Everyday is Valentine's Day

Hey ya'll!  Well, I don't want you to think we've fallen off the face of Earth.  Quite the contrary.  We have been so swamped, I feel we've hardly had a moment to sit and reflect, much less write a blog post.  But with "snowmageddon" going on outside, a few days of forced "do not go outside" has brought about the perfect opportunity to do just that.  So here we are again!

February marks the second month of our blog, and the sixth month of our adoption journey.  It's hard to express what I'm thinking and feeling.  I'm completely overwhelmed by the outpouring of love this has brought to our lives.  I must say: I am SO proud of our friends, family, co-workers, church folks, and friends of friends.  Every day, everywhere I turn, someone wants to give me a hug and celebrate this time in my life.  I could not be more proud to be surrounded by such open-minded and big-hearted people!!!  I've read a lot of stuff where other adoptive mommies have said basically, "You will not believe some of the dumb, hurtful things people will say, but you've got to ignore it."  Fortunately, no one I've encountered has said any of those things (at least not to my face!).  Rather, when I am so stressed out and wondering how I can hold myself together with this waiting game, I am offered the one thing I need most right now: a hug.  Thank you!

So again, with the wretched weather outdoors, we've been stranded indoors, and we actually did start on a nursery this week!  One day there will be a little Baby I to occupy said nursery, but until then, we've got a lot of work left to do.  I'm so lucky to have a bestie (who was my bestie before such a term even existed) who gifted me a COOOOOZY glider rocker and ottoman!  Annnd, my husband's dear grandparents gave me a birthday giftcard to the fabric store, where I purchased the softest fabric on Earth!!  So, with a mug of hot chocolate sitting near by, I was able to sew my heart away and create this beauty:

Don't you just want to curl up in that with a good book???  I may have to put in some time pre-baby!  And all for $0!!!  THANK YOU BELOVED ONES FOR THIS GIFT!!!

That's the start of the nursery.  I'm itching to put together our puzzle, too, and hang that on the wall.  We have quite a few pieces left still!  Several people have asked lately, "How can we help?"  Frankly, I would LOVE for your to sponsor one of our "Color of Love" puzzle pieces.  So our puzzle fundraiser is still on!!!  Please feel free to contribute: http://bringinghomebabyi.blogspot.com/2014/01/paypal-safer-easier-way-to-pay-online.html  Coming soon, we're also doing a Thirty-One fundraiser (Because who DOESN'T love Thirty-One bags?!?!? My closet could sooooo be an advertisement for them!) and a huge, multi-family yard sale.

There you have it.  We are waiting.  Sometimes, I'm just barely hanging on and keeping myself composed, but we continue to wait.  That's the good and the bad of it.  And this Valentine's Day, I couldn't pick a better man to have sitting next to me while I wait.  And I couldn't be more grateful for the amazing people who surround me each and every day.  Happy Valentine's Day!  I love you all!