Our first contribution

Our dear friends The Hiday's heard our opened hearts and in return opened their hearts to us. Kelli said she knew the moment that I shared with her our adoption plans she had to do something to help bring an orphan home. Knowing that the first payments to our agency and our homestudy were more than we had in savings, the Hiday's offered us a $5,000 loan intrest free. We are blessed to not only call them supporters but also our best friends. Thank you Hiday's for helping by praying and taking a leap of faith. We love ya!

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This year in photo

As this year slowly comes to a close I am thankful for the journey that God has lead us on this year. Here are a few pictures to capture our year.....

The snow storm of 2011-
 I call snowdays little blessings from God for family time, snow ball fights and cookies!

 

This is what happens when you let Saria do your make-up!
Good thing Kelli and Troy love us so much!



Jacob and Daddy lunch date at school



Gene's fluke emergency surgery that ultimately helps to lead us to the decision to adopt.
Some days these memories still take my breath away and remind me how blessed I am to
have such a wonderful husband! God has great things planned for this man! 

Celebration of Kellsie's birthday and Gene coming home from the hospital.

Girls getting ready for Lesa and Ryan's wedding.

My yellowjacket fans!

Kellsie graduates kindergarten :)

Jacob and Saria's trip to DC with Mimi and Papa,
What great grandparents to fly them to DC and help them to see a country outisde of these walls.
Jacob and Saria did have to earn their tickets through essays and research!

Our mission trip to South Carolina to host a VBS...I love God too!

Laurie and I's 2nd/3rd grade group, we had 17 kids and three dedicated their hearts to God-Awesome!



Our football player...what a hansome man he will be



Our little runner...she was fast!

First day of a new school year

Annual Collins Family Vacation
This year we went to the St.Louis Zoo, can you spot us?

Warriors!

Our decision to adopt

Our three one day to be four!



Homestudy Meetings

   So tomorrow is our "first homestudy meeting". I of course, being the organized guru that I am, have all the paperwork paperclipped and tabbed for our coordinator. I am excited and nervous all at the same time. I am so proud Gene, we had to answer 26 really intuitive and refined questions from childhood to parenting and adoption, and he finished them in only two days. For those of you that know Gene, you realize he dislikes, I mean really dislikes to put into writing touchie-feelie thoughts, but he did it and really dug deep! I love my man!!!!  We also started our Hauge training, 10 online hours of information on international adoption. I tell ya, I am going to be one educated girl!

   Tonight however, I am praying for our birth family, who knows; where and what they are doing. Tonight may be the night our birth mother finds out she is pregnant or maybe feels him kick for the first time...maybe tonight is the night he comes into this world....I don't know but I know that our God is there for me and for them too....sending them my love and ultimate respect....