It's Official....

Yes for those of you who are unaware it's official....what's official you ask? Well we've finally made the first step and have turn in our application to adopt with Lifeline Children's Services! Can I tell you how excited I am to make it official it already seems real and it's just the start of our journey to adopt our daughter from China. I mailed in our packet yesterday and of course had to overnight it, then today I missed our very first phone call from the agency but luckily they reached Scott and he handled the first of many mistakes I'm sure I'll make! Ha we forgot to put our names on our personal testimonies really what were we thinking..Oh well if that's the worst of what I mess up on I'll be doing great in my book!! As I sit here typing were enjoying a quiet evening at home, due to the lovely rain,ball was canceled for the night..Can I get a hip hip hooray? I needed this night off and time to just relax with the boys and zone out while they enjoy the movie Adventures of Tin Tin. It's allowed me to catch up on reading blogs, cook dinner(yes I cooked), and actually attempt to blog today. Don't get me wrong I'm loving ball season but with three boys playing and three teams that means three different ballparks, times and equipment and I'm struggling keeping this act afloat. Thanks to my hubby for being such a trooper and never complaining about ballpark duty!! You are my rock and comfort. I can't imagine it yet but I do know that in twelve to fifteen months we will have our daughter home.. The thought alone makes me smile. I'm going to try my best to be positive and continue to pray that God gives me strength and patience thru this process of adoption. We are a family of five but will be a family of six, how exciting soon we will have a daughter, another blessing from God. I long for the day we get her referral and actually get to meet her! Until then I've got three boys that keep me on my toes and running! God bless and good night all!!!

Pics of the cruise...

Carnival... Do I need to say anymore!

