Charleigh 6 1/2 weeks

Charleigh started smiling today.  She only did it a few times, but it's a start! She smiles in her sleep ALL THE TIME, but wouldn't ever really connect with a smile while awake.  She did it twice and then I got the camera and she was mesmerized by that so she wouldn't smile anymore for me.  But then she did again later in the day but I didn't have the camera.

She is doing so well...even though she is sick. I am taking her to the doctor tomorrow because she just isn't feeling well and is having difficulty breathing because she is so congested.  Hopefully they'll have some good news for us though...both Jackson and Creighton had RSV and that is NO fun.  I hope it's just minor.

I can't believe how much she is growing.  I still only have a few outfits that are small enough to fit her, but she is finally starting to fill them out...at least a little:) I have so many cute clothes that I can't wait for her to grow into!  When we had her weighed just before Thanksgiving she was 7 pounds 5 ounces. Over Thanksgiving break we weighed her on a "big people" scale by holding her with us and then not, and she was right at 9 pounds.  So hopefully tomorrow she'll be even more!  I love hearing their weights! It's something so fun and exciting that changes so fast over the first few months.  She is definitely getting longer too.  She is still a stick but is starting to have tiny rolls on her arms and legs...and they are SO adorable.

Her hair is still wild as ever.  It gets REALLY fluffy after bathtime...which she LOVES the bath! And then within a few days it's sticking out and right and left in every which direction!

Her eyes are doing much better and have stopped gooping.  That is a blessing for all of us.  I know she hated having the tear duct massaged...probably as much as I didn't enjoy doing it.

She is the best and most laid back baby in all the world. I just am in LOVE with her. I missed her so much while I was gone for 33 hours this weekend.  I couldn't stop kissing her and holding her when I got back.  She seemed to be glad to have her momma back too! :)

She has the sweetest little voice and I am loving hearing her cooing noises that come and go. I can tell she's gonna be a talker...like her big sister! Whew...bring it on!

Precious Baby Charleigh!

Thanksgiving Ramblings

We went to the Zoo today to get out of the house.  It was fun! It was such nice weather too!  I had Charleigh in the carrier and the other 5 kids were running around like crazy :) It was good though...Charleigh's first time and she did wonderful.  We got some cute (hopefully) pictures of all the grandkids (now 6) but I'll have to wait for home to post pics. 

After naps we did the traditional thing and went to Rhema for the turning on of all the lights.  It was probably my favorite year so far...and this time I mean it!  Normally I don't love going because it's so cold and crowded and my kids were always too little to have a clue what was going on.  But this year, I feel complete and the sparkle in my kids' eyes and the huge smiles and laughter were wonderful.  So even though I went with a less than perfect attitude, it was grand! :)

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day.  I have a new bundle to be thankful for!  But so much more...I am just loving where we are right now as a family. Jeff and I are doing really well and are more in love than ever.  The big kids are getting bigger and well, that's just a good thing for the Berg clan.  They are learning and growing and maturing and I love seeing small glimpses of the little people they are growing up to be.  When it's so difficult to press on and be consistent in discipline, it's nice to finally see some positive reinforcement for the parents :)  they are FAR from finished or perfect, but I love this stage that Jackson is in, and well, Creighton...she thankfully makes me smile and laugh more than she makes me want to pull out my hair.  Charleigh is such a good baby and is the delight of all of our hearts.  She is very content most of the time and is a good sleeper.  I am just thankful!  We are so very blessed.

We will have 'the' meal for dinner tomorrow night at 5pm.  My brother and his new wife will be here and then our home will be filled to the brink with love and wild wild wild little people :)  It's fun.  It's crazy, but it's family...we will do our other traditional thing tomorrow and go see a movie.  It should be interesting with everyone there...but I am hoping for the very best!

Good night all. 

New Extended Family

We met with Charleigh's birthfather on Saturday.  It was a really neat time with him and I think we all hit it off well. 

We are learning on this incredible journey all about Open Adoption together.  It's new.  It's scary.  But it's good. So good. We love family and have lots of it, by adding Charleigh to our family we've added even more! It's awesome.  I do believe this is the way that God would want this to be. 

