8 months, two teeth and lots of new things...

I am such a bad blogger. It could be because I am so busy that I can't seem to keep my head above the water!!! There has been so much going on in the lives of the Hills that its hard to keep up. I get an email every once in awhile about the lack of information on our blog. So, here goes.

Molly will be 6 in January! We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of her birthday. She must talk about her "Fancy Nancy" party atleast twice a day. She and I have collected tea cups and saucers for her friends and she can't wait until the day comes when she can celebrate her birthday with them. She chose "Fancy Nancy" because, well, quite frankly - she is Fancy Nancy! The girl is full glam! She uses BIG words and I think learns a new 'fancy' word every day! She learned to ice skate in Oklahoma a couple of weeks ago and now she is officially ready for the Olympics! She and Oksana Bahul (sp) grew up in the same town in Ukraine. Speaking of Olympics, Molly's other passion is gymnastics. She has always had a talent for gymnastics but I never wanted to push her. She would go each week, pass her skills tests each time, and just go with the flow. Well, one day, she began to do flips in the yard and became quite the daredevil! She looked at me one day and said "I want to do one of those backflips like Nastia." (meaning Nastia Luikin). So, I spotted her in a back handspring and the next thing you know, she is trying it on her own! So, I enrolled her in private lessons with Coach Stephanie so she doesn't break her neck! Stephanie says she is VERY good for a 5 year old! I don't want to be one of those pushy moms that thinks my daughter is the best so I am just "going with the flow." What happens, happens.

Madeline - well, our baby is 8 months old! She finally rolled over from front to back and then back to front. I never know how I will find her in her crib in the mornings! She flips and flops all over the place. I think she must watch her sister and then attempt to do the same gymnastics in her bed!!! She cut her first tooth the day after Thanksgiving. It was like a PARTY when I felt it! We ran around Craig's sister's house like maniacs having everyone feel her tooth. It was quite exciting! Well, her second tooth came in the day of her 8th month birthday. She has been MISERABLE! We have not slept in a week and we spend lots of quality time togther in the middle of the night fighting those teeth! She is sleeping soundly now so I should be sleeping too! Madeline is sitting up all by herself and she has even gotten in the "crawling stance." She scoots very well on her belly so she may be ready to start crawling any minute! We have her enrolled in Kindermusik and she absolutely LOVES it. When we are there, she lights up. She LOVES to hear Brooke sing. I think we all do! She has such a gift with kids and music. She is a great teacher. When we play the music at home, its almost as if she is trying to find Brooke. Its so cute!

We are headed to Key West on New Year's Eve. My brother and his wife welcomed a new baby into their homes in November. Sydney Claire made her arrival 3 weeks early! She is sooooo stinkin adorable. She looks alot like Michael but what is even more strange - she and Madeline look soooo much alike. Its so cute! I can't wait to meet her!!!!!

Mom has been helping so much with the kids. She is a TRUE LIFESAVER and the best grandmother in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't live without her! She went to Key West for two weeks and we were miserable!!!

Ballet is going well. We have our Christmas play on Tuesday, December 16. I have the best ballerinas in the world! But, we all need a break! We are tired.

Grace Adoption Ministry is getting closer and closer to getting off the ground. My dear friend, Camille, and I met with the elders of our church tonight. It went exceptionally well! Thank you, Lord, that you use people to help in rescuing the orphans of this world!

I guess that is all for now! Blessings to you all!!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Hills

I miss her...

I've been thinking ALOT today about "B" - not sure why but she has just been on my heart. I started doing "YouTube" searches on videos of adoption. Of course, I ran across this one. I do hope and pray that when Madeline meets her one day that she will thank her for giving her life. I am thankful to "B" and her absolutely unselfish act of placing her child with us. I will love this child with every ounce of my being. I still can't believe she is in our home.

I also pray that Molly will get to meet Victoria one day. I know Victoria thinks of her daily and loves her so much. I just pray that I continue to tell Molly of just how much she does love her and that she chose to give her life!

Please join me in praying for all the birthmothers out there. I can't imagine what they must go through when they place their child in another's arms.

Baptism, Toes, Sweet Potatoes, and the Big Easy...

Wow - its been way too long since I updated this site. It was brought to my attention when a friend asked if things were okay because I had not updated the blog. Shame on me :)

I can't believe our baby is 6 months old!!!! Its so hard to imagine that its been that long since God brought her into our lives. She has changed so much and its amazing to see her personality coming out each and every day.

The girls were both baptized at church on September 28th. It was an amazing time and we are so very thankful that our church is so supportive of us and our adoption. We thought it was important to have both girls baptized and dedicated to the Lord. Its also important to us that our church is involved in helping us raise these two precious gifts from God. We had many friends and family there to support us and to show their love for our girls.

Today was a big day - Madeline finally rolled over. Its been quite frustrating to hear all these other babies her age having mastered the art of rolling over at such an early age. I was beginning to worry a little because I feel like we work on it all the time. She absolutely hates tummy time so it was quite an effort to get her to do it. But, she did this morning!!! When I walked into her room during nap, she had rolled over again and was kicking the musical mobile to make the music turn on. She is so smart! She rolled over again tonight just for her sister!

This month has been exciting in the life of Madeline. She ate her first baby food and I must say that she takes after her daddy - her favorite is sweet potatoes! She loves them! We now eat baby food throughout the day and it has given her more incentive to sleep harder during the night and naptime!!! That is great news for all of us.

Madeline also took her first trip to New Orleans to meet her uncle, Michael. This was their first meeting and they both fell in love with one another. If you remember, Michael and his wife, Cristi, are expecting their first, Sydney Claire, in December. Michael was able to get lots of practice with Madeline! He is now ready to tackle being a Daddy!!! Molly had a great time showing Madeline around the Big Easy. We did have quite the fender bender on our way out of town but thank you, Lord, we were hit by a cardiovascular surgeon and he is willing to just write a check for the damages!

Molly is in Kindergarten part-time and we are homeschooling the other days. It seems to be working well and she is so busy with ballet, gymastics, and art that she gets plenty of socializing.

Corum Deo Dance Academy is going well. I have about 60 students and we are having a ball. Its been such a blessing to have added students this year. Things are gearing up for our Christmas production. I am just praying for help! Its hard to homeschool, be a Mommy, run a household, and then run a dance company. I am meeting with a couple of girls next week to see about partnering with them! I am excited!

Madeline goes to the doctor on Tuesday for her 6 month old shots. She probably weighs about 15 pounds! But, she is still so tiny. She has noticed her toes and LOVES to play with them. Its quite amuzing!

We love our girls so much! We are so blessed to have them in our lives. We are also so thankful to their life mommies that chose to give them life! Speaking of life mommies, "B" and I talked a couple of weeks ago. I miss her terribly! I went into a restaurant this evening and a girl was wearing "B's" perfume - I got teary-eyed! It reminded me so much of her and how much I love and miss her!

Below are some photos of these last few months. I promise I will try to update more often!!!

Blessings,
The Hills

New House...

