Some dear friends of mine were so gracious to throw Charles Tucker a shower/celebration to welcome him home. I am a little hesitant with stuff like this, as some of you know, because I don't like to be the center of attention, but I sucked up my insecurities and humbly accepted this nice party that my friends wanted to throw us.
It was a very thoughtful celebration with good food....
beautiful flowers...
pretty things...
...and pictures of our adventures in Uganda hung up around Christie's house...
Thank you Christie for hosting this amazing party and thank you to you Amanda, for coming to help us celebrate on your day off. (: Your a trouper!
Sheri and I go way back to kindergarten at Faith Presbyterian Church and our parents knew one another before we did. She is a loyal friend who has always been there for me for as long as I can remember. We might not talk for months at a time, but the minute we pick up the phone or get a chance to see each other face to face, we never skip a beat. After ten years or more of not living in the same city, as of seven months ago she moved to Atlanta because of her husbands career. Sheri also has a business at Santa Rosa Beach, called Sweet Bay Prints, but you can find most of her stuff online, HERE. She is very talented with fasion and design. In highschool we often called her the fasion queen! Thank you Sheri for donating the cute train invitations and making this day so special for us!
Probably one of my favorite parts of the whole celebration was the time of prayer that Jenna so elloquently led for our family and Charles Tucker's life. Others wrote prayers and verses on pieces of paper like this. It was a very special and meaning time that Glorified the Lord for all that he had done and all that he is doing in our lives.
Jenna is with Jasmine in this picture, who is a very mature 14 year old who goes to our church. Can you believe she is 14 years old?? I have enjoyed getting to know her over the past couple of months, since Charles Tucker has been home.
And yes, my second favorite part, was receiving a gift certificate for a professional photographer to take our picture as a family of five. As some of you know, we have never paid a photographer to take our family portrait...it has never fit into our budget....which has been a constant frustration of mine. Boy oh boy has the Lord taught me a lot through this idol in my life....slowing breaking me of my idol of perfection. So it is pretty ironic the Lord provided in this way through my precious friends. Thank you Elisabeth for coming up with this idea, it is perfect! What a gift of grace to me! Also, thank you to Shelley, Jenn, Hannah, Christie, Jenna, Hannah, Sheri, Elisabeth, Megan, June, Jen L., Amanda, Heath, Meredith, Jen G., Corrie, and....Mom...
And all these amazing pictures were taken by my friends, Shelley and Jenn. You both know how much I like to document my life....to a fault, but thank you! Jenn also posted on her new blog, In this City, a nice description of Charles Tucker's celebration.
Isn't this one precious with my grandmother? She has been very intriged with our whole adoption process and cannot get enough of our little man since he has been home. What a blessing she is to us.
My mother, Kaki, drove in for this celebration and then stayed for two days to help me with the kids...we had a great time catching up. Charles Tucker is pretty attached to Kaki and was very sad when she left...
When Ms. June walked in, Charles Tucker ran straight up to her, it made her day! She could not believe it...
It was a very thoughtful celebration with good food....
beautiful flowers...
pretty things...
...and pictures of our adventures in Uganda hung up around Christie's house...
Thank you Christie for hosting this amazing party and thank you to you Amanda, for coming to help us celebrate on your day off. (: Your a trouper!
Sheri and I go way back to kindergarten at Faith Presbyterian Church and our parents knew one another before we did. She is a loyal friend who has always been there for me for as long as I can remember. We might not talk for months at a time, but the minute we pick up the phone or get a chance to see each other face to face, we never skip a beat. After ten years or more of not living in the same city, as of seven months ago she moved to Atlanta because of her husbands career. Sheri also has a business at Santa Rosa Beach, called Sweet Bay Prints, but you can find most of her stuff online, HERE. She is very talented with fasion and design. In highschool we often called her the fasion queen! Thank you Sheri for donating the cute train invitations and making this day so special for us!
Probably one of my favorite parts of the whole celebration was the time of prayer that Jenna so elloquently led for our family and Charles Tucker's life. Others wrote prayers and verses on pieces of paper like this. It was a very special and meaning time that Glorified the Lord for all that he had done and all that he is doing in our lives.
Jenna is with Jasmine in this picture, who is a very mature 14 year old who goes to our church. Can you believe she is 14 years old?? I have enjoyed getting to know her over the past couple of months, since Charles Tucker has been home.
