Fabulous Week-end

First, today is Valentine's Day - Happy Valentine's Day everyone. I love to tell people that it's Valentine's day EVERY day at our house. Well, it's been quite a week-end. Friday the weather was cold, rainy, couple of minutes of snow and we were getting cabin fever. So Friday night we ended up going to eat dinner at Hard Rock Cafe - well appetizers and then we stopped off at Mikey's on the Bayou for Crab Cakes and Charbroiled Oysters YUMMY. Talking about a wonderful husband. BAAABBYY!!

Saturday was our GCDSS Valentine Party and WOW were we amazed at the turn out. If I counted correctly we had 57 parents/children and family members present. This event was held at Bayou Bluff Tennis Club in Gulfport which is a wonderfully centrally located area that is much closer for a lot of our parents. They definitely showed their enthusiasm of having the new location. One of our new mommy and daddy's were there and oh another very sweet and special family. Some of the attendees did not know of our plan on adopting Ivanna so we got to show pictures and of course were well received and had many well wishes. Everyone is looking as forward to this as we are. One of the parents, who I have become attached to for more reasons than one handed me an envelope and I stuck it in my photo album. Once we got home and settled, I opened it up only for my eyes to start leaking again. I have GOT to get that leak in my eyes fixed :D. She had written us a check and I was totally taken aback. However, I felt as though we just could not accept it. I have such issues with asking for money - I can do most anything in the world but asking for money I can not. I even stink at childrens fundraisers - I just buy whatever it is myself and be done. However even though there have been some inquiries. Anyway - I was completely dumbfounded and I sent her a nice note basically saying thank you but we just couldn't accept it. Well, we ended up making a deal and that was if all works out ok and everything goes well, then we will accept the money and cash the check. She's right in saying basically sometimes we all just have to suck it up and let others do things for us for a change. For those of you who know me well, I tend to be the one that runs around like crazy doing whatever I can to help others. So this adoption effort has truly been an eye opener to see the over abundance of others who have been eager to help us in so many ways it's just amazing. You'd be surprised how a "I'm so happy for you guys no matter what happens" feels when you hear it. In addition, at the close of the party I ended up talking to the family of one amazing young lady and such an inspiration to me and to everyone else. Ivanna is going to be surrounded by such an amazing extended family. In talking to them I saw them both tear up as they were telling me of some of her accomplishments and to see how much they support her in everything she does is amazing. It's so great to have a few of the older children at each one of our events because it really puts new parents minds to ease in that they know their children can live a fulfilling life and that the sky is the limit and just remember there is no such thing as "I can't". Everyone of us have something to offer no matter how big or how small. I have shared over the past two weeks something that someone shared with me and that is a phrase that I have heard in several different levels --- "normal". I had said "what is the definition of normal?" her reply "it's a setting on your washing machine!". WOW how true is that. Nineteen months ago when we became active members of our GCDSS team, we had no idea of God's plan for our lives and the change that it has made to us and to our family. Our boys are just tickled about hoping to have a sister real soon and when we found out from one of our oldest sons friends that he had been talking about it at school it was such a wonderful feeling.

Sunday we had decided earlier this week to try a new church in our search to locate our permanent "home church". This week we tried Tabernacle Baptist in Gautier and honestly we LOVED it. They are a small home town church family it appears - several people came up and introduced themselves to us which was amazing. They really made us feel welcome and we just immediately felt like they would make Ivanna feel welcome also. There was also an older gentlemen who was an usher that appeared to have DS also and even he came up and introduced himself and I had to choke back the tears. The terrible thing is I can't recall his name but I know that with being pointed to this church, that there must have been a reason that God was leading us here. We had called a larger church earlier in the week that we had frequented on a couple of different occassions and we were leaning towards making that our home church however, when we called to speak to the senior minister - we never received a return call. So, all things happen for a reason.

Received a phone call of assurance today that I don't wish to elaborate on at this time however we know in our hearts that all is well and that it's only a matter of time before we can go after Ivanna. I am full of faith and only had a moment of being overwhelmed last week and am feeling much better now. This is a very hard and emotional process especially when you accomplish as much as we have in a few very short weeks. I just have to remember that not everyone works like Darlena :D THANK GOODNESS for that. Well, we love you all for all the prayers and support we have received. Continue to follow this ever unfolding adventure.