Well, we moved! It was very short notice and it all happened at once but it has been a huge blessing! Our associate pastor and his wife have been called to a church in Illinois. They had a prayer request one Sunday at church that they really needed to rent their home. Craig and I have been renting a precious home but it was beginning to feel really small. We were looking at homes and couldn't decide whether or not to buy or rent. Well, it all worked out and we have moved into their home. Of course, we did it on the same week that a major Hurricane was projected to hit the Texas coast. In the beginning, Hurricane Ike was supposed to hit south of Corpus Christi which would have put New Braunfels in the upper right side - the worse side. So, we prepared ourselves by buying bottled water, canned goods, and battery operated fans. We also moved the movers up a few days because we didn't want to be moving in the rain. Well, it worked out that Craig was out of town!!! So, my mom, Craig's business partner, PMI Movers, and myself moved our home! It was so much fun :) and the girls were great. In the middle of all of this - it was time for my ballet school to start so I welcomed 55 dancers over a three day period to ballet class. It has been quite an interesting week!
My sweet friend, Page, showed up at my new house to help me unpack boxes. Two friends from Houston evacuated to our home and have kept the girls entertained. Then, on Saturday, Page and her family showed up at our old home to help get all the "little" stuff boxed, loaded, moved, and unloaded. They were work horses! Then, my sweet friend, Shelly, showed up to organize my kitchen cabinets with Mom. They have done SOOOOO much and I am soooo grateful! We have been so blessed to be members of incredible churches in this town with incredible friends. We met so many wonderful people and had such a great support system at Oakwood. Then, we moved to RCV and were blessed with wonderful friendships. And, now we are at Christ Presbyterian and we continue to be blessed by awesome relationships! God is so good in providing people in our lives when we need them the most. We hope and pray that we are the type of people that can be a blessing to others.
Our neighborhood is awesome! Molly has already made friends with so many of the little girls. There are 24 kids on our block alone!!!! They have movie night every couple of weeks, cookouts, and lots of playing in the cul-de-sac. It is going to be so much fun. Someone in the neighborhood described it as 50's America! We are so excited!
Madeline is growing up so much. She turned 5 months this month and is almost 13 pounds. She is getting soooo big and her personality is coming out - its so cute to watch her.
Molly started Kindergarten this year too. She is really enjoying going to Ms. Inga's and is also excited about Homeschool.
I guess that is all for now. I will post photos later once I find my camera in one of these boxes!!!

Blessing to you all!
The Hills

4 Months, Sea World and First time in the pool....

I wasn't sure how to title this post. We've had so much going on that I am not sure what I would call it. We do spend alot of time at home but we are so blessed to get to have fun time with friends.

Madeline is now 4 months. We went to the doctor on Wednesday and she is 11 pounds 15 ounces, 24 inches long and growing. She is still tiny but she is much bigger than when she was born. I think she is doing fine but the doctor ordered more "tummy time" so that she can start to roll over. She did roll over from front to back once! She absolutely HATES tummy time! But, we followed doctors orders and tried it. I could only handle the screaming alittle bit and then I gave in! I am a sucker!

We went to the Ski Lodge today with some friends and we put her in the pool for the first time. We have been so blessed to have my god-daughter, Kayla, with us all week. Craig and Mom were out of town so the extra set of hands was nice! Kayla is excellent with children and she will make a great mommy one day but for now, she is only 12. I have attached a photo of Madeline in the pool - she LOVED IT!

Molly, Craig, and I got to spend the day with some friends at Sea World last week. We had a great time! Craig and I were able to act like kids and ride all the rollercoasters - it was a blast!!! Molly loved the Shamu show and she even got a little teary eyed (along with her mom) at the overwhelming feeling of seeing this huge whale do tricks.

Madeline has been in Kindermusik and loves it. Her Aunt Brooke does a great job and we are having so much fun. We've taken a break from it and will start back in September.

Ballet starts the second week of September and I am already full! More than half the students are NEW!!! Praise God! I am so excited and I have really missed my little dancers so much.

I think that is it for now. Here are some new photos and I hope you enjoy them.

Blessings,
The Hills
PS - I don't know if anyone even reads this thing but I'll keep it updated just in case :)

Happy Adoption Day!

Wow - its been 4 years since we were given custody of Molly Rebecca Hill. Boy, how time flies. I can still remember sitting in that court room waiting to hear the verdict! We were there for an hour and a half and the questions just kept coming. We were interviewed by so many people about our intentions of adopting Molly. I kept thinking to myself, "Are these people serious!?" Anyway, God is good and He gave us Molly on August 5, 2004. We were beyond relieved!!! I will post my original post from that day. But first - we had an AWESOME Adoption Day Party! As I looked around the room last night, I got teary eyed thinking of what a blessing we have in our friendships. There are so many stories of adoption among our friends and its amazing how God has used adoption for His Glory! Enjoy the pictures - Molly is so blessed to have so many people who love her very much! Thank you to all my friends for your love and support 4 years ago and since that day!

ORIGINAL POST on AUGUST 5th, 2004:


August 5, 2004 - "We name Craig Alan Hill and Amy Rebecca Hill the parents of Molly issued by the Court of Ukraine!" Those were the words we heard today! She is ours! Court started at 3:28 PM - the prosecutor was not there and the judge asked Dennis to go pick her up. She came in and actually started talking to the ladies behind us. She seemed to be in a good mood. Court began with the judge reading the documents that we had submitted earlier today. The letters from the US Embassy, the letters from Dib Waldrip and Carter Casteel, updated NAC letters with my corrected name and others. Once that was done, the questioning began. Craig was questioned first by the prosecutor. She asked him questions like about our finances, our family, the health of the child and pretty much grilled him for 30 minutes! He answered everything perfectly! I was so proud of him. The prosecutor even smiled at times when Craig answered. Then, it was my turn. I just took a deep breath and said "Be yourself!" She asked me about my job, if I was aware of the medical diagnosis of Molly, and then she told me to describe Molly. That's when everything seemed to just fall into place. I told about her finding her toes, the fact that she loves Cheerios and yogurt and that she says a few words. I said that she was quite strong willed and that I have grown to love her so very much. She then asked why I adopted a child with medical problems (even though we know she is healthy) and I told her that I would rather adopt a child that I can provide medical attention too that would not get it here in Ukraine. She then told the judge she had no further questions. It was great! Then, the lady from the NAC stood up and told them that we have followed all the necessary steps to adopt and that its in the best interest of the child that the Hill family adopt her. Then, the lady from the Minister of Education basically said the same thing. Then, the lady from the orphanage got up and went on and on about Molly and told them that she had seen a huge difference in her since we've been there. She said that Molly is so very happy and that she recognizes us as Mommy and Daddy. She said that the orphanage feels we are the best interest of the child. Then, it was the prosecutor's turn - my hands began to sweat! She said we have submitted all the necessary paperwork to her and that based on what she has heard today and the testimony given, it would be in the best interest of the child to be adopted by the Hill family. HUGH RELIEF! Then, the judge asked us to stand and wanted to know if we wanted to change anything or add to anything that had been submitted or said in court. We said no, we just want to adopt Molly. So, she said "I will name Craig Alan Hill and Amy Rebecca Hill parents to Molly by the Court of Ukraine. The final court decree to be picked up 30 days from today." So, the 30 days were not waived but I am perfectly okay with that! I am just so thankful that she is ours!!!! Court was over at 5:00 PM. The prosecutor even shook my hand and took a photo with us. She was smiling and I kept saying "Spasibo" which is "Thank you."
We then left and went to visit Molly. She is not feeling well. She has an upset tummy. They thought I fed her something last night but nope, it wasn't my fault. Atleast not this time. Anyway, she wasn't herself at all but we just loved and loved on her so much. I'm sure she wondered why we were acting like that. The caregivers were so excited for us! They hugged us and were talking so fast in Russian/Ukrainian - we had no idea what they were saying. But, they were happy!
We then went downtown to celebrate at our favorite pizza place - Metropole. We took Edward, Dennis, Anita and Roland with us. It was awesome!
Craig plans to return to the US and he may have to come back to pick up Molly with me. We are waiting to talk to the orphanage director about that. But, he plans to go to Kiev on Sunday and be at the Embassy on Monday to sign some paperwork. It looks like I will possibly move in with Anita and Roland and hire a driver to take me too and from the orphanage. They have a Christian taxi driver that lives in their building. They live in a very safe place and it will be good to have them there with me. So, it looks as if all this will work out. I will be able to pick Molly up on the 6th of September. I will pick up the court decrees and get her birth certificate and necessary documents from the region and hopefully, I will be on my way to Kiev by the 7th or 8th. Then, to the US Embassy to get her passport and visa to come home. I will most likely travel on the 11th or 12th. I am so excited that I think I've probably made many typos/mistakes in this journal entry.
Like I've said before, I can't begin to thank all of you for everything you have done. My friends in New Braunfels that have worked night after night and day after day getting us the necessary documents. Teresa Fillmon with His Kids Too got up at 3 AM and got on her knees praying. I have received so many emails where people were praying all day and had friends/family members that we don't even know praying for us. When my sister in law heard the news - she was at VBS with 1800 people and she shared it with everyone! We have some amazing friends and we consider those of you we don't even know friends! We will cherish our time here for the rest of our lives! We can't say "thank you" enough!
We love all of you so much! I will try to post photos from the court hearing later. We need to get home and get some sleep - we are all so tired!
Thanks to Edward and Dennis - they stayed up so late last night translating documents and then worked until a few minutes before the court hearing translating a letter we received in regards to the Social Worker issue from Dib Waldrip (our District Attorney)! Hey Dib - we promise to work hours upon hours on your re-election campaign!!!!!!
Molly thanks you from the bottom of her heart too. Without each and every one of you and the many different types of support - we could never have made it!
With love from Ukraine! Becca, Craig and MOLLY REBECCA HILL!!!!!!!
Birthdate 1-12-03
Adoption Date 8-5-04

