TICKED off!!

We are in the middle of our 'readoption' of Bo and Noah. We didn't have to do it...they are already U.S. citizens, but we thought it'd be good to do it now so they can have English documents, etc. to make it easier later in life. Also it will include their name change.

I got all the paperwork together and G went to file it at the clerk of courts, then our agency we used for our post placement visit has to do some things, etc, and eventually we will get all the English documents and SSN, etc. (which we wanted to have done in time for tax time!!) Well, we got an email saying our agency was closing on the 30th and all the documents would be filed at another agency. I called them this morning to find out the deal, and they said the agency we used filed for bankrupsy and are DONE. So, we are just left hanging in the middle of this process which we had already paid them $750 for! The new agency said we would have to start all over with them if you decide to use them. WHAT?! That just seems so wrong to me. Ugh, makes me so mad!

Maybe I will hear some better news when I talk to a certain lady who is supposed to call me back. Later...

K's Big Day...

Geoff is taking off all week (YAY!), so I got to take just Luke and Kendall to a great hands on museum around here, then to the children's library. It was nice to be able to go and look and read and do stuff without having to rush or be distracted by the littler ones. They had this awesome circus exhibit which they loved!

Luke and Kendall with a little junk in their trunk... :)

They got to walk a tightrope! It was maybe about 12-15 feet high and they did it. They were eager to do it, but when they got up there their little legs shook like crazy while walking across and back. I felt so sorry for them! Their faces looked so scared/nervous/serious, and I knew there was no turning back for them. Once they got off they were happy. Kendall said she wanted to do it again. Luke said "Did you see my legs wiggling?!" It was cute. Good job little daredevils! I told K not many kids get to walk a tightrope on their 6th birthday!

Ok, this is a little gross, but it has to make the blog...they had 6 different types of 'dung' that you had to guess which circus animal it came from. The kids really liked that exhibit! By the way, this is a camel's...(I think! How quickly my memory fades...)

Then we got ice cream...that's always a treat for Miss Kendall. She loves ice cream!!

Then that night just our family went to Chuck E. Cheese to eat supper and play. That's not mine and Geoff's favorite of all places, but we have kind of made it a tradition of going there on each of the kids' birthdays (I refuse to have a party there, so this kinda lets us avoid that whole deal). It was obviously Bo and Noah's first time and they really liked it. They loved watching the machine CEC and dancing to the music. If you sign your kids up on the kids club they send great coupons and free token coupons on their birthday...fyi, if you're dying to go there. :)

Dancing...

Bo and Noah thought all the 'rides' were awesome...

Happy Birthday Kendall!!!

Well, my only little girl turned 6 today. Happy birthday sweet girl! I'll tell you, it is such a blessing and joy to have a little girl in the mix of all these boys.

Kendall, we are so blessed to have you in our family. You are full of compassion and love and creativity. You have a gentle and peaceful spirit. Your brothers are blessed to have a sister like you. Your friends are blessed to have a sweet friend like you. Daddy and I are so blessed to have a sweet little breath of fresh air in the midst of all boys. You add so much to this family and it would never be the same without you. I love watching you grow up and mature. Your personality is so much fun and unique. I love seeing your caring spirit come out in every situation...from when the cat gets hurt, to when Bo and Noah get hurt, to when you learned that people in Haiti eat mud pies and you say precious prayers for them...I can't wait to see how God uses your life to bring others to Himself!

We love you baby!!

A look back...

Kendall Belle...due on December 26, 2002. Born 3 days late on the 29th.

That says 8 lbs, 12 oz. Fastest labor ever for me!Some pics of her first year...Kendall was a sweet and pretty easy baby...


Kendall turning ONE!

...TWO...

...THREE...

...FOUR...

...FIVE...And now she's SIX!

We had a fun day celebrating...pics of that later. :)

Pausing...

I am going to post Christmas Day pictures soon, but wanted to pause and post this 9 minute video that I got from another friend's blog. It goes by fast, so please don't be afraid to watch it.



My thoughts after watching it....What can I do?? I have to do something! We certainly can adopt more children, but that only saves a few. We surely can give money to good organizations, but it doesn't reach everyone. We obviously can pray for them, but the suffering still continues. Ugh, it leaves me with such a feeling of helplessness and sadness that I have to just let it go in my mind. I want to do something, but can't do what I want to do, which I guess would be to 'save the world.' There are children suffering everywhere...my heart is for Haiti, but then again it is anywhere where children are living like in this video.

I have had a productive day...it was spent taking down Christmas decorations, decluttering, making a Good Will pile of junk to give away, and then filling those empty spots with the new things the kids got for Christmas. Something is wrong with that picture when I let my mind go back to the situations like in this video. It's sickening how much stuff we have- that it takes an organization genius to figure out how to best fit everything into our houses, that our kids complain about not getting dessert, when their bellies are stuffed with food, that stores are just bursting at the seems with more STUFF and I'm often the one there buying it!! Ugh.

