Happy Birthday Gran!

We love you!!! And miss you!!!

Finally!

No, we haven't been matched with our baby girl. I have been dealing with the USCIS office in Memphis for almost a year trying to update our I-600A immigration form so we will have all our paperwork ready when they match us with a baby in China. It has been so frustrating. You can't call them. They won't communicate with your social worker. All you can do is email and hope they respond. It took almost a year to finally get enough info from them to find out what they wanted. I have been angry, sad, angry, frustrated, angry, unsure, angry, oh, and did I mention ANGRY! We the letter finally came and they approved us for another 18 months! I now realize that if they had approved us a year ago then we would be starting this process over in another six months. But they approved us on the date they got everything they needed. This means we're good for another 18 months. In the end this may work out to our advantage but it was not easy waiting and wondering. I just pray that we will get our little girl before the letter expires again. It's in God's hands. I shouldn't worry about it.

This is why we keep trying even after almost 3 years of waiting.

Wholly Surrendered

Yesterday was one of those days when you go to church and it seems like the message and music was just for you. The praise band sang:

Jeremy Riddle - Sweetly Broken
From the album Sweetly Broken

To the cross I look, to the cross I cling
Of its suffering I do drink
Of its work I do sing

For on it my Savior both bruised and crushed
Showed that God is love
And God is just

Chorus:
At the cross You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees, and I am
Lost for words, so lost in love,
I'm sweetly broken, wholly surrendered

What a priceless gift, undeserved life
Have I been given
Through Christ crucified

You've called me out of death
You've called me into life
And I was under Your wrath
Now through the cross I'm reconciled

Chorus:

In awe of the cross I must confess
How wondrous Your redeeming love and
How great is Your faithfulness

I am amazed at how when I lose my focus, Christ will "draw me gently to my knees." I long to be "wholly surrendered."

Cate loves t.v.

I really don't know if she can hear anything around her when that thing is on. If I turn it off she'll have this dazed look like she just came back from a another world.

Ahsoka Tano

Here's the latest clothes pin Star Wars character. This is Cate's new favorite. Ahsoka Tano from the Clone Wars. Each night Cate tucks her in next to her bed on the night stand. Then after Cate goes to sleep I sneak in and move her. Cate thinks daddy's doing it. Hee hee.

Is this dedication or is he just plain crazy?

Wes is going running in 20 degree weather.



He does look cute though, huh?

Robert Payne Thompson (11/11/1915 - 01/11/2009)

This past Sunday Wesley's granddaddy went to be with the Lord. He will be missed by so many who love him. His funeral was so sweet. Everyone kept remembering fun stories from their childhood. Like the time Robert took Joe and Billy to cut a Christmas tree and when they got their they realized that they didn't bring a saw. Robert whittled the tree down with his pocket knife. He was a good daddy and husband to Katie Mae. He was a daddy of 2, granddaddy to 7 and great-granddaddy to 13. We was born, raised, lived, died and was buried in Lewisburg, TN. At the visitation as everyone was leaving, Reed stopped and waved and said bye-bye great-granddaddy. We look forward to the day when we will meet again.

I hope you'll be seeing "less" of me in the future.

On January 1, Wes and the kids and I sat down together and came up with some goals for 2009. It was cute. Cate wants to learn to read, tie her shoes and ride bike without training wheels. Reed wants to learn to write and read and ride his bike. One of my goals was to lose 20 lbs. I had lost 30 at one point but about half of it has found me again. I am tracking my weight loss with a ticker. I will try to update it every Monday. If I slip feel free to call me on it. I need accountability.

Lightsaber Fight to the Death

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!

I'll Play with the Lightsaber on Friday

Reed pretends that everything is a lightsaber... markers, sticks, yarn, forks...anything and everything. Today he had a sales flier rolled up and he said, "Can this be a lightsaber?"

I said, "We gave you a lightsaber for Christmas. Why don't you ever play with that? It's what you wanted the most." (It's really cool. It's spring loaded, lights up and makes sounds.)

He said, "Well, I played with it on Friday. Is it Friday now?"

Videoing Cousins Unaware

Pullup Boys vs. Underwear Gang

Things you learn from older cousins:

Thompson Christmas at our house

We were short a few family members this year at our Christmas gathering. Those who couldn't be here were really missed. We love you guys. I won't give details but please keep one in your prayers and let him know you are thinking about him.

When the Texas Thompson's arrived they didn't even come in the house before they hit the trampoline. The backyard was suddenly full of activity and excitement.



The cousins sure do have fun together.