New Pictureof Samuel

I was thrilled to get to see new pictures of our babies right before Christmas. The girls and I had bought some clothes and toys to send to them with our Director. The 18month outfit we bought Samuel is huge on him. He seems to be so small. Also, Thomas and the girls gave me a wonderful gift for my birthday...they sent money so that the boys could have a crib in Liberia. HollyAnn was kind enough to snap a few shots of Noah in his crib. Now my baby has a safe place to lay his little sweet head at night. So here are some of the pictures of them.

When the girls pray at night and before their naps, they NEVER fail to pray for Samuel and Noah. It used to be that they would say the pray that is our standard for our family..."dear Jesus, thank you for today, thank you for Mommy, Daddy, Campbell and Caroline...thank you for your Son that you sent to save us from our sins" then they are able to pray to Jesus how they want and would usually pray that He would keep SAmuel and Noah safe and healthy. Now they pray as normal, but after "Mommy, Daddy, Campbell, Caroline..they add Samuel and Noah and thank you for your Son that You sent" It is almost like they finally realize that they are really truly going to be part of our family forever and it is so precious.

Thank my sweet Saviour for my family and for my soon to be larger family. Thank you for giving us sons. I started thinking about how God must have felt when He sent His only begotten Son to us and was apart from Him for 33 years. I ache inside for my boys that I have never even met and it has only been almost 2 months. For God to have sent Him to bear the weight of our sin on His shoulders...He truly is most gracious Father to us all.

Christmas Early

Can you tell I am trying to catch up on posts that I have not had time to update? We went to Mimi and Poppy's Sat morning and had Christmas a tad bit early. The girls absolutely loved their gifts. Caroline got the cutest peppermint dress and striped tights and had to put it on immediately and refused to take it off till she had to change clothes for bed some 13 hrs later. Campbell got a ballerina out fit which she put on and commenced to show us her ballet techniques. It was really sweet. They loved that Mimi had all kinds of goodies out on her fine china with punch in her glass tea cups and real linen Christmas napkins. Mommy on the other hand had small strokes every time that they attempted to eat. The picture in my mind's eye was of the glass shattering everywhere, shards sticking in the carpet and the girls getting cut, bleeding all over the white carpet, us getting kicked out because we broke something, you get the picture. So to my relief, nothing was broken, everything was cleaned and placed where it belonged before we left and cookies were even sent home with us....all in all a great start to the Christmas holiday.
We were able to spend a few hours with my grandarents and as I know only too well, how blessed I am to still be
able to do this. I miss my other grandparents so badly as well as Thomas' grandparents. I would love to show them the girls for only a moment so that they could see how much they have grown or to see which ones look like them or act like them.

Merry Christmas!!!

So Thomas had surgery a week ago Friday and was in great spirits right before the proceedure (without any meds, mind you).

Trying to be funny!

So this is just after surgery and the fun has worn off a little, even with the pain meds.

Not so joyful, huh?

Gingerbread anyone?

The girls decided that we needed to build a gingerbread house. I looked everywhere for one, online that is, and finally had to ask a friend where to get one in town that didn't cost $200. Since I try not to frequent Wal-Mart if at all possible guess where these came from...WAL_MART. But, I didn't have to go...hehehe. Called Nana and she left work to go to her Wal-mart in Alex City and then sent them to me. Now that is what a mother's love (well, grandmother's love) is all about. So we decided this morning was when we were going to decorate our house.

Caroline really is a funny little ham!!

owner

We have news!!!

As I was sitting in Chick-fil-A watching C2 play in the play area I was thinking about the vote I had just cast for my president of choice....and praying that God's will be done. Then I get a phone call from a strange area code and actually answered it...who does that these days??? It was HollyAnn asking if I had a moment, of course!! I have a couple of them every day it seems. Anyway, am I sitting down?? Yes! 2 sibling boys just came into the home, would we consider them??? Silence on my end. I am really trying not to have a total break down in front of a couple of moms who are already looking at me strangely and the kids who are yelling with glee sliding down the curvy slide. Yes! Yes! Yes!!!!! They will get their bloodtest results in 2-3 days and then we will have 48 hrs to accept them. OH MY GOODNESS!!!! I am going to be a mommy of 4. And 2 of them BOYS! Thank you God!

I call Thomas and he is elated to say the least. Almost like when I told him we were pregnant, but htis time we are having 2!!! I gather up C2 and head out the door and C1 and her friend and Mommy were just sitting down to eat there too. I go over and tell her about the boys and start crying, again. (for those of you who know me well, I hate crying...ha!)

So over the past several weeks and after many many tears that have fallen, we are very proud to introduce to you 2 new Torgerson's: SAmuel Thomas and Noah. Samuel is 18 months old and Noah is 2 months old. My director is in Liberia now and she has been holding them both and rocking them to sleep which brings joy to a mother's heart. Knowing that they are being well cared for and loved and prayed over is more than enough for now.

