Friday afternoon, after a yummy breakfast at Cracker Barrel, my family headed north.  Russ's family usually has their Thanksgiving celebration on Friday or Saturday after Thanksgiving since Roan and I spend Thanksgiving Day with our side of the family.  I didn't contribute much of anything to the meal, but my sister-in-laws did a fabulous job of making sure our tummies were happy!

Roan carving the turkey

Russ was able to come in Friday morning after working on Thanksgiving Day.  I was so glad he was able to celebrate with turkey and all the trimmings!  Family get-togethers at "Granmomma and Pop's" are always full of energy.

Leah, Sam, and Grace

The young kids run around playing, drawing, playing the piano, sewing, crocheting, and giggling.  The older kids sit around on iPhones or watching television.  Well...actually some of the adults do the same thing!

Seth, his friend, and Jimmy

We were able to catch up on all the  news and make plans for the upcoming holiday season.  We talked about work schedules, family parties, and Christmas Eve.  Actually, the girls talked about the plans.  I suppose the guys just do whatever we plan!  Ha!

Jeff and Russ

After gathering in the kitchen for the blessing, the moms dug in and started fixing little plates.  Everything looked and smelled SO good!  The guys ate their traditional meal in front of the television watching the Arkansas/LSU game.  I grabbed a seat with the ladies in the dining room...however, I chose a seat where I could see the game too!  I can't help it!  I'm obsessed with SEC football!

Grub grub!

Russ's mom enjoying her family in one place together!

Me and Russ

Russ's sister, Olivia, and me (and Farley!)

Brothers 

After supper, the grandkids brought down the tree and began decorating!

Elle and Will

Will and Olivia fluffing

Sam found the star to top the tree

While the kids fluffed, decorated, and lit the tree...the sister-in-laws joined Julie in a few games of Rumikub.  It was intense and competitive.  There were winners.  There were losers.  There were teasers.  And there were encouragers.  I'm not gonna tell you which I was! Ha!

The children nestled in and watched a holiday favorite...Elf.  We enjoyed a fun and relaxing evening with family!

We have so much to be thankful for!  May we remember to be thankful every day...not just on Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving on Megan's Side

Speaking of the family zoo....

For the last 27 years of my life, my family has traveled south to Jackson for Thanksgiving.  We always celebrated by staying at Maw Maw and Paw Paw's Wednesday night, watching the Macy's Thanksgiving parade that morning, followed by a delicious traditional Thanksgiving lunch that my grandmother always had busily prepared for us.  This was one of two times we got together with my dad's brother and his family.  Then, we would drive over to Nonnie and Pops's house for dinner and spend time with my mom's brother and his family.  When my grandparents both moved to apartments or assisted living, Russ and I took over.  When we moved, my sister took over.  Now, we have all moved away.  My cousin took up the slack this year.

Rage

Since we didn't have a "neutral house" to stay in this time, we drove down Thursday after the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and checked into our hotel.  Clancy and Jack (and Rage, the newest member of the family) graciously hosted all sides of the family....my mom's side, my dad's side, and Jack's side of the family.  That was our family zoo!

Clancy fixed some yummy cheese balls and appetizers while Jack got the two whole turkeys ready!  My mom stuck the dressing in the oven and put the gravy on the stove.  Jack's mom and aunt brought tons of yummy sides and desserts!  Along with Rhonda's pumpkin roll!  Oh my...delicious!  The rest of us?  Oh, we visited and had a fine time!

Clancy showed me Baby J's "Egg Bowl gift" while the guys looked through the Black Friday ads.  Uncle Howard had his eye on a new camera, and Daddy was studying all the television sales.  The grandparents sat in the living room to rest before the festivities began.

Maw Maw, Mama, and Pops

Daddy and Uncle Howard

There is nothing formal about my family gatherings!  We just relax, hang out, enjoy each other, laugh, tell stories, laugh, cook, laugh, and laugh some more!  This makes for fun and LOUD family get togethers!

Clancy and Aunt Patsy

Smithites

Girl Cousins

Jack did a FINE job on the turkeys!  He showed off his new Green Egg setup, which was phenomenal!  The guys spent most of the pre-meal time out back watching the master chef at work.

Master of the Grill

Some of the family watched the game in the living room and spent time getting to know Jack's family.

