Happy "Coming Home" Day, Zach...5 years!!!!!!

Soccer cupcakes & a friend over for lunch A few "treasures" throughout the day...all stuff he couldn't live without ;)Glo-golfing with our family(found BJ's old Guatemala shirt that fits Zach now...he was excited to wear it)

Our family, so thankful for our precious son from Guatemala

Its hard to believe ago that 5 years ago yesterday, you came HOME!!!! Yes, Dad & I had already visited you in Guatemala...but we had been waiting so long to get you HOME! You were a precious little 9 1/2 month old baby, who already loved our family! We love you so very much, you are a very good boy who is growing into a little man, a very fun best-friend for your brother & such a wonderful BIG brother for your little sister! We can't imagine life without you (it would be way too boring!), we know God has great things for you!!! We love you our precious, Zachariah, we are sooo happy to have you in our family!!!

Oh, we love these kids...

It was going to be a quiet month, getting lots of things organized & done, enjoying the kids...

Here's the 2 "not-so-little ones" having fun in Ellyana's baby doll pack-n-play

Ellyana having fun trying on a beautiful hand-me down dress...

hoping it still fits this summer on our growing girl

Zach decided he wanted to try out a tie & sports coat to wear to church...

about made your heart melt

Wanted to capture our little "joy-bell" in the morning..

love her in her sleeper & bedhead with her juice sippy
Zach with his Playmobile people

All 3 kids helping the neighbors with shoveling

Zach finally got his turn as "Star of the Week", he's really been waiting

And we celebrated MLK Day with our Community, Ellyana loved it!

Never had been before, I took the 2 little ones, we had to walk in from the front of the room, the whole first section was almost filled & all the other front seats were marked for "Honored Guests"...we headed for the back (was planning on sitting there anyway). Wondered who would be sitting in the back with us? Looked around... State Representative, State Senator, Mayor...made you wonder who all the "honored guests" in the front were? We enjoyed the Old Spirituals by the choir & some nice speeches. We did have to leave early, so we were glad to be able to exit toward the back. It was a humbling day to remember where things have come from, not too long ago & so thankful for the progress that has been made.

Our month has surprisingly been filled with appointments & lots of stuff going on...the most recent...BJ broke his arm Monday evening playing football in the basement with Dad & Zach, he fell back & caught himself with his right arm. Great mom, sent him to school Tuesday with Tylenol, he was not doing great by Tuesday afternoon..so we headed to the ER. They splinted him & Wed. he was able to get his real cast on. Its an adjustment, since he uses his Right arm for everything.
This is Eddie, he's been putting on casts for 40 years, he was really nice to BJ. We have much to be thankful for...this is our 1st broken bone (surprising for all the sports & horsing around that go on around here), its not his leg (crutches would be a nightmare in the winter), we just had happened to rearrange the boys' room on Saturday (BJ now has a bed he can crawl in & out of with his good arm), and the 2nd hand store happened to have long sleeve shirts on sale for $1 so I can cut the sleeves to fit without ruining his nicer shirts.

And all the kids have been troopers through this unexpectedly crazy month.

We celebrated how great they have done through it all last night. We had to laugh as Brian noticed our table, a familiar theme...chocolate! God's grace & maybe more than a little bit of chocolate has gotten us through! Here's to a quiet-organizing- getting- things- done month of February!

It was a VERY Merry Christmas!

Finishing up our family Christmas mealOpening gifts at home, Ellyana wrapping her baby up in leftover wrapping paper

Getting to visit the Rinks...the girls are still so similar (don't know how to post the video of the girls flying down the stairs together) & the all the boys have fun together too! Having fun visiting Great-Grandma

Precious time visiting Uncle Stevie with all my siblings & Mom...He LOVED Mom's homemade fudge!

Aunt Bonnie with BJ

Grandma & Grandpa with all the grandkids...Ellyana modeling her new swimsuit!

We had such a good time with Brian's family too, an extended family Christmas, visiting his brother's house, the guys playing walleyball, Grandma & the kids & I out for Chinese lunch, the kids getting to sled behind a pickup truck in an open field (wish I could post the video) & the last day the immediate family Christmas...

Zach with the gift he has been waiting for...

Ellyana enjoying her new Baby Alive

Brian with his brothers & Dad and the tasty fun of a HUGE box of chocolates!

We had great time with many friends & family...we feel so thankful to have each one in our lives! The presents were so fun & the kids have enjoyed getting the past few days playing with all of them! The kids are growing up so fast & tomorrow starts back to school! We thank the Lord for the precious season of fun that we have had!

Merry Christmas from our family!!!!

Love this picture of Ellyana with Daddy, can you see her precious dimple!?!

We had a coupon for cupcakes at the mall...how else do you get 3 kiddos in their Christmas clothes to smile big..."Our Little Cupcake" was very happy to see the store of cupcakes

Guess who likes to pick out her own clothes...this outfit topped them all! Didn't catch the gray stocking hat on her head!

Zach lost his first tooth, in his words..."Dad broke it off"...not sure it was quite ready but the other one is coming in big behind
Marathon day of Christmas parties at school

Enjoying a Christmas Concert as a family

Many blessings to you this Christmas season! May in the hustle & bustle of these days our hearts be turned to JESUS as the best gift of all, may HIS love fill our hearts & lives with true thankfulness as we celebrate HIM!!!!!

Enjoy this...adding some JOY to the Christmas season!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp_RHnQ-jgU

8 minutes of inspiring, eternal perspective

Very worth your time to watch...

Eric Ludy - Depraved Indifference

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWHJ6-YhSYQ

Lots of pictures...

Here's Ellyana on her Birthday...with a little family celebration at Chuck-E-Cheese

She played games with Dad, had tons of fun running around, eating pizza & playing...but in very typical 2 year old fashion...was not about to "share" this ride with this mouse

We had some International Students for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner...its was nice to be together & the meal turned out fine...they had never had one...so it was low-pressure on how all the food would turn out

One of our yearly favorites...our towns Lighted Holiday Parade...fun to share with friends...it was ChIlLy this year! Finally, got to connect with some other local Adoptive Families at the huge playland...no chance to get the kids all together for a photo...but all of our 3 kiddos had a blast...it was nice to be with families that are the same as us in so many ways
Our school district hosted "Kids Against Hunger" night...we enjoyed a soup dinner & soup packaging for local & international families that are without food. We got to taste the total nutrition packed soup also...not too bad...but it does make you thankful for what we have!

BJ & Brian won BJ's age bracket at our towns "Turkey Shoot" (not much competition)...but fun...these guys LOVE basketball...and BJ won a frozen turkey for his prize
BJ's class "Friendship Feast"..Turkey lunch in 2nd grade

Zach's been working all month to get ready for his Kindergarten Pow-Wow...he did great in the program...and the whole thing was very cute & fun
Enjoying some time with cousins over Thanksgiving

And Grandma got the "Ellyana" cake (it looks just like her style ;), super delicious too!And here she is again...the Birthday Girl...she loves it! Though when asked how old she is...she says "18"...a comment made in passing by Grandma months ago when she was acting grown up..."how old do you think you are...18?"...well, it stuck in her head & that is what she always answers!

Zach got to see his 2nd cousin who is from Guatemala also...they are super close in age!

Getting to celebrate today with friends from church...Happy Birthday, JESUS!!!!
Decorating cookies

With the 1st snow, 1st day of December ...and today kicks off the "Advent Season"...may our hearts be open each day to the Savior & His love!

Blessings to you this December!!!!