Aha...Pictures

Mommy and I had a great time hanging out last week. She told me that we should put some pictures of our week on here so you can see how much fun we had. I kept her pretty busy. We found my fishing hat. I was a little sad that I didn't have it when we went to Florida for Christmas so I wore it to show Grandpa that I'm ready to go fishing when he gets home.

I'm sure Grandpa is about ready to teach me to drive the tractor. I've been practising so I'll be ready to help mow the lawn or plow the garden.

Ready to go!

Kaden was trying to show me the fun way to go up the slide, but Mommy kept saying we just go down on this part.

Kaden showed me the fun house he likes to play in.

I was very gentle around Baby Tylee.

I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to hold all the Elmo's.

Mom and Kristi wanted a group picture but I staged a little protest.

All that playing finally caught up with me and Doggie so we took a nap on the way home.

Vacation...

I just took a vacation from work for a week. I didn't travel anywhere, I didn't really get anything done, but man do I feel good. It was such a nice, relaxing week and I feel ready to face the world again. (I don't typically face the world at work--just all the football coaches--but I had been feeling somewhat overwhelmed lately). Anyway, Michael and I had a very nice time. I reluctantly put him to bed at about 9 last night--we cuddled for an extra long time after his night-night story trying to draw out our week of full time mommy.
I think tomorrow is going to have to be another picture day. We had some fun times with Michael's friends Kaden and Tylee. If I can get my camera to cooperate, I'll post some pictures of the three of them.
Well, work is demanding most of my attention today, so I'd better get back to it.

Is It Time?

Well, for those of you that know Michael's story you know that when things started to happen they happened very quickly. I made one phone call to an adoption agency to make an appointment to gather more information about international adoption and found out I was smack in the middle of God's timing because he already had Michael in the oven (so to speak). It reminds me of the story of Gideon where God made it so obvious that he was the one doing the work that he cut the army down to 300 men. I was like Gideon in a way during that time. I kept asking for sign after sign. I kept needing to be convinced that I was following God and not my own plan. I trembled every day thinking things were happening too fast and there was no way I was going to be ready for a baby. My mom probably remembers how I burst into tears when I got the call to head to the hospital and how I was trembling too much to pack. She knows I was worried about the baby and his health, but she might not know that I was terrified that I wasn't ready!!! I didn't know how to be a mom. But God didn't need a huge army of 30,000 to make me a mom. He just did it.
So knowing how quickly God has worked in the past, you may understand my feeling that making a phone call can really get a ball rolling. You might understand my hesitation to pick up the phone. But adoption has been on my mind and heart again. I want a baby, but more importantly I want to be in God's timing. I want to follow where he's leading and I want to be ready to go there with him. Next week I'm going to Fremont to meet with a lady about her quilting business. I'm excited to find out from somebody who is in the trenches whether this seems to be a viable option for a single mom that wants to work from home. And then the thought crossed my mind. My adoption agency is in Fremont. Maybe I should swing in and just get some preliminary information while I'm in town. So I called. And I didn't think it would feel like pushing the first domino like it was last time. But Suzanne from the agency just called back and she said, "Jamie--I think you should consider this new program we're doing in the county right next to you--when I got your call I immediately thought of this for you." The program is foster to adopt. Where an infant is placed with me while the county is trying to help the natural mom make changes and decisions that will enable her to parent the baby. And then that baby may or may not remain in my family. Wow--can you get hurt doing something like that. With a baby, you invest your whole heart. You can't give them less. But I wouldn't be putting my heart out there in the hands of the county or the adoption agency or even the baby. It would be safely sheltered in God's hands where he would continually remind me that whether the baby was in my family on a temporary or permanent basis, it's better to be in God's timing than anywhere else.
So I have the feeling that the next family member is already "in the oven." Don't get me wrong--I know that God's ways are not my ways. So he could be preparing my heart for a completely different lesson. It may end up that God says NO!! Don't head in that direction. Or it could be there's a baby that needs Michael and I for just a little while. Whatever is fine. And whatever comes with it--if it brings me closer to God, how can I complain about it? How can I doubt his love and care for my family when he takes us places that make us lean more fully on him?
So all of you that read this are in at the ground floor this time. This is the day after the first phone call. We'll see what happens from here.

For Andrew

Andrew,
Your mom told me while we were chatting that you missed me. It was nice to know that you enjoyed the time you were here. It made me feel good to know that. So I thought it might be nice for you to know that I miss you, too. I miss running with you (OK, after the first couple of days I was running behind you, but I still miss it). I wish we had done more road races. Next time you're home I'm going to have them all scheduled ahead of time so we don't miss any. I miss playing cards with you. I especially miss the look on your face when you realize that you still have your foot from several rounds back. I miss how you're able to laugh at yourself when you do something funny and how you don't mind other people laughing with you. It's like you enjoy making them happy. I miss having you come out to the car when I get home from work to ask if I need any help. Every time I carry groceries in I always think, If Andrew were here he'd be helping me do this. You're such a thoughtful young man. I can tell that you consider other people's feelings and that it's important to you that the people you care about are taken care of. Your brothers and sisters are so lucky to have someone like you in their family. And Michael is lucky to have you for his cousin. I'm glad he got to know you when he was very young, because when you're older he's really going to look up to you and be able to learn a lot from you. I bet it feels like you're missing out on so much back here at home while you're in Africa. I feel like I miss out on a lot not being there with you, but then I remember that you are still the same person. You'll change and grow and learn a lot of stuff that I don't know anything about, but the important things don't change. God put us in the same family and that doesn't change no matter what.
Love,
Aunt Jamie

Pepper's New Brother

Well, Pepper would like me to announce that he has a new brother living in Africa. His name is Jasper and he is cute, cute, cute. And Darcy asked me to post some pictures of him so here they are!







It sounds like he really enjoys his new family. Pepper misses them all, but is relieved to know they have another dog now to take care of things. He's busy here in Michigan trying to run the skunks out of ammunition...
For those of you that like to know a little dog breed info, Jasper is part Boerboel.