Merry CHRISTmas!!!!

Merry Christmas to all! I am praying that those of you that read my blog know that Christmas is truly about the first 6 letters of the word: CHRIST. Thank you God for sending your only Son to die for us. Jesus paid the ultimate price for our sins. If you haven't yet, please consider accepting God's gift of salvation.

Here are some pics from our trip to cut down our Christmas tree:
Kevin did not like Santa at all. Alisha only asked for a purple tractor. Matthew had a whole list (a laptop, printer, John Deere tractor, etc.). Michael didn't know what to say.

Merry CHRISTmas!!!!!!!!!!!!

6 months

Can you believe Michael has been home for 6 months already? The time has flown by. Sorry for the lack of posts, but a full time job, 4 kids, and a house kind of keep us busy. My internet is also a bit slower these days and it takes forever to upload pictures. So I'll try to post some pictures while I am home over the next week or so.
We are all doing well. Michael is slowly improving but still has his bad days. He has started telling us that he loves us and telling people that we love him, so that seems like a good sign. He gets very upset at his sister when she asks him about when he used to be in Haiti. He does not want to talk about it. But he does like to sing. All the kids are anxious for CHRISTmas to get here. I tried to post here earlier today, but I had 8 kids all day so I didn't have time for the computer. But it was a blast having my 4 kids and my sister's 4 kids all day. The kids were amazingly good and had very few fights. They played trains, school, dress up, watched a movie, ate breakfast, lunch, & dinner, made buttons, took naps, and kept the living room clean all the while. It was fun. Tiring, but fun.

Michael's First Snow!!!!!!!

Michael says the snow is "freezing". But he is very excited about it as long as it doesn't touch his skin.

Bailey has figured out how to open the garage door and get out while we are gone. So when I got home from church today, he met me at the gate and he was covered in snow.

God's Precious Word

Scripture can be so encouraging and there have been many times that I have "run" to the Psalms in times of trials. Today our sunday school class spent the morning sharing encouraging passages of scripture. If you are facing trials, or if you have ever faced a trial, or if you think you might face a trial someday, please take some time to read God's word. Here is a list of the passages that were shared this morning in our class.

Encouragements from Scripture

Isaiah 40 (especially verses 10-11, 28-31)
Exodus 19:4
Deuteronomy 31:6
Hebrews 13
Ephesians 3:14-21
Matthew 6:25-34
Psalm 139
Hebrews 12:1-3
Psalm 23
John 16:33
I Peter 5:7
Psalm 18
Psalm 103
Proverbs 18:10
Zephaniah 3:17
John 17
Psalm 116:1-2
Lamentations 3:37
I Peter 1:3-9
Jeremiah 29:11
Philippians 1:6
Phillipians 2:13
II Corinthians 1:3-7
James 1:2-4
Romans 5:3-5
John 14:27
Proverbs 3:5-6
Psalm 56:8 (KJV)
John 11:35
Daniel 2:20-23, 4:34-35, 6:25-27, 7:9-10,13-14,22

My precious Children

Well, as you probably noticed, I've been very busy and haven't had a chance to post. But I have a few cute stories. First story took place last Sunday morning. Aaron was singing special music at church so we had to be at church at 8:30am for practice before Sunday school. We made it there only a few minutes late with all of us dressed and fed. I had the three older kids sitting on a pew watching the practice and Kevin was wandering around. He would stop every once in a while and direct the music or clap when they finished a song. Then Aaron got up to practice his song and Kevin just stood in the center aisle doing a little jig and directing his daddy with his hands. It was so precious. Then when Aaron was done, Mr. Kevin (the one Kevin is named after) got up there to practice his song. Kevin looked at him and took off for the stage. He crawled right up the steps and turned around and sat down at Mr. Kevin's feet. So Mr. Kevin picked him up and held him through most of his song he was practicing. My little Kevin just cuddled into Mr. Kevin and relaxed even thought everybody was watching him. It was very precious.
The other story is kind of embarassing for me. Aaron and I were going to get in the van with Kevin and Michael the other day. As I passed around the front of the van, I saw our mutt standing just inside the gate soaking wet. He has figured out how to get out of the garage when we are gone and had let himself out that day and stood in the rain instead of going back in the garage or into his doghouse. So I looked back and said, "You're soaked, retard." Now I know I shouldn't say that word at all, but the response from Michael was funny. Michael cam around the van behind me and said, "I not wetarded." I don't think he even knows what the word means, but it made me laugh.
Well, I have a lot to do today and I want to have some time to spend with the kids. I hate working full time and not being able to have time to spend with my kids. Stupid adoption debt! So I just have to take advantage of the time I have and that is why I don't post here as often during the school year.

