Swim Meets, 1st birthday's, the big 3-8 and Baptism!

Well I think the title of my post says it all. We had a crazy busy weekend! It was all fun though. First off we got up at 5am to get Morgan ready for her out of town swim meet. Here she is waiting for the other girl to tag off so she can compete in the relay. She did so awesome and we were so proud of all the girls efforts. They stood strong and proud as they fought off sweltering heat. (oh wait, that was us parents. My bad! ;)
Then from the swim meet we headed directly to San-Diego to help my nephew Tyler celebrate his one year birthday. It was really fun seeing Dan's family and getting to love on all the nieces and nephews. Do you remember the picture of all the cousins from back in like March? Look how they have all grown already. Especially the twins. Morgan really has her hands full now.
Here Tyler is politely reminding Ryanne that it is HIS cake. See how she is licking her lips? Too funny.
Now to Sunday. Tired yet? Dan turned 38 on Sunday and Morgan wanted everyone to feel special on her daddy's birthday. She worked all week to make these crowns for all of us. Isn't that sweet? Very thoughtful Morgan, thank you. My mother in law Betty was in town for the weekend for Morgan's swim meet and Tyler's birthday so she snapped this photo of us on our way to church. Then after church she treated us and took us all to a yummy breakfast . Now just a side note because I know what you all are thinking here and no we don't purposely color coordinate our outfits every Sunday. I mean come on! We all came out and just happened to have blue, white and some browns on. Is that weird or what? I think we all should get out more or something. :) Oh well, it made for a cute picture. I just didn't want anyone to think we actually tried THAT hard. Is my crown the biggest? I should think so. ;)
Last but certainly not the least exciting thing that we did this weekend. Morgan got baptised Sunday night by her youth leader here at the regional park. About a month or so ago she asked us if we thought she was ready to get baptised. I asked her why she thought she was ready and she said,"because mama I love Jesus. He lives in my heart and I want to serve him for my entire life." Oh ya' your ready baby, your ready. So with a lump the size of an orange in my throat I watched my sweet babe make a public confession of her faith on Sunday. A few weeks ago she said,"mom, please don't go telling everyone I am doing this or make a big deal about it OK? This is just something I want to do for God and me." Now that its over I am allowed to tell you all and beam (just a little of course) at the decision Morgan made all on her own. :) We bought her a card and her first pair of cross earrings and she got a little choked up. Ahhhhhhh, I wish I could freeze these moments. So sweet and I am so blessed to be here another day to see my kids grow.

A little side note: John & Moe, it was so fun running into you after all these years. You made me laugh when you confessed to reading my blog (secretly) and said you felt like you were snooping into our private life. So cute! Snoop away friends. Snoop away!! Oh and if I know you like I think you are dying that your names are up here huh? ;)

Angel's Wings

Good afternoon everyone. I am actually posting today to try and get the word out for a dear friend of Morgan's. His name is Angel. He has just had a liver transplant. Sara and Nick have been faithful in keeping their friends and family up to speed on what is going on even though they are very tired & very much trying to pull a bunch of loose ends together in regards to living space, delivering their baby somewhere new and so on. Sara and Nick recently posted a web site that you can go to and help out their family. Please go to www.angelswings708.blogspot.com/ and read some of their story. Listen I know times are hard right now for allot of people. I know the economy and the soaring gas prices are just bad all around. But PLEEEAAAASSSSEEEE go to this web page and pray that God would use you in some way regardless of how small. I truly believe the amount is not that important because God will stretch it and use it as needed for the family. I have seen God use average people (meaning you and me) with average incomes to bless others. If we all just give a tiny bit it would sure help this family out. We cant all be there physically to hold their hands and we don't have the power to physically heal Angel but we can pray and answer the needs of others when they ask. Please pass this on to as many people as you know so that we can help this family stay close to the hospital and to their son during his time of healing. Thank you so much and have a great night!

