# 6.....Could it be?

Well, it looks like we are #6! It is so exciting to watch the families ahead of us receive their referrals. The excitement is awesome and only God given! A baby boy and a baby girl have been given their forever families and for this we praise God. Many blessings to these families has they enjoy this precious time. And, a big thank you for moving me along on this waiting list:) Praising God for His many blessings!

Dossier on it's way to Ethiopia!!

Julie just e-mailed me to tell us that our dossier was sent off to Ethiopia yesterday! One more step completed in this amazing journey we call adoption. Our son is getting closer everyday; for this we rejoice!

It's beginning to look (and feel) a lot like Christmas at the Needles' Home!

We absolutely love the season of Christmas in this house! There are so many traditions that we look forward to. From the decorating, the gingerbread houses, baking for days on end, Christmas programs, Christmas concert (this year it is Third Day and Jars of Clay~Christmas Offerings Tour), to the seafood dinner on Christmas Eve! I drive the family crazy with my 24/7 Christmas music; I really just can't get enough! We are doing something new this year by each of us finding a way that we can honor (by doing or giving something up) Christ each day the month of December. We are hoping to keep the reason for the season in the forefront. I won't share what everyone is doing because that is between them and Christ, but I will tell you what I have decided to do. I am horrible at finding a good block of time each day to spend with Christ. It can be any time of day, and I'm almost sure to be interrupted. Christ can definitely not count on me in this area. It is my hope to honor Christ by setting my alarm, getting up early and spending quiet time with Him. It is also my hope that it will become a habit for me and carry throughout 2008.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year! Thank you for all your love, support, and prayers during our adoption. It is a wonderful thought that next Christmas our "little man" will be celebrating Christmas with us. Celebrating with peace and anticipation in our hearts of God's amazing grace!

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Merry Christmas!I love a cracklin' fire!
One of many sights of Christmas!
Our wild Christmas tree!

We're # 8....Yay!

Today was an exciting day for the Needles Family; we found out that we are #8 on the boys list! I sent the dossier FedEx yesterday. The women helping with my package looked at me and said, "It's not worth more than $100 is it?" I kind of stuttered and said, "umm well, I guess monetarily NO, but that is my son in there! So, actually it would be priceless! Funny how that question caught me by surprise; you can tell how much of ourselves we invest into those dossiers:) Julie (All God's Children Intl) received it today and called us with the good news! We are so happy to just be a number at this point. She said the dossier looked perfect and she would be sending it off for authentication today; now that's what I call same day service! She also said we could expect referral in 2 to 4 months. I say "Praise God" to that. Feeling a little closer to holding our precious son and being thankful for God allowing us this journey!

Some Family Pics!

Amelia Raye

All the Needles Girls!

Erica, Alison, and Elaina~Sisterly Love!

Alison and her Daddy

Alison and Amelia

Our Ballerina, Elaina, and Amelia

Our Journey to Adoption

I want to tell you a little about our journey to adoption. Adoption has been a quiet desire in my heart for years; when Amelia was 5 months old John and I began conversation about adoption. I didn’t feel like it was what we were supposed to do or even that we’d actually do it one day. It was what I call a little seed planted that would grow a bit later. A year later John and I decided to have another baby; I love being pregnant, I love being a mom. I was so excited! That is when the seed planted months earlier began to grow. God was definitely pulling on my heart. I heard him saying, “Heather, I have given you four beautiful daughters, but never the son you desire for a reason.” I felt God telling me we had a son out there, but we needed to go for him. I told John of this desire, although I must say I wasn’t so sure that I wanted to give up on the idea of possibly having a biological son and the pregnancy that would go along with it. I felt so confident that God was telling me to give up on those things and take the biggest leap of faith that I could ever imagine, and just trust him. It was very soon that John and I realized through prayer and the prayer of some dear friends in our lives that God has chosen a son for us in a far off land; we now know to be called Ethiopia. The biggest leap of faith would be the financial burden that would soon rest upon our family. Which I have to add that God had already thought of this also, when a couple years earlier He put a desire in the heart’s of John and I to change our lifestyle. Selling our newly built home, going back to one income, and driving used vehicles all brought us to a place of contentment I would not exchange for anything. This change of lifestyle would also allow us to jump right into an international adoption. Thank goodness God knows our future- the journey only He foresees and the journey we are SO thankful to be on.