The Best Christmas Ever :)

Well we have just concluded the Best Christmas Adam and I have had in our 7 years of marriage! (And yes, we do have a 9 year old LOL!) I just wanted to share a few pics from our special day. Last night we went to Grandmother and Papa's for the Cassady Christmas. Today my family came to our house. This was a special occasion because my cousins from Orlando and Atlanta were in and got to spend Christmas with us. It's not very often we all get together, so that is another great gift we received this year.




Here is the best picture I think of the Cassady Family Cousins! The silly faces are the best because it's the picture the kids don't mind doing!



The lovely morning look picture! :)



Here are the boys with Lauren and Rachel, two of our cousins from Atlanta.




Here's "Little Man" and me :) Now I know everyone says the boys look just like Adam, but I do see a resemblance here!





Here is our family of 4! What a difference from last year to this year :)




Here is our family. Mom said "Finally, our family has grown!" :)




What a way to end the day with a little snow man! We loved our White Christmas and hope you did too!

Meet the Cassady's

I got the OK to say names on here and post pictures, so here are a few pics of our new family! (yes I know, they look just like Adam!) These are just a couple of our favorites. I will be adding more later I am sure. Cody and Brandon have completed our home and made us the happiest people in the world! God has truly blessed us this year! It was just a year ago we were meeting with Anne for the first time to get approved for adoption! We found out that if all goes well with lawyers, paperwork, etc. we might get to have our "gotcha" court date the last Wednesday in February!










These 4 have quickly become the Fantastic Four! Alicia and I have waited a long time to share "the boys" stories!

My First Day as a "Real Mom"

So, we picked up the boys last night to begin our "Forever Family." I took off today so Adam and I could attend the boys Christmas parties at school. This morning I got up, got the boys ready and drove them to school. (yes 30 min both ways, so I am glad that is the only time I have to do that!) I was totally excited to be a parent in the car rider line, instead of the teacher greeting the students getting out of the car rider line!

I then proceed to come home and get more wrapping done since I am seeing so many hours dwindling away lately (imagine that!) As I am wrapping my cell phone rings. I notice it is a school number, so all I can think is "Oh no! What have they done already?" I answer and it is my youngest son's teacher. She said he has been really worried that I don't know what time the Christmas party is. Then she giggles and says "He said he didn't think you knew what time the party started, because you are a first time mom and didn't know these things!" :) She and I both had a good laugh at that one! But I realized he bugged her enough she called me, so he really does think I don't know anything since I am a "first time mom!"

So if you think I don't know anything being a "first time mom," you are probably right, at least according to "little man" as I call him :)

Monday we are having yet another home visit from the agency so hopefully I can start using names and post some pics. :) I will at least attempt to ask that question!

Anyway, just wanted to share my first morning day as a "Mom" (a mom who doesn't know much though!) :) I am sure I will have more interesting stories once we have a full day under our belts!

Still in love with elephants!

Somethings just don't change and I know I will forever be in love with elephants! I just wanted to share that one of our boys sleeps with the elephant that my dear friends got for me when so many cards were sent to Adam and I along with prayers! Who knew in just a few months after receiving it, a 7 year old sweetheart of ours would be sleeping with it?!?!How ironic is it that? When I am allowed upload pics, I will show you how adorable he looks with it! :)

Now, check out my favorite costume of this Halloween season! When I saw Elliott in this costume I couldn't stop smiling! (Yes, I think Elliott is getting ready to smile, don't you? :) )If the boys would have let me, I would have dressed them as elephants! Elephants still symbolize what all we've been through and how much prayers of dear friends got us through such a hard time in our lives. Any time I see one, I still smile and am reminded of how prayers and faith can get you through the darkest hours. Just wanted to share that elephants are still the coolest animals around! :)

God Still Answers Prayer

I am sure most people have heard our wonderful news. There are a lot of rules going on, so I cannot reveal too much on the internet but I just couldn't wait any longer to share on my blog how much we have been blessed!!

Let me start from the beginning, but again I cannot say names, etc. but I do want to share our story.

