Big Sister AND Guardian!!!

So, we were all concerned that Hattie was not going to bond with her little sister ... Well, she still won't touch her or get too close, but she also won't let us get too far without our Sophie! We have had to make a couple of outings and Hattie was sure not to leave her sis behind. Hattie likes to push the garage door button, so I set Sophie down so I could lift Hattie up to push it - but I set her down INSIDE the house and H thought that was where I was gonna leave her and she would not touch the button till Sophie was safe in the garage with all us (granted the door into the house was still open and Sophie was just inside the door, but that was NOT good enough for her protector!!!). Then, at the store I had to put Sophie in the cart before Hattie would get in and had to put Sophie back in the CAR before Hattie would get in! I love that!!! Does my heart good to see her loving her sis!!!

As for the reason for the shopping trip - prune juice. Yep, the doc had me start giving Sophie a 1/2 tsp of the stuff once a day 'cause she was a bit backed up ... well, it worked. I know a little TMI, but there is more to the story that I need to tell cause I need prayer!!! Seems prune juice also gives ya a bit of the cramps - at least that is what we are thinking it is - and Sophie is AGAIN not sleeping well at night. Again today she fell asleep as Hattie was waking up!!! PLEASE keep us in prayer as we figure out how to help our girl. It is SO hard to see her in misery!

On a good note, Sophie started her very first Bible Study yesterday!!! We are doing a Beth Moore Study (who I am convinced is one of my very best friends, I just don't know her yet!!) and Sophie went with me!!! What a testimony for someday!!!!

Blog at ya soon!!!

Getting reaquainted with our old friend SLEEP!

Ahhhhhh, sleep is back in the house! It is only 3-4 hours at a time, but we will take it!!! Sophie is brilliant and a very fast learner and it only took a couple of days for her to get the hang of it!!! I am not big on routines for newborns, so it was hard - but worth it! And now we are back to letting her decide how long she sleeps. She is eating well - already back up to her birth weight! She is the one
of the easiest babies we have ever had - now that she sleeps!! - and is such a sweet pleasure to have around! How quickly she has captured our hearts:)
So, I feel as though I have neglected to brag on Hattie and how well she is doing in school... Let me fix that!
She is cool with getting on the bus - not as excited as the first time she rode it, but gets on without screaming and crying, so we will are happy with that. Her teacher is going to work with us on Hattie's social language and awareness, which has already improved greatly - so we can't wait to see how far she can go with extra help. She will also be working with a speech therapist and possibly an occupational therapist to improve thos skills. We are just so very thankful that it was caught so early and we can help her before she starts Kindergarten. I had posted a pic of her in her classroom on the first day there but neglected to say ... HOW STINKING CUTE IS SHE?!?!?!?!?! With her little dress and buster brown shoes and sweet little bob haircut. I am just busting at the seams with how much I love this girl!!! She is such a big girl and is getting used to having a baby around and being a school girl. So many changes so quickly in her little life and she is hadling it all beautifully!! Thank you all for your support and your prayers!
Blog at ya later!!

Ahhhh, sweet sleep ... we miss you!!

Well, we are all home safe and sound. We brought Sophie home on Friday.... well, let me start at the beginning of Friday....
Hattie rode the BIG bus for the first time on Thursday - they brought her home to me after a pretty good first day of school. She seemed to enjoy it, but I knew the real test would be when it drove away the first time.... Praise the sweet Lord - cause it could ONLY have been Him, she was actually excited to get on it Friday morning!! Yay!
Friday afternoon we all went to pick up Sophie. Hattie saw her and was fine ... till Sophie got in the car with us!! She did NOT like that!! But she calmed down pretty fast and was soon ok with it. Not happy. but ok!
Friday night was a little rough, but not nearly as rough as Saturday night. I knew at about 7am Sunday morning, when Sophie was falling asleep just as Hattie was waking up, that we were going to have to work to get the days & nights thing straight!!
So, all day Sunday I only let Sophie sleep 2 hours at a time and fed her less but more frequently till about 10pm. Then she had a bigger bottle - 3oz - and we let her sleep to establish a night time routine. So, she woke to eat at 12:30, 4:30 and 8:00. Much better than the 5 hours awake and fussy the night before!! Plus, the tummy drops may have helped ... Milicon is our friend!!!
As for Hattie, Saturday she was oblivious and/or indifferent to Sophie, Sunday she seemed curious and by evening a bit concerned when Sophie cried. THEN, Sunday night on the way to bed, half way up the stairs Hattie stopped, looked over and said "night night Sophie" .... Praise God AGAIN!!!!
Life is going well ... still a bit tired, but ok. Happy and full ... that is B manor .... sweet abundance!