Thank my sweet Jehovah for asking us on this journey. Thank you for giving us patience thus far. Thank you for all the blessings you have in store for us.

Not liking this vest too much

Daddy and Mommy (C1's becoming quiet the photographer)

Nanny just enjoying the ride

The End!!

Campbell manning the stern

Catching some zzzzz's

Daddy O and his girls

A'hoy there, mates

Our Boat Ride on Lake Martin

We had a great afternoon on the lake with Nanny and Mr Big July 4th weekend.

Caroline, Mr Big and Campbell

'My best buddy'

Giving him kisses

Gazing at the waves

Orphanage Project Liberia

Hey guys,
Sorry it has been so long since I have written. I wanted to share a site that is raising money for Greater Love Orphanage (our orphanage).

http://www.futurefororphans.com/

They are trying to raise money to build a pre-fabricated building to sleep 100 children and school 150 students. They have some great totes that have Addy's Hope and GLO logo as well as the Malawi people who make the bags. These are great to take into the grocery or any store and not use one of their bags...all about recycling.

They also have cute shirts for kids and adults and baby onesies for sale. So , please take a peek around the site.


Also, we are waiting on our fingerprints from Homeland Security to come back and then our dossier will be ready. Continue to pray for adoptions and the process in Africa. Pastor Wesley was contacted and asked to testify about adoption along with all the other agency directors before the House of Representatives on May 21. The new guidelines have already been sent to the house, and this hearing will be part of the process to put them into place. This is good news!!

Love to you all!!

Garage Sale

So we had our garage sale fundraiser on March 8th thinking this would be the very best time to have one. Spring is in full bloom, it has been in the low 70's, should be perfect. We wake up Sat morning to SNOW...yes snow in March in Alabama!!! Go figure. We rarely get snow ever and it just so happens on my garage sale day.

My other issue is that I cracked my ankle bone the week before and am in a boot to my shin. No kidding. Someone said that God might be trying to tell me to slow down. My reply...."He knows I have a garage sale to raise money for the adoption HE called us to, so I can't slow down right now." So, some of my best friends have been coming over at all hours of the day/night to help me sort and price. Thank you God for sending them to me.

We have been collecting donations from family and friends for months...literally, since October. My basement is so full that I can barely get into it to park my car. By the middle of the week of the garage sale I couldn't get into it at all...we are over flowing with goodies to sale.

So back to Sat morning. Thomas wakes me up, we look out the window and see the snow and I promptly say, "I am going back to bed!" Then I forget the we have the Roberts coming over to help sale and I make myself get up. Once they arrive we all decided that we will just go ahead and finish pricing and setting up then they can go home. We will just have it the next week. While we are pricing I pray that even though it has snowed, please Lord just wake people up and send them to my house. Please!!!

We never put the signs out, snow has covered all the cars and ground and the garage doors are closed, BUT at 8:15 am people start showing up in droves. It was amazing!! People just kept coming and coming and buying and buying. We ended up selling right at $1000 and we still have about 2/3 left of our stuff. Crazy! So God, we give you ALL the glory and praise for providing once again for our adoption funds.

The next Sat we have Garage Sale Part 2 . This time it rained and rained and rained some more. But once again, God sent us some more people. We sold $600 that day.

Our total....$1600 after expenses (ads, signage, etc.).

We have so many items left that our friends, the Maxwell's, are getting everything for a sale in May for their adoption funds for a little girl in China. Will let you know the date so you all can go and spend some more $$ there :)

Thank you all who so graciously helped us! Words aren't enough for the appreciation we have for you. Also, thank you all who came and bought things. Your money is going to one of the most precious gifts we will ever receive.

GUESS WHAT!!!!!

I officially got my FBI fingerprint approval letter today. Thank you LORD!
I turned it in, what 5 months ago and Thomas had his back in lightening fast time, me it was not to be. BUT, I now have it in my hand and what a blessing to be 1 step closer to finalizing our homestudy.
So, thank you all who have been praying and those of you who have called the higher ups that I don't have contact with in the FBI. It all worked, in HIS timing, of course. The next step is to finalize our homestudy and make sure everything in it is correct and also wait on an appointment with CIS for, yes, dare I say, more fingerprinting. This time I will know that I need to inform them that I don't fingerprint very well. Could come in handy one of these days...hehehe....just kidding, don't freak out because I said that.
Till next time.
S

Caroline's Smile :)

Mommy's 29th Birthday...snicker

Better late than never, I say

"I really didn't sneeze on that one cookie"

Feeding my new baby while wearing my new shoes and helmet

Christmas Pictures I never posted :)

Chloe, Sierra, Haley, Caroline and Campbell

Nana and Grandy with the grandGIRLS

Preparing cookies with daddy for Santa and the reindeer