My Little Sis is getting married

Tonight all of us brides maids met for a little dinner at the local steak house. It is still amazing to me that my little sister is really getting married. There are Ten Years between the two of us. I have many memories of spoiling her rotten when she was little. I guess that is probebly why she still gets pretty much anything she wants. Her wedding is coming up very soon, and will take place at my moms house in her back yard, I just know it is going to be beautiful.

Foto Friday!

Grace loves our Tiger...he loves her too...This is one cat that puts up with ALOT!

He lets her know when he has just simply had ENOUGH!

Have a Fabulous Friday and great weekend! FYI, he does not bite her, he just gives his warning.

International Exchange Program

We found out through some good friends that the college in our area is trying to organize host families for International Exchange students. They would still live at the dorm, but we would be their host family, and spend time with them. It reminded us of our precious time last year with Woungbi(he was also and exchange student from South Korea and picture above). We miss him terribly. He will always have a very special place in our heart and be a part of our family forever. The photo above is a stop we made while we were all going to get Gracie.

We were excited about this program and the opportunity to get to know more students from Korea. So last night we attended the program and mingled around talking to the students. We connected strongly to a girl from Korea and also a girl from China. Funny thing too is when we were talking to some of the very fun Korean guys they knew Woungbi. About 5 of them know him. It will be amazing to see who they match us with for the time they are here. I woke up this morning praying for them and the changes or culture shock they may experience. Now we will see who God brings to our family! Hopefully we will know very soon.......I encourage many of you to call your colleges that are near you and find out if they have a program like this so you can connect with a student! It is life changeing for both of you.

All you need is a Leaf!

While the other two kids are in school now, I am really able to spend some great quality time with Gracie. I believe even though the first couple days she was looking for her brother and sister, she is now totally enjoying this new "all about me" time with her mommy. I love being with her! She is sunshine in my day. This will be precious time with her. I know how fast time goes. Yesterday we went to the park to play, really all she needed was this huge leaf she found blowing in the wind. Her big thing now is to smell the "flowers"....although I would not clasify a leaf as a flower, I think she sure does. She gave me the sign that it smells yummy :-). Of course she brought it to me to smell also. Yum yum..that smells good, I said.

She would not crack a smile for me...It was all too serious with the water behind her and my keys in tow....She would rather play with my things than toys anyday.

Have a Beautiful God Filled Day!!

This flower is from my front yard.....God is amazing!

First Day of School!

Today was the first day back to school for Bailey and Amanda. This was Amandas first year of good ol' middle school. She has a wopping 4 kids in her class including herself. The attention they will get will be amazing, and the teachers at the school soar with all the students. It is so great. Bay is a 7th Grader now,....it was hard to see both of them going into the same building of middle school today. I was sad last night....yes sad! IM one of those moms that loves my kids being home during the summer. We love our summers, they are so layed back and we just enjoy every minute of it. With this summer being one of the records coolest summers we did not feel like we had much of good weather. I would like to do it over please!! This morning I woke up with a pit in my stomach. IT was hard for them to say bye to Gracie this morning too. I knew it would be. ..especially for Amanda. For me...well another new chapter. Two older kids in school and now a little one home with me again. I will begin to figure out how to juggle my business and all that comes with that and being home with Grace at the same time. I have this whole month to prepare for dance classes to begin which will be very nice. Im looking forward to my one on one time with my little sweetie pie too. Twice today she went looking for Nan Nan (amanda). But after her nap we went back to pick them up and she was a happy camper to see them!

Bay being a little show off!!

Here is Grace in Nan nan's arms. She about leaped out of mine to go to her!

Well first day of school down....how many more to go??

Life is Good!!

BECAUSE....I am a big girl on my slide...I love my family...I love all the attention I get....I am a charmer.....I am pretty sure I have them all wrapped around my little finger....When I say ahhhh, my mom knows what it is I want...I can eat all big people things.....I love all food.....I love to be read to......I love to cuddle and hug on animals and babies....I play well with others.....and most of all I know I am a child of God......Life is Good!

hummm, let me think about this....

weeeeeeeeee fun.....

Happy Saturday All! Have a great weekend!

Life is a Journey...

Jeremiah 29:11 says

"For I know the Plans I have for you declares the Lord, Plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans for Hope and a Future".

As the school year approaches very soon, I was lucky to get my kids out for a picture today. Grace however was not really in the mood, so we may try some more tonight ...also when it is not so bright outside may be best. My heart is a bit heavy today since school starts up next week...carpooling, busier schedules, etc..We all feel the crunch at the beginning of the school year. Grace is so attached to her brother and sissy, that I know she will spend the first week probably looking for them. We have decided to send them to Christian school again this year. They have both attended this school since they were in the first grade and they love it there. Each year we hit this cross road and have to look at all the financial cuts we have to make in order to make it work. It is hard, but somehow we make it work out. It is important to them, and to us. I guess when something is important you sacrifice other "things".

Playing with Photography

Finally I got a new professional camera! I have wanted to learn more about potography forever and ever. Finally I made the investment. I have a longggg ways to go and so much to learn, but it was fun tonight to take my most beautiful model...Amanda and one of her friends on a fun photo shoot. The girls loved it so much. Tomarrow I plan on taking my three kiddos out to get some new pics. Here are just a few of the pics I got tonight.

4 months home today!

Wow, can you believe Our little GRACIE has been home now for 4 months? It is amazing to me how much she has settled in and her personality is sooo amazing. She has stolen our hearts and the hearts of many of our friends and family completly and totally. We love her so much! Even though she grew in my heart and not my tummy, it feels NO different at all! The feeling is the exact same! It is amazing and powerful how Gods design works out perfectly when you listen and say yes to his calling! Do you suppose he will be calling us to do it again??....