Before school started Neesa, Katie and I were at Target when we saw two brothers who had been at our school previously and they came up and asked us if we had seen them on TV, because they had been on MidDay live and were wanting to be adopted. That stuck with me. I prayed for God to send a sign if I was supposed to do something about this because I couldn't stop thinking about these two boys. I knew a baby was all Adam and I could think about and wanted at the time, but I just felt so strongly about this. I never told anyone about it. Well, about 4 days later Allie and I were out to eat and she started telling me that our aunt had seen two boys on MidDay and she wished we could adopt them. I immediately started to search for a video or something I could show Adam.

Finally, I found a video on WBKO (no it's not on there anymore) of the boys. I showed it to Adam and I said "Adam I want them." He in turn said "call." We then began calling and went through a lot of meetings, etc. and decided to adopt these boys. (That's a shortened version.)

So, for the last month, we have been on a visitation schedule, where we get to be with them twice a week and then they are staying the weekends with us. They are 7 & 9 and we are completely in love with them. I love them just as much as if I had carried them for 9 months. And yes, they look exactly like Adam!

Things are going exceptionally well, which I believe is all because this is God's plan. Adam and I have never been so happy and the emptiness we felt in our hearts for so long has been filled. As of December 17th, the boys will be in our home all the time. Then everything should be finalized by the end of February or beginning of March, meaning they'll take our last name and we'll be "officially" their parents.

When I am allowed to, I will post pics and much more about the boys. There are so many rules, etc. so this is all I can share at this time, but I want to thank everyone for the prayers you have prayed for our family. We continue to need those prayers that this will all be as smooth a transition as possible for our boys and us.

Love to you all!

Thank You Might Never Be Enough

After returning home from a LONG first day of school, I walk in my kitchen and on my counter I found this gift bag that said "I said a prayer for you today." Inside I found the sweetest little elephant rattle and big elephant with a precious bracelet, and a CD with inspiring songs. More than that, I found 19 cards from people who have been praying for our family. Some from family and my best friend, dear friends, and then from some people I know, but I had no idea they knew of our situation or had been praying for us.

I sat in the middle of the floor reading each and every word that was written. I had to get a tissue half of the way through because my tears were blocking my ability to read. Our situation can be extremely difficult and there are days I feel so alone, but today my heart was full of joy knowing there are so many of you out there praying for us. This was the sweetest gift because I know it was from the hearts of all who wrote in it.

I love each of you and "thank you" truly couldn't be enough for the joy I feel in my heart and the thankfulness I have for each prayer you have said for us. I appreciate the gift and prayers more than you will ever know. Please consider this my deepest thanks for everything and I am asking that you continue to pray for us that we'll be blessed with a family and do everything we are supposed to do. There are so many unknowns and uncertainties along this journey, but I know in the end God will provide the family we are supposed to have.

I am so thankful for getting the courage to begin this blog as I believe it has opened people's eyes to the fact that not evereything in life is Mayberry or Leave it to Beaver. I feel I have had contact with people I never would have before and they have strengthened me in ways I never thought possible. Thank you again for your kindness, words will never express the joy the present brought me.

Our future family may not be a "traditional" family but it will be ours and perfect for us and for that I am extremely thankful.





Here is the sweet bag.




The sweetest elephants with a "believe" bracelet, which I will wear A LOT!




The cards & CD before I opened them :)

The Happenings

I haven't posted or been on "Blogger World" in a while so I thought I would play a little catch-up. First, I deleted my other blog... I honestly forgot I had it and I think most people did too. This will be the only one I have, so I might have other things besides baby news on here.

For our summer vacation we went to Disney World. We took Mom and Dad with us too! We had an absolute BLAST! We loved going while we don't have children so we could do the things we love without having to do what the kids want... sounds selfish I know, but since we are waiting for kids, we think being selfish is sometimes OK. :) One day I am sure we'll take our children and love it then too, but this was nice too!

Then when we got back, Mom, Allie and I went to a Paul McCartney concert... yes I said Paul McCartney who is 68 years old from the Beatles. Now, Mom has been OBSESSED with Paul since she was 13 and has been dying to see him in concert. So, being the wonderful daughters we are, Allie and I went with her. I wasn't expecting much, but WOW was I surprised! Paul can rock more than any band I can think of! He played for 3 solid hours and it was like a major rock concert! I would totally go back to see him again... much to mom's happiness! She was like a teenager all over again and seeing her so happy made it all worth while!

