Happy Birthday Eric!!!

This weekend was AMAZING! Thanks to some fantastic friends and family - they had an Adoption/Birthday party for Eric! The party was on Eric's actual 14th birthday.  We wish he could have been here to celebrate with us, but... let's just say that next year's birthday party will be HUGE!!! 

As usual... I'll tell you about the day through pictures: 

Eric's birthday cake! 

3 of my bridesmaids... still besties!! They drove from Huntsville & Nashville to come and celebrate Eric with us! They are the absolute best!!! The other 4 bridesmaids were greatly missed - one is in Africa, one has a 2-week-old boy, and 2 are in Texas. They all sent sweet messages... I just love them. 

I'm 14 months (and years) pregnant! Paperwork pregnant that is. 

Look at all this food!!! This was just one table! There was a ton.  We didn't know how many people to expect. We sent out invitations BUT it was a football Saturday... and kind of a unique idea - having a party for someone who isn't here yet. 

BUT... as we have been MULTIPLE times throughout this adoption process... AMAZED US! 

I honestly don't know how many people came. The house was PACKED... you literally couldn't walk! So many people love Eric (and us)... and don't even know him yet. It was so humbling.  I looked at Jacob at one point and said... "I'm so overwhelmed."  I couldn't let myself really think about all that was happening because I would have broke down in tears. Thank you for coming and loving our son! 

My sweet niece JoJo. 

JoJo helped me blow out Eric's candles.  So sweet. She kept asking where Eric was and then would answer herself, "Oh... he'll be here in a minute."  

Later we were watching the Auburn game... miracle @ Jordan-Hare... and we went NUTS when that touchdown happened. Jojo did NOT understand what was going on, but she looked at her mom and asked, "Oh, is Eric coming soon?" :)

Eric got SO much stuff!! It was incredible - clothes, gift cards, sports stuff, games, and so much more!! Sooooooo blessed! Eric has no idea how much he is loved! 

 And these... 

These are "Labor Socks." Created by some of my besties and me. They are to be worn at every birth/adoption. They have already been work by Lindsey Jo for Isaac Henry and Grant's arrival.  Now... they will be worn in Belize on our Gotcha Day!!! I can't wait to wear these socks and write Eric's name on them!!! (Don't worry... they've been washed!!!) 

 And the amazing hostesses decided to get Eric an iPad!!! He is going to be in heaven!!!! This boy is going to be overwhelmed he's not going to know what to do! 

The hostesses - Ms. Linda, Mom, Mom-in-law, Ms. Julie, Katy, and Ashley (sis-in-law)

So blessed by and thankful for these ladies!!! THANK YOU!! 

Mom and 2 of her sisters!! So glad they got to come! 

Me and my bestie, Em

Me and Mom, Eric's Grann. 

So blessed by this lady - for hosting the party, for working so hard to get things ready for our transition, and just being the best mom/Grann ever!! 

Such a fantastic weekend!!! Can't even explain how amazing it was!! 

Thanks to everyone! 

There are times...

Hi y'all. A few thoughts.

There are times...

your momma sends you a gem of a picture... 4 generations... of great mommas (hoping I'm a great momma... I have some pretty great women to copy).

you have a really great clogging class that you are gonna miss so you give each of them an award... because they all rock! Aren't they presh? :) 

you realize how great your man is. he loves spending time with me. he would rather have fun with me than the house be clean. he likes my cooking (shocker). he knows me. he encourages me. he likes that I'm crazy. he says he even likes my corniness. he sits with me at baseball games... even when I scream like a teenager. he teaches me. he is super cute. he is a keeper... 

you need to take off work at go to a Braves baseball game and be silly with your man! 

you are super thankful for 2 college students who have truly made life better! Love these crazy love birds! 

when there's a group of seniors who are graduating and you know you will really miss them.

your dogs make you smile... even when you don't feel like smiling. So photogenic...

when it's okay to cry. Throughout this adoption process... I wanted to be 'okay' and I didn't wanna be emotional. i see all these adoption families and how super happy they are all the time... and I thought I needed to be like them. But... sometimes... the adoption process IS NOT FUN! Sometimes it's good to cry and to weep while I'm waiting. I KNOW it will be worth it. I KNOW He is FAITHFUL. I KNOW He is GOOD. I KNOW His timing is perfect. I KNOW His promises.  BUT... that doesn't mean I can't cry or hurt... because I can. I can cry for my kiddos and wish they were here. I can be super joyful thinking about when they do get here. I can always praise God for the amazing ways He is providing... IT IS TRULY amazing! But... I can cry and I can be 'not okay' sometimes.  I believe God weeps with me... and that is a good thought.