*** I am attaching some pics, can't decide which to use for the announcement. Any votes?

Sophie Lee is Here!!!!!

So, big day in B Manor!!! Hattie went to meet her teacher, then we went to meet her new sister!!!! It was amazing! I watched both babies come into this world! I am whipped tired, so just the basics for now and I will tell ya all about it soon.....

Sophie Lee born 09/05/07 at 3:02 pm.... 6lbs 11oz, 20inches and healthy healthy healthy!!!

PRAISE GOD FOR HIS BLESSINGS!!!

Blog ya more soon!!!

The Final Countdown ....

So, six days from now there will be two extra little people in the world. And I can NOT wait!!!!! We are scheduled for a c-section at 1:30 eastern time. I will try - but make no promises - to have pictures for ya later that day.

So far, we are still just getting Twin B - we have named her .... do ya hear the drum roll ... SOPHIE LEE. Sophie from the Greek word for wisdom and in some translations, the Greek word for the Wise Men of the Bible are sophus (we like the idea of not only wisdom, but a heart seeking after God and His Truth as well!) and Lee after my grandpas who were both named Lee!!

Here is the thing about Twin A - Kim really, really, REALLY wants to keep her. Her heart is set on it and if that changes I have a feeling that it would be due to circumstances out of her control and it would hurt her deeply. Well, I have spent the last month & a half getting to know her and truly coming to care for her and I just can not bring myself to pray for anything that would hurt her.... SO, I am praying the best way that I know how ... for God to do His will. What a novel concept, letting the One that created the universe have a say. Letting the One who created these two little lives choose where they live those lives and with whom.... I learned a long time ago that the truest - and hardest - form of prayer is giving it up to God and leaving it in His hands (this means NOT trying to take it back!!!). Now it is time to practice that discipline ....

Another blessing of the week is that the ladies of my church have decided to throw a shower for me - I have never had a baby shower, so I am so very excited!!! We got to go to Babies R Us and Target and register for stuff.... did I mention EXCITED!!! I may have gone a bit crazy, but tried to be good. The biggies that I put on the lists are a new swing (ours was a hand-me-down to begin with and then spent 10 months with Squeakie the Spitter and a few months with Hattie the spiller and Yogi the tinkler, so ... now it is in not the best of shapes!!), a highchair (same reason!!!) and a monitor that does two rooms at once!!!! Other that that, bottles, diapers, toys and stuff!!! I am just feeling so overwhelmed with blessings at the moment, I just don't know what to do!!!!
Thank you Father God for this amazing life and for Your sweet sweet sweet abundance!!!

Blog at ya soon!!!!

Even in the little things ...

Isn't it great to know that God is caring about EVERY thing in our lives, even the little things?!?!?! I am constantly amazed at how GOOD He is! It should no longer come as any surprise how well He takes care of us ... but then again, maybe it is good that is still surprises me!

So, the other day I was in a panic - the babies were scheduled to be born on the same day that Hattie was scheduled to start school. What do we do? Do we make Hattie miss her first day of school? Do one of us miss the babies births? Do we miss Hattie's 1st day and let someone else take her? Every option seemed UNTHINKABLE!! I cried, worried, pondered and brainstormed - all to no avail... Then, I prayed. I just gave it up to God and let Him do the thinking... I asked Him to somehow work it all out or give us an answer.... SHOCKER - He came through!