Life with the Hills

I can't believe its been almost a month since I posted last. I used to be on this thing so much but I guess having a newborn takes a little more time than I am used too!!! Don't get me wrong, I love it! Madeline is growing so much and she finally hit the double digits in her weight! She is now 11.3 pounds and growing. She even has a few rolls on her thighs. She won't appreciate me saying that when she is 15!

Madeline is becoming more vocal everyday. She has decided that she really likes to hear herself talk and most of the time its on her changing table. Its the funniest thing but she talks more while I change her diaper than anytime throughout the day. We aren't sure the fascination with the changing table but its so cute to watch. She is now in Kindermusik and loves it. She loves music and I hear it helps with so much of her development! She is the youngest one in there and its cute to watch her face and her expressions with the various types of activities.

We were able to see Madeline's birthmom a few weeks ago when she got married. We were invited and got to witness such a precious ceremony. I have mixed emotions because I feel like B is a daughter to me. She, her now husband, and her son moved to Vegas. I am so happy for her and want her to start over but I miss her terribly! She called last week and I was so excited to talk to her!!! I hope that one day we can travel out there to see her but we are waiting on her invite. Its still so hard for her to see us at times and I don't blame her if she wants to be distant for awhile. Madeline gave her a precious bracelet on her wedding day as well as a book called, "Never, Never, Never Will She Stop Loving You." Its so precious and I substituted her name for the name in the book. I hope it touches her life like it has ours!!!! I still thank God every day for her!

Molly starts kindergarten this year! She is going to a private school for two days and then I am homeschooling the other three days. I have already heard ALL the comments I possibly can hear and I'm okay - people are entitled to their opinion. But, Craig and I feel such a calling to homeschool and we are learning to be God-pleasers and not Man-pleasers. That is soooo hard for me because I have been a people pleaser all my life. But, I am trusting God in His plan and Will for our lives - He does know best! I have a great support system at our church and there are a number of people who homeschool. I am actually pretty excited about it!

Some prayer requests:

My friend, Jamie and her family - her dad is recovering from surgery. He has been diagnosed with cancer. He has undergone radiation and chemo and had surgery last week. The doctors sent him home today so we are praying for a complete recovery!

Another friend, Ashley, is in Ethiopia adopting a son! They should have arrived tonight and I can't wait to hear all about it! Pray that things go well and that they can get home in a timely manner!!!

My friend, Stephanee, she is Ashley's sister. She is keeping Ashley's daughter! Also, she is getting ready to host the two girls she plans to adopt! They come in at the end of the week. They are also submitting their dossier to adopt these two girls on August 7th!!!

I am going to post some new photos of the girls. I'll write more this week after we celebrate Molly's Adoption Day!!!! On August 5th we will be celebrating this special day!!!

Blessings,
The Hills

4 Years Ago Today!!!

It was 4 years ago today that we met Molly Rebecca Luba Hill for the first time. I will NEVER forget that day as long as I live! The fact that she jumped into my arms the minute she saw me still makes my heart leap! I can't believe that we have known her for four years because I can't ever imagine my life without her! She has been the light in our lives, the apple of our eyes, and what makes us wake up in the morning.
Thank you, Lord, for bringing Molly into our lives.
Below is a the journal entry from 4 years ago along with a photo that was taken that day!

July 7 and 8, 2004 - For some reason - it would not let me on yesterday. Of course not, on the day that we met Molly. This Internet Cafe is quite large with many computers. But, that seems to be the worse - it takes up so much that the systems are very slow. Anyway, we met Molly yesterday. She came right to me and clung on to me for dear life. She has blonde hair, brown/gray eyes, and weighs 19.8 pounds - however, we fed her alot today so she is probably close to 20 pounds. It looks like she wears 12-18 months clothing so she isn't as small as we thought she would be. Today, the 8th - she was pretty fussy. Looks like she is cutting 4 teeth!!! I will bring Tylenol tomorrow. She would have nothing to do with Craig today - but that's understandable - they don't see men - EVER. So, its alittle strange. Plus, she was fussy and tired today. That's okay though. She screamed when I gave her to her caretaker for her nap. Needless to say, I screamed too! It was terrible. I think I cry every minute! Craig told me I have to stop crying but I just can't!!!! Now I know what its like to leave a child in the nursery!!!! Its hard! We moved closer to her orphanage - a five minute walk. The caretakers let me feed her whatever I want so she got bananas, cookies, and juice for the first time. She walks, or should I say runs! She talks, eats by herself, drinks by herself - and is very independent. She's a doll and I love her very much! We are hoping to get her photo on here but its not allowing me to upload her picture for some reason. I better run but I will write more tomorrow. I love you all and the emails are such an encouragement! Becca, Craig and Molly


After the appointment!
Okay, it wasn't that bad! The appt was originally at noon but we were pushed until 2:30. The doctor/psychologist was very nice and very old! He was so nice to us and he even laughed alot. They have a parrot in there and he talks or chirps all the time. It was funny, and nothing like I had expected.
We looked through two binders of children until 3. We found two boys and three girls. The last girl was a miracle! She is perfectly healthy and she became available only yesterday! WOW = God is so good! We are leaving tomorrow after 4 PM to go to Dnipro - it was the region we did not want but I guess God has other things planned for us. The doctor said we are VERY fortunate to have found her. He pulled her picture from somewhere, it wasn't in the binder. He called the orphanage and they confirmed that she was an awesome child!
We will go and visit her on Wednesday. Her name is Lubov which is Love in English! She is 18 months old. I saw a picture of her and she is gorgeous! I knew she was mine! The boys I saw were great too. There is one boy in particular that I hope we get to see. Once we accept the girl, we can write a letter to the NAC and request another appointment to view the books again. At that time, we will try for a boy. We can request the same binder that we looked in today and I memorized the photos of the two boys!
Please pray that God will soften the heart of the judge in the Dnipro region. Apparently, she is very mean. Pray that the director will allow us to come back for a second appointment very soon.
Love to you all - we are going to watch the Olympic Torch!
Becca, Craig, Oxana, and Lubov!