I AM okay. I trust my God... He is trustworthy. Sometimes a momma just has to cry! :)

So if you are waiting or hurting... IT'S OKAY TO CRY! We don't have to be happy plastic people all the time. It my emotional week, I have been so encouraged by my mom, my hubby, my friends, church family, and co-workers. There are times when us encouraging people NEED to be encouraged... JUST TAKE IT! Stop being stubborn... just cry... you'll feel better. And then remember...

N.E.W.S. - Eric & 'Ziggy'

N.E.W.S.

Fun things have been happening lately! 

So much fun things I'm having a difficult time keeping my eyes open... I'm pooped.  No rest for the weary.  As I always say... I'll sleep when I'm dead! YOLO! haha! 

Anywho...

First... my momma's birthday was this week!!! :) She's 29... again.  I'm catching up to her... but it's all good! She's wonderful! Anyone who knows her... knows that. She loves the Lord and everyone she meets... especially children.  She makes friends in every restaurant we eat at! 

Thankful for my momma.

NEXT UP...

This is my Valentine! :) Surprise surprise.

But... WE ARE GOING ON A DATE!!!! Isn't that so dandy! 

To japanese food and the movies tonight! 

I am one excited girl! 

I do have to admit I am NOT a good Valentine this year. I didn't get a single thing for him... and he knows it! How awful. These past 2 weeks have been so crazy busy... I haven't had time to even go to Walmart! I don't even have milk and cereal... and I LIVE on milk and cereal! So... he'll just have to accept my love as his gift! Lucky guy, huh? 

I did get him Chick-fil-a this morning though. That counts for something, right?

NEXT HEADLINE... drum roll please....

WE HAVE BEEN APPROVED TO ADOPT TWO (2) CHILDREN FROM BELIZE!!!! 

AHHH!!! I know... more craziness! I am so excited! But think about it... why would you go through ALL this paperwork, raise ALL this money, know you will adopt more in the future... and just get one child when you can bring TWO into the Morgan fam!!!!! Well, after praying and just living on faith... we filled out paperwork to get 2 and... that's what is gonna happen! We received official approval just recently! Eric Forever, our heart and reason for adopting from Belize, will be a big brother. 

Funny - So, I was tired of talking with our friends/fam about the potential 2 boys (yes, we want another boy... we think) and calling them "Eric and... the other..." So, I told Jacob we needed to come up with a nickname/love name for the 2nd one.  He had just got done watching the Grammy's and some guy named Ziggy Marley had performed.  So, in true Jacob fashion and in his love for music... he came up with a name... and we will be adopting Eric and 'Ziggy.'  HAHA!! Poor kid... he will be so confused when everyone he meets around here calls him Ziggy! But... at least it's a cool name. 

So... PLEASE be praying for us as God prepares us to parent, not only ONE... but TWO! 

COMIC RELIEF? 

I think not.  This is not a funny cartoon to me... it hit me right between the eyes! Ready?

I think this is so true. Jesus does not care about big names or how many follows people have on Twitter... He looks at the heart.  I'm sure his favorite singer is a lady in a little village.... a lady who understands trusting in Him and falling in love with Him and clinging to Him like I can't even imagine. 

So many times I get caught up with 'being someone.' For someone to like my teaching, my writing, my thoughts, my ideas. I want to be noticed... and perhaps asked to speak or teach somewhere. THAT IS NOT THE POINT. The point is to LOVE Him. To do it all for His glory. With a right heart. To love and teach and invest in and laugh with and cherish whoever is in front of us.  To sing and worship and study and dive in and learn and share and BE... FOR Him... not us. 

