Update

We are getting closer to getting on the waiting list!!!  We just sent our home study to immigration for approval.  Once that gets back...we send our dossier to Ethiopia.....then we will officially be on the waiting list. 

Please join us in praying for these things:

1.  Pray that we would receive our FBI fingerprint approval.  They were sent off 4 weeks ago.

2.  Pray that our immigration approval would be back by Jan.1st (or before :0 ) 

3.  Pray for Lucy. Pray for the sweet lady that is probably carrying her in her tummy now....that she would know how much Jesus loves her and has a plan for her life.

Most days I am 100% sure that we are doing what is right.  But sometimes...I have a "oh my gosh what am I doing" kind of day.  It is on those days that God continues to show us that this is right and that He has this.  The way people have supported us is nothing short of a miracle.  We are constantly getting cards, people telling us they are praying for her, money, etc.....We did not expect any of this but are sooooo thankful for God providing.  Thanks again for all of the support!!!

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Lucy,
   You are so loved and your story is and will continue to touch people's lives.  Your momma and daddy didn't know they could love someone so much that they have never met.  But, we do.  This process can be overwhelming but please know that God has worked out every. single. detail.  Your story is causing us to trust and believe more than we ever have and for that we are so thankful.  You are talked about every day and we pray God gets all the glory for your amazing little life. We love you.

Weekend of movies

I have been looking forward to this weekend for months now.  Going to the movies is one of my FAVORITE things to do....as long as popcorn is involved.  Just to set the record straight...I would never carry a huge purse full of diet coke and goobers in with me :) 

This weekend there are THREE movies that I cannot wait to see. AND they are even at the good theater.  That's right....Tupelo has two theaters. One is nasty, stinky and most importantly, makes bad popcorn,  yet it always gets the good movies.  Not this time Cinemark....:)

Tonight at midnight, I (along with thousands of girls ages 7 to 80) will be seeing New Moon. Last year Russ so graciously went to the midnight showing where he was the only man in the room :)  This year he will not be so lucky. 

Tomorrow night I will watching The Blind Side. I love that the movie is about Ole Miss (where we graduated) and adoption.  Now, I have not read the book but I am pretty sure the movie is not 100% accurate (just basing this on Sandra Bullock threatening 15 large men).  But, I am so excited to see this!!!  I saw the trailer the day we decided to adopt from Ethiopia. I was already emotional but it made me cry for the rest of the day.

And last, but certainly not least....the movie Precious.  Precious is about a 16 year old girl struggling to make it in this harsh world.  How could you not want to see a movie with such cinematic genius' as Mo'Nique, Lenny Kravitz, and Mariah Carey?? :)  I am really excited about this movie and am sure I will need to bring a box of Kleenex to this one as well.

Hope you all have a great weekend!!!!

Waiting is the hardest part

Just wanted to give you all an update on the adoption.  Nothing too exciting going on but we are making steps...and are ALMOST ready to be on the official waiting list!!!

We are waiting on our homestudy to be approved by the State of Mississippi.  Once we get this approval, we can send off for our approval from immigration.  When both of these documents are back... we can finish our dossier (documents that go to Ethiopia) and THEN we will be on the waiting list!!!!

We would love to be on the waiting list by January so please join us in praying that these documents would come back quickly!!!  With the upcoming holiday's, many people will be taking vacation so please pray that people would find favor with us and push us through!!!

Once we get on the waiting list....the average time for a referral (a picture...an actual person:)  ) is around 9 months. 

I know the average time is 9 months but I just WANT to be on the wait list.  Once you are on the waitlist you are eligible for a child.  Right now a referral is not even an option since we are not on the waiting list.

So, do you get the point that we are ready to be on the waiting list!!! I feel like a football coach...wanting that last win just to be eligible to go to a bowl game. Not a guarantee but at least an option.  Does that make any sense?? Not sure that why that scenario popped in my head :)

Thanks for praying with us!  God has provided so many people to support us through this journey and we are so thankful.

