It's Been Awhile

Well, I know that it has been awhile since I last posted. I must confess that I post quite a bit on Facebook. I have just found that with the kids and going back to work, that just a quick post is a lot easier than logging in and thinking of a new blog. Since I last posted, we have started back to school. Josie has started school, and can I say, she absolutely loves it. Thomas is really liking school too. His teacher and class are great and he actually enjoys going to school. He actually comes home and wants to play school. He is working very hard and it shows. Steven is the same as always, liking school and reading, reading, reading:). I am back to school and have to admit that I like the routine. Now, I need to tell myself that of a morning, but I really like having the routine. I also love the group of people that I work with, and I know that that makes things a lot easier. I am very grateful for my job.
Steven has started football. He didn't really like it much at first, but once he got going he has liked it a lot better. Mike is one of his coaches, so I know that he enjoys that. His team is in first place.
Thomas has started soccer again. He is doing well and enjoying playing again. He has also been doing a lot of playing in the yard. Most of the summer consisted of him putting on a baseball uniform and playing his own game of baseball in the front yard (homemade dugout and consession stand and all). He loves to play outside.
Josie is just flurishing in school. She is so eager to learn and loves her teacher. Her teacher said that she is one of her best students.
We have made one major change in the last few months. We have started to attend another church. This was not an easy decision, but one the God has stood beside us and helped us through. We were invited to a church a few months ago by a friend. One day at the end of July, we decided that we would visit. Well, one Sunday led into the next Sunday and so on. They have been so welcoming and we just feel like one of the family there. It was hard to leave a church that I have attended for most all of my life. Many people there knew my parents and knew me when I was little, but I felt that God was leading us somewhere else. I see such a difference in our family and in myself. What I also love about this church is they are so supportive to fostering and adopting. They understand the call to adopt and they welcome our kids with open arms. Though our other church will always hold a special place in our hearts, God has taught me that he wants us where he does for a reason, and I trust him that he will guide us right where he wants us. I have learned a lot since my trip to Liberia last year. I have learned more about trusting God and stepping out of my comfort zone, because when you do, he has so many great things planned for you.

You will notice quite a few pictures. Some are of the kids on their first day of school (the boys started a few days before Josie). Then you can see the boys plays their sports and then a couple of our vacation to Kings Island before school started. Hope you enjoy seeing the pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them.

New Pictures

Well, I got back the pictures that my brother took of the kids a few weeks ago. They turned out very good and have already ordered mine (yes Pam, I am sending some home with Micheal for you:)). There is also a couple of my nephew who is visiting with his girlfriend from Florida. I haven't seen him in 2+ years (way too long). I sure have missed him. I would have liked it if everyone else in his family could have come too, but we will take what we can get:) It has been so nice to visit with him and spend time with him and meet his girlfriend. He had never met Thomas and Josie before, but they have sure enjoyed him being here. They all acted like they had been together all of their lives, but I guess that is what family does, no matter how many miles separate us, once you are back together it was like you just pick up where you left off (I just wish that there were a little less miles between us).

Judge Not

Those are strong words, but a command given by God. I have thought a lot about those two words lately and how easily it is to do the opposite and in fact judge others. In two recent situations, I have had the opportunity to be the person on the "outside looking in". Now, it is very easy to judge and say that "I wouldn't do that", or "I can't believe that they would do such a thing". Have I ever judged someone, well I am human so I would have to say yes, but was it wrong, again I would have to say yes. God has laid upon my heart lately not to be so judgemental with others. I have been on the other end and have been judged before and it is not fun at all, in fact it is a pretty lonely place. God did not intend for us to be the judge or the jury, he just intended for us to be him to those people that need it. Being judged is a lonely and scary place to be, but it is also a place where that person so much needs God and Godly people. You don't have to agree with what the person did necessarily, but to turn your back entirely is not what God wants either. He wants us to reach out our hand and be him to those people. Whether they did right or wrong is God's job not ours'. Judging them doesn't make God happy, just remember how you felt when other's have judged you. God is the judge not us!

Father's Day

First of all, Happy Father's Day!! I want to especially thank my Heavenly Father for his love and acceptance of me. I also want to say how blessed I was to have a wonderful earthly father. He truly showed me what it was to have a wonderful father and showed me what a real dad was and showed me what to demand in a father for my children. He loved us and put us way before himself. He showed us what hard work and love was for your family. He provided for us even when our mom and him had to do without. I know now how lucky and blessed we were to have him, even if it was for just a short while, the lessons I learned and the time he spent with me will be with me the rest of my life.
Now for my husband, the father of our children. I really couldn't ask for a better man. He has given so much of himself for our family. He has went without, just so our children could have what they needed and a lot of what they wanted:). He has sacrificed so that our children could even have a life, period. He has taught them that his love is there no matter what. He volunteers as coaches, in their school, he takes time to go places with us and play games with them. In fact, he had the opportunity to go to the Cincinnati Reds games and pregames festivities this past Saturday. The ticket was free and he would have had an awesome seat. He tried to get at least 3 tickets (one for him and our two boys--I would have liked to went, but as long as they went that was what was important). Well, all he could get was 2 and he told them that he couldn't unless there were at least 3 so both boys could go, he said that he couldn't take one without the other and he wouldn't go without them. Now, what kind of dad would do that and stay home so he could coach his son's baseball team? Not a lot, and this isn't the first time he passed up a wonderful opportunity with pro. athletes (that he would have loved) to be with his children--whom he loves much more! I told him that little things like that will come back to him one day:). This is just one of the things that he does to show how much he loves us. He spends all of his nonworking time with us. God did bless me with a wonderful husband and father for our children. I just want to tell my husband thanks for everything that he does for our family. Being a good father is not always easy, but you never give up, we know that we are always your top priority! Happy Father's Day, thanks for being a great dad to our kids!

