Our Terrific Kid;)

Last week, Corban came home from school declaring that he had experienced the WORST DAY EVER!!! My heart stopped and with my full attention focused on him, I asked him what in the world was wrong.

He reached into his book bag and pulled out his "take home" folder.

With a sly smirk on his face, he placed three papers on the counter--all with the big letter A written on the top of them.

Then he proceeded to pull out a letter from his teacher.

I opened it slowly, still not quite sure what to think. 

The letter was informing us that Corban had been voted by his classmates to be this months 

"TERRIFIC KID".

We were invited to celebrate with him at a special breakfast at school on Friday.

After I read the letter, I looked up at Cor and that sly smirk had turned into one big gigantic smile!

What a little turkey!

It wasn't the worst day ever...but instead THE BEST!!!

Corban immediately asked if he could call Shane at work and fill him in on his AWESOME news.

Shane was so excited for Cor too and told him that we definitely needed to go out dinner to celebrate!

Corban choose his favorite restaurant...Mario's pizza!!

We met Shane there and enjoyed celebrating our terrific kid over some yummy pizza!

Friday morning, we headed to the boys school bright and early for the terrific kids breakfast.

Each month, a different child is chosen to be the terrific kid based on a certain character trait they are studying.

Self-control was the focus of January...

 and I just LOVED what Cor's teacher wrote about him.

Terrific kid or not, I don't think Shane or I could be any prouder of the gentle-man this little guy is growing to be.

Love my Coco bean;)

Looking for the Rainbow;)

It was a rather cold, dreary and rainy Monday. The BIG boys had the day off from school due to a teacher workday. There were no alarm clocks to set before going to bed on Sunday night, no lunches to pack, and no buses to catch first thing in the morning. Everyone slept in and we all enjoyed a little extra rest.

PURE BLISS!  

What a nice way to kick-start the beginning of another full week.

And because it was rather blah outside, I thought a little something extra was needed to ensure our day wouldn't turn out like the weather;)

I surprised the kids by making them rainbow pancakes for breakfast.

Yes...it kind-of looked like they were eating play-dough, BUT even so...
 my kids thought they were AWESOME.

I mean, who wouldn't enjoy eating a bright blue or purple pancake, right!?!?

After breakfast, I asked the kids if they wanted to hit the Y pool for a swim.
A unanimous "YES" was heard around the kitchen table.
 So off to the pool we went.

Going swimming in the winter is always such a fun and unexpected treat!

We met my sweet friend, and her four little girls there for a morning of swimming fun!

We stayed for several hours before it was time to head home for lunch.

The BIG boys hated to leave, but the babies were tired, hungry, and getting a little grumpy;)

I think swimming wore everyone flat out though, because as I type this...

 my house is really quiet. 

No one is actually napping, (I'm banking on a 7:00pm bedtime for ALL) but everyone is content and playing quietly!

***We received BIG news today concerning our adoption! 
Our I-800 was approved!!!
This is HUGE!!!

What we thought would take up to 60-90 days waiting for approval, happened on day 46!!! 

What this really means for us is that now we have EVERYTHING we need in order to send our dossier to China!

Our paperwork still has a few more "stops" it has to make (like Raleigh, Washington DC, and California) before it will be bound for China, but it will be on it's way VERY, VERY soon!!!!!!

This was the best news we could have received on this gloomy Monday;)*** 

What IF...

What if she would have chosen convenience?

What if she had been selfish?

What if she would have thought it was nothing?

What if she would have thrown it away?

What if she would have believed the lies?

What if she didn't listen to the truth?

What if she thought she had the right?

WHAT IF this precious little girl, who brings our family extraordinary amounts of joy would NOT have been born????

The thought alone BREAKS MY HEART!!!!!

Yesterday was Sanctity of Life Sunday, and once again my heart was flooded with an overwhelming  gratitude for sweet Sophie's birth mommy. 

We live in a world that believes in the name of ease and convenience, you have the "right" to take another innocent life. We live in world that believes human life is disposable.