Today

I wrote this yesterday...
Today was a hard day in our journey of adoption.  It was like getting hit by a freight train with no brakes after such a SWEET yesterday.  But, I will still praise the Lord. 

The birthfather needs and wants more information and wants to be a larger part of the process than we had orginally anticipated.  I am choosing to believe that in the end this will be a good thing. I want Charleigh to know who he is, and that is his heart's desire too.  We love open adoption and ALL that it holds...including hiccups...or whatever you want to call today. 

I do believe that the power of prayer was manifested in its full force today.  I could feel it. I could almost audibly hear the petitions on our behalf.  I know that nothing has changed in circumstance, but definitely in my heart. I have a peace that does transcend understanding.  I am claiming promises, claiming scripture, claiming truth.  God has a huge plan for this little girl, and one day, she will have an incredible story to tell. 

She has been loved by so many in the process and will continue to be, I know this.  No matter the outcome.  My friend Marci reminded me that He cares for her more than I (or anyone else) ever could. I will celebrate the life that she has been given, and I will celebrate each moment that she is with us.  We have from the beginning wanted what was VERY best for her, and I know that will prevail.

Thank you all for your prayers.  Please continue them as this is far from being finalized in any direction.

Dedication Sunday

This is my sweet family.  I love this picture even though it's not the 'best' of everyone.  It's certainly a LOT characteristic of each of us. 

Sunday was Orphan Sunday and also the day we chose to have the two precious girls dedicated to the Lord in front of the congregation...and our family.  It was a sweet experience.  It couldn't have been better, well--maybe if Charleigh weren't hungry right in the middle of it...but otherwise, it was fantastic!

Rod, our Pastor, prayed for each of them individually and our family.  They both did well, with only a few squwaks from Charleigh and me dropping her binky (twice).

I don't have any more pics of all 5 of us except for these few...I cherish them!

The neatest thing in the world happened after Rod prayed for the girls.  He presented us with a gift, a large gift! The Church had gotten together and have begun an Adoption Fund for future adoptions, and the first people to use it is our family.  We have been beyond blessed in this journey and this is the icing on the cake.  We will have little to no expense out of our pocket for our adoption now.  I mean really?! God is awesome.  Now there are so many people on this journey with us and that is how I like things...I enjoy people and Love...and we have an abundance! Thank you EVERYONE who is a part of this!

Charleigh

Charleigh is doing amazing.  She's gained weight nicely and yesterday weighed 6 pounds 14 ounces.  She is still smaller than eithe of my other two were at birth, but I feel like she's getting bigger by the day.  She is a really great baby, especially compared to Jackson as an infant. :) She had a really really terrible night on Monday and didn't let us sleep at all really, but last night she made up for it by already skipping a feed--6 hours is like heaven! :)  I don't expect it, but happily take them when they will come!  She is starting to be awake more during the day now, which is the goal...so we will never have another Monday night again...  It's crazy having one so little again...I barely remember what to do, what their next steps are in their journey of their first year...as I know they change SO much SO fast. 

We've talked to the birth family almost everyday since her birth and it is going very well.  I think her birthmother is healing well physically and emotionally for now, which makes it even that much better.  I can't wait to see them all again on Sunday for Creighton and Charleigh's dedication!

Creighton is wearing the flowergirl dress from our wedding (replica of my wedding dress) and Charleigh is actually wearing the dress I was dedicated in 29 years ago! I am so excited and both of these sweet girls and their sweet dresses mean so much to us!  God is good.  He has been so faithful and blessed our socks off!

Crisis Pregnancy Outreach has been INCREDIBLE to us.  They've checked on us on a regular basis and gotten us anything we needed and have just been great! I cannot tell you how much I would recommend this agency.  Their hearts are in the right place AND they are wonderful to the adoptive families as well. 

Sisters...

To the best of my knowledge these are in order.  She just cannot get enough.  I love their little sister bond. Pretty sure all these speak for themselves :)

Birthday girl....she turns 3!

My sweet 3-year-old!

She knows exactly what she wants....

And this was it. All she wanted to do on her birthday was be at home, holding Charleigh.  I even splurged and let her watch High School Musical 3 even though she would have been just fine even if I hadn't of put it on.  She couldn't have been happier

But we did take her to get donuts...a tradition on birthday mornings around here!

