Random thoughts....

Sorry, nothing hugely exciting going on here, but just some funny things to share and of course...some pictures!

So, hair is a big deal around here. It's been a bit of a challenge figuring out how to take care of the boys hair. I read a ton about black hair care before they came into our lives, and had no clue how to handle bi-racial hair. So, if any of you out there have tips I am always open to trying new things. But, I have a pretty good routine right now and I love the boys hair longer like it is.

I LOVE their hair, and they do too. They just hate letting me fix it in the mornings.

Cooper has especially come to hate it as his hair has become more course and the curls have gotten tighter...that means more tangles.

Bless his heart, he runs when he sees me with the pick, spray bottle and product!

So the other day, I was holding him between my legs while picking out his hair. I said, "Cooper, DeMarco has to have his hair picked out too buddy!"

Owen piped up next to me, "Yea, and I bet Coach Stoops does it for him!"

I cracked up.

First, that he knows that Coach Stoops and DeMarco Murray belong together. Second, I got this mental picture of Coach Stoops holding down this huge DeMarco trying to pick through his hair! I was dying inside!

Cooper wasn't impressed at all and still fought me.

Now don't hate me yet. I do give the boys the option to cut their hair shorter, but they both tell me they want it longer.

So, Sadie has this wavy hand thing. Her hands are always roaming through the air. And I am not talking about the normal infant arm discovery...

One day Owen was watching her as I was holding her. He said, "She wants to touch your hair mom."

Then in his sweet baby voice, he said, "Do you want to touch it sis? You can touch it!" Like, hey let's touch the weird white hair.

I forget that I am the odd ball around here, as I am the only blonde with straight hair. Blake's hair is even course and brown!

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Adoption thoughts...

Please continue to pray about where God is calling each of us in the area of adoption.

Hearts are moving.

People are talking about adopting.

Many are struggling with how to afford it.

Many are overwhelmed in knowing where to start.

I have received lots of emails and calls about people with questions.

People are wanting to walk into this rather unknown world of adoption.

I easily forgot those fears that I had 4 years ago!

Please pray that God would continue to move in this area of our lives.

Please contact us if you have questions/fears about adoption...we love sharing!

Please pray that we hear God as He is speaking to us. He is speaking!!!

I am excited to see all that God has planned!

On a more irritating note about adoption, 20/20 aired a special on adoptions "gone bad".

Blake and I wanted to turn it off, we got so frustrated.

I don't think the intent was to turn people away from adoption, but to let those FEW adoptive parents out there that may be struggling, know that there is help.

Simply put, it was about parents ending adoptions because of emotional issues from adopting older children (mostly international).

I was shocked while watching this.

I was sad that so much attention in the media is given to problems in adoption or adoptions falling through!

I know, I know...it sells.

But for me, I just heard people closing the doors on adoption because of fear.

I was sad for children watching that were adopted wondering if their parents would give up on them because they had made some bad choices. (Yes, adopted kids can have those thoughts!)

Since it's National Adoption Awareness month I wished there would have been something geared toward encouraging adoption!

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Thanksgiving was very rich for our family of 5!

Do we have a lot to give thanks for or what?

The list is endless, but what sticks out the most are these 3 blessings we call our children.

I am thankful for their birthmoms and the difficult choice they made.

I am thankful for God leading them to us.

I am thankful for our agency that sees adoption as a ministry, not a job.

I am thankful for my marriage to my precious husband that still chooses me!

for my incredible parents, who've been married for 38 years!

for my precious "in laws" that treat me as their own!

for my 3 sisters, my best friends who I wish I could be closer to.

for my relationship with Christ more than anything!

Thankful!

What a fun weekend we had celebrating Cooper's birthday.

Cooper got his first real bike from mommy and daddy, but that wasn't anywhere near as exciting as his $4 trains he received (we should have known!).

***Notice we finally have pants on in a picture, but now we are without a shirt???***

On Sunday, we invited our family to church with us to dedicate Miss Sadie to the Lord. We believe that each person has to personally invite Christ into their lives and have a relationship with Him, we cannot do this for them. So this day is about us as a family committing to raise Sadie in a Christ centered home and with a loving family and church family supporting us in this.

I am sorry, but he's a total hotty, and she is just too yummy! She's breathtaking, isn't she???

What an incredible day as parents to give our child back to the Lord. The harder part is remembering each and every day that they are not ours, but His...to not make her dedication just another thing we do, but a day that shows those around us what we've already committed to Sadie, Mommy G, and God.

After church, we all loaded back up and headed to our house for Cooper's party! We have 11 kids in our immediate families, 9 of those being 4 and under!!! So needless to say it was a fun afternoon with lots of toys and giggles and energy. We are so blessed to have family close to help us celebrate birthdays! Cooper LOVED his cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents sharing in this special time.

Enjoy the pictures!

Sutton playing peek-a-boo with me! Thanks for coming to the party Sutton!

Does it get any better than this buddy? A big boy cup with ice and diet sprite and an iced sugar cookie! No, they don't get to drink pop...but they did today! We are suckers for celebrations!

