Fun Day #4

Well today we had another great Fun Day! Every summer I take the kids up to this great playground at the top of Signal Mt. It's called the Pumpkin Patch and Iris and Asa absolutely love it. If you're ever near Signal Mt. you should try it...but be sure to dress the kids in old clothes and shoes...the playground is mostly mulch so the kids can get kind of dirty! Today Iris and Asa made two new friends...B.J. and Jackson...they played with them the entire two hours...they had a blast together! After we left there we always have to stop in at the Bread Basket for some great cake and cookies...YUM! But we were so disappointed when we got to the bottom of the mountain for lunch at our favorite spot...it was closed! Petunia's Silver Jalapeno(http://www.petuniassilverjalapeno.com/) is where we always stop for lunch after leaving the Pumpkin Patch but for some reason they were closed...come to find out they are now only open 3-8pm during the week and 11-8pm on Saturdays...so if you ever get a chance stop in and try their food...they have awesome Fish Tacos and BBQ! There's also a produce store right next door and we always go in and buy some fresh fruit or veggies!

Today was lots of fun...looking forward to next time!

Gladney Center for Adoption's Humanitarian Aid Program

Adoption Update

I know it's been a while since I've posted any news on our adoption process...mainly because much hasn't really been happening...just waiting and praying. There are good days and bad days and lately I've let Satan sneak in and get the best of me. There are times when I know this adoption is absolutely going to happen but then there are times when I feel like it is so far out of reach. Right now it feels like we are just sitting still waiting for something to happen. We completed our home study and were told we would have to put a fence up around our pool before our HS could be approved...so we are trying to get that done asap. After that we will send our HS report and more paperwork to Gladney to get our formal approval to move forward. I never knew how difficult adoption was...I guess no one does until you begin that journey. I have never been on such an emotional roller coaster in my entire life. I find myself crying a lot...I recently saw some children in our community that were adopted from Ethiopia and it really made my heart ache for our child. I want so badly to be able to hold and love our child...I can't stop thinking about him or her. I am longing for them more and more each day. The money is coming in slowly...we are trying to save and sell items to raise our money...but it just seems impossible at times. Adoption is so expensive...but I know the Lord will provide the finances for us. He has gotten us this far in the process and I know He will see us through to the end.

Please just continue to pray for us....that the Lord will provide everything needed to get us through this adoption..and that we won't get discouraged along the way!

Fun Day #3

Iris had basketball camp this week so we didn't get a chance to go anywhere for a fun day...instead she brought her friend Hallie home with her today so they could have some fun together! They swam and played all afternoon! Asa was right in there with the girls...he didn't want to miss a thing. He even joined in to play "beauty shop" with them...too bad I don't have any pictures of that!

Happy Father's Day!

I have to say that Iris and Asa are two very lucky kids...they have the best dad ever! They don't even realize how wonderful their dad is...but one day they will be able to look back on all of the great memories and know just how much he loved them!

When we asked Kelly what he wanted to do today he said he just wanted to stay at home and let the kids swim, go fishing in our pond, and grill out hamburgers...those are his favorite things to do! We had a great time...the kids really enjoyed digging up worms with their dad to fish with and they also loved having their dad throw them in the pool(it scares me a little)! Iris and Asa made him cards and his favorite dessert...Rice Krispy Treats!!!

This is also a sad day...I know Kelly is missing his dad! This is a hard time each year for those who have lost their dads...Kelly and I are just blessed to have so many great memories to remember ours by.

Whether we are able to be with our dads or not it's so great to think about our heavenly father who loves us more than we could ever imagine and who is always with us!

Happy Father's Day!

Fun Day #2

Kelly and I have been out of town for our anniversary and I have really missed the kids so today we decided to have a Fun Day! We have been waiting anxiously for Toy Story 3 to come out...and today was the day! It was really cute...I just love "kid" movies...they are the best! I cry at just about anything...so there were even parts in this movie where I cried...I couldn't help but think about Iris and Asa growing up...yeah, I know I'm way too emotional sometimes!

Another good movie to go see right now is Karate Kid...Kelly and I got a chance to go see it while we were out of town and we really enjoyed it...it's worth seeing!

Words Can't Express!

