Here we go. Number two.

Did you know that we have completed our first interview for our Home Study and tomorrow we are doing our second interview? NO?!? That's my fault for not writing about it! 

This was Dave and I on our first interview which we were mostly excited and a little scared for a couple of weeks ago..

It went well. We sat in the office and answered a lot of questions about ourselves. Some questions were extremely easy and others were difficult. There are things you think you know about yourself until someone asks you point blank and you find it very difficult to find the words. 

Tomorrow is the first time our case worker comes to our home to look around and then Dave and I are separated for a private 2 hour personal interview. This interview is definitely more foreboding but I just keep telling myself that I'll be fine because I have nothing to hide. (which is true, by the way;))

After this interview there is a third and final interview and another check on our home to make sure it is up to code to be approved for our Home Study. AHH! Anticipation is building....

In other news. Christmas is coming and we have been decorating our home. Hunter and I pulled stockings out and we both decided that we should definitely hang one up for the baby. Three turns to four....

Four Stockings

Holy Jeans. (jeans having holes in them)

This is my husband and the Daddy of my children...

David Michael Powers

This man is my match. He desires Jesus above all else, he makes me laugh, he takes care of me when I'm sick, he watches to see what I need, he listens and cares about what I have to say, he takes time for our son, he dreams and he sees his dreams come true, he speaks well of me when I'm not around, he tells our love story often, he encourages me toward my dreams, he prays with and for me, he knows my faults and loves me even more, he teaches our son the Word of God, he sings and plays guitar for us and for Jesus, he loves people, he is intentional about learning from people who know more than him, he likes to come home and be with us, he is not afraid of making lots of silly faces and voices, he can tell me where to find stuff in the Bible, he taught me that confrontation can be a good thing, he lets me verbally process everyday as much as I want, he is beautiful and I love him and LIKE him very much.

He told me the other day, after I mentioned that I could not believe he had holes in his newer and more expensive jeans, that he didn't care about having holes in his jeans right now. He said that he understood this time of life is to be down on the floor with Hunter. Allow me to explain what this means: Dave and Hunter have wrestling matches, light sabor fights, kung fu madness, tickle fights and the like on the floor on a daily basis. Dave realizes that this is a season and he is not going to miss it because of holes in his jeans. We'll keep buying jeans and they'll keep playing on the floor. What a great daddy!

Here is what Hunter says about his Daddy...

"I like Daddy and boy day. I like my Daddy. I like that he takes me to Xtreme Challenge and Chuckee Cheese. He is my Dad and I love him a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot."

This whole adoption process really started with Dave. He started the conversation in the car on the way to Iowa back in March. We had no idea that conversation would have us where we are today. We are filled with joy!! 

I love you, my sweet husband and I can't wait to see you with the other children that God gives to us.

Tara Jean Powers

 My beautiful sister, Tredessa Rhoades will be getting married at the end of this month to Ryan Faaland. We couldn't be happier. We are busy making beautiful decorations and hunting for our outfits and praising God that He brought Ryan into Tredessa's life. Something that I adore about Tredessa is that she always takes time with her nieces and nephews no matter what time of life she is in. She definitely has been termed the "Favorite Aunt" by a few kiddos. ;) This story is no exception. During this busy season of wedding planning she took time to play, LIFE with Hunter yesterday and here is the story she wrote....

 

"Played the board game, Life, with my nephew, Hunter, today. He was thrilled everytime he got any money and would constantly chant, "I have more money than you!" in a tone of competition...to which I would very humbly respond, "Nuh-uh, I do!" After he watched me land on the spaces where I got twin boys and a baby girl to add to my little vehicle and he hadn't landed on any kid spaces, he glanced ...at the money that he highly valued, because it meant that he would beat me, and turned to me and asked, "Can I adopt a baby if I gave you some money?" My eyes got a little misty. "Of course, you can." I loved that he didn't ask if he could just take a couple of the little people pegs and put them in his car as his kids, but that he realized that it was a precious thing that he was asking for and it would cost him something that he valued. The sacrifice was worth it to him. So he adopted two boys..." -Tredessa Rhoades

I bawled and am still bawling as I reread this precious story. As a parent, I'm trying to prepare my son for adoption and I think he just might be getting it.