Happy Birthday and New Year's Eve

Today is my Mom's birthday!

Happy Birthday MiMi!!!!

The boys and I met my mom and sister for lunch to start the celebration! I tried to get a few pitcures to capture this day, but the boys had other plans! The photo below is the best one of all three of them.

They were "horsing around" so much that MiMi gave in and they all made a silly face!

After lunch, I had Jack take a photo of all three of us...he is

a pretty good photographer to be five years old.
Where has 2008 gone? It seems like it just started, but when I reflect on this year, I realize that so much has occurred! There are two major things that happened to our family in 2008. The first is that we decided to pursue international adoption. We chose to adopt from Russia and our application was submitted to our agency on March 6th. What a great feeling!!! For about a year and a half, adoption and having a little girl in our family seemed like just a dream. Then one day, the Lord spoke to us, and we realized that our little girl didn't have to be just a dream!!! The second is the heartbreaking loss of my father on April 21st - just six days after my 34th birthday! The last time I saw my dad was on my birthday! It's hard to believe that we are on the brink of a new year starting - a year in which my father will not be here with us. We miss you daddy and think about you every day!!!

MiMi, Brendan and PaPa - Easter 2002

I pray that each of you find faith, peace, health and good fortune in 2009!

A Day with Patsy and Pop

My two boys can just about talk anybody in to anything! Today they stayed with my in-laws while I worked. When I arrived to pick them up, their grandmother was working feverishly to finish these As Seen on TV Sn*ggie$!!! The boys saw an infomercial and asked for one....so they loaded up and went to a fabric store. They each picked out their own fleece, and they had certain specifications like having it closed in the back instead of open! They were actually mad at me because I made them take them off so that we could make a stop on the way home! These new lounge garments were put back on as soon as we got home though! Check out the pictures below, and keep in mind that my MIL is so crafty that she whipped these up in ONE hour!!!

Just a Photo

I have been attacked by a rhinovirus so all I'm posting today is a photo of my boys that my SIL photoshopped for me for Christmas! Thanks J!!!

He Didn't Come Back

Remember this little guy...

Well, he did not fly back to our house for the after Christmas clean-up like I was hoping!

Boxes piled high in the garage...

Items placed on the staircase for safe keeping...

Stuff everywhere...

How did your clean-up go?

From Our House to Yours

We hope you've had a Merry Christmas!

Dad and Jackson making "Reindeer food" on Christmas Eve.

Brendan tossing out the reindeer food.

The boys placing "Santa's Magic Key" on the front porch so that he'll have a way in to our house.

The boys and I (in our Christmas pjs) are getting ready to read Christmas stories before bed.

Christmas Morning

Santa brings the boys three gifts each. This year one of the gifts was a guitar.

The boys also found the "ringing bell" from Santa's sleigh! They were so excited that we all could still hear it ring.

I think Brendan already had some candy in his mouth from his stocking.

This is still my favorite picture of the boys from Christmastime...2004! Aren't they sweet?

We also pray that little Emma had a blessed Christmas, and that she is well taken care of and loved by her caregivers.

Merry Christmas, Y'all!

Rosey and Franklin Wish You

A Very Merry Christmas!!!

Rosey as Santa and Franklin as the Elf

Merry Christmas to You

This is our most recent Christmas card (had to order 3 times..don't ask)! As they say though, the third time's a charm! This is my most favorite of all three.

Merry Christmas!

"Waiting for the Prince of Peace"

This morning at church, our message was titled "Waiting for the Prince of Peace"! Our minister gave a beautiful sermon about how much time we spend waiting on things to happen - from waiting in lines to waiting for things to pop up on the computer. One of my many admitted faults is that I am very impatient. I do not like to wait, but as I sat there this morning, I found myself reflecting on how much time I think about waiting for Emma's referral. A large focus in our family right now is waiting for that "call" - especially this past week. I do know, however, that there will be a wonderful blessing at the end of our long wait just as Baby Jesus' birth was a blessing to all here on earth 2008 years ago just as it is today.

Isaiah 9 (New International Reader's Version)

6 A child will be born to us. A son will be given to us. He will rule over us. And he will be called Wonderful Adviser and Mighty God. He will also be called Father Who Lives Forever and Prince Who Brings Peace. 7 The authority of his rule will continue to grow. The peace he brings will never end. He will rule on David's throne and over his kingdom. He will make the kingdom strong and secure. His rule will be based on what is fair and right. It will last forever. The Lord's great love will make sure that happens. He rules over all.

This afternoon I had the boys draw a nativity scene with Baby Jesus in the manger. Below is a depiction by a seven (the first drawing) and a five year old of the traditional nativity scene.
~ And the angel said unto them, "Fear not! For, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, Which shall be to all people. "For unto you is born this day in the city of David A Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, Lying in a manger. ~ St. Luke 2:10-12
photo borrowed from http://www.links2love.com/

"May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!" ~Author Unknown

Christmas Cards on Display

I absolutely adore Christmas cards. Since we are at the age where almost all of our friends have young children, we receive many cards with attached photographs.

A couple of years ago, I started hanging ribbon from one of the drapery rods in our dining room in order to display these cards. I love being able to see all of those shining faces during the holiday season!

I have not yet perfected a way to afix the cards to the ribbon though. Right now, I am just using packing tape. It works ok, but I am constantly retaping as the cards come loose. I'd appreciate any ideas y'all may have!

Enjoy the photos...

Icing and Candy and Gingerbread Houses

When our friends came to visit this weekend, my girlfriend also brought supplies to make "mini" gingerbread houses using cartons and graham crackers! Did I mention that she is a former elementary school teacher???

The kids were very excited about being able to decorate their own houses! When I did the larger house with my boys, there were a few squabbles over who got to do what - as I'm sure most of you can imagine!

This activity provided about 45 minutes of entertainment which was very nice since it was pretty chilly here this past weekend...not the 68 degrees like it is today.

Before we called everyone to my dining room table a.k.a. craft table, my friend and I prepared the houses and the icing!

The icing was super simple to make...

Below is Lil' Roy ready to go. We used licorice sticks to cover each corner. They fit perfectly!

I have to admit that all children were way more excited about the candy than the decorating. We fielded many questions on what and how much could be consumed.

Below, my girlfriend is helping her son and Lil' Roy with the "glue"!

All the kids did a great job of sharing and "trading" candies. It was sort of like "Go Fish" for gingerbread house making!

We were just a little sneaky. Not until the end did the kids realize the "glue" was actually icing that they could eat! That was on purpose. After that we saw A LOT of finger licking!

And here are Butch and Lil' Roy's mini houses on display beside the original one that we decorated Thanksgiving weekend. Not too bad, huh?

Disappointed but Still Hopeful

Back on November 21st I posted an Adoption Update after speaking with our agency coordinator. You can find that post here.

At that time we decided to file our Dossier in the region of Sakhalin (the island off Russia's coast north of Japan) and our coordinator told us that we should get information on a little referral from Sakhalin by December 10th. So last Wednesday I called the agency very hopeful to hear some good news. I was told, however, that the persons who release information on referrals were all at a conference in Moscow through last weekend. We waited one week, and TheDentist called her back this morning. Now there is about a 5% chance of maybe getting that information released before the new year!!! The Russian government tends to shut down for the holidays from around December 22nd through January 12th. Sigh!!!!

Of course I know that there are MANY ups and downs with adoption! I was just so hopeful that we could hear something before Christmas! What a wonderful Christmas present that would be!!!

" The two most powerful warriors are patience and time."

~Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910 Russian novelist, writer)