One Precious Life

Yesterday was the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. Although I have always thought about what this day means in the past, this year it is a little different. It got me thinking about the choice that Alexa's birthparents chose...LIFE...and how incredibly thankful I am that they were courageous enough to make this decision when our society so often leads us down the other path. Alexa had her first well baby check this morning and is thriving in this world all because two people made a selfless decision. She is not only loved by one family but by two! Yesterday, today and always her birthparents will be my heroes, as well as, all of the other expectant parents that choose LIFE for their child.

Life With Alexa...

is AMAZING! The first few days were pretty crazy but I think most new parents feel some anxiety to start with when you bring home a tiny human being you are now responsible for. Alexa is a very content baby. Like most newborns she sleeps a lot and still does not have the day-night reversal thing down yet. While I am definitely not a night owl by nature I have become one fairly quickly. She is eating very well and Aaron and I are getting used to one another being slightly sleep deprived. The cats are still pretty confused with us getting up in the middle of the night but are getting better with each day. We have had lots of family visit and already had our first post-placement visit with the adoption agency. As has been the routine we continue to fill out LOTS of paperwork but I think most of it is behind us for awhile. We have had a few brief conversations with Alexa's birthmom since coming home from the hospital and look forward to more to come. I am working on a book we can read to Alexa daily about her birthparents and adoption story and will share once it is complete.

Friday morning we made our first trip as a family to get some pictures taken. I will leave you with a few shots as little Lexi is starting to wake up and needs fed:

God is Good!

I have been feeling like I have so much I would like to write here lately but have the following very good reason for not doing so......

God is good! Thank you for all your continued prayers and blessings.

She's Here!

We welcomed home the newest addition to our family yesterday!

Introducing......

Alexa Fay
born January 7, 2013
6 lbs. 8 oz. 19 1/2 inches long

She is healthy and beautiful!!

Alexa's birthmother is recovering well and we spent 3 wonderful and emotional filled days together with her birth family and miss them already. When time allows I will post more pictures and a few more details but this is Alexa's story so what we share with the public will be limited.

Adoption Tax Credit and update!

I wanted to say a quick thank you to all who wrote their congress men and women regarding the adoption tax credit.  Here is what was passed:

"As reported earlier, the legislation to avert the fiscal cliff made the adoption tax credit permanent. While official figures will be released later by IRS, the projected maximum amount of the adoption credit for 2013 is estimated to be $12,770. We thank all of you for your help in ensuring that Congress understood the importance of the adoption credit in creating and supporting adoptive families. Since the credit was not made refundable for 2012 or future years, our advocacy efforts will continue."


Here is a more official press release.

Also, Aaron and I wanted to make sure to let all of you know we will let you know as soon as we can about the birth and other details of baby girl. We are not trying to keep secrets or seem cold. Just know that when the time is right we will be sure to let everyone know! Many of you continue to ask what you can do for us and all that we ask is you continue to PRAY! We hope to share good news very soon!

Are you too busy rushing?

No, no baby just yet!!! I know I said I probably wouldn't have time to write before the baby arrived but I found myself needing to document just how amazing our God truly is during stressful times. It can be hard to feel close to God in all the busyness in life and with the news that baby girl would be arriving a bit sooner than we expected my typical relationship with God was being put on the back burner only to run like a crazy woman around my house preparing things. God quickly jumped in after a few days of unendless cleaning, fixing, organizing, etc. to remind me that all this rushing around was doing me no good and that instead I should be focusing on Him. I sat down the other day to read one of my Girlfriends in God devotionals and lo and behold it was titled "How to Deal With Stress". "Hmmm... interesting", I thought considering I was feeling a bit overwhelmed myself and slightly exhausted. As I continued to read I knew I was supposed to be there at that very moment. It was God's way of reminding me to "rest" which was the whole point behind the devotional to begin with. Here is an excerpt from the author:

I have repeatedly tried to defy my God-given need for rest, thinking I am somehow “above” both the occurrence and consequences of exhaustion. Some urgent task will always call my name as will that person whose life will absolutely disintegrate before my eyes if I do not do something right now! Stress seems to shout, “Get busy! There is so much to do!” Stress applauds and dances with delight as I keep on “doing” instead of “being.”

Stress can make us sick and, according to medical experts, is deadly. Between 60-90% of all medical patients complain of stress-related symptoms. My doctor tells me that stress can be good or bad, but either way, stress takes its toll. The psalmist writes, “He lets me rest.” Do not allow that gentle statement to fool you. The Revised Standard Version of the Bible says it this way, “He makes me lie down in green pastures.”  I can personally testify to the fact that the word “makes” holds a world of possibilities from God’s hand in our lives and have come to the conclusion that, make no mistake, we will rest – one way or another. Through the years, God has gently grabbed my attention with an illness that drove me to bed or a crisis that drove me to my knees. He is a persistent, loving Father and is well aware of just how much we need to rest and how much rest we need.

Rest is part of a Godly character. Interesting truth, isn’t it? We sometimes equate rest with weakness when, in reality, rest is spiritual obedience. I pray that as you live out this week, you will do so from a life at rest in Him.

 I continued on into the next day only to receive an email from my sister-in-law titled, "Super Mom vs. Abiding Mom". She has this posted in her kitchen and I have seen and read it before but until she felt the urge the other day to send this to me I did not read it very close. Once again, I felt this was God's way of reminding me how unimportant an agenda, amongst other things, really is in comparison to pleasing Him. This will be posted in my home as soon as baby girl arrives as a gentle reminder that God will always provide me with all I need to be a good mother.

Lastly, I sat down on the couch this evening and after deciding there was nothing on TV worth watching I opened Sharon Jaynes new book, "A Sudden Glory" that I received for Christmas. I only made it to page 4 before reading this, "The travesty is that we allow the busyness of life to crowd out the Source of life. As the psalmist wrote, "We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing" (Psalm 39:6)." I immediately thought to myself, "Okay, okay I get it Lord I need to slow down, be still and spend more time with You." Much of the busy rushing I have been doing the last few days will not really matter once baby girl is here anyways (as we have been prepared to get up and go for awhile now) and was just my way of dealing with some of the anxiety I have about her birth and pending placement for adoption into our home. While I have been running around like a crazy woman God has been trying to tell me that instead of all this useless busyness I need to "rest" and prepare my heart through prayer to love this child with all my being.

We can't wait to meet you little one!!

Happy New Year everyone!!