The Dark Pink Room

Tim worked hard this weekend on Pallavi's dark pink room.

The solution to painting a room dark pink...wainscoting.

The solution to the "dark red" being combined with the dark pink...haven't discovered that one yet.  

But I'm hopeful that an old neighbor who makes vinyl lettering can do some in a red that won't clash with the  pink.

Oops.  Paint spill...

(I finally got out the scissors and gave the carpet a haircut.)

Hanging out in Pallavi's room...

If you hang out too long you'll end up being dad's helper.

And if you work hard and ask nicely, you might even get to sleep in your sister's new room!

Meeting Pallavi

Tonight we finally met Pallavi.  After spending some time looking at the book we made her (she brought it with her), we went to pick out paint.

When she said dark pink, she meant dark pink.  And red.

Can't wait until all of us are in the same place at the same time!

Pallavi has a cell phone.  

Who knew technology could be bonding?  

Nate added our numbers for her, and it didn't take long for the three of them to be texting each other.  

A few minutes later I got a text.  

Mom I like you.

Turns out through the evening what she couldn't say in person, she could say in text.  It was a great icebreaker.

Then back to the hotel for a few minutes so she could see where she'll be with us next week.  

Future sisters bonded over a love of cookies.

A week from today we'll be here again... 

And pick her up at the agency again....

This time forever. 

And I Want My Room To Be Dark Pink!

I know...two blog entries in one day.  I'm finding this is the easiest way to share our updates and news...

Tonight I ran some errands and left my phone at home.  I got home and had two voicemails.  One was from the adoption agency director just covering logistical items.  The other one caught me completely off guard.

"Hey Mary.  This is Pallavi...the one you going to adopt..."  Then a message to call her back.

We hadn't talked about phone calls with the agency director or caseworker, but Pallavi took matters into her own hands.  She had already had a conversation with Tim before she called us.


I played it again for the kids...at least three times, then we called her back.

"Hi Pallavi.  This is Mary."


"Oh, hi Mary..."
(Like we've talked a hundred times before.)

Then getting straight to the point.
"Is it ok if I call you and your husband Mom and Dad?"


We hadn't spoken before today.

The confidence in her voice was impressive.  On speaker phone she chatted comfortably in her British-Indian accent with her new family.

We sent her a get-to-know-us scrapbook earlier, and she had literally memorized everything about her new family.

"I hear I'm going to have a lot of cousins!"  
She can't wait to meet all of them.

"And when your family goes to the farm I want to ride a horse.  Is there a horse there?"
Joie's turn to respond.
"Uh...yeah..."
(Anyone met River?)
"Ok then.  I know how to ride horses."
Me this time.  "Really.  Have you ridden a horse before?"
"Yes.  I rode horses in India."
(Love how she says "In-dia" in two syllables instead of three.)

More small talk, then the words we won't forget
"And I want my room to be dark pink!"

We had told the caseworker earlier we would take her to Home Depot or Lowe's to pick a paint color while we were visiting this week.

Pallavi was way ahead of us.

I love that she's not shy.

This finally seems real.  Our bags are packed.  Nate and Megan travel with us to meet her.  Jeran and Joie travel with us next week to bring her home.  Tonight the kids who aren't going packed letters, pictures and candy to send.

We can't wait!

Broken Roads

I'm sitting here in my messy house, needing to get ready to go meet our soon-to-be daughter.  I can't even concentrate long enough to do the dishes, and I think I've gone downstairs three times to change laundry without actually getting it done.  And yet somehow by tomorrow at this time we'll be leaving for the airport...  Nebraska in December...good thing we've got a great reason!

Have you ever heard the song "Bless The Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts?

I heard it again this morning, and found myself alone in my messy, neglected house crying, partly because of the broken roads of our lives, but mostly because that broken road has been blessed.

I set out on a narrow way, many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you.


A divorce.  Certainly a heartbreaking broken road, difficult and painful for Tim to travel.

Difficulties with pregnancies and deliveries.  Another broken road.  But not the end.  Somehow from that broken road grew two incredible boys.

A birth mother holding a tiny baby, knowing she couldn't take care of her, and a long plane ride staring into the eyes of a stranger who delivered that baby into the arms of more strangers.  Broken roads leading to new roads.

And more broken roads that seemed like dead ends.  Would-be adoptions that weren't, leading to acceptance of the road we were on.

And August 18, 2007.  The day that certainly felt broken to all who knew Nick, Ruth and Audrey, especially to their DJ (a.k.a. Joie).  That broken road felt like the end.

The day Joie came home from the hospital, the night before the funerals of her family, she looked so lost.  As she walked into the strange place that would be her home for the rest of her life she collapsed into the big overstuffed chair in our living room and softly started to sing:


"Jesus take the wheel.  Take it from my hands.  Cause I can't do this on my own..." ("Jesus, Take the Wheel" by Carrie Underwood)

And He did.  And here we are.

I realized this morning that if we hadn't traveled that broken road, we wouldn't be here, in a place where intersecting with another broken road feels almost comfortable.  This time the road beneath us feels sure and complete, but to Pallavi, the road that lead her to us has been a very difficult and broken one.

Today my heart is filled with gratitude for a Heavenly Father who can turn broken roads into blessings, and who knows my road and leads me down it every day (even when I think I'd prefer a detour).

...This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That lead me straight to you.
("Bless The Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts)


Countdown to Pallavi:  
Two days until we meet her.  
Ten days until we bring her home.

Sleepy Ballerina

I know this doesn't look like a ballet performance shot, but it's all I've got...that problem of trying to get me and my camera in the same place at the same time.

Joie was getting ready for bed and wanted me to take a picture of her make up and curly pony tails.  

She was a doll in the doll dance, and did great!  She's a natural performer.  She's completely "on" when she's in front of a crowd.  I told her this after the performance, and she said, "I'm just really good at putting on my game face."

We love this cute game face!