Praying for Cole

Yesterday, my brother Will called to invite us out for breakfast. I jumped at the chance since we were cleaning out closets and going to work on landscaping (all while DH was still golfing).

He wanted to go to Denny's - in a town a few miles away - but the kids wanted McDs.

Well, we talked them into Denny's...only to find out while we were eating that our nephew had been admitted to the hospital in the same town!!!

I love how God puts us where we need to be.

We ran to Walmart to get him some goodies (candy and 4wheeler mags)

Cole has been admitted for suspected pneumonia, he was doing well when we visited and hoped to go home later in the afternoon. It is not pneumonia and he was kept overnight, suspect something viral. I hope that today is a better day for him.

Sam was not sure what to think, pretty sure he has never seen Cole in bed. This kid is always on the move, mostly working on the farm.

I was trying to get him to look pitiful in the pic-but you can still see his {grin.}

I am thankful he still had a smile to give us.

A little fuzzy, but the rest of the crew enjoyed a place to play.
And the pediatric unit with all its mirrors!

Cole, We love you and lift you up in prayer. We thank God for his watching hand over you as you recover...

When daddy's away...

Mama and her boys will play.

{Oh, and go to work to, but hurry home to play!}

We ate grandma's birthday cupcakes for breakfast.

We invited all our friends over for supper that night to have

egg sandwiches with us.

See, Sam got out every clean bowl that was in the drawer ...
We got into our new jammies early that night and watched Bob the Builder 2 times.
No baseball or Sports Center on our TV this night.

And we had a sleep over in mama's room with our sleeping bags.

And after Blake and Morgan's vball game last night {Joe fell asleep on the way home}

Sam, I repeat, Sam ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a hot dog on it?!?

Ok, so it was partly my fault. I asked if he wanted a PB&J and he replied yes.

I went to fix it and realized we were out of bread, but had hot dog buns.

Well, I made it with the bun to which he replied

Where's the dog?

So I gave it to him.

He ate it and giggled the whole time.

Daddy, We hope you enjoyed golfing. A well deserved break! Love Mama and the boys

Stop, Safety

In light of the recent events at preschool on Tuesday

{see my last post if confused}

We wore these shirts to preschool today.

Sam's teachers loved his shirt.

Oh, and that policeman that Sam talked to at preschool.

He stopped by mama's work to give her a hard time.

Good thing it is a small town.

9/22

Today was mama's day off.

It is usually Thursday, so needless to say, Monday was much easier this week!

After preschool we were on the go. I am doing a candy buffet for my dear friend Allison's wedding next weekend, so we headed out to get supplies.

First sign you are on the go too much?

Kids are pros at happy meals in the car.

Makes me sad if I really stop to think about it. {sigh}

Then Sam decided we would make cupcakes for someone special.

He even picked the PINK mix.

That's right today is Joe's favorite person's birthday.
Grandma,
We love you for how you love us.
All you do for us.
Such a blessing you are.

Grandma and Sam ...March 2006
Guatemala City, Guatemala.

More on Preschool

Sam is in his 3rd week of preschool.

He likes it. Can't wait until he loves it. Takes him awhile to warm up.

He wouldn't stay last Tues. {He cried.}

{I cried, too.} I felt bad for making him do something he didn't want to.

But thankfully Grandma came and encouraged him and he went a few minutes late.

He came to see me at work after and was all smiles.

Then last Thurs. and today were a snap.

Today they talked about cars and safety.

He told his teachers that we did not have car seats.

{And that his mom speeds.} Nice.

This picture is from Sunday School last week.

I love it.

Sam knows his letters well. I have been reinforcing them by repeating the letters they have done so far and their association. We also have a bible verse to learn every week from Sunday School.

This Guy

I love

{this guy}.

and

I love

{this guy}

Evil Thomas the Train

Thomas the Train looks pretty sweet.

I have always liked that my kids liked him.

But, mixed in morning hair, he becomes evil. Really evil.

I was just trying to let my 2 year old have fun on mama's lap.
Could have used you at home this morning DH.
I had to cut it out.

Yuck and Ouch.

Sam slept thru the whole thing.

Giggled when I told him the story and was distraught that something was stuck in his train.

What about mama?

Lincoln Log Wars

Our Tuesday night entertainment.

Joe helped Mama, Daddy helped Sam.

Grandpa-Great

Nothing better than riding with Grandpa-Great.

Just ask Joe

or

Grandpa-Great

{wink, smile}

Mama's a Winner!

i am a WINNER.

the real kind of WINNER.

A big ol' thanks to my blog pal Donna from

http://twoheartsinguatemala.blogspot.com/

who has some Wild Adventures with her twin boys

adopted from Guatemala and her two older, very handsome boys!