Then later after dinner I surprised her with a cute cake...although I really wanted the Belle one, they didn't have it, but it wouldn't have mattered...she said, "but Moooooommmmmmm, I wanted the Ariel cake"....which they don't even make in this type.  What she doesn't know is that for her party I ordered her a HUGE Ariel sheet cake that she will LOVE! ;)

I can't believe she's 3...however, she acts 12...until she acts 2 again :) Oh the drama of girls..and now I have 2 of them :) Joy Joy looking forward to the teenage years already.

Happy Birthday Creighton! I love you so much

Answered prayer and a request

I just re-read this post. It's a little surreal that I have my sweet bundle in my arms. I love my first letter to her now that I have her sweet face memorized.  I didn't know all that the Lord would do.  I couldn't have wrapped my head around it if I had known...I am glad that I didn't know all the details. I am thankful that I allowed the Lord (haha...as if I "allowed" him anything) to take control of this.  Because seriously we have the perfect open adoption and its just begun.  We adore our birthmother and her family.  God handpicked us to be Charleigh's family...and for them to be part of her forever too.  It's so amazing that they are believers, as this process would be so hard I think dealing with someone who didn't know Hope, Grace, Agape, and who didn't know that He has a plan.  His details are amazing.  All of them.  Psalm 139 has never rang more true to my spirit. 

I do have a major prayer request! Please be on your knees for our sweet birthmother tomorrow as she and her family go before the judge to relinquish her parental rights.  This is going to be a difficult process to go through most likely for everyone in the room.  I want to be there to hold her hand, but I am so thankful that she has supportive family that will be on her either side.  Just pray for peace for a non-judgemental atmosphere, for the undeniable hand of God. 

And then right after that, we are told that they will attempt to make contact with the birthfather...oh please would you pray that he would not fight this...

Love at First Site

Jeff and I didn't want to take our camera in right away when we went to meet the birth family...but thankfully they had theirs and this was me when I first saw her.  You can't tell (thank you M for making it b & w to hide it) but I was balling my eyes out!  But I just love it.  God is so good.

Welcome Home Charleigh

So, we're home! We officially (totally still unofficially) have 3 kids.  Today was my first day at home, but I was blessed by Mother's Day out today for the older two.  Charleigh and I stayed at home and I attempted to organize/pick up my disasterous home. 

I cannot tell you just to the extent of how much we have been blessed!  It's beyond measure really.  I mean of course, just in Charleigh herself, but so many people have stepped up and cared for us in so many ways: material things for Charleigh, financially even, meals galore in line for our whole family, and just tons of prayer and love! I feel so connected to my Savior and feel like He is being so glorified by his people in this!!  The Church is being the Church...it's so good.  It's just amazing. 

If you have been a part, whether small or large, in helping us in any way, thank you! From the bottom of my heart, my praise goes to my King, my thanks goes to my King...and to you all who are being the hands and feet of Christ.

We are in love with our littlest baby girl.  She is a great baby, although we do need to work on her sleeping in the night, instead of ALL day long ;)  We'll get there.  She's just precious.  Such a joy.

She most definitely has a purpose in this world and I cannot wait to find out just what the Lord has in store for us with her, for His Kingdom with her....I just can't even put parameters on it.

She has a story...a long one and I will share it in bits and pieces.  I am one exhausted mommy tonight though and MUST go to bed while she is sleeping....

The kids ADORE her.

But this shirt that my sweet friend Kara got her says it all:

Oh precious girl, we are...so thankful for you!

We have our new baby girl!!! She is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen! She is a real peaceful, go-with-flow kinda girl. We are all in love! No computer here so will have to post more later. Http://yfrog.com/5hz6qvj you might be able to see her there but until we get home that's all we have

Jaxisms

The other day Jeff was giving Jackson a bath and he kept kicking the bucket over the side of tub.  Jeff told him he'd get a spanking if he did it again.  Several minutes later, Jackson kicked the bucket again. 
Jeff: Jackson did you kick that out on purpose?
Jax: yes
Jeff: [spanked him]
Jax: [cried]
Jeff: [feeling bad, because maybe he doesn't know what " on purpose" means] Buddy, do you know what "on purpose" means?
Jax: yeah, it means you get a spanking!


