So, I walked outside this evening and what did I find...my husband swimming with Gavin in our extra tiny baby pool! Gavin thought it was the greatest thing ever! Are they cute or what..

Welcome spring, wow what a weekend! We worked really hard on the yard this weekend. We spread 19 bags of mulch and we planted our garden. We added 6 bags of manure, yes it was stinky and worked it into the heavy soil. We also planted: Oregano, Basil, Parsley, Lavender, little pumpkins, Arugula (mike's favorite) spinach, two rows of peas, two rows of green beans, brocoli, and tomatoes. Mike also added a better bunny fence, those of you who have watched Wallace and Grommit The Curse of the Ware Rabbit we were attacked by bunnies last season. Gavin thought planting a garden was great! Mike and I were just plain tired Sunday night!

Happy Easter (a bit late) enjoy the album click on the photo for more pictures from our first major holiday celebrated in Indy. We really enjoyed having Aunt Michelle, Uncle Tony and Baby Sam here. We also had a really nice time celebrating with our life group with a fabulous feast at the Oppold's as well as a wonderful Easter egg hunt! Gavin loved it!

New Album 4/07/07 8:36 PM

Amazing News! We received our much awaited and prayed for Visa Pre-approval from the US Embassy in Guatemala. What this means is our documents will be put before PGN which is the Guatemalan court system. Once we complete that step which the timing is not clear but at least 6-8 weeks (most people are kicked out one time, which means you correct something minor on your documents and then resubmit the file) then we can move much closer to bringing her home! Thanks for your continued prayers and support that was a really long WAIT for that step. Eight more days and I get to hold her again. Praise God for his many blessings.

Yes, Gavin tried on Nadia's hat and really liked wearing it while watching his favorite movie right now, I love toy trains. His shirt says word to big bird. Some great things Gavin is currently up to are: singing, dancing, playing CARS all the time ( there is not a nook or cranny in the house that does not have a matchbox car hiding or "night night" as he calls it) He is constantly bringing us books and saying "book time" as he calls it when he wants to read. He is beginning to sing the ABC song and enjoys counting his toys
(sometimes he will sneak a bit of Spanish numbers in...)

This week was quite long for Mommy because Gavin had another virus. The Meabon family needs better ANTI-VIRUS software installed in our home. An interesting version of hand, foot and mouth we presume due to the crazy number of fevers and Mon P.M-Thursday P.M all ranging from 101-104.8. A half of a bottle of ibuprofen and nasty and painful mouth sores...and sleep loss for all.. let's just check the week off the list! We did however have a great time just being home together. Sadly, our playdates were all canceled (of course) Next week Aunt Michelle and Baby Sam are coming over. We look forward to a really fun weekend with just the three of us before I have to say goodbye to my handsome men and Hola to my baby angel girl!

So, it has been 21 days since we held Nadia and I must say that these past few weeks have been exceptionally difficult on me. (as many of you know, thank you for your love and prayers for me by the way..) I'm sure you could try and imagine or bet yet please do not imagine...the pain of holding, smelling, kissing, and falling in love with your child only to give her back and to entrust her to a complete stranger for her every need. Thank God for my faith in him because we are entrust him to protect her during this time of seperation from our family. If I allow it the emptiness in my arms and my heart can envelope my spirit and begins to interfere with my every breath. Again thankfully God is gracious and has placed blessings in my life to bring me and carry me through this uncertain and transistional period of our lives. I have especially enjoyed a short read but deep and pentrating food for my spirit I wanted to share them with you. By the way we recieved and update today and it again said what we knew it would, "File is waiting at the atty's office for the Visa Pre-approval." This piece took 2 weeks for Gavin's process and we are now at week 10 with no idea or insight to when the wait will end. After we recieve this piece our process begins with the Guatemalan Court system which is another long and unpredictable piece of the process. My mother and I leave in 12 days to hold her and bond with her once agin. Although the idea of giving her back and entrusting her again to someone other than me brings me to nausea and tears. I am learning and working to bring "Perfect Trust" into my life....

Enjoy these quotes they have really spoken to my heart and life, I am thankful for a mentor and aquaintence who wise enough to share these insights with me...

The Secret to Responsible Trust is Acceptance.

Not only did Job worship, He accepted what God had sent into his life. That is wisdom. That is perfect trust.

