Anna Belle's Story Part 1

Anna Belle was born on January 21, 2008 and I believe her birth weight was 5lb 6 oz. Her birth mom (BM), Dekotha, had kept the pregnancy a secret in hopes that it would be easier to place her for adoption without family and friends trying to convince her otherwise. She did; however, tell the biological father who choose to leave and not play a part.

Dekotha had Anna Belle and left her in the care of the State of LA to be placed for adoption. As it is law a social worker later met with Dekotha to counsel with her to make sure that adoption was indeed what Dekotha wanted to do. At that time Dekotha and her 4 other children were all living in a FEMA trailer. When the counselor met with Dekotha she advised her that Anna Belle should be placed back with her family. Dekotha agreed and the state returned Anna Belle to her. Dekotha named her "Beauty Adream".

When Anna Belle was about six months old her BM tried again to place her for adoption with a lady that lived in their neighborhood. They tried it for about a month or two and when the social worker came to counsel with Dekotha for that adoption it was Dekotha who said it was just not going to work. She said she saw Anna Belle so much it was too hard to not have her with them. It was especially hard on the other kids. So for a second time Anna Belle returned to her birth family. Dekotha said every time she looked at Anna Belle she felt sorry for her and it just made her sad because she was so little and sick with Eczema. AB never laughed or smiled and Dekotha knew she had to do something to help her. She knew AB needed more care than what she was able to offer. In order for another adoption to work she knew she was going to have to use an agency.

Dekotha saved every penny she could for a few weeks until she had enough money to get a phone. Once she got the phone she pulled out a phone book one Saturday and started down the list of agencies calling every one of them. She continued to get Voicemail and she would not leave a message. She said the one that answers I know will be the one. That is when she called Acorn Adoption Agency and spoke to the most wonderful person in the world, Danita our social worker, who was to conduct our home study on the following Tuesday.

To be continued...

too cute

She is Too cute for words!

Anna Belle Faye

Wow what an amazing life change! It is no mistake that the Lord set Anna Belle apart for His purpose and for our family!

Today makes 11 days of having her in our life and words cannot truly express how great it is to hold her in my arms. She is so EXPRESSIVE! So very lovable, observant and tiny. She loves to crawl around and will probably be walking this month. She loves to be held and talked to. The great thing is she hugs and kisses! The kisses are more like licking vs a lip smack ;-) She is very content and enjoys reading books with me. I have attached some pictures from the shower my family and friends had for us. She literally opened presents with me for almost an hour. It was the cutest thing ever! Thank you Brittany for such good pictures!!

**Disclaimer: she was having a bad hair day so please don't judge the fro. Also her little head band was a little too big and continued to fall off.

admiring the quilt Aunt Marcie MADE!!

she loves to sit on her knees it is so cute

playing "peek-a-boo" under the dinning room table

so sweet and serious

Below are some random snap shots:

mommy's first try at pigtails

day 2 she started to smile and laugh with us

That's all for now. I have been at home this whole time and not at work and our Internet is not reliable so I have not been able to get on and post. Hopefully that will change soon.

Major Adoption Update

In a nut shell our lives have turned upside down in the best way possible in a matter of 2 days!!

On wednesday morning (yesterday) we were contacted by a couple we know that recently adopted locally. They were calling to tell us about a 9 month old baby girl that was being placed for adoption and needed a home quickly. Their social worker had called them to see if they knew of anyone who was looking to adopt. Come to find out their social worker is the same lady that we have met with for our homestudy. I will call the social worker D* for now. We immediately called D* and got the details which I cannot go into on the Internet at this time due to confidentiality, but will share more details as soon as I can. Johnathon and I prayed a lot about it. Talked a lot about it. And believe this little baby is an answer to a lot of our prayers. So on Monday November 10th we will get to meet her. Her name will be Anna Belle it means Grace, Favor and Beauty. As we believe through her - God's Grace, God's Favor and His Beauty is being revealed. 

We are in TX right now visiting my sister and just received the phone call tonight that the birth mom did the most courageous selfless act possible and signed the papers to place her baby for adoption.  Please pray for this birth mom because I'm sure she needs the Lord so much right now to comfort her. 

