Ahhh, Spring!

Do you remember being a kid and that wonderful feeling of the wind in your face as you rode down the rode in a car with your window open? I think I must have forgotten, but my kids brought me back there today.

Oh, simple pleasures are the best. The giggles and hoots of laughter were completely joyous and I couldn't help but join them. It has been cold and rainy for so many months that I think the kids forgot what an open window feels like.

It has all made me think, I need to slow down and enjoy the simple pleasures more. I love to garden and enjoy watching each leaf sprout on our trees. I need to remember to share all these moments with those that are the most precious to me.

Don't forget to take a moment to roll down the window and let your hair get all wind blown, it feels great!

Sweet Momma

Finally Toothless!

The day has finally come for Pumpkin to lose his first tooth. He has waited for years and watched as his sisters got candy under their pillow with each tooth lost (I know the dentist loves me for this tradition).

He started wiggling when he turned four. I said that he would have to wait until one was loose. At the last dentist visit he heard the news that he wanted. He had a loose tooth. He has been very determined in wiggling. He has even set aside school work to wiggle that tooth!

Tonight at Costco it happened. He was munching on a hot dog and took a big bite. Ouch, blood everywhere, but still attached. M&M told him to grab ahold of it and yank hard. He did, and out it came! Success!!!

He showed anyone who would look. Even the checker at Home Depot.

For me, the loss of the first tooth is a little bitter sweet. I remember the tears that brought that first tooth six years ago. It is also the end of the little kid mouth and on to years of teeth transition and maybe even braces, ugh!

Most importantly it is another sign that my little Pumpkin is growing up.

Look closely in the picture and you can see the big tooth already on its way in.

I just went in, I mean the tooth fairy just went in and hid the candy under his pillow.

All is well in Pumpkin's world.

Sweet Momma

From Death To Life

By Elsie

A baby in a manger

Quiet in the cold

A boy in the temple

Teaching to the old

A young man preaching God's word

To every girl and boy

Miracles left and right

Filled people with great joy

This man was arrested,

Brought before the king

They plied him with questions

Though he hadn't done a thing

They led him away,

Put him on the cross

If he were to die, some thought

It would be everyone's loss

In the middle of the day

On that hill he died

Men and women both were sad

Many of them cried

Three days later women went

To look upon his grave

They went to perfume his body

Because of the life that he gave

An angel appeared to them

On that special day

He is alive! The angel said,

Pointing to where he had laid

The women ran to tell the others

All that they had seen

Then the man came and stood among them

It was like a dream

Raising hands and blessing them

He ascended to heaven above

This is a tale of a special man

And of God's great love

The story is a true one

It is very plain to see

For Jesus was the man who came

and died for you and me!

Take me out to the ballgame...

We had three days of sun this week and all the trees are in bloom. I think we can safely say that spring is here. At least it is on its way.

With spring comes baseball. Pumpkin will be playing on a team for the first time and Stand-Up Dad is so excited. I looked out my window to this precious scene. Dad and son sharing the fun of one of the greatest sports of all time. This will be fun to watch.

Happy Spring!

Sweet Momma

M&M's side of the story

Hey this is M&M. I haven't blogged before, I know. But I wanted to tell you my side of the story. Mom had never said much about adoption before early september of '08. She had asked us to be 'prayer warriors',and pray daily for a month for God to change Dad's heart. It was kind of a surprise to me. But when I heard, I was all for it. A new brother and sister sounded great to me, since I really wanted more babies in the house. After waiting a month, I started to get anxious.

Then, I got what may have been one of the biggest surprises of my life. We were at restaurant, waiting for dad to pray. He asked God for guidance on the road of adoption. I didn't really listen to what dad said but when I looked up I saw mom and Elsie crying. That was the beginning of our adoption .We are now number #89 on the waiting list and very excited. I cannot wait to see what God is going to do in our lives.

While we wait...

All four of the kids have found the waiting part of our adoption quite difficult. I did not think about this when we started the process. We talk about our brother and sister a lot and also about the millions of children who are without families.

M&M, Elsie and Sweet Pea thought that it would be fun to make something for the kids in Ethiopia, to help pass the time. They have been making these braided friendship bracelets for the last couple of years and giving them to all of their friends. They thought that the children in the orphanage might like one too. It is a perfect gift made with love and prayers for the unknown recipient.

Here is a picture of the bracelets they have made so far. They may have enough for several orphanages by the time we travel.

Sweet Momma

Another Elsie Talent

My sweet Elsie has been working on this needlepoint piece since her birthday since last September.

Her precious Gramma loves to quilt. For Elsie's birthday she gave her a quilt kit called Hazelnut Hall. It is so adorable. There are different blocks to embroider and then stitch together with fabric to make the quilt. Every block is different showing another sweet animal scene. With each block is also a little story about Hazelnut Hall and the animals who live there.

I picture Elsie completing it and hanging it in her little babies room some day as she lulls the little one to sleep with stories of the animals in the quilt. It is often done in red thread but Elsie loves blue and chose to make the whole quilt with a blue and white theme. She is so excited to have the first panel complete as this one is the largest. I think her Gramma is just as excited as she is.

Grandparents are such a blessing!

Sweet Momma

April Fools...Not!

It is snowing again!!! When will this end? From our little corner of the world, I'm not seeing much global warming.

This is our spring break and it doesn't feel much like spring. I was hoping to get in some gardening this week. Oh well, kids seem to have fun whether we have beautiful weather or not.

Happy Snow/Spring, take your pick!

Sweet Momma