I talked to the transportation dept of the schhol district, as they were confirming our address and stuff... I asked if they knew whether Hattie was morning or afternoon (still trying to do the thinking, I thought I could possibly figure out a way to be at both!!). She told me afternoons, starting September 6Th!!!!! What! I must have heard wrong. Nope, her class starts a day later than everyone else!

So, PRAISE GOD!!! We get to be at both - The birth AND Hattie's first day of school...... Have I mentioned God's abundance lately?!?!?!

September 5th

So, we had a doctor's appointment yesterday with Kim - everything is going very well. It is a textbook pregnancy and an AMAZING pregnancy for twins!! At least that is what the doctor said. So, there was a misunderstanding and they did NOT do the amnio as we thought they would.... BUT - we do have a plan.....
On September 4th we will do an amnio test and if the results are good - lungs strong and mature etc.. - they will do a c-section on the 5th. Now, she could go into labor before that, the amnio could START labor or the results could say to wait, but barring any of that the babies will be getting born on September 5th!!! YAY - exciting! The reason we are waiting so long is that the birthfather - Kim's boyfriend - had to ask for the time off in advance and his boss is going on vacation etc..... But there ya go! Babies - Sept. 5, 2007!!!
The tough part of this whole thing is that Hattie's first day of school is scheduled to be, yep, September 5!!!! OOOOOOOHHHHHH, what to do?!?!!? We are trying to get in touch with someone at the school and make some decisions - PLEASE pray that we do what is best for EVERYONE!!! We REALLY want Hattie to NOT be slighted in anyway and we want her to feel loved and special and treasured - because she is! So, any advice in how to do that and be new parents and ..... HELP!!!!
Well, now that I have had my mini meltdown of the day, I can go back to trusting God. He will work it all out and give us the words and love for Hattie and the new baby(ies) and, yes, each other!!! Isn't it awesome how he provides for all of our needs..... aaaahhhh, sweet abundance

where we are ...

So, Hattie LOVES the new room! She is sleeping well and wakes up happy - talking to her starfish etc... SO CUTE!!!!! She is a funny girl, talking up a storm and making this Mommy proud. Her new big love is Diego - and, sadly, girl stuff just doesn't come in "diego" ... but that doesn't stop Hattie!!!!! Her speech therapy must be working too, cause she is VERY vocal in her love for Diego!! When my Mom was here we were, of course, shopping and Hattie saw some Diego pj's and started saying over and over "Mama, Diego". I said "yes Honey, that's Diego". She grabbed my face, turned it to her and said "WANT IT!!" They were boy pj's so I was reluctant, but Grandma spoiled her and bought them. Now I can't get her out of them!! Then, on Sunday we were at the store and were picking a backpack out for her to take to school (she starts preschool this year through the school district - whole other story ... pray for her - and mommy!!!) and I gave her a few to choose from - Tinkerbell, Hello Kitty, Sesame Street, Dora, Backyardigans ... she, however. spotted the Diego one on the other side of the display ... NOT the nice, blue, cute one ... the brown/orange/green slightly less attractive one with Diego and a DINOSAUR!!!!! ahhhhh, that's my girl!!!
In other news, I have been going to the doctor visits with Kim (birthmom) and I am feeling so BLESSED to be able to share this with her. Yesterday we went for a test to be sure that the babies are getting enough bloodflow and able to move around enough. The test went well, baby B - our "for sure" baby got the hiccups, so we got to hear her hiccupping for a few minutes. Kim says she feels that alot and now knows what it is!!! Thursday is the amnio - please be sure to keep that in prayer. THere is a LOT of baby in there so they have to be extra careful not to poke anyone.
So, pretty much, life is good, we are blessed and have so much to be thankful for!!! We pray that we don't let a day go by without hitting our knees in thankful prayer for all we have been blessed with! Including our amazing fRamily!!!

