Sorry Tim! I had to post one more time....

I read this today on another blog.   I had to post it here.  If you want to see the world in a different way, check it out http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/  After I posted I realized this might need a slight introduction.  This is a lady who is in Uganda caring for orphans.

Here is the excerpt:

MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2008

I found this story in my journal last night... its fairly old but still has the same meaning. As you hold the ones you love this Christmas, please keep in mind those who have no one to hold them.

Yesterday a sweet little girl named Rita came to my house with two teeth that had been completely eaten through by a cavity and were almost completely rotted away. The holes looked like they were starting to get infected and the nerve was exposed; I cant imagine how much pain she was in. I took her to the dentist, and they said they were closed. The dentist was in a hurry to leave and wouldn't help me, but he said I could use his things and do it myself. Of course I was terrified, but I was more scared to think about the teeth not being removed immediately; they looked so painful. I gave her a shot to numb her mouth, waited about ten minutes, tried to sterilize these tweezer things with a match and dug out what was remaining of her poor little teeth. I don't think she could feel it, but my heart hurt for her.

I took her back home, made her a hot bath and some soup. Then she had ice cream and slept in my bed under a big blanket. As i tucked the covers in around her and kissed her heas she looked up at me with these big, wondering eyes. Unbelievable as it is, she was SOOO happy. She told me that this was the best day of her life, even though her mouth hurt. She said that she would get her teeth pulled every day if she could stay with someone like me. And that made my heart hurt even more.

There are so many children out there that don't feel loved on a daily basis. So many children that don't have a person to hold their hand or rub their back when they are scared and in pain. So many children who don't have the simple pleasures of taking a warm bath or sleeping under a blanket. I would move all of them, ALL of them into my house if I could. I wish I could love them all. I wish more people cared enough that they also wanted to love them all. Sometimes I just can't even believe how blessed I am. I have always been loved, always been cared for, always been warm and well-fed. Its frustrating sometimes, but mostly its just motivating. Sometimes I feel so tired, and then something like this happens and I am reminded that I can give a child the best night of her life simply by naking her soup and kissing her forehead. Simply by love her.

Sometimes I feel so tired that I think if I give away any more of myself I may actually be empty. And then I remember, It is only in giving away the love given to me by the Father that I am ever actually full. And so I keep going because of Rita. Because kissing her forehead and saying 'I love you" actually did change the world for that little girl. Because maybe through my hands she can get just a glimpse of a fraction of the love her Maker has for her. There is nothing better.

Advent Conspiracy Promo Video

YEP!

From the little lady (that's me:)

Tis the season.........to be AMAZED.  Since my husband hasn't had much time to post, I thought I would post what's been rolling around in my head.  Many of you have asked me for updates on how I am adjusting as Joseph's new mother.  Here is where I am.....

I am still amazed that Joseph is home.  He is learning new things every day.  He is getting better and better at learning our language.  He is learning the rules of the house, some he likes more than others.  He and Nathan are starting to learn to work together and have fun!  We are all learning what it's like to be a family of 4.  I'm learning that having two kids is awesome!!! Cleaning up after two kids, not so much.  It is amazing at how much of a difference it makes in the laundry alone!  :)  I'm not complaining, merely commenting.  How could I complain, I rarely do it!  If I open a drawer and realize oops, I have no clean socks, I decide to wash a load. Those of you who know me, know this is not how I normally operate.  I can't remember the last time I made up my bed.  That's right, I'm admitting it, putting it all out there for the world to see.  The funny thing is, it doesn't really bother me.  Too much anyway.  Now, Tim on the other hand.....well I guess I'll let him speak for himself.  

On to more amazing things.....Tim and I have grown even closer over the last year.  We have weathered yet another storm of life, lived to talk about it, and hopefully bring glory to God through it.  Joseph is a great example of God making the impossible, POSSIBLE.  Especially the way Joseph has blended in with our family.  That was a big answer to prayer.  Not to say we didn't have rough patches in the beginning.  On occassion, we still have rough patches. Life isn't perfect, but only heaven is.  I also have to say that I have friend who has waited 3 1/2 years to bring home their little girl from Guatemala.  THEY ARE NOW IN GUATEMALA picking up their sweet daughter, N----!!!  Congrats guys!  Again, God doing the impossible.

As we are preparing for Christmas, I feel immensly blessed by our families and friends.  I have had the best time getting everyone's gifts.  Wrapping them up and picturing their faces when they open them really puts me in the spirit of Christmas!  Not to mention all my holiday baking!!!  Can you say.....peppermint bark?!  This is a big year for Nathan and santa.  He is very into it this year, so that has been alot of fun. He has enjoyed helping Dad shop for "his person." Nathan has kept his Dad's secret and not revealed the name of the person he is buying for.  I have thoroughly enjoyed that new little tradition this year.  

We just can't wait to be with all of our extended family this year!!  It certainly is a special year to celebrate!  

Who's watching Charlie Brown tonight???  

GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU!!  

Christmas

"Jesus is the reason for the season" and "Christ is the most important part of CHRISTmas" are two phrases that get said many times during this season.  The best thing about them is they are true!  Without the birth of Jesus, we would have no reason to celebrate.  Because of our very sinful natures, we would simply be wandering souls without reason.  But, due to the gift of Jesus, we know why and what this season is all about.

The more years that pass, the more I am less enamoured with "stuff."  Don't get me wrong, I still like my toys and nice things; I just want fewer of them.  I understand more why my dad is so hard to buy for.  There are some things he would like, but it is more important to him that his family is happy and whole.  I understand that one of the best gifts for him is seeing his kids and grandkids.  The trouble is we tend to get swept up in the gift part.  Spend more money to show your love.  At least that is what the retailers want us to believe.  If you really love them, you will give a new 60" plasma.  Or the latest ipod.  Or the hottest whatchamahavit on the market.

                                                              

Taking the easy way out, I told my parents just to get some clothes for me.  Oh, I really can use them (I know my mom read this), but that is simply to fill up some holes in my closet.  Seriously mom, I need them.  

I have found myself desiring more of the things that shows someone knows and loves me.  It doesn't have to cost much.  It really doesn't have to cost anything.  Just put some thought and love into it.  I am happy and thankful just knowing that both of my boys now live under my roof, that my wife is still in love with me and I with her, and that the rest of my family has been spared total devestation for another year.    

Don't take this to mean that those who love to give big gifts or get them are bad.  That is not what I am saying here.  I am just asking you to take some time in the middle of all of the crazy this year to think about the gifts with which God has blessed you.  Your family?  A job you love?  A good friend?  The fact that someone one the street took time to smile at you on your bad day?  A warm home?  Thank God for it and the best gift we have ever received, one that can never be topped by a 60GB super-duper high-speed shiny red phimelfarb, Jesus.