Just thought it might strike a cord with someone else out there. It wasn't funny to me. Not funny...

things i love

I have been a busy lady lately... not much time for blogging.  LOTS of clocks and LOTS of time with people - both are great things. I do wonder what we would do with all that time if we weren't clock-ing.

Lately... life is good. Busy and good. Challenging and good. I have been learning lots about how nothing but Jesus is good in me. Really... nothing. I have selfish and bitter so often... never just letting myself be satisfied by Him. It's a great thing He loves me greatly and wants to change me.

But here are some things my heart has SO enjoyed...

Black Friday shopping with mom and Margie... and Olive Garden 

NSYNC - the BEST Christmas CD EVER!!! 

Connection Thanksgiving meal! 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE how Jesus knows how to encourage me. When I am feeling down and want to quit, He sends over 60 people to a Connection meal. Sigh... I just love Jesus. And I love these people. 

Decking the Halls 

When we decorate... we get to read our guest book from our wedding!! Love that people signed the ornaments for us! Reading them just makes me even more thankful for my man, our family, wedding day, and Christmas!  

Now... this group of people is so special. 

The ROPE College group. 

A community. Prayer Warriors. laughers. jokesters. Lovers of Jesus. Encouragers. Missionaries. 

I have never ever ever seen church done like it's done with these people.  So bless I get to be a part of it. Although I get discouraged at times with things... there is never a week I DON'T look forward to college time! I love these people... and all their quirks! 

So thankful Jacob and I are invited into their crap... their craziness... their joys... and their journeys! 

They like to make fun of me... I apparently do this hand thing when I recite the SHIELD OF FAITH each week!! haha! 

My lesson for the week: 

Maybe you are feeling discouraged like I have been... wanting to just back down at times. 

Well... READ THIS PICTURE!! 

Do you remember why you started it? When were you passionate about the Lord? About His people? About His purpose? What do you LOVE to do? Where do you need to focus?

GET BACK THERE!!!! Don't forget what He's done! Don't forget why you started! Don't forget He is faithful! Don't forget He has called you to a purpose! Don't forget He is in the miracle business!!! 

P.S. I am not talking about giving up on adoption! I am so overwhelmed with all God is doing through it! Can't WAIT to have Eric here!!!! 

beyond blessed

This morning, I am still in awe and overwhelmed at all that happened yesterday for the cause of our adoption! It was an amazing day! It really was.

I headed up to Birmingham for a yard sale hosted at my mom and in-laws' church, The Community Church, in Springville, AL. The pastor (formerly my youth pastor) and his wife are all about adoption and wanted to support ours in some way... so they came up with the yard sale idea. They worked tirelessly on Friday to get everything set up... my mom was POOPED by the time I got there Friday night. But, it was set and ready to go for Saturday morning! Looks at all the stuff:

And the pastor's kids wanted to help too, so they cam equipped in their Halloween costumes ready to welcome people in

Probably one of the funniest things I've ever seen.  Who wouldn't stop for that? Or least slow down enough to almost wreck????? HAHA!

So, God is so good! 

In just 5 hours,  7:00-12:00, we raised over $1,000!!!!

I am blown away and so thankful! No words can express how much appreciation we have for The Community Church, our parents, and all who helped with the yard sale yesterday! :) AWESOME! 

So, While I was in Birmingham raking in the dollars for selling stuff, Jacob was in Troy for a work day with the amazing people from Hepzibah Baptist Church. They have taken on the cause of adoption as the responsibility of the body of Christ, and are supporting us as we work to get Eric home.  They so graciously partnered with us in building some clocks and devoted a WHOLE day to building them with us.  Most of these people are strangers... just wanting to serve the Lord and help a little boy get home!!!! So amazing... so humbling! Look at these people work!

Jacob sent me these pictures while I was working at the yard sale... I had to fight back tears! Complete strangers... serving the Lord and serving us. WOW! 

So when I get home I went straight to the barn to see all they had done! 

They had put together and painted over 115 clocks!!! 

That is so great! 

 Again, we are having an EXTREMELY hard time saying how thankful we are... our hearts are just filled to the brim with joy and gratitude! I hope God just blesses all of you in CRAZY ways like you have blessed us.

Just in awe...

LET'S BRING ERIC HOME!