The Box

Not long ago,

I was at my mom's and noticed a beautiful toy box.

I made a comment how beautiful it was

and it wasn't long after...

She and Daddy gave us this~

What makes it so special?

The cedar it is made from was cut by my daddy on his farm

and taken to a friend of his who makes boxes.

I LOVE it!!!

Another reason I love it is...

when this little one plays like this~

I can let go of my once OCD toy clean up

and just throw it all in the Toy Box!!!

Why did I think organizing each kind of toy in a basket

was necessary???

There is no need...

This beautiful Toy Box has freed us from clean up CRAZINESS!!!

Thank you mama and daddy!!!

Adoption Update~

Today we buckled up

and drove to Kinko's

to make copies of our dossier~

so that when we come home

from our vacation next weekend,

everything will be in place to get our dossier to China!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was wonderful and bittersweet all tied together

with smiles and tears...

Wonderful and smiles because I have SO many blessings~

Last year with no ShayleeJoy

to this year with her forever momma!!!

My precious family minus Savannah, Josh, and Will.

My sweet ones right here around me~

The love of my life that swept me away 25 years ago~

Craziness that goes on even in the midst...

and gives me joy~

My mom (SO amazing), dad and siblings~

My sister and her family~

My brother and his family~

ALL the children in our family with Will on the way~

Sweet, sweet Addie who was dedicated this Mother's Day~

And mostly for the privilege to be a mom~

to my married daughter and her new husband...

to my two beautiful teenage daughters,

to my two adorable Chinese daughters,

and to a little Chinese son far away on this Mother's Day...

sure to be in my arms this time next year!!!

My heart is so full...

of all that's wonderful and smiles

as well as bittersweet and tears.

Nothing could have prepared us for what we would feel

the day after the wedding but know for sure,

no matter how hard it was to let her go,

Our dreams came true when she gave her heart to the very one

we prayed for so long...

the one that now holds her heart in his,

the one that we dearly love just like our own~ Our BIG son!!! :)

So you see,

"Real tears are not those that fall from the eyes and cover the face,

but those that fall from the heart and cover the soul."

~ Unknown

My soul is covered and I am oh so thankful for every smile and every tear...

if not for both, there would be no love.

I wouldn't change a thing!!!

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. . .And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. - excerpts from 1 Corinthians 13:4-13

Baby Adelyn~ B&W Wednesday

Sunday is our family lunch day

at our house

and this one was no different.

Jason, Amy, Max, and Adelyn were even here

along with my sister Marcia and her kids, Becca and Sam.

My mom was holding Adelyn

and asked me to shoot a couple of photos of her back...

what a precious baby Adelyn!!!

Visit The Long Road to China for more B&W Wed!

A Lovely Day

Jason and Amy really wanted to see their little Max today

so Mama and I took him over for a visit.

It was a sweet reunion to say the least...

Mama and her boy~

Daddy and his girl~

First thing Max wanted to know~

where his little sister was???

I had the sweet privilege to hold her today!!!

So did Mama.

Our beautiful Adelyn Rose!!!

The proud brother!!!

A very thankful Thursday for sure!!!

More Adelyn...

Amy was scheduled for a C section @ 8am and we arrived about 8:30~

Adelyn arrived @ 8:19 so we made it just in time.

I came around the corner

and whipped out my camera right away.

EK and SJ were SO excited to see sweet Adelyn.

The night before EK told SJ to get to sleep fast~

we had a big day... Adelyn was coming! :)

Jason was SO excited...

trying to shoot photos,

text everyone,

and post on FB~

the face of his beautiful daughter!

The nurse took excellent care of sweet Adelyn!

Mama and Daddy are taking care of Max

and brought him over to see his new sister.

Daddy~

and Mama letting Max talk to Jason.

Look Max~ your new sister and playmate!!!

Mama and Max brought Adelyn a gift~

so Jason came out to get Max

so he could see his mama!

Meanwhile Adelyn got her first bath. :)

Just hanging out at the window...

I think Jason and Amy look really great

with two little Chinese girls, don't you think???

We couldn't be more thrilled that Amy is feeling well

and Adelyn is such a healthy sweet baby!!!

God has blessed our family with a precious miracle!!!

James 1:17

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Generations~ Joy to Love

Three years ago this summer,

Scott and I moved back to the hometown we both grew up in...

same town,

same high school,

same church,

and

same house (Scott's childhood home).

About a year later,

we bought our current home on the lake.

Best part about the whole thing~

we are a few miles from lots of family...

Mama, daddy, my brother and family,

Scott's sister and brother's families

not to mention tons of extended family.

We eat at least once a week together

with my parents and Jason, Amy, & Max.

Last night we enjoyed a superbowl fiesta here at our house

which was the perfect time for a

Joy to Love~ Generation Photo!

It is a sweet thing to have my parents so close

to share in the day to day life of all the girls.

I grew up living near my MaMa Martin

and she probably had the biggest influence on my life

other than my own parents.

Now my children are gleaning this same influence

into their lives too.

My parents are NOT the photo op type but they allow me

to capture them from time to time~

last night being one of those times.

Here they are~ Generations...

Memommy and Pop.

Earlier in the day

I looked out to find EK play with her 'other' best friend~

Fisher.

And...

Both Amelia and Savannah made the local newspaper!

Joy to Love

Mom's Birthday

My mom celebrated her 68th birthday on Saturday. We all enjoyed a fun time together celebrating with a Fiesta of food, yummy cake, and family. We sure missed Sissy and her family!!! EK was such a great helper with the birthday cake. We baked a chocolate pound cake and she did all the pouring! It was a sweet time to be thankful for such a precious mom and all she does to make our family feel loved!!!



Blessings,