WE'VE MOVED!!!

      Sorry about this inconvenience, but because blogger has changed some things, we were unable to keep/update our old blog.
So, now you can find us at www.thegrusylife.blogspot.com

Please come see our blog over there!!!

(if you're having any trouble getting over there, please email us at jengrusy@gmail.com)

And we're back!.....

Time to start the blog back up after a long absence... and the reason is... to remember this time in our lives and to keep others informed with what we're doing!

(pic of us sending our application in)

As many of you probably already know, we are currently in the process of adopting form Ethiopia with an agency called Lifeline Children's Services.  We sent in our application and started the process in July 2012.  After working on and sending in quite a bit of paperwork, we started the homestudy the end of July, and we just finished up the homestudy in September.   We are currently working on raising support through letters and grants and are waiting to do more paperwork.  We are scheduled this week for an immigration appointment, where we have to do another set of fingerprints and wait to be officially approved through Immigration, before we can start putting together our Dossier to send to Ethiopia.

I knew before starting this process that it was going to be a lot of work, but, oh boy, it's even more work than I thought it was going to be!!  My sister-in-law, Steph, just told me the other day that she has heard of this part of the adoption process called the "Great Paper Chase"... this is a pretty accurate title! :-)  After we finish one set of papers, we are on to the next...But, it's so encouraging to think that with each little step, we get that much closer to bringing our precious son home!

This is the update for this week.  More updates to come!

Now, I leave you with a great quote from Russell Moore's book, Adopted for Life:

"When we adopt -- and when we encourage a culture of adoption in our churches and communities -- we're picturing something that's true about God.  We, like Jesus, see what our Father is doing and do likewise (John 5:19).  And what our Father is doing, it turns out, is fighting for orphans, making them sons and daughters" (p. 73)

  

Still Catching up... Mom Grusy's visit

After Lydia was born, Mom Grusy came out for a visit to meet our sweet little addition. We had a wonderful time with her. Ethan and Emma loved seeing their Grammy!

Here are some pictures from her visit:

Time at the park with Grammy

Burp Time! :-)

Our Trip to Huber's Farm to pick strawberries:

Mom got Lydia to fall fast asleep...

Ethan with a strawberry find!!

Emma sporting her cute "strawberry picking" hat

Emma showing Ethan her find

LOVE his next one of the kids picking in their hats!:

Grammy found one!

On the Tractor riding to the field:

Playing in our backyard:

Grammy singing the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" with Emma:

Planting some seeds in the garden with Daddy:

Ethan "jotting down a few gardening notes" :-)

(Grammy brought him a little notepad that he loved playing with)

Lydia hanging out with Grammy:

While Grammy was here, we got to celebrate Emma's 2nd birthday:

The Big Girl blowing out candles

Fun trip to Build-a-Bear:

Emma with her purchase, thanks to Grammy :-)

Ethan and Emma giving their doggies a bath:

Emma picking out a doggie with Grammy:

Daddy and his birthday girl:

Starting the birthday out right... Krispie Kream Donuts!

On the actual day of Emma's bday, I took the kids to McDonalds to get happy meals:

(true American kids, Dad Harry... how would we function without McDonalds?!)

Sweet pic of the 3 kiddos:

(Lydia is so blessed to have an older brother and sister who adore her...)

Mom, sorry that I'm just getting this post up! We had a wonderful time with you! Thank you for coming and spending time with us and serving us in many ways while you were here! We love you and look forward to seeing you soon in ABQ!

Post-Lydia pics #4: Retreat

Dad Harry was so kind to send Adam and I on a retreat to Brown County and watched Ethan and Emma for us. We had such a great time! Thanks so much dad:

The Cabin:

Our sweet ride! :-)

(we were quite a spectacle this trip for two reasons: our rental car, and sweet little Lydia)...

Eating out:

Definitely one of my most favorite things to do is go on retreats with this handsome man! :-)

Lydia hanging out in our cabin:

Going on a neat cabin tour:

Lydia loves Adam to hold her like this...

Thanks again Dad! It was such a nice, restful break for us!

Post-Lydia pics #3

Love this pair! :-)

Hanging out with Paps

One of Ethan's newly discovered favorite things: the Arcade

Emma loves her daddy!

(reading together)

Such a sweet picture:

Lydia enjoying the backyard

Paps and the youngest grandchild (right now...)

Emma loves to "help" with baking...

loving taste-testing the brownie batter:

Checking out lil' sis:

One morning while trying out Lydia's swing, Emma feel asleep like this:

Ethan helping out with the fence:

Such a great one of "the boys":

Trip to Tennessee to see the Kennedys"

Always a challenge to get a good group photo ;-) ...

This is a good one with Aunt Shell!

Aunt Shell with Lydia

Paps and the kiddos

Cousin snuggle:

Love it!

Celebrating Addy's b-day:

Safari Park:

Ostrich Egg!

Taking it all in:

Road Trip to TN:

Another Easter day pic :