Mexico, here we come!

Back in January when we booked our trip to the Mexican Riviera via Royal Caribbean (the nation of Why Not) for our 10 year anniversary it seemed like it was so far away. Now we are only 3 days away! Our plane leaves Sunday morning at 9am to Los Angeles and then we set sail that evening at 5pm. 7 nights away! Wow! We haven't been on a vacation that has been just the two of us since our honeymoon.

When we decided to move forward with the adoption it was shortly after we had booked our vacation and I asked Brandon if he thought we should cancel so that we could take that money we had spent on the vacation and put it toward the adoption. That was met with a resounding, "NO!" He said that we definitely needed to go on this trip because we probably wouldn't have another chance for a long time. He's probably right about not being able to get away for a very long time after this so I'm glad we didn't cancel.

Speaking of the adoption I think the kids are still very confused as to when our little brother will come home. The talks about going on a plane to Addis and then the talks about going on a plane to L.A. is too much. Nolan asked today if we were bringing our little brother home on Sunday. I wish!

Pictures to come when we return home. Adios, amigos!

The desires of our hearts

Brandon, the kids and I, all went to an adoption seminar last night. It was great! It was basically an informational meeting about adoption but there were other families there that shared their stories of how they came to the decision to adopt, where they adopted from, and their experiences.

One of the dads shared that he and his wife were unable to have biological children but that God had not forsaken them, that He had given them the desires of their hearts, through adoption. This dad shared something that has stayed with me these past 24 hours and that is that God does indeed give us the desires of our hearts and, in fact, manifests those desires within us. How undeniably true this is! I have dreamt of our lives when our children are grown and gone and home from college and we're a bustling family, full of loud laughter and love. Even when I thought we were done having children after Madelyn and Nolan I couldn't help but thinking how fun it would be to have more children, to be bursting at the seams. Now I see this as reality and not just my dream.

God does give us the desires of our hearts and will point us in the direction He wants us to go, if we only stop and listen and then, obey.