Faith's One Year Pictures

Here are a couple sneak peaks of Faith's one year picture proofs. She's quite the ham and loves the camera!

I cannot believe she is such a big girl already.  We can't wait to take Elliana to meet the photographer! 

Photos were taken by and are the property of Leer Photography 

http://www.leerphotography.com/

Embassy Submission!

Just received email from Case Worker that we were successfully submitted to the Embassy today!  YAY!  It will most likely be 2 - 3 weeks before we hear back from the Embassy.

Praising God today (and every day)  for His works!
Thank you to everyone, as well, for your prayers.

More later . . .

Praying for Miracles

We found out today that our Embassy Passport & Physicals are complete (yay!)  BUT, the hospital/clinic that completed the physicals has not yet released their 'confirmation papers' for the physicals.  Those papers are needed in order for our Agency to submit us to the Embassy tomorrow.  The Monday "work-day" is already over in Ethiopia, so in order for us to be submitted to the Embassy tomorrow, our Agency must receive the confirmation papers from the clinic, package them together with our other documents, and take to the Embassy (all on Tuesday)! Otherwise, we will have to wait to be submitted until NEXT TUESDAY.  

Unfortunately, it is completely out of our hands, and our Agency's hands -- but completely in God's hands.

Please pray for all of our soon-to-be travelling families -- that our paperwork is delivered tomorrow to the Embassy so that we can all be on our way to bringing home our babies!  Miracles happen every day -- praying tomorrow is our day for a miracle!

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV 1984)

No Embassy Submission this Week

We found out late last week that the Embassy submission date we were hoping for on Valentine's Day isn't going to be possible.  Ellie's passport has not yet been received.  It took me a good day to get over that disappointment.  We want so much for Ellie to be home with us and each week that passes by without her here is hard.  It's hard knowing that you have a daughter that is not here.  There's things we want to do, but I do not feel right doing them (as a family) without her.  So, we will continue to wait.


We are praying that we can get submitted to the Embassy next week. 


In the meantime, we've been busy preparing for Elliana's arrival (in between birthday parties, of course!).


Here are a few pictures of what we've been up to :) 


Canvas pieces for the girls' room -- One for each :)  Ellie's has her name in Amharic.  I think they both turned out wonderful!  We ordered them from Canvas Heart. She does an awesome job and will put anything you want on the prints.  For Ellie, we put Jeremiah 29:11 and for Faith we put  Psalm 139:14.

We are excited to hang them in their room.  We also put their names above their cribs.  These are removable decals that we had personalized. Very easy to put up, and I think they turned out great too, except Faith's is a little bigger because her name is longer... but they still look OK.  Oh, and as you can see, we have crib #2 up and ready and waiting.  Can you see Ellie's framed puzzle above her crib?  (don't worry -- it's out of her reach for now and it's in a acrylic frame with plexiglass)  

Faithlynn -- Our Little Miracle

Elliana -- Our Blessing From Above

We also were able to purchase a double-stroller, thanks to my awesome co-workers.  Faith is all ready.  Now all we need is "Sissy!"

Please continue to pray for Embassy submission next week.  Then, it could maybe be 2 or 3 weeks until we hear back!  Please pray for wisdom for the Embassy Officials reviewing our case as well.  

Happy Birthday Faith!

Miss Faithlynn was One Year Old on Friday!  Wow, time flies when you are having fun!

Hospital Picture (February 11, 2011)

Faith has been such a blessing to our family full of boys.  We often catch ourselves wondering what life was like without her.  She is a funny and smart girl who is always entertaining us.  She absolutely adores her big brothers, and I think the feelings are mutual!  

Here a a few fun little facts about our little Faithlynn Grace:

• She is quite the girly-girl and surprises us daily on how much she ‘knows how to be a girl.’  
• Anything that resembles a scarf is quickly tossed around her neck and off she goes!  (I kid you not!!).  
• She also loves to carry anything with a handle over her arm like a purse.  
• She is very quick to give a cute little smile (or even a kiss) if she knows she’s doing something she’s not supposed to do! 
• She loves all animals and will give an “ahhhhlll” if she sees a cat, dog, bird, etc.  If she sees a horse, she will rock back in forth, because she thinks all horses are 'rocking horses!'  
• Unfortunately, she's learned how to take her shirt off, and will do so often to see what is on the front.  This is especially true if she has a kitty or birdie on the front of her shirt!  
• She is usually quite the social butterfly and is very loud! 
• Has recently started dancing in front of the TV when music comes on -- so cute~

She quickly mastered the art of walking at around 10 ½ months and is now in to running and climbing.  She has grown so quickly; it's almost sad.  She didn't stay a baby very long.

She will be such a big help and blessing when we bring Ellie home.  Although I’m anticipating some adjustment time between the two of them, I’m sure they will complement each other very well.  I pray that Faith’s outgoing personality will help ease Elliana into our busy life here at the Baxter house!  I imagine they each will have plenty of things to teach one another.  

Even though I wondered what in the world God was up to 19 months ago when I found out I was pregnant, I am totally in awe of  how He can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Eph 3:20).  Remember – the day our pregnancy was confirmed was the same day Elliana was born!  (July 23, 2010).  

No one other than our Creator could have orchestrated that! 

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!  

Sitting on my new stool!

Silly Dylan

Yummy Sugar!

Sugar & Present Overload

Pretty Kitty Hat! 

Strike-A-Pose

Loving my balloons

Kissing my dolly

Telling the boys I want a serious picture -- and this is what I get!
Ha! They crack me up sometimes! 

Happy Birthday Miss Faith! 

Teenagers & Toddlers

Dylan's Heisman Trophy Pose at 3 months old

Today, Dylan officially joins the ranks as a TEENAGER!  I have no idea where 13 years have gone.  It just seems like yesterday he was born – looking like a little baby Elvis with his sideburns and all!

Dylan continues to amaze us with his compassionate heart for others. His report card is plastered with comments from all of his teachers saying, "is a pleasure to have in class" or "courteous to others" . . . That's our Dylan for sure!  

I would have loved to show you more pictures of Dylan's Birthday celebration, but taking a decent picture of a teenager has proven to be difficult, unless you want ones with eye-rolls, tongues stuck out and rabbit ears!  One day I may just post those 'precious' pictures!  

As soon as Ellie comes home, we will officially have 2 teenagers and 2 toddlers... hence the name of this blog title.  I may just need to change the name of our blog!  

Daddy & Dylan

Dylan's Shoulder Buddy

Birthday Pancakes!  Courtesy of  Daddy!! 

Thanks for being YOU, buddy!  Happy Birthday.

  

Birth Certificate Received!

Yay!  Just a quick update!  We just found out that Elliana's Birth Certificate has been received, and the picture on her Birth Certificate is so darn cute!  The good news (and neat thing) is that all of us that traveled together for court are on the same schedule.  From what I understand, ALL of our children's BCs were received today!

Unfortunately, however, we will not be able to be submitted to the Embassy next week (February 7th) because Elliana will still need her passport and Embassy physical.  They are aiming for Embassy submission for February 14th (a perfect V-day gift).  {as a side-note -- our Agency can only submit Embassy documents on Tuesdays}.

So, please continue to pray for all of the families  -- that our children's physicals and passports come quickly so that we can be submitted by  February 14th.  That could POSSIBLY mean travel by the beginning of March, if all goes well.

We were hoping to have Elliana home by the end of February, but hopefully it will be soon after that!

Soon Baby... soon!