Prayer Time

MK has been teaching Maddox how to say prayers. Today her snacktime prayer was, "Dear God, we know we have to obey you and please help us to obey our mothers and our fathers when they are on the phone. Amen."

Going back a bit.....Ryan and I met in 1995. We have differing tales on how we met but that is about all we disagree on. We dated for one year. We were engaged for one year. In January, 1998, we married and we are enjoying our happily ever after. Together. With our children. However, before there were children, there were adventures even still. Six months into our marriage, we were transferred to Turlock, California. Being that I had visited southern California many times during my childhood, I was all about living in California. I pictured my pool, the neighborhood park, the bike rides through the park, a short drive to the beach - oh, my picture of our life in California was perfect, only, we were moving to northern California. No longer had we stepped off our plane in Sacramento did I wreck our rental car into a non-English speaking gentleman as I tried desperately to navigate through a town I knew nothing about. The next morning we awoke and instead of smelling the salty sea, we got a whiff of the cows in the pasture. Definitely not my perfect California. Alas, Ryan and I made the best of it. We prayed hard. After visiting the northern California sites we wanted to see, ie, San Francisco and Yosemite National Park, we departed California for a new start - Ryan left his job and luckily found a new one in Georgia just six weeks later. We were young, no children, and it was a good decision. We moved to Georgia in September 1998. Ryan loved his job and was set on a fast track to the top. Only, the top meant moving every other year or so. Our first move came on Colin's first birthday. I will never forget the day that I took C to his one year check-up with our pediatrician in Georgia, then whisked him away to the photographer for a one year session, then drove to Columbia to be with my parents for a night or two and then off we went to a snow-packed Boston. We arrived in the evening, circled the airport several times due to the snowy weather, landed and then drove to our new abode. Early the next morning, we were greeted by our neighbors and wouldn't you know, they were from the south, South Carolina to be exact. Small world. We were thrilled to have a southern-accented man living next door to us! We lived just outside of Boston for almost a year and a half. During this time, we grew very close to our neighbors. After all, they drank sweet tea and said "y'all" with just the right drawl. Every night during my pregnancy with Pryce, they would call over and take my order for a blizzard from Dairy Queen. The night Pryce was born, Nancy came over to stay with Colin when I went into labor at midnight. Just a month later, we moved to Florida. Now, ten years later, we still see Nancy and Marion at least once a year during their visits to South Carolina. Nancy and Marion always remember our children and their birthdays as well as send them books and other school notes throughout the year! We are so happy to have them in our lives!

July 4th, 2011

Happy 4th of July from.....

the North Carolina mountains!

What a great weekend we had celebrating this holiday in the NC mountains with my parents. On our drive in, we were greeted by the famous Elk population that has become very popular in these parts.

We are so lucky to have G-Mom and G-Dad who afford us the luxury of vacationing at their beach home at our beloved Seabrook throughout the year.

On the flipside of this lucky coin is my parent's mountain cabin in North Carolina. Though we do love our times at Seabrook, we also love our time in the mountains with my parents.

Upon arrival, we felt the crisp, cool air and the relaxing began for all of us, except for my parents, who did their share of playing with our children. I was able to read THREE whole magazines, take a nap, play with a new tech purchase, ride the ATVs, went shopping, all while the children were occupied - oh, it was soooo nice!

The boys were all about two things - riding the ATVs and riding the ATVs :) Though we did scoot away to go tubing, watch fireworks and explore a local town, the boys had ATV riding on their minds the entire time! At the ages of 9 and 11, they are all about a good ride. As I rode with Colin, the future popped in front of me - I couldn't help but tell him to "make sure you do this" or "now, think before you do this - what is the safest option?" I am quite positive he was ready for me to get off!

The guys before their first ride of the weekend.....

and this was the view I saw of them for the majority of our mountain time....

And then there was this.....thankfully, no one was hurt!

Meanwhile, in MK land, she was all about riding the ATVs this year as well. She made sure to get her turn.

And, Maddox, she took to Pop and they spent most of her awake hours together.

One afternoon, we went tubing with the three older kiddos. The three of them had a blast going down again and again and again.....

Nightfall came and we ventured down the mountain into the valley for our annual shopping and fireworks display event. Every year we go down early, get a great place to view the fireworks, shop, eat ice cream and then play games while we wait patiently for the fireworks to begin. This year, for the first time in our July 4th fireworks viewing history, we were able to all join together to view the show. In years past, we have always had at least one kiddo who took shelter in the car from the noise. This year, not so. This year, everyone, including Maddox, sat and cheered together as the beautiful display of lights was presented.

We awoke early on departure day and took one last ATV ride before packing up. Following our ride, I was holding Maddox just taking in the scenery on top of the mountain. I looked down and a foot away from me was a Copperhead snake all coiled up! EEEEK! I do not do snakes and as I squealed and ran, Maddox looked at me as if I had lost my mind completely. Ryan, my dad, and a fellow mountain neighbor came to the rescue, each armed with some sort of weapon. After a few shots were fired, Colin came in with his own ammunition, a BB gun, to finish the 3 foot long snake off. EWWWW! I shiver typing of him! That was our cue to leave.....the Elk greeted us and the snake made us welcome our goodbye!