Uncle Donald and Maw Maw

Jack and Clancy

Once Daddy said the prayer, we were ready to dig in!  The guys helped get Pops situated, and the rest of us were left to fend for ourselves!

This is what I love about Thanksgiving!  Ten conversations in the same room.  Laughter in each one.  Genuine interest in each other and a love for this time together!

Daddy, Rhonda, Kristin, and Aunt Patsy

Garage Dinner Party

The cool table...much like my high school lunch table!

The host and hostess and their moms (and Daddy)

Once the delicious meal slowed down a bit, things got a little more fun!  I say "slowed down" because I don't think there was a time where everyone stopped eating!  There was always someone in the kitchen sneaking seconds or more dessert! Ha!

The grandchildren get a little silly during family get-togethers!  Jack and his brother had a Bop-It tournament, while some of us posed for a few fun pics.

Me

My baby brother and me

Rage came in to join the party too!

Jack, Rage, and Dustin

As always, we had a wonderful time!  Everyone slowly trickled out for the night.  Of course, we were the last to go.  We made the decision to forgo Black Friday this year.  But, our hotel was actually in the Bass Pro Shop parking lot.  Dustin was my roommate since Russ was working this year, and we decided to walk on over.  You know you're a redneck if....

You brew a cup of coffee, put on your Ugg boots over your leopard print pajamas, and walk over with your mom to a huge store filled with fishing poles and camo recliners!  Ha!  We did find some great finds for Christmas and walked back over to the hotel to jump in our fabulous beds for a few minutes before our wake-up call for Cracker Barrel! 

As always...a Thanksgiving to remember!

Holidays in the Family Zoo

Personalities.

One thing I love about the holidays are getting together with all our family members.  The holidays are one time when everyone makes firm plans to be together, catch up, and enjoy being a family.  When all these people get together, you can't help but notice.  Personalities.  So many people.  So many personalities.  Each with their strengths, but each with their noticeable differences.

As I observed, listened, and enjoyed the conversations around me...I began to reflect on my own personality.  It's very interesting to learn about other personalities, what their strengths are, how to deal with them, and what they need.  It's helpful for us so that we aren't so critical of the differences, but we understand the differences.

Think about all the personalities around your Thanksgiving festivities.  Did you notice anyone running around fast-paced decorating, creating arrangements, cooking feverishly, focused on the finished product?  Did you notice anyone sitting around with friends or family enjoying conversation and soaking in the family time, not contributing much to the meal?  Did you notice anyone delegating all the things that need to be completed?  Now, here is the real question.  Did you find yourself making judgements or being critical of those who didn't rate their priorities the same as you?  Hmmmmm.  I admit that I find myself doing that.  I can become critical, at times, of others with different personalities..especially around the hubbub of the holidays.

My dad has always used Gary Smalley's personality descriptors as he seeks to understand others.  There are many ways to understand others.  Another great way to love well is to learn the five love languages.  Just wanted to plug that in there.  I may blog on that at another time.  But, Gary Smalley describes personalities based on four animals: Beaver, Otter, Lion, and Golden Retriever.  If you're interested in reflecting on your own personality animal, you can do that here.  That website also shows how descriptors can be viewed by other personalities.  As I reflect on myself and the others around me during the holidays, I can organize all my family members each into one dominant group based on each one's personality.  I find that I have some of all the descriptors, but there are certainly two that stand out.

I am guilty.  I am the one at your Thanksgiving celebration that could be found sitting next to a family member or friend enjoying conversation, taking pictures, playing games, not in a hurry to clean up, and soaking in the family togetherness.  I focus on people and relationships more.  I gain security from close relationships.  I am a deep thinker, compassionate, dislikes change (and that's being kind with my words...I really hate change), loyal, indecisive (I don't like to plan ahead too far in case I change my mind).  I'm not good at saying, "no."  I tend to give in easily to keep peace and avoid confrontation.  I have sensitive feelings and tend to be nurturing.  These are some of the Golden Retriever personality traits that I find in myself most times.  Some others who are known to have this personality are: Mary, Charlie Brown, and Pooh.

