The End of an Era

In 1995, I graduated from college. I moved back to Connecticut and got my first real job as a RN. And I bought a brand new car. I remember going to the Saturn dealer with my dad. They actually let ME test drive new cars! I picked out the one I wanted and signed for the loan. I still remember the day I went to pick it up. My old car barely made it to the dealer to trade in. My best friend Vera and her daughter Lexie (who was 2 at the time) went with me. I shook hands with my car salesman (who still to this day has one of the limpest handshakes I have ever experienced!) and drove off the lot.

That was 14 years ago. I have good memories in that car. I remember driving to the Creation music festival with my high school girls in the car singing "Bus Driver". I remember driving in the snow and ice in the northern winters. I remember driving from Connecticut to Tennessee to start a new life. I remember driving my brand new baby around town and wondering if I was going to be a good mom. A lot has changed in my life in the last 14 years and that has been my car the whole time.

It has been a good, reliable car. We really have only had to put a few thousand dollars of work into it over the years. But now, 14 years, 177,ooo miles, a lot of dirt and goldfish in the seats later, it is time to say goodbye. The car is old. It rattles. It shakes. It leaks oil. It is too small for our family.

So after much research and a large loan, we have a new car. A 2006 Toyota Sienna mini-van. It is clean. It is big. It drives smoothly. I love it.

So goodbye little green Saturn. You have served your purpose well.

Answered Prayer

I wanted to update all of my blog followers on Baby Elijah. He is now officially adopted and a member of the Cornelius family. The adoption went smoothly on July 22nd. He was allowed to leave the state of Illinois on July 24th and came home to Franklin, TN. I immediately rushed over. All I can say is WOW. I walked into Ted and Sherry's house and immediately felt God's presence and blessing. This is truly a miracle. I have never seen Ted and Sherry so happy. This is one beautiful baby boy. Thank you for all of your prayers. God has been glorified in bringing this child out of despair and into a home where he will learn about Jesus.

Some Pictures to Help You Pray!

I know it is always easier to pray for people that have a face. Especially when the face is as beautiful as this little guy! Check out this link for pictures of baby Elijah and Ted and Sherry

www.bellababyphotography.com

Password is 0716elijahcornelius

Keep praying! The birthmom is supposed to meet with the social worker this morning. Pray that does what is right for this sweet guy.

Please Pray with Me

I am writing this blog entry to petition you all to pray for my friends Ted and Sherry.

For those of you who don't know Ted and Sherry, let me give you a little background. They are some of our best friends. We have known them for 10 years and love them dearly. We have vacationed with them in Hawaii. We have spent hours laughing and joking with them. They have been there for my children's births. In fact, we planned it so that Riley was born on Sherry's birthday! But above all of that, they are two of the most genuine, Godly, selfless people I have ever met. They are always giving to others. I cannot count the number of times Sherry has helped me out. I know hundreds of people who have been blessed by them.

Now I am asking for everyone I know, and even people I don't know, to pray for them. They have been trying to adopt a baby for years now. There have always been obstacles in the way, making the timing just not right. But now they have the opportunity to adopt a little boy. He was born on July 16th at 8:30pm. He was 5 lb 15 oz and 18 3/4 inches long. He has a ton of thick black hair. He is beautiful and Sherry and Ted have been with him since the first hours of his life. His name is Elijah.

The baby's birthmom is a 16 year old girl. She already has a one year old baby and is living in poverty. She is not prepared financially or otherwise to care for this child. But it is still hard for her to look at this baby she gave birth to and turn him over to Ted and Sherry. She is having second thoughts. She is struggling. They are struggling. Those who love Ted and Sherry and this girl are struggling.

Please join me in praying for this situation. Pray for peace for the birthmom as she makes this hard decision. Pray that she will do what is best for her son. Pray that she will be comforted in her time of grief. Pray that Ted and Sherry will feel God's peace. Pray that their FBI background check will come in on Monday so they can proceed. Pray that they will be able to keep this sweet boy. Pray that their dreams will come true and they will be able to remain this child's parents.

Please feel free to forward the link to my blog to everyone you know. Let's get the world praying for this sweet child, the struggling birthmom, and most of all Ted and Sherry.

Where Have We Been??

Wow...I guess I have been missing in action from the blogging world. I know I haven't posted in awhile. Guess that's what happens when life is too busy for you to sit down and write about it. We have had a busy summer so far. Since John Mark only gets 6 weeks off during the summer we have been very intentional about spending as much time "having fun" as possible. We have been swimming a lot and John Mark has really taken to the water. Nothing holds him back. Riley is a little less brave but still loves being in the pool.




We spent a week at my parents house in upstate New York in the Adirondack mountains. It is such a beautiful place in the summer. According to everyone else there, the weather was not good, but I loved it! 65 and cloudy. It was a welcome change from the Tennessee heat and humidity! Both of my sisters and their families came up so we had the WHOLE Gibbins family together. And believe it or not, everyone got along great!





JP had to come back to head out to a camp. He has been exhausted because he went from a week of camp, to a week at my parents, to another week of camp, to a week preparing for preaching. His life is CRAZY!! I really don't like it when he travels. I know I don't have much to complain about because it is only a few times a year, but things don't seem right when he's gone. This time, my car broke down and our washing machine broke. Bad timing on both things! But the car is now fixed, we have a new (used) washer and JP is home. Hopefully we are getting back on track.

Summer break is ending today as John Mark heads back to school as a FIRST GRADER!! (I will try to post pictures later....if JP remembers to take them as I am at work!). We went today to meet his new teacher. I was a little apprehensive since his teacher last year was PHENOMENAL!! But it seems like we are blessed again. Mrs. Boyd is his new teacher and she is as sweet as can be. She has been teaching 1st grade for 24 years and she was so excited to meet John Mark. She had already heard wonderful things about him. And some of the parents who had older siblings were entering her room crying they were so happy to have her for their younger kids' first grade year. I'm taking all of this as a good sign.

So that's where we've been. Hopefully I will be back to posting more regularly now that we are back to a routine! Thanks for not giving up on me!!