Colorado Trip 2009

This was a gorgeous double rainbow after a short shower one day. I took the picture from our campsite looking at mom and dad's campsite.

A dew dotted wildflower

This butterfly was in a mound with about 4 or 5 others like it. It was beautiful!

We had a super time in Colorado! It was so nice to get away from everything. We needed a break from the computer, TV, news, etc.

There were many of these little fellows around our campsite. We kept them fed with bread. We went on many 4 wheel drive excursions this year and was lucky enough to see a bear on one of them!

We stayed at this location (in our camper though) the night before we left for home. We always dry camp when we're in Colorado which means we don't have electricity, we have to haul water, and we have to dump our septic on the way home at an RV dump site. We decided this year, to stay at a place that had electricity, water and dump hookups on the night before we left. We thought since we were going to have a late night watching the fireworks in the mountains, that it would be easier on us. It was, and it saved us time on our way home the next morning because we didn't have to dump!

4th of July parade in Creede.........What a blast!

I took a lot of scenery and flower pictures this year. The wildflowers were extra beautiful and plentiful this year because of all the rain Colorado's gotten.

Baylee and I continued our tradition of rock painting this year!

We went on several hikes this year too! This was the hike that I fell on a rock on a mountain side! Wow! It bruised and knotted my leg nicely! Guess I need to quit being so cocky trying to run up the mountain!

Brian acted like he was going to dive right in!

This is Crystal Lake where we hiked to! It was beautiful!

This is North Clear Creek Falls near where we camp.

Baylee and I in the camper.

Engineers Pass..........very high..........Baylee was scared the whole drive up! She covered her head half the time!

New Court Date!

We have a new court date on July 27th. Our agency is very hopeful that we will pass this time. MOWA (Ministry of Women and Childrens Affairs) will open again on July 24th and they feel that they will have our letter of recommendation ready for court on the 27th. Oh please join us in prayer that we will pass this time so that we can go get our sweet baby boy. Adoption is such an emotional roller coaster!!!

Not yet

We did not pass court today. They were missing 1 document on our baby's end. It will be at least a few more weeks before we know anything. So sad, but yet rejoicing in the knowledge that he is ours and God will not let him stay in Ehiopia one day longer than he is supposed to. I know he has a nanny that takes good care of him........I just long for it to be me.

JULY 7TH COURT DATE!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah! We received word today that our court date is July 7th! We are beyond thrilled!! Please join us in prayer that we will pass the first time so that we can possibly travel to get Eli by the end of July!

Chef Baylee and the Dogs!

Baylee took a cooking class this summer, so she has sure been into cooking. She has made us lasagna and garlic bread for supper, as well as 2 different kinds of cookies! Yeah! Keep it up Baylee!

The cookie monster in my life!

Annie girl..........the onriest dog in the county!

Sweet Ariel.........doesn't she look like those big nosed stuffed dogs you can get?

Oh happy Missy...........If she could talk, I know she would be saying I love you, love you, love you, thank you for giving me a home!!

Complicated Babe.........She loves us so much, but you always wonder what's going on in her head!

Louie and Gracie pics to come later! Baylee loves volleyball and Annie would love to play with her!!

Brian's and Baylee's garden

Time with family!

Daddy Mom and Aunt Trish

Aunt Trish and Uncle Larry

Taking it all in!

Well, it has been 3 days since we first laid eyes on our precious Elijah. I can't stop staring at his beautiful baby face! The longing for him is intensifying every moment. It has been a long and winding road for Brian, Baylee and I to grow our family. But let me tell you, looking at our little guy, it is well worth the wait! I just finished reading this awesome book called "Wild Goose Chase". It came highly recommended by both a fellow blogger, and our pastor. It is about pursuing God and how sometimes it seems he's leading us on a wild goose chase! This is so true, but it's really how we grow as Christians on the chase. Here are a few excerpts from this awesome book:

"Getting where God wants me to go, isn't nearly as important as becoming who God wants me to be." I love that part! It's so true. I look back at our 8 year quest to become parents again and it's amazing how much I have grown in my faith and patience. Don't get me wrong........I still have a long ways to go in my walk with God, but I feel stronger and more at peace than ever before. It is pretty freeing and a relief to let go and know that God is in control. I know that I will continue to try to control things at times. That's in our human nature, but I think I am more quick to realize when I am doing that now.

This part of the story, I read the day before we received our "CALL" :
"Divine Delays - The longer the wait, the more you appreciate. We take for granted things we don't have to work for or wait for.
Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is just hang in there. Unfulfilled dreams are downright depressing, but nothing builds emotional and spiritual endurance like divine delays."

Wow! I recommend this book. It spoke to me!

Many have asked what's next. When will we get to go pick up Eli? Well, here goes another divine delay!! We have to wait for a court date. Hopefully, that will be next month. If we pass through court, then we travel 2-4 weeks later! We pray that we will pass through court the 1st time. 40% of families don't. We hope to be in the 60%! Please pray specifically for a quick and successful court date! We will keep you posted when we find out our court date. Once we pass through court, we can share pictures of Elijah on the blog, until then keep us in your prayers.