She had a give-a-way and I was selected.

It arrived yesterday as I was cleaning up the garage.

Tons of wrapping paper and note cards.

I dug right in and made the photo frame below using

1 note card and then wrapped it in this paper!

I can't wait to give it to my friend at her shower today!

Thanks Donna, I love it!

I should send you a thank you...if I only had the right paper...

A Place to Park

I have never been so excited about a completed project.

I have a place to park.

A place that when I pull in doesn't make me cringe with disgust

or wonder what lies behind the stuff piled on the floor.

Welcome to My garage!

And just so you can understand where I am coming from,

a before picture

{and this is after we hauled a truckload to the dump}

We had so much help.
The kind of {help} you get from kids
and
the kind of {help} you get from your parents - thanks grandma and papaw.

Trying out the new rack as bunk beds
I {love} it. A place for everything.

A very special addition for DH. I made him a place for a treasured keepsake.

What is it you ask? Any guesses???

It is his first finished roll of tape from his adding machine at his first job.

Corny I know, but he is really good at details, this just proves it.

And a special place for his fishing gear.

I like this rod & reel. I might have to test drive it.

{Wonder} what a mess I could make of it?

All the cabinets look like this and

I know what and where every single item in this garage is...

today

And I did all the decorating while DH put the boys down for a nap.

What a great place to pull into after a long day at work-

a place I am finally proud to call my garage!

Case Closed

That is what she said. Our social worker - CASE CLOSED.
Our adoption case is closed.
We will be moved to the finished files.

Yesterday we went to meet with our social worker to complete our final required report for Joe's adoption. We have been doing this, reports, updates, meetings with our sweet social worker for 4 years now.
What a wonderful 4 years.
All 4 years filled with emotional roller coaster rides, but wrapped up by the promise of God.

For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
2 corninthians 1:20

My heart pounded as she said those words. Closed? Really?
Well, ok, then.
I felt sad. Like the promising time was behind us, like there was no more good times to come.
But then I realized the promising times are really just beginning.

A family brought together by adoption, but not defined by adoption.

Just a daddy, mama, and 2 sweet brothers...waiting to see what God has in store.

Thanks be to God.

Joe's Wee Walker

Remember I mentioned Joe pulled the barstool down on top of him as I stood right next to this and grabbed and reached and it all seemed like it was happening in slow motion.....

Well, that turned into this.

Shortly after it happened, we cuddled and hugged and dried the tears to which Joe wanted a kiss on his foot.

His foot?

What about his head that hit the wood floor?

Went to pick up Sam, ate lunch and went to work for the rest of the day-not realzing that I had carried Joe the whole way...

20 min after getting back to work - Grandma called and Joe wouldn't walk on his foot.

Called my brother - oh so handy to have an orthopedic NP in the family...

So, he took a look. Torqued and Turned to no reaction from Joe. Went thru Wednesday and Joe still wouldn't walk on his foot, so went down 1st thing yesterday morning - 4 xrays later, still nothing. And we are thankful.

Thankful for no broken bones and a uncle who took such good care of us.

And gave us a wee-walker boot, yeah, my 2 year old loved that...

He screamed all the way to McD where I thought I might bribe him with yummy breakfast or even the video games. Nope, he was not to be distracted by this thing on this foot - and all the other patrons knew it.

So, I gave in, thought we would try later. And here is the happy boy with his shoe back...
The day went on, a big day at that. A post for later.
And the little stinker finally hobbled on his foot,but refuses to come near the boot.
Poor guy:{

Sam goes to Preschool

1st day of Preschool

Sam was so excited for his 1st day of preschool. He could barely sleep the night before and was up bright and early. It is hard for me to believe that my little man is this big. Little bro Joe was pretty proud of Sam too.

He wanted to dash to the car.
As we rounded the corner towards the preschool he said, "but, i want to go to the other school (sunday school)

{oh, no}

But it quickly faded as we pulled into park, there was his cousin Drew.

We hurried in the door, got them settled in. They ran off to play right away and out the door was Drew's mom. I took that as my queue and reluctantly followed since Sam was o.k. :{

Joe and I went home to wait on time to pick up Sam. I did some laundry and organizing. Joe flipped the bar stool over on top of him {more later on that one}. And the time finally came. As soon as he saw us he was jumping out of his seat, but had to wait until we were 1st at the doorway. He came running and reached up to give us a kiss {sweet...}

And we celebrated over Los Bravos (sam's choice) with Grandma. We talked about his 1st day of school craft - the apple & worm above. The letter A - cheerios for snack.

And I knew he loved it

&

I no longer have 2 toddlers, but 1 toddler & 1 preschooler.