Praise and Prayer Request (ICPC related)

Ok, many of you already know that the ICPC lady has driven us insane.  The cardiologist that Julianne sees was trying to finish me off.  I mean, how can a doctor's office say they DON'T DO LETTERS!  So finally I called again yesterday.  I determined that I wasn't getting off the phone until someone cared!  I cried so hard and pleaded for help so that I can bring Cody home.  (I have a headache still today from the crying bc it isn't my norm, but good grief.  I can only take so much and I was at my breaking point!)

Well, I go them to agree to sign a paper from our agency and they got him to do it SAME DAY!  That is a major PRAISE!  God had to have orchestrated that, because I had begged and cried before.  So all the letters have been faxed to Mended Reeds! 

I believe that our worker went ahead and faxed them yesterday to ICPC.  PLEASE PRAY THAT THIS WOMAN BACKS OFF AND DOES WHAT NEEDS DONE FOR US TO BRING CODY HOME!  I fear that getting through this hoop just means she will find a different hoop.  I don't know what else she could possibly want, but I don't want to find out either.  Please go to God on behalf of Cody and us to plead that He softens her heart toward us to let us bring Cody home. 

Thanks for all the prayers!

Blessed to be Her Mommy!

See this beautiful little girl!  Yes, she is MINE.  She has been for quite a while, yet I still marvel at the blessing of being her mommy.  

Tonight she fell asleep with me holding her.  When she first came to us from Texas, she wouldn't do that.  She would only go to sleep without us touching her.  Tonight, as she turned around while watching television to put her head on my chest, I marvelled at our far that has come.  The first time she fell asleep with me holding her was in a Sunday night church service at our church.  I almost wouldn't get up to go home!  lol 

I am her Mommy and I am so happy to be.  I can't wait till Cody and our little ones from Eastern Europe get home.  I want to see how long I have to wait to get them that comfortable with me. 

I sure do love being a Mommy!

Ground Turkey Meals

I use ground turkey much more often than beef.  It is a lot healthier and frankly I don't eat beef.  I buy the ground turkey at Sam's in a package that has 2 packages connected that total 5 pounds. 

I put 5 lbs of ground turkey in my (very large) skillet 

Add a little water and minced onion and brown the meat

I season this with mostly Taco Seasoning, but sometimes a little Chili Powder as well

Then I add 2 bag of thawed (in microwave) Mirepoix blend (I get this at Krogers when it is on sale for like 98 cents a bag) that consists of chopped onion, carrots, and celery

I add two cans of Rotel (or off brand similar) tomatoes

Then I add one can of black beans when it is close to all done so they don't get mashed up.

I serve this over chips as the meat for a Nacho Belle Grande type of dinner.

This will also go into soft taco shells and be served as the main dish the next night.

We will have it a 3rd night (not consecutively or they get tired of it lol) as the meat over a salad with tortilla chips broken over it and salsa or other Mexican food sauces.  I usually serve a side with this of some time of bread or put shredded cheese into soft taco wraps and bake to go with it.

I get a 4th meal out of it by adding that same meat into my Spaghetti sauce for a Spaghetti dinner. 

By this point we've had 4 dinners (each serving 14 people with some left over) by using 5 pounds of meat.  :)  They get some vegetables and fiber snuck in as well without even noticing.  I also don't have nearly the prep time that it would take to prepare 4 meals if the meat wasn't already done. 

CHEAP, EASY, YUMMY, AND FEEDS LOTS OF US!  :)

Picture and Big Prayer Request

I need anyone who reads this to PRAY REALLY HARD!  I need ICPC to clear and Cody to be a step closer to home.  I want to hold him so badly.  I also need to get everything off to USCIS this week for our international adoption.  Our homestudy should have been notarized and ready.  I am terrified about the paperwork that I have to send out.  I am scared silly that something on it will be wrong and delay things.  PLEASE PRAY for both adoption processes.  My heart is so full of love for my little ones and so heavy over paperwork and agencies that are identified by their initials. 

Here are some pictures that I took last Sunday (We spent Easter at home and had church here bc flooding closed our church this week.) of the 12 kids who are home and here with me.  Pray that there are more faces in our pictures soon.  :)