Now, understanding how some of the other personalities work, I can assume that they may view a Golden Retriever personality as "lazy," not helpful, or not concerned with doing the things he/she should be doing.  I'm also assuming that family loves unconditionally and loves me no matter what.  However, I couldn't help but notice how things played out among various personalities.  I don't mind cooking.  I hosted Thanksgiving dinner completely for the five years Russ and I lived in Jackson.  I cooked, prepared, created nice displays of appetizers, sides, salads, desserts, casseroles, and Russ grilled our meat.  It was great!  Russ and I were excited about having those we love in our home.  However, when people arrived, I was very unconcerned with working in the kitchen.  I wanted to be near my family.  I become very relaxed and social when others enter the picture.  I also never cleaned up until my guests left...not while they were there visiting.  Remember, I tend to focus on relationships.  My thoughts sound something like this...."Relationships last forever.  No one will remember or care what we had for dinner in 2009.  I don't want to waste a second of time I have with our families together."  So, I didn't prepare any food that took elaborate preparation.  I never found myself frantic or ignoring the fact that our families were there to see us.  That was my personality.  I think cooking heartfelt meals is a precious and cherished personality trait.  I just don't have it.  I would much rather enjoy those around me than spend my holiday working feverishly for an end result while others are around.  I found myself making this statement during one of our conversations about Christmas Eve food: "I'll be happy to buy anything you want me to!  I can bring whatever."  Of course, we all laughed...followed by a list of easy-to-make dishes I could contribute and a reassurance that I could cook.  To which I said, "Oh, I can cook.  I just choose not to."  I didn't mean it brash at all.  I truly meant that there are things more important to me than cooking a lot of food.  Russ and I don't eat a whole lot at meals.  It's just not that important to us.  We'd rather spend those 30 minutes - an hour of time together watching a movie, spending time together running errands, or taking a trip "home" to see family.  My Golden Retriever personality holds great importance in relationships, traditions, and enjoying the moments together.  I don't like to rush off at a certain time.  I don't mind stopping my project or to-do list in order to make it to a wedding, play, or other special event for my loved ones.  I enjoy rearranging my schedule or knocking things off my list so that I can spend more time with my family or friends.  I enjoy playing it by ear and being where the people are when it comes to family holidays.

I'm sure all of you enjoy those same things.  I'm also sure some of you are gasping at the fact that I don't hold great importance on preparing elaborate pies, turkeys, and candies for my family during the holidays.  That's okay.  I probably have some thoughts about things you hold as important.  I think home cooked meals are priceless!  I am SO thankful for those around me who lovingly prepare those meals so that I can enjoy them.  I am so very thankful for my "family zoo" of personalities.  I am thankful that my sister cooks elaborate and fancy meals for us to enjoy.  I am thankful for the time my sister-in-laws spend in their kitchens making delicious traditional foods for our Thanksgiving meal.  They show their love for our families by doing these things.  They create wonderful memories of cooking these meals during the holidays.  I am thankful that I have only Russ and me to worry about with everyday meals for now.  I cherish the extra time I have to spend talking to, playing with, and enjoying others.  I look forward to cherishing that time with our children one day.  I am thankful that my mom moves in such a fast pace trying to accomplish tasks for our holiday get togethers.  She does the work, so that we don't have to.  Although these personalities are different from mine, I am thankful for what they add to our "family zoo" of personalities.

Although I may view a Lion personality as unconcerned with those around them, focusing only on their task, and not spending enough time simply being still and enjoying the holidays...I also understand that they thrive on control, reaching goals, and not wasting time.  What I view as precious time with family may be seen as "wasted time" by others.  It is a judgment based on one's own personality traits.  And, we could ALL add a few traits from each other's personalities to help us become more well-rounded individuals.

So...tell me.  How many animals are in your "family zoo?"  Try to understand those personalities and enjoy their strengths.  Try to enjoy contributing your strengths, and try not to judge those who contribute different things to the holiday season.  Be observant and thankful for the differences.  It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes a ZOO to make a family holiday!

National Adoption Month Interview (Part 2): Tips, Advice, and Resources

...continued from yesterday's interview and my guest post on Life with the Bonhams.  Remember to visit Nikki's blog to see more interviews about adoption.

