I hope this post finds you all well. And I trust you all had a great Thanksgiving. My family had the pleasure of spending the week with my sister from Illinois. I truly was blessed by our time together. I so wished she lived closer to us.

We decided not to submit our paperwork to the Ukraine government for an appointment for this year, as the girls will not be eligible for adoption until the end of January, or the first part of February. It was sad to see the holidays come and know the girls will not be here, but I am clinging to the fact that they WILL be here next year. I went yesterday, bought a pink Christmas tree, and decorated it. I have set it up in their room. It looks so cute! We have made some progress in their room, too. It is now painted, and the new ceiling is in, the hardwood floors are done. All we have left is the crown molding and baseboards. Then, it will be time to load in. Yeah!! I went on black Friday and bought a desk for them. It will be so pretty when it is finished. I cannot wait for them to come and see it.

My youngest son got up and went shopping with me on black Friday. We had a good time together. We spent about NINE hours shopping, and then his friends called and asked him to meet them at the mall. For a kid who hates shopping he had a very long day in the stores! I got the rest of my shopping done. Yeah!

When I was at the gym this morning I was watching the TV show Reba. I was listening to the theme song and it made me think about how hard it is for TWO parents to raise kids these days, and that show is about a single parent. I am not sure how they find the time to do everything and pay for everything the kids need and want. Then, to think about the girls’ grandma, at her age, trying to raise two young girls terrifies me. So many questions and so few answers. I just want what is best for them. If God says that it is for them to stay there and someday go to live with their grandma, then I will have to come to grips with that. It will not be easy, but we must move on; and God will show us who is to be "our girls".

Our oldest son is still set on moving to Minnesota in January. I have mixed emotions on the subject. I am trying to be happy for him, but it is hard to see him go so far away. I wish he were staying nearby so he could get to know the girls. I am also worried about the fact that he has no idea how to drive in the snow. In addition, I wish he was going and had a job to start as soon as he gets there. Plus, he does not even own winter clothes! But he is 26 years old; and he will make it. It is hard to be a mom. I can't even comprehend how God must feel with all of us down here not doing what He desires for each of us to do.

I got a Christmas letter from a friend today who started out talking about a Christmas remembered. How she believed in Santa, but when she went to school her friends were telling her there was no Santa. When she turned 13 she informed her parents that she no longer believed. Her mother told her that was fine, then there would no longer be presents under the tree that day; and she woke up on Christmas morning to no gifts. Her mother told her they had no money to buy anything except a blue chenille housecoat. It was not at all what the girl wanted, but her mother told her about Jesus, and that He is the greatest gift of all. He was born to be our Savior and that as long as she placed her faith in Him she would go to heaven to spend eternity with Him and her loved ones. She went on to say that was one of the best gifts she had ever received.

Well, I will close for now. Remember to share your faith everyday with someone. He is the reason for the season.

Lynn