The time has come

Christmas time is here! I love this time of year. Today we brought home and decorated our tree. This year we went with the ever popular river birch tree. It is a lovely specimen of the variety. We dug it up out of the neighbor's yard. They are out of town and probably won't miss it until spring. Joseph told me I did a "yood yob" of tying it to the top of the car. I know it was only traveling from two houses down, but tying the tree and one of the children to the roof of the car is just tradition. Wouldn't you agree?

Two little elves helped decorate downstairs. They also drank all of my liquor. I have posted their pictures here. If you see either of them, be careful and call the cops. I think one of them is packing. At least that is the only explanation I can come up with as to how they can get anything they want from us.

The frivolity has begun!

Joseph speaky de English good

Many people ask us how Joseph is doing with English so I think I will take a minute to bring everyone up to date. He is doing pretty well. He has down Dad, Mommy, Nathan, eat, I love you, car, thank you, eat, milk, cookie, eat, hello, yes, eat, and no. I am sure there are many other things I just can't recall off of the top of my head right now. He will also repeat most things we say to him. Some with more success than others, but he always tries.

He loves to read to us. If we get a book out, he can follow the words and say, "A, O, A, O, A, O, A, O." It is quite the site. I really like the gibberish with the very serious faces like we are in some deep conversation. To show is progress, I have added a little video of Tra teaching him a new sentence. Cute stuff.



Tim

Drawing

This has absolutely nothing to do with the Goodwin family, but it made me laugh.

Below is the complete email conversation that Adelaide man David Thorne claims he had with a utility company chasing payment of an overdue bill.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Wednesday 8 Oct 2008 12.19pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Overdue account

Dear David,
Our records indicate that your account is overdue by the amount of $233.95. If you have already made this payment please contact us within the next 7 days to confirm payment has been applied to your account and is no longer outstanding.

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles

From: David Thorne
Date: Wednesday 8 Oct 2008 12.37pm
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Overdue account

Dear Jane,
I do not have any money so am sending you this drawing I did of a spider instead. I value the drawing at $233.95 so trust that this settles the matter.

Regards, David.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 10.07am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Overdue account

Dear David,
Thankyou for contacting us. Unfortunately we are unable to accept drawings as payment and your account remains in arrears of $233.95. Please contact us within the next 7 days to confirm payment has been applied to your account and is no longer outstanding.

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles

From: David Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 10.32am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Overdue account

Dear Jane,
Can I have my drawing of a spider back then please.

Regards, David.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 11.42am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Overdue account

Dear David,
You emailed the drawing to me. Do you want me to email it back to you?

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles

From: David Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 11.56am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Overdue account

Dear Jane,

Yes please.

Regards, David.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 12.14pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Overdue account

Attached

From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 10 Oct 2008 09.22am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Whose spider is that?

Dear Jane, Are you sure this drawing of a spider is the one I sent you? This spider only has seven legs and I do not feel I would have made such an elementary mistake when I drew it.

Regards, David.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Friday 10 Oct 2008 11.03am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Whose spider is that?

Dear David, Yes it is the same drawing. I copied and pasted it from the email you sent me on the 8th. David your account is still overdue by the amount of $233.95. Please make this payment as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles

From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 10 Oct 2008 11.05am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Automated Out of Office Response

Thankyou for contacting me. I am currently away on leave, traveling through time and will be returning last week.

Regards, David.

From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 10 Oct 2008 11.08am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Re: Whose spider is that?

Hello, I am back and have read through your emails and accept that despite missing a leg, that drawing of a spider may indeed be the one I sent you. I realise with hindsight that it is possible you rejected the drawing of a spider due to this obvious limb ommission but did not point it out in an effort to avoid hurting my feelings. As such, I am sending you a revised drawing with the correct number of legs as full payment for any amount outstanding. I trust this will bring the matter to a conclusion.

Regards, David.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Monday 13 Oct 2008 2.51pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Whose spider is that?

Dear David, As I have stated, we do not accept drawings in lei of money for accounts outstanding. We accept cheque, bank cheque, money order or cash. Please make a payment this week to avoid incurring any additional fees.

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 13 Oct 2008 3.17pm
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Whose spider is that?

I understand and will definately make a payment this week if I remember. As you have not accepted my second drawing as payment, please return the drawing to me as soon as possible. It was silly of me to assume I could provide you with something of completely no value whatsoever, waste your time and then attach such a large amount to it.

Regards, David.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Tuesday 14 Oct 2008 11.18am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Whose spider is that?

Attached

Uh?

Someone has stolen my blog!! I logged on this morning to make a post, amazing I know. Great minds think alike I guess, my husband had the same thought. Only difference is, he decided to "redecorate" while he was there!! The truth is I have been complaining that I don't have enough time to spend on the computer. Tim being the lovely husband that he is decided to go for gold. I'm glad! I will enjoy reading his post for a change. I'll drop in when I can to give you guys my two cents too. Maybe he'll spice up the homepage a little more :) Just so you guys know the picture on the left was taken in Guatemala. ahhhh! Such good memories!

Oh- and yeah he is right on with the NOISE LEVEL.

Tracy

SPEAK UP. I CAN’T HEAR YOU.

I AM POSTING THIS IN ALL CAPS. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THIS IS EMAIL/BLOG SPEAK FOR SHOUTING. THAT IS WHAT IT HAS COME TO AT OUR HOUSE. THE NEW GUY ONLY HAS ONE VOLUME; LOUD. MOMMY! DAD! DAYDEN! HUH?! TAINT TU! DOVE YA! NO!

TRA AND I ARE CONSTANTLY SHOUTING AT EACH OTHER. NOT OUT OF ANGER, BUT OUT OF NECESSITY. IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO BE HEARD. THE NEIGHBORS ALL KNOW WHEN WE ARE OUTSIDE. THERE IS NO SNEAKING UP ON ANYONE! PEOPLE IN PASSING CARS SLOW DOWN PASSING OUR HOUSE TO HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS GOING ON INSIDE. PEOPLE IN AIRPLANES LOOK AT EACH OTHER WITH QUESTIONING LOOKS AS THEY HEAR SHOUTING IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH IN THE DISTANCE. NASA HAS DEMANDED TO KNOW WHAT TECHNOLOGY WE ARE USING TO SEND SOUND WAVES INTO SPACE THAT CAN BE HEARD ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

MY EARS HURT.

