The Tree Farm

Every year, our family enjoys a day out together choosing just the perfect tree for our home to celebrate the Christmas season.

Following a hayride into tree neverland, we all hop off and begin our hunt for the tree. It is always so interesting to me to see each child choose a tree and their reasoning behind it. We have everything from the "Clark Griswold" size chooser - aka the bigger the better, to the economical chooser to the "lets just get this one so we can go get snacks!" chooser.....

Maddox just decided that her siblings could choose the tree while she made her list for Santa.

Alas, the tree was chosen and chopped down. On to the Christmas Cafe for some yummy eats and treats.

I think all six of us would agree that our favorite part this year was playing hide and seek in the Christmas trees. We ran around for what seemed like hours hiding from one another and dashing from tree to tree.

I love this pic.....P is saying "I found YOU!" and MK is looking like "Where?Where is she?"

Sweet Maddox.....again, just so glad to have her HOME! As this season progresses, I find myself reflecting on where we were in the process last year to bring her home. We were so close to having her yet it was agonizing to wait for each approval knowing she was across the world without us.

Every year, the boys have received a Lionel train holiday car from my father. Last year they received the ever-so-important engine and track. Dutifully, we set it up around our tree and they all enjoyed the train fun. However, we realized during the fun that our "real" tree was causing a real mess on the track - the needles were dropping and it was hard for the train to get around the track. Soooo, we were off to Target early the day after Christmas to purchase a not-so-real tree for the train to reside under during the subsequent holidays. The funny part....this year, we forgot we had purchased the tree so it was a real surprise to us when we were pulling out all of the decor and we found this big box with a big tree.....and the even funnier part was putting the tree together with the boys! I grew up with an artificial tree so I knew how this part worked - match the colors, etc. The boys were just bewildered by it all.

The final not-so-real product. P was feeling horrible in this pic, not yet quite over the looming bug that was in our home during Thanksgiving. Amidst feeling horrible, he was determined to get the tree up and the train running before retiring to bed.

What They Are Like Now.....

Thankful for this guy who is our leader of the pack. At the age of 11, C is homeschooled; his favorite subjects are logic and debate; he is our reader - always reading one book for school, another book for fun and somewhere he finds time to read yet another book just because!; he has been taking piano lessons since the age of 5; he is an avid Clemson football fan; he is loving his first year in youth group at church; he is on the area homeschool basketball team - loves it!; he relishes in a good cup of coffee; electronics are his fascination; and, he desires to be a pilot.

Thankful for my number 2! P is just like me, a second child, a middle child. His smile warms a room and his empathy for others will melt your heart. At the age of 9, P is all about sports - baseball being a top favorite, watching football a close second and basketball; he detests corn; he is in his second year of piano; he is homeschooled and loves math, his strongest subject; he is developing a love for reading and can often be found absorbed in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series - sigh; he is measuring himself daily for growth - his mean mother STILL makes him sit in a booster seat due to the fact that he falls a bit short of the non-booster seat requirements!; he is the king of laughter - always wanting to make others smile; he desires to be a pharmacist or a "kids doctor" when he grows up!

Oh MK! How we embrace her determination and love her strong will - hoping we continue to shape these two characteristics in our sweet girl! Thankful for her belly laughs and her sweet heart. At the age of 4, MK loves ballet; she is willing to try most foods and LOVES anything sweet; she goes to pre-school four days a week where she is all about chasing the boys - sigh!; she is often found asleep with pj pants on and pj shirt off all cuddled up in her Hello Kitty snuggy; she understands that she was born in China (and Maddox too!) and the boys grew inside mommy's tummy; she loves to put a pile of random items in her purse; she likes to wear her hair all down, no bow; flip flops are her favorite shoes even in 32 degree temps; she wants to become a doctor, a ballerina and a mommy when she grows up.

Our caboose. Maddox Ren. How thankful we are today that she is home with us forever. How thankful we are that her two little arms wrap around our necks each day with a big squeeze; she is two and in this season of her life, she is all about mommy; her favorite drink is chocolate milk; she eats when she is hungry and turns away food without a second thought when she is not; she has been home for almost 9 months and she understands everything we say to her but has a limited vocabulary of understandable speech; she does speech therapy 3 times per week and occupational therapy twice a month; she wins over everyone she meets be it through her contagious grin or her engaging dances; she loves animals; she is a great puzzle solver; she loves babies and strollers; she is a climber; she is loved by all and we are so thankful to hold her when she sleeps and cheer her on when she meets a goal!

Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving 2011 was "epic" as Colin would say. This time last year I was pacing the floor of our home, tapping my fingers on every surface available, praying, praying and praying for our Letter of Approval so that we could go and bring Miss Maddox home forever. It didn't come and I was so sad....this year she was home with us, there was no more pacing, but a lot of loving and taking in all of the things that we have to be thankful for.

Thanksgiving is the one holiday each year that Ryan and his siblings are all together. Yes, there are celebrations throughout the year for this and that but someone always seems to be missing. No one misses Thanksgiving. This year proved to be no different. In honor of Ryan's parents' 55th wedding anniversary, we all met at a "mansion" in the mountains for the occasion.

Maddox wasted no time at all roping G-Dad in. They could be spotted throughout the holiday putting their heads together to see what was on the agenda next. Dancing was at the top of the list.

Maddox's first Thanksgiving. We are so thankful for you little one. We are thankful for your giggles, your smiles, your love, your trust.

The children spent hours upon hours playing air hockey and pool.....

and Ms. Pacman......

and Simpson pinball.....

and cards with the cousins.....

Thanksgiving evening, everyone gathered together for a special toast to the wedding anniversary couple. We told stories and laughed at the memories......a great time of sharing!

