3 Nephi 22

As some of you may already know, Mike and Lydia have been hoping to start a family for 8 years. In the past three years they have been preparing to be chosen for placement for adoption. It has been a trial but also a blessing. There have been ups and downs. For those that ride that roller coaster of life with them know how much they have hoped and waited.

On September 12, 2012, Lydia noticed a message from her adoption agent, Sam Scott. She was on her way to pick up the Sister Missionaries from her church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) to go to her friend, Panmook Albach's house to help her clean her house for sale. Lydia called her agent back right away because his office closes at 5 and it was already almost 4:30pm. Earlier in the month her agent had discussed with her and Mike about two potential birthmothers who were in Kansas that wanted to place their baby for adoption. One was due September 29th and the other sometime in January. Because the school year was just getting on a roll they hoped that they would be able to make the necessary transition into parenthood without disrupting the children they teach, in the process. (In other words, they hoped the January prospect would be theirs) 

Ok, back to the story...

So Lydia calls her agent and he tells her "You have been Selected for placement!" Of coarse, Lydia was overjoyed at being finally chosen to become a mother! The first people she shared the news with were the Sister Missionaries of coarse. Then her friend Panmook and her husband Karl. Then Mike. Mike was suppose to meet them all for dinner but he didn't get the message. SO he was the third person to know. 

The following week Mike and Lydia were able to meet Kim in person. She was tall and pretty. She was a touch cookie too. (She was Army Reserves) As they all discussed family backgrounds and shared photos. The similarities were uncanny! It was a HUGE testimony of how God really is real and does make things happen. Kim and Lydia are both very chatty and so they have been able to talk often.

On September 20th, Mike and Lydia attended Kim's ultrasound to find out the gender of the baby. Kim really wanted them to experience all they can since they can't carry their own child.

2012 Update

There has been much that has happened this year! 

January

Mike and Lydia Attended the Marriage of Maria Bohannan (Lydia's youngest sister) to Zachary Panter. They were sealed in the Salt Lake City Temple. It was a blast to visit Utah once again and we even got SNOW!

June

Mike went to Panama again for the Rotary Teacher Exchange Program. He was a hot commodity. Different people begged him to come do a seminar for their area school teachers. He had a great visit and worked very hard!

Lydia worked summer Latchkey at Seltzer Elementary as well as had a few traveling adventures of her own.
In June, she rented a bright red Jetta. it was NICE! She then drove, all by herself, to Aurora Colorado to attend a Families Supporting Adoption Training Conference (FSA). She was there from Thursday to Saturday. On Saturday she drove to Colorado Springs to see what she could see. It was a beautiful drive from Denver to Colorado Springs. In Colorado Springs she met up with an old friend and co-worker from Alabama! On Sunday she went to church and ran into More old friends- the James family! She then made the LONG 9hr drive back home.

July

Mike and Lydia visited her Dad in Missouri for Independence Day! Then Mike was off again to Washington D.C. for a Founders Fellowship. It was for History teachers. He traveled to lots of Historical sites, including George Washington's Home!

After that trip Mike attended a training conference in Overland Park, KS. 

Lydia got some practice mothering her nieces and nephews when her sister Misty had her 6th child near the end of July. His name was Aaron McDavitt! A Week after the birth Misty had some medical complications and so Lydia spent 4-5 days helping her in the hospital with Aaron while Misty's husband, Ben, went home to take care of the other kiddos. 

August

Lydia and Mike Celebrated their 8th Wedding Anniversary!
Then next day Lydia flew to Orlando, FL to be a full time nanny for a week for her brother, Lucas, and his wife, Alisha. Alisha's parents paid to have all their kids, grand kids, and the spouses vacation at Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida. It was awesome! Expensive food but awesome! Since Lucas had to go back to school to complete some things he couldn't stay so they paid for Lydia to fly down to be a nanny for their 3 kids, Rebekah, Seth, and Isaac. It was a LOT of work but the experience was SO worth it.

Mike, meanwhile, was starting his teacher Inservice week for the new school year.

This year Lydia was upgraded to a temporary Para to replace the teacher that had a baby the year before. Her job is mostly to tutor kids in writing and the new Readwell program for Kindergarten and 1st grade. She loves teaching kids and being creative. The school theme this year was "Diving into Learning" Lydia got a little carried away but the result was awesome!