The New Room!!

OK, here are some pictures of the new room. It is not completely finished. There is one wall still undone. We had to order a dresser and are gonna paint some wall shelves, but you get the idea. Hattie LOVES it!!!!! Especially the starfish - she talks about it all the time! This is her first night in the big girl room, bed time was a little rough, but she was also overtired and did NOT want to go to bed!!!! I will have to let ya know how it all works out!!!
It looks like the babies are gonna be here in about a month - they are already at 5lbs each and gaining fast, so they are running out of room in there and Kim is pretty uncomfortable and is having a hard time getting around, so they are gonna monitor the development and as soon as they feel that the lungs and such are properly developed they will be getting born!!!! CAN"T WAIT!!!!!!
Keep Kim, babies and all the rest of us in your prayers if you would... gonna be alot of changes soon!!!! But, God is good all the time and all the time, God is good!! We know He has our backs, so we can handle whatever comes - LOVE that Guy!!!
Blog at ya soon!!!

Good Times!!!

Well, the last week was a crazy one! My Mommy and my Trinity were here. I had a birthday - yep I am getting old!!! We painted a mural in Hattie's new big girl room (pictures to come!). Worked at a 3Day expo on Saturday - I am a crew member for the Breast Cancer 3 day in September!!! Went to Kim's (birth mom)Doctor appointment on Fri and saw the ultrasound, heard the heartbeat etc!!! WOWEEEEEE - Good stuff! And, of course, a TON of shopping to do!!!!
Just a few highlights - On Wed (the BIG day!) we went for pedicures. Mom & T and I all got matching flowers on our toes and then they got manicures and I got a way cool design on my cell phone! Yep, they painted flowers right onto my phone! So cute! Then my man's family came over for a birthday party - I love my in-laws!!! We got the water & sky done for the mural so when helpers came over thursday we could just go!! And go we did - it looks great! Can't wait to show ya! Then Saturday my mom went to the expo with me and afterwards we got to have a long quiet lunch and just chat. I love my Mommy!!! Saturday night we gave Trinity the choice of activities - she had several to choose from (including Shrek 3) and she chose to stay home, watch a movie and play board games. We watched Freaky Friday and played Sorry - I love my Angel Face!!!! Hattie really loved having "Tititeeeee and Gamaw" around and missed em yesterday. Hubby was a trooper dealing with all of that femaleness around, and when it was all over he even said he was looking forward to the next visit!
So, there ya go... besides boring you with all of the shopping trip details, that was the week in a nutshell! I had a blast and hope that after all of the walking my mom and T still like me!!! Hattie was a such a big girl and did SOOOOO well with all of the shopping! Such a testimony to all of her therapy and all of YOUR prayers that she was able to do it all without "shutting down". God is SOOOOOOOOO GOOD and is doing a marvelous work in that little girl. The change and growth in her is truly a miracle!!! Praise GOD!!!!!!
Blog at ya soon - and I will have pictures too!!!

