Magic Beans

This morning I handed Tiger half a bag of beans, and she promptly informs me they are magic beans. She played most of the morning sorting, counting, gluing, and playing with her beans. The only break she took was to work on what she calls her "color project". She was so enthusiastic about her "magic" beans that Bear asked me during Tiger's nap if they were really magic!

She Does Wake Up

Someone ask me the other day if she ever wakes up..........................

YES!!!!

(Here is proof!)

(She looks older in this picture to me. Maybe it's all the hair!)

Want her to wake up?

Lay her down!

I have been surprised at how much she has been awake this week. She has made school so much more interesting! Thankfully she is not a fussy baby, and she loves her bouncer chair and swing!

One Month Old

Hard to believe that she is already a month old!

Took her to the Dr. today and she weighed 10 lbs.

This weekend she smiled at me for the first time!!!!

Our Week in Review

Each week seems just a little bit crazier, busier, and definitely far from boring. I honestly would love to write beautiful little concise posts about all the wonderful crafty learning projects we are accomplishing and how advanced my mathematical children are, but...::sigh::....that will not be happening anytime soon. Even with all of the chaos, life is fun, busy, and GOOD!

A few of the things that have gone on around our house this week:

• Found out the results of my food intolerance tests. Glad to know that I don't have to eat liver and yellow squash anymore! :)))
• Soccer practice for 2 of the 3 kids playing this season. Games Saturday.
• Surprise birthday party for me. I turned another year older this week! Trust me, I am now holding.
• Meeting with our planning team for the Spanish church. Lots of fun stuff coming up!!!
• 4 days of school. This is an accomplishment for us with a new baby. All of my planning went out the window when Kamryn arrived. Striving for a full week next week.
• Lots of bottles fed and washed, diapers changed, and miles racked up rocking in the rocking chair.
• Violin, piano, and bass practices and lessons.
• Visited with my parents and grandmother.
• Spanish Bible Study
• LEGO Police Station under construction on the living room coffee table.
• Cleaned house SEVERAL times.

With 5 kids you hear lots of things being said...thought I would share a few.

"Ricky, when you tickled me I almost losed my taste bud."

While eating Jalapeno chips.."Ok, I feel the burn, I feel the burn."

"Kensli, don't give the baby anymore kisses! You gave her rashes!"

"I don't know if I am going to play soccer if it is going to make me sweat!"

"Mom, can we get a Wii?" (no answer from me) "What I really want is another DS game." (still no answer from me) "Can I just get the $17 dollars that you borrowed from me several weeks ago?"

"Mom, can we make a new rule that we only speak positive comments about people? People are just so negative in the house!"

"My stomach is so full! Do I have to eat the rest of what is in my plate? (2 seconds later) Mom, can I have a candy bar?"

"Mom, why does Kamryn always pass gas when I hold her?"

"Mom, I told my coach that my shorts were to big. I told him I wear a 5t!"

Living the Good Life!!!!!!

Life According to Kensli

Kensli informed me yesterday that she had a new friend in her children's church class. She said that she thought he was the funniest boy she has ever met. I asked why and here is what she told me:

Kensli: "Mom, his name is Mr. Fluffy Pants."
Me: "Mr. Fluffy Pants?"
Kensli: "Yes, mom, Mr. Fluffy Pants!"
Me: "How do you know that is his name? Did he tell you that was his name?"
Kensli: "No. I just read it on his name tag. When I read that I almost laughed out loud! Mom, that has to be the funniest name ever!"

Yes, it is the funniest ever! Wonder what his name really is? Kensli is just learning to read and seems to be getting a few things mixed up. Hope she doesn't call him that in front of his mother!!!!!

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Also, Kensli thinks that Kamryn can talk. She will be in another room and if she hears Kamryn make a noise, like a grunt or something, she will come running telling me that, "our baby is so smart, she can already talk." I think she is a PROUD big sister!!!!!!!!