• Do you have any advice for those who are interested in adoption?  This is a book in and of itself. Ha! My biggest advice would be to truly pray over this decision. Adoption is a calling, for sure. It is NOT a plan B. It is either a plan A or a new plan A. Yes, most adoptions are pursued by those who cannot have children. Many times, it is through those trials that God reveals His plan. That’s okay. But, it is also a calling for those who have children. My practical advice would be to talk with as many adoptive families as you can. Research the types of adoptions, the agencies, or other channels of adoption. Get a good grip of which adoption avenue is best for you and your family. We had done this. When we got to the orientation meeting, we pretty much already had all that information from our research. I didn’t consider the meeting a waste of time, though. I considered it a confirmation that we had done the right thing in researching.

•  What about advice for people who want to be supportive of adoption?  First of all, let me say that women who are in the adoption process are excited. They are “expectant mothers.” However, most people don’t view her that way. The public doesn’t view it that way because her belly is not growing, there are no showers, the sex is unknown, and the due date is undetermined. If you are wanting to be supportive, remember to treat her as the “expectant mother” that she is. And, by all means, be thoughtful of what you say! I have seriously been knocked to the floor by some of the comments people actually say without thinking. Remember that this family is praying, hopefully, for the child God chooses for their family. They are NOT going to “get a baby.” No supermarket pickup is going to happen. They are NOT going to be fake parents, as opposed to the birthparents so many refer to as “real parents.” Families pursuing adoption are very excited about THIS child, so please do not tell her you are praying for her to have a “real child” too. Adoptive children are real…last I checked anyway. There is no formula to saying the right thing. It’s as simple as thinking before you speak. Educate yourself on adoption by reading books, blogs, and asking questions to adoptive families who are open to answering them. You should understand that not all adoptive families are interested in answering those questions, and that is okay. No one asked you the details you experienced when giving birth, and they don’t have to give you details of their adoption either. I am very open, and there are many others who are too. Just understand that some families consider it personal. If you want to support families in a tangible way, there are things you can do. Domestic adoption through our agency in our state ranges from between $8,500-$18,000. International adoption can be between $20,000-$50,000 when you add up travel expenses, etc. That is a lot of money for a couple trying to start a family. And, medical insurance doesn’t cover this like it would a birth. Be aware of the financial burden of adoption. Some couples have fundraiser opportunities. You can participate that way by purchasing whatever they are selling, or you can become a “salesperson” for them. Encourage others to support their fundraising efforts too. There is always the option to donate to their adoption fund. Russ and I received an unexpected blessing in the mail a couple of weeks ago. It was the note that touched us the most. It said, “Please use this check toward your adoption or for a night out at a nice restaurant.” Of course, we put it straight into our adoption account. But, her thoughtfulness of letting us know she simply wanted to support us now if we needed a night out. She just wanted to show her support. And it touched our hearts AND helped with our adoption costs. The most important way to support adoptive couples is to PRAY! Prayers are the most effective way to help families at any stage in the process. Pray and pray without ceasing. Let them know you are praying for them. :)

•  What has been the most encouraging thing someone has said/done?  Russ and I began selling t-shirts to support our adoption. We asked people who bought a shirt to use it as a reminder to pray for three things every time they wore it or washed it. We asked for prayers for Baby J, our baby’s first mother, and for our patience. It has meant so much to see the huge support we have had. The most encouraging thing about this fundraiser is when we receive pictures from our “prayer warriors” praying for more from all over the world! People send us pictures of them wearing their shirts from all over. Some send pictures from their living room, while some send pictures of them wearing their shirts in Hawaii. It is truly a sacrifice of time and thoughtfulness for them to take those pictures and send them to us. This has been one of the most encouraging things. We really see how people are thinking and praying for our family…not only when they purchase the shirt, but long afterwards. Some prayed for our adoption journey in Haiti, Costa Rica, Air Force base, kitchens, the beach, feeding donkeys, etc. We have loved it! Another encouraging thing is the unexpected surprises for this “expectant parents.” Our families gave us a Mother’s Day shower when we first started. Friends have sent care packages in the mail with sweet notes letting us know how excited they are to meet Baby J. We love sweet baby gifts randomly given just to let us know we are not forgotten or alone. People haven’t forgotten we are “expecting.” These thoughtful acts have been the most encouraging.