Back from the Beach!

Wow, I can't believe its been so long since I've blogged! I was so addicted there for awhile but I guess the busyness of life gets the best of us!

We left June 18th for Gulf Shores to visit my dad. We spent a lot of time on the beach and the girls had a blast. Madeline absolutely LOVES the beach and the sound of the waves put her into a deep sleep. It was nice to have a beach tent so that she could stay under it for the entire day. She even put her toes in the water but didn't like that as much as the pool. Molly is my beach bum. She could stay in the sand building sand castles all day if I would let her. It was also cool to have her uncle as the beach lifeguard! We would set up right in front of her lifeguard stand so it was neat seeing Jonathan in action saving the lives of so many people at the beach. We even got to see a couple of water rescues! Go, Jon Jon!

Craig joined us in Tallahassee the next week. We made the 4 hour drive to visit my friend, Laurie. She gave birth to a baby boy two weeks before Madeline. It was great to see her!!!! Her boys are precious and its so cool that we have children the same exact age - funny how God does that!

Craig got to do some fishing with my dad and played with us on the beach. It was fun to visit with family and get a tan while doing it!

I talked to "B" right before we left. She is planning on moving to Las Vegas this week. Please pray for her as she makes this move. She, her boyfriend, and her little boy are planning on making the move. I would love to see her before she leaves but I am waiting on her to call me. I don't want to overstep any boundaries!!!

Well, I think that is all for now. We came home to a HOT house with our A/C unit out! We are still waiting for someone to come fix it - its been three days! It reminds me ALOT of Ukraine!!!! Oh, how I miss Ukraine!!!!!

Blessings to all!

Videos of my girls!

Smiles, Coos and 8 pounds!!!!

Madeline is really growing! We weighed her this week and she has grown to be 8 pounds. I still think its all in her chins - yes, that is plural. She is still so tiny and people continue to make comments about her size. She is just precious!

This week was a milestone - she began to talk to us. Well, maybe not us but the ladybugs on her changing table cover. She loves them and always has lots to say to them when her diaper is being changed. Its so funny to hear her and we've tried to really capture it on video. It sounds like she is saying "hi." She also likes the monkey, bird, and frog on her swing's mobile - she could stare at them forever!

She has also started smiling at us and I've even heard her giggle a couple of times in her sleep. Its so stinkin cute!

Madeline loves Molly! She can be upset and Molly will start talking and she quiets down - its so precious. Molly is doing so much better as a big sister. I think in the beginning she thought she was being replaced but now she is pretty certain that she is staying.

Summer has officially begun at our house! With the temperatures in the high 90's, it almost feels like August! I can't believe its so hot, so soon. But, we are scheduled to go to the beach to see my dad in late June and can't wait!

Happy Summer!
The Hills

I'm going to be an Aunt!

Here is Baby Robinson! My brother and his wife, Cristi, are expecting a baby due December 7th!!!! I AM SO EXCITED! Cristi has been on bed rest and will go back to work tomorrow, but keep her and this precious baby in your prayers!!!!

Adoption Day - May 19, 2008

Today was the most wonderful day! We got to the courthouse around 1 PM to meet Jana, our attorney. She instructed us as to what would happen in court and we were alittle nervous (okay, maybe it was just me)!

We were there to terminate rights of Madeline's biological parents and then to adopt her as well as change her name. We also made the decision to re-adopt Molly and give her a Texas birth certificate. This helps in the future if her Ukrainian birth certificate ever gets misplaced. Like that would EVER happen in the Hill house!?!

The judge was awesome! She asked Molly, Craig and I to raise our right hand and she swore us in. I felt so official or like I was on TV! She asked Molly if she really wanted to be a big sister and was she up to the responsibility. Molly quickly told her that she wanted to become a big sister today! The judge told her that because she came to court and asked to be a big sister, that she would grant this adoption! It was precious. She then asked us to come behind the bench for pictures. She showed Molly all her pins on her robe and told her she would call her in a couple of years to check on her. Then it was done!!! I could breathe!

I couldn't help but grieve for B today. I got to talk to her this morning. She and M (her boyfriend) were in a horrible car accident on Friday. She broke a couple of ribs and can't do much. Please pray for her!!!!! My heart still breaks for her. I am forever grateful to her for giving me this precious life to love and care for!!! She has helped fulfill a desire of mine since I was very young. May God bless her for a courageous and selfless act!!!!!

Happy Adoption Day Molly and Madeline!!!!!

Adoption Day!!!!!!!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

A Precious Mother's Day!

I never in a million years would have thought that I would be celebrating Mother's Day with two precious girls! I can remember in the summer of 2001 being told that we would not be able to have children. I can recall sitting on the floor in my pink "princess" pajamas and crying. I remember Craig saying "We will get through this." But, in my hardness and bitterness, I did not want to believe him. I struggled with the words but assured him that I would be okay. After years of trying to bear a child, I had no clue the joy that these two little ones 7 years later would bring to my life!

In 2004, our lives changed with the adoption of Molly from Ukraine. Before adopting her, to be honest, I had no idea where Ukraine was on a world map! I knew it was close to Russia and that is about it. Now, Ukraine is very special and dear to my heart and I left a piece of me there when we departed on September 11, 2004. Molly is one special child and she is identical to me, drama and all! We are peas and carrots, peanut butter and jelly! We are the best of friends and I love being her Mommy!!!!

Then, came Madeline. I remember saying over and over to numerous people - "I don't have to have a newborn, I am really done with diapers, formula, potty training, and such." Little did I know that God had something very different in mind for our lives. Little Madeline was due today - MOTHER'S DAY! But, she chose to come 5 weeks early and surprise us ALL!!! Even though things are not set in stone and the adoption is not final, she is mine. I love her as if I birthed her. I know what she likes and what she doesn't like. I know how she wants to be held and that she would prefer her feet and arms out rather than covered. I know that she is hot natured and that she loves to sit up versus being on her back. I know that she prefers a certain bottle over another and she LOVES her big sister. There is a part of me that wants to remain guarded until all is signed and final. But, no matter what happens, she will always be my daughter.

A wise woman (Jane Mills) once told me that "mother" is a verb not a noun. That was such a comforting thought. Adoption is so wonderful! Even though these girls were not conceived in my tummy, they were conceived in my heart. I am forever grateful to their "Life Mommies!" They chose to give life to these girls so that I could love and care for them as if I gave birth to them myself. I am thankful for the lives that I hold so dear to my heart - Molly and Madeline - I will ALWAYS LOVE BOTH OF YOU!!!!!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you. Some of you do not have children of your own but you are still mothers in some way. There are so many children out there that need women to care and love them in a motherly way. May you be encouraged to seek those out that need that type of love this Mother's Day! Maybe it is someone that has lost their mother. Maybe it is someone that has an absent mother due to circumstances beyond their control. Or, maybe it is someone that needs a Godly influence in their lives because they did not grow up in a Christian home. Whatever the situation, consider being a mother in some way.

