Before she was born, we prayed.  Before she was born, we cried.  Before she was born, we longed to know what it felt like to be called "Mama" and "Daddy."  Before she was born, we dreamed.  Before she was born, hundreds (maybe even thousands) joined us in fervent prayer as we embarked on our journey to parenthood.  Before she was born, we lost sleep.  Before she was born, we instantly loved a couple we had never met.

Before she was born, we loved her.

Before we knew her...we loved her.

Before she was born, God did an extreme work on our hearts.  He listened to our prayers as we asked begged for Him to make his desires our desires.  He heard my cry when I asked Him to change my heart to match His.

God showed us the desire of our hearts and the miracle we never would have known had we not learned to trust Him.  He knew who our hearts were longing for, and He showed us immeasurably more than we could have ever imagined or dreamed.

God entrusted us with the precious life of Miss Millie Janalee.  Our "Baby J".

It is hard to begin to fathom how our hearts would have room to love even more.  But we know love multiplies!  We pray for God to guide us as parents.  To prepare our hearts.  And hers.  Prepare our hearts for big changes in our futures.  When?  We aren't quite sure.  But we know His timing and His plans are perfect.  We know from experience.  Because He got us through life before she was born.

And we have faith that He will do it again...

Over the course of these last couple months, we began working with our adoption agency to adopt again.  We have completed all the paperwork, we had our interviews, our profile books are in, and I took these pictures the day of our home visit.  We are waiting on the official approval, but it should be here next week if all goes as planned.

This adoption will be a bit different.  Since we are moving to Missouri in a couple weeks, we had to rush our process so that our profile can remain active in Mississippi while we are gone.  When we get to Missouri, we will contact Bethany Christian Services in St. Louis to make the appropriate updates...which will include another home visit and paperwork.  In the case of a placement while we are living in Missouri, we need to be covered in both states.  All states have their own laws and regulations.  We will also discuss the possibility of having our profiles shown in Missouri while we are there.  I mean, why not?

This being our second adoption, we will also prepare to wait longer.  Birthmothers typically lean toward choosing "childless couples."  Families with children tend to wait longer.  However, we all know that God has His own plan for all these families...including ours.  So anything can happen!

We are excited and anxious and at complete peace about our future.  We have already begun praying for our Baby J².  We are praying for his or her birthmother.  Praying that God will prepare her heart for us and our hearts for her.

And we ask, once again, if you will join us.  More than all the gracious monetary support we received during Millie Janalee's adoption...your prayers were most cherished.  You were our prayer warriors, and I know many of you still continue to pray for us as we parent Millie Janalee and for her birthparents as they move forward in their lives.

Will you join us again?

We love you, Baby J².  Even before you were born, we loved you!

We are stepping away from the shore again with a tiny seed of faith...knowing He will meet us there.

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!  

How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!

Memorial Day 2014

Moving right along into our Memorial Day weekend visit to my parents'...

Monday morning, my mom and I decided to make a trip to the dreaded Walmart.  I seriously hate going to that place.  I can count on one hand the number of times I've been this year.  It's rare.  But, we decided Millie Janalee needed a little baby pool.  And we needed ice.  And other things to grill burgers at the last minute.  We came home and gave Pawpaw instructions to "put this pool together as fast as you can."  He was thrilled.  Especially when he realized he didn't even have a hose in the backyard.  Millie Janalee helped him a little, and we began filling the pool as soon as we had it in the perfect place.

I put Millie Janalee in her first swimsuit of the season, and she was ready to dive in!  The girl had a ball!  Seriously.  Besides the one time we thought she nearly drowned, she was on top of the world.  Oh...and I just couldn't resist picking up a swim noodle while we were at Walmart.  My mom laughed that it was bigger than the pool, but who doesn't love a swim noodle at the pool?!