Loving on Noonie (my mom). She had to watch Fox and the Hound, but I think it was worth the cuddles!

You think the boys are needing a nap??? They could hardly keep their heads up and eyes open!

The fun and excitement calmed around 3 and we persuaded the boys to just take a short nap (they are usually at least 3 hour nappers). Cooper wanted nothing of it, but I found him a while later like this....

Asleep on the floor next to his bed! I think it was well worth it!

Happy Birthday Cooperman!

Well, tonight around 10:30 pm, our Cooper will be 2! It's incredible that he is already two, but also incredible that he's only 2 as we feel like he's been ours for 5 years at least.

For those of you that haven't met Cooper, he's more than I could ever describe. He's incredibly sensitive, but also very independent and aggressive. He loves to make people laugh and he truly does believe he's a star football player named DeMarco Murray. He loves to sing the OU fight song and often makes Blake and I chant it as he runs laps around the house. He also enjoys us shouting, "Coop-er...Coop-er" and he tells us he runs as fast as Lighting McQueen. He reminds me so much of his birthmother and I enjoy getting to see her in him. Although, if you've ever met Mandy, you might have a hard time knowing what he got from her or from me...we are very much alike. He loves to play in the bath, sing songs and do anything Thomas the Train! He thinks he is 3 and often tells us so. He is fearless but also hates to be alone. He loves to climb and jump and could swing for hours! He is a great help around the house and with his sister. He will do ANYTHING for candy!

It's days like today that I want to spend the whole day with Mandy. I did that day 2 years ago. I got to hold her while she got her epidural (and yes, I almost passed out!) She asked us to be in the delivery room. Blake stood on one side and held one hand while I was on the other. She was in labor all day, she asked both of our parents to be there. How incredible is this woman? So this is Blake and I, Mandy, and my parents.

She asked Blake to cut the cord, so I love this picture of his hands.

Love at first sight! It's incredible how quickly you bond with your children even if you didn't birth them. It's immediate and it's intense.

Thank you Mandy for making me a mommy. Thank you for trusting us to raise Cooper and for not questioning our parenting. Thank you for continuing to have a relationship with Cooper even though I know that may cause you pain. Thank you for giving him a daddy. Thank you for asking us to walk alongside you in this life. We love you more than you will ever know. You make me a better mom.

Happy Birthday Cooper Edison! You make your daddy and I so proud. You have a contagious personality and we are blessed to be your parents! We cannot wait to see what God has planned for your life!

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It's days like today that I wish the church would open up to adoption to experience God's miracles. I cannot say that I came into adoption because of my pro-life beliefs. Blake and I just fell into adoption because pregnancy would be complicated for me and for the baby. Being a nurse and a doctor, we knew too much to have wanted to enter that world. Both of us didn't really feel a need to have biological children. I dreamed of adopting from a young age and even dreamed of having brown children. I would like to say that I came to this because of much prayer and calling to care for the orphans...but that's not true (not that we didn't pray about it, but you know what I mean!). I am just like the rest of the church and need to find a place where God needs me to work. It just happens that I know where to start and have an agency that I trust, love and respect deeply.

I hope my previous post came across how I intended. It is so easy to say one thing and feel like we voted and made our stance. But if it's really what we believe, then we have to act on it and quit saying, "we'd like to, but..." All God needs is a willing heart, not an able life...He makes miracles happen, He makes us able, we just have to be willing! We have to pray that God would speak to us and lead us to where we can be used. That is all I was saying...this is what I am struggling with in my own head and heart.

Okay, I am going to quit having conversations with myself and go work on Cooper's party! Love you all!

November is Adoption Awareness Month!

So, in the last several weeks my heart has been burdened with where my convictions are on abortion and where my life is in living out these pro-life values.

It has been brought to my attention before about how easy it is to say we are pro-life and then do nothing to live that out. It's been on my heart these last several weeks as abortion has been discussed. And now again, it's adoption awareness month. Our agency sent this out, and it just hit me right in my gut. Maybe a little bit because that's my sweet baby girl on the front...but also because of the stories inside.

IMAGINE being a teen mom with two boys under the age of two and having to steal diapers to provide for your children's needs.

ENVISION being 41 years old, recently divorced, and pregnant, with only $1.79 to your name, stranded at a gas station in Oklahoma City and going into premature labor due to dehydration.

VISUALIZE being pregnant with your second child, being beaten by the father of the baby, and then evicted by your landlord because he left a hole in your wall.

THINK about what it would be like to be excited about trying to start a family after a few years of marriage. Months turn into years as you try everything to get pregnant and you begin to doubt you'll ever experience the joys of parenthood.

These are just a few of the stories we've heard from our clients this year.

Please join us in raising an additional $11,000 to fund our life-altering programs. For over a century DPAS has empowered countless women in unintended pregnancies, reached out to couples struggling with infertility and embraced children with the love of Christ. Your contribution is necessary to continue making a difference in the lives of so many.