The Sweet Life

So, here it is a quiet, peaceful, cool and breezy Friday morning and I am reflecting on this life that the Good, Sweet Lord has blessed me with. I am completely humbled and overwhelmed (Dirk, is it ok that this one more than "whelms" me?!) by His abundant grace.
He has provided a home for us - and not just a home, but the house of my dreams! I have a front porch, big back deck and a KILLER kitchen ... abundance!
He has blessed me with children - the 2 finest young men and sweetest little girl (with at least one more on the way!!!) that I could've asked for. Steven is loyal and strong and SOOOO much like his Dad. Chris is kind and good with a heart as soft as his Dad's. and Hattie is fun loving, adventurous, brave, funny and an amazing hugger - like her Dad. And to think that we will soon have another little blessing from Heaven (maybe two!!)... WOW! Again, abundance!!
Speaking of their Dad - could I have asked for a better man to spend my life with? I don't think so. He is everything a man should be and SO much more. He loves his children with abandon - would go to the ends of the earth on a moment's notice for any of them. He provides a stable life, allowing me to fulfill my dream of being a stay at home mom. And He loves me with a heart so true and good that, at times, I have to question my worthiness! But the best thing of all is that his heart is, first and foremost, firmly set on Jesus..... did I mention abundance?
So, one begs to ask the question, what did I do to deserve all of this abundance? The answer, of course, is absolutely nothing. I am undeserving of His provisions, not to mention His grace, His forgiveness, His love and His mercy. And still He offers them fresh and new every single morning without fail. Without requirements, without reservations, without questions and, amazingly, without grumbling!! And that, my friends, is the greatest abundance of all!!
I pray that I will not let a day go by that I am not face down in prayer - thanking Him for this abundance, begging for His forgiveness in the ways that I lack and praising Him for the life that He has blessed me with. Really, is "abundance" a strong enough word ... anyone got a better one?

She's a Big Girl now!!!!

My man and I have been contemplating a nursery ... how do we decorate? How much is it gonna cost? How long before we have to change it to a big kid's room? etc.... So then the other day, I'm standing in Hattie's room, which is purple and frilly and sweet and girlie. Now, any of you who have spent any length of time with Hattie can testify that THIS is NOT who Hattie is! So I ask myself "self ("cause tht's what I call me!!), how long till Hattie is asking for a new room too?" Then it hits me, why not leave Hattie's current room the way it is and make it the nursery (seeing as how we are now 98.75ish% sure that we will be getting at least one girl) and give Hattie a new and improved - and suiting her personality - BIG GIRL ROOM!!!!!
Now this idea gets me thinking about WHO Hattie really is... she LOVES to be outside, loves water, LOVES to get dirty - especially in sand - and loves ocean animals. So, it occurs that a beachside/ocean/tropical/surfer girl theme would suit her perfectly!! Plus, it would be something special, just for her and made to celebrate the big girl - little person that she is becoming.
So now we need suggestions... we kinda have a few ideas and are really excited. My Mommy is coming soon for my birthday and that will be our project for the week. We want to get it ready and have Hattie settled in before the baby (or babies) come. So if you have any... bring 'em on! We are open to any and all ideas and would love as many of our fRamily involved in this as possible. Something special for our new big sister!!!!
Reply here with ideas or email em!!!
We love ya!

BIG DAY!!!!!
So, we met with Kim - the birth mom - today. It was a REALLY positive meeting and we are feeling pretty confident now that this will happen. She is still feeling that she will parent one of the twins herself, but the birth father has signed releases on both just in case! She is very sure of her decision for the adoption of "twin B" and has even asked if I would like to go to DR appointments and be there for the birth .... umm, let me think about that one ... YES!!!!! She even gave us ultrasound pics - Aint science great!!! So, it has been a pretty exciting day!! We will continue to keep ya up to date.....
Please continue your prayers: for Kim and the babies, for us to stay peaceful and for guidance and for our Miss Hattie to understand and accept and adjust to all of these changes!!
We love ya!!!!!

Paula Sue

SO, this would have been Paula's 37th birthday ... I think about her everyday of the year, but today, and June 24th - the day she went Home to Jesus, I especially miss her. She was beautiful and loving and funny and kind and generous and wise and brave and Godly and just plain GOOD!!! She was the best Mommy I have ever known (well, her and MY mom!!) and the best friend a girl could ask for. She makes me that much more anxious to go to Heaven - seeing as how she is saving the mansion next door to hers for me!!!

If you are reading this, please say a prayer for her girls - Morgan & Faith, and her husband - Stacy. My prayer is that the girls can take enough of her with them to be good women and strong Christians ... I have never known anyone with a stronger faith or a bigger heart for God!

I miss ya Peanut! And I love ya FOREVER!!!!!

God Bless America!!!

