Happy Thanksgiving!

I am so thankful for my family and the many blessings God has given me. It has been a great year so far. I am a bit sad all at the same time because we are missing our little Chinese princess Madie. I can't wait until she is home spending the holidays with her family. I am still waiting for something big to happen with the CCAA. I don't know when she will be born and when she will be home, but it will be the perfect time, I am sure of it!

I decorated the house yesterday and today, not quite as many decorations. I am going out of town for a couple of weeks, so I scaled back a bit. I cannot wait to shop on Friday, but I will not shop as long since I have to leave. The rest of this year is going to fly by!

CCAA Update- Dossiers reviewed through February 29,2008.

Update

Well they have sent referrals out for this month. They have now sent referrals out through March 28, 2006. I really was hoping they would be out of March 06! They have reviewed dossiers through December 31st, 2007.



I was reading a blog today and it was really eye opening. This couple have waited 4 years for their little girl and was talking about how through these 4 years they have grown and how much their marriage had grown. How God takes these times of wait to mold us into who he wants us to be. I really thought about in just the last year how much things have changed in my life. The things that I want in my life now are so much different from the things I desired a year ago. I hope that during our wait I can just continue to be quiet and listen. I pray that our family grows and can step out and do bold things for Christ. While I wait I will just continue to serve, love and seek his will.



Tammy



I love you Madie! Praying you will be home soon:)

Review Room Update

Well they have now reviewed dossiers through Oct. 31st, 2007! That is two more months, moving right along. Hopefully this is a sign of good things to come. I am still praying for that miracle!

For those of you who are not familiar, once your dossier gets to the review room, they go through your file and make sure everything is ok and that they do not have questions. If they don't, you are then moved to the matching room, where they match you with your child. Getting through the review room is a big step. Maybe we will be through the review room by the end of Spring 2010. Hopeful!

Update....It's been a while!

I decided not to blog as much, but I do want to keep it updated so that I can give all of this to Madie one day. They have matched referrals through March 24th, 2006. March 06 was a very large month for LID's. After this month the numbers really start to go down. They have reviewed through August 31, 2007. I think over the next few months and definitely after the first of the year we will know if it is going to speed up any.



I can only keep praying that God will allow us to bring her home soon. I do trust God and know he will take care of her until we get there. Even though I do have faith everything is in perfect time, I still have a void in my life that only she will fill and it breaks my heart everyday. But I have two wonderful boys I am focusing on right now and enjoying these last few years before they are grown up!



I went to the Jonas Brothers concert last night with my niece and we had such a great time. They really did put on a great show. I have never seen so many excited little girls in my life. I am glad that I got to spend that time with her. I thank God for all my nieces and nephews. I love all of them and have so much fun spending time with them. I have especially enjoyed playing with my new great niece Raelynn who is 6 mos old my newphew Carter who is 2 mos old. It is great having babies around, they bring such happiness to the family!



Corey is a sophmore this year and baseball will start up soon. He is growing up more and more everyday. He has a truck now and he cannot wait to start driving to school in December. It is bittersweet. Sometimes I think about how easy it will be to not have to pick him up from school and run him to practices, but on the other hand I will worry all the time! I will just put him in God's hands and let him take care of him always.



Justin is in the 8th grade. Just one more year of middle school. He is ready to go to the high school he says. He is ready for a change. He still has not found what he loves yet. I know that one day he will do something he loves! He has really changed over the last few months. He will be 14 in September and is getting so tall. I can't believe that he is my baby and is as tall as me!



I hope to get involved with many different projects at church also. I love to serve God and our church gives us so many opportunities to reachout to others and encourages you to. This Saturday I am doing a project making dresses for little girls in Brazil. I don't know how to sew, but I think it will be a lot of fun. Who knows what all I will get into over the next year. I pray that God continues to show me where he wants me and open doors where I can serve him best.