Here are the pics from our trip and the concert.



Deep down, I am a Princess! :)




My new best friend Yoda.




Mom and I LOVE 3D!!!!



My sweet parents




My home away from home :)




While we were in Florida, Adam and I celebrated our 7th Anniversary! He has given me the best 7 years of my life! I am so blessed to have a wonderful husband!




Allie and I love to rock it out! We actually taught mom a few things... you'll see in the next pic.




Yes, our mom ROCKS!!!



We had to eat at Spaghetti Factory before we saw Paul!




This could've been my dad if only he'd met mom in the 60's! LOL

Great Practice

I got some awesome baby practice this morning! Our friends who just adopted, Brad and Brianna, were in need of a babysitter this morning!! Brad was helping Adam at the barn and Brianna had an appointment, so I was the lucky one who got to keep Jake, who is 5 weeks old! I invited Allie over for reinforcement, since I am really new at this. She and I were in baby heaven! I got to feed, burp, rock, and change his poopy diaper. Great practice for me! Here are some sweet pics of this precious gift Brad and Brianna have been blessed with! Also, check out the outfit, yes, he came over in an elephant outfit and he had the same blanket Alicia just got Baby Cassady! Thanks Brad and Brianna for sharing your sweet miracle with me today!

I Did It!

This may seem like a small thing to most of you, but to me, I feel like I have just climbed Mt. Everest! Over a year ago, I went to a baby shower and had to leave early because I couldn't stop crying. I haven't ever been so miserable hiding in a bathroom so no one would see my pain and my tear stained shirt. Since then, I have taken a hiatus from all baby showers. Even ones at school that I was in charge of getting together (don't even ask). I would get them ready and find a reason to leave before it all got started.

When I got the invitation to go to Jessica Parsley and baby Annie's "sprinkle" I thought, "OK Emily, you can do this." I hate not going to things because I love the company of good friends, but knowing how horribly I did at the last one I went to, I never wanted to do a replay. So, I put my big girl panties on and went. Guess what?!?! No hurt! Did I wish I could be having one too? Heck yeah! Yet, never once did I feel the complete and utter sadness I had felt over a year ago. With each gift I didn't want to cry, scream, or throw up! When conversations were all about the pain and joy of childbirth, things so many doctors have said I will never experience, I didn't want to cry and wallow in self-pity.

When people do talk about diapers, bottles, hair bows, boys clothes, etc. I do feel something... left out. Not in a middle school sort of way, where I am plotting revenge :), but I feel like a dork sitting there with absolutely NOTHING to add to that type of conversation. It doesn't mean I don't want people to talk about that around me. I promise I am not fragile and it really doesn't bother me. I don't want people walking on eggshells around me, I just hate that I have to sit in silence. Contrary to what a lot people think, I am not quiet and can actually be pretty crazy! :) It amazes me how many people think I am quiet... when I hear that there is a part of me that dies laughing! Just hang around me long enough and you'll see ;)

Anyway, just wanted to share my climbing of Mt. Everest! I am just glad God has healed a part of my heart where I can rejoice with others again and feel so much happiness for those around me who are being blessed with children. There are still broken pieces that won't be able to be put back together until Carter or Ava arrive, but there are little band-aids on there now. I honestly never thought I would be able to say that and really mean it from the bottom of my heart, with God's help and many, many, many prayers, I can.

A Loved Child

A friend of ours was over the other night and he said "you know, a child is loved so much when you are expecting, but your child, gosh, what love he/she is going to feel because you've waited so long." He also said if I ever felt that no one was thinking about us, that I always needed to know his wife talks about us all the time and that filled my heart. Sometimes people don't know that what they say is just what you needed at that moment. I know when mom's are pregnant the love they feel for their child before they even see them is unconditional. I too feel this way about our miracle in waiting. I have no idea if they are in this world yet, have been conceived, or if their birth mother is about to make the hardest decision of her life at this very moment. I truly pray for birth mothers and thank God for them. Not only do I already love my child, but so many of my friends and family do too. Here are the latest Baby Cassady presents that my dear friends have bought.



