Happy Birthday Twins!!

November 14th marked the 13th birthday for Michael and Isabella:) No more tweens, they are now officially TEENAGERS. What a thought! They shopped for their gifts (a teenager thing) and were obviously very happy with their own choices. Michael buying an expensive fish rod and an even more expensive reel...he LOVES them:) Bella fluttering through getting boots, small little stuff and an appointment to get her nails done...she LOVES her things as well! Each picked out their favorite cakes. Bella with an Oreo Ice Cream cake and Michael with cheesecake and strawberry topping:)

It was a good day! Happy Birthday Michael and Isabella!!!

FHU Homecoming 2010

These are some of my "picture" moments from the weekend:)

This was the Homecoming Court:



These were taken at the banquet:






Homecoming Basketball game:




Doug was in the championship dodgeball game at half time of the boys game. He was the last man standing on his team but sadly they lost:(






And just some family faces, my goofy lens is broken so I can only take really really close pictures with my camera. I am thankful that my zoom works if I am 200 m away and that my kids have cameras too! :

Success Stories!

So often in adoption circles you read story after story of "older child" adoptions. It seems to me all to often those stories are all too sad. They seem to bespeak of loss, unsuccessful life, of unfulfilled dreams and hopelessness.

My Stuart's "story" is a BEAUTIFUL one! It is a story of gain, of success, of dreams and hope! Stuart is a child, a young man, who makes me wish for a dozen more boys just like him!

Stuart came to our home on and off through middle school. By the time he was 14 he never left again. He was and continues to be a wonderful student, a respectful person, an athlete and a loving brother and a man after God's own heart...a Christian. His desire for family, to be part of a family created in him a beautiful spirit! Family and the love of it was a CHOICE for Stuart!

This weekend Scott and I (along with my dad, step-mom, Sarah, Paden and Stuarts girl friend Hannah) were at a Banquet that honored 6 boys and 6 girls (Stuart was one of 3 boys from the Senior class). All chosen by peers to be on the Freed Hardeman University Homecoming Court. From nearly 2000 students Stuart was chosen. I can tell you how wonderful "I" think Stuart is (and I do pretty often), but this honor shows that, while I am prejudice, I am not alone in my thoughts of Stuarts example. I am not unwarranted in my thoughts of his wonderful attributes, he's such a GOOD GUY!

I tell him often and I mean it always.....I am so very proud of this son of mine!!!

Peachtree City

What a trip!! For those who love and enjoy their children you can certainly understand that I had a WONDERFUL time with my "face-to-face" time with Chelsea and Bo!

I did get lost on the way down (well, the last 60 miles of off road that was suppose to save me time getting from the interstate to PTC). I am not sure I was really "lost" because I was in cities I knew, I just couldn't FIND the right way. What a sermon there is in that! How nice to finally get there and be with them:)

I could bore you with all the momma talks, with the way Chelsea woke early the next morning and climbed into bed with me to talk before we got up and began our day...LOVE the simplicity of those moments. We did shop a little on Thursday morning, Chelsea showed me some of the neatest little shops they have. It was nice browsing and just being with Chelsea. We met Bo for lunch at the Georgia Shrimp Co and he bought us the most wonderful meal! The weather was just perfect and we sat outside enjoying our meal and conversation.

After lunch we began baking. Chelsea and Bo had a youth group retreat over the weekend and Chelsea was in charge of making desserts. We actually made them together last year and continued this year. We made brownie bars and cookie bars and another bar and cupcakes and chocolate muffins and chocolate chip cookie and peanut butter cookies and I even tried iced sugar cookies (that did not turn out like my sweet friend Andrea's at all)!! I loved that time with Chelsea, working together and talking. SO SWEET! We did talk and talk and talk and talk and we baked:)

Thursday night we went to the "Taste of Home" live cooking show in Newnan. What fun! I have never been to anything like that and thoroughly enjoyed being with Chelsea and the wonderful ladies from her church.

Friday came way to quick and as Murphy's Law caught up with me ....my car died (thankfully in Chelsea's neighborhood) and I spent a few more hours trying to get it fixed. I did enjoy those extra yapping hours with Chelsae, but finally left my car and drove Chelsea's home. I had to be back to Henderson for Stuart's Homecoming banquet and time was running close! Today Chelsea and Bo are coming here and will be bringing my now "half repaired" car home and trading back.

I had a whirlwind trip of GREAT JOY!! I love these wonderful adults of mine:)

People you can depend on....

Yesterday I had a dear friend climb into the van with me as I waited on school to let out, she is raising her sister's son and being the mom of a super sweet incredible daughter....well...boys ARE different:) Yesterday her nephew got in a fight at school and was suspended for several days, he did not "start" the fight, but the consequence is the same. She works and was worried about where to leave him during the days he was out.

I texted Jacob at work and asked him to remind me to talk to him about the boy. Jacob came in after work and asked me. I explained and then asked if he had any days off (today was the only one this week) and then I asked if the boy could work with him? I LOVE that he did not grimace, he didn't shrug, he didn't whine, he didn't even complain that he didn't know the boy...he simply said, "Well, I guess we can go work in Miss Linda's yard, I know it needs it." I called and offered the work and it didn't turn out to be needed today. I then, because I KNOW it's true, offered for him to work with Jacob anytime she felt like he needed to get out of the house. As I told jacob that he smiled and said "sure". He then said, "well, I was wanting to go buy that gun I've been looking at since it's on sale, I guess now I can still do that." He did not try to excuse himself out of the need, even though he had plans. He was willing shift around to help.

Jacob has NEVER (and that is no thinking error) been disrespectful or whining or complaining when I ask him to do something. He is on my list of "people I can depend on" and he also happens to be my son..a double blessing. I am so very proud that he is so willing to do the right thing when it comes to helping others...it's a gift to him, to me and to all who know him:)

Chelsea & Bo

This week I am, for the first time since they were married, going to Chelsea and Bo's house ALL BY MYSELF! I'm so excited:) I can sit and visit and visit and sit!

Chelsea has tickets for us to go to the "Taste of...." Can't remember the exact name, but do think it's in Newnan. Exact name didn't matter, getting to be with these two fun people? THAT matters. So I'll try to blog some this week...but the end of the week promises to have me having way to much fun with my biggies:)

This is one week I plan on MAKING GREAT!!

Stuart:)

Talk about a child after my own heart? God knows and understand just how special this child is to me! Stuart is simply outstanding. He is an incredible example for my younger kids and I love that! Just this morning I was talking to Caleb in Afghanistan who was telling me when he got out of the Army he and Stuart were going to go to a big city with the clothes on their backs and spend a month living with the homeless. As a mother I can tell you that did not really strike any kind of "peace" with me. Who intentionally does that? Well, maybe my guys, maybe not, but the neatest part was that they were both willing to try new things, to experience this world and they were willing to do it together. That part, the brotherhood, I loved. I told them both (after talking to them this morning) that I was fine with that as long as they took journals and wrote about the experience everyday and that they told me which corner they would be on so I could occasionally drive by and give them money:) I can say that because all mom's know kids change their minds a whole lot and I have at least a year or more to worry about that happening. Oh yeah, and I might should mention that they are both adults and don't need my permission..lol...I am glad they share with me, but mom's will always worry!

Back to the picture? This neat neat guy of mine is on the Freed Hardeman Homecoming court!! Scott and I will be at the banquet with him on Friday night and the kids and I will be at FHU for the game (and coronation) on Saturday. Apparently I am not the only person who thinks this great guy is special:)

This picture? Success. I love those kind of pictures:)