Developments . . .

Just wanted to keep everyone "in the loop" about the latest developments with our adoption. Our home study was finalized today and approved by our adoption agency! Our formal application went before our agency's board of directors last week and we should hear next week if we are approved to proceed with the adoption! If we have final approval to work with them, we will attend an orientation in October at the agency's facilities in Lynchburg. We are SO excited about this and we will let everyone know if and when we are approved next week!

Recent Cuteness

Recent cute stories from our life with Kilee:
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Charades

The other day, I was drying my hair in the bathroom and Kilee was with me. This was what happened:

Kilee: "Potty!"

Me: "Yes, that's the potty."

"Potty!"

"What about the potty?"

"Unhhh!" (pointing at the potty)

"What, honey? What about the toilet?"

"SCHHHWSHHHH" (waving her hands in a circle)

"Flush?"

"Yea, mama! Fusssh!"

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Imitation is the Greatest Form of Flattery . . . Maybe

Yesterday, I was folding laundry in the living room. I was putting the laundry in piles and Kilee came along and started unfolding the piles and scattering them around. I told her "no", refolded the clothes and hung them out of her reach on the back of the recliner. She started to cry, so I gave her a couple of her shirts so she could "help mommy." She walked away for a little while and returned a little later with her little lawn chair. I watched her out of the corner of my eye. She was folding her laundry and hanging it on the back of her chair!

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New Kilee phrases:

"Yep. and Nope." (We are trying to correct these to Yes, Ma'am and No, sir! :o) ha.)
"Here you go, Mama." (when handing me something)
"More peese, Mama."
"Bye-bye Daddy! and Hi Daddy!" (when Daddy leaves and comes home from work)
"Hey Rase-uh!" Saying hi to Racer, our dog.
"Potty, Potty, Potty . . ." (over and over again when we're in the bathroom)
"Choo-Choo!" (when she sees or hears a train, compliments of Nana and Papaw)
"Tankoo!" (thank you)
"There you go, baby." (When she pats a friend or her baby doll on the back.)

Chicken Pox :o(

Well, our sweet little baby girl has chicken pox. It was just yesterday that we noticed some spots on her belly, face and feet. It didn't look like chicken pox, though -- just small bug bites. More spots began to appear later in the day, so I took her to the doctor wondering what in the world it could be. After all, she had been vaccinated against chicken pox! The doctor said that it looked like a very light case of chicken pox. Since the vaccine is not as potent as actually getting a full-blown case, it is possible to contract a light case if you've been exposed. I have no clue where she might have been exposed, but there have been over 3000 campers this summer. I'm sure that bears some significance! Anyway, if you can be praying that Kilee will get to feeling better and that I don't get chicken pox as well, (I've only been immunized -- never had 'em) that'd be great!!!

Here's a cute picture of Kilee that my friend Tera took this week.

Kilee's First Fish!

Well, Kilee has caught her first fish! Scott took her fishing with some of our friends down at the camp dock. I didn't have a chance to dress her in fishing getup before she went, hence the ballerina tutu over her pajamas. Nevertheless, she was looking good! She was a pro! Here are a few pictures of the Daddy/daughter fun. Aren't they just adorable?






This past weekend was a busy one! After Week 7 came to a conclusion, we assisted a staff member with the details of the setup of his proposal. He and his precious girlfriend (also a staffer) are now engaged! Then, Saturday was spent preparing for a friend's baby shower at the camp. The shower was at 2:00, then we had a staff pizza party, a Walmart run, and church Sunday morning. Then, Week 8 was in full swing! The final week of the summer!

It has been such a wonderful summer filled with new friends, outdoor fun, great family time (amidst the crazy camp schedule), and wonderful memories. Most importantly, hundreds of students in KY, TN, AL, TX, MS, FL, OH, IN, MO, LA, Moldova and Zambia have come to know the Lord for the first time, taken a step forward in their walk with Christ, or have been called to full-time ministry!! God is so mighty, powerful, merciful and holy! We are continually astounded by the blessing of getting to be a part of this ministry.

A Different Kind of Pregnancy!

So, the other day we received an email from our adoption agency saying that they had received all of our paperwork and our homestudy and we are beginning the wait for final approval. Scott and I were talking and we decided that this stage of the adoption was kind of like the 2nd trimester of pregnancy! We know that there's a baby in there/out there but we've still got a little ways to go! It definitely feels like it's getting closer to the baby's arrival, though! I posted a couple of 2nd trimester "pregnancy" pics from then and now. I'm doing a little bit better with my weight gain and water retention this time (ha), but the new mommy emotions and excitement are the same!!!

Pregnant October 2006

"Pregnant" July 2008

Adoption Milestones!

Well everyone! We have passed a few adoption milestones over the past few weeks. Just this past Saturday we had our second and final home study visit with our social worker. Our home study is officially finished, which means we can submit it along with our formal application to our adoption agency. This is exactly what we did yesterday. We looked kind of goofy at the post office as we asked to have our picture taken as we were mailing the application, but we didn't care! It is one memory of this adoption process we will never forget! Now, we wait to see if our agency approves us for adoption (it could take up to 60 days for approval). If we are approved, we will attend an orientation at the agency in October, then we will wait to see what child we will be placed with! We are so excited and thankful that God has led us down this wonderful road toward our next child.

