More Christmas

Christmas photos

While we are waiting.....

No change on the adoption Wait List as far as we know. Still hanging in at #9! Here are a few things going on while we are waiting.....

1. We have all been sick with a nasty fever, sore throat, body ache mess....Yuck! All seem to be better now.
2. Spending time with family and friends over the Christmas holiday....pictures to come.
3. Beginning to think about how to arrange furniture in Hudson (and his new brother's room).
4. Found out Carson has mono!
5. Putting up Christmas decorations (Jody's favorite)?

God continues to show me His goodness......His mercies are truly "new every morning".

Merry Christmas 2009

Good news first.....

The good news is we are now officially #9 on the Wait List. The bad news is we have 3 girls sick with strep throat....yuck!

Lots of testosterone around here today........

Happy 40th Leigh Ann

Kelley, Leigh, Leigh Ann, and I celebrated Leigh Ann's 40th Birthday in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. We spent 3 days laughing, watching movies, setting in the hot tub, eating, shopping, and sleeping in. It was so nice to get away with no agenda or set plan. We just did what we wanted when we wanted....and with 12 kids between us we did NOT take one minute for granted. I am so grateful for wonderful friends (and husbands that took care of the kids)!!!







Trying to "stuff" all our Christmas shopping in the van?

Kelley and Leigh Ann start a fire?

Hudson's 8th Birthday

Jody, Hudson, and I celebrated his 8th birthday last night at the Colts and Patriots game in Indianapolis. We had a blast!! The Colts won in the last 7 seconds of the game, 34 to 35. We set in a sky box/suite with all you could eat chicken wings, pizza, chili dogs, cheeseburgers, soft drinks, etc. Hudson (and Jody) were in football "heaven"! We were so blessed by these tickets that were given by a friend Jody works with......thank you!! In the second picture Hudson is holding the SUPER BOWL TROPHY the Colts won in 2006.....I was so scared he was going to drop it!?!?! Jody and I talked on the way home of how valuable this one on one time is with each of the kids. What a great night!!!

That's exactly right!

"How we live our days is how we live our lives." - Francis Chan

Just for fun

Here's a close up of the laundry (it's all clean by the way)!! **See post below**

There he is......

When we moved into this house two years ago Jody and I splurged and bought this king size bed with a really nice, comfy, cozy mattress. I love my bed!!! (and apparently so does someone else...) I took this picture at about 7:00 this morning (obviously with the help of the flash). Every night (around 2:30-3:00 a.m.) Hudson makes his way into our room and stretches out across the bottom of the bed. Most nights we leave a pillow and blanket there for him. In this picture, he just helped himself to my robe off the floor. The only problem now is that he is getting big and there is no longer room for mine or Jody's legs. We wake up in a ball, legs curled to our chins!?!!? No wonder I need a chiropractor. He is so sweet I can hardly stand it!! I'm not sure how this is going to work when he becomes a teenager.....guess we'll get a bigger bed.

Did you catch the laundry pile next to the wall......it's still there!!

Big Girl!!!

Look who no longer needs diapers!!! I know there is a special crown in heaven for moms that endure potty training.....(I'm up to 4)!!!

Is it Groundhog's Day?

I told Jody this morning that I feel like I am in the movie "Groundhog Day." Every morning this week I have woken up the the day before. Gray skies, cool weather, rain, kids running circles through the house (including a few of the neighbors), sugar cookies, brownies, my favorite sweatpants, and the smell of Pumpkin Roll in my Scentsy candle holder. It may not be pretty, but it's working for us!! We have done NOTHING productive this week. Carson is out of school for Fall Break, so we decided to do the same with our homeschooling and join in (one of the joys of homeschooling)!! The most exciting thing happening this week is that I am finally going to get my hair cut and highlighted tonight (guess I better wash my sweatpants before I go)?!

All good things must come to an end! Monday is going to hit us hard!! But, I will enjoy this while it lasts!!

It's Going to be a Long Wait.......

Well, we officially went on the Waiting List with AGC last Monday. We are #15. But, here is the kicker.....the families ahead of us on the list are all waiting for little boys, no older than 18 months. We have said we would take a boy through age 4. I really don't know how long to expect our wait to be. I just know that every time the phone rings my heart jumps and I hope the caller ID shows our agencies' name. My head knows that I must be logical....this is a process that takes time....it could be months. My heart however is hopeful that we will get a call.....NOW!!! Since we made this decision to adopt we have poured so much time and energy into the paperwork that at times it didn't seem real. But now that is all over and we just wait, and pray. I pray that my future son has a full belly and a warm bed to sleep in. I pray for the orphanage workers that are caring for him and for his parents/family members that he may never see again. I pray that God is preparing his heart and his mind for what is to come.....and then I wait some more.

In Her Own Words

Carson went to El Salvador on a mission trip with Starfish Orphan Ministries back in June with her dad. She desperately wants to go back. This is a copy of a letter that she wrote:

"This June Starfish Orphan Ministry took a mission trip to El Salvador. It would be their third time. But for me, it was my first time. One thing that I would say is that the country, the kids, and the people of El Salvador take up about 3/4 of my heart. Everyday I think about what we did and what we saw. I always wonder about what the kids are thinking and doing. I feel the calling to go back very deeply and I feel like it is more of a need than a want. I really feel that God is laying on my heart a passion for missions. I feel as if God could take me anywhere but for right now, I really feel that God is leading me to El Salvador each day. I am thinking and praying about El Salvador and praying to God that He will make my path clear and show me where to go. Alot of nights I have dreams about meeting up with all the kids and being able to see them again just bottles me up with joy and excitement. Every single time somebody asks me about how did you like your trip it's as if I just can't explain how much I loved it. I feel as if I can't even write all my feelings down on this paper. I do have to admit I was very nervous about going on the trip. But once I started to spend time with the kids I knew that this is exactly and I mean right on target where God wanted me to be. Before I finish this paper I wanted to let my parents know how thankful I am for letting me go on this trip and I had a great time with my dad. I can't imagine a better person to go with. I also want to think everybody who helped us raise money and also thank mom and dad for being very patient with me when I keep on saying I want to go back to El Salvador."

I just loved this. I am so proud of her. She asks every single day if she can go back!! All she wants for Christmas is a plane ticket. I pray for God to use her life in a mighty way!!

Mountains and Goats and Bears, Oh My!-Gatlinburg 2009

Before our hike to Grotto Falls

A few of our fellow hikers.....Charis and William

A little time with Pop (Nana we missed you)!

Our new "friend"!

Gatlinburg Part 2

The girls and I on a horseback ride.

Our reward from our hike to Grotto Falls......beautiful!

Quick snapshot in the cabin.

Fellow family hikers....Josh, Michelle, and Aidan.