What the Fruit Loop?

This is what adoption makes you feel like sometimes. :)

Sorry it's been awhile. A lot of "stuff" has been going on at our house and because you wouldn't believe it if I told you I'm just not going to tell you. :) There is one little unbelievable story though that I want to share with you.....

When you adopt anything and everything WILL happen to try and keep that adoption from taking place. Satan attacks you if you will. Things will tear up around your house that have worked perfectly. They will work perfectly the day before you start your adoption and then they will tear up the day after. Even physically things will happen. With Grace's adoption I lost an organ. Why should it be any different with Lyla's? But that's another blog installment. :) This story takes the prize of the all time wierdest things that has EVER happened to me. Literally.

I was at work and about to go in session with a client when my cell phone rang. I almost didn't answer it because it said, "816". But alas, I answered it anyway. The lovely lady on the other end said, "Mam, this is agent (insert name) with the Department of Homeland Security and I'm looking for someone who goes by the name of Paige Betterton." Um. Come again? Agent? Someone who GOES by the name of? I assured her I was the person she was looking for and gave her the correct email address. She assured me that in 5 minutes I would recieve an email and that I needed to respond accordingly. By this point I am LATE going in to session with my client so the blasted email just had to wait. Thankfully, it was my last client of the day so when all was said and done and I opened up the email I was confronted with the realization that my country was accusing me of using an alias. Apparently, my name was not legally changed when I got married. 10 YEARS AGO!!!!! Tons of questions started going through my mind and I called her back and asked her how this wasn't caught when we left the country 4 years ago when we went to adopt Grace. She didn't have a clue!!!!! HA! Well, after I assured her that every piece of legal documentation that I possessed had my now known alias on it, including my passport, she changed my name in the computer. (She didn't believe that I had a passport in this name. I actually had to email her a color copy of it.) I wasn't really comfortable with the fact my Department of Homeland Security didn't catch that I had an alias 4 years ago. And I'm kind of aggravated that I didn't know it! I might could have gotten away with something! There was no way I was leaving American soil with this up in the air. SO......you will ALL be pleased to know (as well as I was after my slight identity crisis) that my name has now been legally changed thanks to $22 bucks and Doug Bachuss of Nowlin and Associates. Always good to be friends with a lawyer. It helps that he's adopted 2 kids. For some reason.....he wasn't surprised at all that I was going by an alias....hmm.....stay tuned for the next and hopefully last crazy adoption story!

Meet Lyla Joy....

Well...the last time I posted I believe was in August. I'm surprised I even have any readers left! There is so much that has happened since then. So many of them of noteworthy, but God has been at work in our family and the noteworthiness of our daily lives will simply have to wait. For now. Her news is more important. Many of you know we were adopting again and just as many of you were surprised when we got a referral so early! Brandon and I, for a long time, felt God calling us to adopt another special needs child. Grace is also a special needs child, diagnosed with seizure disorder. There is something special about these children. Every child is special, but special needs children are just, well, extra special. They seem to know what really matters in life (at an exceptionally young age) and let's face it. They can't help the way they are born. They are less than "perfect" in the world's eyes, but they are perfect to their heavenly father. And if they're perfect enough for him they're just right for us! So we came across our Lyla's file. Lyla is missing her right ear. That's it! Just born without it! The people God has blest us in giving their friendship, specialists in their field, gave their input and with the confirmation of the adoption clinic at Children's Hospital confirmed that Lyla's ear is strictly a comestic issue. It is the second leading birth defect right behind cleft lip, cleft palate. I will tell you at some point she will more than likely have a prosthetic ear. That should be an experience! She is healthy and normal otherwise. She has her left ear and normal hearing in that ear. So...it was then we decided that this little girl's file simply go back to China. WE WANTED HER!!!!! Isn't that amazing? She is now CHOSEN. She has a family. One that can't wait to bring her home to join our family. And here she is...



She looks a little mischecious doesn't she? Grace's referral photo looked the same way. Don't know what we'll do with 2 mischievious ones!

Now...we covet your prayers. Specifically, pray that God will go ahead and begin to prepare this little one for the transition into our family. Pray that she will find favor with the orphanage workers. Pray for NO EAR INFECTIONS in her left hear. We need that hearing to be the best that it can be!!!! And pray for Grace. That she will adjust to having a sister and having to share me and her daddy. And a room. And toys. And her house in general! She sleeps with Lyla's picture on the pillow beside her at night and doesn't understand why we can't just go get her! Also pray our paperwork will move quickly and that we will be able to travel mid summer to go and bring her home. We covet all the prayers we can get.