We cannot post pictures right now mainly because we don't have any and because of confidentiality. But don't worry you will see pictures as soon as I can post them! 

We are very excited and cannot wait to meet our baby Belle!

I am going to try and get some sleep now.

More to come

I know it has been a while I plan on updating soon!

Adoption Update

Well there is not much to update just a few logistics.

We got our finger prints back from the FBI! I was told that it could take up to 8 weeks so when we got them back in less than 2 I was shocked. We both had our physicals done. Tomorrow we go to the health department for: Drug, HIV and TB testing. Once the results are in we will send it all off to Bethany and that will complete all the paper work (for now).

Next steps:

• Joint Interview with Bethany Christian Services
• Complete book reading assignment: Dear Birthmother
• Second Group Meeting (TBA) with other couples and BCS facilitator
• Begin working on Profile and Birth Mother Letter

It has been really great talking to friends and family and receiving so much support and encouragement. I didn't realize how impactful it would be to hear all the positive support. It really helps and makes me feel like we are not alone while trying to navigate through some very uncharted waters.

A BIG thank you to everyone for your encouragement and support!!

Thoughts

Proverbs 31:25-27

25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. 26 When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. 27 She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness.

sounds easy enough, but it's not. I have been meditating on these verses everyday -trying to keep them before my eyes and in my heart. Hoping God's grace will instill in me all of the above. I just can't shake these verses...there is just too much to gain from them. Every word in everyone of these verses is just so powerful.

"Clothed with strength and dignity", "laughs without fear..." "...words are wise..." "gives instructions with kindness" "suffers nothing from laziness"

O' how I would love to have victory in all of these areas at the same time! And if/when I do I think I will purchase a cape and a really cool super hero leotard to go with it. Until then I will remain covered in grace and determination.

New schedule

Today:

Alarm: 5:30am
Out of bed: 5:39am
Brew Coffee in the dark, feed cats: 5:42am
Quiet Time: 5:45 - 6:40am
Out of PJ's into running clothes: 6:45am
Stretch/High intensity walk/jog/stretch/Abs: 6:50 - 7:30am
Shower/get ready/straighten house and off to work 8:20am

We will see how tomorrow goes. =)

Oops...

Telephone conversation today between Johnathon and City Water Department:

Johnathon (J): Hello
Water Department (WD): Hello, Mr. Damiens, this is the City Water Department calling concerning this months bill payment we just received in the mail.

J: Ok, My wife pays all the bills, but I can try and help. Is there a problem?
WD: Sir, your wife mailed us yall's church tithe check for payment.

Paying bills can be a little stressful sometimes...what can I say. =)

Gustav part 2

I was in the middle of posting the following information while at the office on Monday. We stayed at the office for the storm and had a really good time. (The projector in the conference room made a really good theatre.)
While I was waiting for my pictures to upload our power went out and the back up generator kicked on. We decided to unplug our network server (giving me access to the Internet) so that the generator would not surge the system. So the information in blue was my post during the storm.

Well Gustav is upon us. However, we are not getting near the intense weather that LA is getting. It is very windy and there is a lot of rain. We are about 2 miles north of the gulf and staying in the industrial park at our office so we are not experiencing as much wind as if we were closer to the water. Other than a vent cap from one of our industrial AC's blowing off and Johnathon & Dad climbing on the roof to get it there have been no significant events to report on.

Hope you enjoy the pics.



All boarded up. We did not board up the front just the south side and where the big trees are.


Outside the office in the wind and rain.




After the storm was over Johnathon and I took a drive down to the beach hoping not to get caught and take some picture of the surge that was still high. The wind was pretty incredible.

Trying not to fall over.

Sometimes you just have a craving for waffle house. This sail boat is on the Highway. Below is another shot of it.




More like on the seawall.





This sail boat was on a random street.


Chilling on my parents front porch Monday evening enjoying a little bubbly left over from Marcie's wedding. Notice the tree past Johnathon it is now bent to the North. Most trees here look like that now.

Please go Away...

Dear Gustav,

You are really not wanted here. We would appreciate it if you would go away or at least take it down a notch before coming to shore. Like maybe a CAT 1 or CAT 2 at the most. Those kinds of storms are fun. We will actually come out and play with you if you are nice. However, when you start pushing 3 to 5 that is just mean. I would appreciate some consideration.

