WE HAVE A DATE!!!

Completely unexpected--I thought we wouldn't hear until next week!

February 7! :) :)

Fun weekend

We went and cut down our Christmas tree again this year. This has become an annual tradition for us and it's a good thing it's already a tradition because otherwise we might not have gone this year. It was FREEZING!

The kids of course always like to find the biggest tree possible, and we have a hard time convincing them that the ones they like will not fit in our living room.

We warmed up with a visit to Cici's Pizza which is a favorite around here. It still cracks me up that our kids ask for seconds on the salad bar before they ask for seconds on the pizza. They love their veggies!

On Sunday we went to the Meramec Community Band winter concert. It had been a while since we'd gone to a concert and the kids always enjoy them. Mark and I both love music and we think that even if they don't love all of it, they should at least be exposed to different music and learn how to sit and listen appropriately. :) :)

Burdened

Sometimes it's too much.

Sometimes I want to curl up on the couch and just stop.

This morning I was calling to transfer balances to our hospital payment plan. And in a moment, it became too much. Too much to remember to do...to remember to take care of...to make sure...

And I know we are taking on more. More children, more needs, more work...

During our homestudy, our social worker asked if we planned to add any more kids to our family after this adoption. I said I didn't know, and that we would have to see what God had planned.

She said "That's okay. You're young...you have plenty of time."

Yes, we do.

But do they?

All of these children, and so many more, are available for adoption.

And I know it is our choice to add to our family. But I refuse to look in the eyes of a child and tell him...

No, you can't have a family. I am too busy. I don't want more work. It would be too much time...too hard...what if you are more than I can handle? what if I'm not a good mom for you?
how could we afford you?

I pray that my insecurities--my fears--would never keep a child from a family and a home.

Thanksgiving

We had a nice Thanksgiving visiting family. Mark had to work Thursday and Friday, so the kids and I hung out at home. I grilled out a turkey in the snow(!) and we did lots of playing. We left to visit family late Friday and got in even later (well past the kids' bedtime). Of course they were still up early Saturday so we put all of them (and Mark :)) down for a rest at 10:30 Saturday morning so they could have some down time before family arrived.

And when they arrived, the kids had a blast. They had lots of second cousins to play with and of course lots of food to eat. Once lunch was done, Mark and I took all of the kids (still loving the 12-passenger van) to a playground. We had to laugh when we got out at the playground and watched the other moms' faces when 8 kids got out of our van, ages 13, 13, 8, 7, 7, 6, 5, and 5.

The other adults at my mom's house were quite happy we had rescued them from the swarm of small children. :)

We spent about an hour at the playground before heading back to my mom's house. The cousins had to head home (two of them were in the car three hours each way--just for lunch!) so the kids all said goodbye but are excited about the possibility to see everyone again at Christmas.

I loved getting to meet my 3-month-old niece for the first time. She's a sweetie and the kids adored her--although Alex decided she needed to go home and take a nap when she was crying.

We've paid for the quick trip and the overstimulation of lots of people with some increased negative behaviors with Danielle and Emily. It's unfortunate, but it's going to be quite a while before they're really able to handle a lot of family. Of all the things we have to be thankful for, I am so thankful for our supportive family and their understanding of our need to do things differently for our kids. It sometimes takes a little extra planning, but it helps so much to be able to have them rest, or take breaks, or whatever they need to help them better process and enjoy the holidays. :)

Breathless

We were submitted yesterday.

Wow.

:) :)

Happy thanksgiving!

And indeed, we have so much to be thankful for. Four beautiful, healthy children with one or two more on the way...Mark's job that he loves and is stable (particularly since we live in the most dangerous city in the US, apparently)...a warm house and plenty of food...friends and family that love and support us...and a God and savior who gave his life that we might be His again.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy some turkey...
And some ham...

Picture and video

Halloween, at a trunk or treat. Alex isn't in costume yet as he had had some behavior issues earlier in the day. We took his costume with us and told him if he could pull himself together that he would be able to wear it later. In the midst of lots of excitement, people, and candy, he was able to improve his behavior and DID get to wear his Larry the cucumber costume later! And no, Danielle is not taller than the boys. She's standing on the tree roots. :) And yes, she has a huge scrape on her nose from a face plant in the school parking lot.

And from our two kiddos with the speech issues...