....and if I may be so bold to ask...
AMERICA, BLESS GOD!!!

Guess what.....

OK, so two posts in one day.... whatever could that mean? Well, we are being cautiously excited but we got a call today that a birthmom has picked us for her child. She is carrying twins, but as of now is thinking that she wants to parent one of them herself and make an adoption plan for the other. However, she did want a family that would be willing to parent both of them just in case.... and that is US!!!!!!!!
We will be meeting her on Monday afternoon, so we will know more after that! Will try to keep you all up to date! Two girls, due Sept. 28 .... WOW and AMEN!!
Keep us - and Kim (the birthmom) and the babies - in your prayers!
I am going to bed now - 10:50PM..... had a very big day and am a bit whooped!!

Just a little hi!!

OK, nothing new on the adoption front, so this is pretty much just a hi!!
I also just want to say that my husband is an amazing man ... no, he didn't shower me with gifts or anything like that! I just like him a LOT and wanted to share with ya!
So, Saturday we went to the Lion's Club - my daddy would be proud!! - Pickerel festival. Not quite sure what a pickerel is (or even if I spelled it right) but they were having a carnival and there were fireworks and corndogs, so who could say no!!!!! There was a dart throwing booth at which my handsome man won his sweet daughter a VERY large penguin. She LOOOOOOOOVES penguins and this one is about as big as she is! Between that and the milkshake she devoured, she was a happy girl! Even if the lights up high were too loud! All in all a very good day!
Sunday we woke up to 47 degrees - brrrrrr .... HELLO, is this not JULY?!?!?!?!?!?! Any way, we went to church and then came home and played in the yard. Well, Hattie and I played, the man "played" with his self bought Father's day gift - a new hedge trimmer!! He made our yard beautiful ... even if he may have slightly gone overboard on a few bushes! Then he boosted Hattie up for a couple of baskets and we came inside.... another good day!
OK, so this may not be interesting to all of you, but I LOVE my life and I wanted to share it. I have been reading a Beth Moore book and checking out her website - she is a Bible Study teacher and amazing woman of God. She recently did a study on marriage and got some feedback from husbands who, by and large, said that they just want to be appreciated.......so....

Honey!!!!! I love you! I am soooooo honored and blessed to be your wife! You are EVERYTHING I could have ever have asked for or prayed for! Thank you for being so good at loving me and for being such a great dad to Steven, Chris & Hattie!!! I love you more everyday!!!!!!! XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Our New Journey

We are adopting again!!!!

Some of you already know this, but let's get the rest of you up to date:

We adopted our sweet Miss Hattie Grace a little over a year ago (although she has been with us for almost 3 years) and she is such a joy and a blessing that we decided to look into giving her a sibling (or maybe two!!!). Through a couple at church we found our agency - Adoption Associates - and quickly began the process. We have finished all of our classes, paperwork and Home Study sessions and are now at the point they call "waiting". I prefer to call it "wringing your hands, jumping each time the phone rings, checking the e-mail 20 times a day praying a LOT and pacing the floor" ... I think my title fits it better!!!

We would like to ask for the prayers of our loving fRamily for us during this process, but more importantly for "our" birth mom - we don't know who she is yet, but God does!!! I personally am praying for twins (and invite any of you to join me!!!) but also for heart preparation and acceptance of whatever He choses to bring our way!!

We will use this blog to keep you up to date on our journey, post new info when we can and keep you up on the latest happenings of our Hattie!! She is growing like a beautiful flower (sounds so much better than "weed"!!) and is more of a joy everyday!

God bless you all and Blog ya soon!!!

1st blog - woo-hoo!!!!

So, this is a blog .... hmmmmm. Guess I better think of something to say. But ya know what? I am tired - I took care of a three year old all day. She is curious and perfect and I am so blessed to be her mommy, but boy-howdy that girl can wear me out! I will tell you all about her sometime when I can focus on the keyboard, but right now my eyes are crossed and I am going to bed.