Current News

I don't feel particularly "wordy" today so here is a short list of what's been going on here at the Britton household...

-Home Study approved YAY!
-I'M GONNA BE AN AUNT!!!!!!!!!!!!! woohoo!!!
-I'm now 25
-Charlie is painfully and pitifully getting 2 new teeth.
-Only one more Christmas gift to buy....I feel like I've been unusually "on top of it" this year
-I'm coaching a 13 year old volleyball team, now this will try one's patience
-At this very moment I have laundry coming out of my ears.......

Sigh of Relief, After a Bout of Panic

So, as I wrote in my previous post, our home study was Monday. Jeff and I both had double checked on the time it was scheduled...1:00pm. I had cleaned the house in the previous days, so when I got up that morning and got ready to workout, I left the house, knowing I would have plenty of time to straighten up, make our beds, and pick up the trail of toys Charlie had left behind.

It's now 10:30am, on Monday. I had been home long enough to shower and put Charlie down for a nap. (Hair still wet, bed unmade, breakfast dishes still on the table, toys in the floor)

DING DONG!!!!

I peek around the corner to try and see who it is, without them seeing me. I was expecting it to be a neighbor, mail man, etc. Nope, to my surprise our social worker was standing there...clip board in hand! Can you say panic attack?!?!? I answered the door and she obviously saw a little panic on my face....to make a long story short she had gotten our appointment mixed with another one and left soon after she arrived.

And if you're wondering, the second time around went great! Whew!

PS...Look at this cute little Lion! (I know it's a random picture to go with this post, but I love it)

BIG Weekend Ahead

After completing our first round of paperwork, we are ready to "be studied." That's right, this Saturday we meet with Holt for the first time and then on Monday our home study will be completed....and in between on Sat. and Sun. we will attend over 12 hours of parenting classes. Let's be honest....I'm nervous. My house is the cleanest it's been in a while, I've been imagining what we'll be asked and how I'll answer, and praying that Charlie will be his charming self when they meet him :-). I've already gotten a good "chunk" of our dossier ready, and when we finish that we will officially be on the waiting list.....just typing that takes my breath away! We are ready to wait!!!

What has been consuming your thoughts?
This is one of the questions my Life Group has been discussing at our meetings. Obviously, this whole adoption process is on my mind. The past week or two I have really been overwhelmed with thoughts of, not just my son that will be born on the other side of the world, but with thoughts about his mama. Who is she? What is her story? Is she young, scared, ashamed, lonely, and has no other option? Is she older, a widow, mother that can't afford one more mouth to feed? I will probably never know as long as I'm on this earth. But I love her! Jeff and I have prayed for her every night since we've made this decision. We are so thankful for her and the precious gift she will give us. More importantly, (I cry as I type this, just like I cried with the group last night) we pray for her salvation. Can you imagine what it would be like to hug her in heaven? I'd love to be able to spend an eternity sharing everything from his first steps to his first t-ball game to his wedding day with her. WOW! It's possible, with my God, it is SO possible!
There is a girl on the other side of the world that needs prayer. Could you pray for her today?

Home Sweet Home

After two weeks of traveling with Jeff for meetings and a trade-show, we are enjoying being at home in our own beds! We had a lot of fun in Arizona and Dallas, but it always feels good to come home (minus the unpacking and laundry). As far as any updates with the adoption.... We got a call accepting us to the Ethiopia program just 5 days after we mailed in our application! Yay! However, I didn't mention in my first post that you must be 25 in order to adopt from this country. I will be 25 in December, so I thought we would basically be waiting until then before we could go any further.....I just didn't have the patience to wait that long to apply :-)
BUT, I found out today that we can begin filling out the pre-homestudy forms! Paperwork may sound boring to you, but to me it is the beginning of a GREAT thing! We can get our packet all ready so when December comes around, we can really get the ball moving!!! As I have started reading all the guidelines and outlines of what will happen and what to expect, I have to be honest that I get a little overwhelmed. (I may or may not have already cried and told Jeff I wasn't sure I was smart enough for this :-) ) But, as soon as those feelings hit me, it never fails that God brings peace into my heart....
"And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?"
...I just love that song!

Application....check

(*Please excuse the un-made bed)

We told Charlie the news....and he's excited too! What a relief?! :-)

Our application is in the mail!

Here we go!

From a young age God has given me a love for children...particularly those that are less fortunate than me. I believe this is the main reason I felt lead to get a degree in Special Education. (And I plan on using it someday!) Before Jeff and I were even engaged I shared my desire with him to, God willing, have a family made up of biological and adopted children. When we went to Guatemala in 2009 to visit the Boggs and the Eagle's Nest Orphanage, (see previous post) our lives were changed. If I hadn't been 5 months pregnant with Charlie, I probably would have snuck Walter in my bag! I can't really describe the feeling I have had since that trip except by saying....I've never felt so sure about being called to do something, aside from my salvation. And, from what I can tell :-), Jeff feels the exact same way. Sara Groves has a song that says, "I saw what I saw and I can't forget it.....I know what I know and I can't go back." (Hear it here!) That song has been really speaking to me for the past few months, if He has called us to do this...what are we afraid of?

Did you know that there are 143 MILLION orphans in the world? 5 MILLION of them in a country in Africa that is about the same size as Texas. ETHIOPIA! Friday we will send our application to adopt the next member of the Britton family from this special country that God has laid on our hearts. We couldn't be more excited to begin this journey! We would appreciate your prayers!

Check out these stories!!! Evyn and Lucy and Silas

Round 2

I mean really...where does the time go? It has almost been a year since my last post, and a good year might I add! I don't know if anyone will read, and actually it's fine if they don't. I just want to keep track of what goes on over here in the Britton household....like a public journal, I guess.

A lot has changed since Thanksgiving of last year.....it really is too much to catch up on and I don't want to overwhelm myself with this first new post. Let's just say I'm still as smitten to be Mrs. Britton as I was when I wrote my first post, and the littlest Britton - pictured above:-) - has me wrapped around his finger too!!!