Toone Family Journey: Updates and such

Our trip to Kansas was busy, with not a spare moment. After arriving on Wednesday night late, Mom and I spent Thursday getting manicures/pedicures and shopping a little. We also attended Westlink Christian Church's Women's Night where I got to meet TWO of my fellow adoption friends! Jen Hatmaker (http://www.jenhatmaker.com)

is a nationally known writer and speaker, who has authored MANY Bible studies for the busy mom/woman. She is from Haysville originally (lives in Austin now) and visited Wichita to do a talk. It incorporated adoption, so it was a tear jerker since they just returned a few months ago with two new babes from Ethiopia. I was lucky enough to schedule dinner with Brenda Fleming and her little Ethiopian angel Elias. We ate together and attended the talk with my mom. It was SO MUCH FUN to meet in person, women I'd been talking to on our agency's online support group, especially knowing that Brenda lives in Wichita! What a small world. We became instant friends! :)

Ky, Jen Hatmaker and Brenda Fleming

Dining with Brenda and Little Elias!

MELT. MY. HEART.

Lee's Mom Gail and Stepdad Ken flew to KS for our shower! It was so great to spend quality time with them. We had lunch at Old Mill Tasty Shop and dinner with my mom and dad at the Hangar restaurant. Its a great restaurant with awesome airplane paraphernalia. And yummy steaks! :)

Friday was a photo shoot (see previous blog) with Serena Shurtz, and Saturday was the shower followed by another crazy experience! I went back to Holly's mom's house after the shower to hang with my girls Hol and Jen and experienced my first EARTHQUAKE! Thank goodness it was with Holly and Jen, who being California transplants, knew exactly what was happening! The epicenter was in Oklahoma, but since it was a 5.9 earthquake we definitely felt it! Remember the pretty clothesline decorations hanging from the mantle at my shower? Well they were shaking and I was pretty shaken! YIKES!

Hanging at the Annex with Hol, Jen, Mama Kay Kay and Aiden (who loves to Karokee!)

So fun to hang!

On Sunday we went to church, then Lee left and Mom and Dad and I hung out followed by dinner with my dear friend Amy. I left Monday afternoon. It was such a blessed trip! I loved every second of it and loved being able to catch up with family and friends.

Back in Utah, we've been busy. Not only did I enjoy my Utah shower and our Babymoon, but on my birthday we got to go to the airport to welcome our dear friends April and Nathan (see April from shower post---she gave us the Ethiopian coffee and doll!) and their two new children home from Ethiopia! It was SOOO cool to attend the airport party and I can't imagine a better birthday night event and celebration! You can see them holding their TIRED kids and TIRED selves!

We've been SO busy. I'm almost 36 weeks pregnant now and cannot wrap my head around the fact that she may be here in a few short weeks. I'm not ready honestly, despite the fact that I'd like to be able to bend over AND breathe again. :) 26 pounds later, I disagree when people say that I am so "tiny." I wish now I'd have eaten more healthfully, definitely have been eating much differently than I did before pregnant, with less desire to munch on veggies and far more prone to eating dessert everyday. I definitely know this child is Lee's since he is apt to eat a bowl of ice cream and cookies each night. This kid definitely craves sugar, to which her Mommy gives in nightly.

She is growing rapidly and loves to lodge her long legs into my right rib. :) Its been fun to poke at her and watch her roll across my belly. She still finds it funny to stop moving just as Daddy gets his hand placed just right to feel her. Playing games already! She's wild and hyper, yet another characteristic she shares with Dad. :)

Another recent event was taking dinner to our dear friends the Autrys (see previous adoption update post---they just got home with their FOUR kiddos from Ethiopia!) Here I am making fruit and yogurt parfaits for them and Lee had made an AMAZING Martha Stewart 4 cheese macaroni-n-cheese dish!

No pics yet, but TRUST ME when I say they are PRECIOUS! :)

35 weeks. Small? Look again. And then look at:

This. Me at 6.5 weeks. Now doesn't that make you giggle?

I wanted to not only update you a little on our pregnancy, but the adoption as well. I took a fall down three stairs recently, and bounced like a ball on my tailbone. After a quick mental and physical body check, I went to bed and didn't think much of it. The next day I noticed "decreased fetal movement" and after a quick call to my doctor, headed to the hospital labor and delivery to be checked. Fetal monitor for 2 hours revealed and "irritable uterus" but baby girl was fine and her heartbeat strong and steady. I was sent home with instructions to rest. I loved the nurses so the hospital staff eased my fears about labor. I'm happy our hospital is nice and 7 minutes from our house. :)

Adoption wise, things aren't so great. We've been been on the wait list for 7 months and have only moved up 7 spots. That means we still have 38 people in front of us. With the court closures for rainy season, amongst other issues, the referrals have been SLOW. God knew that I needed Baby Girl to tide me over because this Mama's heart could NEVER endure waiting another 7-10 months for a referral! UGH!

Here are some happy Africa cookies from April's adoption shower. They were yummy and well, sugar cookies (or any sugar) always cheers me up! :) Plus they are just so pretty!