What an adorable little blanket that would work for Carter or Ava! Alicia bought this for us. She is already finding deals on all kinds of baby stuff, we just need a baby to know when to buy it! ;)



These are precious little onesies! Neesa is working at Gymboree during the summer and she said she couldn't wait anymore! It's killing her to work around all of the cute baby stuff and not get it all for Carter or Ava! If we knew if it were Carter or Ava or both, this would help with the desire to purchase everything in site! ;)

It's not just the gifts that excite me, it's that my friends and family are wanting this for us as badly as we are wanting it for ourselves. So many times people have hugged me and said they're praying for us. That fills my heart and helps me get through another day. Now, I am not always sad about this and there are days that I feel such peace, but on those rough days, I try to think of all my family and friends prayers that I know are going to prove out!

A Mommy Experience

So, Maggie, my niece, might hate me when she is older for telling this story, but right now, I feel it is worth telling.

Last week when Marty and Stephanie were in Hawaii (yes I am still getting over the jealousy! ;) Adam's parents aka Grandmother and Papa took Mollie, Macy, Maggie, and Hallie to Gatlinburg for the week. Adam and I decided we'd go down for a couple of days and hang out with the girls too. So, Thursday night we decided to take all 4 girls to the pool for a night swim. Grandmother and Papa were excited about this. :) So, we head off with the 4 girls and we are having a great time. We have Maggie in her life jacket and I am teaching her how to jump in without being caught by me (who is exhausted from catching, helping flip, etc. by this point) All of the sudden Maggie says "poop just came out." I thought OH NO, NOT IN THE POOL!!! Well, luckily I had put a little swimmers pull up on her before we had gone to the pool. She definitely didn't like the feeling of the poop, but I, not be an experienced packer of things for kids, didn't bring an extra swimmer pull up. So, being the genius I am, I think I will just take her to the pool bathroom and dump out the poopy in the toilet, and be done with it. Boy, am I dumb! When Maggie pulled it off, before I could do anything, her poopy fell on the floor of the bathroom!!! Here is this huge pile of mushy poopy on the floor and Maggie is saying "shoo, that stinks!" I am totally agreeing with Mags at this point. I am trying not to gag and saying a pep talk to myself "be a mom, be a mom!!" I have to get A LOT of TP and pick it up off the floor and put it in the toilet. Well, then I had to proceed with the the cleaning up of Maggie... took A LOT of TP too as wet wipes would have been handy at this point! (Again, not a thinker when it comes to packing those things, I mean it's a simple trip to the pool right?)

I finally get her cleaned up and I go out and tell Adam we need another little swimmer so if she needs to go again, it really won't end up in the pool. He calls grandmother and she says "Maggie hasn't worn one of those all week, she just tells me when she needs to go." "WHAT!!" Why didn't I know that?!?!?!

So, I feel I have been initiated into motherhood. When Drew was staying with us I would be so worried until I heard him come home at night. So, that is me going through the later years with a child and now I have picked up poopy off of the bathroom floor. I mean, if all of that AND marrying a BIG CHILD named Adam hasn't prepared me for motherhood, I don't know what would!

Now, let me end with this, I wouldn't trade a minute of my time with my nieces, poop and all for ANYTHING in this world! I have been blessed with 5 precious nieces who give me great joy and whom I love more than I could even begin express. I hope to one day bring another little one into the equation, oh Lord, what if it's a boy... what will we do?!?! :) Probably stick a bow in his head, right Cassady Girls? :)

Happiness Counts

First of all I want to thank everyone who commented on my last blog. You will NEVER know how much I appreciated it and how it has opened my eyes to see I am not the only person in the world who hurts because of lack of children. It really is amazing how many people have contacted me through this blog that truly understand what we are going through. I cried numerous times while reading comments and they have kept me going!!!