After the one scary water incident, I decided to stand in the pool with Millie Janalee while she played.  I really just should've put my suit on and enjoyed some sun on my back.  But I never got around to that part.  We splished and splashed until the burgers were ready.  And until I dropped my phone in the pool.  Don't worry.  It survived thanks to the bowl of brown rice.  I can't say as much after I sent the dear phone on a swim in the ocean last week.

But that's another story for another time.

Then it was Russ's turn.

Another fun surprise was a last minute visit from my cousin, his wife, and their new baby girl.  Hughes and Darby are two weeks apart - both redheads.  Millie Janalee enjoyed meeting Kellie Jo and seeing Casey again.  She also loved looking at the new "bebbies."

Eventually, Millie Janalee decided she wanted to visit where the party was.  So we let her swing while the grown-ups visited.  The swing nearly put her to sleep. Which was an amazing plan actually!  Kristin and Lee also brought Hughes over to meet Casey's little family.

Just swingin'

Susu, Hughes, and Kristin

MawMaw holding Darby for the first time

Mommy and baby

Sweet red heads!

Daddy and Casey enjoying some homemade orange Crush ice cream

Kristin's little family

My sweet family and a sleeping baby girl

After a fun and long afternoon of swimming, visiting, grilling, eating, and toddler napping...we all headed over to Kristin and Lee's.  Lee invited us over to enjoy the filets he would grill.  Oh. My. Word!  They were so delicious!  Lee's mom was there, and she prepared a delicious pasta dish and salad.  There was banana pudding for dessert I think.  I'm trying to remember.  All our summer plans have involved such yummy food that I get them mixed up.  Ha!

Millie Janalee loves being around "Kah Kaaaay" and "Bwee".  She's starting to really love hugging all over "Huss" too.  I think I'll make mention here of how much I absolutely ADORE hearing her talk in her own little toddler language.  Now I know how some of these grandparents end up with hilarious names.  Because we start talking like she does and then it sticks. 

Let's see, we've gone from:

• Auntie Kristin and Uncie Lee to "Kah Kaaaay" and "Bwee"
• Hughes to "Huss"
• Uncie Bucket to "Buckkkk"
• Aunt Clancy to "Clay"
• Granmomma to "Mamama"

...just to name a few.

Hughes has pretty much learned to avoid eye contact unless he wants the "petting" from Millie Janalee.  Ha!  Russ had to work the next day, so we made a late night of it before heading home.  Millie Janalee couldn't believe our Memorial Day weekend was coming to an end...

What a fun one it was!

Summer Weekend Fun

Well, it's been a while since I've updated this little blog of mine.  Things are in complete full swing around here!  SO MUCH going on, and I certainly plan to share it all with you as I go.  Today, I'm gonna back up to Memorial Day weekend.

Russ and I traveled to visit my parents on Friday before Memorial Day.  My brother was also in town with his new corn hole set his girlfriend gave him for graduation.  Russ and Millie Janalee were able to help christen the sacred game.

After spending the afternoon playing outside, we all ventured over to my sister's house to grill steaks.  Plus we were itching to visit the newest baybay of the family.  Little Hughes is just growing like a weed...as newborns tend to do.  Millie Janalee was so much more adjusted this time!  I'm so happy that she actually likes the "bebbies" now.  Ha!  She loves to hug him and rub his little head and tummy.  She still requires a bit of supervision, but I love to see how compassionate she has become.  When he cries, she yells, "OH ME!  BEBBIES!" and runs over to see what's wrong.  It's the cutest thing to me.

Saturday night Kristin and Lee babysat Millie Janalee with their own newborn while Russ and I joined my parents for a fun night celebrating the wedding of a friend.  It was a spectacular affair, and we had a ball!  There are so many pictures floating around...and some dance moves I wish I could take back.  Ha!  I am so happy for Kaitlyn and Jon as they begin their new life together!

Sunday after church, we talked my parents into eating lunch at Pickwick near the water.  I just love spending beautiful summer days near the water!  After lunch, we took Millie Janalee on a little walk on the dock.

