Items for Sale

We are selling some things to make room for the new baby. Here is what is available:

Office Chair - $35


Trundle Bed with Matresses - $130

Metal bed frame and rolling trundle that fits underneath. Both are twin beds.



trishacoy {at} hotmail {dot} com if able to pick up soon!

Travel is Booked

In a little over 2 weeks we will be traveling to Dubai, and then on to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. We are staying 3 nights in Dubai and then through Nairobi to Addis. Wow. What an adventure we are in for. Lee is in charge of travel gear and activities, although I have plenty of input to give to him.

I was talking with a dear friend while in Target and just aimlessly roaming the aisles. It feels like the more there is to do, the less I can get my mind and body to do. I get paralyzed. Thank goodness my mom and dad are coming in soon to help us get organized!

Travel Dates!!

We just received an email confirming our embassy appointment and travel dates!

We have to be in Ethiopia July 17! LaVaughn here we come!

Court Approved!!!!!!

LaVaughn is officially ours! We just got notice that we will be traveling with a group of 8 Holt adoptive families. We're unsure about the dates yet but hope it will be in early August, or even sooner!

This is really the step I have been waiting for to get excited. Now I'm excited!!!!!!!

We could seriously be traveling in less than 8 weeks. I feel the need to nest, and organize, and prepare!

Today's Court Date

Today was our court date. Unfortunately we didn't get past. None of the families with Holt did. Bummer but we hope to have another shot at the courts hearing our case next week. I guess they didn't have all the necessary paperwork today. We'll know more Monday.

Just got back from the beach and had a fantastic time! Can't wait to share pictures.

Night Conversations

Some of the best conversations between James and I are at night, just before going to bed...

James: Mom, when will I be my baby sister's daddy?

Me: You won't ever be your baby sister's daddy but sometime you will get married and then have a baby of your own with your wife.

James: But will I ever come back?

Me: Well what do you mean? Of course you will. You will live close to mommy.

James: But when people get married they kiss their wife?

Me: Yes, and that will be nice.

James: But I don't want to ever kiss anyone but you (with a sniffle in the dark).

Me: (Big hugs) You don't ever, ever have to kiss anyone else at all. In fact you don't even have to get married.

James: I just want to be with you.


Sigh... Big bubble moment.

Dear LaVaughn,

We are sending a little something to LaVaughn. Something meaningful but that she could touch and feel. I wanted to send pictures. So I thought of sending her a fabric book. I purchased paper you can print on from JoAnn's and sewed the photos into a book after bordering them. On the cover is a picture of her.









With it, we will include a letter to her:

Dear LaVaughn –

Only a couple months until we come to visit you and bring you home. We will be your forever family. Although we will have just met you, you have lived in our hearts forever. You are meant to be with us, and us with you.

Your big brother James will also come to pick you up. He is overjoyed at having a baby sister, already making you presents and planning that you will have “a pink bike” so you can ride together in the park. He does want you to know that he will always be older than you though. With that I’m sure he will protect you and take you under his wing.

We can’t wait to hold you and see what different expressions you have, how you move, your laugh. At 6 months old, you will be full of character, and we are anxious to really know you. We want to give you kisses and hugs and hold you real tight. Half a world away, you await us, not knowing what is in store for you. Nor do we know what’s in store for us. God chooses our families and we are blessed to have you in ours.

Soon enough we will be there, half a world away, with you in our arms, forever a family.

With more love than you can imagine,
Mom and Dad

Court Date!!!!

We have our court date for June 19!

There are 10 other families with the same court date with our agency. There is a chance that they will not get through all cases on this date but this allows for some room because we will (most likely) travel in August!!!!!!!

Please pray for us that we will pass court on June 19.

Order Up!

James has been asking some very though provoking things about his baby sister, letting me know that he is thinking it over and trying to put all the pieces together. He asked me what his baby sister's birth mom looked like. How's that for keying in on appropriate words and comprehension of the process?

Yesterday James asked me when he would get a baby brother. I said well maybe someday mommy might get pregnant and have a baby in my tummy. "Will they be twins?" he asked. I said, "No, that would mean two babies in my tummy at the same time". He says, in all seriousness..... "Well can't we just order 2?"

Loving the Babysitter

We have a new weekly night-time babysitter for James. He loves her. Not just loves, but talks-about-her -and-asks-how-many-days-until-she-comes-again loves.

This morning, James woke up and said, "Mom, whatcha thinking about?"

me: boot camp. What are you thinking about?

him: Liz.

Yep, it's love. No surprise here. She's fantastic, gentle, young, long hair, and she brought him Backyardigans Color by Numbers last night which he enthusiastically showed me how to do this morning.

She's fabulous.

Updated info on Etame

We received 3 reports on Etame yesterday in the mail, plus one on email. She seems to be doing well. She did have pink eye at one point and some of the writing we couldn't read. It was hand written. Mostly updates on her immunizations, but one comment said that she was "calm and content and responded lovingly to her nannies".

I really enjoy to hear the updates as it makes me feel more that she really is somewhere, real, and waiting for us. I think it must be harder for Lee. He came up to me last night while I was on my computer and in his matter-of-fact way says, "You know, this having to wait after we receive her referral is tough. I think we should be able to just go and get her". I hear you. I gave him a big hug and realized that she is most definitely already his daughter.

Soon. Soon we will come get you Etame.