Happy 4th to the babe in the family

Happy 4th to the sweet babe in the family. I got to thinking about how 4 years ago today we were tearing through Colorado trying to get to Littleton because you were being born early. All the while the nurse from the hospital and your birthmom Kristen were calling to ask us if we had a name picked out. A name? We weren't even expecting another baby until just a few weeks before our journey. We thought God had shut all the doors and Morgan was going to be an only child. We had pulled our book from the adoption agency and were in the process of buying a new house. A name? Shoot, we didn't even have a place to live yet. We were living with friends and traveling to Colorado to meet your birthparents to see if it was even a match. Little did we know you had plans all your own and would come early. A name? We didn't have a car seat, any clothes, diapers. We hadn't even told our families because nothing had been decided. A name? We didn't even have a place to stay and after finding out Colorado required you to take up residency for up to two weeks until the judge signed the paper work our friends parents who we had never met took us in so graciously. We didn't have a name but we had a three year old in tow, nerves that were anything but calm and a family who had no idea they were getting another baby.
You came in on your own terms as a surprise and have been full of them ever since. We loved you from the minute we walked into the hospital room and held all 5lbs of you. Morgan grabbed you first and claimed you as her own. Really it only seemed appropriate to let her hold you first since she was the one who said God told her he would bring her a sister soon. The only one with a faith strong enough to believe that God would finish our family and heal the hole in our hearts from the previous loss only a few weeks back. So yes Morgan got the honors and we had to demand to hold you. You dance to your own beat, you do things your own way and cannot be convinced to change. You have your own style and a laugh that is so silly it sounds like a tickle me Elmo doll. If people hear you and don't laugh or smile they are sick. You are 4 & more beautiful everyday. Although there are days when I am certain we won't survive each other the days that my cup overlfows because of you are greater. When you tell me I am the bestest mama ever my heart melts. When you tell me you dont want to obey and that I am not the boss of you, I can't help but think that will surly come in handy some day when peer pressure kicks in. When you ask me to lay with you cause your just not sleepin' good and then after ten minutes tell me to leave cause I'm a bed hog I can't halp but laugh. You are the one who challenges me to be patient and kind when its not in me. You ALWAYS have sloppy, sticky, dirty kisses and hugs. We call you pig pen, and dirt magnet cause you dont care what you look like as long as there is fun involved. I hope that doesnt change anytime soon. I love you Ryanne and Happy 4th Birthday my sweet blonde, crazy girl. Love Mama (aka bed hog)

Ryanne's Early Birthday Gift

Dan & I decided this was the year we could really pick out Ryanne's sassy personality and do her room up for her. I feel badly because this was the one room in the house that got the least attention when we moved in. Ryanne was only three weeks old, Morgan was three and I was exhausted by the time we got done moving in and Dan had to go back to work right away. So we threw some lavendar paint up and swore when she out grew the "coloring on the walls phase" we would focus more on her room. Ryanne turns four next week and so as her gift we decided to do her room for her. I had cut out this picture in a kids Pottery Barn magazine about 2 years ago and hoped it would be something I could recreate for lots less of course. ;)

Look below and you will see the already empty room and a bedroom set we bought from a couple for $100. It's a faded off-white wood that I pretty much hated but we didnt think we would keep it for long.

"Hi everyone! This is my old iron bed!" Dad & Mom are gonna make it rock!
We all got to the task of making Ryanne feel special and her room a special, fun place to be.
Morgan wanted to paint all day and took it very serious.
After two days (the only 2 Dan had off) we finished. Please see the post below for the final project. :)

So with a lot of work............................ A LOT of goofin' around...........................
And tons of love we finished the image that I have had in my head for the past two years.
Remember, this is the old bedroom set we bought from a couple down the road for $100!
It looks brand new (thanks Dan) and has character splashed all over it just like our Ryanne.
It's not that Ryanne is your super girly-girl but she is like a ball of sunshine when she walks into a room and so full of life that I wanted her room to reflect that. She loves it of course. Little does she know her grandma Betty is buying her a white wood table and chairs to go right under that window. She will be so excited at her birthday party next weekend.

So Thankful

Today I was at Trader Joes picking up a couple things I needed and I was in a huge hurry because I wanted to get home before it got to hot (ya' right) get my laundry done, get Ryanne down for a nap etc. As I was loading my car a middle aged women appraoched me carrying a basket full of suckers wrapped with ribbons and little decorations. She said she was selling the candy to help support her family and would take any help she could get. My first response was,"I'm sorry I cant today." I'll be honest with you here when I tell you that first and formost I get freaked about being approached when I am alone with my girls. I am usually a very trusting person (to a fault) but when it comes to my girls I am always on guard.
I finished loading my car which took all of another 10 seconds and all the while the things that ran through my head (and yours when you are approached for money if you are honest) were;
What is she really gonna do with the money?
Does she really have a family at home?
Does she really think I am going to take that candy and give it to my kids?

