.  Isn't he cute?!

All in all we had a wonderful family trip...Until next time!

        

Redirecting My Focus

 

Jesus Calling

By:Sarah Young

 

The world is too much with you, My child. Your mind leaps from problem to problem to problem, tangling your thoughts in anxious knots. When you think like that, you leave Me out of your world-view and your mind becomes darkened. Though I yearn to help, I will not violate your freedom. I stand silently in the background of your mind, waiting for you to remember that I am with you.

 

When you turn from your problems to My Presence, your load is immediately lighter.  Circumstances may not have changed, but we carry your burdens together.  Your compulsion to "fix" everything gives way to deep, satisfying connection with Me.  Together we can handle whatever this day brings.

This week has been a tough week for me to say the least.  It is easy to get discouraged over the little things and that is just what I have allowed to happen.  So I am taking a step back and removing myself from certain situations in order to allow the Holy Spirit to fill me while I learn to let go.  I have let my mind leap from problem to problem which tangled my thoughts in anxious knots.

I like to control certain situations because that is my personality.  I like to fix it!  Through our journey of infertility and adoption I have had absolutely no control over anything.  At first it drove me crazy, but then I learned to let go and trust God.  I am only human and I still fall (sometimes more than I like to admit).  But I am thankful He is always patiently waiting on me with open arms.  I know He is the one who guides me through each day. 

It is amazing to look back over the years and see how God was molding me and I didn't even know it.  Sometimes I think He looks down at me and simply says "My child, I have got this under control."  This week has reminded me how quick my focus can change.  I took my focus off of the One and Only.  My Jesus!  I allowed my mind to wonder to things that are not important and things that I can not change.  I am thankful to know that He is always with me, silently waiting for me to turn my focus back to Him.

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.  Isaiah 41:10

The circumstances have not changed, but my weight has been lifted.  So I will lay down my fleshly body once again and travel forward with my Jesus!  Together we can handle everything!

Where is your focus today?  Do you need to let go of something that is hindering your focus?  I encourage you to return to Jesus.  He is patiently waiting.

A Birthmother's Story...

This past Mother's Day I didn't only think about my mother, mother-in-law and grandmothers in my life, but I also had the wonderful thought of our birthmother!  This is someone whom we respect, love, and will always cherish.  Even though we have not met her and may never meet her, we will never forget the one who gave our baby LIFE!  We will never be able to pray for her enough, love her enough, or thank her enough for her sacrifice.  She will expreience loss and pain, as we experience overwhelming love and joy! We constantly pray that she will have peace and comfort during her time of loss.

This is a Birthmother's Story... 

 

If you can not view this please follow this link to watch the video here

 

This tells a beautiful story.  What an AMAZING God we serve! He knows the BIG picture when we can't even imagine the next step in our lives.  

Some of her points I would like to highlight again include:

 

On the TRUTH about Adoption:

"The biggest fallacy about adoption is that birthparents don't want their children."

 

About LOSS:

"My loss has been more than compensated for...the sweetness always swallows up the bitter."

 

On Birthparents and Adoptive Parents:

"We both sacrificed and we both put something on the alter and we answered each other's prayers."

 

We both (birthparents and adoptive parents) have to be receptive to God's call in order for God to be in control.  Have you let go and let God take over your life?  Have you given him everything?  Have you fully surrendered to God?  How will your story end?

 

We are very excited to continue to see our story unfold through God's will.

 

Praying for Our Happily Ever After...

 

Girls Night Out

Two weekends ago we had Girls Night Out.  Yes, I know it has been a while since I posted, but I have been SO busy!  Anyway I am posting now.  The girls night originally started out with two girls and has grown to this...


me, Kelly, Katie, Briana, Brandi W., Brandi B., Bethany, Sherry

And we are still growing!

We have LOTS of FUN together!  Some of these women are stay at home mommy's and enjoy this time for adult conversation.  Others just enjoy the time to laugh and relieve some of the stress from daily life.  Either way, we all enjoy the support that this group shows to one another.  We try to get together at least once a month.  It use to be a spur of the moment kind of get together, but since we have grown in size everyone plans for this ONE night.  We always eat and go to whatever movie we have all agreed on as the best and cleanest movie out in that particular month (that can be challenging, especially during the present time).  This month the movie pick was The Great Gatsby.  Did I mention we have an English teacher in the group.  Ha!  She was dying to see this movie because of the book.  Only a few of us had even read the book and I think she is the only one that wanted to read it again before watching the movie.  Ha! 

This particular night we decided to stay in Corinth and eat at The Chop House.  Let me just say, YUMMY!  I recommend this restaurant to anyone, great food!  After eating our delicious meal our night got a little interesting to say the least.  Ha!  Our church is participating in the Relay for Life this year and one of our fundraisers included the famous Flamingo Flocking.  I like to think that my Girl Scout Troop started this cute fundraiser way back in the day.  I don't know if we really started it or not, but it was a long time ago when we use to flock yards in New Albany and I don't remember anyone else flocking yards.  But now you see several yards that are currently being flocked in different areas for a fundraiser.  So for my blog I will say that my Girl Scout Troop and Debbie White (our troop leader) started this madness several years ago, before I could even drive.  Ha!