Here are a few pictures that we taken throughout the process with captions that explain them.

Us and our social worker Missy at our 1st home study visit

Monica and Missy at 2nd home visit

Scott and Missy at 2nd home visit

Sending off the application!

Once more, with all of Scott's head in the picture.

Daddy's Night Off!

One day each work week, we get 24 hours of Scott/Daddy time aside from Saturday. This week, it was Tuesday and we had big fun! We went out to eat for lunch, ran some errands and then came back to camp to swim. Not only did Scott and I swim, but Kilee (a.k.a. the fish) swam like a champ! We've been teaching her how to get in the water and paddle so we wanted to post a few pictures of her progress. We are so proud! Looks like fun, huh?

Camp Memories

Here are a few pictures of new memories and new friends we've made at Crossings 2008! Enjoy!

Daddy teaching Kilee how to cast

Tower training (Ashlyn, Rachel M., AC, and Lindsay)

Blueprint Set (this year's theme)

Alivia and Corky

Denny

Reagan (or Auntie Ray-Ray)

Not sure who this hot guy is . . .

Rachel C.

Autumn and Alivia

Dustin

Visit to Grandparents

Last week, Kilee and I had the opportunity to visit family while Scott was working at the Creek. We left home on Wednesday and spent Wednesday and Thursday nights with my family and Jeremy's girlfriend Katie. During the day Thursday, we visited Kilee's Great-Grandma and Bill, Gamma and Grandpa, Uncle Dylan and Aunt April, Great Grandmommy and Great B-Daddy and Mamaw and Eldon! We also had the treat of seeing Kilee's new baby cousin, Jayden. The last time we saw him, he was in the hospital just after he was born! He had grown SO much! We are so tickled to be "Aunt Monica and Uncle Scott". Kilee got to play in or near several pools (one at each grandparents' house) and had a ball. Here are some pictures that I was able to get of some of the events. I wasn't able to take any pictures at Mamaw and Eldon's house because my phone didn't cooperate, but we'll get some next time! We really enjoyed seeing all of you. Thanks for all of the great food. Fawn and Eldon -- the fajita quesadillas were outstanding! Tell Lucy that Racer is anxious to meet her!

Jayden and Aunt April

Scott's dad and Shelly (Grandpa and Gamma)

Baby #2

A little announcement for anyone who's interested . . . WE'RE "EXPECTING!"

We have officially begun the adoption process for our second child. In the past several months we have been studying scripture, praying and discussing adoption and we feel that the Lord is leading us to adopt our next child. We have decided on a domestic adoption through an agency in VA. Right now we are halfway through our home study and we have been accepted through the pre-application process at our agency of choice! After our orientation, we should be under consideration by birthmothers toward the end of 2008 or beginning of 2009. Then, we just have to be picked by a birthmother! We are so very excited about this. Please be praying for us as we complete this process and "labor" for baby #2. This "pregnancy" is quite different than the previous one in a lot of ways, but similar in many ways too. Both end in bringing home a newborn baby to raise!

Love you all! We'll keep you updated through the process.

Summer News

Hello all! I didn't realize that it had almost been 2 months since I had posted. Wow. A lot has transpired since then! We are now at camp in Western KY. Everything is going well so far. God enabled us to find a wonderful housesitter for the house in Louisville while we're gone. Here at camp, the staff is amazing and our family's residential quarters totally rock! We are spending the summer in the brand-new welcome center in an apartment on the 1st floor. It is wonderful! Kilee has adjusted well and is enjoying her new surroundings. The theme this year is "Blueprint: A Call to Radical Faith and Obedience" and is based on Matthew 7:24-27.

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

We are super excited about the material and what God is going to do this summer in the hearts of thousands of students. We'll keep you updated on what's happening at camp!

We miss all of our friends at home! We'll see you soon!

Her Mother's Daughter

Scott and I always kid around about how much Kilee looks like me, but how much she acts like him. I was downloading some pictures off of the camera and came across this one. I cannot believe how much it looks like one of my baby pictures. Am I right, Mom and Dad? Scary. :o)

A beautiful weekend

Hello all!

Hope everyone is enjoying the lovely spring weather. We had a great weekend together. Saturday was a beautiful day and we spent some time together around the house. Kilee got sick Friday night with a fever and kept the fever throughout the day Saturday, but when we went to the doctor's office, they said that it was viral and nothing to worry about. Now, she has dropped the fever, but has a head to toe rash! Oh well, it doesn't seem to bother her and the doctor says it's part of the virus running its course.

On Sunday, we had to stay home from church because Kilee was sick and because we had to finish up work on the house before our open house that afternoon. We had a couple of people drop by, and one of the families seemed to be seriously considering the house. Only time will tell! We're just going to trust the Lord with the timing. And if I start to be discouraged and frustrated, remind me of what I just said in the previous sentence! During the open house, the three of us went out to eat at our favorite Mexican restaurant and took a walk in the park. Kilee was definitely feeling better! We headed home after that and played out in the backyard while Scott cleaned out the cars and barbecued. After Kilee was in bed, Scott and I ate supper out on the patio. What a gorgeous day! Here are a few pictures of Kilee and Racer in the backyard.