And yes, my second favorite part, was receiving a gift certificate for a professional photographer to take our picture as a family of five. As some of you know, we have never paid a photographer to take our family portrait...it has never fit into our budget....which has been a constant frustration of mine. Boy oh boy has the Lord taught me a lot through this idol in my life....slowing breaking me of my idol of perfection. So it is pretty ironic the Lord provided in this way through my precious friends. Thank you Elisabeth for coming up with this idea, it is perfect! What a gift of grace to me! Also, thank you to Shelley, Jenn, Hannah, Christie, Jenna, Hannah, Sheri, Elisabeth, Megan, June, Jen L., Amanda, Heath, Meredith, Jen G., Corrie, and....Mom...
And all these amazing pictures were taken by my friends, Shelley and Jenn. You both know how much I like to document my life....to a fault, but thank you! Jenn also posted on her new blog, In this City, a nice description of Charles Tucker's celebration.
Isn't this one precious with my grandmother? She has been very intriged with our whole adoption process and cannot get enough of our little man since he has been home. What a blessing she is to us.
My mother, Kaki, drove in for this celebration and then stayed for two days to help me with the kids...we had a great time catching up. Charles Tucker is pretty attached to Kaki and was very sad when she left...
When Ms. June walked in, Charles Tucker ran straight up to her, it made her day! She could not believe it...
And then Charles Tucker gave LaTonya some love too. She just ate it up!
In this picture, along with LaTonya, is Hannah who is an encouragement to me everytime we talk, I really enjoy her, and Shelly with her two precious girls, Madeline and Hannah. Aren't those girls beautiful??? And their dressed alike too...so cute! I was so honored they all came to help celebrate Charles Tucker...
With all that has gone on these last couple months, I have forgotten to introduce you all to my new neice, Beatrice Lane Downs, who my sister-in-law, Jennifer, is calling "Betty". She is a cute little thing. Esther, Ali, and mommy Jen are adoring her below....Can't wait to get to know her little personality and how she'll fit in with all four cousins who are already running around everywhere...
Speaking of family, my grandmother and my aunt Jennifer were also so great to come see Charles Tucker... they gave him some great books that he enjoys reading multiple times a day.
and my sweet mom....
What was Charles Tucker doing most of the time?? Enjoying the attention, but mostly making himself at home...
and eating about four of these cookies... he gets his sweet tooth from his mama...
Three more wonderful friends came to help us celebrat from our church who have been a great support to us through the whole process of our adoption. Elisabeth, Amber, and Heather, who is pregnant with twins. Love these girls...
Elisabeth and her husband have been some of our biggest fans through the whole adoption process. We are very grateful for their family. And sweet Andrea was so supportive to come, considering how full her plate is with three biological children and one adopted child from Ethiopia last year, along with everything else she has going on in her life. Andrea, helped us make our decision to adopt from Uganda and she has been such an encouragement through our entire process.
More sweet friends from church along with Hannah...Jen, who I have gotten to know alot more through our "true sisterhood" bible study and the Henegar girls, Abigail and Emily. Emily is my "mother's helper" who comes over once a week to play with the kids while I clean and make dinner...she is a blessing to us.
I feel so blessed to have so many of my good friends all to be at this celebration. Brook was so great to have a joint garage sale at her house last fall for our adoption, it was quite an undertaking, but a lot of fun too! Thank you Hannah for hosting and coordinating this party, we definitely felt special...
Thank you Sheri, Hannah, Shelley, Christie, Jenn, Jenna, and Elisabeth for hosting this fun afternoon...you girls are so kind to help Charles Tucker and I feel loved. Love you all!
Charles Tucker was thrilled about the money we collected for his Ugandan playmate, "little Gilbert", to come join our community soon! Praying for Jane and Terrell to receive a referral anyday now...
Little CT, thanks you from the bottom of his heart!! He loved being dotted and loved on for two solid hours without any competition..
I know their are many others we did not get pictures of, but thank you for your support through this process and for praying us home! God is good!! This afternoon was a pleasant reminder of what the Lord has done in our family through this whole adoption process and what he is continuing to do "to make all things new." It is painful, frustrating, exhausting, and scary to be stripped of ourselves, but it will be so worth it to be fully made new in Christ at the final celebration.
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:4-5
