It's Coffee Time!!!

Our Adoption Part II (view this post second)

Our Adoption Part II

 

 

Swearing us in (pretending)

 

Judge Baker Signing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's official

Friends and Family

Our Adoption Part I (view this one first)

Quote of the day:

When I do set time aside to notice God's presence, his grace becomes more evident each day.
~Sabbath Presence  by Kathleen Casey
American writer, present day

Our Adoption

Here we are waiting outside the courthouse.

 

Brandon, Daniel, Xander, Brady and Emerald

 

Family

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boyce and Jaden

 

Billy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here we all are waiting inside the courthouse.

Brandon, Jaden and Boyce (Itty is chewing on his sock) Yuck!!!

 

These people were a big part of the whole process for us

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brady and Jaden's Doctor and Nurse. The Dr. delivered Bun.

 

The courtroom is filling up!!!

The BIG Day!!!

Quote of the day:

Thursday, July 16

Real courage is when you know you are licked before you begin, but you begin anyway.

~TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, By Harper Lee
American writer, present day

This quote of the day seems really fitting for us today.  January 13th 2007 we had a 10 month old baby dropped on our doorsteps.  (of course that is just a figure of speech).  And then we picked a baby up at the hospital on February 13th, 2008.  He was 2 days old.  And now today is our big day.  We welcome them into our family. We had held our breaths long enough.  It was a roller coaster ride that is finally done.  Hurray!!!

This is our song for our Family.  Especially how we grow it!!!

11 Welcome to the Family

 

Bun and Itty

This is an old picture but I realized I haven't been able to post any so this is the one that shows their personalities the best.  Plus I love this one.  I used this one for our invites.  Yeah the invites I didn't have time to hand out it has been so busy around here.  Tina came in last night and Dad(Bob) got in yesterday afternoon.  And today is FINALLY here!!!

Welcome to our family Brady and Jaden. 

We love you very much!!!

PS I love you!!!

Quote of the day:

A love without silence is a love without depth.
~PROVERB

Sorry for hanging up so quickly Dan!  I love you!!!  And no the big 
boys didn't end up dunking Bun in the tub.  I saved him in time.  LOL
I'm loving you!

VBS

Quote of the day:

Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers.
~GENERAL COLIN POWELL
American statesman, present day


VBS started here in town.  I never have to 'sell' Daniel on going.  He's such a joiner 
and he loves doing things with other kids.  Brandon on the other hand doesn't like to 
do anything!!!  It sucks to the point where he never will try new things.  Monday 
morning I dropped Daniel off, came home, told Brandon which girls from his class were 
there and he jumped up and down asking if it was to late to go.  I thought it was 
hilarious and it took me two seconds to get in the car.  I did not want him to change 
his mind before I got him there so I wasted no time at all.  Of course if you ask him 
he'll tell you he wanted to go because one of his friends was there.  
Ha!  I know better!!!  I just can't believe my son is actually starting to like girls 
in that way. At least I don't  have to beg him to go.  He got right up and didn't 
argue about going this morning.  We'll see what tomorrow brings.  

Vacation @ Tina's

Quote of the day:

Those who thank God much are the truly wealthy.

~Albert Schweitzer
German medical missionary and theologian, 20th century

The drive to Tina's was nice.  Itty was running a fever.  We ended up taking him to the Emergency Room and he had an ear infection.  Mum and I had colds but we got here ok.  We didn't have time to go to Tina's before graduation so we went right over to the college.  I had to leave with the kiddos as soon as she got her degree.  Brandon ended up catching some kind of bug and so did Travis, Emerald, Tina and Mum.  By then my cold had gone away so taking care of Brandon for two days ended up being fine.  Ok so here are some pictures of the kids having fun while we are here. 

 

 

Brandon playing in Matante's front yard

 

 

 

 

Bradon playing Emerald's guitar in Tina's front yard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daniel in a tree

Daniel hanging out in Tina's tree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uncle Stan having fun with the boys

A trip to Tina's wouldn't be a trip to Tina's without Uncle Stan doing something fun with the boys.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are just a few of the fun things we've done here so far.  I would post a picture of Tina's graduation but I didn't get any good ones off my camera.  I'll post one later with the other activities we've done so far.  We are heading home tomorrow so we can be home for Father's Day.   

Papa & Brandon working hard in the yard

Papa and Brandon working hard in the yard. 

 

 

Brandon & Papa

The boys run water down the hill and they ALWAYS get in trouble from Hubby for washing the hill away.  We drive our four wheelers, dirt bikes and regular bikes down the hill but with it washed away someone can get hurt.  So Papa and Bradon worked together to refill the hole.  Papa filled the dump truck up and Brandon dumped it in the holes.  It really was cute seeing how they worked together.  And I'm feeling really greatful to have him still around.  It had been a really rough two years for him.  Two heart attacks, a stroke and cancer.  We all feel really greatful to have him around. 

Brandon & Papa

 

 

More fun before vacation started

Quote of the day:

When life gives you scraps, make quilts.

~UNKNOWN

 

 

Daniel

Brandon

We went to a carnival.  The way I look at it....we have had a kick butt start of summer.  We did that the weekend before we left.  I took my mother over my mother-in-law's house and we took advantage of the carnival being in her town. 

 

Brandon & Daniel

Brandon and Daniel and Itty got to come with us.  Baby (who we now call Bun) was home sick sick sick!!!  I felt so bad for the poor kid. 

 

 

Brandon & Daniel

 

 

 

 

They had so much fun.  We all shared Elephant Ears.  We call it Indian fry bread and growing up we called it gullets.  We used to eat them on Friday's during Lent.

Lilac Garden, Caves and the Family Rainbow

 

Quote of the day:

Silence is the wellspring of creation. A feast of silence is the only way into the understanding of nature.

To listen to silence is to expand the spirit and cure the soul.

~Diana Beresford-Kroeger
Scientist, present day

 

After we dropped Dad off at the airport we stopped over to one of my favorite places on the face of the earth.  I knew Mum would love it too.  I figured she hadn't seen a lilac since she left the east coast.  So we all had breakfast in the garden.  It was awesome!!!

Lilac Garden

Mummy at the Lilac Garden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also had started taking Bike Rides in the evening.  I took out our trailer that goes behind my bike for the two small kiddos. 

 

We took a trip up to the Gardener Caves.  Our excitement was a dead bat.  That is all Bun talks about....going back and seeing the dead bat.

 

Dead Bat at the Gardner Caves

 

Family Rainbow

We saw this on one of our afternoon drives.  Probably fromn a doctor's appointment. 

 

Award Assembly

Brandon and the Principal

Before School let out there was an assembly.  Brandon and our 7 year old won Principal awards.  I was the proud momma!!!!

Brandon and his best friend Benny and two other class mates

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are the 4 kiddos in Brandon's class who won one also.

On a different note:  The girl and the boy who won the American Legion Americanism Essay Contest who we chose won on the state level also so I was at the assembly to also see her presented with her certificate.  It was so cool.  Now they go onto Division and they compete in their catagory from 11 different states.