On a different note, I am headed to a very special celebration of a mother that lost her life to cancer on Thursday. What a day to celebrate her life and the impact that she has made on her children as well as so many of us that knew her. Please keep the Morris and Ganaway families in your prayers as they say goodbye to their precious wife, mother, daughter and friend, Cherie Morris.

May God bless all of you!

In the home stretch...

Well, its almost a over. The waiting has been so hard. We had to wait 30 days to file a petition to terminate paternity rights. Well, Thursday marks the end of the 30 days. It will take a couple of days for the court to get back to us on our filing. So, we are hoping to go to court next week.

I spoke with B's grandmother today. Apparently, R has been calling asking about "his daughter." Because he is in jail, he has to call collect so the grandmother has not been accepting the charges. So, we will wait and see what happens.

I am nervous but there is nothing I can do so why worry. I am so thankful that I believe in a Sovereign God. I know that He is in control. I may not feel it all the time but I can find comfort in knowing that He has my best at heart. I stared at this precious angel while I fed her a few minutes ago and I grieve just thinking I could lose her. I don't feel like we have anything to worry about but there is that little reservation! Again, we serve a BIG GOD and He is in control!!!!

Madeline is doing great. She is growing so much and changing so much, so fast. We are now officially in "newborn" clothing and diapers!!!! No more preemie stuff. I can't believe that she is 4 weeks today. It seems like yesterday that she was born. But, then again, it feels like she has been in our lives forever.

I love this child! I love her as if I gave birth to her. Everytime I hold her, I am so thankful to B for her gift to us. I miss B so much and pray that she is okay. I sent her a package the other day and she received it yesterday. Her grandmother said she was excited to receive it and even cried. Oh, my heart still breaks for her broken heart. I really love that girl!!!

Molly is doing well. She loves being a big sister. She is such a big helper and I am so thankful to have her in my life. You should really hear her play. She has quite the imagination and I love listening to her on a daily basis.

Well, I need to take a nap while Madeline is sleeping!!!!!

Blessings,
The Hills

 

Life with the Hills

Boy, its a been a whirlwind the last week or so. As many of you can tell, we have an addition to our family. She is the most amazing little thing I have ever laid my eyes on. I'll never forget the day she came into this world. God started the day with a 3.7 earthquake 60 miles from our home and then ended it with the birth of Madeline Grace Hill.

I drove to SA to pick up B for her regular doctor's appointment. She was taking a shower and fixing her gorgeous wavy hair! All of a sudden, B doubled over in pain. She started having contractions and we timed them at 4 minutes apart. She said it was the worse pain she had ever felt. We quickly got into the car, made a stop at Jack in the Box for chocolate shakes (yummy) and headed for the doctor. By the time we left Jack in the Box, the contractions were 3 minutes apart. WOW - she was in so much pain and I hurt for her. I wanted it to stop so desperately for her. We got to the doctor and the Nurse Practioner checked her cervix. 7cm dialated, 100% effaced, and bulging bag of water. Her doctor's office is across the street from Methodist and a tunnel under Medical Drive connects them. They put her in a wheelchair, draped blankets over her and we were on our way to Labor and Delivery. Everthing was happening so fast and I quickly made some phone calls to Craig, Camille, Shelly, and my Mom. WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A BABY!

Once inside L&D, things moved so fast. She was contracting so much and I felt so sorry for B. They gave her an epidural and things slowed a bit. The doctor came in about 5 and broke her water. Then, it all began to happen... Fast moving nurses, doctors, surgical techs, people everywhere! Her precious boyfriend, M, got on one side and me on the other. Sweet B pushed three times and then there she was! I can't explain what happened to me that day in Labor and Delivery Room 27, but I can assure you I'll never be the same. I cut the cord and then they took her to evaluate her. Craig drew close to the baby and I stayed with B as we both cried our eyes out! I looked over at Craig and his face was BEAMING! All I could do was hold B in my hands and pray silently over her. She just did an amazing thing - she brought life into this world! I kept thanking her and telling her what an incredible job! She was a trooper!

They moved us to 10 South at Methodist and it was amazing. They treated all of us like royalty. We both had a room with two large wooden doors separating us. It worked out well but we later found out that open doors are much better than closed doors!

Then, two days passed and it was time to leave. That experience has changed me forever. I can't tell you what all happened in that room when B told her daughter goodbye. All I can say, is I've never had to do anything remotely close to what she did that day. She handed her daughter to us. There is nothing I can do or say to possibly even thank her enough for the gift she gave to us. I can never repay her. All I can do is promise to love that child with every ounce of my being and I DO!

Madeline fits so well into our family. She actually looks like me when I was born but I think she is cuter! She eats well, sleeps well and is just a very happy baby. We took her to her first doctor's appointment. She weighed 5 pounds, 8 ounces when we left the hospital and after one week, she was up to 6 pounds, 3 ounces!!! She is doing so well and the doctor's are amazed that she was actually born at 35 weeks. SHE IS AMAZING!

We just have one more hurdle and that is the birthfather. My prayer has always been that he would have a softened heart. I don't know what God is doing but I pray He is working in R's life. I pray that there are no complications with this adoption and that things move smoothly. B has given so much of herself and its been so hard for her to do. She is so brave and courageous! She is amazing - I guess that is where Madeline gets it from.

So, please pray for us for the next 21 days. Pray that God's will is done. Pray that I submit to that will even if its hard. PLEASE pray for B!!!!! Pray that things begin to get better. Pray for things going on in her life that I am not at liberty to talk about. Pray that she begins her new life together with M and that they can move on from her.

Thanks for all of your prayers!

Love,
Craig, Becca, Molly and Madeline!

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

Madeline Grace...

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

3 more weeks!!!!

Oh the waiting is so hard! But, I know that God has perfect timing and that precious little girl will make her appearance when its time.

We go to the doctor with B tomorrow at 2:30 and we'll know if she has dialated any more than the 4 cm at the hospital during Easter. I am guessing that she has dialated even more based on some of her symptoms but we'll wait and see.

I will be posting an update tomorrow. I do have the baby's bag packed and the infant carrier in the car just in case the doctor sends us to the hospital tomorrow. You just never know. :)

I'll update tomorrow.

Blessings,
Becca, Craig, Molly and Baby Sister to be!!!! (we are leaning towards JennyLynn Grace Hill but we are not set on it - we have to wait and see her!!!)

Uncle Bubba...

On Friday, April 4th, my great uncle passed away and went to be with the Lord. Mom was on her way up to Virginia when he died so she did not get there before he passed. She was devastated and still is. She is up there helping them and planning his funeral. I am so glad that she is up there with my Aunt Polly.

When we adopted from Ukraine, Uncle Bubba wrote us almost everyday. He was so in tune with the adoption and prayed fervently for us the entire time while we were there. When we got home, he had printed out all of our journal entries and photos and bound them for us. It was the sweetest gift! He was so dear to our lives!

You can read his obituary at http://www.henryfuneralhome.net/index.cfm

Here is a photo of him. I am glad that he is dancing on the streets of gold with his brothers and sisters!!!!!!

A friend sent this to me today - I needed it!

