6 years and counting!

Why I am thankful for you:

• You are a gift from God
• You are the man of my dreams
• You draw me closer to God
• You love me with every part of you
• You are the most forgiving person I have ever met
• You are my man full of strength, power, and emotions
• You are part of the triangle we have created
• You dream with me
• You hold me so tight
• Your hand fits perfectly in the small of my back
• You are my knight in shining armor
• You wipe away my tears
• You are exactly who God created you to be and I love you!

It amazes me every day when I see the love you have for me! I am overwhelmed that after 29 years of praying for you that God made you real. I am so very blessed to be by your side. Looking back at this picture, I realize how much we have grown and changed. God is so precious and so faithful to hold us close and form us into His image. As our lives tumble around the idea of raising a family together, I thank God that you stand beside me in this journey.

Happy Anniversary, My Love!

Watching, Waiting, and Learning...

If nothing else has happened in this adventure of adoption, the one thing that has drastically grasped my attention is that I am not in control. God brought the birth mom to us. God brought the lawyer to us. God has blessed us with what we have needed so far. God gave us a chance to tell this precious woman that she was loved and that she is a blessing to us. God is totally in control.

With that being said, we have lost touch with the birthmom. She got spooked by a really horrible situation that we had absolutlely no control over. Therefore, she isn't returning our friend's phone calls, and she hasn't answered when we have called (because she isn't allowed to).

I have been asked if I should call around to all of the hospitals and ask for her room in case she went up there without us knowing. However, once talking to J.and prayed about it. I realized, I am not in control. I have to step back, get in the word, continue to pray for the baby and the mom, and rest in the assurance that the God who led Daniel will indeed lead me. The God who loved Mary is deeply in love with me. The God who was the God of David, Abraham, Paul, John, and Ester is also MY God. He is the one who knows my days and is in control! Praise Him! All I am called to do is share His love with those around me. So, that is where I am. I am walking the road like I am watching this story unfold on a big movie screen. The only difference is that my director is the Ancient of Days!

Love..

I have to share a side of me that may not be too pretty or flattering. However, I feel the need to share this problem with you. Since I was in Jr. High the age of 12, I have been in LOVE with Jon Bon Jovi. He has been my constant companion for the last twenty two years. Yes, we have been together for 22 years. So, in honor of my love......my precious constant source of joy....(and dreams...LOL!!)...I give you the following videos.

You Give Love A Bad Name - this is one where it all started!

You know you are rocking along!!!

I'll Be There For You - you know it!!!

Living on A Prayer - oh, yea! I will take your hand!

You Want To Make A Memory -make me melt!

What does J. think about my mild obsession? He just rolls his eyes and says he doesn't care. I mean really...Jon has been around longer...so, we really should be asking what he thinks about J. being around.

Can you tell I am dragging out my summer vacation? Don't tell, okay?!?!?

Studied and Fingerprinted!

Let me just say, we have worked our fingers to the bone getting this house ready for the home study! We cleaned every inch of carpet, floor, wall, and window. We scrubbed, vacuumed, organized, etc. The social worker came in, sat down, visited with us for about an hour and a half. After we got done, I expected her to want to see the house. The amazingly clean....wonderfully organized house. NOPE! She said she only walks the houses that she isn't sure about...which is wonderful, but seriously! I sweated over the ordeal! Seriously! J. vacuumed!! You have to see the house!!! The good news: We are so official! We were approved with our home study. YEA!!!

THEN!!!

We went to the police station and low and behold,

we had our fingerprints done.....AND there were no warrants! ...AND the officer was great. ...AND we walked right out with our fingerprints.

They are off to Austin to be processed!

Our next step is to wait for the birth of the baby and continue to fund raise. We are prayerful for the health of the little one and the birth mom! Please continue to be in prayer for them.

But for today, my last day of summer, which is an entire post all by itself, we are studied and fingerprinted!!

A Flashback

I was checking blogs this morning. Yes, I am supposed to be working on the house since the homestudy is Monday morning, but you know...a girl has GOT to blog! Anyway, BooMama who absolutely cracks me up, put a link to an 80s flashback. It is great! You absolutely must go see it!

I remember for one birthday I had a come dressed as your favorite 80s rocker party. Gosh, I wish I could find the pictures. Priceless! Sister, this one is for you!!!

A Precious Opportunity

My precious friend, Mallory, is an extremely gifted photographer. She is offering the following print fundraiser to help us raise money. Check out these amazing photos!

********************Mallory Krieger Photography Adoption Fundriaser*****************************
I am going to be selling images through MalloryKriegerPhotography to raise money for the Nabor's adoption. If you are interested in viewing or ordering any prints, please visit the link below. All proceeds will go to Jason and Mandy.www.mallorykriegerphotography.com/AdoptionFundraiser

Overwhelmed

Please pray for us. We are overwhelmed and struggling!

Love all of you so much! If you need specific prayers, please email me and let me know! I want to pray for you guys, too!

WOW! Update

I just got a letter from the lawyer! I am so overwhelmed.

This birthmom could go into labor any day, and I just got a letter saying that J. and I have to come up with $650 on Thursday for the homestudy. $30 for background check this week. $ for fingerprinting. AND $1006.00 payable upon the birth of the child!!!!

SERIOUSLY!!

Trust me, I am praising Jesus that this adoption is going to be so cheap, but we can't do this kind of money so quickly. I am going to go cry out to Jesus!!

Monday Celebrations

For the month of August, I am going to focus on celebrations. Little things that God blesses me with that warm my heart.

