Thank you!

I just want to take some time to thank everyone for the outpouring of congratulations, love, and support today as we officially adopted Maddex and Ella into our family. (though they have been our kids since they came to live with us) We are truly grateful for all of our family and friends who came out to support us and for those that posted or liked our tweets, and Facebook posts. We love you all!

We had so many people at court today that they held the proceedings in the bigger courtroom. The kids loved it. They were running around playing with everyone before and somewhat during the proceedings. Everything went great and there were plenty of hugs and laughter to go around. Then everything took a turn to a bit of panic. Ella and Taylor were playing around and Ella was kind of running around the area where the carpet and wood met and turned the corner a little fast and slipped and fell, cutting her chin. Needless to say the mood changed rather quickly. Grandma Wanda scooped her up and brought her to me and we then quickly made plans for a couple of the kids and it was off to the hospital for what would be 4 stitches. (poor Ella and Nicole spent almost 3 hours in the ER) Here is a photo of Ella sleeping this evening after getting her 4 stitches.

Thanks to Lyss and Mom Daniels for taking Aggie and Gwen and Wendy for taking Maddex during all the excitement.

So now that they are officially ours we can post photos of them online. I know some of you may have already seen some, since some of my sisters have posted pics already let me now introduce everyone to my entire family.

Front row (l to r) Aggie (10), Gwendalynn (8), Logan (11)

Back row (l to r) Taylor (15), Nicole (not going to tell you), Ella (1), Maddex (3), Me (old)

"Our children are not ours because they share our genes, or because a piece of paper says they are. They are ours because they are a part of our soul. It was not an accident that they came into our lives. It was God's design that led them home. It was Him who placed them in our soul even before they were born."

Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is only a day away!

Tomorrow is going to be an awesome day!

Tomorrow, February 3, 2014, my two little ones finally get their forever family!

Tomorrow afternoon my family will officially adopt Maddex and Ella into our family. They have been with us for about 16 months and we could not imagine life without them. They complete our family. They make 8. This has been a long journey filled with ups and downs, blessings and tribulations. Many sleepless nights, stressful situations, and more importantly special memories have filled these past 16 months. Looking back I think about a February day in 2009 when we adopted Aggie and Gwendalynn. What a great day that was and I expect tomorrow to be just as great. I just hope I don't cry as much as I did back then.

Tomorrow is going to be extra special too. My brother-in-law and his wife will be with us in the courtroom because they are adopting the two older siblings of our Maddex and Ella. These 4 children who, through no fault of their own, were faced with so much uncertainty and doubt, will finally have the finality that they need and deserve.

Any of you that have been regular readers of my blog will recognize the following quote. I penned this quote back in the fall when thinking about the things that we have gone through as a family and myself, personally through our years doing foster care and our eventual adoption of what will now be 4 kids. It really sums up my view and adoption and the responsibility that I was given from my heavenly father.

"Our children are not ours because they share our genes, or because a piece of paper says they are. They are ours because they are a part of our soul. It was not an accident that they came into our lives. It was God's design that led them home. It was Him who placed them in our soul even before they were born."