Prayers for Birth Parents

For over a week now, the Holy Spirit has led me to prayer and tears several times for the birth parents of our future children. It might sound so silly, and it did to me at first, but the more I pray, the more I realize the importance of spending daily time in prayer for the people who will bring my children into this world.

I don't know when we will adopt. We want to be out of debt (it's only school loans, but it's still not fun!), but even then we realize God might have other plans and lead us to our 1st child before we think we're ready. We don't know where our children will be born. We've talked about Zambia since I have 'brothers' from there, and the whole world knows I want a China princess. However, we might end up adopting here in Houston. Only the Lord knows that. Another thing Isaac and I don't know right now is if our children will be real orphans or children whose parents are alive but have relinqueshed parental rights.

If my children are true orphans, that means that by the time my children are in my arms for the first time, their birth parents' eternal fate will already be decided. When I was hit with that reality, it increased the urgency of my prayers. I desperately want my children to meet their birth parents in heaven. I want my children to have the peace growing up that their Daddy God is rejoicing in Heaven with their birth parents, should they be orphans. My prayers are that God will fill these peoples' lives now with Christians who will love on them, minister to them, and show them God's love in real, tangible ways that will bring them to faith in Christ and help them become disciples of Christ.

If my children have living birth parents, I still want them to know that they will meet their birth families in Heaven. There is all kind of debate about the benefits and consequences of open adoption. I personally don't like the idea. I'm selfish and don't want to share. I don't want to confuse my children or cause them to have to feel like they must choose loyalty lines. I want them to know that they are adopted and were specially picked out by God just for their Mommy and Daddy. I'm ok with them seeking out their living family members once they are old enough to make those kinds of decisions. However, I digress. Just because my children might have living birth parents doesn't mean I should be less persistent in praying for God to work in their lives right now and asking that He start putting people in their lives that will love on them, minister to them, and show them God's truth and salvation.

For all I know, my children's birth parents are still teenagers or younger right now. I don't know how many trials are yet to come in their lives. I don't know what their daily lives are like. But I do know that they are loved and appreciated by me, and they are covered in prayers. Thankfully, my Lord has HUGE ears, and He ears my prayers!

Take 2

I was very excited about my nightly walk last night because I got to exchange my Ipod for Isaac. Little did I know he had big surprises waiting for me on that walk! My engagement ring had to be left in Ohio last week to be re-dipped. White gold is not my friend, as the oils in my hands strip away the white gold about every 6 months or so. Maybe I'll upgrade to platinum in 5 or 10 years. Anyway, since he still had my ring, Isaac decided to plop me on a bench in the middle of our walk and propose for a second time last night! It was very sweet. We've struggled A LOT the past year. I don't recommend long distance engagements for anyone. They are miserable. Satan has certainly used the past 14 months to tear us down, and we've had to work super hard to stay close to the Lord and rely on Him. We've grown tons, but phew. I'm worn out from it all! Isaac recommitted his promises to me that I'm the most important person in his life, and that he will actually be HERE for me, physically, not just emotionally. I know all of the wonderful things that he said in my heart, but it was very, very nice to hear them again. Isaac also surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of roses that he had hidden in the bushes! I am blessed with a sweet, romantic man!

Isaac's Home Forever!

Isaac moved home to Houston today for good! No more Ohio! Hopefully the moving truck will be here soon with his things; early this evening thye told us they didn't know where the truck was or when it'd be here! I'm sure Isaac was simply talking to a misinformed person, but sheesh! We get the keys to our house tomorrow, so regardless of Isaac's things, we can begin moving in wedding presents, setting up the kitchen, and moving over things that I won't need between now and August! We're both very excited! As soon as it starts to look like a house, I'll post pictures, but that might be after the honeymoon since my big furniture won't get moved until right before the wedding. For now, I'm just glad to have my fiance in the same town as me for good instead of 1200 miles aways from me! Isaac starts work at NASA July 6th. :)

Girly Fun Wedding Shower!