I have been too doom and gloom here lately, so I thought I would make a list of things I am thankful for. I know we can't have all good and perfect days, but I want to try to be more positive and not focus on the things that I really have no control over. I am thankful for a lot more than is on my list, but I thought I would a few on today and add to it on days when I am feeling blue. Some are silly, but they make me smile.

1. My salvation and my church. I have no idea where I'd be without God, good Christian friends, and a church to go to that will remind me of so many good things and so many things I need to work for.
2. A husband who always brings a smile to my face (BTW Happy 31st Birthday Adam!) I am blessed with a great companion.
3. My family whom I depend on for so many things
4. My friends who are always there (yes even at 11:00 at night when my hardwood floors are being done and they smell so bad that Adam and I pack up and head over!) Alicia, you are the best friend anyone could ever ask for! Kerry, you aren't too bad either! :)
5. My home, not the material things, but the fact I have a good place to come home to every night
6. Steak, yes, steak. I LOVE steak! :)
7. Retail therapy. There is something about shopping that can make so many things seem better!
8. Inflatables! I loved it when my brother-in-law,Kyle, got one for his school and invited Adam and I over the night before it got taken away for a play date with him, Staffanne, Hallie and Hannah! I love being a big kid and I love how Kyle and Staffanne include us so often!
9. Pedicures... I LOVE them! Someone else dealing with my feet is great!
10. Massages... those are the bomb-diggity! I could have my back rubbed for hours a day, if I could afford it.

So, there are 10 things I am thankful for. I am thankful for much more but I will save those for a rainy day. I know some are goofy, but hey, I am so not a very serious person! I want Baby Cassady to know his/her mom wasn't always so serious!

Just what I needed

As many of you know, I have been feeling so down lately. My heart just seems constantly saddened, not only by the baby situation but other things in my life that I can't seem to get over. It seems when someone hurts me I have the hardest time getting over it. I don't like that feeling, so I got out the BIble again for some encouragement and came upon what I needed. I know I've posted about reading the Bible before, but I have just found a comfort in it today that is greatly needed. I feel these posts aren't the most "popular" as no one seems to comment on them, but that's not why I post. I am doing this so one day our child will know how much we desired to make them a part of our family and how mommy's heart hurt until she got her precious gift from God.

"I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined unto me, and heard my cry."

Psalms 40:1

I know if I continue to pray and patiently work for the Lord, He'll hear my cry.

Needing to Vent

I try not to be negative or put too much of my not-so-happy feelings on my blog, but today I just need to vent. This is my "public" diary and one day I will print this out for our child to see how they came to be part of our family. I want them to know it wasn't always ups, there were downs too because life can be like that.

Anyway, I am just getting frustrated with the "wait." At first it was exciting and believe me I still get butterflies when I think about it, but there is a part of me that is ready to burst! Yesterday some friends of ours who are adopting got their little baby boy. They are the ones whose sister talked to someone at Wal-Mart... anyway, I am so happy for them as they have been trying to have a family longer than Adam and I, but they just thought about adoption and decided on it a short time ago. I DO NOT resent them nor do I want it to sound that way, but I just feel like screaming out "WHEN IS IT OUR TURN????!!!!"

Then today at school a teacher told she is pregnant. Now, I want to say I have come a long way as I didn't want to throw anything, hit anyone, or just lay in the floor and cry when she told me. I actually could look her in the face and congratulate her without any sadness! Go me!!! But again, I want that for myself too.

Adam is getting discouraged and doesn't talk about our future baby very often and that is discouraging to me. I just feel sometimes I don't know what to do or say, but I pray daily for God to send us a child. I know He will, but my faith can get weak from time to time. I want to be a mother more than anything and it just hurts my heart some days more than others. I love buying and receiving the baby things and I get GREAT pleasure from it, but it doesn't completely fill the void I have in my heart where I know the love for a child is going to go.

I don't want to be selfish and I know there are greater problems in the world and more things you all need to pray for, but if we cross your mind, please pray for us. I know God has a plan for us but I also believe in the power of prayer. There isn't anyone I'd want praying for my family more than my good Christian friends.

So, thanks for listening (reading) my venting session. Love you all!

So much sweetness, I might get a cavity!

