Accountability Partner

Do you have an Christian Accountability Partner? I am very lucky to have a great friend who keeps me accountable. Just recently I have been faced with a dilemma and I have prayed and wondered how I need to make this just disappear. After being frustrated with this I asked for help and of course she was a great help and reminded me why I made the choices I made. If you have a friend that you can count on for anything you are truly blessed.

Christian accountability partner is someone that actively listens, has a non-judgemental attitude, encouraging, and very caring. We are helpful to one another and allow us to remember the fundamentals as to Christians are accountable to one another. This is my friend and I thank her for all the times she is there for me :)

More Christmas Pictures

These are from my SIL she loves to take pictures of the kids and they love posing for her.

Christmas

A little Kung Fu Christmas Style

Daddy and me

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Christmas Eve "M" got to visit with all her grandparents then it was back to my parents for Christmas. We all sat around the tree and read the story Twas the Night Before Christmas, drank egg nog, cracked an assortment of mixed nut. Steve and I have a tradition where we always open a present on Christmas Eve. I could hardly wait to let "M" open all her presents this was a great Christmas and the last Christmas she would have with us without siblings so we made it a Christmas to remember. She was so excited about Santa coming we did not even have to tell her it was time for bed she was ready to sprinkle the reindeer food and put out cookies, milk and carrots then she ran into the bedroom and jumped into bed. She said her prayers that night and asked God to keep Santa safe and to please bring her baby sister with her presents Amen.

Truly Blessed

The other day I received a phone call from one of my dearest friends. She said I have something for you. I was was excited I said thanks what is it she said I do not really know. I became a little puzzled. If you got it for me (giggling) how could you not know what it is. She said it is not from me. I said who is it from she said she could not tell me. What I said. This is where the blessing comes in..... She told me it was an envolpe for Steve and I and they took up a love offering at our church for baby "K". (I have tears when I am typing this) I was speachless on the phone then the tears began. She proceeded to tell me that so many people have been touched by what Steve and I have been doing and how hard we have worked. (more tears still speachless)

Words can not even define to you how greatful we are. Over the past year and half to two years Steve and I have met the most incredible people. We have been truly blessed with great freindships it is amazing what God can do in your life when you let him take control and remove obstacles in your life.

Getting ready for Santa

Christmas a wonderful time of the year baking cookies, unwrapping tons of ornaments, shopping like little elves, parties, decorating, friends and family get together. This year was a little different then the past 3 years as if we did not have Audrey with us we were somewhat sad when we were decorating but remembered that she chose a family to love her. In that we found comfort and realized God was good. We were also hoping that baby "K" would have been home you would think after more than 20 months of waiting we would have a least a referral.

On with the festivities!!! We went to go get our tree and I vowed that this year I did not need a 12 foot tree that I would cut back and go smaller more economical (Dave Ramsey style). Well I tried but I love picking real trees. Steve has tried for the last 2 years to get me to convert to an artificial tree but I will not could even think about it. Family traditions are very important to me. So we get the real tree and it is fat and 12 feet tall. All I can say is "M" picked it out this year so I was in the clear with daddy he could not say no to his princess :)

Thanksgiving

A Thanksgiving full of magical dreams that came true for a little 4 year old. We spent 5 fun filled days at Disney's Magic Kingdom and had a Thanksgiving feast with Mickey and the gang. Wow is all I can say. Disney can put on a dinner and a show. "M" got to dance with all the characters. I do not know who had more fun me or "M". Steve always said I am nothing but a big kid. This was so much fun and no mess to clean up I think we will do it again next year. "M" had so much fun she said this was the "bestest" time in her whole life. Memories are priceless I love the holidays. Can't wait for 2009 when the girls will be together for the holidays! Bring on 2009!!!!

Happy Anniversary

This past year has been another wonderful year of marriage to a great man. This anniversary was a little different I had to fly out to Chicago early in the morning for a week so we will celebrate when I get back. We have had such a great year. God has blessed our marriage so much and we so thankful for all he has done. I had wished for the referral of our daughter but I know that Gods plan for her was not ready yet so we will continue to be patient. His plan for our lives has been far better than ours.

Happy Sweet 16!!!!!

Audrey turned Sweet 16 today. We could not be more proud of this sweet young lady. Yes, she is growing up right before our eyes. It is hard to believe that 3 ½ years ago she was not even a teenage and now she is learning to drive. We love you Audrey!!!!!

Halloween

It turned out to be a beautiful night for princesses and fairies to dress up and run all around. Kids look forward to this night all year long. Little “M” was Princess Belle this year and wanted to go out only with mom and dad this year which really surprised the both of us. She is really about her friends most of the time. We really did not mind we enjoyed having her all to ourselves and just walking and walking and walking did I mention that we walked. Yes, we walked probably close to 3 miles now little “M” of course did not she had a coach to ride in unlike her parent who need the exercise.

She loved the talking part when she went to the door she would just carry on conversations and tell the people in our neighborhood all kinds of stories. You can tell she is my daughter. We called it quits around 10:00 and headed home we were exhausted I am sure she would have kept going if we would have let her.

Pumpkin Carving

The night before Halloween we had a pumpkin carving contest. It was mom and “M” against Daddy. Let the carving begin. The girls decided to use a pattern of a cute face and daddy went for the free style. We had so much fun. “M” decided when she was gutting the pumpkin she was removing all the sins from the pumpkin. She told us we were making the pumpkin clean.