•  Now that you are in the process yourself and see it from a deeper perspective, what are ways that others could be involved in orphan/adoption care and support that they might not have thought of?  There are lots of ways to get involved in orphan/adoption care. Most agencies give their families the opportunities to apply for grants. These grants are funded from ordinary people who have donated to the fund through the agency. This is always a great way to support families…especially if you don’t know anyone personally going through the adoption process. The staggering thing is the number of children in the foster care system. One thing I’ve learned about this system is that it is a mess! I’ve watched sweet friends of mine over the last couple of months deal with the system trying to take care of these sweet children they are trying to adopt. First of all, their foster care situation was horrible. They were passed around, mistreated, and took care of each other at times. It blows my mind how different the process is for foster parents vs. adoptive parents. I knew the process we went through, and I couldn’t even imagine how this particular foster mother was approved to do it. Good, Christian foster families are needed in a big way. I am so thankful for those friends I have who have committed fostering children, who are really “orphans.” These children need to feel loved and like they belong to someone. We need families willing to sacrifice some comfort and convenience to help take care of these children until a forever family is found for them…maybe it will be you. Who knows how God will change your heart over a time of caring for someone! Listen to Him as you try to support orphan/adoption care. Ask around. Ask agencies what their needs are. They will tell you!

•  Any adoption resources that you have found helpful and would like to pass on?  I have read several books that have proved to be helpful for me. Dear Birthmother, Before You Were Mine, and The Whole Life Adoption Book are some of my favorites. There are MANY adoption blogs out there. It really depends on the type of adoption you are wanting to learn more about: international, foster-adoption, domestic, adopting through DHS, etc. There are blogs that cover all of these. Ask around or search online.

I hope some of these answers have been helpful for those who want to understand adoption better. Maybe it has given some practical ways to support adoption. Not everyone is called to adopt, but we are all called to support adoption!

 ”Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27

National Adoption Month Interview

In honor of National Adoption Month, my college roomie, Nikki, is posting a series of guest posts from those whose lives have been or are being touched by adoption.  I cannot wait to read everyone's point of view from the various types of adoptions and different points in the process.  Join in here and you can read more from adoptive families too.  You can see my guest post here.

Below is my guest post for Nikki's adoption series...

My husband and I have been together since 2000.  Wow!  That sounds like so long ago, and it feels like just yesterday!  We were married in 2005, and we began trying to grow our family in 2006.  At first it was just as simple as "seeing what happened."  It became a little more of a concern after a year or so.  Over the next 3-4 years, I endured a series of surgeries, tests, bloodwork, oral medication, injections, and hormones.  It was the summer of 2009, I think, when we decided to take a break from fertility treatments.  We were physically and emotionally drained.  I also felt spiritually drained.  I felt frantic trying to make something happen when I knew God could simply breath a pregnancy into existence if he chose.  We had decided that we would pick the treatments back up in the late fall of that year.  It never happened.  We were at peace with our lives.  We were enjoying our lives again.  We were happy.  Yes, we still longed for children.  Yes, we still prayed for God to intervene every night.  But, we were at peace with His will.  It was around this time that I FINALLY began to pray the very prayer we should all be praying.  I began to ask God to align my desires with His will.  Because I knew that without that change of desire, my heart would continue to break every time a friend called to tell me she was pregnant.  I would continue to avoid baby showers.  I would continue to have emotional roller coaster rides.  I sincerely wanted my desires to be changed to match His will.  I knew being in the center of His will is the absolute best place to be.  I heard a song during our worship service last week that gripped my heart.  It was my prayer, has been my prayer, and will continue to be my prayer.  However, this song put to words what I could not.  It simply said, "Keep me in Your will, Lord, so I won't be in Your way."  You see, I began to feel like I was frantically trying to grow our family all by myself.  Like a toddler yelling, "No!  Me do it!"  It's quite silly, really.  My heart began to change.  Russ and I had researched adoption for about two years, but it had never been a reality we saw in our immediate future.  But, my desire had changed.  I began to daydream about our gotcha day, our birthmother, and the tangible example adoption sets for what God has done for us.  This was the beginning of a prayerful, thoughtful, and exciting decision to pursue the miracle of adoption.