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Kensli has been working on a "burfday list" for months now. She has a running list of people she wants to invite to her next birthday party. If you happen to get on her bad side, by doing something she doesn't like, she will cross you off the list. There is one guy that she has liked a very long time. He got married last year and for several weeks she refused to talk to him or his bride. Yesterday, she informed me he never talks to her anymore, but she is going to give him one more chance. If he doesn't change she is going to strike him off her list. Beware of Kensli's pen--you may get crossed off!!!!!!!

Life's New Routine

Today marks 2 weeks since our 3rd princess arrived. I am shocked at how quickly time flies by and how totally unorganized I am all over again! It doesn't take much to get us off track, so when you add some 3 am feedings into the mix things go downhill pretty fast.

Life has kind of given us a routine all its own. Our new routine looks something like this:

• Alarm goes off around 6 am.
• I get up, feed and change K3, get her settled in her bouncy chair, start coffee, and read my devotional.
• Get the other 4 kids up at 7 am
• Get breakfast and morning chores.
• Start school by 8:30.
• Work all morning on school. During this time K3 sleeps, eats, and messes up her diaper.
• Lunch by 12. Hopefully leftovers, although I find it hard to make a large enough quantity to have many leftovers these days.
• After lunch run errands, finish up school and projects, free time for the kids, laundry and cleaning for me.
• Dinner around 5:30 pm.
• After dinner any church or sports activities.
• Settled down with kids in bed by 10 pm.

Always busy=never bored!!!!

Kamryn's Story

All adoptions are unique miracles in their own way. Some flow smoothly meeting every milestone easily, which is a huge miracle, and others come with a great emotional and prayerful struggle. We have had both extremes with our 5 adoptions and each one was a special miracle.

Kamryn's story is her very own miracle and I thought that I would share as many details as I feel comfortable with sharing.

When Kensli came home in 2006, I knew then that we are not finished adopting. Toby and I both knew that with all Kensli's struggles that we were not ready at the time, but knew that one day it would be a reality. Over the last four years, we had gotten several calls from a friend that works with a private adoption attorney that helps locate families for children they didn't have placed with a family. We had turned all of them down. I did not want to adopt domestically! I wanted to return to China or Vietnam to bring home another little girl, but that was not what God wanted. China adoptions became more difficult and Vietnam closed again. I still waited thinking that things would change, but it didn't.

Finally, in December of last year I told Toby maybe we should get our home study ready so that we could accept a baby should one become available. Toby's response shocked me. He told me that he finally felt like I knew what we were supposed to do. I was still thinking, "Domestic adoption?" We both agreed that the baby would have to be biracial for us to consider the match.

The end of Jan. we were matched with a baby to be born in March. A couple of weeks before the birth the birth mom disappeared. Hard, but we felt like it was what God wanted. In May we were matched again with a baby to be born in the fall of this year. We accepted and waited. There were a few things that occurred that made us wonder if we would really adopt this baby.

On the Monday before Kamryn came into our lives, I was praying about the other baby we were matched with and something seemed to say to me, "You will not adopt this baby." I thought, God why? What is Your purpose of taking us down this road? I didn't want to adopt domestically for this reason and now you are telling me NO? I almost called Toby and told him I was calling the lawyer and telling her we were pulling out of the match.

Wednesday, around 10:30 a.m., we were in school when I got a text from my friend about placing a Caucasian baby girl and did I know anyone interested. How can this be happening? Why couldn't she be biracial and it would be perfect for us? Well, why couldn't she be ours? What if this was our baby?

I called Toby and talked to him and he wanted a minute to think about it. It had to be God, if Toby and I was even considering this. I called my friend back and got all the details. Then, I called Toby back and blurted out, "What if this is it? What if we are supposed to adopt her? What if we miss God's will?" Toby said, "If you are sure, let's go for it!" That is all I needed!

The next morning at 10:30, we were in the lawyer's office signing the paperwork and picking up our last little miracle! God has truly blessed us 5 times with miracles!!!!!