Sand and Stone

TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING THROUGH THE DESERT
DURING SOME POINT OF THE
JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN
ARGUMENT; AND ONE FRIEND
SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE
IN THE FACE


THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED
WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT
SAYING ANYTHING,
WROTE IN THE SAND

TODAY MY BEST FRIEND
SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE

THEY KEPT ON WALKING,
UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS,
WHERE THEY DECIDED
TO TAKE A BATH

THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN
SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE
MIRE! AND STARTED DROWNING,
BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM.

AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM
THE NEAR DROWNING,
HE WROTE ON A STONE

'TODAY MY BEST FRIEND
SAVED MY LIFE'

THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED
AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND
ASKED HIM, 'AFTER I HURT YOU,
YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW,
YOU WRITE ON A STONE, WHY?'

THE FRIEND REPLIED
'WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US
WE SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN
IN SAND, WHERE WINDS OF
FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY.
BUT, WHEN SOMEONE DOES
SOMETHING GOOD FOR US,
WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE
WHERE NO WIND
CAN EVER ERASE IT'

LEARN TO WRITE
YOUR HURTS IN
THE SAND AND TO
CARVE YOUR
BENEFITS IN STONE.

Ukraine Video

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Prayers Please

If you guys could just keep us in your prayers - that would be great. Without going into too much detail, just pray for us. Pray that God's Will is done and that I would submit to that Will even if its hard. I know God is in control and I know He has everything worked out according to His plan. I must trust that right now more than anything. I am learning a lesson in trust like I learned in Ukraine with Molly. I thought I learned that lesson already but apparently God thinks I need to learn it again ;)

Thanks to all of you for your sweet messages!

Blessings,
Becca and the rest of the gang....

Humility

I am beginning a new Bible study on Humility and boy is it humbling! I've never really thought of myself as a prideful person (does that mean I am?) It's a fine line but I am pretty sure my life is full of pride. One of my biggest issues is trusting God. In an effort to control my life and distrust Him, I am manifesting a prideful nature. I always seem to think that God has so much on His plate, that He needs my help at times. I'm sure He is up there thinking, "I don't remember putting you on the payroll to control your problems." I'm sure He gets a kick out of watching me trying to take the wheel.

There is so much to take "control" over in my life. The main issue is this adoption. If I say the right thing, do the right thing, pray hard, believe even harder, then B will place her child with me. But, in reality, none of that matters. It is important to pray, its important to believe, and its important to act in a moral manner - but that will not change the outcome of this situation. God has ordained this from the beginning of time and there is nothing I can do or say to change it. Why in the world do I wake up every morning thinking I can!?

B and I had a great conversation on Sunday. She has been hurt lately and my heart breaks for her when she is broken. Like I have said before, I have really grown to love her. She is more like family than anything and I pray that she feels that way too. I hope she knows that I am not just flying in and out of her life just to benefit myself. I know that I have been put in her life for a reason. Anyway, back to humility. I was feeling alittle down today for some reason. I have a lot of things going on internally that I find hard to get out. My hormones are out of whack right now. I am hoping to breastfeed and I am on many herbs and meds to induce lactation. So, my moods are not easily controlled. Here I am not wanting to "control" the situation and bother B, so I made sure I did not get in touch with her today. I don't want to be desperate and act like a "baby starved wing nut" - a line from the movie Juno. I want her to know how excited I am but in the same sense, I don't want to act crazy!

So, in an effort to not control - I am trying to let her make the moves. I want her to call me if she needs me. I know she has so much going on with her internally that she may want to distance herself from me, I'm not sure. But, again, I have to trust the One who ordained this - the One who planned this from the beginning of time! Its soooo hard at times and I can feel like I am going crazy.

People ask me ALL the time if I am scared. To be honest, I am not exactly "scared" but I am cautious, if that makes sense. I have been down this road before but not quite this far! It has been such an exciting journey and I would not trade it for the world. I have met some incredible people on this road and I will forever be blessed. However, there is an element of worry that creeps in every once in awhile. Who can help that when you are dealing with another person's emotions, decisions, feelings, heart, etc? I have to respect the fact that B has her own mind - she can do what she wants - this is her life. It goes back to that whole trust issue. We are not to trust in man but God. He is in control. I pray earnestly that His plan is for us to have this precious little baby girl in our home.

We have prepared her nursery with the crib, cradle and all the bedding. I have so many clothes that I could open up my own Children's Store. I have been so blessed. Molly packed the baby's bag yesterday and she is getting so excited. I am more concerned with her than anyone. If this adoption does not go through, she will be devastated. We all will be devastated but I care more about her heart than my own. I am a grown woman (or I am supposed to be) and I will move on. But, she will be heartbroken. Maybe that is a bridge we will not have to cross.

I pray for B and the baby that grows inside of her every day - many times a day. I can tell that she is trying to do what is right in all areas of her life. She is connecting with people in her past that love her and that are good for her. She is making a difference in her life by getting a job and doing what is best for her and her son. Her fiance, M, is doing the same. He is job searching right now and I am so proud of him. I pray that he finds a job this week and can begin to provide for he and his family.

Pray for us as we only have 4 weeks. I can't believe we will have a baby in our home in 4 weeks or less. Its so surreal but its so exciting! Pray that I would let go and let God! Pray that I would relinguish my control and that I would trust Him with everything. Pray for B as she approaches the birth of this precious baby. Pray that she can get through this with God's strength. Pray that her faith is strengthened and that she can move on after the birth and placement of this child. Pray for everyone involved and that everyone's hearts are protected. Pray that God's love is shown throughout this entire process.

Blessings to you all!

Becca, Craig, Molly and Baby Girl Hill

Our TV Debut...

Copy and paste the entire link below and put it in your address bar... Have fun watching!!!

http://www.woai.com/mediacenter/videoplayer/dayportPlayer.aspx?articleIds=488649@video.woai.com,176590@video.woai.com,131540@video.woai.com,72048@video.woai.com,57818@video.woai.com,502858@video.woai.com&categoryId=Search for text "orphans"&loadPlaylist=true&contractId=2&articleID=488649

4 weeks and 2 days...

It supposed to be 4 weeks and 2 days until the BIG DAY! But, I have this feeling it will be alot sooner than that! B is having a contraction about every 45 minutes and feeling some pressure in her belly. The baby is not moving as much and seems to be in position for delivery. So, we'll see!

I got to keep her son yesterday! We went to Chuck E Cheese, HEB Plus, Walmart, Ice Cream, and Jason's Deli. We had the best time and then it was time to take him home. When we got there, he didn't want me to leave. So, he got his diapers, pajamas, and a change of clothes and headed to New Braunfels with us. He spent the night and was sooooo much fun. He is so cute and followed me around saying, "Becca, what you doing?" He just turned 2 but his vocabulary is like that of a 3 year old. You can really tell that B talks to him normally and not like a baby. You can also tell that she spends a lot of time with him and has taught him alot. We took him home after lunch today and he started crying when we left. I wanted to take him home but he needed to spend time with Mommy. She loves him soooo much! And, he loves her.

We are on our way to the storage unit to get more baby items. We are going to wash all the clothes, put the crib and cradle up, bring in the changing table, and get the clothes put away. I got the diaper bag out of storage too and plan on packing that tonight, just in case! You never know when we will get a call from B telling us she is on the way to the hospital.

We do have a doctor's appointment on Tuesday so if everything is okay the next few days, we'll go to it. I wonder what is on the doctor's agenda if she is dialated more! We are still thinking she is further along but we'll see.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

I have a few prayer requests...
My friend, Jamie - her dad was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus.
My friend, Cherie - she has cancer and her lungs are not cooperating. Her oxygen level is at 80%!
My friend, Camille - she found out some devastating news about the little girl she hosted at Christmas from Ukraine.
My friends, Stephanee and Zach - they are adopting two girls from Ukraine that they hosted this past Christmas.
My friends, Laura and Brad - they are adopting from Ethiopia!!!