I don't have to defend or explain the will of God. My job is simply to obey it.

I Gird myself today with the power of God:
God's strength to comfort me,
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to lead me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to Protect me...

__St Patricks Breastplate

Anxious literally means to be "divided or distracted" That gnawing thought is pulling your mind toward it so that you can't give yourself to the thing you need to do.

Jesus spoke about being anxious and referred to it 6 times in 10 verses on the sermon on the mount: Don't be anxious for tomorrow for tomorrow will care for itself.

When you worry about what you don't have you won't be able to enjoy what you do have....(my personal favorite quote, completely cuts to my heart)

Since He took care of our greatest need at Calvary by giving us Christ, then you can be sure He will take care of everything else He considers important for us.

Faith is like lighting the torch that passes from one person to the next. You can't light the torch of another if yours isn't burning..(so true!)

Tell God All that is in your heart, as one unloads one's heart, its pleasures and its pains, to dear friend. -Francios Fenelone

Trusting God doesn't alter our circumstances. Perfect trust in Him changes Us. (such a simple concept yet so hard to truly accomplish at times)

When we do embrace God's soverignty, we find that confidence increases, insecurities fade, worries decrease, and calmness replaces striving. (I am so ready for confidence, security, peace and calmness in my heart)

Our All-wise, All knowing God reigns in realms beyond our comprehension,
to bring about a plan that is beyond our ability to hinder, alter, or stop.

Excerpts taken from "Perfect Trust" by Charles Swindoll
I wonder and pray when God will reveal his plan for our lives but I am also daily releasing my trust and my faith to him as we continue this wild and unpredictible journey. There is comfort though knowing that I cannot hinder, alter, or stop the plan and that he already knows will unfold in each of our lives. I am learning so much about myself and who I want to become in Christ through this process. I am thankful the many blessings that are intertwined in this process...

Easter Eggs!

This morning Gavin embarked on his first easter egg coloring experience with his Mommy, Daddy, and Uncle Tony. He stirred the eggs and talked about all the different colors, his favorite being BLUE! Check out the pics of Gavin coloring his eggs.

Easter Eggs

April 1, 2007

Today is April 2nd, we have had a great week with Nadia here in Guatemala. Today is the day that Melissa and I did not want to come, the day we have to give her back to her foster mother. We have a new trip planned to come back in less than a month, so that makes it a little easier.

Here are some new pictures from yesterday, we spent most of the day at the pool and Nadia loved swimming with Mommy and Daddy. Click on the big picture to go to an album of more pictures.

We will be leaving for the US on Tuesday morning and will be back in Indy late Tuesday.

April 1, 2007

Nadia 3-30-07

Hello everyone, we are still having a great time here in Guatemala! Last night Nadia found her little arm, and was staring at it for what seemed like hours, but was really 20-30 minutes. Daddy had a blast taking pics of her, she was a little baby model! Click on the picture above to go to an album of almost 50 pictures!

We will have more soon, we are on the way to the pool for our first family swim.

Nadia 3/28-3/29

Hey everyone, click on the picture of Nadia to be taken to a web album of fun pictures from the last few days in Guatemala.

We are having so much fun with Nadia, please check back often for more updates!

We are so excited to finally hold Nadia! Here is a short video of our first few minutes in our hotel room, interacting with little Nadia. Keep checking back for more videos and pictures!

We are here and safe and the hotel is even nicer than before..Heavenly Beds and Pack n plays.....they bring her this morning we have not held her yet. Mike and I went out for dinner together last night the last chance for me to leave the hotel for the week :( But it is huge with several restaurants. We all know that I just want to hold her anyway. Check www.meabon.blogspot.com for photos throughout the week. The anticipation is not only exciting but a really nice place to be in this crazy process. When I woke his morning God gave me a great song and it will now be my theme song for the rest of this process. With Gavin it was Blessed be Your Name...
For Nadia it will be: You Never Let Go
Check out the lyrics http://www.pwarchive.com/song.aspx?SongID=2641&v=1

Thanks again for your prayers.

Psalm 103 was beautiful to us this morning read it when you have a chance!
Holding on to so many verses but this chapter was a gift from God this morning a we anticipate holding her for the first time

Also we are standing on:
Proverbs 20:24 The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way.