• How did you know you were called to adoption?  Russ and I came to this decision at different times and in different ways.  I've heard it is very common for a wife to initiate the conversation.  So, I will speak only for myself here.  Over a period of time, when my desires were changing/changed, I knew that I could not have changed.  I had dreamed of nothing more than to give birth to a baby, cute ways to tell the family we were expecting, cute ways to tell friends/family the sex of our baby, and the crowd of family at the hospital.  I, like most of you, dreamed of those things all my life.  There was no way that I could have just changed my mind.  Nope.  That was God.  He literally changed the longing of my heart.  I no longer yearned for a growing belly.  I no longer longed for positive pregnancy tests.  My heart was longing for something different.  I began to see all the beautiful things about adoption.  I began to see long term effects of adoption on others, myself, and a child who couldn't possibly know how loved he/she already was.  
• What type of adoption are you pursuing and why?  My husband and I decided to go with Bethany Christian Services, a private adoption agency, to pursue domestic adoption.  We had previously researched international adoption for the previous two years.  We talked with a few agencies about facts, figures, expenses, and timelines.  There are many good things about international adoption...one of those pros is that a timeline can usually be estimated because you are pretty much on a "waiting list" and you know what number you are.  There were some things about international that are a little more difficult: the cost is much higher, travel time (range from 3 days-6 weeks in another country) to pick up your child, and unknown background information.  Really, our biggest holdup was financial.  I had previously been afraid to pursue domestic adoption for a number of "Lifetime movie" reasons.  However, after talking with various agencies, my fears were eased.  We prayed over the options and researched as many things as we could.  We made a decision based on our peace of mind and what we felt God calling us to.  
• Where are you in the process?  We began our process in February of this year...February 19th was the actual day that we really both saw our plan revealed.  We sent our preliminary application with a $50 fee on March 8, and we attended an orientation meeting on April 15.  Once the preliminary stuff was out of the way, we sent in our first big investment of $600 with our formal application on April 27.  Because the number of waiting families was increasing, we waited about a month before we were assigned a case worker on May 26.  After this, our home study process went by quickly because of our readiness to complete the paperwork.  The home study process is really in the hands of the adoptive parents as they have to turn in quite a bit of paperwork.  We did take nearly a month to complete our self study, but we had two sudden deaths in the family and a family vacation during that time.  Once we got the ball rolling again, it was super fast!  Our first home study visit was June 3, where our case worker conducted a joint interview.  Next, we took time to fill out self studies and complete official paperwork.  My individual interview was on July 12, and Russ's was on July 15.  Our home visit was immediately after on July 16, where we turned in our $1350 check for our home study fee.  Our case worker was so great to fit us in as soon as possible!  We were officially approved on August 5.  So, now, we are simply waiting for a phone call.  It could be today, or it could be two years from now.  Only God knows, and we are trusting in His timing.
• What is it like "to wait?"  Well, it depends on the day.  Today, waiting is great.  It is a time when I can prepare at my own pace and pray for our little one and the angel who will carry, or is carrying, our Baby J.  It is a time of excitement and unknowns.  That's today.  Now, if you ask me on a "bad day," I would probably sound a little different.  Some of these "waiting days" have been filled with sleepless nights, dreams of a baby without a clear picture of a face, anxiety, worry, depression, and tears at times.  Usually those bad days come after seeing another family with a placement.  Although, I am always very happy for those families...I am very sad that it wasn't us.  It doesn't take long for me to become thankful.  I realize that if that placement had been ours, we wouldn't be able to match with the Baby J God has chosen for our family.  Unlike pregnancy, we have no idea when our baby is due.  We may have weeks, months, or years to prepare a baby's room.  We took the approach of keeping busy by preparing Baby J's room.  So, I guess you can say that waiting is difficult, exciting, depressing, and a roller coaster.  Those emotions sound very much like the emotions I felt when trying to get pregnant.  But, these feelings come with a greater sense of HOPE.  In the end, I know God will bless us with the child(ren) he has chosen for us.  I can't think of anything better!
• What are you most excited about?  Most nervous about?  Oh my!  There are so many things I'm excited about.  I suppose, at this moment, I'm most excited about THE CALL.  I dream of what I'll be doing at that moment, what the caller will say, how far along the mother would be or if the baby is already born, and how I will tell our families.  I'm probably most nervous about the same thing.  In one single phone call, our lives could be forever changed.  I'm also VERY nervous about meeting the birthmother, if we are afforded that opportunity.  How in the world do you tell someone how incredibly grateful you are for her loving plan she is making for her child?  How in the world do you celebrate at the same time she is losing a part of herself??
• How has the whole process been for you/your family emotionally? Were there any emotional surprises?  I alluded to this in the previous question.  However, I would say that there have been so many emotions during this journey.  In the beginning, we were filled with fear of the unknown, fear of what others would think about our decision, and the fear of actually giving over all control to God.  I know that sounds silly...especially since He was in control the whole time.  But, we literally quit trying to get in the way.  We gave it all over.  Then, we were filled with excitement as so many of our friends/family began to rejoice with us.  We were overwhelmed with the love we felt.  We knew that this was God's will.  There were emotional surprises too.  Throughout the process, we have also been hurt, offended, and disgusted at some of the comments and misunderstandings about adoption.  These are always much harder when they come from loved ones.  It took some time to realize that many people simply don't understand adoption, and we began to use this time as a chance to educate others through our journey.  Adoption is beautiful! 