Madie,

I hope that we can come and get you soon! One day when you look back on my words and thoughts, I hope that you can see you have been loved and thought of everyday way before you were even born. You are so special to me already and I can't wait to meet you for the first time. I think about all the things I can't wait to do, like watch you play outside, see you sleep in your bed, play dress up, carry your baby dolls around(you may like cars better, who knows), watch your daddy and brothers take care of you and make you tuff (and yes they will probably even teach you how to fight so you can beat up the boys)! I love you my sweet girl, one day we will be together!

GREAT WEEK!

Well I got back from Camp Whatever Friday and what a wonderful week it was! There were over 500 of us including students/staff/counselors. It was very tiring, but totally awesome to see God do his work. I believe 23 students accepted Christ as their Saviour! Sixteen students said they felt led to go into the ministry. That is wonderful and why we have camp! I know that God will take those students and impact hundreds of people. I had seven 6th grade girls and they were absolute angels! I absolutely love them. I also made many new wonderful friends myself. Praise God for an awesome experience.

The CCAA has sent referrals for dossiers received through March 20, 2006, which means they did 7 more days this month!!! They have reviewed all dossiers received through August 31st, 2007. This is all wondeful progress. I am going to continue to pray for a miracle and that we don't have to wait long! Please pray with me!

Love,
Tammy

Busy, Busy!

We have been so busy this month! Corey is doing summer ball and the games are soooo long and we do not get home til really late. I wouldn't trade it for anything though! I absolutely love watching baseball (especially Corey)! I am going on a work trip to Atlanta for two weeks and then leaving for our church's youth camp. Check out our website! www.lifepointchurch.org. I love my church! Even though neither of my boys are going to camp this year, I am so excited. I cannot wait to see God working in the lives of 450 young people. I just pray that God moves them to big decisions in their life, whatever they may be. So anyway, 3 weeks away from my boys, I am going to miss them like crazy (after the first day or so).

Tomorrow is mine and Tommy's 16th wedding anniversary. I am so lucky to be married to my very best friend. He is so good to me and I love him more and more everyday. I was thinking today about how thankful I am God chose him for me and how perfect we are together. I cannot imagine my life without him. I know that I absolutely drive him crazy sometimes with all my wild ideas, but he is very supportive of me and I love him for that. We have been blessed beyond belief over these years and I cannot wait to see what the rest of our lifetime holds!

Goodnight!
Tammy

Good Week!

This week was great! Wednesday I went with a friend to a meeting with a great group of women to raise adoption awareness and to talk about Amazima ministries in Uganda. It really made me realize that I know that there is much more for me to do and how much I love the orphans of this world! The CCAA sent out referrals finally! They matched Dossiers through March 14th, 2006. That is still far away, but it was 6 days of progress, which is great. They also completed one of the two largest days in March. Praise God! I will just keep praying for a miracle! There are people out there who have faithfully waited for 3 years and it is so great that they will be bringing their little girls home. Someone said to me, "Faithful" is the word she thought of, because if we give up what will happen to OUR daughter that has been ordained to be with always!

Please keep praying with us!

Tammy

No News......

There has not been a whole lot going on. They have not posted referrals for May yet. It has been 39 days since the last referrals were sent. I am really praying that the H1N1 flu does not slow things down even more. This is truly going to be the hard part. Just waiting, wondering, praying, crying. I know that God will use this time to prepare us and to give us strength for whatever is ahead. I read something on Amy Hood's blog today. She said that she believed God had chosen their daughter for them since before the world was created. In the grand scheme of things we have to realize that our timing and God's timing is so different and our day will come in it's appointed time. It is the hardest thing that I have ever experienced and it is difficult and full of crazy emotions. So for now I am going to try and keep myself busy working on our house and her room. Hopefully I will start having pictures to post. As soon as we get Corey moved down stairs I can get started with the girly stuff!

Madie,
I hope that you realize just how much we love you. I absolutely cannot wait to see your face and to hold you for the very first time. I cannot wait for what's in store for our family!