My sweet friends keep doing the most thoughtful things for me! It started last week when Lesley put the link to my blog on hers with the cutest baby dressed as an elephant to get the word out to others about our adoption and now so many others have it on there and I've received some sweet comments from people I don't even know! Then on Sunday, Carol and Jessica Madison gave baby Cassady presents! Carol's is definitely for Baby Ava but she is looking for Baby Carter something too! (Which she doesn't have to do!)

Then last week two of my students invited me to a Teacher Appreciation Dinner at their church. The students were supposed to invite a teacher who inspires them to come. That right there was worth it to me, but when we got there I was treated like a Hollywood Star and had the best time. I was presented with a Golden Apple Award and a great dinner. We took silly pictures and enjoyed each other's company. Then the students had filled out a questionnaire on their teacher, what size shoe, favorite food, etc. and they gave them to us. You have to see what my sweet little girl in my room wrote.





This is Baby Ava's gift from Carol! How cute is that?!?! She said Target has a lot of boy and girl elephant stuff... come on Baby Cassady, we need to know who you are so we can buy the right gender things! :)





This is the cutest card Jessica gave me. It was for a baby shower but had an elephant on it and she said she had to get it for me. Inside it has a CD with an elephant on it with baby lullaby's! I can't wait to hear those playing in the nursery (because if it were me singing to the baby, they would be crying more!) :)




This is a pic of the part of the questionnaire my student filled out. It says does your teacher have children and she put "no, but I hope will soon" How sweet is that? My students asked me at the beginning of the year if I had children and I decided to be open with them (not about the why) :) but I told them we were going through adoption. They were so sweet and ask about it all of the time. Then the day I got the email from Anne saying we were officially "waiting" I was at school and I told the kids and about 5 of my girls screamed and jumped up and down with tears in their eyes! I have been blessed with a very caring group of girls this year!

Also, I do NOT wear a 5 1/2 shoe size as she thinks and my favorite food isn't soup. Actually, I don't really like soup! I love that she thinks my favorite things are to dance and make people happy, which is mostly true, especially the dancing part!

My First Mother's Day Gift!

Yes, this is my 3rd post in a row, but I had a lot I wanted to share! Yesterday I got a text from Staffanne saying she'd left something on my front porch for me. Shut up! I LOVE surprises!!!

When I got home I opened up a gift (the awesomely adorable towel in the pic) and the sweetest card! Staffanne wanted to give me something to increase my faith and know she's still praying that next year I'll get to celebrate my first Mother's Day! So this was a Mother's Day gift for a "mom-to-be." How sweet is that?!?! To be honest, Mother's Day does make me a little sad but I am thankful for my wonderful mother who is my mom and my friend. I couldn't ask for a better mom, so I try to focus on that and not my lack of being a mom. I am also thankful for all my my friends who are mothers, as you inspire me daily and I learn so much from you.

Anyway, I had to document my first Mom's Day gift from my sweet sister-in-law who happens to be my sweet friend too!

Sweet Family and Friends!

I know people think I shouldn't be buying things for Baby Cassady and think I am silly, but what they don't understand is when you have wanted and prayed for something for so long and it is finally within reach and you can feel it getting closer, you do whatever you can to hold onto the happiness it brings. Buying things gives me great pleasure and fills a void, but the pictures you are going to see aren't things I have bought, but they are from family and friends! I think my Baby Cassady fever is contagious!




This is an adorable elephant rattle, teether toy my sweet friend Katie Decker bought for Baby Cassady. :) How precious is that! I can see Baby Cassady playing with it already!





So I have a lot of blue things or turquoise, so my mom felt that Baby Cassady could be a girl and she bought this cute outfit! The elephant on the top is adorable and it has cute little pockets on the bottom! I told Dad if we got a boy we'd put this on him once since they got it for our baby and dad very quickly corrected me and said NO WAY!! :)




So grandmother's must think alike because this adorable ensemble is from Marcia! She and mom gave me the outfits the same weekend! How crazy is that! The bib says Mommy Loves Me! Which I already do Baby Cassady, where ever you are! :)




This is a sweet yellow dress with pink elephants at the top that Jessica Parsley gave me from the big Kiddo's sale she and a bunch of ladies had. So, now I have a good mixture of clothing for any gender baby and some that would go for either with an added accessory for a girl :) and no dad, no pink for a boy!

