Special Rewards!

At the end of each school year we get the kids a special
prize. They work so hard all year long that we feel they should be rewarded.

This year Iris chose a new bike. Since she isn't into "pink" anymore she chose one her new favorite color...baby blue! No streamers or characters on this bike...she's way too big for that!


















And this is what Asa chose...
JUST KIDDING! This is Kelly's new "toy"...he traded some work for this...don't you love it! No I'm not going to be worried sick about him out riding this with Asa!!! Please pray for my boys to be safe!
Asa did choose a much safer gift...DS game and a new lunch box for Kindergarten!

Goodbye 1st Grade!

Another emotional day...I guess most days are pretty emotional when you have kids growing up...but today my baby girl had her last day of 1st grade! Kelly and I took her in for her last day to say goodbye to her friends and teacher. Iris Anne had an AWESOME year at BBS...she enjoyed it so much! All of the friends she made were so special and her teacher Ms. Johnson was TERRIFIC and a true blessing! We couldn't have asked for a better year for Iris! I thought when she started 1st grade she seemed to be growing up so fast but now we have 2nd grade coming up and that just seems like it shouldn't even be happening...time flies and I am just so proud of my children! I am very thankful that they are growing and learning...it's the way God intended...but I can't help missing the days when they were babies...well they will ALWAYS be my babies!

Congratulations Iris Anne on doing a great job in 1st grade!

We Love You!

Last HS Visit!

Yesterday we had our last Home Study visit! We still have to wait 1-2 weeks for our report but as far as I know everything went great! Things are moving along! Next step will be to get Gladney approval and apply to Immigration...and also start our dossier! So excited!!!

Why I Love My Job!

There are many reasons I love being a mom but when my children just do something out of the blue to make me happy...I can't help but smile! Our kids make all kinds of things for us at school or church because the teacher tells them to(which is great)...but when your child takes time on their own to make something for you...it means even more. This morning I was in the kitchen doing dishes and Iris Anne just came in and handed me this piece of paper...not for any special reason...that's what made it so sweet. For her to take a couple of minutes out of her Saturday morning to actually think about going and getting a piece of paper to write me a note on just makes my heart melt! Knowing your kids love you is the best feeling!

Thank you Iris for making my day!

Very Emotional Week!

This has been a very emotional week for me...and I wasn't expecting it to be. My sweet Asa will be starting Kindergarten in the Fall and I knew I would cry on that first day of school but I had no idea that I would spend this last week of Pre-K in tears. Asa only goes to school on M/W/F mornings...on those days I pick him up from school at 12:30 and we go do something fun together until Iris gets out of school. And on Tuesday and Thursday we spend the whole day together....we go to the gym together, eat lunch together, grocery shop together, nap together(well I don't always get to do that one), and just spend time doing whatever we want together! Everyday this week I just kept thinking this is the "last time" we would get to do all of those things before he starts being at school everyday! I just love him so much and this time I have had with him at home has been the greatest blessing. He makes me laugh and smile constantly! I never knew boys could be so sweet and kind and loving(luckily he is just like his dad).

Today we went to his class swimming party...he had a big time with all of his buddies! His favorite part of the party was getting his Graduation Dog for all his friends to sign and getting his Bible Trophy....he memorized 26 bible verses...I was so PROUD! His teacher Mrs. Kell has been so AWESOME! Asa was so blessed to have such a caring and special teacher his first year at BBS!

I just don't want my baby to grow up!

New Shirts!

I had these shirts made for Mother's Day for me, my mom and Iris Anne to wear...I just love the color! Price: $16(child)$20(adult)

Shoney's-Finally!

Saturday night we finally took the kids to Shoney's! Iris Anne went last summer with a friend and for months she has been wanting to go back...she just thought it was the "greatest" thing! So we loaded up the kids and surprised them with dinner at the famous Shoney's! It turned out to be better than I expected...the food was pretty good! It was fun because as a child my parents took me and my niece there to eat probably once a week...so this brought back a lot of memories. Iris Anne wanted to know what I ate there when I use to go and I told her "spaghetti"...so of course that's what she ordered...and it's funny...it tasted the same as it did twenty(who am I kidding..thirty) years ago! I love doing things with the kids that reminds me of my childhood...in this crazy world we live in today it's nice to make family memories together...even if it is just a simple meal at the local Shoney's!

First Field Day!

Friday was Iris Anne's first Field Day! Kelly and I both got to attend....and it was so much fun. It brought back so many memories of when we were kids. Kelly and I talked about all of the races we would do...my favorite was the 3-legged race...Iris' fav was the Tug-of-War! Iris Anne and all of the kids did a great job and you could tell they had a blast! Asa's K-4 didn't participate...but next year "watch out"...he will be out there ready to compete!