**On a Maddox note, I could not help but think of where we were this time last year. As we drove out of town to begin our journey to NC last year for the 4th, we stopped by the post office to mail in our I800A application. Maddox was a dream for us last year and, this year, as I looked at her taking in the mountain house, playing with my parents, laughing and just enjoying life, I thanked God for the reality that she is in our lives today.

So thankful for her beautiful smile.

And thankful for Pryce and his comic relief! (And his friends are great too!)

Thankful for these beautiful brown eyes, and for those dimples!

And the big guy - so thankful for his helping hands!

I found the poem below on another blog today.....love it and wish that I had read it as we waited for our girls!

As a girl I had a common dream, to be a mom someday.
My baby would have eyes of blue and hair the hue of hay.
But now my dreams have been transformed. New visions fill my head.
Now the tresses that I long to stroke are raven black instead.
And in my dreams those are not so big or blue or round.
And in my dreams they’re almond shaped and colored cocoa brown.
And in my dreams my arms can stretch across enormous seas.
They reach half-way across the world and hold you close to me.
As you grow in your mother’s womb carefully knit together,
You also grow in my heart where you will stay forever.
And in my dreams the moment that your mother says good-bye,
I’ll be right there to comfort you and hold you as you cry.
Our features may not look alike; we’re as different as can be.
But still I know the Father has created you for me.
And though I’ve not yet seen your face or held your tiny hands,
and though we’re half a world apart in very different lands.
I’ll be right there to get you just as soon as God allows.
But ‘til he says the time is right, I give to you this vow.
I’ll pray for your protection every night on bended knee,
For God will hold you in his arms until you’re here with me.
~written by Gayle Leubecker

Three Months of Forever

Our first glimpse....

Three months ago, we stepped off of a plane, as a new family of six, into the loving hands of our family and friends. The past three months have been an amazing journey as our family has navigated into uncharted territory - juggling sports, school, surgery, dental/dr. appts., remembering to carry diapers/wipes (again!) and just seeing how things operate with four little guys versus our comfortable three.

As time goes on, and the new norm is formed, I remind myself that I do not want to forget. I don't want to forget the look on the foster family's face as they walked into the room with Maddox - their smiles, their happy chatter, their obvious excitement for their girl. I don't want to forget the look on so many of the faces of Guizhou - the look of hardness. For this, will be easy to forget. My Guizhou girl is one who smiles, one who laughs, one who cuddles, one who knows love. I don't want to forget the children in the orphanage - their cuteness, their smiles as we gave them candy, their yearning to share their precious pieces of artwork. I don't want to forget the sounds - the flow of their language, the music. I don't want to forget the craziness of their transportation - the high-packed, umbrella toting mopeds; the wild taxi rides; the smoke filled buses bouncing on unpaved streets. I just don't want to forget.....

And, as time goes by, I find myself trying to remember what our first days with Maddox were like. She interacted so well with us while her familiar foster family was around to comfort her. The moment they left the room, a cloud of panic took over her and she wailed, loud. However, she did not fight to get away. She just sobbed. And BIG tears flooded her little face. Nothing soothed her. She laid back on my lap and cried, holding her close was not an option, she was guarded in her grief. Later, at the hotel, we took off her layers of clothing to see firsthand just how little and fragile she was. Tiny. She ate a few bites of pizza. We saw a glimpse of a smile during her bath. Off to bed she went, no tears. The next morning, everyone awoke and we anxiously awaited together for her to wake up. Another "never forget moment" was when I went in to check on her....there she laid quietly, eyes wide open, looking around in the dark. When she spotted me, she adjusted her eyes and had a look on her face as if to say, "Oh, you are still here." There was no joy, all disappointment. She carried around a Barbie doll of MK's for the first few days. She had fun exploring our room and our bathroom. She was curious, about us, about everything. She began to cling to us, not because she wanted to but because we were all she knew - everything familiar had been taken from her.

And today, three months later.....Maddox is comfortable. She knows her routine and follows it well. She has gained three whole pounds, for this we are excited. She is eating more and willing to try whatever we are eating. She is the loudest of our four children, on this we all agree! She is a jealous soul. She will pose for pictures when she wants to and ignore the camera when she wants to. She is extremely flexible. She can say, "uh oh," "night night," "mama," and "oh yeah." She has stayed in the church nursery twice and cried both times, pitiful. She loves to be outside even when it is one hundred degrees. She loves the water. She likes to play with MK on her own terms. She is ticklish all over and has the cutest little belly laugh. She will give hugs and blow kisses. She loves babies, real or dolls. She is our doll - so sweet, so loving and we can't remember a day without her!

Home three months.....

Who Lets Their Children Bathe In A Backyard Pool Anyway???

The boys went out for a golf game and the girls decided to play in the backyard pool. What started out as a little fun, ended up taking a turn.....

First there was the tasting of the water in the hair.....

Then, they decided they wanted to actually wash their hair.....

and Maddox has learned fast - around here, everyone helps everyone, no matter your age!

All clean.