We also received her 3 month medical today and she now weighs... drum roll please....9.9 lbs and is 21.9 inches long.
Look out Nadia here we come... we cannot wait to kiss those cheeks and love on you. She is wearing the outfit we sent her and the hat we sent too. She is so pretty in PINK! (mommy's favorite color) What a blessing you are already so many people are already praying and dreaming of loving you...Especially Mommy, Daddy, and your big brother Gavin. He asks about 3 times each day to "baby watch?" because he loves to see your video. We are so excited to hold you soon and pray for your growth and development each day.

Nadia we love you,

Mommy, Daddy, and Gavin

We just received our 2 month medical and Nadia is doing really well...She weighed 8.1 lbs and was 20.9 inches long super TINY!

Check out a new video of our baby girl Nadia Laurabeth in Guatemala:

Samantha Beth Deal born March 4, 2007 at 5:15 AM weighing 8'4' (the biggest baby of the night!) She was 20 inches and stole each of our hearts from the first glance. She and the new Deal family are doing wonderfully! Michelle was simple amazing and it was a really long night! We love you Samantha...

So, this is not exactly a current picuture, but I love it! He went through a phase around the time of my brother's wedding 6/06 of holding up his shorts like a dress. It felt too weird to put an actual picture of Gavin making poop poo's on the poppy (as he calls it). He actually reads a magazine like a little man while he goes..hee hee. I am so excited and proud of Gavin for making poop poo's twice today on the potty! He was also proud and amazed to see what he did in the potty. This will be a fabulous and wonderful thing to have him at least partially or maybe (kind of a lofty goal) all the way trainned before Nadia comes home!
Speaking of Nadia we may have an update tomorrow:) I must say some days are harder than others but I keep holding onto Proverbs 3:5-6 To trust in the Lord with all my heart...and to not lean on my own understanding and to acknowledge him and he will make our path straight. I believe that in my letting go and in my acknowledgement him I am finding a peace that I cannot find from any other source, person, and especially not on my own...I am so thankful for my faith and so thankful for the my relationship with God, without him I would be so lost...
We do know that we still have quite a road to cover in waiting for her process to be completed and for her to become a part of our forever family. She will be such a blessing to so many...

Nadia we are praying for you, preparing for you and dreaming of you...

Love,
Mommy

Burr it's fun outside in the SNOW, Gamma will keep me warm!

It's a big driveway with a lot of SNOW! I helped Papa Dan clear the snow with his "TRACTOR." It was cowld (my pronounciation) outside...

Happy Valentine's Day 2007! If anyone was wondering there is a level 3 snow warning in Toledo, Ohio today. A level 3 warning means you cannot drive unless you are an emergency personel. Basically, the entire city is closed down. My parents yard has a lot of large drifts. Too bad Mike is on his way to Phoniex, AZ for work while we enjoy 12 degrees he will be enjoying 72! We miss you and Happy Valentine's Day!

My birthday was very special. During my mother's morning out (Gavin goes to school at our church from 9:00 am-1:00pm) I treated myself to some fun! First, I ate McDonald's breakfast which is totally greazy but yummy to me! I did'nt want to be in the atomosphere of McDonald's so I took it to go and had coffee at starbucks. Does everyone know that you can have a free coffee on your birthday at Starbucks? Well, it was not excatly free I also treated myself to the new Norah Jones CD, and one pound of Guatemalan coffee. Unbelievable what happened next though! I was really mising Nadia as it was my birthday and we were waiting to learn more about out process on Friday. As I sat down I looked up on the wall and a huge poster of the Center of Town Antigua Guatemala appeared! Check out Antigua the city where I lived and fostered Gavin and where I most likely will be living again soon. Anyway it felt unreal to be looking at this picture of a place so meaningful to me and so far away yet pictured in my hometown Fishers, IN.
I then enjoyed some shopping and a manicure with the Colts symbol painted on two of my fingers! Go Colts, which Gaivn loves to say by the way....he cannot say Gavin but he says, "Go Colts! Then after picking up Gavin and putting him down for a nap I enjoyed phone calls from loved ones. Mike's parents graciously came for the weekend and sat with Gavin while Mike and went out to the Melting Pot our favorite 3 hour romantic dinner place.

The weekend was even more special as we learned our case is now in family court! Our attorney will be getting our DNA authorization this week also! Go HECTOR....