J-Fest is Coming!!!

J103 has J-Fest each year and it is such a fun time. This year it will be June 5-6 at Camp Jordan. There are so many great Christian artists that perform and there are lots of fun things for the kids to do. We took Iris and Asa last year and they had a blast. We can't wait to go back! Hope to see you there(we will be going all day on June 5)!
Go to http://www.j103.com/ to get all of the info! Barlow Girl and Natalie Grant will be there!

Good News!

Last night was our 2nd HS visit. Everything went great...and we are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel! One more HS visit to go and then we will begin to complete our dossier to send to Ethiopia! We still have a ways to go...but we honestly didn't think we would make it this far! God is in control and He is showing us that what we thought was impossibe...IS possible!

Also, last Sunday our church took up a Love Offering for our adoption. We are so blessed to have such a loving and supportive church family...the money given will help us do so much with our adoption! Thanks to everyone for your support and prayers!

My Favorite Word-"Mama"

Well today is Mother's Day and I am so proud to be a MOM! If you ask my kids what my favorite word is they would tell you it's "Mama"...there is just something about it...when I hear my kids say it...it just melts me. I know there might be days ahead when hearing that word over and over might annoy me...but I hope I always remember that there is no greater thing to be than a Mother! I never knew how wonderful or how difficult it would be...none of us realizes how hard it is until we become a mom...there is no way to prepare! Not only do I love Iris and Asa but now I think about that child God has for me in another part of the world that will one day call me "Mama"...that's just amazing to think about. I always knew that my job in life was to be a mom...I never knew that God would call me to be a mom to a child that was without a mother. Iris and Asa call me mama because they know I am their mother...but the child we adopt will have to learn to call me mama...and when they do finally do that it will be the sweetest sound!

Mother's Day is always such a happy time for our family...but this year I am really thinking about the moms out there that are without their children...they have children that have passed away or had to put their child up for adoption because they couldn't care for them or even for the women out there that can't have children of their own and are going through the difficult process of adoption so that they can become a mom....Mother's Day might not be a happy time for those women and that just seems so sad to me. I think about the mother of our child in Ethiopia...whether they are living or not or whether they are struggling to care for that child and having to consider giving them up...that just breaks my heart. What they must be going through right now is something I can't even begin to understand. And then I think about the child that doesn't have a mom and doesn't get to celebrate this special day with them. Iris and Asa made me such beautiful things at school last week for Mother's Day...they couldn't wait to give them all to me...I was in tears because it truly comes from their heart and to know how much they love me is just so amazing...but those children without moms aren't able to give those special things to them and share that love with them...they must have this place in their heart that is so lonely and needs to be filled. Not only as moms do we love when our children show their feelings for us but for a child to be able to give that love to a mom is just as important for them. My kids love to pile up on top of me when I am on the couch or laying in my bed...which is getting harder as they are growing...but there is a comfort they feel when they lay next to me...some children don't have that comfort!

I am not one to push adoption on anyone...I don't think it is for everyone...you have to be called to do it and only by God is it possible. But I am asking those couples who aren't able to have their own children to please pray about adoption. God intended for a child to be conceived by a husband and wife inside of their marriage and if He has allowed certain circumstances that won't let that happen then He may just be calling you to adopt. There are so many children out there who need a family! Not everyone can adopt...but there are other ways to help orphans...you can support other couples that are wanting to adopt or give to a great fund that supports orphan care...and also praying for the orphans in this world is so important!

So this Mother's Day please pray for moms everywhere and what they may be going through and if you are a mom just know how special you are and that God has given you the greatest gift!

Prayers for Melanie

Yesterday I went into The Frame Shop...which is in downtown Dalton...usually I am greeted by the owner Pam Joyner and her daughter Melanie Bishop...but this time my visit to the store was very different. Pam told me that Melanie...who is 36 yrs. old...had suffered two strokes since February. I just couldn't believe it...my heart just ached so badly for her and her family. I could see the sadness in Mrs. Joyner's face when she told me about her daughter. Melanie has high blood pressure and had stopped taking her medicine w/o telling anyone and that is when she had the strokes. I can't stop thinking about what she must be going through...and not just her but her husband, parents, and sister. Life can change in just the blink of an eye...and things can happen that can effect us forever. Please pray for this family...that Melanie will recover...in spite of what the doctors say...because we all know He is the one really in control. Also, if you know of someone with high blood pressure...please encourage them to take care of themselves and take their medicines. What has happened to Melanie is devastating, but we have to remember that God does allow these things to happen in our lives for a reason and what she is going through may help to save others.