EAT WITH US

The Atlanta Bread fundraiser is here!!!  We are so excited about tomorrow (Monday) night!!!  So many people have told us they are coming to support us and Lucy. We knew people would help but we had no idea the level of support that we would have!!  So many people have told me they were coming tomorrow night...many of which I do not even know :)  Tomorrow night will be great ....hopefully we can share about ourselves, Lucy, and adoption.  We truly believe Lucy's story will be amazing and that we are all part of something big!!!

If you live in the Tupelo, MS area.....please join us. Eat at Atlanta Bread Company (in Tupelo) tomorrow night (Monday night) between 6 pm and 9 pm and we will receive part of the proceeds.  All of the money goes to help bring Lucy home!!

Thanks again for loving us :)  I will update this week on where we are in the process.

Must Have

Due to my steroid shot I was given today (for my cold) I am up late reading blogs.  I was reading THIS blog and saw the sweetest thing!!!  

These baby dolls are from Pottery Barn Kids .  The blond one is named Abby and can you guess the brunette's name?  You are the winner if you chose the name Lucy.....I need the Lucy doll er... ehm...I mean Lucy will need her when she comes home.  


ps--when I say Pottery Barn...how many of you immediately think of the Friends episode where Ross and Rachel buy all of the Pottery Barn furniture but tell Phoebe they were antiques???  Because I do :)

Buy Coffee, Help Bring Lucy Home

We have another way you can help!!! 

Just Love Coffee Roasters sells fairtrade, specialty coffee.  Much of their proceeds go to help fight the orphan crisis.  After the owners, Rob and Emily, adopted their child....they had the GREAT idea of helping others who were in the adoption process.

You can go to our store HERE, order great fair-trade coffee (as well as mugs, t-shirts, etc.) and we get some of the proceeds!!!!  Please share this link with others.  Remember...in order for us to get the proceeds, you have to buy it off of our store which is....  www.justlovecoffee.com/ThePolsgroves 

You can become a member to get coffee monthly or scroll to the bottom of the page and buy individual bags of coffee. 

We are so thankful for the ways God is providing opportunities for this adoption AND so thankful for all of you who are walking along with us in this journey!!!

Psalm 62:5-8

Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.  My victory and honor come from God alone.  He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.  O my people, trust in him at all times.  Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.

I dream of Lucy

Adoption is hard.  I had heard that before but didn't realize how true it was until now.  My emotions are crazy.  Some days are totally fine and then others I cry for no reason. all. day. long.  Today is an emotional one.  I just looked at pictures of my friends with their babies for Halloween and for some reason it made me sad.  We have only been in the process for 3 months (almost) but she has been with us for over two years.

I sometimes leave the specifics of "Lucy's Story" out because I don't want people to think we are weird.  But, I am realizing all of these details are significant to her story because it shows just how amazing and big God is.

Tonight  I want to share the first time God showed us a part of His plan.

Russ and I were friends for almost two years before we dated.  During that time we would stay up late talking about everything imaginable (because we were just friends, right? ).  I remember us talking about how we both felt like we would adopt one day.  It was after this conversation that I am sure he went and watched sportscenter and I went home to plan the wedding because I just knew he HAD to be the one....

We were married in 2005.  When kids were discussed, we talked of adoption.  We fooled ourselves some days into thinking we would adopt later in life but most of the time we knew God had called us to adopt our first child.  Russ says most of his life he knew he would adopt his first child and that it would be a girl.

One night, in October 2006, I woke up from a dream.  In the dream I was holding a baby girl, wrapped in a white blanket.  I was gazing at her but could not see her face or what she looked like.  When I awoke I just knew that I was pregnant or that we should begin trying.

The next night I woke from the exact same dream...except this time I thought maybe we should adopt.  I woke Russ and told him the news. He agreed.

The third night, I woke up from the same dream and can still remember exactly how I felt.  I KNEW.  I have never longed for/missed something so much in my life.  My heart ached for her.  I woke up Russ and told him that I missed her.  The amazing thing was that he understood. He didn't ask questions like "but you haven't met her yet?"...he just got it.

It was that night that we realized God had a baby girl for us and that His plan was bigger than we could imagine.  I love that I couldn't see what she looked like....and to be honest, it didn't matter....I just knew she was mine.