There are so many other things I want to tell you, but I will wait. Lyla deserves her own post. I'll be back later (but quicker this time) to tell you of the other miracles that have happened since August!!! Blessings.



Paige

P.S. I have no idea why my blogs and archives are so out of place on my blog! Got some blog organizing to do it seems!!!

Crazy Day!

Today was crazy day at school. I, personally, think it should be against the law to let your children go out of the house looking like she does. But boy was she excited! I hope she was able to calm down because when she got out of the van this morning she was definately crazy. In more ways than one...

Ever had days like that? Crazy one's I mean? Most days around our house are chaotic. Everybodies up, gotta get ready, gotta get to school, gotta get to work and do the work stuff, gotta pick up from school, gotta get home, gotta get homework done, gotta get to piano, gotta get supper fixed, gotta get a bath, gotta get in bed, gotta do adoption paperwork....whew! And then you get to start all over again the next morning with all the gotta's. Well, the last few weeks all of my gotta's have been complicated by my little (really it's big) stomach acid problem which has led to me having to have another camera down the throat and lots of yucky medicine. I've even given up diet cokes. I know, I know, I can't believe I did it either.

I've been drawn to the book of Colossians lately. Don't know why but have just really been reading it over and over again. One verse has stuck out to me lately. "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." Even my craziness. He holds it together too. Today I was reading my friend Mary Beth's blog, trying to catch up, I've been a slacker lately on blog reading because of the craziness, and she said, "We can do hard, survive, and give God the glory for what he's going to do." Not an exact quote I'm afraid but close enough. I can assure you her "hard" is definately harder than mine but hard is hard and I am SO ready to see what God is trying to tell me through this latest cycle of hard! With some good mixed in between...

Enjoy this song....I love love love it! If my throat didn't hurt so bad from all the acid I would be screaming it!!!! Don't forget to mute the music at the bottom of the page. Happy day blogger friends.

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have supremacy. "

Colossians 1:15-18

Beautiful Mess....

I'm a planner. I'm not going to apologize for that. In fact, I think there should be an 11th commandment and that it should read, "Thou shalt plan." I had my entire life planned out by the time I was 16, and can I just tell you? God didn't get that memo. NOTHING in my life has gone the way I planned. I use to be kind of mad about it, but I decided to quit fighting with God on the matter and just go with it. The biggest "non-planned" activity we've had has been infertility. You can read back in the archive on this blog on how we dealt with that. I've been struggling with whether or not to post this, but I fill if I don't I'm not being truly honest about who I am. My heart has been SUPER heavy lately. But, in the healing of the past two months God has tremendously blessed our family and shown me how it's only HIS plan that matters. It is this healing that I want to share....

The third week of July I had my third miscarriage. I didn't know I was pregnant, but this time I was further along than the other two. I was anemic and just felt like pure crap. But, even though that was hard, the hardest thing was the response I got from people who found out. Now...mind you....I told very few people. Just my core group of women and family. My doctor didn't take me seriously which led to lots of later blood work, exams, and wacked out horomones. I now have a new doctor. :) And people just made truly insensitive comments. None of them were from my core group of family and friends. But I did reevaluate the meaning of friendship. I kept of book of stupid things people say when struggling with infertility and let me just say I REALLY got to add to it. Things were said, my heart was broken, and my spirit was so confused. I am convinced that we are never more beautiful than we are when we are a broken mess. But this is what has come from it....

-I was purposed to mother the motherless.
-I was purposed to have this struggle in order to help others in the same position.
-I was purposed to train in attachment therapy (which I never would have done without experiencing adoption.)
-I was purposed to bring attention to how many children need mothers and fathers.
-I was purposed. Period.

It dawned on me today that I have never thanked God for infertility. So now, I want to thank him for that experience. For it was in my greatest affliction that he gave me his greatest gift. And that would be my bug hunting Asian princess. And the other princess awaiting her family somewhere in China. I do hate that I've had those miscarriages. But in a way only God can, he confirmed his plan for us. Three weeks ago we recieved a monetary gift from a wonderful person (who shall remain nameless) that enabled us to make our next adoption payment. Make no mistake. We didn't need the money. We could have made the payment. But God chose to bless us in a dark time for me. His plan has never been clearer. So...I want to give back.

