Have you seen this?

I love this YouTube video. I am amazed at this guy. I don't know if it's his travels all over the world that I'm so impressed with or his ability to get complete strangers to do a goofy dance with him.

I realized after watching this how many parts of the world I have NOT seen. I think I'm missing out. Who is Matt anyway?!

Sign language!!!

Look what my girl can say in sign language!! Now can someone tell me how to say "music"? I have a feeling it will be one we use quite often. She loves music!! Is it obvious? If you listen real closely you can hear Hope in the very back seat griping that she didn't get to sit by Ava. :)

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Fireworks!

You know you have become a parent when you stop enjoying the fireworks show because you're too engrossed in watching your children's reactions to the fireworks show. Even Ava watched with awe and wonder (after Daddy comforted her from the initial shock). She even appropriately used her brand new sign for "more" when it was over!!! I am so proud of her, she is communicating! Apparently my camera doesn't work for night shots.



Silly me. I am pretending to be watching the fireworks so I can take a photo of what I thought was Hope's mesmerized expression watching the beautiful display. Apparently she was posing instead.

I'm not sure what was more entertaining, the fireworks or the family sitting next to us. They had 3 kids, ages 4 (about 60 pounds), 3 (about 50 pounds), and 7 months. They were all 3 in diapers....I mean JUST diapers. Only in Oklahoma. There was an endless supply of Cracker Jacks and Kool-Aid. Even the baby was drinking red kool-aid in his/her bottle (hard to tell gender in just a diaper. I know the names of the older two because all we heard for 2 hours was, "Joseph, get over here right now!! I mean it Joseph. Matthew, stop it! I said stop it! Do you want to go home? Do you want a spanking Joseph? Do you want me to take you to the van Matthew? I mean it, we'll go to the van! We won't come back here next year, Joseph! I'll spank your bottom Matthew!" Eventually she DID take them, I assumed to the van, like she had been threatening to do all evening. Instead she came back with balloons and glow-in-the-dark necklaces. At one point I told Joseph that he better be good and mind his mama 'cause I wanted him to stay and watch the fireworks with me. To which the mother replied, "He doesn't know the meaning of the words 'be good'. All this took place while the husband sat in the lawn chair smoking his cigarettes. John leaned over and whispered, "I think they could benefit from some parenting books." Even the kids laughed all the way home, and kept repeating, "JOSEPH!!!" I wanted to sneak a video but I was afraid I was going to get caught.

I LOVED this next photo. I wish you could see the way Ava touches her daddy's back and neck with affection when she rides on his back. He is such a great guy. I want to say that he took all 5 kids plus one extra to Sonic, the park and Bass Pro Shop on Friday night while we had one last girls' night out before Kirsten moves to Washington. I really think he deserves some kind of medal for that. I can only imagine what the people at Bass Pro Shop thought as he walked in with 6 kids. What a Dad.

Saying good-bye

....is so hard to do.

Next girls night....Seattle!

Kirsten I will miss our deep conversations over Starbucks, the side splitting laughter at 3 a.m. on our girls' weekends, watching our kids grow up together. It has been a wonderful 17 years of friendship (Are we that old?!) and you moving to Seattle without my permission won't change that, doggone it! I love you my friend! Keep blogging to stay in touch. And now there is proof, looking sideways doesn't do anything for red eye, it just makes you look like you are checking out Ricardo, our waiter!

My Birthday Cake

I bet you've never seen a birthday cake quite like this before. Here is how it's made:

Place a once-melted, now frozen Hershey bar on a plate (purchased with a 10 year old boy's own allowance money). Sprinkle chocolate chips all around it. Put cinnamon graham crackers on top of the chocolate chips, then top each piece with Braum's fancy whipped cream. Mmmmmmm. I love kids.

Some silly pictures

Isn't he handsome?


Look! The steroid cream is working! (Just kidding, it really isn't)


Still being pampered after 13 years.....


Vacation Bible School....gotta love it!


Look at this giant universal remote control the kids and I got John for Father's Day. Now we'll never lose it again, for sure!


She's trying to look silly, but I think she is beautiful just the same.


Sleeping.....Beauty?


"Look Mom, I have only one leg!"


Ah, the fun that can be had with knitting needles......

Family pictures

Adoption has brought our way more blessings than I can even keep track of......one of them being a family picture session GIVEN to us by a professional photographer who happens to go to our church. We didn't know her, and she didn't know us, but adoption is dear to her heart, and when she learned of our adoption she offered to take our family photos for FREE.

What is funny, is that we had recently attended a wedding, and had seen this lady at work, I remember being so impressed with her, and seeing the wedding pictures afterwards...WOW. I didn't even realize it was the same photographer until she sent me the link this morning with our very own FAMILY PHOTOS on them. 

