What a Wonderful World...

Hi, everyone!

I'm sitting here during a quiet moment in the day. My parents drove to Atlanta last night to help us, and I finally got some much needed rest. Thanks, Mom! So, now that I'm thinking somewhat clearly, I finally have a little time to post an update! To bring you up to speed, the above pictures were taken last Friday when we brought Ava "home away from home" from the hospital. After all of the craziness of waiting all summer for details on the baby's progress, Sabrina's health, the call to drive to Atlanta for the delivery, the delivery itself, navigating through the legal logistics, and flurry of activity and visits at the hospitl, suddenly, Ben and I found ourselves alone in the parking lot putting Ava in her car seat! We both just looked at each other in amazement! Here we were with a baby! I will say that our hearts are still trying to process the weight of this, and our emotions are just under the surface as we walk through the next few days.

Today marks day four in the ten day waiting process. Sabrina and Josh have 10 days by GA law to change their minds. Ben and I are aware of this, but we're not letting it rob us of our joy. We're just living moment to moment and enjoying this time with Ava and loving her.

The 10 day waiting period is separate from how long we are required to be in GA. Our time is GA is dependent on our paperwork clearing the GA interstate adoption council and then the TN interstate adoption council. We are told this could take 8-10 days. There's a slim possibility that we'll be coming home this weekend! I'll let everyone know for sure later this week!!

Ben had to return to work yesterday in Tennessee, but he'll be back on Thursday or Friday night to be with us. We really miss Daddy!

Here are a few highlights from our adventures the last four days.

* Just hanging out in the delivery room talking to Sabrina and Josh before Ava was born. This was such sweet time together that I'll never forget.

*The moment Sabrina handed Ava to me, and the moment that Josh handed Ava to Ben. We got pictures of those moments, but out of respect for Sabrina and Josh, we've chosen not to post those pictures.

* Getting an arm band as an adoptive mom to visit Ava in the nursery after she was born and watching Karen, the nurse, clean her up for her first day in the world.

* Sitting for hours on end in the lactation room holding Ava and wondering at how this happened to us in God's perfect timing.

* Josh giving us a guardian angel bear he bought for Ava to have right after she was born.

* Being in the room with Sabrina and Josh when they signed the papers to give Ava to us.

* Taking Ava to her first pediatrician appointment yesterday morning. I won't tell that I was well supplied with formula and burp cloths but that I forgot diapers and wipes! Yes, she did have a poopy diaper when we got there, so we had to use paper towels! I think that was the night I got 1 or 2 hours of sleep! I had to laugh.

* Reading the letter today that Sabrina wrote to us over the weekend after Ava was born.

* Going out to eat (yes, I took her out to eat after four days!) to Franks, here in Tyrone. Great lasagna!

* Spending time with James and Beth Milhollin and Madeleine and Britt Bishop last Friday night as they were in Atlanta waiting to board a plane the next morning for Guatemala! It was Roberto's first birthday on Sunday. He is the little boy Beth and James are adopting from Guatemala. Pictures of them with him are a few posts back.

*Waking up to see our dear friends, Kristie and Eric Arendale in our bedroom on Saturday morning! They drove four hours to visit with us and prayed over Ava before they left.

*Ava's first bath today with my Mom helping.

I have lots of other pictures of some of these moments, but I need to upload them hopefully sometime today.

We know that there are many people praying for us, and can I just tell you that we can feel it!!

HOPE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT! May God have the glory for this entire journey! He did this- I can see his fingerprints in this as we've walked this surprise adoption road this summer. Thank you, God. That just doesn't seem like enough. Father, you know my heart of hearts.

I'll post again soon hopefully with more pictures! We're on our way home soon!