Exciting News!

I have very exciting news to share!  I have to tell you.....I've been dying to share it for the past week but was sworn to secrecy until all family members could be informed first.  But now I have the okay...so here goes!

After over 4 years of dating, Colt and Amber are engaged!  They met 4 years and 5 months ago (I believe) when they were both scheduled to perform at "Meet You at the Flagpole" at one of the local high schools (they both sang and Colt played the guitar).  Music still plays a very important role in both of their lives and is a common bond between them. 

Colt is always acting goofy and Amber always cooperates for photos!  :)

We're very excited!  I can't believe my oldest "baby" is engaged to be married!  He also has a birthday coming up this Friday...he'll be 22!  And she'll be 22 in August (she and I share a birthday month). :)

They haven't gotten far enough in their plans to set a date, but when I know I'll be sure to share. 

  
And remember back in the fall I mentioned this long term project?

Well I'm very happy to say that they have taken us up on our offer to fix it up for them as a first apartment.  I think they are very wise to do this.  They'll only have to take care of the utilities and can then save and put their money into purchasing their first home instead of paying rent.  Plus, since you know how we love to remodel and decorate, this will be fun and hopefully everyone will be involved.  We have a plan laid out for the space already.  And it will begin soon....because it will take awhile since as usual, we're do-it-yourself(ers).  :) 

I'll keep you posted on the wedding plans, as well as their "suite" renovation!  :)  Thank you for letting me share our excitement!  And congratulations to Colt and Amber!  We love you both!

Happy Birthday Luke!

Today I'm so very grateful that we are spending THIS birthday with our Luke. 

Happy 3rd Birthday Luke!

 I remember so well how it felt last year knowing he was having his 2nd birthday without us and watching it from afar.  We were very thankful, however, to see his foster family making his day special!  They (and the orphanage) made sure we received pictures from the special day.  We could tell from the pictures how well loved he was, and just how doting the foster parents (and foster sister) were with Luke.  At that time, I wasn't really comfortable sharing their picture, but I think it's time and I really wanted you to see the faces of this sweet family!  My heart swells with gratitude to them!

And now that we have him home, we definitely know that he was loved.  He has been able to love us with his whole heart and tells us he loves each one of us daily....many times!   It's also very obvious that his foster family spent time with him, and teaching him because he's very smart and catches on to anything and everything very quickly.

Our Little Emperor  :)

So this year, I am finding myself grieving for the foster family, because our gain, was their loss.  And I know they will be thinking of him and missing him today.  We definitely plan to make sure they get pictures of him this birthday.  I want them to see what a wonderful job they've done and how much he's loved and adored here, and just how well adjusted our little guy is.

I adore that face!

Today I rejoice and thank the Lord for blessing us with this precious little boy that was so worth the wait and I ask Him to bless the family that loved him first in a mighty way.

He's very serious with his play (or work as he calls it)!

To celebrate, Jason took the day off, and Joy has the day off from school, and we are spending the day with Luke and having a small family party for him here at home tonight.  We don't feel he's really ready for more than that right now.  More than that would be just too much and I think making his day special with family (and low key) will be the right decision for him this year.  I have a feeling next year, he'll be ready for a bigger party.  But for now, we're keeping it simple.

He still loves his footy pjs....it's hard to keep him in regular clothes because the boy loves his pjs!

As promised with Joy's pics, I will be back and share Luke's birthday photos as well. 

Happy Birthday, Luke!  We love you so very much.....to the moon and back!

~ Mama, Daddy, Joy & Colt ~

Wordless Wednesday (It's the Little Things.....)

Left for me by Joy......what can I say?  This just makes this mama's day!  :)

Thank the Lord for His Protection!

Wow!  I can't believe it's been two weeks since I made my last blog post!  Time has flown by!

We have a marathon month of birthdays that we've been celebrating/will be celebrating, and have been busy with all of these.  It all kicked off with my mom's  January 8th birthday, then Joy's on the 2nd of February, then my dad's on the 15th of February.  Luke's is February 25th, followed by Colt's on March 4th.  Whew!  I'll be back to share some pics from Joy's party, but for now, I want to just share a Praise the Lord for our family! 

