July 4th at the Lake...Feels like someone is missing.

After Isaac's homecoming on Friday night, I stayed up late packing for the lake. The next day, bright and early we headed for my parent's lake house in Alabama. We had a great weekend with my immediate family, including my grandmother. Like I said last time, kids and dogs love the lake, it is freedom for them! All us grown ups had a great time too! The weather was beautiful with 80 degree days and 65 degree nights, that is unusual for Alabama on 4th of July, it is normally sweltering hot and muggy. We let Henry and Mary Taylor stay up late for the fireworks this year until 11:30 our time...I am trying to relax a little bit on special occasions. (your welcome dad!)...Am I paying for it now? YES! Actually they haven't been that bad. I am realizing if we are going to have a large family and I am going to take my kids to Africa...then I need to learn to be more flexible and go with the flow more...but it is not easy on many different levels. I just need to make the best decision for my kids and everyone involved and then leave the rest up to the Lord...not second guess myself and feel insecure about my decision..or question myself because I am 'fearing' men. I am definitely a work in progress. Thank goodness God is a loving father who will not leave me the way I am!

"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."Philippians 1:6

It was so fun talking about Charles Tucker all weekend. All my family members were so sweet to ask questions and be interested in our future new family member. It is also weird, because Charles Tucker is our son (unofficially), but he is not here. Dee and I were both telling one another, 'We feel like someone is missing.' We both reassured one another that the Lord is taking care of him until we are united.

One family member who I had many conversations with throughout the weekend was my grandmother. My grandmother was actually an orphan herself. Her mother died when she was 9. She went to live with her grandmother, because her father was away at work and he soon died of tuberculosis. After two years, she and her two brothers and one sister went to live in an orphanage. She stayed there until nursing school when she was 18 and shortly after met my grandfather. So because of my grandmother's life circumstances this adoption has been particularly interesting to her. She was a little shocked at the beginning, but very intrigued. She has a computer, but she doesn't know how to use it very well. When my aunt and uncle come over they show her my blog updates. As this process has progressed, she asks a lot of questions and she wants to know everything that's going on. Over the weekend, I started reading, "Black Baby,White Hands" by Jaiya John. My grandmother read the first chapter and is now going to go buy it at the bookstore when she gets home. Wow! She is definitely one of the last people I thought would be excited about our new child, just because of the generational gap. So neat how God is working in people's life's because of our adoption.

So many doors have been opened to share the gospel in new ways since we started this process. Adoption is the gospel, so when people ask why we are adopting, it is hard not to share about God's grace and love! So cool! I am looking forward to next 4th of July when Charles Tucker is enjoying the fun of the lake and ridding on the seadoo with TJ!

Yes, I took lots of pictures...so I will try not to make this too long, but got to make sure you don't miss anything..

 Mary Taylor once again sucked the love of off everyone the whole weekend. I don't think her feet touched the ground. This is MT with my mom and dad.

She's not so sure what to think of the sea doo!

Henry gettin some love from Grandmother.

Henry loves Uncle Nat and Aunt Leslie and Aunt Kelly. It's fun to be the first grandchild on both sides!

Henry's Beach...

God could not have blessed me with a better sister and sister-in-laws... Love you guys!

Mary Taylor thinks she can swim, but she can't...not a good combination.

Henry on the other hand...has this swimming thing almost down pat.

Cute stuff...

Leslie definitely has won Henry over...can you tell?

Love Matthew....

Milo and Bell know where the food is...

Marryyy Taaayyyllloorr...is Nathan letting you drink sweet tea? No no...Nathan... (Is that Hadassa in the background?)

Mary Taylor is loving life..

Henry is just taking it all in...

The famous Chimney Rock...

These pictures do not require words... (family inside joke)

Yes...this is still the same boat ride..every one is getting a little tired...

 

Mary Taylor just loves T.T.

Matt and Kelley are expecting a precious baby in December...so exciting! Yea, I will be an Aunt!

A little afternoon ice cream never tasted better...

Oh...there she is again... (the girl from across the lake the stopped by quite often)

Henry's best buddies at the lake...

Bath time in the sink...

Henry's reading to go again...

Wave bye bye to daddy MT...

Yea! I got a picture of Piper for Kelly to frame..she is so tired she actually posed for a picture.

On our way to the 4th of July boat parade...

Welcome to the south Charles Tucker...

Aubie decieded to join the parade too...

And then off to Mary Taylor's Beach...

All four of our dogs are having the time of their lives...

After dinner we hopped back in the boat for the firework display on the lake...

Happy Independence Day America!

**No news yet of a court date. We are thinking we will probably travel in September at the earliest. Pray that Charles Tucker knows he is loved. Trying not to be anxious and trust God in his timing.