The Grey Area

Are you guys familiar with Katie Davis?

You should read her blog post today.

What she had to say has totally changed my morning: "The thing is, this is real life and so there is this huge gray area in the middle and that is where we are living. In the gray area. That is adoption though. Big, beautiful, scary, confusing, unnatural, redemptive, tragic, wonderful gray."

I'm so thankful for God who loves us enough to challenge us with grey areas.

six...again

We reached 6 months "officially" waiting this week. 11 months since we originally went on the waitlist.

Friends

*This party will be closing today, March 15, if you still want to place an order please let me know ASAP.

There are so many unexpected blessings that come along with adoption. One of those unexpected blessings are the great friends you make. They are often "blog" friends. People you have never met in real life, but who still support you, your family, and your adoption.

I recently started selling Thirty-One products as a way to increase our family income to help support our adoption. Sweet, sweet Debi saw a post I put on facebook, and offered to host a blog/catalog party. I can't thank her enough for this.

I just wanted to encourage all of you to stop by her blog. Even if you don't purchase any Thirty-One items, she is doing a great giveaway for people just willing to share about the party on their blog, facebook, or twitter. So stop by, share, and leave a comment to be entered to win one of her great handmade Africa products!

http://jenkinsethiopiaadoption.blogspot.com/2011/03/im-having-blog-party-and-giveaway.html

And each of you should now that I am so grateful for your friendships! I am thankful that this crazy rollercoaster ride of an adoption has allowed me to "meet" you!

30 by 30

In honor of my non-birthday (I'm a leapyear baby, so neither yesterday nor today was really my birthday, although that didn't keep me from celebrating!) I've decided to make a list of 30 things I want to do by the time I turn 30 in 2014. In no certain order:

1. Run a 5K.

2. Adopt a child.

3. Travel to New York City.

4. Travel to Seattle.

5. Take a vacation to Hawaii.

6. Renew my wedding vows (our 10th anniversary will not be until Dec. 24, 2014, so this might happen a little later than my 30th birthday).

7. Have another biological child. Baby #2 born 4/3/12!!

8. Teach my daughter to recognize her ABC's. Completed April 2012 (her teacher did way more than me).

9. Completely organize my craft area.

10. Learn how to perfectly distress a painted piece of furniture.

11. Go on an international mission trip.

12. Pay off both our cars. 1st car completed - August 2011, 2nd car completed - September 2013

13. Become a stay-at-home mom. Completed 2/1/13

14. Make a quilt.

15. Learn how to sew a zipper.

16. Make a slipcover.

17. Relearn Spanish.

18. Grow out my hair. Completed 10/2009-10/2011

19. Chop off my hair. Completed 10/7/11

20. Buy my husband an iPad. Completed 4/17/11

21. Wear a size 6.

22. Learn to cook something new.

23. Play in the rain with my kids.

24. Surprise my husband. Just once. Completed 4/22/11

25. Purchase an original piece of art.

26. Throw a dinner party.

27. Start my own business.

28. Redesign an entire room using only antique or flea market purchases.

29. Go to the beach. Completed 5/13

30. Read my Bible all the way through (but chronologically).

What would you add to this list? Should I consider making it a 101 in 1001 (days)?