All monies raised will be added to our various funds. For more information about these special funds, just log onto http://www.deaconessadoption.org/ and click "Help Our Mission"


Please join me in prayer this month for how God might be calling us to do something. Whether is supporting an agency that stands in the gap between the church and hurting women and children, or if it's fostering or adopting. Whatever it is, please pray with me that God shows us where He needs us to work.

Because of the way our family has been touched by adoption, and has fallen in love with our children's birthmothers, they too have found incredible ways to follow God's word in caring for orphans. Our families and some friends helped with a retreat for birthmoms on Mother's Day weekend that our agency did last year. Recently, my sisters and some friends decided to donate their maternity clothes to the agency to be used by these women facing unintended pregnancies. What a huge blessing! We are not all called to adopt, but we are called to LOVE and care for not only the "orphans" but their birthparents.
Owen and his birthmom cuddling and playing with blocks.

I am so proud of my family and how they have not only embraced adoption, but in that embraced these women who have made an incredible sacrifice for their children.

Please pray with us this month! Also, please read Heather's blog if you can. She is such a good writer and has some incredible insight. Her blog is linked on the right...she has another challenge as well!

There's a tiger coming!

This is such an exciting time at our house with 2 toddlers. There's lots of imaginary things happening and it's so fun to make believe with them!

So, lately...there have been tigers lurking in our backyard, under beds and in closets. At any given moment, Cooper will sneak up and whisper, "There's a tiger coming! We need to hide!"

Depending on the moment, we do different things to fend off the tiger. Today, we decided to build a fort. Instead of my normal and lazier attempt at a fort, I went crazy this morning and couldn't stop myself. The boys loved it, I am sure not as much as I did. It so reminded me of when Laura and I used to tie up sheets and lots of crazy things for tents.

I love this stage!

Now, of course Sadie was sleeping during all of the building. But she was invited in during her 10:00 bottle. It was hard to sneak myself in the fort while carrying her! In the last couple of days she's been smiling more and more! What a joy she has brought to our lives. The boys are still smitten with her. I often have to ask them to calm down and scoot back because they really do just smother her and get so excited when she is awake!

Play ideas??? So any of you other mommies want to share with us some play ideas that you do with your kids?

What's your favorite thing to do at home?

Even for those of you with grown kids, what was your favorite thing to do when your kids were little?

Here's something a dear friend sent to the boys that they just LOVE! I believe it's called Floam, or at least that's what we are calling it! It's fabulous and has even become so loved that if the boys don't behave...I take it away!!! Thanks Leah for sending this to the guys!

Now, I want to hear some of your favorite things you do with your kids!

Tulsa Time!

We've been out of town for a couple of days while Blake studied for a test.

It's such a blessing having family close to visit when daddy needs some quiet time!

I had such a blast seeing baby Greyson again. The boys had not met him yet, so it was so fun for them to get to check him out!

The boys enjoying their cousins, Lauren and Ann Marie.

Cooper and Sutton have the funniest relationship right now. Everything is a competition and they always want what toy, or chair, or food, or ANYTHING that the other one has. Laura and I just giggle because we know it's just their age.

Look at this picture I caught of my sweet, precious, innocent Cooper! I asked them to smile for me because they looked so cute coloring together. They both looked up to smile, then, WHAMMO! Cooper smacked Sutton and said, "No, I smile!" right when I clicked the camera! Sorry Sutton, we love you buddy!

And, last but certainly not least, we got to see Mommy G last night! She is doing really well and loves being able to see her sweet baby girl. We got some cute pictures and sure enjoyed just getting to hang out and love on her. Here is a neat picture of Sadie looking into familiar eyes and being cradled in some loving arms. Man are we blessed to have Mommy G in our lives!

2 months old!

I cannot believe Sadie is already two months old! We are really enjoying having a baby in the house. She is so much more alert in the last couple of weeks. She is sleeping so well, and even naps well! Thank goodness for reflux meds and bouncy seats! She loves checking out things around her, and she's figuring out what her hands are...they aren't as scary as she first thought!

She still has these wandering arms. It's so funny because she really doesn't ever put them to her side unless she's pooping.

Another cute outfit from Sadie's other cousin, Savannah! Thank goodness for all her girl cousins, we are well clothed!

All ready to go to church! Thanks Noonie and Papa for the dress!

We don't take her to the doctor until Thursday, so we don't know how much she weighs or how long she is. We are just so thankful that in month 2 we didn't have any fevers!

This is from Sunday afternoon. We've been loving the weather outside. I went to check on the boys when they were in the backyard and this is what I saw. How cute are they? Notice Cooper is chunking his drink across the yard! And Owen is putting sidewalk chalk in his drink!

Do you think we have a problem when this is how Cooper wanted to watch cartoons on Saturday??? He even got frustrated that he couldn't drink with this on!

Okay, love you all! Go vote tomorrow and if you need a little nudge in one direction please go see Holden here!

If nothing else, just PLEASE pray all day for this country!