Clothes, Hair Bows & Shoes, Oh My!

Hi all,

I hope your weekend has been as beautiful as ours.

No doubt about it, 

I could cheerfully keep these sunny 60's until May!

So here's what's on my mind...

This afternoon I was pondering the idea that 

God knows exactly when I need a pick me up

AND

how generous He is to choreograph the perfect one.

This week was one of those times.

It's so easy for me to get bogged down 

by all the paperwork that has come to define 

this phase in our adoption.

I put on my big girl panties and 

jump through the hoops, one at a time.

I try to focus on bringing Emily Margaret home.

Following Karla's phone call 

our week has been filled with prayers,

physicals and another police station visit.

Needless to say I was needing a little pick me up.

That's when He did it,

God prompted my friends to cheer me up,

without even knowing it! 

First Allison called,

she was going through some clothes 

and wondered if I could come by.

Ugh, yes!

I was there within 10 minutes of her call.

Look at all the adorable clothes she loaded me up with. 

Emily Margaret, 

I think your first Summer wardrobe is secured...

or it's at least off to a good start. ;>

Speaking of Emily Margaret,

I got started telling Andy about how cute 

she's going to look in this outfit while we're at the beach.

Well, I just couldn't wait to try it on her.

So, I did the next best thing.

Isn't this outfit adorable?!

I enjoyed digging through the clothes for a couple of days

AND THEN,

He did it again.

Jennifer texted saying she was dropping off 

a package for Emily Margaret in my mailbox.

I finished up the paperwork I was 

trying not to drown in and then ran to check it out.

All those outfits that just needed some hair bows and shoes?

Here they were!

It's moments like these that God reminds me

I'm following His path.

It might be long, windy and filled with bumps 

but it's certainly filled with celebrations too. :)

God's blessings on your afternoon, Sarah 

New Fingerprinting Process

Hi all!
Wanted to let you know I just got off the phone with Karla our social worker.
It seems that the fingerprinting system is being revamped.
They want to go ahead and get us under the new system.
So I'm not sure what that means,
I should receive an email later today to explain the process.

Here were my (obvious) questions:
1. How will this affect us time wise?
She wants us to get our fingerprints redone asap
because she'd unsure about the new process's time length.
2. Will we be refunded for the $98 already sent in?
Yes, whew good answer! :)

Karla wants to keep us moving forward so that
we'll be eligible for the next Special Needs list that comes out.
To do that we still need to:
1. Finish our medicals (the boys and I are scheduled for Thursday).
2. Complete and send in our financial forms.
3. Get our police clearance letters (I thought we already did that!?!).

So much to do but I'm feeling like the
Little Engine That Could...
I think I can.
I think I can,
I think I can!

God's blessings on your day,
Sarah :D

A Mom's Modo

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.
I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.
I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children.
I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.
I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.
I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."
— Marjorie Pay Hinckley


I just came across this quote and had to share. 
I think it's perfect for all us moms. :)
God's blessings on your day,
Sarah 

Happy Chinese New Year Ya'll

Hey ya'll,

Happy Chinese New Year! :)

Since we'll be introducing

Emily Margaret to our American culture,

we've decided to start incorporating

her Chinese culture as well. 

And why not?

We could always use more holidays to celebrate!

So, to help us learn more about this holiday

we presented the boys with this book,

Happy, Happy Chinese New Year.

Here's what we've learned...
The Chinese New Year celebrates 

the season for planting,

as well as all new beginnings. 
Oooh, I love new beginnings.

Sweep & Dust-

Part of getting ready for the Chinese New Year

is making sure your home is neat and clean 

before the new year arrives.
Sweep out the old and bring in the New Year!

How awesome is that, a holiday that recognizes cleaning?! 

Make A Fresh Start-

Wash your hair,

get a new haircut.

Buy some new clothes.

Pay the debts that you owe and collect what is owed to you.
Whew, good thing I got my hair done this week!
Now on to those debts... ;>

Cook-

The festivities include a feast.

The foods served have special meaning and are 

symbols of what is wished for in the year to come.
Andy grilled out steak and I made a salad.
Beef stands for strengthening powers.
Lettuce signifies wealth and riches.

