Joshua's Early 9th Birthday

Ok the first thing I have to say is... You might be a redneck if....Your 9 year old son insists on a birthday cake with a deer on it! Not just because they are cute....enough said! My husband's hobbies are now being adopted by our children! How will I survive:0)
So we will be in China on Joshua's birthday, unfortunately for him. So we had an early celebration here at our house. He was actually quite excited to get his presents early, and is hoping Grandma will have a celebration for him while we are away.

As I said in an earlier post this boy can not be in front of a camera without being silly:) That being said, I sure love the young man my Joshy J. Washer's is turning into. He has a heart of gold, he is respectful, fun loving, always willing to serve, full of energy and that boy can tell you animal facts that you could never possibly know about:)

Howard and I feel so blessed to be Joshua's parents! And we look forward to see what God will do in his life! Happy Early 9th Birthday Joshy!

So 4 more sleeps until China! Maybe I should rephrase that.... 4 more sleepless nights:0) I think I will be hauling out the Melatonin tonight. I am not nervous per say, just really excited! We have so many lovely friends and family members calling and emailing us, letting us know that they will be thinking and praying for our family! And I just want to say a great big huge THANK YOU! We feel so blessed to have so many wonderful people in our lives that truly care for us! Tomorrow will be the house cleaning marathon, then Tuesday my Aunt fly's in to help look after our kids, Wednesday my Mom gets here, and then bright and early (5AM) Thursday we are gone!!!

Sometimes it blows my mind that God knew Howard and I would be travelling to China during this exact time; to adopt Addison into our family! I know that adoption doesn't start with a beautiful story....it starts with a loss, Addison lost her birth mother, a decision I am sure was not an easy one for Addie's Mom. A heartbreaking decision indeed. I can not even imagine what her birth mother would have been thinking as she was leaving her newborn daughter at the gates of the city, sorrow I am sure. I believe as a Christ follower we have been called to look after the orphans of this world. I believe we are all given choices. I don't think God intended for Addison to be orphaned, however a choice was made....and instead of allowing that decision to harm her, HE would use that decision for good. Howard and I also made a decision, a decision to take a step in faith and adopt a little girl from China. That choice lead us to Addison, and our heavenly Father knew we would be here at this exact time, welcoming a beautiful little girl, we will call daughter into our lives! I don't believe everyone is called to adopt. However I do believe we have been called to look after that less fortunate, and that can look different for everyone. I hope as you follow our family to China that you will be encouraged and inspired to do whatever it is you are being called to do!

Psalm 139:13-16 (The Message)

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;

you formed me in my mother's womb.

I thank you, High God - you are breathtaking!

Body and soul, I am marvelously made!

I worship in adoration- what a creation!

You know me inside and out,

you know every bone in my body;

You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,

how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, You watched me grow from conception to birth;

all the stages of my life were spread out before you, the days of my life all prepared,

before I even lived one day.