JOSEPH HAS FIT RIGHT IN WITH THE FAMILY. HE SEEMS TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF ENGLISH. WAIT A MINUTE. I JUST HAD A THOUGHT. MAYBE HE IS SHOUTING BECAUSE HE THINKS WE WILL UNDERSTAND HIM BETTER THAT WAY. ISN’T THAT HOW IT WORKS? IF SOMEONE SPEAKS A LANGUAGE DIFFERENT THAN YOURS, YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SPEAK VERY LOUDLY AND SLOWLY. THAT IS HOW THEY MOST CERTAINLY WILL UNDERSTAND YOU EVEN IF THEY HAVE NEVER HAD ANY CLASSES TO LEARN YOUR NATIVE LANGUAGE. THAT’S IT! I HAVE JUST HAD A BREAK-THROUGH.

BACK TO THE TOPIC AT HAND – NATHAN AND JOSEPH ARE GETTING ALONG JUST LIKE BROTHERS SHOULD. PLAYING TOGETHER SOME, IGNORING EACH OTHER SOME, GETTING ON EACH OTHER’S NERVES SOME, AND FIGHTING. JOSEPH CALLS TRA’S NAME CONSTANTLY. MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY…EVEN WHEN HE HAS NOTHING ELSE TO SAY. HE HAS GONE FROM SCREAMING LIKE WE ARE PULLING OUT HIS FINGERNAILS WHEN WE PUT HIM IN THE TUB TO SCREAMING LIKE WE ARE PULLING OUT HIS FINGERNAILS WHEN WE TAKE HIM OUT OF THE TUB. AH, PROGRESS.

NATHAN IS BEING A GREAT BIG BROTHER. HE TELLS ON JOSEPH, YELLS AT HIM SOME, AND MANY TIMES WANTS THE TOYS JOSEPH IS PLAYING WITH. CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE? ACTUALLY, HE REALLY IS BEING GREAT. I AM VERY PROUD OF HIM. THE GUATEMALAN BAM-BAM CAME IN AND TURNED HIS HOUSE UPSIDE DOWN AND HE HAS TAKEN IT ALL IN STRIDE.

ENOUGH SHOUTING FOR NOW. MY THROAT IS SORE.

TIM

We're home!

It is overwhelmingly wonderful to be home!  

Yesterday started very early, but the boys were really good to have had their "beauty rest" cut short.  We got up before the sun and headed to the airport.  Luckily, we had checked in at the Continental office at the Marriott in Guatemala City so we got to skip ahead to the business line to check the bags.  That was really good for Tracy since she didn't have to entertain for very long.

Your passport and boarding pass gets checked several times before getting to the gate at the airport.  One of the guys pointed us to the elevator so we didn't have to fight the escalator.  Apparently not all of the checkers were sending people that way.  I saw several others heading in towards the escalator.  I am glad he sent us.  There was a security access point right outside of the elevator.  NO LINE!  Wahoo!  We went through it with no problems.  As a matter of fact, I kept beeping when I went through.  I kept trying figure out what was causing it, but it kept beeping.  Finally, the guy just said, in broken English, "Don't worry about it.  Come on through."  Great security there in Guatemala!  

The plane ride was easy.  Joseph fell asleep shortly before we landed in Houston and was not happy that he had to wake up before he was ready.  The immigration process was very easy.  Tra and Joseph had to go into a second screening area.  She looks very suspicious!  Actually, all adopted kids and a parent or two have to go through it.  The lady told Tra that Joseph is now a US citizen!  Wahoo (again)!  On the way to Nashville, Nathan and Joseph both fell asleep - much need sleep.

When we arrived in Nashville, family and a couple of friends were waiting for us.  Meeting at the airport at 3 on a Thursday is not convienient.  It was very nice of them to be there.  Chrissy took some pictures so we will post when we get them.

We went to dinner and had a good time with los abuelos y las abuelas.  Afterwards we came home to a "Welcome Home" sign posted by our friend Mystie and a repaired mailbox (Thank you James!)  Joseph seemed to be at home immediately.  He checked out downstairs and played with the ball for a while.  Then we came upstairs to check out his room.  He seemed to really like it.  I had the video camera out, and if I could figure out how to get it from my MiniDV camera to my computer, I would post some of it here.  Hopefully someone reading this can give me some tips.

We all went to bed early and slept much better in our own beds!

That about covers it for now.  Today has been wonderful.  We had a lot of fun when the grandparents came over this morning.  We kicked them out around lunch time ;), had a nap, and here we are.

I will post some pics later.

Tim

Leaving

We are very thrilled to be headed home tomorrow. We leave for the airport at 5AM and get into Nashville about 3PM. We hope to be sane.

Today was fun. We went to the market with Karla and picked up some Tshirts for the boys. Joseph got really excited about a little ball so he also got that and Nathan got a fun little spinning top toy.

This afternoon I got to go get Joseph's visa from the embassy. It was such a great feeling to know it is done, done, done. No more hoops.

I am sure many cute things happened that I should be telling you about, but I am tired right now and heading off to go to bed.

Tim

Finally

This morning we got up dark and early to go to the embassy. We got to meet another of the attorney's office staff. Bonnie is the sister of our attorney. She has been great through this entire process. All of them have. It was great to meet her. Shunny, our attorney's daughter who also works for her, was also at the embassy. It seemed like we were there forever. 7:15 - 10:30. Two little boys who love to make noise and a crowded embassy do not make for fun times. Actually, the boys were really good.

The embassy was really easy on us. All of about 1 minute for the first interview and about 2 minutes for the second. Lots of hoopla for little of nothing. Now, I have to go back tomorrow at 3:30 to pick up the approved visa.

Tra wanted me to point out that she is doing much more than I make it sound like in the blogs. To tell the truth, by the time I get back to the room, I can't really remember what I posted on them. So, I tell her some of the stories and they mostly are about my interactions with Joseph. SHE IS DOING ALL THE WORK (she will read this later and that should get me some points).

Tomorrow morning we are going to the market with Karla. She used to work with our attorney, but they have had to have cut backs due to all of the new regulations. The only one still there are family and the entire office will shut down before the end of the year. Very sad. Many people are losing jobs, but more importantly, many kids will remained orphaned.

That is all for today.

Tim

And now some pics

Today has been a great day. We have had fun around the hotel. The boys have gotten a little restless at times, but, for the most part, have had a great time. Nathan and I went swimming while Joseph took a nap. He loved that!


Joseph fits in so wonderfully. Last night, in the lobby, he saw some ladies walking past, stopped in his tracks, smiled, and said, "Hola." Of course, they thought it was really cute and spoke sweetly to him in Spanish. As many of you know, and those with daughters know first hand, Nathan also loves the ladies. Yesterday afternoon, while we were eating, I went looking for Nathan and found him sitting at the table of a couple of strangers. They were women in their 20's-30's. I said, "Nathan! Get over here. They do not need you entertaining them while they try to eat." They smiled and responded, "Oh, he is fine." We are going to have our hands full.
We are going to be at the emabassy at 7:15 in the morning. We are appointment number 14. From what I have been hearing, that means we should be done sometime between 9:30 and 10:30. Apparently, it only takes about 10 minutes or so with each family, but they make everyone be there at 7:15. Then, on Wednesday afternoon, we will get our visa and we are set to leave the next morning.


