Life in the Summer....

Doesn't everyone remember the lazy days of summer when you were a kid.  I remember spending countless hours outside playing with my friends and almost every evening ended with a good ole game of the "Kick the Can."  I remember my friend, Laurie, and I playing with Kelly and Jeffrey McHenry.  They lived across the street from me and it was our personal mission to beat them at that game every time.  I remember my mom "hollering" for me to come home and it had to be very late at night.  We'd wash the summer smell off of us in that little tiny house on Brock Avenue deep in the heart of Mississippi.  No telling what we had on us from playing in the creekbed behind Kelly's house, going down to the reservoir water's edge trying to catch crawfish, or chocolate ice cream that my Diddy had bought us from the Archusa Quick Stop.  He  made us ride in the back of his pick up truck and he had somewhat of a heavy foot so you can imagine that our ice cream cones didn't stand a chance!  Poor Eula (our family housekeeper) would probably scrub our clothes to her fingers were raw trying to get that chocolate out!  Oh, how I miss lazy days of summer!  Catching "lightning bugs" or as Craig says "fireflies" and keeping them in glass jars next to our bed at night. 

I love that my girls enjoy being outside.  I love that they enjoy playing in dirt in our backyard.  I love that they eat popsicles or ice cream on the back porch and love every minute of it.  I love that they enjoy swimming and exploring the neighborhood on treasure hunts.  I love that they love being sisters! 

Speaking of sisters, we are planning to add two more sisters to our family.  Tatiana is 15 and Leeza is 10.  They are both living in an orphanage in Ukraine at the moment.  We met them last summer and began to form quite the bond with them.  I can't wait for them to share in the things my girls do during the day.  I can't wait for my dining room table to be filled with the sounds of girls talking about their day.  I am excited for what is in store for us as we go down this journey to bring them home forever. 

We have been diligently trying to fundraise for our adoption.  Though we can pay for their daily needs, we just don't have a huge lump sum to pay for their adoption.  When we chose to adopt them, things were different.  The dreaded health care plan had not passed yet and unemployment wasn't as low as it is now.  Jobs were more secure and people weren't terrified of losing their wallets.  And because Craig is a Certified Financial Planner, there are days when its tough around here.  He is so incredible blessed with amazing talent.  He is so intelligient and is incredible with his clients.  But, its getting people to trust him.  Its hard for people to trust anyone when it comes to their money.  So, times are tough.  But, I know that God called us to adopt these girls and I know He will provide a way for them to get here.  I just have to trust Him.  Tatiana graduates from the orphanage at 16, which is only 7 months from this upcoming week.  She has a 20% chance to survive and I can't imagine her fighting for her life on the streets of Ukraine.  We just have to get her home :)

So, please join me in praying for our girls in Ukraine.  Pray that God would provide a way for them to get here and to get here FAST. 
I long for them to enjoy our lazy days of summer.  I long to tell them of my childhood summer days and for them to experience lightning bugs, popsicles, treasure hunts, chocolate ice cream running down their chin, catching crawfish, and Kick the Can.

Blessings,
Becca