E's Room

I've had some people ask about E's room, so I took a few pictures. Everything in his room was given to us or borrowed!


Here is E chillin in his crib.


So handsome!


Thanks mom for the wall hanging!

Thanks Alissa for the cute frame!

Thanks Holly and Trista for the Elijah letters!
Thanks Dave and Sarah for the crib!

So many cousins!

Family Time!

E's cousin C from North Carolina!



We had a great time meeting the M family!

Best Buddies!!

Here is my "twin" K with E! Sooo Sweet!!


This is E's cousin W. They were born 1 week apart!



Look- Buddies already!!

Here is E's good buddy S. Their mommies are also best buddies!

Visitors!

Best Week Ever

Hello everyone! Thank you for your prayers and messages! I realized we haven't really given any details of what has been going on, so I'll start at the beginning.

We got a call last Monday evening that we had been matched with a baby boy in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was born on Saturday, Nov. 21st and weighed 5 lbs 7 oz. 19 inches long. He was born a few weeks early and was put in the NICU. We were told to come and get him at the hospital on Wed. Dec. 2nd. Then we got a call on Fri. evening saying that he was doing really well and the hospital wanted us to come and get him on Sunday because he and was ready to be discharged. So, we frantically packed everything up and left on Sat. morning. We drove straight through (25 hours!) and got to our hotel at 9:30am. We had to be at the hospital at 10:30, so we quick showered and headed over. When we got to the hospital, they gave us our own room and we stayed over night there with Eli. Then we took him to the hotel with us on Monday morning! We stayed at the hotel Monday night, and then drove to Chapel Hill where my cousins Paul and Janelle live. We are currently staying with them until all of the paperwork is finalized. We are just waiting for the paperwork to finish, and then we will start heading home. We don't know how long it will take, hopefully early next week. We are going back to Charlotte on Friday for a Dr. Appt.

It has been a complete whirlwind and a lot of moving around, but we are having the best time! Eli is such a great baby! He sleeps quite a bit, and is a really good eater! When he left the hospital on Monday he weighed 6 lbs 5 oz. We just can't get enough of him! He is such a joy and we are so blessed to have him!!!

Elijah Daniel Johnson - 4

Elijah Daniel Johnson - 3

Elijah Daniel Johnson - 2

Elijah Daniel Johnson - 1

Blessed

This summer we spent the month of August applying for every possible grant that we qualified for to help fund our adoption. We spent weeks with paperwork up to our eyeballs, (good thing I'm a teacher because it was a full time job!) but we got them all finished and sent. We are so thankful because a few weeks ago we met with some board members of one of the grants in the Cities and were approved. Then, a few days ago we found out that we were approved for another grant! We don't know the amounts of either yet, but we feel very blessed!

The Wait

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

We've had lots of people asking how the adoption is going, and right now, all we can do is wait! As we wait, sometimes "the call" feels like it is coming any minute, other times it feels like it is light years away. This verse keeps coming to mind and has been so encouraging - He has a plan! It is already made, and will come to be in His perfect timing.


I am in this great Bible Study (Beth Moore) right now and was reading tonight about "how we are not called to live easy lives, but to live purposeful lives." I love this because so many times I just wish things were easier. But when it's all over, I would much rather have fulfilled my calling then serve myself.

So, I will wait and be greatful for this incredible journey and enjoy the ride!

We're Diving In!

Hello family and friends!

We have decided to join the blogging world! Kip and I are very excited about bringing a child into our lives through adoption, and thought this would be a great way for friends and family to share in this incredible experience with us. We have worked with a local adoption agency and have completed our home study. We know that God has called us to adopt a child through domestic infant adoption.

We will need lots of prayer as we continue to go through this process. Please pray for the birthmother (whoever she may be) and for the precious child we will be so blessed to have. Also pray for us financially as we depend on Him to provide funding for the adoption. We know and trust that God will continue to provide and we look forward to seing how He will.