That's all for now!

Blessings,
Becca, Craig, Molly and Baby Girl Hill

Question of the day...

How do you get excited without being insensitive. I feel bad about something I told B today. I got so excited that my friend, Devin, gave me some little baby clothes and I mentioned it to her. I am now afraid that I was being insensitive. I want her to feel my excitement so she knows that I will love and care for her little girl as much as humanly possible. But, how do I relay that excitement and still be sensitive to her struggle with letting go? I have grown to love B so much and I would never intentionally be insensitive to her or her feelings. So, if you have any ideas, please let me know. The last thing I want to do is trample on her feelings during all of this. My goodness, she is making the largest sacrifice of her life! She is giving me her child to love, cherish, and take care of. B is my first priority. I feel that God put her in my life for a reason and its not just to adopt her child, its to love her. I am just trying to make sure I am in check with everything.

Thanks in advance for the advice....

Becca

Nothing new today....

I've received many phone calls and emails checking on B's progress. Nothing new as of today but that could change at any moment. I still feel like she is further along than the doctor's are saying based on her symptoms of early labor. The baby seems bigger and acts as if she is ready to make her grand entrance. We just hope and pray she is fully developed when she comes out into this big, big world. I'm sure God is growing her just perfectly!

I am getting so very excited! People ask me all the time if I am excited and of course I am!!!! I am nervous too but not that B will change her mind. I just want to make sure I have everything ready for her arrival. My dear friends, Camille and Laura, surprised me and told me they were giving me my infant car seat! I cried! That is so incredibly sweet and now I have something to take her home in when we leave the hospital. My dream of not having a car seat is over and done.

I was thinking of outfits to bring her home in and I remembered that I have the dress I came home in from 1971! I just need to find it. The cool thing is that we will be delivered at the same hospital so that makes its extra cool. B was delivered there so that is triple the blessing. Methodist is a great place to have babies - they really know what they are doing. We got a taste of that during our hospital stay this past weekend.

I have a couple of prayer requests regarding B and her boyfriend, M. M really needs a job. He is trying to make a fresh start and really wants something where he can do something he loves, that is working on cars. I sent him some jobs over email yesterday that I found in the SA paper. I really hope something happens for him. He loves B so much and wants to take care of her. He called me yesterday and was so excited that he just sold his rims and stereo equipment. He immediately put money in the bank and I was so proud of him. Please pray that he finds a job soon.

Also, please pray for B. I know that she is struggling with how hard this is going to be. She is so certain in her decision but it does not replace the pain that is associated with placing her baby with us. I just hope and pray that she is okay. I pray that the pain will be minimal (if that is even possible). I pray that the people in her life will be sensitive to her struggle and will be there for her unconditionally. I pray that she can move on and continue to be the best little Mommy to her son. She is incredible to him and loves him sooooo much. He is a great kid! And, did I mention that he loves me :)

I appreciate all the prayers and precious emails that I am receiving from all of you. We are so excited that we can hardly stand it! Still no name set in stone. We go back and forth with all of them. I'm sure when we see her precious face, we will know what her name is to be at that time.

I'll post with more updates. We have a doctor's appointment on Tuesday so we'll possibly know more from the doctor. She is 33 weeks and 5 days today. So, we are really in the home stretch!!!

Oh - one more tiny thing - if anyone knows of someone trying to find homes for a puppy, please let me know. B really wants a puppy and I think it would be good to help her let go. Thanks so much!

Blessings to you all!
Becca, Craig, Molly and Baby Girl Hill

The rollercoaster ride called adoption....

Well, B was checked out of Antepardum on Sunday afternoon after having no other signs of labor other than being 3-4 cm dialated. So, she went home to complete bedrest. I'm not sure if she'll heed the warnings of the doctor, but we can only hope and pray.



She is not resting well and she is very uncomfortable. She is certain that she is further along than the doctors think. She delivered a full term baby last time they weighed 6 pounds. She is very small and the father is small. So, they may just have small babies :)



I was diagnosed with bronchitis last night so that explains the cough that I have had for a week. I got some really good antibiotics and I am on my way to recovery!!!!! Thank you, Lord!



We have a busy week this week with getting into the groove of things. Ballet starts again as well as Molly's school. Spring Break was good and it was nice to have a break from things. We met with the attorney today at B's house and she signed the preliminary paperwork with her intent to place the child up for adoption and chosen us as the parents. That was pretty exciting but we know that nothing is a done deal until after the official paperwork is signed and sealed.



Thanks to everyone for their encouragement and their prayers during this time!



Blessings,
Becca, Craig, Molly and Baby Girl Hill (name still to be determined)

Life on Antepardum Floor....

We received a call at 4:30 AM on March 20th from our birthmother's dear boyfriend. She was having 11 contractions an hour and in a lot of pain. He rushed her to the hospital and they immediately admitted her into Labor and Delivery. Of course, this will make our 3rd trip to the hospital in two weeks. However, this visit was different - she was there to stay. Her doctor was on call and checked her cervix - she was dialated to 4 cm! So, she wasn't going anywhere. They adminstered several different medications and finally found one to work. The contractions stopped and the cervix went down a little bit. The doctor said she will be there until the baby is born. Her original due date was April 28th but she may not make it until then.

She was moved the Antepardum floor where they have a lot of women who are high risk pregancies. Our little one is only 33 weeks but there are women there that are 24 and 27 weeks along. In fact, the 27 weeker delivered yesterday weighing in at 2 pounds 1 ounce. He'll be in NICU for a while. We also saw another little one coming in on LifeFlight in an incubator and headed straight to NICU. We are hoping and praying those little ones hang on and fight!

B was given hospital privileges, which means she can ride in the wheelchair 20 minutes a day twice a day. She is so excited! She also gets to wear her own clothes and not that gorgeous hospital gown. The food stinks though so I make frequent trips to the food court or Whataburger down the street. Life in Antepardum can be quite boring. The rooms are big but there is not a lot to do. We have many magazines, word games, cards and movies! You can only watch so much TV, which B does not do too often. We get frequent visits from friends and family!

The doctor are hoping that she atleast makes it to 34 weeks, which will be next Sunday but they are hoping even more that she makes it to 35 weeks! Two more weeks laying flat on your back - yeehaw!

Thanks everyone for the prayers! Its so exciting to think we could have a baby soon! We have not even prepared a room. And, I need a carseat to take this little one home in!

Please pray for me as I have a cough that will not go away! Its a constant tickle in my throat and I'm sure my husband is very close to throwing me to the curb. He is so tired of my cough but not as tired of it as I am!!!!!

Love and blessings,
Becca, Craig, Molly and Baby Girl Hill (name still to be decided)

Headed to the Beach!

Well, we are almost packed and ready to head out in the morning for Gulf Shores! We are so excited and think the break will keep us sane. I can't believe we have only 6 weeks before the arrival of our little one.

I had a dream last night that she arrived and I was not prepared at all. Molly and I frantically searched for a car seat for the little one and could only come up with one that was way too big. It was funny but we quickly made our way to Target to get a pretty pink one. It was the wildest dream and the baby was soooo small. I guess I am having dreams like a pregnant mom would right before the birth of their child. Who knows - but you should hear some of my dreams.