I know I am jumping around here, but you guys get to try to follow my stream of conciousness. Tonight at dinner the little guy showed us some of his temper. He likes to throw things when he gets mad and pouts. It is really cute, but we will eventually have to stop it. Tra and I just don't want to put the hammer down during the first week. The kid does love to eat. Juice, several pieces of bread, Cheez-its, water, a bowl of spagetti, and some dessert! We have extremes now! We aren't saying anything to Nathan about it because we don't want him to feel bad about his eating and end up with a set back, but we are hoping that it helps him. Either way, we are going to have to teach moderation in our house.


Tonight we had bath time. We were told that Joseph HATES baths. They did not lie. He cried so hard and so loudly. However, he seemed to get better when I didn't make him sit, but let him stand while I cleaned him. I bathe Nathan that way as I find it easier. I just hope that Joseph gets better once he realizes that he can stand also and he won't melt. He was really sweet afterwards and wanted to give me a kiss.


I am sure there are 100 strories I should be adding here, but that is all that is flowing at this point. Below are a few pictures from you. Most need some post editing, but at least you get to see some of the happenings.


The transition is going well for only two days. We just pray it stays on this path.



Tim and Tra

Tim and Tra

Lovin life in Guatemala

We arrived with no problems yesterday and it has been great since. Our attorney's daughter and foster family got to the hotel right at 1PM - on time - and brought our wonderful little guy to us. He warmed up immediatly since Tra started feeding him M&M's. Food is certainly the way to his heart. It only took him a couple of minutes to get who we are and off we went. We had a very long lunch with them, and, by the time it was over, he was happy to be along for the ride. He was feeding Tra and having a great time. Joseph got a upset for just a minute when everyone was leaving, but it was very brief, and not very bad. I think it was a big plus that he had been looking at our pictures for so long that he was able to recoginze us very quickly.

We went up to the room and played and then we all went to bed early. Our family had been up since just before 2AM and we were ready for bed. Joseph and Nathan shared a bed with no troubles except that Joseph is a bit of a bed hog.

Today has been great! He loves to talk to us. Calls us Mama and Papa - constantly. He is a big ham so he fits into the family wonderfully. Nathan is LOVING the big brother role right now. Joseph does pretty much whatever Nathan wants him to do. He even wants to mimic him. Last night, we went down for a while to the lobby. Nathan and Joseph were each wearing zip-up hoodies. When Joseph saw Nathan had his hood up, he turned to Tra and started saying, "Mama, Mama" while trying to put his hood up, too. Once it was up, he was happy as could be and chasing Nathan around.

Well, the line here for the computer is long. I was going to post pics, but left the camera in the room. I will post more later.

Tim

Proud Parent Moment...

I had volunteered to work in Nathan's classroom the other day. Our project was to act out a little skit. They got to choose what character they wanted to be and pick the mask that went with that character. They all quickly decided and agreed on what they wanted. EXCEPT Nathan, of course, and another little girl. I kept trying to get them to work it out with each other. Well, they couldn't. They both wanted to be the hen, and they both wanted it badly. So I did the "pick a number 1-10" thing. The little girl lost that game. (yes it was totally legit) So I gave Nathan the mask he wanted and the little girl the other one. She looked so sad, and just hung her head. She was trying not to cry but you could tell she was upset. Nathan looked at her and said "here, you can be the hen, I don' t mind." I just thought it was great that he was looking out for someone besides himself. It warmed my heart. I sure do love that little kid!!

WE GOT IT!!

We are PINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We received our embassy appointment yesterday afternoon, on October 7th we will officially be a family of 4! We are beside ourselves with excitement! Thank you all for your support and prayers! We thank God that this rough journey is over and we look to Him as we start the next one.

As you can imagine things are little crazy right now. We are finalizing travel plans as well as gathering paperwork needed for our appointment. I don't have much time to post. I'll try to post more tomorrow.

Love you all!!

Not yet, but soon...

Unfortunately I don't have any travel dates to post yet. We ended up having a couple delays getting our DNA results to the Embassy. However, as we speak it is in route to Guatemala City!! The embassy has assured me they have everything they need to process our appointment, they are only waiting for the DNA to arrive. The embassy closes at 1:00pm on Fridays so more than likely we will be receiving our travel date on Tuesday. We can't wait!!

I have to tell another funny story about Nathan. My dad's birthday was just the other day, happy birthday Dad!! Nathan called to tell him just that, and he asked how old he was going to be. When my dad answered him Nathan said "oh, you are getting close to going up in heaven!" My dad thought it was hilarious, thankfully!! crazy kid.

At our house this week....

I am love love loving this weather!! Tim and I are both so ready for the fall season. We are more excited about Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas than I think we've ever been! We will have another little man to share it all with this year. Nathan is getting very anxious about going to Guatemala, he's a little scared of his ears hurting on the airplane too. He thinks it's cool that he's going to get to chew gum the whole time. He is really loving kindergarten too, he is a little sad that he has to miss school. I think mostly he's just sad that he'll have to be away from all his friends and of course the girlfriends!! He got love notes today from one of his girlfriends. This little girl is a real cutie, she keeps telling her mom she is going to marry Nathan. I have my hands full telling Nathan that he CAN'T kiss these girls. I am dreading the teenage years with him. He just can't resist a pretty little girl.

Let's hope the next time I post it's with TRAVEL DATES!!!

Love you all!

Anticipation and Preparation

With all this excitement about what is to come, there is also a reality of what is to come. I was reading a friend's post today at an adoption forum. She was sharing about her pick up trip. I asked her if I could post part of it here. This is to give you a little window:

Yesterday we were at the pool with T's foster family on Thursday when they came for a "last" visit. (I put "last" in quotes because we love them and want to visit them again in the coming years). We all spent five hours at the pool playing together, talking together, and just hanging out. It was precious time for T, but it was also precious time for all of us--I think that in those hours we really became a big family.

It was awful and sad when they had to leave. It tore my heart out to watch his foster mother and brother and sister say goodbye to T. All the while, he was crying the kind of cry that you only hear from people who have lost someone they love very much. He wailed and yelled “no,” while they tried to tell him that it was okay and that he would have a good life. I’m crying just thinking about it. There was no comforting him, and really, there shouldn’t be—how do you comfort someone who is losing his whole family and watching them walk away from him? They were crying, he was inconsolable, we were crying. Once we got to the hotel room, he calmed down a bit, but was still sad today. Someday he will realize how many people love him so much.