Love always, mommy

CCAA Update

Look at all of the Dossiers! This is a picture of the "Review Room" at CCAA. I am sure there are many, many more where these came from!

CCAA updated the portal last week. They have now placed referrals for applications through March 9, 2006 and Dossiers received through March 31, 2007 are through the review room. Against my better judgment, I have been reading rumors on the internet. One on the rumor queen's site is that the mood is different right now at the CCAA and that there could be something going on.. I hope that they are going to take steps to push through the dossiers received in 06/07. After May 07 the applications dropped off dramatically. I don't have actual numbers, but I would say at least in half. In 2008/2009 they probably have received very few because of the increased wait time. Right now the wait time is at about 36 months. I don't think we will wait that long, at least that is my prayer! I really do think that we are going in at a good time. Only time will tell.

It has been a very long day so I will go for now. I cannot say "PLEASE KEEP PRAYING" enough!

Tammy

More Exciting News

We received our LID (log in date) today! It is March 26th. That means we are officially on the waiting list. We are very excited. Keep praying for a miracle!

We have been so very busy with the boys. Corey is playing baseball at Smyrna and we have games almost every night. It is so much fun and I am so proud of him. He is growing up so fast. I can't believe that he will be a sophmore this coming year. He is such a blessing to us and I am so proud of the young man he is turning out to be. Justin is bowling and is loving it! I am so glad that he has finally found something he enjoys doing. He is also growing up so much and has a heart of gold. Even though our lives are completely crazy, I wouldn't want to be doing anything else right now. I love being their mom and I love both of my boys with all of my heart!!!!

Off to get some sleep!
Tammy

Madie on my mind!

I found this poem and thought I would share it because it is so sweet! I have been thinking all day about this journey we are on. It is sometimes so surreal. It's hard to believe that someday (hopefully soon) I will bring home our little girl from thousands of miles of way and she will become part of our lives forever. God is so good! I think about how 4 years ago he planted the seed in my heart and how that seed has grown so much and has brought us to where we are now. I thought that I was ready then, but he has other plans and has had a very special angel in mind for us all this time. And when I get discouraged and think that I just don't know if I can wait, he reminds me that I can do ALL things through him who gives me strength. I am so thankful that I serve such a loving, all knowing God! Hopefully I will be able to post that they have done many days of referrals for March soon. There has not been an update from CCAA since February.

Tammy



We witness a miracle every time a child enters into life.But those who make their journey home across time & miles,growing within the hearts of those who wait to love them,are carried on the wings of destiny and placed among us by God's very own hands.--- Kristi Larson

KISSES IN THE WIND (The Waiting Child's Lullabye)

I hold you in my heart and touch you in my dreams.

You are here each day with me, at least that's how it seems.

I know you wonder where we are... what's taking us so long.But remember child, I love you so and God will keep you strong.

Now go outside and feel the breeze and let it touch your skin...Because tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.

May God hold you in His hand until I can be with you.I promise you, my darling, I'm doing all that I can do.

Very soon, you'll have a family for real, not just pretend.But for tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.

May God wrap you in His arms and hold you very tight.And let the angels bring the kisses that I send to you each night

GOOD NEWS!! DTC

I didn't think the day would ever come. It has been a long time since the last post, but it has been crazy. Last month we got word that something was notarized wrong and the Chinese Embassy sent it back. We had to fix it and return it. I was so depressed about that. Well today we got the email we have been waiting on! Our paperwork left for China today, which is our DTC date. Now we just wait on our LID (log in date). That is saying that the CCAA has our paperwork and we are in line (so to speak). I am so happy, this has been a very long 7 months. I know that we could possibly have a 24-28 month wait from here, but I feel in my heart that it will be sooner. Please pray that it is.

Madie,
We are so happy that we are again one step even closer to bringing you home! I am about to start getting your room ready and I just can't wait to have you here to enjoy it. My prayer is that you can feel our love all the way in China!