Then as I looked into my rear view mirror I noticed people on their cell phones wakling by her as she tried to approach them and they ignored her as if she was invisible. Didn't exist. Walked right through her. I saw her face and the hurt and the defeat and I heard God give me the answers to my questions above.
It's none of your business.
It's not your concern.
It's not the real reason you didn't talk to her.

So I dug into my purse and went to find her. I gave her the money but told her she could keep her candy. Of course we can't give to everyone and I understand that. I don't know what determines if you give to people or not but for me there was just this tugging in my heart. It broke my heart to see people act like someone else did not exist or that they weren't even worth an acknowledgement of some kind. When I got back in the car Morgan said,"that was nice of you mommy." I am reminded through that women who was trying to help her family in the most honest way that she knew how just how blessed I am. I have a safe comfortable place to call home, a husband who has a stable job that not only provides for us but allows me to stay home and raise up our girls. I have a reliable car, health insurance, food on the shelves and clothes to wear. All of these things are present in my life and in the amount that is way above what I actually need.

I know I can't save the world or fix every one's money problems but I love that the Holy Spirit tugs at my heart and allows me to hear in the midst of all the chaos that is going on in our world. Are you listening?

The Best 4th Ever.................

The party started at our house with the our friends from next door and Susie and her family coming over for a swim. (Brian was missing in action becuase he is up North working, *sad face*)

The kids had so much fun and to add to it the dad's started what we like to call wrestle mania and had everyone screaming and flying through the air. Didn't God make dads the coolest!
The party then moved with all 12 of us going next door for an amazing BBQ and some good fellowship. Ryanne gives it two thumbs up!
Susie fed Lillie-cakes and the kids just ran and played and enjoyed the red, white and blue Jello desserts Marriane made.
Connor got into the action on the trampoline. He looks like a puppet on strings here! :)
I love how Morgan's tongue is haning out and the kids are all peeking over the edge of the trampoline.

Happy 4th continued......

This was really cool; our friend Tim Harris who we met through our swim team flys the C-17 and was scheduled to do a fly over at the high school during the independance day festivities. We were all in the backyard when yup' here he comes in low and slow right over the house. It was so fun. We all (including the adults) started jumping up & down on the trampoline waving and yelling. It was really fun to see him go over. I can't wait to ask him Monday if he saw a bunch of crazy people on the ground waving up at him.
These kids have been together since they were just babes. It is so sweet to see them all grow and turn into the neatest kids. All FULL of personality mind you.
Little time jumping on the trampoline with dad never hurt anyone right? uuhhh, ya'.
Ryanne & I even got into the act. Perfect action shot Dan!
Then at 8:30 we loaded our girls into the Jeep with the doors and top off and went over by the high school and watched the fireworks show. We all piled into the back of Corey's truck & enjoyed the ooohhhsss and awwaaasss from the kids. I couldn't help but think that this by far was my very favorite 4th of July ever. Good friends, good food, and a warm summers night with not a care in the world. Ahhhh, good times.

Kids Say The Darndest Things.............

I was laying on the couch the other day trying to recover from this beastly strep throat when I looked down and saw Morgan and our cat Tiger laying on the floor in front of me. They were laying face to face "talking".

Morgan: Tiger, I have something very serious to talk to you about.

Tiger: uuhhhh, obvioulsy nothing. Cats don't talk people.

Morgan: I don't know how to tell you this but I am not your real mother. You were born to another cat & I adopted you when you were a baby.

I had this smile from ear to ear. Kids are so funny. They just say whatevers on their presious little hearts.

