12 Days of Christmas :: My Calling

DAY 2 :: I am grateful for my calling and community.

I love my job at Newsong Church. I love who I get to work with. It's not a job so much as a calling, a place where I can bring my best and my worst. It's a place where my gifts are celebrated and explored and challenged. It's a place where I've grown considerably over the past 6+ years. It's a place I believe in so deeply because it's not just about who's "in", but it's more about who's "outside". It's a place the cares in word and action about the poor, widows, orphans, homeless, and the next generation. It's a place that embraces discomfort and pain and those who are different from you.

Today I am grateful that this place that I LOVE, also loves me as a pastor AND as a mom. I'm so grateful for the practical and generous ways they are gifting me with time away from my responsibilities in order to start off being a great mom. I'm grateful that the culture is one that values kids and will work with me to be an equally awesome pastor and mom. Indescribably grateful...

12 Days of Christmas :: Advent

Since today marks 12 days until we leave to get Judah and Addise, I decided [at 11pm...that's just how I'm working these days] that I'm going to post something I'm grateful for every day. It will serve as a countdown to getting our babies and a summary to the past 22 months of our adoption process.

Day 1 :: I am grateful for Advent.

Advent means "coming" or "arrival". It also implies waiting for the arrival and coming of the Messiah. This year, I'm grateful that our time to become parents has arrived. Two years ago this week we were mourning the news of another failed IUI treatment. We wondered if we would ever have a child. Christmas was more about Advent, about waiting, than it was about Christmas celebrations. We anticipated a Christmas where we could simply celebrate and not wait, not long for a baby's arrival, and anticipate healing.

This is that Christmas. We are filled with joy and celebration. And it has been worth the wait. I am grateful for the waiting because it has changed the way I celebrate, the way I cry, the way I understand others, the way I work, the way I rest. I am grateful for Advent, especially when Christmas is harder to celebrate.

Judah and Addise New Digs

I know you've waited for pics of Judah and Addise's room, so here ya go along with some commentary so you know how special this room really is.

Comment #1 :: This room has laid dormant and barren for over 2 1/2 years since my brother and his wife moved out. It's been at times a daily reminder of the babies that yet to fill that space. It's also been a great workout room! We'll miss that. :)

This is a head on view to the heart of the room.

Comment #2 :: While we were in Ethiopia, our dear friends Tony and Erin did an extreme makeover to our formally army-green empty space. They were over until late one night 2 nights before we left on our first trip. Brian and I were still deciding colors and fabrics and Tony and Erin helped work their magic. We trust their design skills implicitly and they know our style, so it was the BIGGEST GIFT IMAGINABLE to have them own the re-design!!! A slew of Newsong family came over to help transform the space while we were loving on our babies.

Comment #3 :: Tony free-hand painted the animals on the wall. His daughter painted the letters in their names.

Comment #4 :: You may notice how many books we've accumulated already. Brian and I are major readers and can't wait to read them stories. These books are predominantly classics, adoption-focused children's books, Biblical narratives, and Ethiopian stories. My mom's already decided that for every special event, she's purchasing her grandchildren a book and signing a note in it. Lovely.

Comment #5 :: You may notice on the top shelf of the cubby on the right is a book my sister-in-law made for us called "Welcome to the Family Judah and Addise". Included in this book are pictures and letters/prayers from both sides of my extended family for Judah and Addise. Needless to say, it's a most prized gift. I SOBBED as I read every word from my precious, long-distance family.

Comment #6 :: This is the view of the room from the doorway. My mom and Grandma Getz bought us the glider to enable bonding with our kids at all hours of the day or night. The woodland bird curtains were tediously sewn by my friend, Christina, who is terrified of birds. She used every square inch of fabric I ordered! One of the blankets over the glider is from my friend, Dana, from New Zealand.

Comment #7 :: The crib was purchased by a number of Newsong friends, and the dresser was purchased predominantly by another adoptive family. The African stockings were given to us last Christmas by Brian's mom. The piggy bank was painted by Erin for a donation shower she helped throw for us in June 2009! The canvas corkboard was designed by Shannon and included a beautiful touch of their pictures and initials! [NOTE: the dumbbells will be in the room until the last possible minute]

Comment #8 :: The lion over Judah's bed is a beautiful illustration of the meaning behind his name. The Acacia tree in the corner is one of my favorite images of Africa. Judah's duvet cover was sewn by Shannon!! Judah AND Addise's mattresses were given to us by Doris.

Comment #9 :: A view into the massive, double-mirrored closet. A "stranger" from another church gave us 2 more cubbies that fit perfectly into our odd closet. It makes storage efficient and attractive. We also have hundreds and hundreds of diapers and wipes. That should last us until...

Welcome to Judah and Addise's room. We hope they love it, not just because it's BEAUTIFUL but because it's been formed by countless hands who've prayed them home and loved them since before they even became "Diaz's".