Pop! Pop! Pop! -

The firecrackers are lit in front of each house,

and the loud noises scare away the evil spirits.
The boys are gonna LOVE this!

Sweet Gifts -

New Year's Day is the time to share special gifts

while visiting family and friends.
Today we visited with all the grandparents
and gave them their Valentine's. 


Wow, we learned so much.
What a great new holiday tradition!

God's blessings on your Chinese New Year,
Sarah :)

The Name Game

Emily Margaret
Such a beautiful name, or at least we think so.
We've received lots of questions about our name choice.
Being the talkers that we are,
we love explaining how we chose our daughters name.
You see when Andy and I married
we chose a boy name and a girl name.
We obviously used our boy name,
so all these years our girl name just lingered in my dreams.
Then when God placed it on our hearts to adopt
we laughed and said it was good that we
had a name picked out,
because really that was the only way
we were qualified for this adventure.
But hey, as long as a girl's got a name
and a family to love her,
what more does she really need?!

Emily to me is just the sweetest girl name.
I always pictured an adorable dark headed
piggy tail girl in a yellow sun dress.
Note to self: sister needs a yellow sun dress!
Margaret is Andy's mom's name.
Years ago when we talked through family
names searching for a middle name,
Margaret was the perfect fit.
Now when I think of an Emily Margaret
I think of a little Catholic school girl. :)

So, Emily Margaret Hinson it would be.
When we told the boys about our adoption
Joseph was very familiar with the name.
James well, not so much.
He said "That's the worst name I've ever heard!"
I immediately told Andy,
We can't give her the worst name ever,
Maybe we should come up with something else?!
His answer,
NO way...
if we adopt a baby girl then her name
is going to be Emily Margaret.
OK, Emily Margaret it is.
And he likes it as a double name
so we'll call her Emily Margaret.

Whew, what a story. :)
Until last week that was the
extent of the name game...
that's when my baby sister asked me
the meaning of her names.
Umh, idk!?!

Without further ado here it is:
Emily is from Latin origin and means rival; laborious; eager.
Margaret from Greek origin and means pearl.


Not only do we feel like Emily Margaret
has been part of our family forever,
because her name has.
But now that I know the meaning
I think it fits even more.
Bringing her home is laborious
and we sure are eager to meet her,
our sweet little pearl.


Isn't God so cool??
Our story,
combined with the meaning of her name
is just another confirmation that Emily Margaret
is meant to be.
She's been our sweet pearl all along!


Thanks for playing the name game with us.
God's blessings on your weekend, Sarah :)

For The Record

For the record,
the Hinsons are adopting.
Her name will be Emily Margaret,
and yes we will call her Emily Margaret.


She is coming from China.
Wanna know how we're being matched?
The Medical Special Needs List.
Yes, that's right Emily Margaret will have a medical need.
They'll be following her at the International Adoption Clinic in Birmingham.
But for the record,
both of her parents are medically trained professionals.


For the record,
we will be incurring a considerable amount of financial debt.
We hope to continue to receive love offerings,
but we'll be following through with this adoption even without them.


For the record,
in the fall we'll have a high schooler and an elementary schooler.
We realize that we'll be old when Emily Margaret graduates college,
heck we'll be old when she graduates the 6th grade.
With or without her, we're going to get old.


For the record,
God has armed us with some great support.
We'd love it if everyone we know and love 
fell into that support system.
But for the record,
and regardless of the popular vote,
we're in this because this is where we've been called. 
The God of our lives and King of our hearts
has put His plan into motion.
He has made His calling clear to us,
yes, each and every member of the Hinson clan.
And for the record I will add 
that the God that calls you to it,
will walk (and sometimes even carry) you through it.


For the record,
this is not my usual posting style.
I've written this post twice,
I deleted the first copy in hopes that this really didn't need to be said.
But for the record,
it did. 


Thank you to everyone who has 
showered us with love and support 
You have been an absolute blessing.
We cannot wait to bring home 
our sweet angel and share her smile with you!
God's blessings on your afternoon, Sarah :)