The last week of January was a dream at least once we made it on the ship! My dear sweet in-laws gave us a trip for Christmas and boy was it nice..Can we say Jamaica, Grand Cayman Island, and Cozumel! I'm still dreaming of the sleep I experienced let's just say I've never slept better I don't know if it was the ship rocking me to sleep or being away from the real world but I slept all night every night with no neck or back pain.. Now thinking back I wish I had of checked the pillows because once we came home my neck began killing me again if only I had looked at the tag to see what kind of pillow.. Sigh.... Oh well! Don't get me wrong but preparing for the trip was the worst, packing for a family of five is not an easy task especially for seven days including two formal dinners, ha my boys think jeans and polo shirts are formal so polo shirts and izod kahkis will have to do! I became more and more resistant to going dreading packing and finalizing the trip then comes the sickness and I'm mean it was relentless first Scott came down with a cold virus, then he came down with the most horrific stomach virus. To say I was scared was the understatement of the year I was petrified that we would all get it or get it on the ship, then I got sick with an upper respiratory infection and tried to self treat until I gave up and went in to see our dear friend Richard who gave me two shots antibiotic and cough medicine. Now that I was on the mend I was trying to pack and work and deal with the kids school about being out for a week. Which was not easy by the way until this year it had never been an issue so I was caught off guard at the resistance I mean really they are only in second and third grade and they can do the make up work. I won't bore you with the details but I know why so many people are choosing to homeschool their children. To top the list the boys came down sick the night before we left with fever and congestion and I was distraught so the next morning were running with our heads cut off so now do we run to birmingham just to go to the pediatrician or urgent care here in town..? Decisions so urgent care here we come with our oldest begging for no shots and me praying that they would give them two but boy did he get lucky we rolled out with antibiotics and cough medicine! Now were on the road fever and all here we come no turning back now... Well here we come Carnival sorry we lied the first question they ask is have you experienced any fever or flu like symptoms oh no were all fine with the load of medicine we have were good for two weeks! Well they were so excited to be there and I was relieved and so glad to sit back and breath! Can we say haleilugh praise Jesus we made it here and we are going! Scott's parents, my mom and our family friends Aunt Jeanne and Uncle Jim and Matthew, along with a few other friends we were crusing to paradise! I'll hopefully add some pictures later when I get around to downloading them! I'm so tech challenged it's not even funny, if only I had known I could have turned my phone on airplane mode and could have used my camera on my iPhone but that info came a little late like our last day in port! I was so worried about international rates that they kept texting us that we turned off our phones and put them in our room safes. The trip flew bye and was a blast in Jamacia we went to Doctors Cave Beach in Montego Bay and visited margaritaville for lunch..can we say cheeseburgers in paradise are expensive Jimmy Buffet is making a killing but I still had to have a tshirt! Who could resist no shoes, no shirt, no problem I could live my entire life on the beach. Then we were off to Grand Cayman and boy was it nice I would love to relive that day so relaxing but way to short. Scott and myself laid on the beach at Royal Palms for a total cost of $14.00 instead of paying a ridiculous excursion fee and it paid off. The boys however visited the turtle farm with their grandparents and I think it was the highlight of their trip also! We met a wonderful group of ladies who were cruising on Carnivals Liberty ship out of Miami it was their last port of their trip, but I truly believe God placed them in our path and what a blessing they were their encouragement in our decision to adopt and our discussions on faith were without a doubt one of the best parts of the trip for me strangers who became friends in only a couple of hours. I pray for these sweet ladies and can't wait to get in contact with them and see our pictures we took that day! Then our day in port was over we were on one of the last tenders to the ship barely making it on the ship opps, we were going by their time Miami time oh well we made it back just in time! Now we were off to the Cozumel for what we thought would be a day in the sun on our private island in paradise but the sun forgot to shine that day but it was relaxing and enjoyable for everyone.. Mexican buffet, open bar, and playhouses and trampolines for the boys we were all enjoying our time but it sure flew bye and it was time to take the catamaran back to Cozumel then straight to the ship with a quick stop bye the Ron Jon Shop at the shops at port! Now we were back on the ship for a ride back to the real world with a few more dinners and meals.. I think I gained ten pounds easy but it was well worth it I ate everything even dessert almost every night and it was heaven. Now I'm crying cause my jeans are to tight maybe having this tooth extracted this past Friday will aide in my weight loss ha who am I kidding I doubt it has helped I've drank my weight in liquids and soup. Oh well were officially back to reality along with my tooth extraction this past Friday, Scott was diagnosed with the flu and had to take off work for two days but he was able to take tamiflu and is doing much better and Richard also started me on it and we all stay away from him I slept with Riley and did everything we made him stay in the bedroom and sleep so I'd like to think were in the clear but your never know so say a prayer that were in the clear and can stay healthy for a while. Now I'm resting and the boys and Scott are at church I am so blessed to have such a wonderful man in my life and can not wait to start the official adoption process with him! While off this week he took the time to feel out his paperwork and answer the questions that lifeline asks us parents doctrinal questions on our faith and beliefs. I'm so excited to be on the same page with him on adoption and that God is leading uson our journey. If only adoption wasn't so expensive why and how are the questions that keep me from moving forward I know God is with us we just have to tighten our belts and do whatever it takes to get the ball rolling to bring our baby girl home wherever she may be, God will show her to us he will lead her home and that I truly believe! I ask that anyone and everyone pray for our journey of adoption and that God will lead the way! I pray that God will allow that to be our last trip as a family of five and next time we will be a family of six with our little girl in tow! God bless you all!

Decisions...Decisions... What does God have in store.