Later that night we washed the seeds there were hundreds and hundreds and then laid them all out to dry. We were going to attempt to roast the seeds she loves nuts and seeds sometimes we think she is a bird. We got a good recipe from the web. I have to admit this was the first pumpkin I have ever carved and I have to say it was great fun I can not wait till next year to do it again. This time it will be with two girls and many more pumpkins we will have our own patch.

Pony Days

Fall days are so much fun at school and “M” is in Pre-K and her school has such great fun activities this time of year. For Fall they do a festival, pumpkin patch trip and pony days. The kids all dress up in jeans and hats and get to ride ponies. We had a great time. I volunteer a lot in class this year I love working with the kids. I guess that is one of the gifts God gave me is working with kids I just love it especially craft time as long as I do not have to come up with the idea. “M” loves me to come into her class and help.

Also, we took a field trip to the pumpkin patch at a local church that sells pumpkins to raise money for missions. The children had a great time. They had face painting and heard pumpkin stories, but I think the best time they had was seeing who could pick up the biggest pumpkin it was quite funny to see the little arms try to hug these huge pumpkins :)

Dad took her to the Fall festival I was in Pennsylvania at a conference, but I had a little fun of my own starting Christmas shopping but I sure missed them.

Dinner and a Movie

Our girl’s mission group hosted an outreach event for all of our girls in action and their friends who do not attend our church. Miss “M” wants to be a GA so bad she can’t stand it. (she has to wait 2 more years) I take her to a lot of my events because she loves to be with mom and wants to be with the older girls (she thinks she is 10). She is a fabulous helper and the older girls just love all over her and of course she loves the attention. These events are really good for her because they teach her about serving, girls fellowship, and mom’s participating in Christian based events other than scheduled church times.

Shopping

Shopping is a bad habit of mine. I love to shop. I am a BIG bargain shopper especially since we are on the Dave Ramsey budget. Since we are almost completely debt free and China is saved and paid for I decided to go shopping for new clothes today. I have been needing to do this for some time. I am behind in styles and so on. Well I knew I need to plan and search for the sales. My two favorite places to shop are Chico's and TJ Maxx. Both have great deals. Well today Chico's had a blowout sale so I stocked up. I had the best time I have never tried on so many clothes and everything fit and looked great so guess what I bought it all. That is so not me. I guess I went a little over board but I will tell I will be in style. The best part Steve will like is I will no longer be sporting my signature color of all black. This is a change for me, but it is time for a new look he has been begging for a year now and I have taken him up on the offer.

Even though I bought a ton of stuff it was on major clearance and Anna was so sweet she gave me an additional discount. What a fun day!!!

Thankful Thursday!!!!

I am very thankful for coupons we could not have done our debt free venture without them. I have met some of the coolest moms over the past year who have taught me how to shop and I am so thankful for that. Our family has never had such a stock pile of necessities and cleaning supplies. I rarely buy generic because I do not have to because it costs less to buy name brand. Groceries our pantry is so full I have moved to the floor to store can goods and boxes. Our freezers are packed full. We eat at home every night so the food gets used up quickly and rotated. With the smarter shopping I have cut our shopping bill at least in half plus we are getting way more than we use to and I am able to stock pile and help other families even though our other resources have been low. God is good.

Wordless Wednesday!!!!

Wait and Weight

These have both been a struggle for me lately. Waiting for little “K” is getting harder as the holidays are approaching. Miss M asks daily when are we leaving for my sister I want her to come home. We tell her so do we sweetie. We will be leaving before you know it.

Weight has found a place on my hips. Over the past year I have increased in size. You know that feeling when you put your pants on and they are tight they are all tight. Since the accident, I have not felt like exercising or exerting a lot of energy well there you have it, so the weight increases. Now I have to do something. I have been on a plan for about a month to change habits and routines and it is starting to pay off. I am hoping all the extra weight plus more will be gone by the time our China wait is over. There is good news with these waits (weights) Steve has lost weight J

Pumpkin Patch

Miss “M” loves to decorate she is all about the different seasons. The other night she had her little friend Sara spend the night and we went to dinner (TGIF) and the pumpkin patch. The girls wanted to get pumpkins and decorate the house for Fall. They had a great time touching I think every pumpkin in the patch. We left the patch with 4 pumpkins 1 huge pumpkin, 3 medium ones, corn, gourds and wheat. The best part of paying for all of this is the money went to missions so I did not feel the least bit bad spending this money. The girls loved the warty pumpkin they got and we thought they were going to rub all the spots off before they got back home.

Let the decorating begin now they wanted scarecrows, flowers, hay and the whole nine yards so I knew we were going to be busy all morning on Saturday. I am so glad she loves the holidays they are my favorite time of the year.

Reunion

Each year our adoption agency does a reunion and we love to go and meet new families and catch up with old friends. This year they are holding it at a Park in Orlando FL. We are all excited to get away because we really have not been any real trips since we started our beans and rice budget. We are only going down for 3 days because I have to fly out for business for a week. The reunion party is only really one day which is Saturday. So we will have time to shop and go to Downtown Disney. The events are a lot of fun we get to meet some of the staff and the directors and I am hoping to get to meet some of the people in our YAHOO groups. We will not have time to visit Disney but we will be back in December for several days to visit the parks.

Mommy Moments

I love mommy moments :) The other day Miss M was given the greatest compliment from the staff at her school they said she had such a loving and giving heart she goes out of her way to make a shy little girl feel included. The teachers could not get her to talk tor play with anyone but M stopped playing with her regular friends and went and sat day after day with this little girl until she opened up. She would tell he stories, walk with her to the bathroom, bring her little gifts etc... Needless to say today they said the little girl has started to come out of her shell. I am so proud of M. My proud Mommy moment.