Yesterday was my lingerie shower. Ashley planned it and Michelle hosted it. I had so much fun all evening, and felt very, very special. Those two poured so much time and effort into making the night fun and classy! Ashley and Michelle took me to dinner at Bailey's in Seabrook.

Michelle had a friend of hers make this cake. It's cute, but it tasted even better than it looks!

The girls hand made all of the lingerie decorations in my two favorite colors.

My beautiful hostesses!

Ashley reading us a funny mad lib.

Deborah, Ashley, Michelle, me, Laura, and Meredith. What a fun night!

Ohio, Days 4, 5, and 6

Tuesday was a fantastic day! It took me 24 years, but I finally made it to Kings Island! It's a huge amusement park with more rollercoasters than I've ever seen in one location! I hate tall drops, but I rode the newest, tallest coaster anyway. I love the 4 minute long "Beast" and a rollercoaster that lies you flat on your stomach so you feel like you're flying. The camera was forgotten at home, so I don't have any pictures, but it was a super exciting 11 hour event!

On Wednesday, we went with Mark and Anna to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. Ken Ham created this museum to answer questions about creation while explaining why evolutionary theories don't add up to an answer and also showing how human sin corrupted creation, but how Christ will redeem it. It was a very cool experience. Everyone should make the trip up there to visit. It is very well put together, and the grounds are beautiful.

Adam with animals in Eden.

A 1% scale model of Noah's ark.

Mini Noah's ark after the flood.

Wednesday night we felt like baking, so we made cupcakes. I made homemade icing for us to decorate. Hopefully most of the cupcakes were given away to friends of the Ozingas. We sure didn't need to eat them!

Isaac fixing icing bags.

Our cupcakes

I had all morning on Thursday before I had to go to the airport, so Isaac and I entertained his mom's daycare kids while she went to a hair appointment. I know most of these kids pretty well by now, and they are good kids. It was rainy though, so they couldn't go out to play, and with all the rain during the week, they had lots of energy. What were they to do? Wrestle Mr. Isaac and use him as a human jungle gym seemed like the obvious answer! Yay! It was lots of fun!

Eaton, Connor, Ainsley, Kayla, and Evan taking down Mr. Isaac.

I kept the two babies, Noah and Olivia from under the feet of the big kids and took pictures. Mostly, I laughed. Olivia is my doll baby. I want to move her to Houston and adopt her, but she doesn't need adopting. Sad day for me! She's precious, beautiful, and I can't wait to get a little girl with curly dark hair and big chocolate eyes! Olivia loves to snuggle and play with me, so we had a great morning!

Princess Olivia!

My munchkin!

Ohio: Days 1, 2, and 3

On Friday, I fly to Ohio for a week visit. Saturday was Isaac's graduation from UC. His friend and groomsman Mark also graduated. I am DONE with graduations for 2009!

Anna (Mark's fiance), Mark, Isaac, and me

Isaac decorated his mortorboard with NASA emblems, including a shuttle!

On Sunday, we drove down to Newport, Kentucky to meet up with Bethany, my life-long friend that we consider cousins. We had a yummy lunch at Johnny Rockets and then went to the Newport Aquarium. The aquarium was HUGE, and lots of fun. The best part was getting to visit with Bethany and catch up with her. We won't see her again until August when she comes to Texas to be my bridesmaid!

Frog exhibit at the aquarium. :)

Bethany and me with the sharks.

All of us.

Today Isaac and I went to a castle in Loveland, Ohio that was built by a Boy Scout leader in 1929. It is very authentic of an 11th century English castle. We had a lot of fun exploring and eating lunch in the beautiful gardens.

Chateau LaRoche

Another view

In one of the garden walkways

After the castle, we went to the Cincinnati Zoo. We saw so many cool creatures God made that I had never even heard of before! This zoo has done a great job of collecting very exotic animals. And, they let you feed giraffes, just like in Florida! It was as exciting, but for a program that's just launching, it was pretty good.

Even polar bears have to scratch their ears sometimes. :)