Really? Am I Having This Conversation with the Census Lady?

I hope my title intrigued you all! So, yesterday I pull in the driveway and there is a SUV there that I am not familiar with. I thought "Oh great, a politician campaigning!" I always hate when they come by because I want to tell them all how I want to vote for them (even if I am not so sure) I just feel for them... anyway I get out and this man and woman get out. They are with the Census people coming to ask us questions since we didn't get something in the mail. So I invite them in. They are in love with our house and have offered to marry Adam to get to live here, yes even the man said he'd bring his wife too! (they have no idea what they would be dealing with) :)
So, they ask me how many people live in the house and when I said 2 and the lady said we needed to get busy filling this house with children. I told her we are on an adoption waiting list. Her eyes filled with tears and she said her daughter gave a child up for adoption last June and she thought it was wonderful we are wanting to adopt. She then proceeds with the questionnaire, but then when I am walking her out she said "are you approved by the state" and I told her yes, that we have peed in cups, had blood drawn, background checks done, pretty much given everything but a limb to be on the list. She said she has a lot of connections with different people and travels around a lot, so she wanted our name and phone number in case she hears of anything. She named all of these connections she had which was pretty cool.
She then tells me she'll be praying for Adam and I and that she feels God has a precious little one for us. She also has a son who lives in California and said she'd tell he and his wife about us. She then offered to drive to California to get us a baby if she needed to!
I mean really, who has this type of conversation with the Census lady? How random, yet how wonderful! I think word of mouth might be the trick for us. We have a couple we know that's getting ready to adopt and they found out about their baby through someone her sister ran into at Wal-Mart of all places!! So, yes mention us to anyone you see! The other day I saw a girl about 16 who was very pregnant and I told Allie I was going to go up to her and ask her if she has considered adoption. No, I wouldn't do that, but believe me, it is tempting!
I just wanted to share that crazy story that absolutely made my day!!

First Step... Admitting You Have A Problem

So, I have admitted it, I have a problem. What is this problem? Buying things for a child whom I don't have yet nor do I know is a boy, girl, both, how big, how small, etc. I still get the GREATEST joy and pleasure from buying our miracle things though! My dear friend Neesa works at Gymboree on weekends and throughout the summer and she got a huge discount this weekend and since the new boy line (which I could make work for a girl too since I am not into the big bows or all pink) is ELEPHANTS, I had to get stuff! How exciting is that for this elephant crazed lady! Now, mind you my camera isn't working right and things are a little blurred and look very blue when they're more turquoise, but I still had to share!



So this was on my desk this morning when I got to school. It's a Time For Kids Magazine. Neesa wrote Mama Emily on the big elephant and Baby Ava/Carter on the baby elephant! Neesa is too sweet! I think I have changed everyone's thinking when they see elephants, they think of me! (Which I think is good?!?!)




This is the adorable blanket with elephants... love it!



Here are the too cute socks!




Here's the little hat and sleeper. :)




This has to be my favorite! It's says Mommy's Little Peanut! I can't quit smiling when I see that!



I couldn't leave Adam out and this isn't elephant but it's yellow with a monkey on it. (I know you can't tell in the horrible pic) Too cute too!!

The Power of Faith

Ever have those times when you need a pick me up? Well, for some reason lately I have felt a need. I picked up the Bible tonight and opened up to this scripture and it filled me up. The Lord truly knows what we need doesn't He? I needed this and thought I would share.

Mark 11:22-24

22: And Jesus answering saith unto them Have faith in God (that says a lot in a few words huh?)

23: For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

24: Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Verse 24 really stuck out to me. We have been praying for our home to have a child in it for about three years now. There are so many times I just want to give up but reading things like that help me so much. Don't get me wrong, I pray for a lot more than just us and our family and this really helps for those things too! I hope maybe it helped some of you who might have needed to remember the power of faith.