Only a few are available as of yet, I am sure she took at least 250!!! If you want to take a peek a few of them are on her blog. I think she did an AMAZING job, especially considering there were 5 kids she had to get to cooperate. Thank you Ashley for one of the best gifts a family could ever ask for!!!

CLICK HERE for a preview

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad

Congratulations on 43 years of marriage! I am so grateful for the role model you have provided of faithfulness and love to one another and godly example for me and my family to follow. I am proud of you both. I love you! Happy Anniversary!

Officially weaned!

I waited a few days to post this, because I wanted to be sure...but I think it's safe to say Ava is now officially weaned from her bottle!! When she first came to us, it took us a little bit (thanks to Michelle) to realize that she would only take her food pureed in a lambs nipple and nothing else would do! She has been taking her food exactly like that for 4 months. Then suddenly last week she went on a bottle strike. I kept thinking she was regressing, that we were having a setback, that she was having some new sensory issues. And then finally Liesel said, "Mom, maybe Ava is just ready to be a big girl and stop drinking out of a bottle." You know what? I think she was right.

It is quite messy and very time consuming as she has a strong tongue thrust but she is now getting 100% of her nutrients by spoon, thanks to this handy dandy food grinder. Today she had pork chops, potatoes, veggies, and applesauce. She particularly liked Aunt Marlita's chili and cornbread, mixed together of course. And the best part is NO MORE GAGGING!

Stan the Hot Dog Man

Anybody who knows me knows that it doesn't take a whole lot to make me cry. I've always been this way as long as I can remember, finding myself crying at the most inopportune and embarrassing moments. Try as I might I have never been able to change this about myself.

My kids find this extremely hilarious. They enjoy watching me more than the movies to see at which point mom will start crying.

Well today I was reading this book to the kids...

It's about an old man who retires from working at the bakery, and he decides to spend his spare time fishing with his wife Emma and he opens a hot dog stand, just for fun.

So I'm reading out loud to the kids, and I get to the part where...sniff sniff...a family of four who is driving an old car stop by for hot dogs....sniff sniff...and they only have two dollars, but the hot dogs are one dollar each. So Stan tells them that it is their lucky day, that hot dogs are buy one get one free today. And the family of four gets to eat for only two dollars. And I found myself with tears rolling down my cheeks and my kids all laughing hysterically, "MOM!!! It's Stan the Hot Dog Man! It's about HOT DOGS!"

If anybody has a cure, I would greatly appreciate it. :) I know my sister Marlita can't be of any help to me.

Another boy who captured my heart

One of the moms in the Reece's Rainbow adoption group, came back from her adoption trip and told about a little boy she met. I often cry as I look at the photos of little orphan children, but the night I read about this boy I was sobbing. His story was heartbreaking.

He is a survivor. Satan wanted him dead and so did his mother. But God had another plan for little Denis. A plan to give him hope and restoration, a family to love him.

When I got the email about little Denis, I began to pray that the Lord would bring a family for him. I laid in bed that night and I remember specifically saying, "Lord, he needs a family like the Reeds. Lots of brothers and sisters to love him, and parents who understand and know how to deal with the issues that come along with abandonment and abuse. Lord, send someone just like the Reed family."

Well the Lord DID answer my prayer. He not only sent a family just like the Reeds, He DID send the Reeds! I was so excited when I got an email from Christine just a couple of days later. It wasn't public information yet, she said, but she was so excited she had to share with somebody.....they had decided to adopt Denis!

Isn't God good? Now, how does He do that?

Well I saw on Christine's blog today that they have arrived in Ukraine, and their SDA appointment is tomorrow. I hope you will keep the Reed family in your prayers. I know what a time we had explaining why we would want to adopt a child with special needs when we already had 4 of our own at home. They will have to explain why they want to adopt a child with special needs when they have TEN kids back home. She gave me permission to share Denis' story and her blog here, so if you want to follow along, and I hope you do, her blog is theukrainetrain.blogspot.com.

Here is little Denis, who will always have a special place in my heart.....

And here is a picture....drawn by one of his sisters...of his precious family. Oh, I am so excited!!!

Rock Band and a new little bike

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The kids saved up their allowance money to buy the video game, Rock Band. They have wanted one since they played it at their cousin's house over Christmas and Heather's graduation. They were all gung-ho about it except for Liesel. The boys kept putting pressure on her, they wouldn't have enough money otherwise. Finally she said, "Mom, if I buy put my money towards Rock Band now, will I still be able to buy a van when I have my 5 kids?" I sure love the way she thinks.

I have to admit, it is a fun game, and I love that they can all play together. Even Hope gets a fake microphone and sings Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. She really thinks she is a part of it.

Daddy also bought another something for someone who couldn't enjoy Rock Band yet. (Although she loves to push the buttons on the guitar). Look, isn't she cute? She has fallen off twice but that hasn't stopped her from wanting back on again. Good thing it's so low to the ground, huh?