Yours truly,
Ali

THE CHECK LIST...

THE CHECK LIST:

Paper work Mailed off today (thank you Mia)

$$ Application Fee - Check

Formal Application - Check

Medical exams - scheduled

Financial Statement - Check

Criminal Record Background Investigation Form - Check

Discipline Policy Form - Check

Notice of Privacy Practices Form - Check

Adoption Release and Consent - Check

Proof we are on city water - Check

Copy of Marriage License - Check

Copy of tax return - Check

Copy of birth certificates - Check

FBI fingerprint clearance -got finger printed today at the police station will FedEx to FBI and wait 8-10 weeks for the report.

The next step (I believe) will be a joint interview with J and I with the Agency while we wait for the FBI clearance and begin reading the book: Dear Birthmother which is on order and we should have by Friday.

To be continued...

Here we go

A lot has been taking place in our lives the past few months. We are loving every minute of our busy lives. There is just something so great about being busy with things that matter.

Our involvement with youth group has increased. We have been leading the youth hand-in-hand with our friend Aaron as interim until our new youth pastor takes the helm. We are really enjoying our time with the youth and know that it is exactly where the Lord wants us to minister right now. We have weekly youth group meetings on Sunday night, youth Lead team on Thursday nights where we meet with 6 of the youth who have a desire to lead their peers. We try and spend some quality one-on-one time with at least one person from the youth group at least once a week to build some strong relationships. On top of this Johnathon is leads the worship team on Sunday morning and our youth group worship. Very fun times doing something that matters in the Kingdom of God!

Work is growing us (I know I can speak for Johnathon on this). I love being challenged by work. Although, I don't always embrace it as I should - the challenge is good. It seems like nothing grows my character more than working with my family, friends and co-workers. I know that could be taken in a negative way, but that is not at all how I mean it. There are just so many opportunities to choose integrity, honesty and patience or the contrast, and it is in those moments where I either allow my character to grow or my flesh to celebrate in it's selfishness.
So I am grateful that the Lord is still perfecting and teaching me...what better way to know that your relationship with God is alive!

While in the midst of all this Johnathon and I are taking a leap of faith. After 2 years of trying to have biological children we have decided to pursue adoption. I cannot begin to tell you how very, very, very excited we are! We have talked about it for almost a year and researched it quite a bit but never really decided to go for it -now we are! Our plan is to adopt domestically for our first adoption. We are hoping to adopt a bi-racial baby for several reasons, but mostly because they are the least wanted...which breaks our hearts more than we can express. We our in the process of completing a very lengthy application with an agency called Bethany Christian Services. So far so good. Please be praying for us as we walk down this road. Hopefully I will be able to keep any readers that I might have up to date!

I will leave you with some fun pictures from the Bahamas.

O how I love the Bahamas

More to come...

Trying to remain faithful...to my blog

So in efforts to remain faithful to my blog I'm trying to post more. Whether great or not so great I'm going to post more often.

Reading list:
Do Hard Things: a teenage rebellion against low expectations - by Alex and Bret Harris

Dreaming Big: Energizing yourself and your team with a crystal clear life dream - by Bobb Biehl and Paul Swets

360 degree leader - by John Maxwell

The Giver - by Lois Lowry

So far I'm really into Do Hard Things...it is a great book for all people ministering to youth and is a even better for your youth to read!

To do list

1. Accomplish all important work task before I leave for the women's conference in Atlanta (1 week from today)

2. Go to Barnes and Noble to pick up all the books I ordered and plan on reading while on vacation

3. Pull luggage out of the attic

4. Begin thinking "what do I want to bring with me to the Bahamas?"

5. Prepare to relax and receive from the Lord while at the women's conference. PTL

6. Resist the desire to purchase anything else for vacation until I go to Atlanta where I will shop till I drop *note-to-self bring an empty luggage bag for all the shopping goods.

7. Tell Johnathon how awesome he is because he is the greatest husband ever and I love him very much.

8. Stop making this to do list and go work-out at the gym!!!

Life...

May ended June is already 12 days gone...how does that happen soo fast!?