Last Friday, I was sitting at the dining room table typing (taking dictation from Jason) over the phone, helping him with his paperwork.  Joy was at the kitchen table finishing some of her school work, and Luke was in the living room watching Bob the Builder.  I smelled something burning.  Any other time, I would have naturally gone first to the kitchen, checking the stove and dishwasher, but this time, I immediately looked over into the living room.  Evidently, Luke shifted one of our recliners over (out of its normal position) and pushed the back of the recliner to a recline position and the corner of it was right next to the wall gas heater and the back of the recliner was burning! 

I don't know how much longer it would have taken for it to actually ignite into flames, but by this time, it had burned about a 2" square into the back of the recliner.  

I am so thankful that God was watching over us!  I know it was Him that urged me to look there first and  I don't even like to think of how badly this could have turned out.  I give God the credit and glory for His protection over our family!  I do pray God's protection (Psalms 91) over our family daily.  God is so good and I am so thankful that we are safe! 

Praise the Lord!  :) 

Happy (Chinese) New Year!

Today we took a little time out to celebrate the Chinese New Year.  Joy has been working for a few weeks now on learning the Chinese names (and how to write the Chinese characters) of a few of her favorite people at our favorite Chinese restaurant, so she could make them cards.  She completed four of them.  Her closest buddy from that restaurant is in China right now, but she shared the cards she made, as well as a red envelope gift, with the others.  (She's been learning more Chinese too, so she practiced some of her Chinese on them as well).

The kids dressed in their Chinese attire and Jason met us for lunch at the Oriental Buffet.  I think the folks there were very surprised and very appreciative that someone remembered their holiday.  After closing tonight, they told us they will have a big celebration.

And in case you didn't know, according to the Chinese lunar calendar, it's the Year of the Rabbit.  The restaurant proudly displayed that:

We had a wonderful tasty lunch.   And Luke made it through without getting anything on his clothes.  Good boy!

Oh, and this is what ornery looks like with our "Little Emperor".  (Telling him it was time to change his clothes)  :) 

But he always has a kiss for his jie jie....

From our family to yours......Happy Chinese New Year!  

12!

12.  That's how old our Joy turned today.  It just doesn't seem possible that it's been 12 years ago at 9:18 p.m. (to be exact) that our bundle of "Joy" arrived at 6 lbs. 9 oz., 20" long with eyes just as brown then as they are now.....our "Brown-eyed Girl".

I prayed from the moment that I knew we were expecting her, that first and foremost, she would come to know the Lord at an early age; then that she would have a sweet disposition, a heart and compassion for others, a beauty that shone from within, and a girl after God's heart.  That's still my prayer.  I thank God for the evidence I see in her of these qualities already.  I know He has special plans for our girl.

Just yesterday, I found something she had scribbled out and tucked away in a notebook.  I feel this shows her heart, and thought I'd share it here today.  (I did ask her permission first.....she said she wrote it sitting in church one Sunday.).  :)  She writes when she has something on her mind or heart.  This particular day orphans were on her heart and mind. 

A little girl lies all alone in a cradle in a Russian orphanage.  "How did I fail?  How did I let my parents down?  Why did they turn me away?  Say, does anyone want me....?"  The back of her head is as flat as the floor.  She's drugged so that she will sleep more.  Why?  Tell me that.

A little girl sits in a child's lounge chair in her pretty pink room in America.  It's not fair.  Yes, it's Life.  She throws fits when she doesn't get what she wants.  Why?  Tell me that.
 

This was taken today....on her birthday.

My kids have a way of stretching their birthdays out to several days of celebrating! :)  Today Joy got the day off from school, brownies made especially for her by Grandmama, and we'll be watching several movies together this evening.  Tomorrow is the Chinese New Year and we're going to double celebrate (her birthday and the Chinese New Year) eating at her favorite Chinese restaurant.  Then Saturday, she'll have her party and then out again for dinner on Sunday for a family celebration! 

Also taken today.....with one of Grandmama's brownies.  We put a candle on it and sang Happy Birthday.

Happy birthday Joy!  You are such a blessing to us and we love you with all our heart and thank God for you and your loving ways!  10!

~ Mom ~ (and Dad, Colt & Luke)  :)