700 Days, 1000 tears, 1 million prayers, 1 heart

In 700 days, I bet I have shed over 1000 tears and prayed what has seemed to be 1 million prayer and still have 1 heart so in love with a faceless Vietnam baby. The one thing I have learned in 700 days is that I can control nothing, God can fix everything, and that shedding tears is okay. This has been by far a simple, carefree journey. However, in this journey, my life has been uplifted and made richer by all the friends I have met along the way. There have been plenty of days of desperation coupled with days of hope and faith. I have never had to depend on God solely for one particular thing. He is the only one that will bring this journey full circle. He takes me to such a deep and desperate place that I have to shed all my bravery and become very vulnerable in order to see the blessings He continues to pour out on me until the day of the ultimate blessing: The day I become a mommy. I always take refuge in knowing that when I am stripped down to nothing, God is usually up to something!

I really feel like this process is starting to turn around and good things will be happening soon. Another CHI family has recieved travel approval and will FINALLY be going to get sweet Eli man next week. This family has waited for what seems like forever. I am over the moon for them. Her blog is private on Journey to Me, but once again if you want to offer your congratulations do so here and I will make sure she gets them. I am not sure what orphanage Eli is in, but leave a comment if you are waiting to travel and what orphanage your child is in and she may be able to take some pictures for you. Her name is Allison. Yay! Allison, I am so excited for you guys! Go and hug your son! I know he wants you guys right now! Hurry up and pack those bags, You're leaving on a jet plane!!!!!

Please continue to be in prayer for my other friend Lauren as they are waiting endlessly on their travel approval for River. How much heartache is one momma supposed to take?

In a recent post, I asked for ideas on how to make this 700 days post interesting. A few of you asked how Dwayne and I met. Well, I love telling this story. I was 25 at the time and he was 30 years old. I was working nights at Walmart and for an advertising clearing house by day. I normally worked in the Health and Beauty department, but was trained to be a back up cashier. This particular Thursday night, I wasn't even supposed to work, and the girl from my dept called in and I had to go work for her. There was also a shortage of cashiers, so as usual I got called to the front to help check. Well, here came this 6 ft 3 in man through my line with 2 fifty pound bags of dogfood and a huge box of Tide detergent. When he wrote his check (yes, this was before debit cards!) I noticed his address. It was in a town not from from mine. I mentioned which town I lived in, as I was writing down his information and made very small talk. I finished the sale and he was on his way. He was with some friends that night. A few days later I was setting up the suntan lotion display when the assistant manager that was helping me looked at me and said " It's you he was talking about!" I said who? It turned out that she lived down the street from Dwayne and he had driven up to her house to ask about the cashier named Melanie. She told him that we did not have a cashier named Melanie. He told her that he was positive that was the name on my nametag. He had even driven over to my town to try to find me! Like how was he going to find me? I wasn't going to just offer my address out to some stranger. He could have been a serial killer, although, I don't think many serial killers buy 100 pounds of dogfood and a family size box of Tide! Then, I guess it just hit her that it was me he was talking about. She asked me if I remembered checking him out (like ringing up his sale, silly, not "checking him out!) I told her that I did remember. She asked me if I minded giving him my phone number. I said okay and the rest is history. I often ask Dwayne what he thinks would have happened if he had not come into the store that night or if I had not had to come in for someone else. I guess we will never know, but that is okay because I LOVE my hubby. He is the best! 15 years later, we are still going strong! I hope I did not bore you with this story, but that was the way it happened.

I can't tell all of you how much you have meant to me over the past 700 days. Most of you I have only known a short period of time, but every day you have been in my life, my life has been made that much richer. So many of you uplift and encourage me when the wait ahead of you I am sure seems endless. I thank you so much for that. This is a network that I cannot live without! My best buds, ( too many to name, but you know who you are because you email me quite often! ) I could not make it without you guys. We still have a long road ahead of us even if our referrals comes in a few months. So don't go anywhere because I am sure I will need you!

I am SOOOOO ready to go on vacation. This is the first one in 15 years and the first one Dwayne and I have gone on together. We are leaving on Monday morning and coming back on Friday. I can't wait! The reservations have been made, the bags are getting packed and I am sittin' on ready. I am sure I will be checking in as I am so addicted to blogging and my bloggy buddies. I am taking the laptop so the vet can email my pictures of my babies each day. This will be the first time they have stayed anywhere away from home. So everyone have a great holiday weekend and I am sure I will be posting from Branson, but if I don't, it is because we are having too much fun and I would be too exhausted to type. But I will promise a nice long post when we get home. The distraction is going to be great. Maybe we will come home to some good news. Our agency is reporting that they are expecting some new referrals soon, hopefully it will be 9 baby infant girls! hehehehehehehehe!