We adore #4 (kinda)

 

We are thankful for a little movement & will keep praying for God's perfect timing! 

 Blessings to your long weekend!

Rest of the 10 year old birthday...

For being 10, BJ got to be the only kid that went out for dinner with Grandpa & Grandma & Mom & Dad...it was a very special evening...remembering back to the incredible beginning that he had & what a wonderful young man he has become!

We were able to celebrate with his other Grandpa & Grandma...a wonderful cake & BJ got some nice help putting together the more difficult Lego kit that BJ had picked out.

Difficult Lego sets and lots of Spy Gear were his grown-up birthday gifts this year.  How do they grow up so fast?  Went to buy him new shoes...he always wears the same pair...I just get the bigger pair each year...they said not this year...Boys Size 6 moves into Men's Size 7 size...what!?!!!  Why had no one told me...how can our precious BOY wear MENs shoes!?!!  My brain went super fuzzy, I started to feel strange and tears came to my eyes...I just had to leave.  It probably didn't help that a giant man came in at the same time asking for size 14 shoes.  We will go back to the Men's Dept at some point and try on new shoes...but momma is just still processing the age-old question...how do they grow up so fast?  How can it ache & feel wonderful at the same time to see them grow into the people God has them to be?  We trust HIM with each day!

Happy 3 years HOME Day, Ellyana!!!!

3 years ago today...Ellyana came home to our "forever family"...it is a day we will never forget and always will celebrate with much JOY in our hearts!

Our precious Ethiopian baby girl

Has now grown into a beautiful Ethiopian princess

We were so happy to celebrate at our favorite Ethiopian restaurant...what fun we had with very delicious food, always friendly staff (even speaking a little Amharic to us), Ethiopian music and beautiful decorations...such a fun, amazing experience!

Our kids have always enjoyed the Ethiopian food...and this year was no exception! 

For those of you who haven't tried it...this is the Injera that you use to pick up the meats & veggies...so beautiful and tasty!

And after we ate the kids wanted to know what was under the basket...reminded me of the 1st night Dad & I had Ellyana at the Guesthouse for dinner...she was entertaining the table that 1st night too :)

Ellyana is a precious gift from the Lord to our family!  She brings such joy!  She is beautiful inside and out...and as her name suggests "GOD HAS ANSWERED"!  What a delight it is to celebrate the day God placed her in our family!!!  We thank and praise Him!

Our miracle baby turns "10"!

Hard to believe...10 years ago today...I was wheeled into an Emergency C-section because our 26 1/2 week baby was "in distress" and he needed to be delivered right away.  Born at 1 lb. 10 oz and after 3 months in the NICU, our baby boy came home and started to grow and grow.  He is our "miracle baby"...the odds were not with him...as far as a "normal" life is concerned.  And yet, God was mighty and answered so many prayers...we praise Him for not only giving BJ life, but also for blessing our family so much through the amazing boy that he is!  He brings "JOY" with him wherever he goes, he loves to talk, he is tenderhearted, is very diligent and is a Christ-like young man!  It is our privilege that God blessed our family with Him!

Today we invited in some friends for "Backyard Olympics"...lots of fun!

I woke up yesterday morning...this was BJ's graphed, calculated plan of how I was to set out the cupcakes they had decorated...God has given him an amazing "planning mind"

Not sure it was quite as the calculations intended...but it was yummy!

 Lots of kids everywhere, moms enjoying "catching up" in the shade...it was a wonderful morning!

More pics to come of family birthday times...but for today...Happy Birthday, our precious miracle boy!  You light up our lives with the JOY of the Lord in your heart!

Things we are loving this summer...

Karen and Kids...14 minute kids radio program...or you can download for FREE on Itunes...lots & lots of programs available (some more interesting than others)...lots of great music and teaching...love getting great material in our kids head/heart every chance we get...if Brian's out-of-town we often will listen to it during meals or listen while we drive in the car, we are HUGE fans......http://www.karenandkids.com/      

 A fun website I came across this summer   http://www.thesmallthingsblog.com/    (some posts more interesting to me than others)...but love it when women of God...do things well!

Reminds me of Gabby Douglas...very exciting!  We haven't kept up with the Olympics as much as we would like...but love it when we can...GO USA...GO WORLD (YEAH for Guatemala getting their 1st Olympic medal ever & for Ethiopia having 3 medals this year)

And because well, adoption is very much on our brain...we are lovin' getting updates that we are moving up the list...kiddos are getting matched with forever families...Praise the Lord!  and with each one we are one number closer to being matched with our precious girl!  Our kids are getting into the "countdown" too...making it all extra exciting!

Give me "5"!!!!

 

 
There are a lot of smiles that come with the number "5" and today is ours...we are officially #5 on the wait list...the courts are closing in August till into October...so we are fine with the wait...but things are getting pretty exciting here!

Weeks at the beach...what JOY...

 Well, we arrived home from 3 weeks at the beach...it was AMAZING!!!!  (lots and lots of pics below)

 The sunshine was WONDERFUL...and out of all of our time there...this was our "cloudy" day...and how beautiful it was!  A very fun sandbar that the kids LOVED playing on!

 

 BJ was our builder/designer...hours spent making walls and mazes...this was a swimming pool for Ellyana!

 Brian was actually in a different part of the state working during the week (poor guy)...the amazing part of our trip was how great our kids did...and after all of the time there...it never grew old!  Always something interesting at the beach!

 Zach spent HOURS catching little fish ...and of course made many friends with the kids at the beach!

 We were thrilled to have my mom come and spend some time with us!  She loves the beach too...and everything is extra fun when we have Grandma around!  This was our favorite place for slushies!

 

 Brian was thrilled to see gas under $3 when we crossed into South Carolina...how is that!?!!

 Our one touristy thing...we headed to Myrtle Beach for a few hours.

 Some pirate thing...he was trying to get the kids to make a "grrr" sound...it was a free activity ;)

 Time to do puzzles...hoorah for vacation...you have time to do things you don't get to do at home!

 Celebrating the 4th with Slushes...aka Italian Ice...the kids had fun planning what they were going to get for their next flavor mix.

Zach caught many of these crabs...feisty little things...

 

We were surprised when the crab was served up when we tried the Calabash famous seafood platter...really cool to a 7 yr old boy ;)

And what is Calabash-style?...basically FRIED...we split a platter and; well, you can only enjoy so much of it...but it was fun to try!

 Mini-golf always a family favorite!

When not at the beach or the pool there was this tub in our condo...

And yep, all 5 of us fit ;) 

Time to play games

We enjoyed Brian with us whenever possible...and we celebrated our 14 year anniversary!  

This couple blessed my heart everytime I saw them at the beach...I hope this is us someday!

 

 No surprise but this guy could really ride the waves!

 BJ loved taking his innertube out and floating in the waves!

Eating snacks so we could stay at the beach as long as possible each day

Our trunk headed to the beach each day

Craziness of being in a new place...the kids all dying to have it be their turn to throw trash in the dumpster.

 

 

And after 3 weeks...I officially know...I could be a beach bum..

I had to keep telling myself..."this is not reality, this is not what God has called us to"...

but we sure enjoyed every moment of it!