Then today, Jeff and I were in our room, and the two kids were in the sunroom coloring.  I start laughing because I hear Creighton just rolling and cackling.  I LOVE her laughter, especially her belly laughs.  About the same time, Jeff and I thought that must mean something really bad was happening, unfortunately.  We were right.

lovely, he is learning to write the number 4!

this is Jeff getting on to them after their timeouts

my crazy man acting like a wild indian

But, after they sat in time out for a long time, I was talking with Jackson...the coversation went something like this:

Me: Jackson, why would you mark on the floor?

Jax: Maybe der are tings in me..

Me: what?

Jax: maybe der are widdle pepull in my belly

Me: what kind of people in your belly buddy?

Jax: maybe kind of widdle pepull that make me make bad choices

Me: how would those people make you make bad choices?

Jax: maybe day haf wemotes...(maybe they have remotes)

Me: [i had to walk away for fear of actually laughing AT him]

This boy is a mess and is constantly coming up with the craziest and funniest things on earth.  I just love it, even though it's not always easy to discipline him because he's too funny (and not to mention cute!)

Waiting...

Our women's ministry is currently in the middle of Esther by Beth Moore.  I can't tell you how much I love this study.  As the weeks progress, it has only gotten better.  This week tops it all.  If I have ever needed a word from the Lord, then it was now, and it was this!  Get your pen!!

Habakkuk 2:3c
Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.

Oh, how my heart needed to hear that promise, first and foremost.

But the TRUTH behind what her whole talk today was this: We will lose our strength when we wait on _________ (fill in the blank for yourself), but we will renew our strength when we wait on the Lord.

For me, for us, our blank is our baby.  To say we are waiting would be an understatement.  Although we have not waited long compared to many people, not to mention we already have two blessings with us, we truly felt that this was a God thing and that because we were so willing to step out in faith, that there would be no waiting.  But there is.

And you know what? It's good.  I'm okay with waiting, I am.  I'm just not good at it.  Patience does not come naturally to me, but I must say I am working on it--with the Lord's grace.  We only want what is best for our family and for this child.  Truly.  So, why was I so anxious and trying so hard to DO when I should just relax and stop and wait on the Lord, not on my child.  Wait on the Lord renews my strength. I am excited for that burden to be completely lifted from me.  Because I have been zapped waiting (thinking I could actually do something) about getting a baby here sooner.

Today's lesson was all about time.  When time is so different on God's left arm than mine, why would I choose to want to be zapped of my strength.  I know there is another (maybe more) Berg out there, and somewhere written in the pages of his/her life we get to meet.  Not only will our paths cross, but they will unite, forever.  We'll be completed all the more as a family, and I CAN wait for God's best.  I am so thankful that I serve such a loving, compassionate, all-knowing God. 

So, I am not anxious about the wait for our child.  I am still thrilled to be on the journey, but it's better now.  God has ever so graciously been giving us (me) his sweet gestures to not lose hope in the journey all along, just as I needed them.  I am so thankful for this one. 

So, as we wait on the Lord for our precious new addition, we wait with open arms, open hearts, and renewed strength.  Thank you Lord.

And there is a song that I just love out called While I'm Waiting by Josh Waller...listen if you'd like!

Impressional?

If you think kids are un-impressionable...check this out. Wow. He's a doll...and he's got talent for sure. But it makes me want to seriously consider who/what my children watch/hear...I mean he has got it DOWN--to the facial expressions and all!

Orphan Sunday

Orphan Sunday from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Jackson and the Armor of God

So there is this lady named Kim Norton who founded Kingdom Kidz.  My kids recieved her CDs as a gift from Grandma Caroline and they love them (and so do I).  One song in particular they love the most is the Armor Song. I love that it is this one they love, because I love Ephesians 6.  And I so want that to be a part of their everyday routine...putting on the armor of God.

Well we sing this song almost daily, if not multiple times a day!  They love it.  I don't know that Jackson knew what to think of us trying to act it out with all his play toys/clothes, but I LOVED it.  Here's the picture of the completed Eph. 6 boy.