Today is my nephew's first day at pre-school. Let me just say, the social butterfly of the family is beyond excited about going to see his "friends". What a great example he is of being open to new people. He is already walking in to the building knowing that he will have friends there. Celebration #1 - I am still teachable. I am about to start a new school year, and we are about to be parents. There is so much change going on, but a three year old taught me today that there are friends in every new cituation.

He called me this morning to tell me that he was going. I asked him if he would call me this afternoon and tell me all about it. His reply - I will come to your house and tell you all about it.
Celebration #2- Our home is a place of fun and refuge. My nephew sees coming to Aunt Mandy & Uncle Jason's house as fun. I love it! I have always prayed that I would have a home that others would feel welcomed and enjoy being in.

Thank you, Lord, for today's celebrations! I praise You!!! I am humbled to be surrounded by so many "fabulous treasures". It is amazing to me what you have done in my life. Please be with A. today as she observes and be with Tucker and his new friends. I love you, Lord, and I thank you!

An Update & The Album

We got back from meeting with the birthmom at around 11 p.m. last night. She was precious. I felt very calm being around her. She is embarrassed and can't believe she is in this situation. So, it looks like we are going to be parents. I am going to call the lawyer today and see what we need to do now. She is set to let us raise this child. I am in awe. I knew she was set that we could raise it, but it is amazing that it is actually this way. We gave her the album. She loved it! The pictures on here are of the album. I am in the process of making another one for Jason and I to keep as a reminder.

Thank you for your prayers. If you could continue to pray for her, the baby and the living arrangement that she is in that would be awesome!

Thanks pr! Love all of you!!

Nerves

I am a ball of nerves. Our meeting is scheduled for 8:30 tonight. I have been up cleaning, taking pictures of my house, etc since 6:30 am (these are normal times for me to be up by the way)....but guess what time I went to bed.....1:00 am!!! (that is totally not normal since J. and I usually in bed by 8:30 p.m.).

I stayed up last night praying for the birthmom because I was told she is nervous to meet us, praying for the baby, and working on a little album to give to her tonight. We were told that we needed to give her something about us when we leave because she wouldn't remember everything that we said.

I think this is an awesome idea.

So, according to my sister, I need to make an album instead of writing a letter. I am working on it. (thanks, sister!) I will post a picture of it later on this afternoon when I get done tutoring and can get it finished.

Please pray for the birthmom, J., and for myself. We want for this precious lady to see how God is using her to make our family richer and fuller. We pray that she sees this as an answer to our prayers and that God has a special plan for this little person.

Pray also for J. We were talking about boy names last night....he keeps suggesting SVEN! Seriously? Poor kid. If it is a boy, no matter what we name it....we will probably still refer to him as SVEN!

OH MAN WE NEED PRAYERS!!!!!
Have an awesome day!

Adoption Fundraising

Friends,

For those of you who do not know, Jason and I are meeting a birthmother this week who is due within the next month. We know that adoption is part of our family, and God has brought to us a mother who desperately needs us to take the baby. It is amazing to see Him work.

So, we are working out the plan of fundraising for this adoption. One thing we are doing is the Adoption Donation button on the left of my blog. If you would like to help us bring Baby Nabors home, just click on the button and it will take you to a Pay Pal account where you can donate. We have to raise $6,000 in a month. We have $650 due next week for our home study. So, every dollar is very much appreciated!

If you would like to have a button on your blog to help us out, please let me know. I will send you the directions and the code. It would be great to have this button circulated to as many people as we can.

Thank you!

A Meeting

We are scheduled to meet our birth mom on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. She is nervous to meet us, but she is very sure she wants to do this! So, please pray for her, the baby, and us. It is going to be an interesting meeing. I am working on some things to give her about Jason and I. If you amazing people have any idea....share!!

Love you all!

Precious Moments

This is one of my favorite pictures from the summer!

My precious boys, your Aunt Mandy loves you!

Habits

I have been "tagged".

If you find yourself "tagged" like me, here are the rules you must follow...
The Meme Rules:
1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog (about their eight things) and post these rules.
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

So, here we go...thanks, Jen...by the way!!!

Habit #1 - I have already blogged about this once, but I love to get into bed and pull the covers up nice and straight so that the seams of our denim comforter run right up my legs. It drives Jason crazy, but hey, I like it!

Habit #2 - I roll my eyes a lot! I have no idea where this came from or why I do it, but I have been made aware by my spouse that I do it all the time. IF I have ever rolled my eyes at you, I apologize. I in no way meant to be rude...I promise!

Habit #3 - I pick at my nails...even when I have fake ones on. I mess with them all the time.

Habit #4 - I am horrible at checking voice mail. If I see that you have called, I usually just call you back. I hardly ever listen to the voice mails before I return a call. Sorry!

Habit #5 - I cry! It is just that simple. I am a crier. Commercials, movies, letters, emails, blogs...truthfully, it doesn't matter...it all makes me cry! I got this trait from my mother I believe, and sometimes it is most unnerving because I can't control it most of the time.

Habit #6 - I have gotten into this habit since getting married, but if I do a load of laundry, I have to put it up immediately when it is done. I hate for things to sit in the washing machine or dryer.

Habit #7 - Procrastination. This is a habit that I would love to break. All of my life, I have been a procrastinator! It drives me crazy, but sometimes that is when my best work happens.

Habit #8 - I probably say "I love you" too much. These are very serious words to me, but I say them a ton. I am constantly telling my family, husband, friends, etc. that I love them. At times I catch myself, and think maybe I should just quit....but it is so important to me that they know how much love I have for them and how blessed I feel to have them in my world.


I am going to tag....Sister, Mallory, Angie, Melanie...sadly, these are the only ones that I haven't seen tagged....so that will be the end of my list.