The REAL prom....1989

Alright Dalene, this post is for you. The REAL prom, 1989. Gotta love those bangs. Does this picture make you want to laugh or cry? I am laughing personally. Ah, the memories. There is a saying that keeps going through my mind as I look at this photo. "You know you are a redneck when.....", well, never mind. Just a little stroll down memory lane...via TUL-sa!

My sweet Aunt Esther made our prom dresses but was nice enough to let us take the credit for making them. Thanks Aunt Esther. I still can't sew.
My prom date, Lance, was a little shy. NICE guy, but a little too fond of crawdads and "muddin'" for my taste. I wonder what became of him, or the rest of these people for that matter. That's why I like cousins so much.

Prom Night 1985

Last night some friends and I attended a fundraising dinner for MEND Crisis Pregnancy ministry.

The theme was "Prom Night 1985". I want to say it is SO much more fun going to prom with just the girls (Sorry Lance) and it's way more fun to get ready when the goal is to look goofy.

My friend Melissa knows a lady who used to make prom and bridal dresses in the 80's. She let us look through her storage shed and borrow a couple of them. How do we look? :)

It was a night of great food, entertainment and 80's music, but the best part was that a wonderful ministry was supported, and funds were raised to help ladies of all ages who find themselves in crisis pregnancies. I was so blessed to learn that 91% of women who contact this ministry for help end up choosing LIFE. Praise God for the volunteers who support MEND. Thanks Cherish for allwing me to be a part of it.

Car conversations

I love eavesdropping on car conversations. Tonight's went like this:

Liesel: "My sweet Ava, I love you so much."
Hope: "Liesel, she's not just yours, she's for all of us to share."

Yesterday's car conversation went like this:
Simeon: "Hey, guys, do you want to save up our money and all of us buy 'Rock Band'?" (a video game)
Liesel: "No, I'm saving up my money to buy a red van."
Me: "Liesel, why are you wanting to buy a van?"
Liesel: "So that I can have 5 kids someday."
Simeon: "No way am I driving a van, I'm going to drive a Lambourgini."
Jude: "I'm going to drive a Toyota...Mom, what's a Toyota?"
Hope: "When I grow up I'm going to have a pink sparkly car with kitty cats on it, and I'll have a special car seat so Ava can ride with me." (AAAWWWWW, she loves her sister!)

Please remember the CORNISH family in your prayers Thursday morning. (Remember the couple we met in Ukraine).Their newly adopted angel Emma is scheduled to have her tonsils and adenoids removed. This may not seem like such a big deal until you understand her story. Emma has a serious heart defect. If she had been born in the U.S.A. her heart would have been fixed years ago and the risks would have been minimal. Instead, she spent her first 5 years in an orphanage in Ukraine, miraculously surviving her heart condition. Since joining her foverever family in March, she has seen several doctors and received multiple opinions on this matter. At first they didn't want to attempt such a risky surgery. Thankfully, the Cornishes were able to find a doctor who saw the potential and the hope in her circumstances and was willing to give Emma a chance. That will happen in 2-3 weeks. Tomorrow they will be removing her tonsils and adenoids in hopes that better breathing and oxygenation will improve her chances of a full post operative heart recovery. Please join with me in praying for Emma tomorrow morning as doctors give her the chance to LIVE as she so deserves. If you'd like to follow their journey HERE IS THEIR BLOG. 

A virus

Ava had a virus over the past few days which resulted in a red, an apparently very sore throat. She isn't wanting to drink her bottles, it must hurt to suck? The weird thing is though, she has a sudden increased interest in eating solids (i.e. baby food) with a spoon. Go figure. So now how do I get liquids down her if she's no longer wanting her bottle but can't drink out of a sippy cup or regular cup either?

Another interesting observation. I learned that when Ava is sick, she is ULTRA sensitive! She doesn't want to cuddle and snuggle like my other kids did. She wanted to be left alone in her crib. I was so sad! Nothing I did was comforting her, that is, until I got out her favorite music toy. She didn't want to play with it, she only wanted to listen to the music. I talked to the OT about it to see what her take was. She explained that some kids are comforted by touch, and others by sound. Apparently Ava is an auditory person, something that will be helpful to know in the future.

It's neat to see that all my kids are so different. :)

If you feel led......

There is a wonderful organization called Life2Orphans whose purpose is to help orphans by providing food, medicine and equipment to orphanages in Ukraine. Obviously this project is dear to my heart. This week they will be shipping many boxes of goods overseas. I received an email from Andrea, founder of Reece's Rainbow, this morning, that Life2Orphans is in need of funds for shipment of these items. Please consider helping this organization. I have seen photos of some of the most heartbreaking conditions in third world orphanages, and Life2Orphans is making a great effort to improve those. Please take a look at Life2Orphans website by CLICKING HERE .

