The Best Birthday Gift Ever!!!

Last Friday when hubby returned from camp he asked me what I wanted for my birthday...it is a bit funny, because it drives my hubby crazy...I always ask for needs (practical things) for my birthday...he wants me to ask for "fun" stuff. What I want for my birthday is always a loaded question that we laugh about now, but no so much when we were first married and learning each other's preferences.

So, what did I tell him I wanted for my birthday?

1. A referral for our little girl.
• To which he rolled his eyes and said, "Really honey, like I have control over that?"
2. The money to pay for our referral?
• To which he laughed and said, "Oh, I see you're trying to be funny, huh!"
3. Okay, a wallet...how's that?
• To which he responded, "Great! Practical, since yours is broken, but hey, I can do that!"

Saturday I ran to the mall to get hubby some 1/2 price jeans for Father's Day and to return a tie that wasn't going to work for him. I had been eyeing the Mundi leather fat wallets for a couple of years, but my tight-wad tendencies prevented me from paying $30 for a wallet...crazy!

Well, I saw that the wallets were 40% off, I had a 15% off coupon and the tie was $6. So my birthday wallet only cost us $9.86! Woohoo! A great wallet and it was 1/3 of the original cost...my kind of birthday present!

Okay, so I bet I have a few of you laughing at this point, thinking are you kidding me a wallet is your best birthday present ever...wow it doesn't take much to keep you happy!

Well, this is where the story gets interesting...

Monday, June 21st I was at Ft. Knox for work and hubby took the boys to the Patton Museum before we would head to the hotel. Everything was crazy with work that day and I was ready to chuck my computer out the window, but nothing was going to get me down, because Monday night I got to meet my sweet new niece, Rachel Ellen, and hold her for the first time. Yeah!

So, was meeting my namesake the best birthday present ever, well, it was fabulous, but keep reading...

We are in the car driving and I am checking email on my phone, since it doesn't work in the office, and I opened the email to see one from the Waiting Child coordinator with Holt, titled "New Referral". At first glance I thought they had just posted the new list of waiting children, until I opened and started reading...

IT WAS OUR REFERRAL!!!!!!

So frantically I read out loud, multiple times what was written...baby girl, 7 months old, do you want to review the file, you will be the only family....

Wow! I cannot even begin to explain to you the chaos that ensued...

Hubby said, "What, are you kidding, because if so that's not funny!"

I am squealing, "NO! I got my birthday present!!!!"

Oldest Son, "We got a sister!?! I want to see! What is her name!"

Youngest Son, "I want my Sissy!"

Needless to say the conversation continued and we immediately decided that we would review the file, so I emailed and called to request they send the file immediately! Then I called my sister...she was also shocked, giddy...we couldn't believe it since we had been told just weeks before that we would probably be waiting 6 to 12 more months!

When we arrived at the hotel, pulled up the computer, and within minutes there it was...the boys pushed in their territory to get the best view...

"Oh, she's beautiful!"

"Call them now tell them she's ours!"

"I want my Sissy!"

"I want to hug her!"

"That's our little girl!"

And she is the most perfect little girl! It is amazing how God works to match us with the child He has planned to join our family! I am in awe at how He has brought us into this journey and continues to guide us each step of the way!

So, without further delay...here is a small glimpse of our beautiful little girl!

Once we have completed all of our "official" acceptance paperwork we will post a full picture of our sweet girl!

So what does this all mean, well we have verbally accepted our referral. We will complete the official documents and hopefully oldest son and I will fly to Korea to pick up our sweet girl in less than 6 months!

God gave me my birthday wish! Our sweet Annalee!

Thank you God for your wonderful blessings! We are so unworthy, yet You grace us with such wondrous gifts!