NUMBER FOUR!!!

We just found out that we are number four on the list for Ethiopia. For a child. A little boy. To join our family.

Oh. My. GOODNESS!.

  Well, we found that out this weekend, but our homestudy update wasn't done, so I wasn't as enthused.  Nothing could move forward until that was done. But yesterday our homestudy update was finished...and I feel like we are wheels down, ready to go...

And I am PUMPED.  

Brandon and I are so hopeful for what is to come.  God already knows the sweet boy that will be a part of our family.  

It really hasn't felt real. It has all been so hypothetical. Not tangible.

But now it feels so much more real.

Soon we will have a picture to look at when we pray.

A picture to kiss goodnight.

:) 

I just can't WAIT.

In other news...Christmas is coming FAST and I have been thinking a lot about how I will present Christmas and Santa to my kids in the future.  Obviously this year, it's not an issue.  Finn likes to grunt and kick his legs...other than that, not much is happening at the moment.  ;)

Sweet Finn...he is so much fun. And he smiles all the time now.  But it's hard to catch on camera. When the flash goes off, he freezes!

But I read this post, from this girl...and I just related to it so much.  How am I going to flip a switch when my kids are 8 or 10 years old and tell them to stop being so selfish and wanting gifts if we allow it to be about that when they are little?!  

In case you don't want to read all of it, here is a snippet of some of my favorite:

What if a bunch of us pulled out of the system? What if we said something very radical and un-American, like: "Our family is going to celebrate Jesus this year in a manner worthy of a humble Savior who was born to two poor teenagers in a barn and yet still managed to rescue humanity."

I'm going to throw out some ideas for what I hope is a more meaningful Christmas; you may take some and leave some. Good reader, you may take none. Maybe you'll tweak an idea to fit your family. You might say, "For the love of Baby Jesus! She's ruining everything! We'll try one little thing this year, ok?! And then we'll quit reading her blog." 

THen there is this:

gift-giving policy for each kid: Something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read. That's it. (This year we are adding something to give, and I'll talk about that in a minute.) Brandon and I don't buy for each other, and we draw names with our extended families, so each adult only buys one gift. 

AWESOME.  LOVE IT. 

Hope you read it.

I couldn't say it better.

I am not there yet...but my heart lately has just been hurting for those in need.

So...how do I meet those needs?

Without driving around and looking for homeless guys?  

Allow my kids to GIVE TO OTHERS for Christmas. Especially giving to the needy.

LOVE THIS IDEA.

Love that I am reading it before my kids are older.  I already got rid of a bunch of my santa stuff this year. Not sure why, I just felt the push to do it, so I did.

I'm not against him...but is he really what I want my kids focused on?

Why would my kids want Jesus when they have Santa?

Heck, I am tempted to just "partially" buy into this.

But I really do think that this is where my heart is moving.

A christmas focused on those two teenagers that birthed the savior of the world...

in a little, nasty manger.

So many years ago.

There were three gifts that year, from three wise men.

Anyway...This is my soapbox for today.

On another note, we are going to Atlanta to the Pediatric Urologist on Tuesday.  Apparently sweet Finn could have an issue with that kidney...we are going to do a more intensive look...

Please pray for that.

Also, I have a sweet friend who is dealing with some serious health concerns. My heart HURTS for her. I can't sleep thinking about it.  She has two sweet babies. She is having surgery next week.  I am so nervous, but knowing and beliving that God is good...but I am terrified and nervous...for her heart, her family, etc.  Please join me in praying for her.  

I'm asking you to pray for a lot. Sorry. But maybe it just begins the whole process of taking the focus off of ourselves.