“One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don’t clean it up too quickly.”
―Andy Rooney
Are you ready for this week’s festivities? Kevin and I visited my mom and her husband, and my brother and our nephew this past weekend (Bellingrath Gardens is gorgeous, by the way!) and we’re looking forward to spending Christmas Day with Kevin’s side of the family. Oh! That reminds me, if you’re in the Montgomery area on Christmas Eve, Kevin is leading worship at our church at 4:30 that day. (Centerpoint Fellowship Church- 608 E. Fairview) We’d love to sing with you there!
On the home front, we never did put up a Christmas tree after I blogged about those ‘merry mantels‘ earlier this month- but only because we had one up for a few weeks back in October- LOL! We worked on a photoshoot for Belong magazine, and after all that, we decided to just wait until next Christmas to put one up during the month of December.
Y’all, I can’t even IMAGINE how different Christmas is going to be around here next year!!!!!!!! 😀
Oh! And speaking of our Sweet P- we got ANOTHER great adoption update on Friday! Remember the exequature (application) I told you about the week before last? Well, our in-country rep finished filling it all out and was able to submit it to the Courts this past week!!!! Praise the Lord!
Once it’s approved, we’ll receive our adoption decree and our adoption will be final in Haiti! Sweet P will have our last name and will legally be our our son!!!
Our caseworker at Lifeline said this approval *generally* takes 2-3 weeks, but she has seen it take 2-3 months for some families too. Either way, the finish line is getting closer and closer, and we couldn’t be more excited!
After we get our adoption decree, the next step is called ‘Legalizations’. We’re told this step *generally* takes 6-8 weeks. Once everything has been legalized, we’ll move on to the last step: ‘Passports & Visa’. Apparently this step *generally* takes 6-8 weeks, too. Of course, either of those steps could take longer, but we are hopeful things will keep on a’movin!
Which reminds me, thank you for all the encouragement and kindness you’ve blessed us with this year. Sharing our adoption adventure with you has made the journey even more fun (and the wait more bearable), and we are so grateful for all of the love and prayers you have continued to send our way! I can’t wait to share the next BIG update with you! XO
PS- Here’s a link to the Belong magazine website if you’d like to see the full (10-page) article in Issue 01!
Congrats on the magazine feature! The Christmas living room looks SO beautiful. It just makes me take a deep breath and go ahhh… 🙂 So, if I’m adding correctly, you should be able to bring Sweet P home in 5-7 months! That’s wonderful! Praying everything goes through as quickly as possible!
Your adoption news is so heart-warming! Excited to see what the new year brings for your family. Here’s hoping we get to see his sweet little face very soon. Merry Christmas!
Congratulations on the magazine article . I guess I will have to pat the $5.00 to see it I will continue to pray for you and Kevin continued journey. 2016 will be your year of life changes ( all rewarding ) . You continue to warm our hearts with your news about Sweet Pea ! Thank you for your Vlog ….love it !
Should be a magical Christmas for you all next year!! Can’t wait to see THOSE photos! Merry Christmas~
Can you share where those striped stockings in the top photo came from? Thanks!
Great adoption news! Wish you and Kevin a Merry Christmas. Sorry it has taken so long to complete the adoption. Would it have taken this long to adopt in the US? I am sure there were issues for you to turn to Haiti for adoption. Pray 2016 will be a Blessed year for you & Kevin.
How wonderful that you can see the end of the road for the adoption process and having Sweet P at home with you! I will pray that things go smoothly for you and speed along so he can be in your arms and home as soon as possible. Merry Christmas Layla and Kevin!
Love the Christmas decorations your tree and mantle look awesome!! Have a wonderful Christmas and New years!! That is some GREAT news!! Woohoo Soo Soo Happy for you guys, really 🙂
Lauren Baxter | Lovely Decor
xx
I’m basking in the glow of babysitting for our son’s youngest two boys (ages 3 and 6). The day was so pleasant visiting a train museum and botanical garden with trains set up for the season. My heart thanks God for the privilege we were given, nearly 45 years ago, when we adopted our son. It is true when you realize that God has such fabulous plans for your life, that you can’t even imagine the joy you will experience. Not everything goes perfectly or smoothly. But all the bumps in the road fade on days like this one. Thank you God, for picking us to be parents of this fabulous man who is “our son”. He and his five children have enhanced our lives more than words can share.
We know your life will be forever changed and our heart rejoices in each step you take. Thank you for sharing your story. Merry Christmas!
Enjoy your babymoon! Seriously, it was a huge blessing to us as a couple to spend some quality time together before both of our children came to us. Things WILL be different and wonderful! They’ll be wonderent! ?
Amen, Sister! “Dating” my hubby for the past 12 years has been so much fun. Excited to see him in action as a Daddy next year! 😀
Merry Christmas! I’ve been silently reading your blog for the past two years – and agonizing over the long adoption wait! I’m so glad that the finish line is in view! Have a wonderful Christmas, God bless you and your little Sweet P.
I so wish this would all be done and your sweet child will be with you permanently.
Next Christmas will be so exciting! Can’t wait to see all of you together! I know you will have a Merry Christmas, with visions of Sweet P. dancing in your heads with every experience this year! Opening gifts, you will envision him doing it next year WITH YOU….Attending church, you will see the wonder in his eyes…..making new traditions as a family will consume your thoughts THIS YEAR. So, have a wonderful and thoughtful Christmas, you and Mr.P!!!!
I have been reading your blog for a long time, and I cannot believe how long this whole adoption process is taking! It is so sad to know that you have known for so long who your little boy is, but you haven’t been able to bring him home, and instead he loves in an orphanage! I am so happy to read that you should probably have him home with you during the summer! I can’t wait to read every detail. I am sure it is so hard for you, the waiting. But in the end, it will all be worth it! Merry Christmas!
LAYLA, for some reason I’m not receiving your blog to my email. Tonight I decided to check on you and Kevin to sew how you are doing. Imagine my surprise in reading this post. I am beyond excited your you all. Sweat P will be in Alabama before you know it. Prayers are being answered as I write this. God is so good and knows the desires of you heart. I also read about the diapers and will definitely to buying diapers. (Never thought I’d be doing that at this age, grands are all potti trained now) Continued prayers for the three of you. Blessings in 2016.