belly laughs

Kali: "Grace, grace, grace!"

Chandler: "Dear Jesus, thank you for hope. Thank you for the Holy Spirit. And you are bigger than anything, even when things on T.V. look bigger than you. Amen."

My prayer was that I raise them well enough to always know those things. :)

Happy Friday everybody!

Family Night

Last night we went to our church for the Vacation Bible School "Round Up"...it was a western theme this year. We had a lot of fun, but it was so hot that after two hours the kids were getting cranky, and so were we.

This poor pig was huddled in the corner the whole time we were in the pen. Poor thing.

He loved the donkey, but was too scared to touch it.

I cannot believe my daughter got on a Longhorn!

Good with the bad

Last weekend was my cousin's funeral. It was so sad to sit through. But I had not seen that side of my family in years. Aside from the circumstances, it was really nice.

My cousin Marisa who I grew up with came to Texas for the weekend and we had a good time. She is so beautiful inside and out.

Our moms are sisters and our dads are brothers. Pretty crazy! Her mom is in the green, mine is in the black. We had a great time at our Aunt Cindy's house.

Two days later our neighborhood flooded. Not bad thankfully, but enough for a kid down the street to float around on an inner tube. Trent and Kali thought it was awesome and wanted to go in the water. Chandler (Mr. Serious) thought it was dangerous.

Today is the first day of sunshine all week, so we are going to our church for Vacation Bible School Family Night. Should be a lot of fun!

the sharp knife of a short life...

My cousin passed a few days ago. It hurt so bad, it took me by surprise. The whole thing. Hearing the news, feeling like the wind got knocked out of me, memories of us together as kids flooding in, and my heart breaking for our family. I hadn't seen him in over ten years. He had moved back to Texas 6 months ago, and I never saw him. Not once. I wish when we were talking online two weeks ago that I after I had to step away from the computer to tend to the kids that I would have gotten back on and chatted with him more. I wish so bad that I had picked up the phone, met him for a drink and caught up. Hugged him, laughed with him, just to have seen him again. But now all I can do is think of our memories as kids. Going to daycare together, holidays, being glad to have him going school with me because I was scared to go to Kindergarten, catching grass snakes in front of the school before going inside, and birthday parties.

I have learned through this that no matter how busy I am, and no matter how long it has been, I will ALWAYS tell those I care about that I do, and make time to see them. You're never too busy for that.

sidewalk chalk paint with the kids:

"If I die young bury me in satin

Lay me down on a bed of roses

Sink me in the river at dawn

Send me away with the words of a love song...

 

...Lord make me a rainbow, I’ll shine down on my mother

She'll know I’m safe with you when she stands under my colors, oh and

Life ain't always what you think it ought to be, no

ain't even grey, but she buries her baby...

...The sharp knife of a short life, well

I’ve had just enough time

A penny for my thoughts, oh no I’ll sell them for a dollar

They're worth so much more after I’m a goner

And maybe then you’ll hear the words I been singin’

Funny when you're dead how people start listenin’...

...The ballad of a dove

Go with peace and love

Gather up your tears, keep ‘em in your pocket

Save them for a time when your really gonna need 'em"

--The Band Perry

~You'll be missed, and never forgotten. I hope you are at peace now~

the livin's easy

Since it's pretty much just me and the kids till Sunday, I plan on keeping them busy. My to do list is kinda full, I'm hoping to get everything done.

Paint with chalk outside
Go to lake and feed ducks
Make popsicles
Bake cupcakes for my grandparents
Clean out rooms and organize upstairs
Go to a "new to us" park
Mow yard (ugh)
Make homemade pizza

belly laughs...

Chandler: "I know all about Esau."

Kali: "Well, all I know is that horses wear flowers in their hair. Can I have more milk Mama?"

Me: "After you eat some dinner Kali."

Kali: "You have to watch me Mom, it's hard to see."

Chandler: "Grown-ups have two eyes Kali. One in front and one in back, so they can always see what we're doing, even when we go behind their back. Jesus made you that way so we can stay safe!"

Kali: (confused face) "Well I saw someone who doesn't have eyeballs on the back of their head, and it's Hello Kitty! I saw her grandma the other day who has a talking door! Is that funny? A talking door?! (giggles)"

fun, family and fireworks

I am exhausted. This weekend was nice and long, I'm kinda sad to see it end, since during the week I miss my hubby. The kids feel the same way.
Saturday we hung out, and my best friend came over. We did it old school style with bloody marys, canvases and some paint. Haha We made some really cute things for her new apartment.
Sunday after church we came home and spent time together as a family. Which of course, the kids thought was boring.

We did small fireworks with the kids this year. Trent wanted nothing to do with it. The older two blew through everything we had in a matter of thirty minutes. They thought it was awesome and passed out right after coming inside. Except for Kali who jumped on the chair until she was exhausted. :)

hope everyone had a great weekend!

random

Last weekend was Josh's birthday. The day after our wedding anniversary. No, I did not realize that until after I scheduled with the church for our ceremony. It was the last weekend that they had before fall.

After church we went swimming with my best friend Danielle. She was awesome to call me before we got there, asking what kind of cake Josh likes. He was surprised and we all had a great time.

He says he feels old, getting closer to 30. I for one like getting older, every year I like who I am more than before. I guess men don't feel that way?

It is raining cats and dogs outside. The kids are about to go crazy being cooped up in the house for the last two days. I am about to tell them to put their bathing suits on and have at it outside.

Hopefully we will have all of our paperwork turned in by the middle of next week and can get our home study going. *fingers crossed!*

Hope everyone has an awesome July 4th weekend!

Expecting

Expecting children through adoption is much the same as expecting them through pregnancy. You have dreams, hopes, and fears. At times you feel an urgency to get them home with you, and at others you enjoy the process so you can prepare yourself. Although there is no true preparing yourself in either case....
You run around trying to get the house ready, thinking about what they'll need. Wondering what they are like, what their personalities are.

The main difference is announcing it. It seems that in this country adopting older children is frowned upon. If you are pregnant, it's considered a blessing. But if you are rescuing children from being moved around, from uncertainty, and bringing them into a home with a permanent Mom and Dad, people almost try to talk you out of it. How sad. What if those same people had experienced what these children have been through? What if they had to spend years in foster care, not having the best past, and not getting to take much of it with them. These kids feel like they don't have a place, and are unwanted. So how awesome is that to give these children a chance? To have someone tell them that they will be adopted. They have waited for this, and are probably losing hope. How on earth could giving them a secure future be a bad thing? People loved the movie The Blind Side. Yet, how many hearts did it truly change? Is adoption only okay at a distance, where it's not too real, but instead shown in the most positive Hollywood light, so that the most tickets will be sold? Why am I made to defend why we are adopting? I didn't have to defend my unborn children when I was pregnant with them. I am just tired of feeling like we are making a wrong or thoughtless decision, because we are not. This is not a selfish choice on our part, it is the most selfless thing we can do. And Christian people most of all should be supportive of each other and show the same love to the parents and children that Christ showed for us, because after all, we are ALL adopted children of God, aren't we??