A friend of ours stopped by our table at lunch and invited us to come visit her houseboat just a few docks over.  Of course I jumped at the invite!  Russ and I have a "wish list" once he finally finishes all this training of his.  A boat is certainly on our list!  Not a houseboat, but a boat to enjoy as a family and with friends.  Millie Janalee found the perfect spot on the top deck of the boat.  She was a happy girl!

Ummm...until it was time to leave.

It was nearing naptime, so I offered one more fun opportunity before heading back to town.  We stopped at the state park and let Millie Janalee blow bubbles by the water.  Bubbles always put this girl in her happy place.  The backdrop isn't too bad for a few good pictures either!

Our pre-Memorial Day fun was wonderful.  Perfect ways to spend beautiful summer days and nights.  I love experiencing the best things in life with this sweet girl and my loving hubby. 

Life is good.

Pomp and Circumstance

A couple weeks ago, Millie Janalee and I made a little day trip to celebrate another big occasion.  Uncie "Buck" graduated from PTA school!  Dustin has previously graduated from Mississippi State with a Kinesiology degree, and he went back to complete PTA school.  We are very proud, and I know he is even prouder to be out of the classroom.  Ha!

Millie Janalee can knock her first graduation off her bucket list now.  I came prepared with lots of snacks, a few books, a lovey, her paci, juice, and more.  Of course there was also her Susu, Pawpaw, and She She to keep her company too.  We arrived about an hour or more before the ceremony to ensure we had good seats.  If you know my family, you don't even have to think about it to predict who saved our seats first.  Ha!  Mama has that gift.

Once the ceremony began, Millie Janalee was arching her neck and reaching over Pawpaw so she could see who was talking and all the graduates coming in.  She watched them all march in...like such a big girl.

We eventually spotted "Buck", and followed him around the floor to his seat.  Once all the graduates were seated, we listened to the key note speaker, and then the diplomas were presented.  The key note speech is when I broke out the Cheez-its!  Ha!  Millie Janalee is really such a good sport!

Dustin walking to his seat

Dustin walking on stage to receive his diploma

We are so proud of Dustin for his perseverance and dedication.  And graduating with honors is just the icing on the cake!  Now the job search begins.  His PTA class is very close since it is a small class.  He is one of three boys, which I thought was fun.  They have done so many fun things the past two years, and the stories he comes home with will make you roll on the floor laughing most times.

Dustin's class

During their last rotation, one of his classmates has been living with him.  We have all gotten to know Jordan over time.  He visits our tailgates at State a good bit, and I've almost gotten him trained to actually wear the school colors on gameday!  Ha!  We have enjoyed getting to know him, and I'm pretty sure these guys have many more shenanigans to come!

Ummm...no diplomas

Great friends

We finally managed to coax him into some family photos after all his friends gathered, laughed, and took a few group pictures.

Sheila and Dustin

Daddy, Mama, and Dustin

Me, Millie Janalee, and Uncie "Buck"

In case you don't know what it's like to be the oldest of three, let me give you a glimpse.  Dustin was in sixth grade (I think) when I left for college.  I cried the day I called home and he answered with a lower voice - his voice had changed while I was away.  He was just a kid when I left home.  So to me...he's always my "baby brother."

Now as a mother, I look at people in a different way.  I look at them to see how their life will affect Millie Janalee's.  And I've gotta say that I couldn't be prouder of the man he's grown up to be.  I'm proud to have someone so incredibly fun, affectionate, compassionate, deep-thinking, honest, and loyal for her to look up to.  I think she will always find that Uncie "Buck" is way more fun that I am.

But isn't that the way it's supposed to be??

She's looking up to Uncie "Buck".  Lord help us!  Ha!

We ended our day with supper at Mount Fuji hibachi grill.  They even brought out the cake with a candle and the gong to help us celebrate!

Congratulations Dustin!  We love you and are so proud!