If you would like to take a look at Marcie's wedding pictures go to David Molnar Weddings The pictures are amazing! Thank you David and Tammy Molnar for being so great!

The weekend after the wedding we had Johnathon's grandparents (Damiens side) surprise 50th anniversary! It was so sweet. They had no clue. Here are the 2 good pics we have...our battery died in the camera. (Hint, hint...Gary or Angie email me some pictures).

Then the next big event was the "Desperation Youth Retreat" we have been planing for months! June 6 -7 it was awesome. The Lord was so faithful throughout the entire retreat and changed the lives of so many youth! Do we have any pictures...nope still a dead battery!

So this is the month of transition in the youth group and church. Nate and Amy (the current youth pastors) are moving to Alabama. Johnathon, myself and Aaron $ are transitioning into the youth leader position. We are sad and excited. Sad that Nate and Amy will be gone...excited because the Lord is stirring and churning a deep desire in our hearts for the Youth of our Church so we know it is the ministry that the Lord is calling us to right now. Although it is an interim position we are ready to be used of the Lord for how ever long this season last!

At the end of this month I will be attending a Women's Conference in Atlanta called "Deeper Still" and I'm really excited!

Then...July 1...will take us to....drum roll please....

What looks like this?Has one of these?

And I get to do this...

...and this...

...all day, every day!

!!!!THE BAHAMAS!!!!

Johnathon, Myself and his parents are going to the Bahamas...ahhh I can't wait! I plan on charging my camera battery for that!

They did it!!

Marcie and Dad



The newlyweds!

Ok so these pictures were ripped off of one of the Baker girl's facebook...thank you. ;-)

Marcie's wedding was very fun and the whole day, although busy was surprisingly peaceful and calm. Marcie was the coolest, calmest bride I have ever seen. On top of the fact she was drop dead gorgeous.

I have lots of fun things to post for the month of May and will soon.

April: come and gone

Already a month has come and gone and it seems like I just got the hang of dating everything April.

It's been a good month. Starting with yard work to get our flower beds looking nice. Unfortunately I have not taken a finished product picture. And yes I am wearing pearls while working in the yard...that's how I roll.

April has also brought with it the desire to work out and get in shape for the summer. I bought a workout book called something like "sexy bikini body in 6 weeks" it has a disclaimer in the beginning that states "the following workouts are designed for women who are already in moderately good condition physically and workout regularly". I Quickly learned that "in moderately good condition" does not define me. I'm thinking "sexy bikini body in 16 weeks" September here I come!

The first weekend in April all of us girls went out to Texas for Marcie's bridal shower that Zach's family had for her.

We had a great time. Zach's family really knows how to make you feel welcome and like part of the family. Zach was nice enough to let us take over his house and he kicked himself out to go stay with his parents while we were in. I would like to say that we left his house better than when we got there but that would just be a lie. After one trip to the emergency room (Audri had a terrible allergic reaction to something), baby poop in the carpet and me literally frying the electrical in his bathroom with my hair dryer then rearranging his living room into a temporary hair and make up counter- it's safe to say he will probably think twice before inviting all of us to stay again.

What a trooper...thanks Zach...btw did you ever get the bathroom electrical fixed?? If you had to hire an electrician you should send me the bill!

And finally no blog is complete without a picture of precious Darcy!!

5 years

On March 22 Johnathon and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary. I can honestly say the last 5 years have been wonderful.

Over dinner, at one of our favorite restaurant's, we asked each other which one of the 5 years was our favorite. We both had the same answer - this past year.

I don't know what it is, but somehow, someway we just "clicked". I think we have arrived at a place where we truly and honestly value the other person more than ourselves including the times when we want to prove our own point and disprove the other's.
Now what about the other 4 years...well, they were amazing also. I believe that throughout our entire marriage we have desired and strive to put the other first, and 90% of the time I think we succeeded. This past year it seems like we weren't even trying as if we just put the other first through an overflow of love, devotion, trust and certainly the grace of God.

In my understanding the more I have focused on the Lord as an individual, the more natural of a response it has become to put Johnathon first...and that same concept is very evident in his life towards me.

So on top of going out to dinner and a concert to celebrate we also scored big by getting a tee time at The Fallen Oak golf course. (Thank you Gary P.)