A Day At The Pool

Well, we went to the pool today. It was just too nice of a day to stay in, so we went to the pool. This was our second trip, but our first with warmer temps. and also batteries in the camera. Josie just loved the pool, she jumped in, went under and loved being in the water. Thomas is already a little fish, he loves the water too, he still loves to play with mom in the pool. Steven has always loved the water, but now I have noticed that time with mom is a little shorter than before, friends are now cool to play with at the pool, but mom always has an eye out for where he is and who he is hanging out with. Here are a few pictures of our time at the pool. You can see in the pictures of the kids getting ready to go, Steven isn't as excited as the other two are about getting pictures, but he still enjoys it every now and then. You can see Thomas wrapped up in the towel by the food stand (his favorite place), Steven with his friends, and Josie just having fun(she also looks so cute with all of her swimming stuff).

Happy 2 Year Gotcha Day Thomas!

Well it is hard to believe that it has been 2 years today that Thomas has come home to us! But, the more I think about it, I can't remember what our life was like without him, it just seems like he has always been here. You have grown in so many ways Thomas, size wise, maturity and your love. I remember a boy who wouldn't talk for 2 days, now we can't get you to stop talking:). I can't even imagine the journey that you have been through Thomas, and I look up to you. I gave you a yellow bracelet not to long ago that said strength on it. I told you that it just reminded me of you. Not only are you physically strong, but emotionally to go through what you have in your short life, you are one of the strongest people I know. God gave you to us and knew from the moment your life began that we were to be your parents. May 29 will always be a wonderful day for us, it was the day my baby came home!! Happy 2 Year Gotcha Day my baby boy!
(You can see in pictures from his homecoming how much he has grown, the last picture was taken yesterday--he has gotten big and even more handsome each day)

Happy Birthday Josie!!!

Well, today was Josie's birthday. She has been excited about it for sometime and was so releaved to find out that today was her birthday and her party. She even told Mike to tell her Happy Birthday yesterday! She had a great party and really enjoyed everything she got. She was so polite and thanked everyone for everything. We got her a Dora bike and helmet. It was kind of sad because when we gave her her first present, she didn't really know what to do with it, I had to tell her to unwrap it and show her how. But once she got started, she enjoyed finishing. Her birthmother also called me today to wish her a Happy Birthday. She told me to tell Josie that she loved her and Happy Birthday! Then, she thanked me and she told me to thank my husband. I told her that we love Josie so much and she is such a special little girl. When she thanked me, I could feel myself tear up, b/c I know that she was thanking us for adopting Josie, and she knows that she has a good life here and that is what she wanted for Josie, that is what we all want for Josie!
Here is my birthday letter to Josie.

Dear Josie,
Happy Birthday my sweet, sweet baby girl! You have waited for this day for awhile now and it has finally arrived. I have to admit, I was kind of sad to see you turn 5, because I like saying that I have a 4 year old. But, now I am proud and happy to say that I now have a 5 year old. You are such an amazing gift from God. I see where you were a year ago today, and I had to relay a happy birthday message through someone else. A year ago, God had just let us know that you were part of our lives. A year ago, I thought about holding you and loving you and giving you a big birthday party, and today it is a reality. I held you today and wished you a Happy Birthday and gave you your birthday party that you so deserved. God has a plan for you, you are a wonderful, amazing gift and I thank him for you each day. Like I have always said, 5 years ago today, you were born in my heart and God made a special place for you there that no one but you could fill, just like he made a special place for you brothers too, and the day that I held you in my arms, that hole was filled. I am happy to think of the many more birthdays that we will spend together. Just know that as we celebrate here, your other mother in Liberia does think of you too on this day. She wanted better for you and she knows that you are loved and cared for. You have parents here and across the ocean that love you more than you will ever know. I just want you to know how special you are and that we love you SO much. Words can't describe the love I feel when I look at you, only a parent knows that feeling. I want to take this time and wish you a Very Happy Birthday. I don't know who enjoyed the day more, you or me watching you enjoy it.
We love you Josephine!
(The pictures are of Josie posing in her new sunglasses, also of Josie with my brother, sister-in-law and niece, also another picture is of Josie looking at her cake--Dora of course)
Love,
Mommy