Nightfall came and we happily retired to our beds.

That is when it all fell apart.

Black Friday. Cloud 9, our home away from home, slowly became known as The Infirmary.

While thousands all over the US were out shopping, I lay awake in bed feeling a bit unsettled. One thing led to another and before I knew it, I was sprawled out over the coldest, most comfortable bathroom floor there ever was. I was beyond sick - I was selfishly bargaining with God to free me of the pain and let me see my children grow up.....it.was.awful. On this very weekend 16 years ago, I met my husband. I asked Ryan the last time I had been this sick and he said he thought this was the worst he had ever seen me....it was horrid. While I curled up, barely conscience of the world around me, Ryan would frequently come into check on me AND he would give me the update - aka the who's up, who's down. We began our Thanksgiving weekend with 20 people in one house. By Saturday evening, 6 of the 20 remained illness free. Luckily, it was short lived, 24 hours max and sleeping, be it in a comfy bed or on the bathroom floor, was the best remedy.

Though we are not thankful for the stomach virus, we are so thankful for the time we were able to spend with Ryan's family.

STRAW!

She did it! She drank through a straw! And I was teary eyed as I watched. I didn't see her very first smile nor did I have the opportunity to cheer her on as she rolled over for the first time as an infant. And those first steps, we missed those too. However, I have watched this precious baby girl go from being scared to being an outgoing little enthusiast; I have heard her scream out of fear in the church nursery and now the screams soon cease once she gets settled in; and today I got to watch her eyes light up when she was able to drink milk from a straw - she would suck in, a bit of milk would enter her mouth and her eyes would get oh so wide out of her own surprise! It was the cutest thing ever and once she realized the praise that was involved, she wouldn't stop - she drank and drank and drank!

Missed Photo Ops

While in Nashville, an older gentleman made the comment to me, "You have your hands full!" He the made the comment due to the fact that I had two little ones singing and dancing their way to the lobby of our hotel followed by two older, more, ahem, mature guys laughing at their silly sisters - it was a scene and it was, in fact, quite funny. I smiled at the man and said, "Yes, I do, but not for long enough!" You see, every day I am reminded that my children are our blessings, they are growing up and, one day too soon, my hands will be less than full. However, at the moment, our hands are full and we are having the time of our lives! I try to photograph the craziness but, alas, this is not always done due to pure laziness or forgetfulness. This week we had a lot of moments that could have been photographed......

One, art night with co-op. All of our children participate in a homeschool co-op. And all of our children had art on display during their special night. And all of our children received awards during this annual event. From logic and debate to Meet the Masters to A Book About Me to a colorful tree.....an abundance to relish in yet not one picture for a memory, sigh.

Two, Maddox. This little one is always into something. This week, her choice was markers - the not so washable ones. I blame everything on the fact that she is the fourth child....I would have NEVER allowed this to happen with the other three yet the fourth knows exactly where to go to find said markers, help herself to them, color every.single.inch of her skin that is showing AND, apparently she wanted to add a little flavor to our tv cabinet as well - ack. Admittedly so, I laughed. It was kind of cute. Kind of. Until I couldn't get it off. For Christmas, she is asking for WASHABLE markers.

Three, Operation Christmas Child box making. Love this time with my kiddos.

Four, Colin's first middle school basketball game. They rocked. They won. And, I am told, Colin made a few "game saving" plays - way to go C!

Five, our adoption gathering. NEVER have I let a gathering go by without a picture of our kiddos on our beloved red couch. We had a full house - one that was filled with giggles and football and dress-up and delicious food. Our family cherishes these gatherings. We love the families and we love the time that we spend with them!

Our little pilgrim.....

she awoke this morning with nothing but giggles and smiles in anticipation of her "very special day!"

Twas Thanksgiving Feast day in preschool and our little pilgrim and her friends were the cutest!

After singing a few songs and reciting a poem, they each took their seat and said a thankful prayer.

And then the feasting began....

What a treat it was to spend some extra special time with MK! I am thankful for her and the smiles and trials she brings to our family - she is a one of a kind, beautiful little girl!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for our family - keeping it real, I am thankful for them everyday! Last week we enjoyed a week together not like most weeks - all six of us in one room, no cleaning, no laundry, no cooking, some school, daily sightseeing outings, swimming, waking up with Ryan (usually he is long gone before we all awaken!), listening to all of my kiddos breathe peacefully as they sleep, knowing they are safe - so very sweet....jaunts away are truly one of my favorite times together.

Ryan was involved in a training program for his job - lucky for us, we were given the opportunity to visit him one afternoon to see his "training" in full action. I am told making a catapult and launching balls to hit a target all day really is working :)

MK. She travels well. She travels with everything but the kitchen sink, but the girl has this traveling thing down. Give her two comfy chairs, push them together, spread a pretty pink princess sleeping bag over said chairs, and there you have it - the most perfect, comfy princess bed.

And my boys. Give them a few pillows and plush bedding followed by a remote for the tv and their plethora of electronics, and they are all set. It is all part of the experience. Throw in a few Pop Tarts for breakfast and there you have it, two very happy, happy boys.

And Maddox. Our sweet little one. Oh, I can tell you over and over again how she just tugs at my heart to go adopt again and again and again. She will sleep anywhere at anytime; she will smile when you need a smile; she will dance when she is feeling the beat; and MK is positioned just-so in the pic above - she is always by her side watching her like a good little mommy would!

I will say that I wonder what goes through our little M's head. Our trip to Nashville was the first time we have stayed away from home, in a hotel room for a length of time since China. She has been home 8 months but I still get the hunch she remembers, maybe she always will.