The other touching thing I wanted to share was about his foster mom. Even though she speaks only Spanish, I am able to communicate with her a bit because I speak enough Spanish to get by. On Wednesday night, she called me at the hotel to ask how T is doing. She asked if he has been happy, and I told her the truth: he is generally a happy kid, but he is very sad without them. Then she offered the one thing that shows beyond any doubt that she is truly his “mama.” She asked me if it would be better for T if her family did not visit on Thursday. She told me that she wants him to be happy, and that she wants to let him forget about them if that would make it easier for him. Only because I’m a mother can I imagine how much it hurt her to make that offer—I’m amazed by her heart and her love for our son. I told her that I love her for saying that, but that it is very important to me that he never forgets them. I want to honor their places in his life, and I want to continue to stay in touch with them. In the long run, it will only do him good to remember them, to know them, and to know how very much he is loved by all of us. In my family's mind, they remain his family.

Like so much of life, this process is bittersweet. In our home, much happiness—in their home, an equal amount of sadness. I can’t do justice to his Foster Mom with mere words. But I hope we honor her by sharing her sacrifices. And, if you pray, I ask that you say an extra prayer for her tonight.

I didn't post this to upset anyone, just to help prepare us for what we could be facing. It is truly a joyous occasion to bring our son home. He will need time to heal though. There is no doubt that God has ordained MY family as the place for Joseph to be. Our family is not our family without him in it. This sweet friend who posted her experience, I hope you will remember to say a prayer for them tonight. She posted this while still in Guatemala.

Lightening Speed....

Things are really rolling right along! I can't believe it. It has taken so long to get to the end, and now it seems like time is finally flying by! We got authorization yesterday for them to do the final DNA test, this is one of the last steps to get Joseph home. We will know in two weeks the date we'll have Joseph in our arms forever! More than likely, we'll be traveling in about 3 weeks from now. To me, that feels like tomorrow! Lots to do. Speaking of which, duty calls. I wish everyone a good day, and thank you again for all your well wishes. Keep us in your prayers.

Someone has a new last name....

That's right it's JOSEPH GOODWIN!!! We got the new birth certificate yesterday! Now, from what I'm told, things move pretty fast. The attorney is taking him to get the passport today and tomorrow we will be submitted to the US Embassy for them to authorize the 2nd DNA test to be done. After the Embassy gets the results of the DNA test they issue us our "pink" also known as the pick up appointment!!! I am just floating so high on cloud 9 right now! I need to tie myself down to something so I can get some work done. It's time to start washing all those clothes I've been saving for him!
Thank you to all who have supported me and lifted me up through this whole process. I had some dark days. I never would have made it through this, without the love and support of my family and friends. Thank God for the Long Road Home message board!

I love you all

Nathan is a boy after all....

We were outside the other day meeting our new neighbors. They have an adorable five year old little girl who goes to Nathan's school. Her name is Macy. I said "Nathan did you meet Macy, and say hello to her?" He said "Yeah..., I can't stop staring at her." (I'm laughing) I said "why is that, is it because she is so cute?" He says "yeah."

He cracks us up.
Tracy

Gray day...

The grocery game. Several of you emailed me privately to ask about this. I'll tell you what I know so far, keep in mind that I just signed up for it. On her website she said it takes a cycle of about 12 weeks to get the FULL effect of the benefits. On my very first grocery tripping adventure I saved 60+ dollars. I don't know that I'll save that much every time, but it is certainly enough savings to keep at it for a while. I will let you guys know. Also, I think if you do sign up for it there is a place to put in who referred you. If you think of me and want to me in there please do.

Today is gray and rainy. I actually love days like this. Although there is a limit. The sound of the rain and gray skies are so relaxing. Right now though I've got to get moving, because there is a teddy bear lunch at Nathan's school today. He is very excited about it, so I've got to get all the picnic stuff ready and head to the school.

Still no word from the attorney on our birth certificate. Hoping to hear something very soon though.

Musings...

I am overwhelmed at times by God's goodness. There seems to always be two sides to every story. Such is our life. On the one side, we have so many great exciting things happening. Things that get you up out of bed, with a smile on your face. On the other side, we have some scary things happening. Things that cause stress and make it hard to close your eyes at night. We have friends who are celebrating life, we have friends who are barely making it through the day. As I said, such is life. One constant through the up times and the down times is always God's goodness. It is always there, even in the times that seem so dark and impossible. I am so thankful to serve a loving God.

Happenings at the Goodwin house:
Nathan continues to amaze me everyday with how much he is learning and growing up. I almost hate it when he gets out of the car to go into school in the mornings, because I know he'll come back changed in the afternoon. I am so proud of him. I hope I'm raising him well!!!! I don't want to screw him up!

Tim started his new position at work this week. He is awesome and I know he's going to kick butt!! That's right, I said it I'm not ashamed.

Me, well it's the same o' same o' still trying to take over the world one dust bunny at a time. I've also started "the grocery game" this week. It supposedly cuts your grocery bill in half. We'll see. So far so good. If anyone else wants to check it out visit www.grocerygame.com

I haven't heard back from our Guatemalan attorney yet on the status of the Birth Certificate. However, we should be receiving it this week if RENAP keeps their word. Big "if" there. I will certainly post as soon as I get updates.
God Bless You All!!

Funny from Nathan's teacher

I know you guys can't believe I would post twice in one day! I can't believe it either, but this was really cute so I had to share it with you. Here is an email that Nathan's teacher sent me:

I have to tell you the funniest thing that Nathan said the other day. The day that he brought Wall-e to share, when he was finished and I told the kids to put their items back in their backpacks, Nathan said, “Can I pick something from Housekeeping to put in my backpack for Wall-e to play with?” I said, “I think Wall-e should probably take a rest in your backpack for the rest of the afternoon.” He said okay and took Wall-e to his backpack. When he came back out he said, “Mrs. Donnelly, Wall-e said he was not sleepy.” This made me laugh so hard! He was so serious!

For those of you who don't know, Wall-e is from a disney movie that is out right now.

God's arms are reaching...

We received an email from our agency last night, our attorney is willing to reduce some of her fees! We also have received some help from friends, thank you guys we love you!! Our bill is still large but it is a little more manageable now.
Psalm 27
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. 3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. 4 One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. 5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. 6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord.

Matthew 6:25-34

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

Please Pray...