Well today is the 2nd most important day of my life...first being the day I was saved and third being when I gave birth to my children. On this day 9 years ago Kelly and I were married and at times it seems like it was only yesterday. There aren't any words that could do justice to how I feel about Kelly and our marriage. Some of you know the whole story of how we met and I just know without a doubt that God put us together. When I first saw Kelly walk into that restaurant while I was out having dinner with a friend I just knew he was for me...and since our first date we haven't been apart. I had been in so many bad relationships before Kelly and at that point in my life I had recently gotten saved and I had been praying that God would just show me His will for my life. I never prayed for a man in my life like I had done in the past...I just began to pray that if God had a man for me that He would lead me to that man or if I was suppose to remain single that He would show me His plan for my life. Once I started praying like that...that's when Kelly walked into my life. That first night I saw him it was like he had a spotlight shining on him and a big bow on top of his head because I just knew he was for me and he was one of the greatest gifts God has ever given me. I use to wonder why God let me go through so many bad relationships and heartache...I use to have so many regrets...but now looking back...every bit of that was worth it to get to Kelly. I would never have appreciated Kelly and how wonderful he is if I hadn't gone through those difficult relationships. People say that marriage is hard and it takes work..but I don't know that I agree. Life is hard and there are struggles that everyone faces...married or not...but I believe if you are married to who God intended for you to marry then it's easy. In the ten years that Kelly and I have been together Kelly has never once disrespected me or done anything to hurt my feelings. He has shown nothing but love and respect to me and that makes me be a better wife to him and therefore we have no issues. When we face struggles in life we do it together and we have God at the center of our marriage and He will pull us through anything. When I married Kelly I knew he was a great person...but over the years I have seen him be a wonderful husband to me and an awesome father to our children...and now he is showing me that he wants to follow the Lords plan for us to adopt..all of those things just makes me love him more.

God blessed us with each other and if we don't put our marriage before everything else it will fall apart. So many people put their careers or their children before their spouses..that's when their family falls apart. If you don't take care of your relationship with your spouse first...your family will never make it! Kelly and I always take time to go on dates alone and atleast once a year we try to go on a vacation alone. Couples need time together...to be able to make their marriage stronger and to remember why they fell in love. I still get butterflies when I know I am about to see Kelly or if I'm waiting for his phone call at lunch every day. We want our children to see how wonderful a marriage can be. Iris and Asa need to see how a husband and wife are suppose to treat each other. Not a day goes by that Kelly doesn't kiss me before he leaves for work and as soon as he walks in the house from work. I know at times I can be a little moody or fussy(it's part of being a female)...but what I love about Kelly is that he brings out the best in me. If there is ever a time when I feel like I just want to whine or complain that my day isn't going as well as planned...he just gives me a big hug and says "baby, I love you"...and then I can't help but laugh. He doesn't give me the chance to fuss...where in the past I've been around people who would love to just fuel the fire.

I will never understand why I was blessed with Kelly for my husband...I know I don't deserve him...but I do thank God everyday that I have him. I never knew a man like him existed...he is so much more than I could have ever dreamed of!

I wish I could tell Kelly what he means to me...I just can't come up with words that could truly express it...I am just so thankful that God sent me this great gift...I couldn't be more blessed!

One For One Movement - A Pair Of New Shoes Is Given To A Child In Need With Every Pair Purchased - TOMS.com

One For One Movement - A Pair Of New Shoes Is Given To A Child In Need With Every Pair Purchased - TOMS.com

Great Week at VBS!

This week we had Vacation Bible School at our church and it was such a fun time! I loved going to VBS when I was a kid and I am so glad my children are able to go to the same church where I attended. Kelly didn't get the opportunity to go when he was growing up so last year and this year while we have volunteered he has gotten to see how wonderful it is. This year I helped with the 3 year olds and I just love how sweet and innocent they are at that age. Watching them learn bible stories and pray and sing "Jesus Loves Me" just makes the whole week worth while. It's sad to see the children who come who don't even know about God or the bible...it's hard to imagine growing up in a home without that. I pray that the kids will always remember what they learned at VBS and keep that with them as they grow up. You never know when VBS might lead a child to the Lord and change their lives forever!

**Hopefully next year Iris and Asa will have a new brother or sister to take to VBS with them! I can't help but think about what our child is doing in Ethiopia and the things they could be doing with us here. It gets frustrating some days but I do know it's going to happen in His perfect timing!!

Fun Day #1

Today we got to have our first "Fun Day"...the kids have been trying to guess all week what I had planned. We arrived at Pump It Up at 9:30 this morning ready to play hard! When I pulled into the parking lot the kids started screaming. Yes my kids love this place...what kid doesn't. I know it's not a parents most favorite place to go...but I did it for the kids! When we walked in the girl at the counter told us that there was a group of 80...yes 80...boys coming from McCallie! She said we were welcome to stay and play but it might get a little wild. She didn't even charge us...that was nice! So for 30 minutes we had the place all to ourselves and then right at 10am in came the boys...I've never seen so many stinky sneakers in my life! Iris Anne was way outnumbered! I asked them if they wanted to stay or leave and come back later...they chose to stay! And I must say they had a BLAST! I was a little worried at first...we know how rough boys can get...but it actually went really well. Iris hung in there with them and so did Asa...they played for 2 hours straight! Needless to say they were super tired when we left!

After that we went to Burger King for lunch...they have been wanting to get the new Marmaduke toy!

When we got home we planned on swimming, but as soon as we got outside the sky turned dark and it started to rain. So we did the next best thing...built a fort in the living room, watched a movie, and ate popcorn with M & M's(our favorite movie snack)!

All in all it was a great first Fun Day! Can't wait til the next one!