Getting big!

These are some pictures from our car ride to Tulsa on Friday.

Our sweet boys are just constantly surprising me with how big they are. The first thing out of Owen's mouth this morning was, "Can you take me to Tulsa?"

The boys love getting to hang out with their 5 cousins there. So we loaded the guys up Friday and headed north for an overnight stay at my parents house. My sister Laura asked months ago if she could cut Owen's hair the next time he needed a cut. We got bored by the pool on Saturday and decided it was time. So here's his new 3 year old hair cut.

I must say it makes him look older, though I miss his big hair!

Another reason why I chose "getting big" is because my parents will welcome their 10th grandchild sometime in the next year. My sister, Becki, is due early November (#8). My sister, Laura, announced last week that she is due in April with their 3rd (#9). We are of course "expecting" as well. It's just a little crazy trying to guess when ours might get here, so I am being hopeful but cautious and say we'll bring in #10!

It's been a great week with Blake at home on vacation. We've enjoyed having him here for breakfast, lunch and dinner! We'll be sad when he has to leave for work early in the morning tomorrow!

August has been a good growing month for me. My faith has been strengthened and tested with the adoption. All month long we have received emails, phone calls and incredible surprises and notes in the mail. We are so blessed to have each of you in our lives walking through this with us. We cannot wait to see what God has in store for us with our next child. And at the same time, we are reminded what we already have with Owen and Cooper.

We were reminded just yesterday that sometimes our children are taken from us before we are ready. We learned of a family that lost their 2 year old suddenly in an accident at home. Each time I get to feeling down about our situation and why things didn't work out, I remind myself (or maybe that's God speaking to me) that I could be mourning the loss of a child. I could be mourning the loss of a spouse, parent, sibling.

God has given our family, each of us, so many blessings and sometimes I get sidetracked wanting more instead of focusing on what I have!

Lord, I don't want to be that way. I want to live everyday giving thanks to you.

Today in Sunday school we explored the idea that God gave us our spouse as a physical, tangible, concrete reminder of how much He loved us. We are supposed to be that for our spouse.

I know that's a "duh" for many of you that are wiser than me, but it hit me hard.

I looked at Blake and wondered if I reminded him daily of Christ's love for him?

That's my prayer this week, that I am not only that to Blake, but our children as well. That I can remind them in everything I do, of Christ's love for them.