I will tell you this...I have always had it in my heart to move to another country as a missionary. Don't know if it will ever happen. I would say it would be years from now if we ever did that. I know Geoff is also sensitive to the Spirit and we would go if we knew that God was calling us. I would love to start or run an orphanage or just go around finding children like in this video and taking them in. Sounds 'glamorous,' but how hard would that be?! Would I really be willing to leave behind all my stuff? My home and the comforts of it, and all the other luxaries we have? Would my kids hate me for making them leave their friends and toys and easy life behind? When I think about that, it really makes me respect and be amazed by the people who have accepted that call and moved to somewhere like Haiti and live a very simple life.

Adoption...people ask me 'why Haiti?' regarding our adoption. The short answer is that God led us to it and made it clear to us, so we obeyed. The question of 'why internation and not domestic?' I believe God calls each family to something unique and different, and I am so thankful for the families that choose both routes of adoption. For us, we had the outlook that children in the U.S., whether orphans or not, are most likely going to be fed, clothed, sheltered. With all the different programs offered, etc. they seem to have a better chance at survival than a child in a third world country. In regards to missions, I know you don't have to move out of the country to be a missionary, but I feel my heart tugging. Stay with this blog 10 more years, and you may go live with us in Haiti! :) Geoff, I know what you're thinking. :) I hope my adoption thoughts don't make anyone who has adopted domestically feel like I am saying we did something 'better' than you. Not what I mean at all...you never know, we may adopt domestically one day. It all depends on what God calls us to do at that time.

Anyway, just watch this video and follow your heart. If you feel led to give money, then give money. If you have felt a tug at your heart about adoption for a while and just haven't made any moves, then start taking some action. Pray for your spouse and you to be on the same page. Oh, to think if everyone would adopt one child, how many lives that would save. I know it's not for everyone, but I think it's probably for more people than we allow ourselves to think.

Christmas Eve...

We had a nice relaxing, but FULL Christmas Eve. That morning we had some cleaning up to do, then we made sugar cookies that we had been meaning to make all week. They love rolling out that dough and using cookie cutters!

We went to our early Christmas Eve service at 2:45, and my mom went with us like she usually does. It was nice and the kids enjoyed the glow sticks that our church uses instead of candles. How's that for a non-traditional church for ya?!


Then we came back and had lots of appetizer type foods for supper...that's always yummy! Then the kids played out the Christmas story while Geoff read it and then the kids opened presents from my mom and gave her her's.

...Kendall showing Geedi the calender she made for her

...Will made everyone a paper with his name on it for his present. He was soooo proud of this and couldn't wait until morning to give Bo and Noah their's.

...We found out that Bo looooves to open presents and gets very excited over each one!!

....Each of the kids got an instrument and were very excited.

Then the kids iced and decorated the cookies we had made earlier and set some out for Santa. FYI..Mr. Claus hates sweet icing, but Mrs. Claus doesn't mind it a bit. :)

...I held out a while, but then let B and N in on the icing action. They did pretty good and were serious about their work.

the calm before the storm...

Interactive Christmas Party...

Our friends threw a fun Christmas party where each family has one of the letters of Christmas and has to plan something interactive for everyone to do with that letter. Our family had "H" so we had 4 dads come up and do a "Holiday Hoedown." It was pretty funny! Lots of the kids got into it too (there was some great music!) and Bo and Noah were right there in the mix. They love to break it down!!

Another family had another letter and Geoff was called up to 'volunteer' for this one. The kids got to make him into Santa with shaving cream. Geoff usually is not a big fan of this type of 'fun,' but he was a trooper. For the kids, I'm sure. :) L and K had looks of pure glee when they got to put shaving cream on his face.

Then they had to throw some cereal in it and the dad with the most cereal in his beard won. Will got into the action on this part.

What a good sport...

The Champions! Yep, they won. A $10 Starbucks gift card, which we plan to go use this week and get everyone some hot chocolate! Yum.

Visiting Grandmaw Chickie...

We went to visit my Grandmaw on Tuesday with my mom. She lives about an hour away in an assisted living place. It was her first time meeting her newest grandsons and she enjoyed showing them off to all her friends. Luke and Kendall played their Christmas piano songs in the lobby and attracted a little crowd, which they liked. :) We ate lunch at Pizza Hut and used their Book-It coupons. Those are great!! Anyway, it was nice to spread some Christmas cheer to some older folks.

This is my mom with Bo...

Me and my wild men...

Grandmaw Chickie with 5 of her great-grandchildren...