Remembering Pop-Pop Paschal

Dear Noah or Kira,

Above is pictured a fantastic man that you will never know, but he was your Adoptive Mom's Dad, or, your "Pop-Pop". Pop-Pop died exactly two years ago today, and we still miss him very, very much. He could sing and play the guitar, and he loved the church choir. He was VERY tall - 6'3", and he was as gentle as a teddy bear. Everyone who knew him thought he was an engineering nerd and that he had a very quick, "punny" wit. In the picture above, Pop-Pop is holding your brother, Ian, when Ian had just been born. He was so happy on that day. Sometimes I wonder if you will be musically talented, like he was. Your birth father, J, and your grandparents on your birthfather's side all have a good sense of pitch. J even played in the high school band with me - and I have at least one picture to prove it. LOL. J and his old trombone - I wonder if he still has it? Maybe you can learn to play the trombone, too?

Love,
Mommy

Praises!

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the blessing of the wonderful news that Noah or Kira's heart is still beating strong and healthily! Thank you for helping D with her morning sickness - it's getting a little better now. Please continue to watch over baby Kira or Noah and keep him/her safe. Please continue to be with our families and help us all to know YOUR will for our decisions. Please help us to all be mindful of each other's feelings, and not to say or do anything that would cause anyone emotional pain. Help us all know what to do and say each day.

In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen.

Prayers for Everyone

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for Jim and Ian and for our families. Thank you for J & D and for the miracle of Baby Kira or Noah. Thank you for keeping Kira or Noah safe for the first trimester of D's pregnancy. Please help everyone involved in this adoption process to know and to have the ability to do your will. Please continue to keep Baby Noah or Kira safe, and please help D to start feeling less sick. Please be with each of our families, and help each family member to make wise choices in what they say and do regarding the decisions that J & D make regarding Baby Noah or Kira.

In Jesus' name I pray,

Amen.

Aunt Carol and Uncle Jim

Dear Noah or Kira,

This week, I'm writing to you from Santa Fe, Texas. We are staying with your Great Aunt Carol and Great Uncle Jim. That's Carol and Jim in the picture above. Of course, Carol and Jim's daughter, your cousin, Amanda, is also with us. And, visiting with us this week are your great-grandparents on your Dad's mother's side. Your Great Uncle Charlie and your first cousin-once-removed, Aaron, will come over on Saturday. Your brother, Ian, and Cousin Aaron are like peas and carrots. Ian calls Aaron "my best friend". They are sooooo cute together. They love to play with toy guns, cars and planes. They also like to ride on Uncle Charlie's 4-wheeler. Ian LOVES to ride "the motorcycle", as he calls it.

We think of you every single day. We talk about you and make plans for you. Today, your Daddy bought an enormous Texan flag to put on the largest wall of your nursery. We are planning to make the accents of your room in navy blue and red, in honor of the Texas flag. It will be a challenge to find decorations to go into your room, but at least we will have something to keep us busy while we are waiting for you to arrive during the next 6 months. We are all so very excited to bring you home - January isn't that far away!

We love you, Noah or Kira!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

A Brother or a Sister?

Dear Noah or Kira,

Well, it looks like we're in luck. When your Daddy and I asked your almost-four-year-old brother, Ian, if he'd rather have a brother or a sister, he thought for a moment and said, "I want a brother AND a sister." So, we've got you covered. You'll be happy to know that Ian just wants another sibling to play with, and isn't really concerned with your specific gender. At some point, maybe your Dad and I will be able to provide the other half of Ian's request. We'll see.

I know that your Daddy doesn't want to know what you are going to be, but I can't wait to find out. I especially want to know if you are a girl, because I want to go out and buy all the cute little girly things that I don't have. I do have one thing for you already, if you are a girl - like I think that you are! I bought a very tiny pink beaded bracelet that will fit you when you are just a tiny baby. Your Mommy LOVES jewelry, and this bracelet will be so precious for you to wear. If you are a boy, then I will have to think of something else, obviously. Your Daddy never wears jewelry, so that's out. I didn't get anything except maybe a small teddy bear for Ian when he was born. I will have to look for something a little more "boyish". Maybe J & D can help me out with this one. (I need some ideas, here!)

You should know that we think of you and pray for you every single day. We also hold up your birthparents, J & D in our prayers as well. Our sweet little Ian prays for you each night. He is already such a good big brother.

God bless you, sweet baby.

Love,
Mommy

Picture of Mommy and Daddy

Dear Noah or Kira,

Hello baby! The picture above is of your (hopeful) future Mommy and Daddy. Your Dad and I hope that you are doing well. We are still praying for you every day, and for your birth Mommy and Daddy too. Tonight, I am writing to you from your Great Uncle Randy and Great Aunt Pauline's house in Grand Prairie, TX. We have been having a nice visit with them and your cousins, Malorie and Kevin.

We took your big brother, Ian, out to eat tonight at a local Texas burger place called "Buck & Loons". I watched Ian eat his chicken nuggets and chips, and I imagined what it would be like to have you there with us - to hold you in my lap and feed you a bottle between scarfing down bites of food. I imagined that your Daddy would tickle your chin and your toes, and that you would giggle and smile. I always imagine you with dark hair and eyes, and with a big grin on your face. You are always laughing in my dreams - you are always very happy.

Good night, sweet baby. Sweet dreams.

Love,

Mommy

Prayers from Portland

Dear Heavenly Father,

Please protect Baby Kira or Noah and keep him/her healthy and safe during the next 7 months of pregnancy. Please help D to feel at peace more and more each day with her decisions. Please help J to know how to be most helpful to D. If it is within your plan, please allow J and D to consider free adoption counseling, unassisted by anyone in the family, so that they will be certain - without the shadow of the tiniest doubt - that they are making the best decision for all parties involved. I pray that if it is Your desire that J and D parent their own child, that you will make it obvious to them before we bring Kira or Noah into our home. I pray for Ian - that none of the events which are about to take place will harm or confuse him in any way. I pray all of these things in Jesus' name.

AMEN.

Writing to you from Baton Rouge, LA!

Dear Noah or Kira,

Today, I'm writing to you from Baton Rouge, LA. I'm with your big brother and your Dad, and we've stopped for the evening at a local hotel on the way to see our "Gammy" in Portland, TX. We've spent all day in the car, and I have had a lot of time to think about you.

I suppose the most important thing that I've had to think about is getting used to your new names. Right now, it is very difficult for me to think of you as "Noah" or "Kira" instead of "Colin" or "Katie", but I am sure that with time, it will become easier and easier to remember the correct names. I just hope that these new names won't have to change anymore!

Personally, I can't wait for the day when we know what gender you are, so that we can drop the extra name. Your Daddy and I disagree about whether or not we should know ahead of time whether you are a boy or a girl. I would like to know what name you are going to be called, so that I can help get your big brother, Ian, used to the idea of having you in our home. Your Daddy doesn't want to know what gender you are, because he wants to be "surprised". ICK! I hate WAIT, and I definitely hate SURPRISES! Besides, if you are a girl - I have A LOT more things to get ready for you! I'd like to know ahead of time so that I can buy some girl clothes if you are a girl. Girl clothes are sooooooo cute. Your grandmothers will go CRAZY buying you clothes if you are a girl. If you are a boy - you've got it made, because I have saved every stitch of clothing that your brother has ever worn. We'll have no problem finding a Cowboys, Braves, Bulldogs, or Volunteers outfit for you to wear. That'll make all of your aunts and uncles very happy.

Love,

Mommy