Totally beside the point but still funny. I was out front yesterday letting the kids run and ride their bike in hopes that they would burn some energy. As my neighbor & I were chatting Morgan went into their yard with her friends and was playing on the swing when we heard her yelling. "Mommy, the chicken took my earing!" I was sure I had not heard her right so we walked over and sure enough the chicken (yes my friends kids have a chicken) had been near Morgan in Caleb's arms when he looked over and saw something shiny in Morgans ear and decided he must have it. So the stinkin' chicken pecked it right out of her ear and you guessed it no more earing. I was laughing becuase seriously who does that happen to? Oh and later that day Ryanne decided to pee on my friends back patio but thats a whole other post. ;)

More Hume Lake Photos

One morning while the girls were in camp we went for a little walk part way around the lake. It was beautiful. Tons of ladies went jogging by getting there exercise. After one lady passed me (over achiever) I simply stated to Dan that running really isn't good for you. He just started cracking up & said,"honey, you only run if something is chasing you." So what's his point? I simply prefer to pose at the top of rocks with no shoes on. Everyones a critic I tell ya'
Here is my friend Rhonda. Remember I mentioned she and her family drove up from Hanford to visit with us. Thank you again guys.
We did get three of the five children to stand still for a photo at least. I think if you click on Rhondas blog she has one of four of them hanging out the back of our Jeep. Molly was of course safely in her car seat.
This is what three days of day camp & serving at Romance does to you. So cute!
Ummmm......yes these are my children posing with their grandmother. Actually as silly as this is it pretty much sums up their relationship. The three of them get together and get so silly. They tell stories, play barbies (who aparantly come alive) and just act plain crazy. They went for a walk in the woods and my Mother in law slipped on some pine needles sliding down the hill a bit. She said Morgan could have helped her if she wasn't on her side rolling with laughter. Anyone see something wrong with that picture! :)

Hume Lake or Bust......................

Well, we made it back safe and sound from our week up at Hume Lake. We had a really good time serving at the Romance conference and the girls loved day camp as usual. Betty (my other in law) went with us and helped with the girls while we were working. I am pretty sure they wore her out although today she called and said her house was way to quiet. :) Here we are taking a break from working and attempting to get a family photo.The weather was amazing the entire time and seeing our friends made the trip all worth while. We were also blessed enough to serve five amazing couples. Its alot of work to serve at this particular conference but you cant help catch the bug when you get up there and see how passionate everyone is about marriage. And not only marriage but the endless possibilites that God provides for us to be blessed by him when we allow that to take place. This is a conference that is near and dear to our hearts because for 6 years we were on the other side being served. We spent one night praying and crying out to God with the staff on what to do in regards to going to meet Ryannes birth parents only to have her placed in our arms one week later. These people have been praying for our marriage, and encouraging us for many years. So when we started to feel Gods tug to serve other marriages it was a no brainer.
" Look ma', we were super heros at camp today!!"
uummm.............ya' she dug this up off the bottom of the lake. Who needs boys when you have these two?
This mama duck h ad 6 babies with her all week and my girls were so thrilled to follow her everywhere and keep tabs on her. The only problem is the day we left she only had 5 babies following her; Ryanne?
Betty & Morgan & I went for a walk one afternoon and this sweet babe crossed our path. Isn't she amazing? We all just stood there frozen forever. Then she and another deer walked down the road to finish eating. I have tons more pictures I want to post and I will over the next few days but today I must rest. I didn't want all you Bloggers to think I had fallen off the earth or something. I came home not feeling to great and landed in urgent care this morning with a really bad case of strep throat. It went something like this:

DR.:"Ok, so your throat and ears hurt?"

me: "yes"

Dr.: "let me look in your ears, eewwww. Thats not good."

Dr.:" let me look down your throat."

Me: "aaaahhhhhhh"

Dr."whoa, not good"

Me: "uummmm. ok"

Dr.: "you have blisters in your throat and tons of fluid on your ears."

Dr.: "you cant leave till' we get lab results back."

So I sat in the waiting room for two hours feeling like crap half falling asleep while Morgan read a book and Ryanne ran from one chair to the next till' she tripped just in the right spot and clothes lined herself on the chair next to me so badly that she almost knocked herself out and left a mark across her neck. Yup' good to be home. Only to hear from the Doctor that I am VERY contagious and should rest for the next few days oh and her final advice; you'll love this one all you women out there. And I quote,"try to pick up some medicine at the drug store cause this medicine gives crazy yeast infections!" Somebody pleeeaaassseee shoot me now!