We just received our final invoice from our agency. It isn't pretty. There is about $5,000-$6,000 extra that we are not prepared for. I am trying to negotiate with our agency, which she in turn is speaking with the attorney about. However, the director said the attorney more than likely isn't going to back down. I have an amazing friend who just stepped forward and is donating $1,000 to us. WOW! I am so moved. Over the last two years we have had fundraisers, yard sales, sold anything not bolted down, in an effort to help raise the money to give Joseph a home. Last year we had a sweet couple donate money so we could go and visit Joseph. I am so thankful and grateful to have all of you in my life. We never would have made it this far without your support. We could really use the support of your prayers now. Thank you.

Just for fun...

Things I've learned by "making do"

- chewable maalox, not so good as a breath mint
- bank deposit slips filled out in crayon, make for bad banking mistakes
-a good napkin is a great coffee filter in desperate times
-a car really can make it a ways on fumes alone
-your child will use just about anything as a tissue
-a drier sheet is not a good substitute for tissue paper
-scented lotion as deodorant, it doesn't work no matter how much you use
I've had 30 something years of "making do" so there are many many more than what's listed here. Some have been better than others, like all my cooking substitutions that I won't even go into. These are all the ones that just popped up in the 10 minutes I had to post. I'd love to hear how you've made do in the past. Don't be shy, come on tell me about it.

The Big Day

There's my official kindergartner! I had to take pictures this morning before we left. I know he'll change so much by the end of the school year. I can't imagine it though, because he already looks so grown up to me. Still my baby though, of course! Today is his first full day of school. He was pretty laid back about it all, since last week he went twice for half days. He did tell me he did not want to stay "all day." Especially when I threw in there that they would have a rest period today. I'm having lunch with him and staying to help out this afternoon, he's excited about that.
And, there's the proud daddy.

This one was Nathan saying "I need to take a picture of you guys too!"

This is him lined up against the wall with all the other kids waiting to go into the classroom. What a cutie!
And, there he goes. And here comes the tears. Well, not really but a little choked up on the inside. ("the crying on the inside kind, I guess") - sorry, just a quote from one of mine and Tim's favorite movies.

Now I'm off to work on all the final adoption paperwork. Someone say a prayer for me today :)

US17

Last week, Nathan decided he and I needed to build a robot. He started out with some very aggressive plans for a robot built of wood with a brain, a motor, and a remote control. His plan involved an expensive trip to Lowe's. For some of the materials, I think I was going to have to break into NASA. That may be frowned upon. Anyway, since I would like to stay out of prison, I convinced Nathan that we could build one out of some things in the garage.

Here is a picture of US17. Nathan came up with the name. US17 is a top secret, highly evolved, super robot disguised as a low-tech, cardboard box, tissue paper roll, milkshake lid, cut up tennis ball wearing nothing. He is very specialized. He is able to slide gracefully across the hardwood floors on his advanced gliders and is able to hold massive amounts of cargo in his rear holding area. He has experimental padding on his front in case he runs into something or is attacked.

Don't ask me questions about his capabilities. You do not have the clearance.

planning planning planning!

I am starting to plan for ALL the zillions of things I am going to need to take with me on the trip to Guatemala. Also, we have decided to take Nathan with us!! He is pumped about coming along to bring his little brother home. Tim and I are so excited that Nathan will get to be a part of this process too. I plan to check in with our attorney the end of next week to get the progress report on our paperwork. Believe it or not, it will take me 6 weeks just to make my "list" for travel! Other than that, we've been glued to the Olympics!! I'll be so sad when it's over on Sunday. For those of you who are doing the knitting Olympics, good luck and don't worry you can sleep on Monday! I decided not to do it this time because I have WAY to much else I have got to get done before my little Guat gets home. I'll keep you posted on any new adoption info.

Tracy

Getting ready for school...

I can't believe that it's time to send Nathan to kindergarten. We're ready though. Well, as ready as you ever get I guess. Truthfully, I would like it if he'd stay little forever. Right now he loves his mom and dad; there is no one in the world he thinks is cooler than us. I know that is about to change! It's nice to be your child's hero. I'm going to try and enjoy the few weeks I'll have at home alone, before sweet Joseph gets here. I keep saying that, hoping eventually it will sound good! I keep thinking about all that knitting I'll be able to get done, and those books I've been wanting to read but haven't had the time. It's only from 8:30am to 3:330pm, that will go by fast, right? I miss him already. I know, I know, I've got to suck it up! Seriously though we are excited about this new chapter in our lives. Nathan is going to have a great time at school and I have plenty to do to keep me busy. Especially preparing for Joseph! I just got the email on all the paperwork I have to take with us, whew that's a lot of work! Thanks for all the CONGRATS that we got! We love you all.
Tracy

Still floating high....

We are still beside ourselves with excitement about Joseph! We called the foster family last night to talk to Joseph, but he was already sleeping. She said he had played hard all day with another little boy and he was very tired. The foster family said that they are very happy about us being pgn approved. She also said they are sad. I can only imagine how hard this will be for them, they have cared for and loved him for 2 years now. They are such an incredible family. We feel very blessed that Joseph got to wait for his forever family with them. BUT, now he's coming home to us! We couldn't be happier. We are trying to prepare our hearts for his transition. Although we've been waiting and waiting, he hasn't. He's been happily content with his temporary surroundings. I can't wait to get started "attaching" to him and him to me.

Nathan and I called him this morning, he didn't really want to talk but he was listening to us. Nathan got very excited that he got to say "hola" to him. Apparently Joseph said "papa" back to Nathan which cracked Nathan up! I'm hoping 6 weeks FLYS by!

Amazing Grace...

As I have said over and over through the last two years, God is good all the time. This is a day that it comes easy to say that. After two long hard years of fighting to bring our sweet Joseph home, we no longer have to fight. HE IS COMING HOME!!! We got the call from our attorney this morning, and our file has been APPROVED by PGN! Let me say that again, we have been APPROVED!!! We have final signature and it is officially over. He is our son! So, now we wait for all the necessary paperwork to be submitted to the US Embassy and they will issue our pick up appointment. Thank you all so much for your support and prayers! I'm dizzy with emotion right now. It's hard to put into words everything that is running through my mind. So here are the only other details I have right now. We are looking at being able to travel to Guatemala in about 6-8 weeks, possibly sooner. Also, now we've got to pay the big bucks!! Start praying!

It's True!

WaaaWhooooo! Our attorney confirmed that our file is awaiting final signature in PGN. So, if the director doesn't issue a kick out, we'll be approved soon! The attorney said she will call as soon as she gets word that we are approved. We are very excited and anxious now. After PGN approval we have to go through steps with the US embassy in order to get our pick up scheduled. Best case sceneiro it will probably take about a month to two months. We are certainly believing we will be the best case scenerio there! How nice it will be to get my baby boy home!!!!! Thanks for your prayers everyone.