And priceless: here is the video

Random Pictures

Jackson jams out hard!

Creighton is IN LOVE with the Bruin Bear at the HS football games, good thing 'she' is one of our youth...she 'knows her name' and Creighton feels so special!

Oh man...I don't know if I have words for this pic

Creighton is IN LOVE with this hideous dog at the pet store.  I thought she looked pretty cute too

Way random, and quite stupid...but I went to Jenks the other day to pick up some adoption stuff and we ran by the gym to see the picture and Jeff snapped a shot on his iphone of me next to it...but wow...

Fun Family Activity

Ever wonder what to do with those broken crayons lying around?! This is fun, easy, and cheap..

On the clearance aisle right now, crayons are on sale for like $.40, but better than that, I bet you have lots of broken crayons laying around...we did.  But I bought a box as well.  We tore off all the paper and I let the kids break them up.  Their favorite part of course.

Then I let them put them in the muffin tins, in any order they wanted.

Here is what they looked like IN the oven...as they were melting

Then we put them in the oven on 275 for about 10 minutes.  Here is what they looked like out of the oven (fyi I think I left them in too long, which is why the colors aren't as rich *but more blended* and seperated as they should have been if I'd taken them out sooner, so maybe only 7-8 minutes)

But our final product was cute!  The botttoms are generally the 'prettiest'

It's such a fun and easy craft that the kids can do all by themselves (mostly) and they have fun with them for months!  We use them outside on the sidewalk too so their 'creations' stay around a little longer than with the chalk.  I love it!  (we did this on our family thursday before our bike ride)

Family Day

Last Thursday we had our family day! I love love love family day.  It's so fun to watch the kids interract with each other and with us, and especially their daddy!  We try our best to keep Thursdays sacred, but it felt like it had been awhile since it was just the four of us all day.  We went on a 13 mile bike ride.

 Jackson was a superstar and RODE the entire way on his tag-along bike attached to mine.  Creighton was in the doodlebug behind Jeff.  We went all over really, mostly trying to stay near the pathfinder and safe areas to ride.  We went to the soccer fields and the park area and we played frisbee and they loved it. Although there were most definitely sibling moments of not knowing how to share well.  Love the opportunity to be behind the lens!  Nature provides such a sweet background and lighting!  LOVING FALL!

We had a little bit of a uphill battle on a major street because of unforseen construction, but I was so happy (that we were safe) and that we got these WAY fun pics by the waterfalls.

We stopped to eat (and refuel and take potty breaks) at Taco Bueno.  It was great. Everyone was very hungry so we all ate well.  Then we came home and CRASHED for 2+ hours...everyone.  It was a long 4 hours out in the sun and getting some excersise.  I was beside myself with love for my family and our awesome day!

Colors and A HUGE DEAL

Earlier this summer, Jeff painted the kids' rooms the colors of their choice.  Both of them have 3 walls one color and 1 wall another color.  I wasn't for sure if I ever showed their new rooms.

Here is Jackson's room!  3 blue walls, 1 green wall

And I was SOOOOOO proud of myself this weekend.  I have been wanting a day bed for Creighton's room for a LONG time, but we haven't had the money.  Well, as I was lost trying to find something else entirely this weekend I 'happened' upon a garage sale.  I found the deal of the century!  Look at this wonderful beautiful day bed I got for her for only $25!!!!!!  I LOVE IT! And you can see her pink (3) and orange (1) walls in this picture too!

The kids love their beds and bedrooms.  I can't believe Creighton is SO big.  I love her new bed probably more than she does.  I am still in shock I only paid twenty five dollars for it! It's really really nice and heavy duty real wood.  I dusted and polished it and re-covered the underside padded boards and my mom found a new bedspread (shown) for $8!  It's perfect: pink with Orange trim...looks so good on her orange wall!

A whirlwind week!

This past week has just been one for the record books!!  It started with grieving news of a friend of ours.  Everything surrounding that was never really without our thoughts, as we had lots and lots of conversations, phone calls, etc. all week long.  So with that as the overcast for the week...the rest of the week went a little nuts. 

