Here at the McClellan house we find ourselves wondering and being asked what’s next for our family or specifically who’s next. Do we try to get pregnant? Do we adopt again? Which is the right choice? We don’t know.

We know we started three years ago when we answered God’s calling and started our adoption process. We began our story here FAQs, and it was one of many ups and downs. Despite our experience, we would jump at the chance to adopt from Vietnam again, but there’s no way to know when Vietnam will re-open adoptions with the US, which circles us right back around to our questions…do wait on Vietnam? do we choose another adoption process? do we try to get pregnant?

In late July, I saw an update on Vietnam and for a minute I got up hope that they were re-opening, but no, they’re still closed.

So after enduring our wait to adopt Elise, we find ourselves in another waiting period, but this go around we have this little one to entertain us.

This summer Elise has taken leaps and bounds away from toddler hood. She does start her preschool class in August, so I guess it was to be expected. She’s said good bye to her pacifier (papper), moved to a twin bed, and potty trained. She’s aslo had some fun with a new bike and ballet (dancing) classes. She’s been busy, and so have we. After some AC leak drama that carried on for a month, we finally have our ceiling repaired and painted and the AC fixed (third time is the charm with AC companies). As a bonus, our living room and dining room got painted because of our open floor plan that connected to the ceiling. Then last weekend Scott and his step-dad installed laminate floors, and they look great. I think we’re ready for some relaxing summer time before it’s back to school – only 3 weeks away.

So the theme of this summer is me being behind on updates…here’s what we were up to on July 4th.

Randomly, I saw the end of Cast Away last night, and these words have stuck with me, “I had power over nothing. And that’s when this feeling came over me like a warm blanket. I knew, somehow, that I had to stay alive. Somehow. I had to keep breathing. Even though there was no reason to hope. And all my logic said that I would never see this place again… So that’s what I did. I stayed alive. I kept breathing.”

When things don’t make sense, we have to keep breathing, keep living, and keep trusting God. I have been keeping up with a new blog, http://ourclaire.wordpress.com/, about a family that is in the middle of something that doesn’t make sense. It’s a family’s story of dealing with the near-drowning of their 3 year old, Claire, at the beginning of this summer. (This family is a part of my church, but I have never met them. I heard about their story in a bible study.) As this family struggles through this tragic, confusing time, they are vulnerably blogging their story. It’s pretty emotional to follow, but I appreciate the transparent story-telling.

We got through our adoption story because of God working on our behalf and the prayers of the many people who journeyed with us – some we never met. I hope you will join this family’s story, root for little Claire, and wait to see how God works.

A friend started a business, check it out.

http://www.ourlittleonesboutique.com/home

We interrupt this all Elise all the time blog to introduce my niece, Vivian Marie. Vivian was born this afternoon, March 3, 2010 to my sister, Claire, and my brother-in-law, Roy. Here are the pictures I received today to announce Vivian’s arrival. (Now we are just waiting on my sister-in-law to have her baby; she’s due March 18.)

This is a video that Scott’s company made, and Scott helped write the script. Pretty cool.

Around this time last year, our lives changed pretty dramatically. It has been cool to think about what a difference a year makes. Where we’ll be one year from now … we have no clue.

Anyway, I wanted to give you an idea of what our life is like these days:

Elise (eating at the table): “All done!”
Me: “Oh, you’re all done?”
Elise: “No.”
Me: “OK …”

Summer is winding down so we’re doing our best to make the most of it. Recently, we took advantage of a day off to take a family trip to the Dallas World Aquarium. Of course, I had to shoot some video on my phone (beware the shaky footage for those with weak stomachs and beware the bad acoustics of a crowded aquarium).

Emily, who was adopted from Vietnam, is the almost 2 year old daughter of our friends Tod and Margaret.  Emily is in critical condition at the Dallas Children’s Medical Center.  What started about a week ago as a viral infection and then strep, has since turned very serious.  After receiving penicillin she developed a rash and then went into toxic shock syndrome.  At this time the doctors are very unclear about what is going on with little Emily.  The swelling has slowly begun to go down and more tests are in the works.  Emily will probably be there for the next few weeks.  Margaret is asking for everyone’s prayers.  Please pray for Emily to heal and for the wisdom for her doctor’s to figure out what’s going on.  Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers.

I copied this from an email I received from another adoptive family. Margaret has been the one organizing our playgroups with families who adopted from Vietnam. I know how instrumental prayer was in connecting us to our daughter Elise, so please pray for this family. I know they will appreciate it!