The Fanning Four

For the longest time, Bethany has been calling me "daddy". She calls both Tom and I "daddy". It's funny, annoying, cute, quirky. But yesterday and today I've been hearing my sweet little one call me "momma". Has she finally figured it out? I hope so- I love hearing "momma"!!

Tonight, China will release a new list of adoptable children and our adoption agency will pray about and match children with families. New families will be formed tonight! Not us quite yet but we still pray for the discernment of the adoption team that is making those decisions and the parents that have to make the decision to accept the referral. Prayers to them tonight!

I feel like I'm pregnant....... Except I have no heartburn, no trouble sleeping, no swollen feet, no waddle in my walk. What I'm feeling isn't physical but I feel the same emotionally as I did with Bethany. I remember thinking how weird it was to love someone I hadn't even met. How could I already love her so much? How could I care about her already? Well, I feel that way about my son. Based on our timeline calculations (which I fully realize could be totally wrong), there's a VERY strong possiblity that our son is already alive and living his life in China. Like the Bible says, I try not to boast about tomorrow, thinking I know where I will go or what will happen. But let's just pretend it all works out..... Then our son exists. And do you know that I feel fiercely protective of him even though I have no control over what happens to him right now? If I could, I would jump on a plane right now and scoop him up and bring him home with me. Cause right now he...

The next three months, phewwweeee, they exhaust me just to think about them. But it's a good exhaustion. A fun exhaustion! Here's what's going on: It's a busy busy time for Tom at work- but we're still running together in the mornings, training for a faster 5k! We're still waiting to hear about a house. If it goes our way, we'll be moving in two months! We are in the midst of major Nicaragua trip planning. Tom will be going in late July, early August as the team leader. I am the administrative planner for the trip. I am working a Chrysalis retreat next weekend. I have a few seminary friends coming to visit in a few weeks! Yahooo!!! We will be making a trip to Lakeland to see friends and family in early July and will attend a wedding while there. Some of my former youth which I now call friends will be visiting us in July. We have tons of birthdays and holidays to celebrate! Bethany will turn 2! 2, can you believe it?!?! We will finish up our adopt...

I definitely think I love my mom even more now that I'm a mom. Thanks mom for everything you've done for me!!! You're the best!! Thanks Bethany for 21 months of laughter, hugs, kisses, and fun! Thanks to my son for persevering in a tough situation. Even though we don't know each other yet, I love you and care about you. I wish we could be together today but we will be one day soon! Thanks to my husband for helping me be the best mom I can be. And to Jean who raised a wonderful man and is a wonderful Nana to Bethy.