I love you so much!
Mommy

YouTube - sam and esther

YouTube - sam and esther

I watched this video on a friends blog. It is a hard video to watch. After I watched it, I cried for a couple of hours. This video has been on my mind all week. It took me a few days to be able to really put to words how I felt about the video. There is so much going on in the world around us. We are so blessed and I know that God wants us to do so much more. I realize that I may not be able to adopt every orphan out there, but I know there is more I can do. My heart is for the orphans of this world, and it hurts because I wish I could save them all. I will continue to pray for God to show me everyday what he wants me to do with this video and the wait for our little girl.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for a glimpse of your heart. I pray for these children, their health, safety and that people may open their hearts and do all that we can for these children. Whether it be just praying for them, or spreading the word about them. Please bring our Madie home soon to us. We continue to pray for her health and Lord just help her to not feel alone. I love you so much, continue to use me to further your kingdom and to reach out to these children in whatever way you want me to. In your precious name, Amen.

I love you Madie!

Paperwork done, now what!!!!

It has been a week or so since the last update. I have been very busy! So here is what has been going on the last 3 weeks.

I spent the whole first week of January getting the last of my papers notarized, then I had to take each paper to the county they were notarized in and get a county certification. I had to go to Rutherford County, Davidson County and Wilson County. Then on Friday, 9th I went to the Secretary of the State's office and got my State seals put on all of them. I spent all day Saturday and Sunday the 10th and 11th copying and scanning. Oh my goodness, what a job!!! Then on Monday, the 12th I took all of my paperwork to the Bethany office and it finally left my hands after 5 months. I was so happy, it seemed like another big hurdle crossed. Well, then I get a call on Wednesday the 14th saying an address was left off our Health Certifications and the Mt. Juliet Police Dept. had put Mr. Tammy Comer on our police clearance letter. I just couldn't believe I missed those things. I know that I looked at everything a million times! Tommy could not wait for me to be done with it. It was all I could do to just not cry all day! So I received them back on Wednesday of this week and I took them Wednesday and got them corrected. The Mt Juliet Police Dept. were just so sweet to me and corrected everything without even one complaint. I took it back to Bethany yesterday and it was mailed out. So that brings us up to date. Everything else has been checked and is ok. PRAISE GOD! I don't know, maybe it is just me, but it seems like it took us a little longer to get through the process than some. But, there is so much more now that you have to do.

Tommy, his dad and nephew also have been working on the basement. The will be finished framing it tomorrow. It looks great to see walls up down there.

It is the Chinese New Year right now, so nothing will go on until it is over. Everything is shut down for 2 weeks pretty much. I am still hopeful for a LID of Feb. Tonight we were out to eat and I saw 2 adopted Chinese girls. They were so cute! I try so hard not to be envious, but when I see them I just yearn to have Madie home. Well, that is all I have for now. Pray for me to be able to wait 2 years or more if I have to.

Tammy

Blog

Well, I am just figuring all of this blog stuff out. Everyone is saying they have tried to comment and they couldn't. I had it blocked and didn't know it! So, please leave me a comment if you visit. I am doing this blog for Madison, so that she can read all of it one day, so you can leave her a message too!

Tammy

Madie's furniture

Thought I would show everyone what Madie's furniture looks like. Our very dear, precious friends Kristin and Jeff Eady gave it to us, and we love them very much! This is her dresser/changing table. The rest of the furniture is not upstairs right now. We are starting on the basement next week. Hopefully Corey's room and the bonus room will be done by the end of the year.

Our paperwork will be sent next week. I cannot believe we finally have it done! Now for the wait!

Madie,

It is a new year and we are working hard to get you home. We are busy getting ready for you. We talk about you everyday and wonder more and more all about you! I cannot wait to start on your room and get everything done! I know that you will be here before we know it. I just can't imagine how it will feel the day they call us and tell us you are ready for us and to come see you! I pray that the day comes very soon. You have a very eager, family waiting and praying all the time. I just can't wait to pick you up and give you the biggest hugs and kisses and tuck you in every night. We love you Madison Rose Comer!