A little deeper

What words, phrases, or images are surrounding you on a daily basis?

I've been thinking a lot about what I surround myself with or what I "consume" in my mind and heart. I am challenging myself to really focus on what goes in the "temple". I was already thinking about this concept and had the last straw last weekend when I voluntarily watch a movie in its entirety that I should have never even rented. Johnathon and I both felt the same way. We looked at each other and pulled one of these: "why didn't we just turn it off?"
We both knew it was crude within the first 10 minutes and I had to fast forward through about 1/3 of the movie...so again "why didn't we just turn it off?"

A kick in the butt is sometimes just what I need to pursue more godliness ;-)

So what words, phrases or images are surrounding me NOW?

Scriptures I read through out the day that I have taped on my computer:

"Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you." - Matthew 7:7

"Glory in His Holy Name; let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad."
- Psalm 105:3

A quote I read today that is pressing on my mind:

"You will never leave where you are, until you decide where you'd rather be."
- Lewis Dunnington

Of course I must throw in my fortune cookie fortunes I have taped to my computer that I see everyday:

"Desire, like the atom, is explosive with creative force."
(what am I desiring today? is it righteous? is it selfish?)

"You are the master of every situation."
(this is by far the biggest joke. i think it is very funny that people actually believe we could be master of anything)

Wisdom Teeth, Baby Darcy, Jello and Drugs

I had all four of my wisdom teeth surgically removed Friday. I would be doing fine if it were not for my top right side...it is extremely painful.

I was able to recover from surgery at the Neyland household. Darcy helped me a lot. We bonded while I was healing. We slept on the couch together and at times of wakefulness we stared at each other...neither one of us really had much to say.
I think everyone was a little nervous that I might drop her because I was pretty doped up on pain killers. Nonetheless I prevailed.

So I'm eating a lot of jello and soft cold things although not very filling it feels good.

I am a little out of it because of the Hydrocodone...I will explain with a story:

Early Sunday morning around 4am I was in a lot of pain so I decided to take a whole pain pill rather than half like I had been. Around 7am when I was feeling my best Johnathon got up to get ready for church and says to me..."hey I'm getting up, but if you need anything just yell for me" after he left the room I had remembered I needed something so I started shouting in a groggy, drugged tone "mom...mom..." It took me a little while...then I realized Johnathon indeed was not my mother and when he came back to the room I apologized for calling him mom.
He has been quite amused with all of this.

Words to live by...

...From NBC's The Office: season 3

Michael: "Dwight, what was the most inspiring, life changing thing I have ever said to you?"

Dwight: "'Don't be an Idiot'...It changed my life"

Dwight (interview with the camera):

"When I'm thinking about doing something I ask myself- 'would an idiot do this'- and if the answer is- 'yes' - then I don't do that thing."

Simple, yet life changing.

The Official Long over due photo update

**Disclaimer: at the time I published this the spell check was not working.**

Disney 2007:

First family vacation we have ever taken...if you don't count the last one - which was when I was 4 years old.

Here is the Happy couple celebrating their 30th anniversary!

We look really good in 3D

O' how we ate and ate and ate...and then we would have lunch then eat and eat and eat some more then we would go to dinner. Its a good thing Disney is so big because we had a lot of calories to burn.


And when we weren't walking and had to wait in line...we did what every other normal person would do...excersize!

Very Excited to see Mickey
Yes, Corey thinks he is pregnant too...
We had morning devotional as a family!


HAPPY NEW YEAR! My friend Angela from Teen Mania came over for New Years. We shot fireworks. Well really I just watched.

This is how Lulu celebrates New Years...by selling her honor for a drink and smoke...poor Lulu I think she will learn soon enough that those things don't get you very far...

Happy Birthday Corey! He was a New Year baby. He was very excited about what Mom and I bought him.

Then it was my Birthday January 6th. Johnathon cooked and invited some friend and family over. It was fun.

Kyle is looking very angelic...how special

Aaron is busting out a dance move

Lulu is not too impressed with the party...I guess because there was no drinking...

Johnathon bought me a really cool outfit for my bday and took me out to one of my favorite restraunts for sushi!

Well that's it. I hope you have enjoyed the update!