Party, Party, Party Over Here...

I've been wanting to get this post done for a week now, but a trip to Seattle, WA caused some delay. So, finally, an update on Austin's party. We decided to propose some new words for Toby Mac since he's coming to H'ville on the 8th of December. See what you think?

Everybody, Everybody, Everybody We Know
Came Here to the Party and They Were Ready to Go
There was Food Over Here, Party over There
Dancin in the Green Room, They Even Did the Square! (Not)

DJ, Limbo, How Low, How Low Can You Go?
Depends on How Much Food I Had, You Know?
Boys and Girls Had Equal Amounts of Fun
Momma and Daddy Too Tired to Run

Call Us Next Week To See How We Fared
Right Now, We're Tryin to Rest So We Can Be Prepared
We Got Church In the Morning, So We Better Rest Up
Austin Finally Turned Thirteen, Waas'up!

Just in case anyone was wondering, Austin's thirteenth birthday party was a rousing success. None of our fears and worries came to pass and the worst thing that happened (or that we're aware of) was that one boy ended up with one of his shoes and one of someone elses'. I guess theres a matching pair out there somewhere. Austin had somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 kids come over for food, fun, music, dancing, and games. We even had a DJ (are they still called DJs?). His first boy-girl party and it seemed to go well. We were very proud of how the kids behaved themselves and the respect they showed each other. Hopefully, as Austin and his friends grow up and become full-fledged teenagers, they will remember how much fun they had this night and that it is possible to have fun without the pressures of the 'world' forcing them into bad decisions. God has done an awesome job of surrounding Austin with good friends.

A special thanks should be given to Austin's friend Katie, who not only went shopping with Austin and Connie for his birthday outfit, but also spent the day helping to decorate downstairs for the party. Austin was really outfitted nicely (or however the kids today would say his clothes looked good!). Katie is a really special young lady and Austin is lucky to have her as a friend.

We got a really cool picture of Austin, Drake, and Mary Allison (the three born a few short weeks apart - see earlier post). Below are some fun pictures of the party. We give thanks and praise to our awesome God for such a great gathering!

Love,
Jerry, Connie, Austin, and Lily Grace
Green, Party of Four

PS. The next birthday is mine, all mine, hahahaha!

Everybody, Everybody in the Place to Be ...

Open up your hearts and let your souls be free,
I can feel the timebox turning on me,
Austin's finally turning ...... thirteen,

So, let's get this party started!

OK. Lily Grace has had a birthday. Connie Jo has had a birthday. Now, we can begin looking forward to that magical day in Austin's life when he becomes ........ a TEEN!!!!!!! Oh my gosh, Connie, get my geritol, I'm really feeling old. Can we slow this thing down a little?

Matthew Austin Green will turn thir"teen" (13, 10+3, 2+11, 16-3, etc...) on November 15th, 2006. It seems like only yesterday that Connie and I were sitting around in the hospital room waiting to become parents. Completely unaware and unsuspecting of what God had in store for us. Praise You God, for You Are Wonderful in Everything! BTW, the opener is from Toby MAC and we are looking forward to another Winter Wonder Slam at the VBC this December. Check out the link to Austin's site for the full play of this relaxing, easy-going song.

Here's how it happened (not that!!). Connie and her two best friends from high school were all expecting within a few weeks of each other in November of 1993 (there was a major winter storm in February 1993 and .... uh, never mind). This would be the first child for Connie and Amy. Kelley had already tested the waters with Olivia, so she and Travis knew a little about what to expect. Amy would go first of the threesome, with Mary Allison arriving on schedule October 29th. Connie and Kelley began getting excited. The anticipated dates of arrival for for them were somewhere between the 13th and the 17th of November. Oh, that's a long time off thought Travis, we still have time for several fishing trips [remind me to tell you the story sometime of the live fish Travis and I left flopping around in Kelley's refrigerator freezer - it seemed like a good idea at the time].

As it turns out, Kelley was next. Drake Evan Lewter made his triumphant arrival on November 13th right on schedule. Drake was Kelley's family name and so the family was extremely proud of their newest "Drake." As a footnote, Drake University and 'Evan'sville University played each other in football on that same day - don't know why I remember that?

Well, Connie, that's it. Your (er, I mean our) turn. When's this thing gonna happen? Sunday? Monday? Next year? At least we know what to expect now - Doctor, go ahead and get that epidural ready, one for each of us! It happened suddenly for me, but I think Connie was much more relaxed. She told me around 9:00 pm Sunday night (November 14th) that her water had broken and that it was time. I think she waited an hour or so to tell me. OK. Let's go. Put the phone down. Connie, we gotta go. Beep, beep, c'mon honey, I'm waiting in the car! You bring the suitcase. We didn't leave home til around 10:00 heading for Huntsville Hospital. I thought I was driving really fast. In fact, I already had my story planned for the police when (not if) they stopped me. Then it happened. Connie's mother and father passed us on the highway, blowing their horn as if to say hurry up, we'll meet you there. Good, someone else to flush out the highway patrol! We should get through undetected.

Finally, we got to Huntsville Hospital and went straight to the emergency room. Funny, to this day, I don't remember what we did with our car. Maybe it got towed out of the emergency room driveup, I don't know. Of course, by this time Connie was ever so gently requesting politely('demanding') her epidural (some of you, mostly the ladies, know what I'm talking about). After getting us into a delivery room and administering the 'gently requested' epidural, the doctors told us to just stay there and wait. What, after all this rushing to get here, now we wait? I thought things were happening here! Doctor, Doctor ...

