Soccer Mom

Well, I am officially a soccer mom! Steven played soccer when he was younger, but Thomas is now on a traveling soccer team for our county. He is at his second soccer camp of the season and is doing a great job. He loves it and is so excited to start practicing on a team next week. He was also Camper of the Day at camp today. He won a poster. This child has so much energy, I would just like to have a quarter of his energy. I am very proud of him as he is trying so hard to listen and follow directions. A lot of the other parents will leave during camp (it is only a couple of hours in the morning), but Thomas asks me every morning, "Mom are you going to stay and watch me practice." What can I say when he asks me that? At the end each day, he always says, "I tried my best today." I tell him, then that is all I can ask of you. He is trying also to understand what the coaches are telling him. Even though he has been her a little over a year, there are some slang words that we take for granted that he still takes very literally:). So we have learned to really explain things completely to him.
Also, both boys got to go into their new school today. We are all moving to a new school as ours closed down due to a levy failure. I work at their school, so I moved along with them. I had to work a little to get the classroom I help in ready. I am nervous that Thomas will now be on the other side of the school away from me this year. Steven will be in the same hallway that I am in. I am praying about how Thomas will do. He also is getting a teacher that I do not know at all and I am praying that God will put the right teacher in his path. Someone patient, kind, and very organized which is what he needs. I also am concerned as he will be going to school when I am on maternity leave when Josie comes. He as never went to school so far and me not be there. I know that God will watch over him, but it is very hard for me when I am not there to peek in on him. You know how a mother is. Also, this is my last year of being in the same school as Steven, he moves up next year, so I am going to enjoy each moment of this year and each school event.
No news on Josie yet! We continue to pray until her safe homecoming and she is in my arms. The boys are very excited for her to come! Here is a new picture that someone sent us.

Andrea

Well we are going a bit crazy here getting ready for our garage sale that we are having this weekend to raise money for our daughter's adoption. The house is a mess and things are everywhere. We are also going to start moving furniture around and changing bedrooms.
School will be starting in about a month. I am sad but happy to get back into a routine. I work at the school our sons attend so, it isn't to bad to go back, and I work with some great people. This will be Steven's last year to be at the same school as me. Next year he goes to the Intermediate School, but it is right beside the school that I am at. I told him that I don't even want to talk about it much:( Steven is a very kind soul. I can talk to him and can really carry on a conversation. He is growing up and that is great, but also sad. We took a walk the other night, and it was just nice to hold his hand and talk, I hope that he always holds a special place in his heart for his mom. I know he will start growing up with each year in school (I hope not to much, he is going to pass me up soon), but I hope that his heart stays the same.

Andrea

Summer Time

Well, it has been a long time since my last post. There has been so much going on since then. We are finally out of school and enjoying summer. Between baseball with Steven and soccer camp with Thomas and relaxing, we have been enjoying our summer. One very exciting thing that has happened, is that we are very excited to announce that we will be adding to our family through adoption! We are adopting a little girl from Liberia, Africa (the same place from which we adopted Thomas from). She is 4 years old and her name is Josephine. I am so excited and a little nervous too, since we have only had boys, as girl is going to be a whole new experience! I have started to get some girl things here and there, since I have absolutely nothing girl in our house:). My family is pretty mixed about the whole situation. I have some that are really excited for us, then we have some that don't agree with what we are doing. But, God led us to her and that is all that we need. He showed us that this is the child for us. The boys are excited and enjoy picking things out for her. I do ask for your prayers, for one we think that it is a very good possiblity that I will be the one to have to travel and two we do not have all of the $ yet. We still have a substantial amount to get, but we are trusting God that he already knows where it will come from. Mike is also starting a new job and is working very hard to get things ready for that. So as you can tell we are very busy and are so excited for what is to come. We know there will be adjustments with everyone and things will not be perfect, but we truly feel that God will get us through whatever situation may arise.
I will post pictures as I can.

Andrea