Introducing Harvey...

We have a new addition to the family. For 2 years Nathan has begged us for a dog, and so here we are. We have had him for a month now, but we wanted to make sure allergies and everything else was settled before we made our big announcement. Harvey is really fun to have around and Nathan loves having someone to chase all day long! Nathan helps take care of him and he is so proud to have his "very own dog." He says that a lot. For those who are wondering Harvey is a goldendoodle.
In other news, I spoke with our adoption attorney again yesterday. She said our file was approved by the 2nd reviewer now. This would mean we are waiting for final signature from the director for approval. I am supposed to check in again with the attorney later in the week. We'll see what happens now!
ONE MORE KNITTING PROJECT COMPLETED:

Love these socks!! Now Tim's feet will be nice and cozy, wrapped with love. (ahh)
Now I'm on to a million other projects for a million other people.

More Breath Holding....

We're not out of the woods yet in bringing Joseph home. I spoke with our attorney today and it's more of the same insanity. Apparently, when our file went from juvenile court to the PGN it went without all the documentation on our investigation. We were approved in PGN by the 2nd reviewer, but when we got to the final adviser he would not approve us without the documentation. The good news is that at least all the work that was involved in getting the documentation, to prove no fradulent activity took place, has already been done. Now it is just a matter of getting papers from one spot to another. The attorney has close friends in both departments and is working on using their help to get these papers to PGN. I know what all of you are thinking, and trust me I'm thinking it too. Why and how would a file go from an investigation to the approval system WITHOUT THE DOCUMENTATION?!!! I don't know so don't ask me! We are all just hanging on the best we can. God has perfect timing and who am I to question that. A good friend of mine is going through a difficult time with her daughter, who is having to be admitted into the hospital for treatment. They have had to play the waiting game a lot too. One thing she said about their waiting, was that it gave her more time to pray and talk with God about the situation. Waiting isn't always a bad thing. Obviously their situation is very different than ours. However, both situations are tough. So, I am taking a cue from her and I will use this time to pray for Joseph and for his homecoming. If you could, would you also pray that he would have a smooth transition into our family? Pray for his grieving and his attachment. Those of you who have already brought home your Guatemalan angels know exactly what I'm talking about. Also about my friend, her sweet little girl's name is Stephanie and she is only 8 years old. Please pray for her and her family, and that the doctors will have the wisdom to know how to proceed.

Thanks!

Knitting project completed!

Yippie! It always feels so good to actually complete a project, especially when it's a first. This was my first attempt at a sweater. I call it my sweater(ish) project since it's really a tank top thingy. I hesitantly share a photo of it with you. It's not the best picture of me but just look at that sweater, minus the bra straps :) I'm so proud!

Other news in my world:
I have no information from Guatemala, unfortuantely. It could still be a while before we get our OUT call, realistically speaking. I am begging God to get us OUT sooner than later though. I am stalking the internet and doing my best not to call PGN twice a day before they block my number! I am trying to keep my mind busy on other things, which luckily is not hard to do. My obessive knitting keeps me happily distracted. I also have a very close friend who just found out she's pregnant!!! We are SOOOOOOO excited for them! You know who you are, and I can't wait to share motherhood with ya! So, I get to obsesess with her about being a first time mom. I know lots of you reading this are praying with us about Joseph. Thank you, and keep it up! Trusting in Him,

It's been a while! Life has been full to say the least, and sorry to say the blog had to take a back seat. Things have settled a bit more now. We are now in the throws of getting ready for kindergarten! My baby, I can't believe it. Speaking of my babies, look how cute Joseph is!!! We also have great news from Guatemala. We had a last step interview on our adoption and we are officially in PGN, waiting for final approval. We think this could happen within the week. Which would mean we could be traveling to bring home our sweet boy in a month! Join us in prayer, it's been a long hard journey and we are ready for this one to end and the next one to begin. As with all things, it's Christ that gets us there in one piece.

Growing up

Kids grow up. I am sure many of you have experienced this, but yesterday was the first time for me that I could look at Nathan and see a little man and not a little boy. It was when I took this picture.



Anyone have any advice on stopping this process?

I have a 5 year old!

We had a wonderful weekend celebrating Nathan's 5th birthday!!!! I can't believe my baby is 5. I remember holding him for the first time, he was so tiny! He is just the greatest thing and it is so fun being his parents. Well, most of the time anyway! I also have news from Guatemala to report. Soon after I posted on the blog that we had been resubmitted to PGN, I got word from our attorney that we are NOT "in" PGN yet. The lady who answered the phone at PGN was giving out wrong information, she's new. At least I do have direct communication with our lawyer so I was able to find out what exactly is going on. Our attorney is still working hard to get this original document required by PGN to get us resubmitted. Keep praying.

Thanks to everyone who came to the birthday party. Especially all our family members who traveled FAR to come see us! We love you! I was hoping to post pictures with this post today, but I'll have to do it this afternoon.

Have a wonderful day!

Let's catch up...

It's been a while since my last post. I'm sure you guys are on the edge of your seat waiting for my next post, right? Well, that's what I like to think anyway. I actually do have more good news about our adoption case. Our file was accepted and we are in regular PGN. Now we wait out our time there, praying for no more problems. Unfortunately there is no rhyme or reason as to how quickly a case can move through. We are just very happy to be "in". For those who don't know, once we receive approval from PGN our case will move to the US Embassy side. There, we wait for them to issue Joseph's new birth certificate, passport, and other necessary documents to bring him home. That process takes between 4-6 weeks. Then, the Embassy issues our pick up appointment and we go get our son! We are getting much closer to the end. I can rest in knowing this will be Joseph's last birthday to spend in Guatemala without his "real" parents. He turned 2 yesterday, April 6th. We tried to call several times but the lines just weren't cooperating. Knowing his foster family, I'm sure they threw him a BIG party. I'm hoping to get some pictures soon.

Other happenings around the "Goo" house, our upstairs has been completely turned upside down. Nathan got our old bed, Joseph got Nathan's old bed and Tim and Tracy got a new KING bed. WAAWHOOO! Now our guest once again, will have a place to sleep when they come. Since Nathan's birthday party is this weekend my mom is so relieved she won't have to sleep on the couch this time! The nightmarish story of getting our new mattresses is so long and sorted I don't think I could tell it if I wanted to. Just know it has been a nightmare! We have learned some very valuable lessons in buying over the last week! It's not always best to buy the cheapest thing you see. Let's move on...
My Birthday is today :)
It's not nearly as big of a deal as it used to be! I'm just old and now I'm older. I have to say the best part about having a birthday though is sweet little Nathan coming in sleepily to my bed and singing "Happy Birthday Mommy". There really is no better way to wake up. He is so sweet. I have also been blessed with good friends who make me feel special to remember my birthday. You guys are the best! My nearly perfect husband took me out on Friday night for the big birthday celebration. It was incredible! We went to the Frist in downtown Nashville, I'm still thinking of those paintings. You can see the reproductions all over at any big retail chain. BUT to see it up close and personal is just incredible. We had a very nice dinner after, just the two of us. It was great. Today on the other hand, well, I'm up to my ears in laundry! That's alright though, I've got my best friend coffee to keep me company!