Another Present & An Update

In shopping at Heartstrings HUGE sale, I found this adorable picture frame with elephants on it, so you know I had to get it! I hated it didn't say "I love my Mommy" but I guess Adam needs some love too! Yes, it is blue, but if I have a girl, she will be required to LOVE BLUE (She will be a UK fan no matter what) :)





Update: Recently when I have been praying for our little miracle and the outstanding birth parents (yes, I believe they are a part of our miracle too and I have the utmost respect for them) I have been thinking of this lawyer here in town who helped some people we go to church with find their child several years ago. Now, I knew this man from my high school days when I dated his son. (Small world huh?) Anyway, he would come before me every time I prayed, so I finally worked up the courage to call him last week. We wanted him to be our adoption attorney anyway, so that was my ice breaker. We talked about that and what we needed to do when the time comes, but then I asked him if he was still in a position where he heard of people who were putting their children in adoption where we could do a private one and he said yes. We then talked a long time and we had a great conversation. He took my cell phone number and said to keep it on as sometimes things happen fast. (Wouldn't that be great!) He said he would use all the resources he could. He did say now that I've talked to him I'll get pregnant because that has happened a lot. I did laugh out loud and told him that would be a complete and utter miracle and scientists would be shocked! :)

Now, this is just another window God has opened up for us. Whether or not we actually get a child through this lawyer (which would be so much cheaper) or through our agency isn't a big deal, we just want our miracle. This is just another possibility. I believe we'll be the proud parents of a great blessing from God, but who knows when it will be. Yes, I can get so discouraged sometimes (and I do cry and scream in private) and I can be so impatient, but I am reminded daily how God truly knows best and will give us only the things we can handle. (Although, He must think I am a little stronger than I feel) :) Once that precious gift is in my arms, I know none of this will matter!

Please continue to remember us in your prayers. I know there is a lot of trouble going on in people's lives and this may seem tiny to some, but it's through daily prayers that we have made it through this much of the process.

Did You Know?

While at a training at the adoption agency we had to play a game where we guessed what famous people were adopted. Then while browsing the internet Alicia found a list of those famous people, so I thought I would share. This isn't all of them, but I listed most of the ones I found very interesting!

1. Aristotle
2. Daunte Culpepper (football player)
3. Michael Oher (from The Blind Side)
4. Faith Hill
5. George Washington Carver
6. John Lennon
7. Melissa Gilbert
8. Nancy Reagan
9. President Gerald Ford
10. President Bill Clinton
11. Sarah McLachan
12. Shania Twain
13. John Hancock
14. Scott Hamilton (figure skater)
15. Andrew Jackson
16. James Naismith (basketball guru)
17. Babe Ruth
19. Dave Thomas (yes the Wendy's guy)
20. Marilyn Monroe
21. Harry Caray
22. Jamie Foxx
23. Edgar Allen Poe
24. Malcolm X
25. Jesse Jackson

There are also A LOT of famous adoptive parents, other than Brad and Angelina! You can check those out if you want on line so I don't bore you to tears!! Just thought this was a great piece of info to share!

Baby's Got Another Gift!

Today our precious baby (yes, I already know he/she is precious) :) got another gift! I just had to share!
Alicia's sweet sister Ashley gave this to Baby Cassady, since elephants are our thing!
Thanks Ashley, you are too sweet!!! I can't wait to see our baby cuddle with their elephant friend!

Oh Baby, do I have the fever!

As I said I would do, I now have two blogs. This one is dedicated to the adoption story and the other is everything else that is going on in our crazy life! It's www.cassadyduo.blogspot.com



So, since we've officially been put on the waiting list, I have been dying to buy baby things. Now, yes, this is challenging not knowing how old the child will be, what sex, etc. but I am still obsessed with it! So... here is what Baby Cassady has so far. It's not much, but it's only the beginning!!!



















This is the book called Tell Me Again About the Night I was Born.
It's all about a child being adopted. I can't wait to read it to our
child!


















This is the bib and hat that I found with elephants on them! Since I am elephant pregnant ,I thought this was only fitting!
























These are the booties that Alicia bought our baby.
She bought these when we decided to adopt.
She said she knew it wouldn't be long! Such a sweetie! :)