Its beautiful here today in Texas. It was 95 degrees yesterday and it felt like summer. We are anxious to get near some saltwater and soft sand for a week. Molly is really looking forward to seeing her Pop and Mia. She told us last night that it sure is more fun seeing them than just talking to them on the phone. She packed her suitcase early this morning and is waiting ever so patiently (ha ha) for tomorrow morning. I hope and pray that Pop and Mia are ready for us to take over the condo with our bag full of Barbies and babydolls.

Nothing new on the adoption front. We are just waiting patiently. We view the ultrasound pics quite often. We seem more like bragging grandparents showing them to everyone we know! Its funny to see people's faces when they try to determine how to actually read the ultrasound pics.

Well, I hope that each of you have a wonderful and blessed Easter. May we all remember what was done for us on that day many years ago. Hallelujah that He is Risen!

Ultrasound...

Well, we saw and heard her today! She is so stinkin cute! I mean, I know its just an ultrasound and I am alittle bias but come on - you can see alot in those things! She looks great in Black and White.

Our precious little birthmom is so cute too. We had a couple of "false labors" this weekend. It first started on Friday afternoon with contractions and a trip to Labor and Delivery. After spending a couple of hours in the hospital, they sent her home. Then, on Sunday, she thought her water broke but after another trip to the hospital, they assured her it was nothing but told her to come back if she felt anything else. She is only 31 weeks along so we want this precious baby girl to stay in her tummy for atleast 4 more weeks.

When we saw her today, she was completely stretched out and relaxed. I think she was even sleeping. Her lips were puckered as if she were blowing kisses. Again, it was too cute!

We remain guarded but so excited. Our birthmom asked if I felt this little girl was mine and I said "Of course!" I do mean that but I don't want to seem desperate, you know? I do feel like she is mine and I have seen excitement in Craig like I did when we were headed to Ukraine to get Molly. So, I am trusting that God has prepared our hearts for what is to come. We continue to pray for His will to be done, not ours.

Molly has picked out some names of our little one....

Savannah Grace
Elizabeth Jane (to be called Lizzie Jane)
Madeline Grace
Jenny Lynn (after my mom's sister that was killed at age 17)
Ariel - Molly's favorite though I am not too fond of it :) I think she had just watched "The Little Mermaid"
Emma - I know WAY too many Emmas but Molly likes it - don't think it will happen
Lauren Elizabeth

I think that is it for now. Molly's longtime favorite name is Katrina Frosting Hair Done - not sure where she came up with it but that is the name of most of her dolls.

Anyway, Mom told me to come up with a list of names and when we meet her for the first time, we will know what to call her. So, I am trusting that advice!

I will keep you updated as much as possible. We have a doctor's appointment next week but I may be out of town. I'm sure we won't know much but you can be certain that I will be hightailing it back to Texas if she goes into labor next week. Let's just pray that baby girl stays right where she is until its time to come out. Pray, pray, pray!

Blessings to you all,

B, C, M, and soon to be baby girl

7 weeks and 3 Days!!!!

I write this with a VERY cautious but excited heart. I have asked God over and over to please guard my heart (all of our hearts) in this process. We wait hopefully and patiently for the arrival of a new addition to the Hill family.

A few weeks ago, we found out that the child we hosted for Christmas, Oksana, was not available for adoption. Our hearts were devastated. We wondered why in the world God would allow a child to come to the US, melt our hearts, and then not be available. We went through many different emotions and realized that God most likely had something else much better for our lives. Our hearts broke for little Oksana but realized that she does have 5 older brothers that can take care of her once she ages out of the system. We are praying that her parents get their act together and can come get all of them from the orphanage.

Well, after our debut on the local TV station, I received a phone call from a lady in San Antonio. She and I talked for over an hour about Ukraine adoption. She and her husband are in their 40's and are beginning to think that its better just to be childless. After we talked, she apologized for taking so much of my time. I assured her that things don't happen as coincidence. A week later she called to tell me a neighbor's granddaughter was pregnant with her second child and wanted to place the baby up for adoption. She asked if I would be interested. I said of course. But, I didn't push the issue and then didn't hear from her after that day.

My friends and I traveled to Dallas in February for a mother conference and on the way home, I made the comment, "I wish a baby could just fall in my lap." Then, I got home and guess I was still on my pity party and continued to tell Craig that I was just ready for the pain to go away. He told me to be honest with myself and admit that I did desire an infant and that it was okay to desire such. I think I did cry that night and ended up crying out to God "Why can't a baby fall in my lap!"

So, the following Tuesday, I pulled myself up by my bootstraps! I talked with a friend of mine about adopting out of the foster care system and approached Craig with the idea that evening. He said, "Sure, pursue it until God shuts the door!" I was amazed! Thank you, Lord, I told myself. About an hour later, I received an email from the lady I spoke to a month prior about the neighbor's granddaughter. This young girl wanted to talk to ME! She called me an hour later and wanted to meet me the very next day. So, on February 20th, our lives changed! After looking through our adoption scrapbook of Molly, she looked up at me with tears in her eyes and said "Will you adopt my baby?" WOW, my heart sank. I wanted to jump up and down right there in the McDonald's dining room but I feared she might retract her question. I replied with "I'd love to adopt your baby," as I swallowed the lump in my throat. Then, she pulled out sonograms pictures and said "Here, these belong to you, this is going to be your baby!"

Well, our journey continues and its been an amazing experience. This little girl is a product of her environment. She didn't grow up with much of a family. Her parents were in and out of her life. She lives with some wonderful grandparents whom I have met and have grown to love. They care for her, her two sisters, and her brother. I have met everyone and they are so excited about the adoption plan. Her two younger sisters, age 9 and 11, are wonderful too! They are so sweet and told me that Grandpa insisted I adopt the two dogs, cat, and rabbit with the baby. When I went to their home on Sunday, they pulled out baby pictures galore! They are so proud of their children and grandchildren. Its been a great experience!

I went to the doctor with her today. The doctor explained to us that he wanted to schedule a C-section on April 28th! I almost fainted! That is only 7 weeks and 3 days away, I thought to myself!!! Storage - I've got to get to storage, I kept thinking! But, then part of me keeps saying "Guard your heart, its not over until that ink dries!" So, I am trying to be excited and cautious at the same time. I ask for your prayers for our family but mainly for this sweet girl! I have grown to love her so much. Craig and I may be the only thing close to parents that she will ever experience. She doesn't want much contact with us after the baby is born so we know we must be a good influence to her in this short time. I try to talk to her everyday and just ask her about life. She is very open and honest with me. I've assured her that even if she changes her mind, that I will not hate her. I told her that we would be heartbroken but that we would survive. She continues to tell me she is not going to change her mind but I know that once she sees that precious baby girl, she might. I am prepared for that as much as I can be at this point.

Please pray for a continued healthy pregnancy, pray for God's Will to be done in this process, pray for the birthfather as he sits in jail that God would soften his heart, pray for this girl's heart and her salvation, pray that Craig and I can be there for her as God would have us to be, and pray for our hearts to remain guarded. Sorry so long but I felt like writing tonight!

Blessings,
Becca

The First Post...

I started an adoption website about 4 years ago with our adoption of Molly. In an effort to keep everyone up-to-date, I went with another website where I was able to post daily our journey in Ukraine. That website (http://beccaandcraig.tripod.com) has been dedicated to Molly. So, I thought I would try a different type of blog. So, here is my attempt.