Spring Break Baby!

We are officially on spring break! We spent a quick weekend in the mountains with z's parents. I came home to work on Monday. We spent today at the park with beautiful weather and beautiful scenery. The kids were great and we got brave and took both the dogs. My mom and Sandra also came along. S took a friend and that helped to make peace with the whole crew, including the dogs! Wow! The kids are really getting big. We can do stuff now like big people! Amazing! In payment for a hard do of hiking and playing outdoors the kids went to bed without a hitch and the dogs are lying around exhausted. Hmmmmmm, maybe we should do that more often. Thankful to have a great day off with the kiddos and hopefully we made some great memories!

Movin on up...

Wow! I think we have completed every
Last requirement for our home study. Now for processing and the next round of payments and paperwork. God has already blessed me during this process. He has opened my eyes to the adoption world and what a ministry it is. He has given me a heart for these children that live daily in an orphanage without a mom and dad. He has given me a network of close friends that are in the same process as us. Thank you Lord for all of your blessings. We completed our last interviews and S even had an additional interview on the phone. I was a fly on the wall in the next room and was a proud mama the way she conducted herself. So now we wait for the next steps and directions. Oh how I want to fast forward this process, but I know God is working in me. Working on the mom I need to be for this child. Teaching me to be a better mama to the children I have now. Teaching me to savor these moments, because life is ever changing. He is giving me peace about our journey to come. Keep working on me Lord! As my friend very wisely shared with me. I need to be ever so careful that I am following ONE who called me, not simply following the call.

Softball Drama

It's unbelievable how intense the little games can get and how, easy it would be to become that crazy parent that yelling at your kids like it is the world series. We have definitely had some extreme emotions in our games this spring. S has a great coach, but sometimes he gets a little too intense for the girls and the parents. Okay let me just tell it like it is, he is prone to yell at the girls. Let me preface this with saying that he has a good heart and he is great to work with the girls, but somedays his competitive spirit gets the most of him. We had a particular game this season that he was especially yelly in. After the game, he proceeds to fuss at the girls, telling them they did not get any hits. This mama almost went into crazy softball Mama mode. My daughter has made huge improvements this spring in softball and she had indeed gotten a hit that game. I am sure it did not at all sound how I wanted it said--I definitely don't have the gift of "telling people off", but I told him matter of factly in front of the whole team that Sydney did indeed get a hit. Nothing much was probably thought about my public outburst, but the coach was much better with the girls the next game. So maybe, just maybe the crazy softball outburst was worth it. M had some drama in her game tonight, I will share more later.

Gotta Love It!

This is what I found in the returned papers that Es teacher sent back to me. What can I say? Kids have a way of keeping us humble, whether we need it or not!

Softball ready!

What a great night to start S'a first softball game! She has worked so hard and improved so much! It is so much fun watching her gain confidence. Proud of you kiddo, can't wait to watch you play tonight

Growing up

I sure I do a "growing up" story almost monthly, but I still cannot believe how big my babies are getting. Part of me is sad, but the other part of me is loving this stage of life. The kids are emptying the dishwasher now! Wow, I think I might just survive these children after all! Ha! Something's get easier like the kids and help with chores, but something's get harder- like the emotions, the arguments, the expense ha! That's ok, I wouldn't change one thing. I am realizing that my last fee months with just M at home are coming to an end. Next year she will be in school with the big kids. Ok, can't think of that too much. Every once in a while I get a glimpse if the future... My children cooperating, planning, helping one another like little adults. Sometimes when mom gets out of the way, my children can really amaze me at how they can be a team. I so pray that somehow, someway, in all the craziness of this life they get that in what I am teaching them. I don't really know how you teach siblings to love and depend on each other... I just hope that in all the talks, lectures, examples that something will rub off. Ok guys I've gotten way of topic. I guess I just love y'all so much and as you grow--I just want you to grow closer!

Ball, Ball, and more Ball

Yes, it is that time of year again. Ball season, this time with all 3 kiddios. I feel like I am living at the ball park. I added up my hours per week at the park and it was really crazy-- so I just stopped counting. The kids are having a blast. Thank goodness for playgrounds at each park and lots of friends to play with. We have had some cold practices, but the weather has been much warmer than usual, so I can't complain. Sonic you need us... You can find us at the ball park! Can't wait to post some fun ball pictures soon!