Sunday Morning Pics

This Week


Last Week

Soooooo Busy

Sorry I haven't posted in quite awhile. We have been very busy. I have a cool new picture that I want to share of the kids, but it is on the other computer (go figure).
Matthew got a student of the month award. Aaron and I were able to get off early and go to the awards assembly yesterday. He has now decided that he will get a student of the month award every year. Two down, many more to go!
Alisha is loving preschool. She can finally write an "A" and an "h". She is so proud of herself for "writing her name".
Michael is continuing to struggle with his behavior. We are searching for options that might help him. It makes things very stressful when his behavior is so hard to deal with at times. Although, he had a really good day today. I just wish that he had more good days. A few in a row would be nice!
Kevin is changing so much. He loves walking now. I am amazed at how quickly he has mastered walking. He loves to giggle. He gives the sweetest big baby open-mouth kisses and if you act silly when he does it, he comes back for more. Then he laughs and acts silly. I enjoy the time Aaron and I get to spend with him after the other kids are in bed most evenings.
Aaron and I are okay. It is very tiring to care for four kids, but God continues to give us his grace. I am just very thankful for my ipod and "Casting Crowns". I have also enjoyed sitting down and reading some various books about Christian parenting, God's love, and Karen Kingsbury books.

Alisha's First Fieldtrip & Various other things

Well, it has been a long few weeks. Matthew & Kevin can't get rid of their colds/ear infections. We are starting the second round of antibiotics today. Kevin is really starting to walk a lot more. He can stand up without holding onto anything now. It is so cute to watch him. He has been giving us a lot of loves lately. Matthew is enjoying school. His teacher says that he is quiet. Alisha loves school. She can write an A now and is working on writing her name. She can finally get her age right (well, most of the time anyway). She went to the apple orchard last thursday for her first fieldtrip. I found out that she has a really good friend in her class (that happens to be a boy). My friend Kim (from college) was here for the day and got to go with Alisha and Michael and I on the trip. It was supposed to be Michael's first fieldtrip also, but they kicked him out of school before the trip. That is another long story that I don't have time to write about right now. But I need lots of prayers for peace, patience, and guidance as we seek to find a place to get him some help. But the preschool teacher he had refuses to use the word "no" in her classroom, says Michael is egocentric, and various other things. They were under the impression that we were getting paid each month for having Michael and that we should use that money to pay for a different preschool. Wow! Shows you how little they know about adoption. But rather than speak to us, they made assumptions and refuse to let Michael attend preschool. Aaron and I are also not feeling well right now, so please pray for healing for our whole family.
Aren't they cute!
Cousins. Can you believe that she is only 7 months and he is 12 months.
Awwww! He loves his "little" cousin.
Alisha & Michael at the apple orchard
Alisha & Michael with "Auntie" Kim
Alisha and her friend Josh
The kids favorite thing was this skeleton in the outhouse. It talked and moved and was really kind of funny. The kids wanted to stay there and watch it over and over again.
Notice Alisha is already at the top and Michael is still climbing up the first layer of hay bales. She is so fast and agile. Michael on the other hand is kind of clumsy. Poor guy, he tries really hard, but he just can't keep up with his sister. But they had fun on the "hay mountain".

Fun at the Park

More Pics of Kevin's Birthday

Kevin with my dad and my Grandma.
Kevin's new clothes from Aaron's mom.

Some very silly kids getting ready for church on Kevin's birthday.

A little more serious.

Happy 1st Birthday Baby Kevin!!!!!!!!!!!

Alisha's Hairdo

So I can't part straight, but she still looks really cute.

First Day of Preschool Pics

Alisha's pics show her dirty face. I almost forgot to take pictures of her on her first day because she does not go to school until after lunch. So I didn't even think about it until we were headed out the door. Michael was very excited about his school backpack. It is almost as big as him, but it sure made him happy.

Video of Kevin Walking

Sorry about all the conversations, but keep watching and he really does walk.

Preschool

Alisha & Michael have really enjoyed their first week of preschool. I didn't get to take them, but I think my sister and mother-in-law got some pictures of them. We got a few of them each when they got ready to go in the morning. So I will try to post some pictures this weekend. And I'm going to try to post some of Kevin walking also.

He's Walking!!!!!!!!!

Kevin finally took a about three or four steps at a time last night. I was home with the kids and the other three had already gone to bed. So I tried bribing him with food, toys, me (of course he should want to walk to mommy, right?), but it didn't work. Then he was sitting there looking at some books and I got an idea. I bribed him with a book and it worked. He would walk to the book and get excited that he had the book. So tonight we showed my in-laws. Tonight he was taking about 9 steps at a time to get to his book. And once again we tried a food, but he would not walk to get the cookie unless it was by the book. So look out world, here comes Kevin...

