OH THE WAIT...

For almost 3 years now, I have been trying my best to support and encourage my friends in their adoption. I cannot tell you how many times we have cried out on their behalf. The pain of their wait was almost unbearable... what makes it better.
THIS DAY! When all were united under one roof for the first time. I hated to barge in to the family celebration, but I just couldn't NOT be there. Praising God for this indescribable (TINY) gift that is FOREVER HOME! Could the smiles on 3 big brother's faces get any bigger?

Zoo Day

Today was Zoo Field Trip Day with Callan's class. Thankfully, Nommie was able to come down and keep Cruz so that I could go. With the new regulations you have to have FBI clearance to be able to help with these kind of events. They made special arrangements for other parents who wanted to go (they signed their kids out and took them to the zoo). Since I have "Level 3 Clearance" I was able to help and walk around the zoo with 3 boys. One being my own little monkey. The boys had a blast and only asked for lunch and a drink 543 times.

I love Callan's personality on days like this. He knew what he wanted to wear (muscle shirt) and there was no convincing him otherwise. He was on a mission and asked for his map as soon as they unloaded the bus. (UH OH... GANDIE) The boys were okay with my prompting them to skip the Unseen World and come back to it since the other 17 bus loads of kids were currently trying to see all that is unseen. I did not get to stop and take many pictures because we were on a mission... not sure we ever completed that mission but it was fun none-the-less.

Here is him posing with a giraffe that looks like one of the trees in the background. I love giraffe's. There is just something about them that amaze me.

I finally broke down and bought all the boys some nectar in the Lorakeet Landing. I had reached my begging limit and broke. Thankfully it was for the $1 nectar and not the $5.75 Icee. It was a strech getting it to them in the trees, but they did good. I personally do not like birds and was putting on my brave face for the boys. There is just something about birds... that really give me the creeps. Callan with the Lemur. Not sure why he chose to take a picture with the lemur. Maybe because it was the first good exhibit that did not already have a classroom full of kids standing in front of it. There is just something about Lemur's... not sure what it is, but I am sure there is something.

My teenage daughters

Six years ago my husband fell in love with these two girls on his first trip to Nicaragua where they lived in the Chosen Children Ministries Orphanage. These girls are talked about in our home all of the time. Whenever Brent goes down he tries to visit with them each time. At Christmas, Baylor got to meet them. He also fell in love and they took him under their wing like any big sister would. Back when we started sponsoring children at the orphanage, these girls did not need sponsors. We picked up 2 other children. Since then, those 2 children went back with their families. At Christmas, Brent found out that even though the girls are no longer in the orphanage (they aged out) CCM was going to take them on as part of the ministry. CCM is sending them to ministry school and they work with the mission teams that come into town. Brent was told that the girls needed sponsors again. They needed someone to send them to school. We jumped at the chance to be a part of their lives, since they impacted ours so much.

To add to that, the girls get Internet access with school. So, we have become friends through f@cebook. Since Christmas, I would say we have messaged almost weekly. I cannot begin to tell you what their messages mean to me. These girls who have never met me tell me that I am pretty, they tell me they love me, and they thank me. These precious girls sent me gifts home with Brent and sent me a card. My heart is full to overflowing with love for these girls. I am not sure what God's plan is for these girls, I am not sure what God's plan is for us in their lives. But I know that HE does have a plan, and I am thankful to be a part of it. I do know that their ministry in Nicaragua is needed and important. They are a light to the people there in so many ways.

Tomorrow, the one on the right (I am purposely avoiding names) is having surgery. As I sit here tonight, I am struggling with it. I am sure she is scared. Although I know she will be in good hands, the good hands there are not the same as the good hands here. I really wish I could be there when she wakes up. I wish I could be the one to take care of her while she recovers. I know a little about their "story" and I know that she needs a mother's love. If you will, say a prayer for my sweet "daughter" in Nicaragua.

My Mother's Day

I spent my Mother's Day doing what I do every day... being a mother. I ended up having to stay home from church with Eliza because halfway to church she decided to regurgitate her breakfast. I am not sure what that was all about...
I spent the rest of the day (literally) at the ball field. Baylor's team was in a tournament here in Franklin. It was another good day of baseball with another tournament championship under their belt.




The big boys had Mother's Day Tea's in their classroom too. Callan made me all kinds of sweet goodies and we enjoyed muffins and juice together. Baylor had to spend over an hour pampering me. He painted my nails, massaged my neck, massaged my hands, and even tried his hand at a little beauty shop treatment. Fun Stuff!

Mother's Day Tea

My Sweet Silas had a Mother's Day Tea at school. In his precious words he described me as "Miss Ashley" with "brown" hair and "blue" eyes. She is "23" years old and "10" feet tall. She is very pretty when she wears "her blue dress". Her favorite color is "pink and purple". Mom does not like to clean "my toys" and gets mad when "my brother hurts me". She is happy "when I learn stuff". I like it when mom cooks "chicken and tater tots". I like when she plays "A gingerbread game with me". I love my mom because "she helped me learn my letters".

I love this sweet angel boy!

The rain came down and the flood came up

I think I am still at a loss for words over what has happened all over Middle Tennessee and the FLOOD. So much has been destroyed. It is hard to comprehend, hard to describe. Locally, our church received a lot of dammage but most all homes were spared. Some did get some water under the houses, but I have not heard of anyone in our town having standing water in their home. In Nashville and surrounding area some people have 6 FEET of water in their home. I am a little sad at the lack of coverage by the National Media. Maybe because we have rallied troops and helped our neighbor out instead of trying to lay blame in everyone else. Maybe because we are all still in shock, maybe because it was not a Hurricane, Tornado, or Earthquake it is not seen as newsworthy. But half of a major city is still underwater and many places received around 16 inches of rain in just 2 days. This stuff is CRAZY.

I don't have pictures of the surrounding area... so I will show you my very own back yard. I need to add some before pictures, but just to show you. The water that is up to the trees is from a Blue Line Stream about 15 feet behind them. The stream is so small that normally it holds a couple inches of water. The boys will occasionally wade through it with boots on looking for crawl dads. When it storms the stream rises, but it has never gone beyond the trees. And, this water is rushing... quickly!





This is a look to the right off of our deck. It is a classified a flood plain, but it has not ever filled up this bad. The water is as far as you can see. There is a concrete basket ball pad there and entire back yards!

Sweet Boy

Eliza is going to miss Silas next year more than we all realize. It is not uncommon to walk into the room and see scenes like this. He would much rather be playing with his Knights Castle or Bat Cave, but she asked him to play Princess Castle with him. So he does... without complaint. But then again, she has no troble spending her days in baseball gear or army costumes either.