A Blue Leaf

On this day, last year, shortly after lunch our phone rang.  I answered to the lovely voice of our case worker telling us our referral had come in.  After tearing up, grabbing a jacket, really tearing up, walking outside, crying, conference calling with Tim, really crying, we heard that we had a son.

What a fantastic moment.  After all the waiting to know that we had been chosen to be the parents of a 11 month old little boy.  We decided to wait and tell the kids together that evening.  We had planned on doing our "Tree of Thanksgiving" that night so it worked perfectly.

Tradition has it that we write or draw things we are thankful for.  Then go around and take turns reading them and hanging them on the tree.

I wrote, "We are thankful for your new baby brother."

I could hardly read it because I was so excited!  Their reaction was priceless!

I am so happy that Carson is home this year to terrorize and wreck our Tree of Thanksgiving.  ;)  This little man has brought so much joy and laughter into our home the past 7 months.  I remember so clearly that night reading this verse...

"Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name;  make known among the nations what he has done."

1 Chronicles 16:8

Make known what he has done.

What had He done?

The Lord used my family to be His hands and feet to offer love, acceptance, hope, joy, peace, redemption, security, belonging to a little boy that had a terrible start to his life. 

The Lord, like in all lives, set out to create a redemptive ending to a tragic situation.

There is nothing like seeing your child's face for the first time, either out of the womb or in a referral packet.  That, in itself, is a work of the Holy Spirit.

"Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name;  make known among the nations what He has done."

Thanksgiving dinner Peanuts' style

Traditions.

I look forward to them every year.

Next week's tradition is dinner and a show.

The dinner consists of pretzel sticks, jelly beans, popcorn and toast.

(2011)

The show is "Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving".

Each year as I grocery shop for the Thanksgiving dishes I'm responsible for, I make sure to pick up the above items.   We've been doing this since Ethan was little and the kids look forward to it each year. I enjoy a night off of cooking--except for the toast and popcorn.

Here are a few pictures from last year.

I'm looking forward to our Peanut's Thanksgiving dinner again this year.  It may be a challenge to get Carson to eat anything but the jelly beans. :)

So as you're writing out your grocery list for next week, be sure to include all you need to enjoy a "Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving" feast with your family.  You'll be sure to get some fun/cool mom points, too. :)

In a nutshell...

Here is our family's three birthdays in the past five days in a nutshell and some pictures.

 It began with Lucy's 6th birthday last week.

 It is very much like Lucy to specify her cake choice.  This year a pink cat with purple polka dots.  (Last year it was a rainbow unicorn.  I am very thankful for the easy cake sites that show you how to cut round cakes and piece them together to make different things.)

The annual birthday week photo...love, love, love that Carson is in this years!

Down with the pink/girlie decorations the next day and up with the teen decorations. :)

Carson started getting used to this cake and ice cream every day.  When we put him in his seat he would lean in like this and say "cake".

We enjoyed two days without streamers and balloons all over the kitchen and finished up the first two cakes only to bake and decorate one more time.

The end results:  a very happy 14, 12 and 6 yr. old, five extra pounds around my middle and two new words for Carson, "cake" and "balloon".  Until next year...

Doesn't this make you smile?

We are hoping to place the order for these new shirts this week.

I think it would make a great gift for your adoption loving friends or spouse.

You can order one at www.gotloveadopt.com.

Click, shop, give, support and make many people smile! :)

I don't know about you but...

Make

a 

bold

statement.

Order

at

www.gotloveadopt.com.

Making Room

I am trying to clear out some overstock t-shirts to make room for the hoodies and new Tervis that should arrive this week.

Be sure to email me, takva73@gmail.com, to check availability.  I'll try to update.

 1 youth Xs

2 youth S

2 youth M

2 youth L

2 adult S

1 adult M

1 adult 2XL

$12, includes shipping

Grey shirt color is lighter than shown; Super Soft style

2 adult S

2 adult M

4 adult L

2 adult XL

$15, includes shipping

 2 youth S

1 youth M

$10, includes shipping

1 youth XS

2 adult M

$13, includes shipping

Random Conclusions

A month has passed since my last "Random Conclusions" post.  I found myself looking at this past month's pictures and thinking of some conclusions.  It is a fun way to see your photos...try it.  (Be sure to leave me a comment if you post them on a blog so I can read some of your fun conclusions!)

1.  Carson snuck out the side door with a bag of popcorn the other week.  He was so happy to have it all to himself leaving me to conclude that there are times when it is ok to not make your children share.

2.  We have been squeezing in as much outdoor fun as we can before the weather turns colder.  I get tired just watching these three and the amount of energy they have, leaving me to conclude unless we have a whole lot of snow to play in, it is going to be a long winter!

3.  I found that I had become a bit of a closet baker/cooker when I need to get something made quickly.  In my older age, I'm realizing it is more important to "make memories" leaving me to conclude you can never have too many cooks in the kitchen!

4.  This was the last picture sent to me from my brother taken in Congo leaving me to conclude I just might have the cutest niece and nephew EVER!

5.  Carson has become increasingly affection with all of us leaving me to conclude we are raising one serious hugger.

6.  The girls each found a pair of shoes at the thrift store last week.  They were excited to wear them to church the next day leaving me to conclude that my daughters are on different ends of the fashion spectrum. :)

7.  Ethan snapped this picture of me doing some fall sunbathing.  I may or may not have been dozing when this was taken. :)  Seeing Carson mimic me in the this picture made me laugh, leaving me to conclude he is just too much!

8.  One of the benefits to keeping our fundraising site going is the large boxes that arrive at our house.  The kids love playing with and in them leaving me to conclude when it comes to toys simple is better.

9.  We have two serious archeologists at our house that are determined to find dinosaur bones by their 7th birthdays leaving me to conclude we won't be planting grass seed next to our shed anytime soon.

10.

 I took this picture one morning while working on a blog post leaving me to conclude facebooking and blogging is much more enjoyable when you can do it with a loved one rubbing your back.