We need help picking a name - please vote

Kinkade caught a butterfly! Keagan playing baseball.

Hi Everyone,
No news yet. Last Saturday marked our 9th week of waiting for a referral. We are still a ways down on the waiting list. It could happen anytime but I predict it won't be for at least 2-3 more weeks. I am getting so excited. It feels like the last trimester of being pregnant when you are so excited to meet this new baby. I can't wait to see pictures of what she looks like and hold her! We have been discussing names a lot around here. We need some help, so please leave a comment and weigh in. We would love to hear your favorites. And check back as we'll be adding more as we keep discussing.

Here is our list:

Lucia, Gemma, Piper, Pilar, Elsa, Engracia, Eva, Flora, Lucita, Lucilla, Amora, Mirabelle, Mirabella, Pearl, Lola, Kesara, Kennedy

So here our family favorites - vote for one on the list or add your one.

Mom's favorites - Piper, Lucita, Flora, Mirabella, Lucilla, Amora, Lola
Dad's favorites - Pilar, Piper, Flora, Kesara
Keagan's favorites - Lucia, Paulita, Kennedy, Elsa, Flora, Kiara , Enyo
Kinkade's - Maria, Flora, Mirabelle
Grampy's favorites - Pearl, Piper, Gemma, Lucia, Angel
Grammy's favorites - Margarita (Maggie) , Lucinda, Lucita

Please leave a comment - Carla this is a good one to leave a comment it is really straight forward and very non-threatening, stop lurking and give a little to this adoption:) Please leave a comment I love you:)

Week 8 waiting for referral

Please Pray for our baby girl!

Why Guatemala

Darcy in Guatemala as a college student!

WHY . . .WHY. . . WHY Guatemala?? We have been asked this question frequently. God planted a seed of adoption in me from a very young age. I had vivid dreams when I was a little girl that my parents were adopting internationally and I would wake up and beg them to make it real! I so badly wanted an adopted baby in our family.

When I attended Whitworth College I had the opportunity to do my multi-cultural experience in Guatemala. I was there a month and stayed with a wonderful Guatemalan family in Antigua. We took Spanish classes in the morning and spent our afternoons working in an orphanage. The experience made my desire to adopt even stronger. Next, I met this amazing man at Whitworth and on our second date we talked about how international adoption was something he had always wanted to do. We got married and after a few years of infertility we had two energetic, fun, work intensive, twin boys! We kept praying for margin financially and physically to adopt. We decided that when we were victorious at the end of the day we would start pursuing adoption. Well, everyday we ended with our butts kicked by these two sweet gifts from God.

Finally, we committed to praying everyday for a year about the adoption. It was very clear at the end that God was calling us to adopt. I knew in my heart that it would be Guatemala. I had fallen in love with the children and culture when I was there. As we started to research there were many reasons why we made the decision to adopt from Guatemala. Here are just a few

1. We can get there easily from the US (6 hour flight and relatively affordable)

2. US Standards in Formula and medical care

3. Foster Care vs. orphanage

4. Our agency let's you visit or foster as many times as you can

5. We can take the boys at some point so they have a more worldly view

6. There is a Spanish pre-school / kinder / after school program right up the hill

7. I have a minor in Spanish and Aaron speaks it pretty well

Our agency has been amazing they only specialize in adoptions from Guatemala. They are involved in every stage of the process. I added a link to the top of our blog so you can check out the agency if you are interested.

So, that's how we ended up here!

I finally gave in. . . Baby Gap

Yes, that was a bikini you just viewed. . . Daddy was not as excited about it as I was. Mmmm. . he is always encouraging me to wear a bikini. I guess this is different with his daughter.

OK, I officially gave in to my lifetime desire to buy baby girl clothes for my own daughter from the BABY GAP! It was so much fun! I have been dreaming of dressing a baby girl since I was seven. I had held off . . . but the GAP sucked me in last time I was downtown and it was all over! Here are some pics of the merchandise - I had to share. We will bring down the 0-3 months clothing when Aaron and I fly down to meet her as a newborn and sign the power of attorney papers to get the process legally started. Then we will give the clothing to her foster mom and she will then donate it to families in need in Guatemala. We are officially on week 6 and half waiting to hear our baby has been born. I will post pictures as soon as we get that call!
Our case manager said it will be between 8-12 weeks so we are getting closer to getting that referral.
Keagan asked the other day why we had to look at our baby on the computer when other families just went to the hospital and really saw their baby. These boys are really thinking about this whole process.