Good News

I just got an email from a friend who called PGN investigations to check on our case. This girl is quickly becoming my best friend! Her name is Damaris, and some of you reading know all about her. She is well loved! Please take time to say a prayer for her and Nidia, her daughter, who Damaris has been trying to bring home from Guatemala since 2005. She was able to confirm today that PGN investigations has received the original document clearing our attorney of all criminal charges! This is what we've been waiting for! Well us and PGN. They are hoping to have our file "released" from investigations within the next couple of days. This should be ALL we need to get back to regular PGN and hopefully have a fast final approval.

Waahooo!

EASTER EGG MANIA

Nathan is very proud of his egg that he colored. When you tell him to pose and smile, he just can't do it. He HAS to be goofy, it's involuntary for him.

Tim made one that said "I love Tra" ahhh.



After we colored our eggs of course we had to go hide them!
Here Nathan is telling his dad, you can't look!! Stop taking pictures because then you'll know where the eggs are Dad!
In the picture below it's his turn to find the eggs.

He is KING of the egg hunt!

The pictures to follow are from the easter egg hunt at the local park. We had a blast at that one! 10,000 easter eggs to find.



Nathan actually found a special egg, that said you won a prize! We went up to the prize booth and it was a very nice easter basket with special goodies in it. It even had sidewalk chalk in the shape of eggs, he was overwhelmed with excitement on that one!

We had a wonderful easter holiday. It is certainly a holiday of joy, to celebrate Jesus is risen! At the same time it is a time of remembrance of how Jesus was crucified for our sins. Thank you God for sending your son and thank you Jesus for enduring the cross for the world.

We called Joseph to wish him a Happy Easter! The foster family was like what? So I know they celebrate Easter there, but they call it something else. I've heard "holy week" being thrown around on some message boards. Joseph didn't want to talk, but we talked to him and he listened. Nathan said hello to him too. The foster family has someone in their family who is going to be traveling to Nashville, Tennessee in the next couple of months! Oh how we wish they could bring Joseph with them!!!!

PGN opens again on Wednesday of this week. We are praying to hear good news by the end of the week.

I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday!

Nothing but time...

Easter is right around the corner. Yippie! PGN in Guatemala will be closed starting tomorrow through next Tuesday for easter week. Maybe next week will be our week! I have a couple of friends who have gotten good news this week! In the meantime Nathan and I are taking full advantage of spring break this week. Nothing to do but pass the time, and sometimes that's pretty nice. Yesterday, we had an awesome PAJAMA DAY! Today, we plan to be outside A LOT. It is very nice here. We are headed to have a picnic with Tim at lunch. Who knows what else we will find ourselves doing. I'm also starting a new knitting project this week, hurray! Speaking of knitting, I'm thinking of doing special knitting projects and selling them. This will be in an effort to finish paying for the rest of our adoption. If anyone wants to talk to me about possibly placing an order of a specific item, email me- tracy.goodwin@yahoo.com I'm thinking baby blankets, luvies, baby booties, bibs, whatever you guys want. Full size blankets are also possible. I know at Christmas I had several happy family members with blankets! If you know of someone who might be interested send them my info. I'm off to picnic!

St. Patrick's fun

I had the privilege of helping in Nathan's classroom this morning. What a morning! Since the kids are on spring break next week, the school decided to celebrate St. Patrick's day today. Nathan's teacher "trashed" their classroom, and left green paint EVERYWHERE. We pretended that a leprechaun had been to the school and left this HUGE mess for all of them to clean up. He was nice enough to leave gold behind for all the kids. It was chocolate gold, so you can imagine how well that went over! These kids were hilarious when they saw their classroom for the first time this morning. Keep in mind, there are 20 four year olds in this class. We were all having a wonderful time finding everything the leprechaun left behind, until some of the kids got a little freaked out. One little girl cried for a minute, we explained to her that it was a friendly leprechaun and that's why he left chocolate behind. Then she decided she liked him again and all was well. You gotta love 4 year olds! It is such a great season of life.

I had a great time with them! They all put a big smile on my face, I was cracking up.

Trusting in Him....

Here is the email that I just received from our attorney:
THE STATES ATTORNEY´S OFFICE HAS WITHDRAW THE CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST MYSELF SO I AM PRESENTING TODAY MARCH 13 THE WITHDRAWAL TO PGN AND LET` S HOPE THIS WILL BE ENOUGH TO CONTINUE THE ADOPTION CASE.

OH MY LORD!! I pray that this is the good news we have been seeking God for. I pray that this is truly the end of the painful journey. I pray that the rest of the journey to bring Joseph home is smooth and quick.
Join us in prayer, there is power in numbers.

Thanks guys!

New Pictures from Guatemala

Psalm 139:14-16 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Okay, so yes I am shocked he still has a bottle! And, yes I am freaking out a little! He is almost 2!
Adorable

Ephesians 3:
¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord's people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

OUCH!

In Nathan's overwhelming excitement to see his daddy coming home from work, he ran right into our dining room column! Full force! If you know Nathan at all, you can imagine how hard he hit the column. His head must have hit the corner of the column and he ended up with a huge gash. When I heard the scream and then saw the blood running down his neck, I'll admit I was a little freaked out. Tim and I were able to get him calmed down enough to get in the car, emergency room here we come! He was totally fine by the time we got to the hospital, he was telling the nurse exactly what happened and how. He's so funny. We finally got back to see the doctor and everyone kept talking about how laid back he was. They all said I wish all the kids were like this! I kept telling them, well just wait. So the time came for the stitches, they decided staples were best for him because it would be the fastest. The laid back Nathan went out the window! My poor baby!!! I have never heard the poor child scream quit like that. It was so painful to watch. Luckily they were right, and it was over pretty quick. Of course, Tim and I had the whole guilt thing going once we got home. We wished we had told him it was going to hurt and we wished we had held him while they did it. In the moment though you just aren't thinking straight and you really are looking to the doctor to guide you! So I'll just be mad at them instead! Anyway, we all survived and that's what counts. He gets to stay home with Mom today and get spoiled. Although, he is very anxious to go to school and show everyone his 3 staples in his head.

Thank you God for being with us last night!