In the Meantime...

Before I go any further, here are two blogs of families that are in Ethiopia right now:

The Foote Family
The Cole Family

I think there are others, but these are two that I found are updating their blogs well.

Okay...

I bet you have been wondering what Team Dragovich is up to in the meantime... you know, the MEAN time between our two court dates :)! That is what I think it is anyway. Well, we've stayed pretty busy. My dear friends threw me a beautiful adoption shower, and we were certainly showered with wonderful gifts and lots of PINK!!!!! I do not ever get tired of looking at pink girlie clothes, that's for sure!

We've also took a day trip to the beach-- we live two hours from some very nice, family friendly, quiet beaches along the southern border of NC-- right above South Myrtle Beach. That was tons of fun and other than coming back looking like lobsters, it was a huge success.

Tony dove back into work. He came home to some pretty big things happening for Womack's pain department, and pain medicine in the Army overall. I am so proud of the work he does for soldiers and their famlies. He would be embarrassed that I am bragging about him, but oh well. And I am sorry if it is offensive that I am bragging about my husband's skills. Sometimes I just can't help myself-- God has so gifted him in this area. I think God's gifts are so creative and funny sometimes. Or maybe it is just funny to be married to someone who is so gifted and talented in treating pain in people. Not that I don't think that it is important-- I think it is VERY important!! It is just not what I ever expected-- do I know what I did expect?? No. But, I never even knew there was such a thing as a "pain medicine specialist"... let alone that I would marry one. Of course, he wasn't a pain medicine specialist when I married him. :) Anyway, that was sorta a rabbit-trail. Tony is busy and has a lot of different things going on in the world of pain, and I'm proud of him.

But, really, he went back to work a little early so that he would be more free to take off when we travel to pick up the kids. This week has been hard. I won't lie. Every day I have to fight this battle of being done waiting. Every morning my natural instinct is start worrying about whether we will pass this time. On Saturday we got new pictures of them-- our May update. It was hard. We both cried. I'm so happy that they look so happy and well-adjusted and growing. When we first had pictures of them our little girl wouldn't smile a lick and our boy smiled so politely. Now, our pictures are filled with them playing, laughing and just having a good 'ole time together. I love it and hate it all at once.

So, I guess that is the sum total. Not really. I am in the middle of painting our little girl's room. I think it will be really pretty when it is done... and yes, I will post pictures. It just has taken so long to get both the rooms ready, and I admit, I never think a room is really quite ever "done"-- at least not to my level of done. But, who can meet that standard??? So, once it is painted, bedding on, curtains hung and at least a COUPLE decorations hung on the wall... I will post pictures.

Thanks for stopping by :) Go read the other families' blogs. You will be blessed.

Grace and Peace,
Shari

My Superman

Tony just called me from Moorehead City. He wanted to tell me how much he loves the smell of the sea. If he were there to play, I would have made a mean sound in the phone and hung up. But he isn't there to play; he is there to work. He is working so hard for our family. So, I have to steal this moment away to brag about my Superman. When we moved down here to NC almost a year ago, Tony was given a HUGE assignment. He was the guy who was supposed to get the pain clinic at Ft. Bragg's hospital-- Womack-- up and running in a serious way. With the influx of wounded warriors coming back from Iraq and a large majority of those coming to Ft. Bragg, there is a great need for long-term pain management care at Womack. Tony hit the ground running and he has been running with it ever since. He works tirelessly for the soldiers-- he is constantly fighting the military red tape, inefficient hospital systems, political garbage, etc. He LOVES to do research and is always working to improve on current pain treatments and partner with other pain specialists, writing up protocols and review papers, conducting research and so many other things I have no clue about.

And when he isn't working hard for the soldiers, he is working hard doing extra work so that our family is able to do things like adopt, have money for vacations, get us settled in our new home and more. And despite all this WORK, he is still around an amazing amount of the time! Way more than he was in medical school or residency. He rarely misses a soccer practice or game. He makes himself available every day to play with the boys, and he finds time to be intimately involved with the ministries of our church. He is my #1 running fan (okay, maybe my only running fan-- except for my parents and sibs. of course :)), my advisor, sounding board, and best friend. HE is the reason I am Wonder Woman! (hey, it works for me!)

For most of you, this is a boring post; and I'm sorry, but this one isn't really for you :) It's for my Superman. I am ashamed to say that most of the time, I am too absorbed with my own world to recognize all that he does for us. God has gifted Tony in amazing ways. And Tony brings God glory by how he uses his gifts and passions.

So, please raise your coffee this morning-- or your beer mug this afternoon while watching the NC game (of course that is what you'll be doing this afternoon, right?!)-- to help me toast my Superman; Faster than his speeding life, more powerful than the forces of darkness which try to keep him down; Abounding in the Love of Jesus Christ-- making Team Dragovich's life one of eternal abundance!!

Grace and Peace;
Wonder Woman ;D