As it turns out, Kelley was still in the hospital, not having completed her alloted 48 hours before they send you home with this new little human which us first time parents haven't a clue what to do with (as a footnote, it is at this point in life that most of us realize we can't do everything and God then begins flowing through us to ensure that His love is poured out into the child's life). So, Kelley wanders down to the delivery room to be with us when this happens. Not only that, but Amy came over as well. What a wonderful time that was, just sitting and talking with Kelley and Amy. By this time Connie was fully epiduralized and enjoying life. Labor, ha! This stuff's easy. It seemed like one of the most relaxed times in our lives (maybe we should ask Connie what she was thinking and feeling that night?).

Then the nurse (after several trips into the room to check the progress) announced "OK, it's time. Let me go get the doctor." Oh my gosh, Connie. Here we go. No turning back. The roller coaster has reached the peak and now comes the fast part! Kelley and Amy had decided to stay and we said that'd be OK. Maybe they could help out if I became incapacitated in any manner. Maybe they could take pictures or something. Kelley was still in her hospital jammies when the doctor arrived, causing a moment of confusion on the part of Dr. Kakani (who are you and why are you in here in your hospital jammies?). It must have been about 2:00 or 2:30 am, November 15th by now.

After an hour or so, the doctor finally said here he comes (she knew the sex, but we didn't and probably didn't catch on - Dr. Kakani wanted to tell us so bad. She once even told me while we were looking at an ultrasound "If it had glasses, it would look like you." Still, I didn't catch on!). And in a few more minutes, Matthew Austin Green was born into this world. Awesome! Wow! Connie, are you getting this? It's a boy!! 3:23 am, November 15th, 1993. I called Mom and told her it's a boy and he weighs 19 lbs and is 7 in long (no, really that's what I told her). Long silence .... Uh, Jerry are you sure (that's a bowling ball you're describing to me!). Of course, I corrected the metrics and Mom breathed a sigh of relief.

That night, God showed His power, His grace, His mercy, His Everything to us. We were completely speechless, simply staring in awe at what God had brought suddenly into this world and laid into our laps. And now, 13 years later, we celebrate a life that God sent our way with a son who is an awesome, Christian boy that loves the Lord with all his heart, all his soul, and all his mind and helped to lead his parents back into a fellowship with our most awesome friend, Jesus Christ. Thank you God, You are Awesome! And Happy Birthday Austin (or as Lily Grace says Au 'tin). We love you very much!




















Love,
Jerry, Connie, Austin (Birthday Boy), and Lily Grace
Green, Party of Four

The Beginning of Our Adoption Journey ... One Year Ago Today!

In the fall of 2005, we had already decided that God's plan was for us to adopt a little girl, most likely from China. God had already given us so many glimpses of why this was so. So we were looking for ways to get started on the journey. On Saturday, November 5th 2005, we decided to visit an adoption fair in Florence, AL. Connie had heard about it through our pastor and we thought it would be a good way to spend the day. So off we went. Little did we know that day would ultimately mark the beginning of our mission into the Fields of the Fatherless in China and and would ultimately lead us to our little Lily Grace.

We drove to Highlands Baptist Church in Florence and got there a little later than we had planned (we got lost, having not spent much time in Florence before). When we arrived, it appeared that the Adoption Fair was just ending. There weren't many people around, except for one gentleman talking with a couple in front of a Lifeline Children's Services display. We figured we'd already missed the event. However, there was some sort of rummage sale going on in the gym, so we decided to go back in and look around. While there, we noticed that this church must also present the Upward Basketball and Cheerleading ministry (as we do at Isom's Chapel), since there were stars and pictures around the gym. That made Austin feel at home.

As we were looking around, there was this little girl who kept following Austin around the rummage sale. It was funny to watch Austin's reaction to his new 'fan.' It helped us to begin to see him as a big brother. He smiled alot and would occassionally stop to see if the little girl would stop or keep going. Turns out she stopped every time he did, so she was definitely following him.
By now, we had looked around about all we cared to and decided to go back out to see if the Lifeline Children's Services representative was still there. He was, so we decided to wait our turn to talk with him. While we were waiting, the little girl who had been following Austin around came up again, this time with a lady who we decided must be her mother. The lady introduced herself and began talking with us while we waited. She was very excited that we were there, though we didn't understand why at the time. Later, her husband also came by and introduced himself and wished us well. While we talked, Austin and the little girl continued their newly established friendship.

Finally, our turn with Lifeline came up and the lady wished us well and thanked us for coming. She introduced us to Lifeline's Dustin Britt, who spoke with us at length about international adoption. I think Dustin's wife was there as well. Connie left ready to drive straight to Birmingham to signup with Lifeline. Austin too. Being the cautious, conservative, let's take things slow minority in the family, I advised that we at least check into a couple of other adoption agencies. Connie agreed (mainly to humor me) and promptly began making appointments in Birmingham!

It's hard to believe that exactly one year ago today, God introduced us to a family that would become such an inspiration to our family. One that would encourage us and pray for us continuously as we took each step toward a lifelong commitment to bringing home our precious Lily Grace. This morning in Sunday school, we discussed how God is still in the miracle business. Having Him to introduce us to such an inspirational family at that point in our lives certainly fits that description in our book.

Oh, the little girl that followed Austin around that day was Karlee Jamieson, recently turned three as evidenced by the Blue Horse birthday party (see earlier post). The kind lady who was so excited to see us, her mother, was Lori Jamieson and the father was Drew Jamieson. I don't think we met Kalie that day and Kate was not yet joined with her forever family. Thanks God, for introducing us to such good friends and keepers of the faith. It is our prayer that anyone who is led into the Fields of the Fatherless would be blessed with an equally inspirational group of friends. And may you continue to bless the Jamieson family.

Love,
Jerry, Connie, Austin, and Lily Grace