 I am beyond thankful that Sophie's birth mommy did not believe those lies.

But despite what was "easy" and "convenient", SHE CHOSE LIFE!!

She chose to give my sweet angel the gift of LIFE.  

And then, what was probably the most difficult decision she would ever have to face...

 she didn't just choose LIFE, but she chose a better life. 

She chose us.

Remember that there is no difference between an unborn child and one who has already been born except size, location and feeding ability. At conception a child has 46 chromosomes, is male or female, has his/her own DNA, has it's own fingerprints, and in fact has every piece of genetic information it will EVER have. 

Abortions happen every 30 seconds in this country at a pace of over 3000 per DAY in the name of privacy or choice. 

Psalms 139:13-16

For you created my inmost being;

   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

   your works are wonderful,

   I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

   when I was made in the secret place,

   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

 Your eyes saw my unformed body;

   all the days ordained for me were written in your book

   before one of them came to be. 


**I just wanted to add...please understand that if you are reading this post and have experienced an abortion, or someone close to you has...I am in no way standing in judgment of you OR them!!  I have not walked in your shoes, or traveled the road you have.  But I know that we ALL have done things in our lives that if given the opportunity, we would go back in time and do differently. 

There is forgiveness. and there is healing! God LOVES you!! You matter to Him! He paid a GREAT price in order to help you! He knows you and is willing to forgive you. All you have to do is ASK!

Isaiah 43:25

“I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake
      and will never think of them again.

Saturday Snapshots...

On Saturday morning, 

this little girl...

AND this little guy 

were the first ones up in the house.

SOOOO...

 Sophie and Riley helped me make breakfast for the rest of the crew!

We decided to make homemade doughnuts.

I found this easy recipe on (where else) Pinterest.

 I was waiting to make these on a quiet morning at home when we didn't have to rush out the door to be anywhere.

Saturday was the perfect morning to give it a whirl. 

It was cool, dark and rainy outside AND we had no where we HAD to be!

I heart mornings like that;)

These were super easy to make!!

Some we just glazed and then others we dipped in cinnamon sugar. 

Either way, they were delicious. 

Corban made my day by declaring that he thought these were even better than the Dunkin'!!--HA!!

Now THAT'S a true compliment!

After a quiet morning at home, it was time to brave the rain and head out the door.

 We decided to take the kids to the Y for a while before running a few errands.

Then it was back home again for naps and to get the house presentable for company.

Saturday evening we hosted my family for dinner and celebrated my wonderful mom's birthday!

Our meal was simple:

Barbecue chicken sandwiches, baked beans, spinach salad, chips and CAKE!

After dinner, it was PRESENT time!

Look at all those sweet homemade cards. 

Each made by little hands. 

Each made with LOVE!

And what party is complete with out a little dance competition?

Yup...we know how to ROCK it out over here!

And this may surprise you, 

but my sweet Grandma is a super star when it comes to...

"The Monster Mash";)

Can I Carry You?

 I guess that I can hold you

one more time before you grow.

And tell you that I love you so that you will always know.

Please let me tie your shoe again.

One day you'll tie your own.

And when you think back to this time I hope it's love I've shown.

Can I help you put your coat on?

Can I please cut up your meat?

Can I pull you in the wagon?

Can I pick you out a treat?

One day you might just care for me, so let me care for you.

I want to be a part of every little thing you do.

Tonight could I please wash your hair?

Can I put toys in your bath?

Can I help you count your small ten toes before I teach you math?

Before you join a baseball team can I pitch you one more ball?

And one more time can I stand near to make sure that you don't fall?

Let's take another space-ship ride 

up to the planet Zoor.

Before our cardboard rocketship doesn't fit us anymore.

Please let me help you up the hill 

while you're still too small to climb.

And let me read you stories while you're young and have the time.

I know the day will come 

when you will do these things alone.

Will you recall the shoulder rides and all the balls that we've thrown?

So will you let me carry you?

One day you'll walk alone.

I cannot bear to miss one day from now until you've grown.

 --by Brad Anderson