Christmas Miracle! December 19, 2016!

So, I know it has been a long time since I have updated my blog, but I have big news to share! We got back on the list to adopt baby number 2 on January 26, 2013 at Family Adoption Services. They told us we were number 26 on the list and to wait awhile to do our homestudy. We completed our homestudy in February of 2014, we were about halfway up the list at that time. A homestudy is good for 2 years, so in February of 2016 we updated it and felt sure our baby would be home soon! In June of 2016 we signed up with Christian Adoption Consultants because FAS said they felt like everyone on their waiting list should be on other lists as well since they had so few babies in the last few years. We had to make a profile book (pages and pages of writing and 100's of pictures, it was so much work!) and we started applying with agencies around the country. We sent our book to over 12 birth mothers from the summer until December of 2016. Each time we got our hopes up (and bless those of you that rode the roller coaster with us) and each time we were told no. It was like going through Sorority Rush x 1000 over and over and being dropped each time. We were worn out and wondering if this meant God wanted us to be a family of 3 or if he wanted us to keep the faith to make this dream for a family of 4 a reality. In the meantime we had been sitting at number 2 on the FAS list for several months. We went to the FAS picnic in October. It is one of our favorite events each year. While we were there Helen said she was going to ask Susan when we were ever going to get a baby sister or brother.

Susan told Helen that they were working hard and that she thought it would be soon, but that we needed to pray! She sent Helen home with 2 pacifiers to save for the baby! Little did we know they already knew that we were matched for a baby coming in December! Every time we sent our profile book to be shown with another agency we would pray for God to let us be chosen if it was the right fit for us. But, I always had a small prayer that followed ~ God, please if it is possible I want my baby to come from FAS. I want Helen to see and be apart of the process for her sibling just like hers. I want her to be a part of that excitement and love with people that know and love us already. But, your will be done. Amen. On December 18, 2016 mama took us to the Opryland Hotel for a fun Christmas trip with Laurie and her boys. We were so excited to see the Christmas decorations.

and were ready to experience all the fun ICE events on Monday. Monday morning Brian went down to grab us coffee's and cinnamon rolls for breakfast which we were eating on our balcony. My phone rang and I didn't recognize the number so I didn't answer, immediately after Brian's phone started ringing and he answered it with a funny look on his face, got up from the table and went in the room. I followed him and he said he was on the phone with Susan from FAS. I knew they didn't call you until you had a baby that was ready to go home! So I started crying. I got on the phone with Susan and she said, "Remember when I told Helen at the FAS picnic that we were working hard and I thought the baby would be here soon?" "Yes mam" I said with tears running down my face. Susan said, "Well, I am holding her right now." We told them we were in Nashville but would get there as fast as we could and asked her to text us some pictures! We called Helen in the room and told

her, she could not believe it. She was so excited and ran out to the balcony to tell Nana. Then we cried and hugged! I texted Laurie (Lolly) and said come by my room because we were about to meet them to go to the ICE activities. She got to our room and Helen said, "Lolly, we got a baby sister!" She started crying and I showed her the pictures of the baby and then we cried and hugged some more. We flew all around the room throwing our stuff in our bags. I told Helen I was sweating and needed to put on some deodorant, she said, Me too! So I put some on her too. Ha! Mama left all her clothes in the closet!

Helen said we all needed to pinch ourselves to see if this was a dream or if it was real! So we did, and it was real. She said the only thing that made her sad was that Dada wouldn't get to meet the new baby. I told her babies come from heaven and that I bet Dada had picked her out special for us and that he held and loved her before she came. She said, "Oh mama I hope so." We went down to the front desk to check out. We all stood with the luggage while Brian went to tell them we were leaving early. He came back with tears in his eyes and said the girl behind the counter had a name tag on and her name was Dada. So, then we cried and hugged some more because we knew that he was letting us know that he was there with us in spirit and that he did know our new baby girl. We hopped in the van and started the longest 3 1/2 hour car ride of our lives. We really felt like we would never get home! Mama realized about an hour down the road that she had left all her clothes in the closet at the hotel!! We were too excited to think. We started calling people and sending pictures and everybody was so excited. Brian and I were just sure we were getting a boy and we were going to name him Michael Clint after our daddies in heaven. We seriously had no girl names picked out! I asked Helen in the car what we should name her baby sister and she said Holly because it was close to Christmas, and that her middle name should be Mistletoe because that was her nickname at FAS. We said we liked Holly but weren't sure about the Mistletoe middle name! Ha! While we were talking about whether or not we liked Holly for her name, Garian texted me. I told her we didn't have a girl name and she said if I were you I would name her Holly!! What? How crazy is that? So, I said ok God we hear you, Holly it is! As we drove that forever long trip home, Helen kept saying she couldn't believe it and that we better pinch ourselves again! She was so sweet and so excited. We dropped mama off at home and she started washing baby clothes in Dreft and buying Prosecco and dessert for the celebration. Brian's mom and Earv headed out to get formula, diapers, wipes and dinner to meet us at the house. Brian and Helen and I headed to FAS to meet baby Holly. We decided on the way that Faith would be a good middle name because it took so much faith to get us to her through 3 years, 11 months and 2 weeks of waiting. Helen's middle name was Hope because we hoped for her for so long, 7 years of hoping for that one (although only 1 1/2 years on the adoption wait list). December 19, 2016 tied itself for our favorite day with June 27, 2011. What a blessing that we were given to have not one but two beautiful daughters and two amazing gotcha day stories!