In two weeks time you will hear one exciting announcement coming from this blog. I will tell you that it involves raising funds, Show Hope, t-shirts, and adoption. Still working out all the kinks on my end. But you will truly be the first to know. And now....the cutest picture ever...of the cutest model showing off her Show Hope garb....

Moms....

Well....I've had a heavy heart these days. Grace being in Kindergarten has made me realize the importance of what "little" time I have left with her. She's done fabulous. Had a few issues but none surrounding behavior. Which has surprised me. She's a little stubborn and hard headed, but she has a heart of gold and such a sweet, sweet spirit. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, that God has purposed me to be her mom. We've had some rough times at home lately....one very personal issue that the Lord is wanting me to share later....still not sure how to word it. But he's working on it. And the other with just realizing that I HAVE to TRUST him with her. She's come home saying some things that are not nice that I know she's hearing at school and to be honest....I don't handle it well. Lord knows I need help with not freaking out over some things. I want to be who she needs and lately...I've been questioning my ability. Last night, I was sitting with my core group of women, at Panera, eating soup, cake, sharing prayer requests, and discussing life's aggravation's. It occured to me that two of my core friends have a very hard day coming up for them tomorrow. They lost their mom three years ago tomorrow to cancer. Such a dear, sweet lady who couldn't love her daughters anymore. I know she would be so proud of the women they are. They are both just really fantastic people who I consider myself privileged to know. Great moms. Great women. Great wives. But who still just want to hug their mom. Tonight, we had a pretty bad bike accident which included Grace riding off of our drive head first into the culvert full of jagged river rock. I screamed, and ran to her, preparing myself for the gapping head wound I knew would greet me. She of course was crying, but there was nothing. No blood. Nothing. The mom took over and all the little attitude struggles we've been having were gone. I just wanted to be her mom. Tonight, I hugged her a little tighter when I put her to bed. I hope we will all hug our little ones tighter. I wish my mom was here to hug me. And Amy and Ali would give anything to hug their mom just one more time. Thankful tonight. And praying for my friends. Don't forget to mute the music at the bottom of the page before playing the video.

The Night Before Kindergarten...

Well....I knew this day would come eventually, but heaven knows I didn't think it would happen this fast. It just seems like yesterday that we were given this scared to death little girl. And in 4 short years here we are. Grace is beside herself with excitement and I am beside myself with the unknowns. What will she do all day? Who will she play with? Will she be sweet? Will other kids be kind to her? Have I taught her everything she needs to know before tomorrow? (Too late if I haven't!) OH Man! They don't prepare you for this part of parenting. The letting go part I mean. And even though I realize that I'm not sending her off to college and to conquer the world tomorrow, I realize how time has flown by and how precious every minute is. (Even though my wonderful husband has informed me that we will remember tomorrow on the day we drop her off at college. I could have hit him.) I so hope that kindergarten is everything she is hoping it will be. I pray God will surround her and protect her innocence as long as he sees fit. I pray he will give her friends that will be good for her and friends that she can be good for. Whatever he gives us.....I hope we handle it in a way that is pleasing. And now for one of the "first" firsts....one of our first glimpses of our larger than life kiddo.....

Cowgirl East Meets Cowgirl West!

There are lots of pictures on this post so forgive me....but they are fantastic pics! Grace and I drove (yes, I said drove) to Texas. I don't know why I had the urge to drive 12 hours instead of fly 2 to East Texas. Seeing Judy was a great motivator, but I have always loved to just get in the car and.....go. So....It was just me, Grace, and the lovely GPS lady. I changed her voice for entertainment along the way. Kept me awake. I learned lots of stuff along the way...but that's another post for another day. Judy has these great friends who have horses and they are kind enough to fuel my child's love (fascination, obsession) for the four legged creature. I don't know where this love has come from, but I have the faintest inclination that it will NOT be leaving us anytime soon. I do believe a horse is in our future. When she's, like, 10 or so. Here's the little cowgirl and the big cowgirl Ms. Marie....

And this is Ms. Marie's silly cowboy husband, Mr. Curtis. He and Grace swapped hats.

She is loving every minute of this! And all I'm thinking is, "How much is a horse going to add to our monthly budget?"

Talking very softly to Blondie....

She rode her for awhile but mainly just wanted to stand there, pet her, and talk to her.

This picture is kind of dark but I hope you can see the smile on her face!!!

I believe we have a horse whisperer on our hands here....

Oh my....

I am thankful for the sweet hearts of Curtis and Marie for allowing Grace to explore her fascination of horses and teaching her all about them. Thanks guys! You are definately one of the highlights of our trip!