Here is one of our incriminating photos for the night...

Kelly, Brandi W., Brandi B., Bethany, and me
Photographers: Sherry and Briana

I won't go into details about what happened exactly, but I will say things got a little crazy! 

After our yard flocking we rushed over to the movie theater 40 minutes before the movie actually started!  One of us likes to be really early or we have some anxiety issues from being on time or late for the previews.  I will not name any names, but she knows who she is.  Ha!  We all love her very much and some like to tease her about having to be early for everything.  I love all of the different personalities in our group.  That is what keeps things interesting.

All in all we had a wonderful Girls Night Out and I am looking forward to next month!         

Thoughts on Becoming a Mother

I was sitting here reflecting on our past and remembering how hard it was for me to attend baby showers, to even look at a pregnant women, to hold someone else's newborn baby, and to hear the news "I am pregnant" by friends and family!  But I also think about some of those events that stole my joy!  It sucked the life out of me and left me angry many times.  I knew that it wasn't our time to become parents and I knew deep down that God had something better for our little family.  But that didn't take away the pain that was felt and the tears that were shed.  I was happy for them, but I was hurt for me.

I now know that His plan has been and will be more than I could ever imagine.  I was led through the journey of infertility for a reason.  I am being led through the journey of adoption for a reason.  And I have, and I am currently embracing the experience more and more every day.  God wants us to live full and abundant lives.  John 10:10 says, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."  God has given me so much more than I could ever deserve or earn.  God has a plan for my life and I want to live it abundantly!  I  have learned to have joy in the darkness and in the light.  Why not?!  His plans are far better than I could ever plan or imagine.

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." Ephesians 3:20

I found a poem that I love and would like to share with you.  I want to explain that I believe our infertility experience will make me a better mother than I would have been otherwise.  I am not saying that I will be a better mother than any of you.  I believe that God gives us all a different experience and He will always use it for His glory.  I believe that if it was given to me without effort I would have over looked important things in life that can never be replaced.  I plan to use my time that God has given me wisely.  I want to raise our child so that it is pleasing to God.  So please don't get mad at this post!!  I hope you will all understand where I am coming from.

Thoughts on Becoming a Mother
 

There are women who become mothers without effort,
 

without thought,
 

without patience or loss,
 

and though they are good mothers and love their children, I know that I will be better.
 

I will be better not because of genetics or money or because I have read more books,
 

but because I have struggled and toiled for this child.
 

I have longed and waited.
 

I have cried and prayed.
 

I have endured and planned over and over again.
 

Like most things in life, the people who truly have appreciation are those who have struggled to attain their dreams.
 

I will notice everything about my child.
 

I will take time to watch my child sleep, explore, and discover.
 

I will marvel at this miracle every day for the rest of my life.
 

I will be happy when I wake in the middle of the night to the sound of my child, knowing that I can comfort, hold, and feed him/her and that I am not waking to cry tears of a broken dream.
 

My dream will be crying for me.
 

I count myself lucky in this sense; that God has given me this insight, this special vision with which I will look upon my child.
 

Whether I parent a child I actually give birth to or a child that God leads me to, I will not be careless with my love.
 

I will be a better mother for all that I have endured.
 

I am a better wife, a better aunt, a better daughter, neighbor, friend, and sister because I have known pain.
 

I know disillusionment, as I have been betrayed by my own body.  I have been tried by fire and hell that many never face, yet given time, I stood tall!
 

I have prevailed.
 

I have succeeded.
 

I have won.
 

So now, when others hurt around me, I do not run from their pain in order to save myself discomfort.
 

I see it, mourn it, and join them in theirs.
 

I listen.
 

And even though I cannot make it better, I can make it less lonely.
 

I have learned the immense power of another hand holding tight to mine, of other eyes that moisten as they learn to accept the harsh truth when life is beyond hard.
 

I have learned a compassion that only comes by walking in those shoes.  I have learned to appreciate life.
 

Yes, I will be a wonderful mother.
 

-Author Unknown
 

While I wait patiently to become a mother, I will embrace this journey with an open heart and an open mind for whatever God has in store for our little family.  I am thankful that God chose this journey for us.  I am thankful for the good, the bad, the ugly, and everything in between.  I am confident in knowing that His plan is greater than my plans.
 

Praying for Our Happily Ever After... 

Baby Shook's Room in Progress

We don’t know when we might get “The Call” to go pick up our sweet baby…or to meet his or her birthparent(s).  We are very excited for that call to come! But we want to be ready as much as possible.  One way we decided to make sure we were ready is by preparing sweet Baby Shook’s room.  After all we are “EXPECTING”.  Baby Shook’s room is not complete, but it will be soon.  We are still in search of a rug for the room…so I am open to any suggestions. 

I found the bedding on pinterest…I love pinterest!  A friend of the family, which is more like family, handmade the bedding and added a cute touch to the curtains to match!  I absolutely love it!  Thank you Barbara!  She is going to make a few pillows to match and a few finishing touches on the bumper pad, but I still had to share.  I hope you like it as much as we do…    

 

 

We are all so very anxious for “The Call”, but we know that it is in God’s timing.  Until then, we pray for patience during our wait.

Praying for Our Happily Ever After…