We had two sets of company, totalling 5 days between the two of them.  It was so much fun having folks over, but it's also tiring, when you are already tired, to be any kind of hostess, amid the chaos.  Monday was just a hard day altogether in lots of ways.  Tuesday we had bible study, then a playdate at the Duck Pond, then Ladies Night Out! We had Nikao Vespers Night which is always a good time, but lots of prep work for Brit and Jeff.  We took a trip to the Zoo to get away from it all for awhile.  I wrote more about that day in this post.  So that was quite the crazy day.

Friday night we had the "self divided" football game (Enid vs Bartlesville) and we stayed to the end of the game!  Jeff invited people over 2 nights in a row and they stayed way late...little sleep! 

Then this weekend we had Walk This Way, which went amazing!  But again, just a little crazy and puts us way off schedule.  My parents came up for dinner on Saturday night.  Then Sunday, we had WTW again, then we went to meet Jeff's parents at the Scottish Games (festival) in Tulsa.

 This is where I tried to win $100 carrying 2- 100 pound barrels (one in each hand) as far as I could. I got second place, traveling 41 feet, before my left hand just could not bare the pain of my wedding ring digging mightily into my hand.  I may not have gotten the money, but I have a nice souvenier on my left hand :( I really think I could have beat that girl who won...although she was WAY bigger than me in every category.  I was too competitive not to at least try...but oh man those things are SO SO heavy! It was unbelievable.

Anyway, to say the very least, I was CRASHED last night in bed long before I usually even think of being tucked away.  Too bad Creighton was up at 3am.  I was up from 3-6ish and so I am still very tired.

 But today wouldn't wait. I had to work up at the school because it was picture day!  We had fun. The kids were So SO SO cute, I just hope some of the pics turned out. 

Pressing on through this week!  And, of course, in the forefront of all of my thoughts are the baby...and all the questions that come along with that.  The ever-increasing excitement, yet, at the same time, wonder...it's just a lot for my little brain!

I have done 3 loads of laundry so far, and have 4 more piles to do, and a trip to Walmart! Whew...it's all good.

***Edited to add: I just remember two more things that were HUGE in our week!  Jeff and the other youth ministers set out on a task of passing out 3500 Bibles to Washington county Public schools!  It was insane, but it was all completed! Yea God!  And the other thing was the kick-off to one of our biggest ministries for Nikao--Life Hurts God Heals was on Monday night!  Thank goodness it was a reminder that yes, LIFE DOES HURT, but more importantly that GOD HEALS!  I am sure I am leaving out other things...but I just wanted to document it all so I can look back and remember that our life is/was a little on the insane side and we all made it out okay :) (atleast that is my prayer)

Duck Pond

My friend Kara wrote about our most recent Duck Pond (aka Jo Allyn Lowe Park) Adventure here complete with pictures and funny stories.

Just thought I'd share!

Zoo, Gymnastics, Life Book

Yesterday we went to the Zoo with our kids.  They have wanted to go for a long long time and this is really the first time it was possible that it wasn't raining.  And really, we ALL needed to get out of town and focus on other things!  It was great. 

So even though we were in Tulsa already, and I had a meeting in Tulsa in just a few short hours, we drove all the way back to Bartlesville because 1) the kids had gymnastics and 2) our LIFE BOOK was suppose to be on our front porch and I was very excited about the latter!

We got them to gymnastics only being 2 minutes late.  I had to wake them up from being asleep (as was I) and rush them out of the car.  All that and they WOULD.NOT.STAY. for anything, and I mean anything.  It was slightly embarassing, mostly just VERY frustrating!  But I dragged them both back out to the car barefoot by this point.  Only to have them start screaming, OF COURSE, as we are pulling out that they wanted to stay.  I was beyond frustrated, but felt that (and it helped that I was now going to be late to my meeting in Tulsa even if we headed straight home) this would be a great learning opportunity for them to realize that their choices have meaning and effects.  So we left, they cried.  But I am hoping that they never pull that again.

We got home and our Life Book WAS on the porch, yea God!  It was my prayer all week.  And I might add that it wasn't promised till sometime between Friday (today) and Tuesday of next week.  So, the fact that it was there, was truly a God answered prayer! :)  I love love love our Life Book.  Cheryl from CPO said she thought we had done a great job with it and her assistant told us we profiled very well! :)

So I sped (yes, illegally) all the way to Tulsa.  I was 'graced' with a very nice set of pace cars all the way there.  I got there exactly at 7pm.  Woo hoo! 