To be continued.....

MSU vs. Bama

For those of you who don't know...last week, the Smith family made a historical decision.  Russ traveled to our hometown so that we could join up with the family for the Homecoming game against UT Martin.  I was in Jackson with Mama and Kristin for Mistletoe.  However, after much arduous debate, we opted to stay at home so that we could watch the LSU-Alabama game.  Yes.  We did.  No, it wasn't the second coming.  No, no one died.  It was just a decision that had to be made.  Whoever decided to play our dinky little game at the same time as the "biggest" game on television had lost their mind.  And we weren't happy about it.  So, we set up two television sets in the living room...the big screen was showing the big game, while the smaller one allowed us to keep up with our Bulldogs.

Now, we are back on track with our tailgating festivities! 

Saturday, my beloved Dawgs hosted the Crimson Tide in a little game of SEC football.  It was a gorgeous day!  Cool, windy, and completely sunny!  We set up around lunchtime with a minimal spread of food for the day.  It was all we needed.  Daddy and Dustin walked over to the Hump to watch State's basketball game.  The rest of us relaxed, visited, and watched some football on our TV.

Sherra and Mama

Russ and I took a stroll to the bookstore before the big crowd made its way there.  We finished up a little Christmas shopping and picked up a few necessities for the day.

Me and Russ

A full day of relaxation in the fresh air was a little unfamiliar!  We didn't know what to do! Ha!  There were many laughs, a good bit of silliness, visitors, and yummy snacking.

Sisters

Lee and Kristin

Smithites

This family never travels unprepared!  We brought entertainment as well!  So, there were constant games of cornhole played throughout the day.  I lost quite badly during my one game.  But, it appears that Kristin and Daddy are quite the match.

Me....losing

Daddy...battling

Kristin....trying to defend her title

No Smith tailgate is ever complete without a slew of visitors...regulars and new ones!  We love visiting with friends, especially those we haven't seen in a while.  It brings Russ and I back to our "college days."  It's hard to believe it's been six years since I graduated college!  Craziness!

Zach, Seth, and Russ

Lee, Matt, and Russ

Kendall, sweet Ella Kate, and me

Jordan and Dustin

The pregame activities incited quite the excitement!  A speech by Coach Mullen, cheering from the team, and an explosive defensive game plan brought the fans to their feet!  Our defense played one fantastic game!  Our offense struggled...as usual.  But, the possibilities of actually pulling ahead were too much to keep me in my seat.  Well...that and the fact that the girl behind us threw up on Dustin and Jordan.  I just wasn't feeling it.  I'd rather stand to make sure I cheered the team on and steered clear of any grossness.  Ha!  Don't worry.  I told you we never went anywhere unprepared.  Daddy whipped out his garbage bags after we covered everything with paper towels.  All was well.  But, I sure hope the guys washed their clothes several times that night!

We loved catching up with two more sweet friends we haven't seen in a while.  Jennifer and Jaysen had tickets just below us and joined us for halftime.  We sure do miss all our college peeps!  We must get together soon!  Before all their kids get too old and busy!

Jaysen, Jennifer, me, and Russ

Well, I'm sure you know by now that we didn't pull of a win.  In fact, the final score looks even worse than it actually was.  Bama scored twice pretty close to each other in the fourth quarter, and we lost our edge defensively.  Exhausted, I'm sure!  We were cheering for our defense to force a turnover and try to score for us.  It seemed to be the better plan, since our offense was taking it easy.  Oh well.  Another Saturday, another gameday!  Next week...Arkansas!

I still believe!