If you feel led to donate, it can be done HERE .
Thank you for considering being a part of this project.

A great joke told by Jude

Jude: There were ten copycats sitting on a fence. One jumped off. How many were left?
Me: Nine?
Jude: NONE, they were all copycats!

I worried for nothing

I remember many sleepless nights before we left to adopt Ava. Even while we were in Ukraine I worried about one particular child of mine: Hope. She's so young. Will it be hard to not be the baby anymore? Will she resent us bringing a stranger home? Will she understand? Will she feel left out? Will she suffer from our decision to adopt? Should we have waited until she is older?

I can honestly say that Hope has adjusted far better than I ever imagined. If anything, she is a little too fond of Ava, if you know what I mean, and I'm not sure the feelings are mutual. :) Every morning Hope comes into my room first thing and it's no longer me she wants to see! She wants to find out if Ava is awake yet and if she can play with her. She wants to "hold" Ava, and insists that she IS big enough. She wants to sit by her in the car, and feed her at mealtimes. A couple of weeks ago, I found Hope crying. I asked her why she was crying, and she said, "Mommy, I don't want Ava to go back to the orphanage. I want to keep her forever." Oh, how I loved to hear those words. (I'm not sure what she was thinking we were doing!)

So I thank the Lord for a smooth transition for our family. If anyone is reading this blog who is considering adoption but not ready to commit for fear of what it will do to their kids, I hope you this post will encourage you!

This picture cracks me up. Four-year-old Ava being held by three-year-old Hope. This is the event that Hope always refers to when she insists that she IS indeed big enough to hold Ava standing up. She always says, "Remember mommy, on our walk, when I held Ava. I didn't drop her! So please can I hold her again?"

For those who prayed.......

.....I wanted to report that the little twin in Haiti has recovered and has been reunited with her sister! Thank you for praying for her. She is a tiny little thing, only 13 pounds at 1 1/2 years old but is gaining strength, and is now patiently waiting for her family to come for her. Please pray that they can get to these little girls quickly. They have really become dear to my heart.

Father's Day

We spent Father's Day on the lake. I don't know if it was our great sense of adventure or plain ol' lack of common sense that possessed us to take 5 kid out on a boat to attempt fishing and tubing.

The driver....


The navigator.....


The entertainer....


The kids had fun jumping off this rock into the water...


John and Liesel watching.....


....these crazy people jumping off cliffs.


Does this face have "sensory overload" written all over it (Not Ava's! Mine!)


The kids loved riding on "Big Bertha"



As we rode under a bridge, this baby bird fell into our boat. Hope and Liesel wanted to be his mommy and take him home. We weren't sure what to do with it. The kids didn't like John's suggestion of putting him in the lake to see if he could swim. We drove him over to a rock and left him there hoping that his mommy would be able to find him there. :(


Ava REALLY missed her crib, but this was as good as we could do for naptime.

Happy Birthday Evi

Last night at your party I didn't get a turn to tell you what I like about you. So now is my chance. I hope you read this. I like you because you're a lot of fun to be around, you have a great sense of humor, you are sweet, and you make a really great playmate for my kids. I'm so glad you're my niece. I love you Evi!

I witnessed the sweetest thing yesterday. I was laying down on my bed with Ava. It was her naptime and I was trying to get some cuddles in before she went down. Well just then Jude was dropped back home from a play date that he had had with a friend. Jude came in and laid down on the bed with us and he was crying. He was crying, because he had been having so much fun with his friend and wasn't quite ready to come home yet. 

Well while I was trying to console him, Ava left my side, CRAWLED over to the opposite side of the bed where Jude was laying and crying, and she climbed on top of him and began to stroke his hair and lick him, she was just licking all over his face, his cheeks, his eyes. It was so deliberate and so purposeful, I just know she knew he was hurting and was trying to console him. Isn't that amazing? How did she learn that?

Squeaker Sneakers

I feel like I'm learning something new every day. Apparently kids with Down Syndrome (most of them anyway) have flat feet. These shoe inserts are supposed to give Ava some arch support as she is learning to bear weight on her feet. Now notice, the insert on the left is slightly bigger than the one on the right. That is because her left foot is 1/4" bigger than her right. Who knew? She also happens to have only one dimple on her right cheek, and bald patches only on the left side of her head. She even has, according to the dentist, an extra tooth (although I can't find it) to go along with her extra chromosome. How I love my assymetrical girl.


These shoes are called Wee Squeaks (or "Squeaker Sneakers" as Ava's therapist called them). Remember I blogged a few days ago about the special walking shoes I got at the children's boutique? Well they have a built-in squeaker, and they squeak when she takes a step. I am hoping this will be a motivator to get her up on her feet and walking!!!


And here is a video of her trying out her new sneakers. You'll even get to hear my sweet kids arguing in the background. More proof that they are not ALWAYS all that sweet.