The meeting is for all adoptive families and it is a requirement that you and your husband attend at minimum four in order for your adoption finalization to begin.  So, even though Jeff wasn't with me, I was ecstatic to be there.  And personally hand deliver my Life Book! 

The other families that were there each were different, and each of us were in different places in the journey of adoption.  We were right in the middle.  That was a good place for me to be.  I felt I learned a lot.  I have questions.  I had questions that were answered...honestly.  Sometimes that was scary to hear.  But at the very same time, it was good.  I felt love in the room like I haven't experienced in that way before.  I felt a connection to people I had NEVER even met.  I loved it. I am excited to go to the next one.  I was invited to come as a volunteer to the Birthmom meetings which happen each Tuesday.  I do believe I will be trying very hard to get to one of those soon.

Cheryl said our Life Book would begin to be shown immediately and that there are currently 22 on hand.  Who knows how many girls will come through the agency, or drop in to the hospitals in the next few weeks and months, but if you'd join with me in praying for all of them, and specifically for the one that will be a part of our lives forever, I'd much appreciate that!

God is good.

Adoption: What we know for now

We are in it!  Emotions and all.  I went to a Trans-racial Workshop put on by another adoption agency, Deaconess, this weekend.  It was a really great and informative meeting with a panel of people who were incredibly insightful on what our lives could (or could not) look like in the future.  I was blessed to have my mom with me (Jeff was out of town). I think mostly for me it was a comfort and a blessing to have her there and hear with me the different stories of the lives of these people who were gracious enough to share them with us: the good, the bad, the ugly.  I walked away feeling confident in our decisions, as well as, supported with friends (new and old), family (thanks Mom), and a community of people who have been there, are already doing this life, and people who are waiting to do it, like us.

That same day I finally heard back from CPO with them announcing our application acceptance! I was so excited!  We have things set in place to go to some meetings this month and next and then in Novemeber there is a workshop we will attend!  I am just anxious (in a good way) to hear and learn and grow!

Labor Day we had our homestudy completed by a sweet lady named Melissa.  She is precious.  They have adopted 2 kids from CPO and our now (surprised) pregnant with their 3rd!  The homestudy went without a bump it felt like...at least from our end.  My house was INCREDIBLY cleaned too, but it seemed she was more interested in US and our family...which was good. 

All of the paperwork is completed, for now, on our end.  And I finished our Life Book (the book the birthmothers will review to choose the family that they feel they'd like to raise their baby).  It is on it's way.  If you'd like to see it, it is online at http://www.bergcourtney.shutterfly.com/  (password: jeffandcourtney) under the Photo Book section.  I can't wait to see it in person and then get it to CPO because Cheryl said they'd begin immediately showing it to birthmothers! YIPPEEE....

Jeff and I are on mission to get a journal for our new little one.  We have one for each of our kids and with Jackson and Creighton we began writing in them long before they were in our arms. Jeff is so much better at it than I am, but that is precisely why I blog :)  But we always like to pick out the perfect book for them.  It will be filled with letters from us (and other family as well) and given to them when they are 18. (we think...we haven't nailed down the exact time yet).  Either way, we cherish these books, and hope each of our children will as well. 

Thankfully our sweet friends the Deckers have let us borrow all of their baby things for when baby arrives....and so, that is where I leave this today...we are waiting.  Waiting for our baby.  Waiting to build a relationship with the brave woman who chooses life! God is good.  So good.

Sweet cherished baby,
You are so loved, so prayed for, so desired.  We cannot wait to hold you in our arms.  Your sister and brother cannot wait to know you, hold you, touch you, kiss you...just like us!  We have a huge support group within our community who is also excited to welcome you home.  I know this: The Lord is forming you, as I type, in your mother's womb.  He is holding you, as a Rock, steady.  He will care for you, and He will bring you home.  We want you to know how precious you and your life are to us, your birthmother, and to your Creator.  You are loved precious child, so loved. 
Love,
Your Mommy