A busy week

Wow, this week was very busy. I'm not sure where the time went. It was my first full week of school and Matthew's also. Tuesday night we went out to eat for a school fundraiser. The kids enjoyed it alot. Aaron was at a contract ratification meeting, so he didn't get to join us. We are still waiting to hear if the contract passed. Please pray that it did. Wednesday, Aaron and I both had terrible headaches when we got home. So we decided to go grab some food and run to walmart to buy socks (don't you hate how socks just disappear!). So we were going to this chicken place that was having a super special for one night only from 5-7pm. We love their chicken and a chicken dinner was only going to be 2.99. So we would only need two or at most three of these meals to feed the whole family and it would be a great deal. SO we headed over there only to find a line all the way around the whole building waiting to get in. No way! We were not waiting in line with 4 kids. SO we stopped at a Taco Bell on our way to walmart. The lady rang up our order and the whole time, I was thinking about how this was going to cost more than the chicken I had wanted to get. So she went to run my credit card through (because I don't carry cash on me) and it wouldn't go through. ANother lady told her that the machines weren't working and she said they had started working a few minutes ago. SO she tried the other machine, but had no luck. So I asked Aaron if he had any cash and of course he doesn't carry cash either so I told the lady we would just have to go someplace else. At that point, I wondered why the Lord was making it so difficult to just get some food. And as that thought ran through my mind, the manager walked up and said that our meal would be on her for that night and not to worry about it. Thank You Lord! So we ate and went to get socks and got home and to bed early that night.
Thursday was my nieces birthday, so we went to my parents house and pizza and brownies. Then the kids played in the backyard for a while.
Now I saved Monday for last for a reason. Monday was an awful, horrible, no good, very bad evening. I needed to take Alisha and Michael for their physicals for preschool. Only Aaron wasn't off work in time to go with me. So I took FOUR children to the doctors. They were well behaved under the circumstances, BUT... Alisha did quite well for her physical and four shots (I didn't even know she was going to need any shots.) Michael did okay for his physical, BUT then came the needles.... They needed to draw blood again, because his iron was so low when he first came home. It took myself and three nurses to get the blood drawn. And everybody in the state heard Michael screaming that evening. Yes, that WAS Michael you heard on Monday evening. Then he needed 5 shots. We had been told he was missing a few of his shots, but then found out he had only had one shot. Fun, fun. Now he has to have all his baby shots at three years old. By the time they were done, Michael was exhausted and very very very very upset. Alisha was in tears asking if Michael was okay. Kevin was screaming and sobbing because Mommy wasn't picking him up and because his brother was screaming. Matthew was standing there with this look of terror on his face like someone had just died in front of him. Needless to say, I was emotionally exhausted by the time we left the doctor's office. It took almost two hours at the doctor's office with four kids ages 6 and under. What a terrible time. So we went to a playplace for dinner because it was too yucky to go play outside.
Alisha starts preschool tomorrow. And Michael starts on Tuesday. Please pray that things go smoothly. Michael is having issues with adults lately. Today, he got upset at his churchtime teacher and took his shoes off and threw them at her and then proceeded to kick and scream. Needless, to say they had to come get Aaron out of church to go deal with him. The fits seem to be so random that it is hard to predict when he is going to have one and what is triggering them. Please pray that he would adjust completely to his new life and not have these fits anymore.

Pictures!!!!!!!!!!

I finally got pictures uploaded today. There are several new posts of pictures from the last few weeks. I hope you enjoy them. We have been keeping very busy. Matthew has started 1st grade and is really enjoying it so far. His "girlfriend" (i.e. his best friend who happens to be a girl) is in his class this year and he is thrilled about that. Michael & Alisha's preschool teacher came to the house on Thursday. Well both teachers came actually. There are two teachers in the class with them. Michael will be going in the morning three days a week and Alisha will go in the afternoon four days a week. They start the 15th and 16th of this month. The one teacher did a project with the two kids while the lead teacher went over some things with Aaron and I. They had construction paper shirts and circles that the kids glued together to make a self portrait. Then they glued on hair and foam shapes for the face. Then the teacher gave Alisha another foam shape and told her to "glue it on your shirt" (of course she meant the paper shirt) and Alisha promptly glued the circle to the shirt she was wearing. So now the teacher has a little bit of an idea of what she will be working with. Alisha is very excited about going to school. I'm not sure Michael totally understands what school is, so we'll have to wait and see. The kids enjoyed taking a bike ride last night. We rode up to a church in our neighborhood and let the kids ride around in the parking lot. Matthew loves going fast. Alisha enjoyed having an open space. And I took the two little boys for a fast ride around the parking lot in the bike trailor. I'm not sure what Kevin thought of it, but Michael giggled out loud and cheered. Well, I am tired and I have another long week ahead, so enjoy the pictures and feel free to leave me a comment so I know that people are checking out the pics and notes.

Reading Fun

Alisha's New Hairdo

I finally gave in and relaxed Alisha's hair. It was taking me over an hour to comb through it because of the texture and she was starting to hate her hair. I couldn't even braid it much anymore, because she couldn't sit still any longer once I got through combing it. She hasn't stopped smiling since we finished this last night. I'll have to get better pics of it when it is dry, I didn't think to take any today.