Well well well does the Lord Almighty have things in store for the Schaefer family. I'm sure as a slacker in the blogging world there's probably not many people following me, but I'm attempting to use this blog to record my thoughts and activities that fill our days here in the Schaefer household. As well as an attempt to reach out to others who have adopted or are in the process of adopting, because as a mom of three I need all the help I can get.. Bring it on leave me comments and ideas, everyone has different experiences and suggestions and we are ready for the advice! Because we don't have a clue on where to begin. Of course we know there are many decisions to be made..like what agency to use, oh and who can forget what country? The only thing we know for sure is that God has placed it on our hearts to open our home to another child, one of his lost children. It is possible that child is born and alone in an orphanage, being raised with many other children who knows maybe the child isn't even born yet, let alone conceived...but make no mistake about it the child God has in store for us is heavy on our hearts and minds already. We pray daily for them, God's children, the orphans that is what God asks of us to do. I'm trying to not be in control and to allow his plan to take place in our lives and in the lives of the child he wants us to have! So with that being said we are having a hard time trying to decide which country to choose! My dream has always been my china doll, well that's what I've called her and dreamed about, ever since I saw Oprah's show on how Chinese girls were treated and discarded in the streets..You have to think I was a young teenager when I saw this, before I met my husband, before I birthed my three sons I knew I wanted to in some way help these little girls, because their mothers weren't because of the Communist country they lived in. Now after having three children of my own all of whom are boys, I would love to feel our home with the warmth of a little girl, whether she is from China or any other country, so I'm staying open and waiting for God to tell us how and when to take the next step.  There are a lot of things that could lead us astray from adoption, like the cost, fear of the birth parents changing their minds, what our friends and family think, but with God on our side I feel he will move mountains, and other peoples concerns are not our problem. We have been called to save a lost child, who we can show the love of Christ to through his word and our actions. I can't wait for our friends and family and our church family to meet this child and I long for the day to bring her home. I can't wait for her brothers to meet her they are already so excited and love to talk about her, our oldest son says we should adopt twin girls....Oh my what have we got ourselves into..haha no really I love his heart, he will be a wonderful big brother for any little girl to have! Sorry to cut it short but it is movie night in the Schaefer household so I'm signing off for now. Goodnight and God Bless!

Dear Belated Christmas Pics

Ok so I know I'm late but I wanted to share a few pics from Christmas, since the family was here for Christmas morning we video taped more than taking still pictures!! God Bless and Happy New Year!

Let's wrap up 2011..

Let's just sum up our year as wonderful!There is so much to be thankful for its hard to put our whole year in one post as I am truly a horrible blogger and haven't had a post in forever. We have had a lot to be thankful for our health and family and more recently our middle child accepting Christ as his Savior. We were truly humbled at his expression of faith in his own terms as a seven year old. I have our heavenly Father to thank for dying to save us all if we would only ask, what an amazing thought ask and we shall receive eternal life. Then I need to thank my wonderful husband whom spends countless hours trying to reach our three sons through time in bible study, I could not ask for a better earthly father for my boys. God has truly blessed me with a wonderful husband and father. If only I had his strength and courage I watch him and am truly amazed! We as a family are thankful for another Christmas with our families, and remember those whom we have lost this past year. There were thirteen people Christmas Eve at our house and it was such a blessing Christmas morning to wake up and share it with my sister and my new nephew and her hubby, along with my mom. Then we can't leave out my wonderful in-laws and my brother-in-law and his oldest daughter Haide, this was her first Christmas with us since 2007. We truly have been blessed this year with our health, well besides my gallbladder issues and removal. I am pleased to say that my GI doctor has helped me with medicine so I am eating whatever I want now and am very thankful not to have to worry over where the closet bathroom is at. Scott's father continues to amaze us since his accident he has had a successful recovery with a few minor issue, but we are thankful to have him home and cooking.. seriously he is an amazing cook and grandpa and dad. I guess the most exciting news for 2011(that is after Brody's baptism) was the day my husband turned to me and said we need to talk... I'm sure just like you guys are thinking I was thinking what is it... Well my dear husband turns to me and says Meagan the Lord I feel is calling us to adopt and if any of you know me I've wanted to adopt for a while so I was like well sure sounds like were on the same page now! I honestly don't think I will ever forget that feeling it was the same feeling I had when he asked me to marry him, and then the days we found out we were expecting our sons. It was a evening in early December we were driving in the car I don't remember where we had been but I know we were headed home and what amazing feeling to know God had put us on the same page! So that being said he announced it the following Sunday at Cracker Barrel to our families, after we had enjoyed a wonderful worship service listening to our boys Christmas program at Northbrook, oh and so you understand the surprise I was surprised myself. I knew we had talked about it but I've talked about adoption for years so I didn't expect an official statement but he wanted our families to be involved and supportive. Which of course they were all very excited and full of questions and I'm sure they thought we had lost our minds because our house is full of energy and madness with our three boys. So I am formally asking all of you to prayerfully support us in our decision to adopt and bring home one of God lost children. It is overwhelming the amount of orphaned children in the world, I pray that we allow Gods will for the right child he will place in our family and I ask you to pray for that child and all the orphans as God call us to do.God Bless and a Happy New year!!!