December 2008

We've started our Christmas decorating in the house. We're running late this year! I just looked back to my blog post this time last year. By December 3rd I was all done. Oops! Right now it looked like Christmas threw up all over my house. There are boxes and tubs everywhere, but the only decoration up is stockings on the mantle.

A year ago I thought about child #4. I wondered if she was out there; if we would ever adopt again; if so, where; how old; WHEN? I knew (I thought!) that it wouldn't have a chance of happening until after Eric's kidney transplant. There was no way we could adopt while he was on dialysis. We both agreed on that.

My kids got these wonderful new stockings last year--purchased as a gift from my mom. They are beautiful--red for our girl and green for our boys--with their initials embroidered on them. I just love them. They will be our kids' stockings for the rest of their time at our home.

After Christmas I was at Target checking out the 50% off Christmas items. And there it was. The same style stocking as my mom had given to my kids....red for a little girl...with a G, for Gillispie. I picked it up and put it in my basket for that elusive "maybe baby" that might come to us at some point in the future. My four kids would have matching stockings, if #4 should ever come. I even wrote a blog post about it (imagine!), called "Stocking for a Mission Child."

Fast forward 10 months or so. Eric and I have a vague memory of buying a stocking for #4 that matched the other three. But we couldn't remember why we did that, or what letter might be on it (or if it was blank). We'd just have to wait until the Christmas stuff came out after Thanksgiving. Sure enough, I opened our boxes tonight and there was #4's "G" stocking.

Even before we knew our daughter was already at Eban House. Before we DREAMED that Kendi might come home to us. There were little things like that that pointed to her eventual coming. I would have never DREAMED that this Christmas--one year later--we'd be hanging her matching stocking next to the other three! Not in a million years!!!!! I sincerely feel like I live a dream life somethings. I live a Hallmark movie! LOL!

Anita

P.S. As luck would have it, Target is carrying the exact same stockings this year, so we were able to get Kendi a "K" stocking. If you need a "G" stocking let me know! =-)