Grace is always climbing onto, or into something. She knows which cabinets are hers, and this one ...well she just decided she would climb into.

She loves her slide and playing outside. It is great now that she is fully walking. She can walk all over and explore, climb, and slide!

Happy 4 Months Home Baby Girl! We love you more than words can express!

"Us" Time

Boy it seems like forever since we have had some time to just us! I know that is how life can get sometimes. But we have realized after tonight we need to do it more often...more often than once a year or two! I know we are pathetic. We are not ones that have even really gotten sitters for our kids...it seems too hard, and we don't have family around that can help out once in a blue moon, so we have always just done it all! and we wear ourselves out doing it most the time. Tonight we were invited to a wedding/reception/dance. I had some things I had to do today which made us miss the wedding, but we did make it to the reception/dance. We stayed for just a bit, but that "bit" was wonderful! When my hubby finally asked me to dance a slow dance with him, we both realized wow, we need to find more "us" time because this was great! After two slow dances we decided we better head home. Date nights are important and we just need to do it more often. ....I hope you are all finding time with your spouse..a little time together goes a longgg way.

Forts, butterflys, puppets, wigs, and no braces!

Grace adores her sister and brother. She asks for them first thing in the morning. I know if I take her with me to wake them in the morning, they will not wine. They just look at Grace and smile and kiss her! Should work great when school starts.

Are we in love or what!

Butterflys are always all over my flowers...they are so pretty

amanda has been bugging daddy all summer (really for years) for a fort to play in. Mom came up with the brilliant idea to build one in our garage rafters. So to work they all went, and as the day went on, the fort kept getting bigger. Id have to say after it was all done..it is a place I would hang out....maybe get some me time in somehow. :-) The kids put carpet, posters, lamps and a fan up there. Since this has been a much cooler summer, they have gotten to play up there alot. Pretty fun!

Amanda and her neighbor friend with silly wigs on!! The puppets are adorable, but Grace hated them like crazy..

Is this livin or what? Grace totally in lazy mode on her new couch, little juice and her favorite video...live is good!

Amanda..so proud of her new smile! The braces came off the other day, and she has not stopped smiling! After she got them off we were walking out and I told her that she had a million dollar smile. She said, "well mom acually it is a 5,000 $$ smile!"

We love it when....12 things we love...

Seems that it is "blog tradition" when a child turns one is to name 12 things (for 12 months old) that we love about Grace...here they are. We love it when.....

1. When she gives me a hug and says awhhhh and pats your back - by big sissy

2. When she makes her scrunchy nose face at me! When she sees me in the moring and has a huge smile on her face and says mum ma- by mom

3. When she meets me at the door with a big smile and tons of excitement after Im done with work- by dad

4. When I make her laugh and giggle, when she calls my name to play "bay" - by big brother

5. When she comes to my bedroom door and says Nan Nanda (for amanda)- by big sissy

6. When she plays peek a boo out of the blue-by big sissy

7. When she will walk up to me and give me a big hug, or want to be in her front pack to cuddle with me-by mom

8. When she gives me kisses- by mom

9. When she will copy anything I do -big sissy

10. When she sits on my lap to read book and cuddle - by mom

11. When she sleeps in past 8 on a saturday morning - by dad

12. When the sun comes up and we see your smiling face. We love that God brought you to us, and us to you! We are blessed to have you as our sweet daughter, we love you with all our hearts, and every day you bring fun and excitement to the whole family!

Thanks Friends and Family for...

Thank you everyone for celebrating with us on Gracies special First Birthday! It was so special that you came and it really meant the world to us. So many of you supported and lifted us up in prayers while we waited for our sweetie to join our family, so it was extra special to have you here with us on this great day!

Here is just a few of us hanging out while the guys were putting toys together!

I couldn't resist and had to post just a couple more of Grace at the party table.

I borrowed my Korean dress from my friend Vicki.

More Birthday Pictures....

My baby is One !
In my first post on the birthday party I did not tell you all the fun details of the party...so here it goes....We started out the big party with about 35 of our friends and family! It was so special to have them all here with us. Terry started out with a prayer for Grace and many laid hands on her also. He said one of the most special prayers I have ever heard and of course it made me cry! Then we took some pictures of Grace with her special table. When it came time to pick things from her tol table, she chose money first , (wealth), and then a spoon (great cook).."I think she was really saying she was hungry"!. Then we changed into some more comfortable cloths and had tons of food outside. We thought since it was nice and so many people that keeping all the food eating outside would be the best.

Here is a pic of Grandma and Grandpa with Grace. They helped tremendously to help get the decorations and food ready.

My precious kiddos! I love them so very much!

Cake time!! Grace had her own little cake to dig into. At first she was so gentle with it all, and like she did not want to break something. We had to help her dig in! She was soo cute that is for sure.

This pic was later after most people left...some of our good friends stuck around to help put together toys. Don't ya just love how long it takes to put things together these days? As you see there were plenty of little hands still around too.

more pics of the special day...

Birthday kisses from mama and dada

Below is Grace's birthday cake. The three candles symbolize our Family, her birth mom, and the foster Family. I have been so emotional with so many different feelings lately and gratitude for her birth mom and foster family that I felt lead to light a candle for them also today.

Cortney at Berrys best was the one that made the cake! She did an incredible job...She is the "Cake Boss". Below is half of the table. Amanda made the extra cupcakes and did a great job decorating them, and made the towers of food.

Terry carved the bunny fruits..teehee!

Just a couple more closeups of our table food.

What a great day it was for Grace! It could not have been more perfect!

Thank you Lord for our Precious baby girl!