Puzzle picture

Here is a picture that we are using for the puzzle.

Elana Trinity Carson

Got an e-mail from Elana's birth mom. She had an ultrasound last week and Elana is 2 lbs. Dr. was concerned because baby is extremely small. She will follow up again in 2 weeks and then another ultrasound in 4 weeks. There may be a possibility that they would want to deliver early if they feel the placenta is not dong its job. Nothing for sure yet but they wanted her to know it was a possibility. She has an Echo in 2 weeks and they didn't mention anything about her heart at the Ultrasound so hopefully that is good news. Can't wait to see the ultrasound pictures

We decided to let the birth parents pick Elana's middle name because I know they love her too and I wanted them to feel apart of the name picking too. The picked Trinity for her middle name.

Talked with our social worker the other day cause I was so concerned that we would not get everything completed in time. Well we have the Home study next week and it will only be 2 visits and we have traing May 13-14th only 10hrs and not 32 like I had thought previously so things are working out. We have raised around $2,000 so far. We applied for a grant over the weekend so hopefully that will come through for us.

Lord, teach me to be patient w/life, w/people & w/myself. I sometimes try to hurry things along too much, & I push for answers before the time is right. Teach me to trust Your sense of timing rather than my own & to surrender my will to Your greater & wiser plan. Help me let life unfold slowly and let me wait for all to unfold in its ...own time. Teach me to slow down enough to appreciate life & all it holds."
Amen.

getting there

By adopting a child and helping them reach their potential, they help us reach ours. An adopted child is not an unwanted child; to the contrary. They are a child who was searched for, prayed for, cried for, begged for; received by arms that ached, making empty hearts full. Love is meant to be shared." Author unknown

Elana we are fighting for you!

We got the fire inspection completed, finger printing, almost all of our paper work done, Home study scheduled for April 5th, Trainings scheduled for May 13-14th (babysitters set up) all we need is the money. Applied for grants today and praying they will come through for us.

Emma (5yrs) keeps asking me when Elana is gonna come out of her mommy's belly =) They are so excited and so are we. We bought the 3 girls matching dresses today!

Worries

I am getting mentally and physically tired. This adoption is constantly on my mind. I feel like I eat, sleep and breath this adoption. There is SO much to do and so little time to do it in. I am trying to constantly find ways to raise this money.

We have 11 weeks left to raise $7,000, complete 32 hours of training, which is like every weekend in May (that will be fun trying to find babysitters), and complete a homestudy which I think those can take forever. I am so scared that we wont get this done in time and we wont be able to take Elana home with us. We have a fire Inspection tomorrow, and still need to get finger printed.

So now that all my fears and anxieties are out in the open I am saying Lord this is your burden. I am no longer going to take it or worry about it. You will provide for us. Elana will come home to us when the time is perfect.

World Down Syndrome day!

Happy World Down Syndrome Day! I love you Brianna, Ella, Elana, Alissa, and Noah (team B.E.E.A.N.)!!!!!

God is providing

God is so good, He's so good to us! We received 3 donations this weekend that totally blew us away. They equalled $1500. Which brings our total to $1650 raised so far. We were beyond excited and were able to send in half of our homestudy money so that we can get that started. God WILL provide if we just trust in him. I cannot wait for the day that I get to testify what my God has done for us! And I cant wait to see how many lives He will touch through our story and through Elana's life.

I have a FB friend who gave me a great idea to fundraise $ and to also have a great memory of our adoption journey. We are going to make Elana's Ultrasound picture into a puzzle. Sell each puzzle piece for $10 and write that persons name on the back of the piece. When we sell every piece we will put the puzzle together and frame it. What a great memory! I will begin work on that tomorrow.