Staycation

Friday night started our one week of vacation with Blake! He has not had a week off for vacation in over a year, so we are beyond thrilled to have him HOME!!!

When you rarely get time like this, and you're saving up for an adoption, you really don't wanna do much else but just hang around together and find free stuff to do!

So here's what's been keeping us busy....


Sunday morning we went to the Arts Festival. They had free kids activities and the boys LOVED it! Sadie trying to work her sock puppet. Such a cool craft for the kids!
The boys showing off their awesome tattoos.
The boys first attempt to camp out in the tent. They lasted until 10:30 before needing to come inside! Below is just before they kicked me out....no girls aloud!

Lots of swimming at the neighborhood pool! We are so thankful it's open because it's SO HOT!!!

At the Jazz Festival enjoying a lemonade.

Above and below are from the Jazz festival. It was so much fun to let the kids just dance!

For Memorial Day we enjoyed the pool and then met Gigi and Papa Joe for dinner at Lake Hefner. What great pics we got! Thanks guys!
Okay...I realize they are our kids so we are biased...but couldn't they be little models. Holy cow!!! I will have to post the rest later!!! Oh mercy...I love family pictures and can't help but feel abundantly blessed!

A pic with Gigi and Papa Joe! I love it! What a wonderful night. Below: I am addicted to craigslist and found this hutch for $60. I used money from a Mother's Day gift to get it and then painted it and changed the knobs. I LOVE it and can't quite figure out where I need it most. But so glad I snagged it!!

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

Picture Post

We've got a whole lot of nothing going on around here. Man, life is good when you can just sit back and try and decide what to do with the day. Our life is getting ready to take a serious kick in the booty when Owen starts school in the fall. It's everyday people...Monday-Friday.

Seems insane. And yet I know I probably sound incredibly weird saying that. Oh well. I am weird. There are a million reasons that I know kids need to go to school. A million. But I am just wanting to savor each minute of this summer knowing life's getting ready to get CA-razy busy.

SO, all of that to say, we've just been hanging out playing at the house, seeing friends, going to the zoo and science museum, riding bikes, walking to the park and having lots of picnics. I know it sounds mighty mundane to lots of folks, but this mama business is more than I ever dreamed it would be.

Hope you enjoy the pictures! She was mostly interested, and a little scared of these birds. I was proud of her for even getting out of the stroller to get closer!

Riding the train! A friend saw us and gave us all coupons to ride the train! We rarely do this, so it was a huge blessing!!!

We took our neighbor Baylor with us this day! SOOO fun!

Owen feeding the birds.

Look how brave he is!

We LOVE the new Children's Zoo!!! The kids can walk and play in the water!

How cool is this? They LOVE it and get totally drenched in the water play area!

Snuggles from Batman!

Loving Every Stage

First captured smile on camera!!! Now he won't let me take pics, but did for me last week!!!

As Owen quickly approaches 5, I wonder how in the world time has moved so quickly. I think about how much I have changed as a mom since he came into our lives. Sometimes I feel like he got gypped, but then I remember that he got a lot of alone time with me that his siblings never got.

As he moved through each and every milestone, I found deep joy in celebrating each first. Now, we seem to not have as many "firsts", but it's amazing to me how he is changing right before our eyes even still. Its incredible to see how much he "gets" when he's not yet 5. He told me the other day, "we'd better hurry up and pray for a brown baby because if we get a peach one, I'll be angry." Please don't think that we have said this, I was just as shocked as you. But he does love how he matches his siblings and he fully expects for any other child of ours to match him.

Both of the boys talk a lot about their birth families. We absolutely LOVE that they talk to us about them and feel comfortable doing so. We pray that this continues as they grow. We have some priceless pictures of their birth parents. Owen asked me if we could get these out and frame the one of both of his birth parents. He slept with it that night (they have done this before). This is just a reminder for everyone out there that most children yearn to know their story and their birth family. We feel honored that our kids are comfortable enough to share this with us. Our hope is that in starting this early with our kids, they will know our deep love, respect and desire to have relationship with their birth families as well.

We see Owen being a great leader for his siblings. He is very sensitive to those around him, and he is also a rule follower (generally). He panics if he thinks that either Sadie or Cooper are in danger...and he screams at me to come help. When he learned that a family close to us didn't have a car, and had to walk to meet us for a play date he quickly told me that he was going to save up enough money to buy them a car. He was heartbroken. What.a.sweetie. He is still pretty shy outside of the house. He loves to help out with making his bed, setting the table, vacuuming, unloading the dishwasher, clearing the table and helping Sadie and Cooper.

He seems to never quit eating, yet doesn't seem to put on weight either. Of course, he never stops moving so that might be why! He is not super picky about food, but is a bit more so than Sadie or Cooper. Right now he thinks that every meal should be topped off with something sweet...oops! It's amazing to me how much energy he has. He always does better outside and on the go. Even though he DESPISES naps and swears he is old enough to skip them, he can still out nap his sibs most days! No lie, he still sleeps 2-3 hour naps and goes to bed around 7:30!

I love hearing stories about him at school like when his leader in Kids Club at church told me that Owen said, "I have the most beautiful mommy in the world." He then followed that up with me being the best mommy in the world. Awww. Blake and I talked just the other day about how it will feel when we are no longer cool to our kids. **sigh** He still adores his daddy and wants to be a bone doctor just like him...on most days. Sometimes its an astronaut or a pilot (he really wants to fly like Peter Pan). He still can't say hamburger correctly and it drives him nuts! It comes out ham-murmer. I love how when we have friends over he calls them customers.

I could go on and on about this kid. Mostly about how much he has taught me and changed me and blessed me. They all have, but with him being our first...he changes me daily with the conversations we have and the times I mess up and have to practice the humility and forgiveness that I preach. Owie, you make me SO proud and I am honored to get to call you my son. You are my I love you!

Cute pics

Last night before bed time Sadie jumped into the convertible toddler bed. We've had it up since you know when and we never took it down. I asked her if she would like to sleep in her big girl bed and she just stayed there. So I grabbed her stuff and did our normal routine and she just stayed put. She chatted with herself for about 20 minutes and just acted like it was no big deal.

When Owen saw that she was going to sleep in a big bed, he told me he wanted to sleep by her door so that she would be okay. He said he was worried she would fall out of bed and walk around the house and get hurt. He is so stinking sweet! I made sure to update him when she had fallen asleep!

That was too easy. When she woke up this morning, she pulled some pictures off of the bulletin board, but didn't get out!

Nap time today, not so much! She wanted to sleep in the big girl bed, but wouldn't stay put. Not sure this is the right thing to do, but I just put her back into her crib saying if she couldn't stay in bed she would have to sleep in the crib.

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These were taken this morning...it's so nice outside we spent all morning out until lunch!

She hasn't quite mastered the spoon and yogurt...but still it's lots of fun to try!

Batman has been with us quite regularly lately. He doesn't even want to be called Cooper anymore. It's either Buzz Lightyear or Batman. But certainly don't call him Cooper or he'll give you a heck of a look and quickly correct you!

My Plate is Full

For the last several months I have been letting things slip.

I felt like I had good reason to not be the most responsible volunteer because of what was happening within our family. But now I have slowly tried to pick back up some of these duties.

It's amazing the balance it takes to soak in every second of life with Blake and the kids, and yet also live out my faith. Sometimes I say yes to things I shouldn't, and no too quickly because it's not comfortable to me. I am sure I'm not the only human that struggles with this, but it's been heavy on my heart lately.

SO, in May I have been playing catch up. We've been in touch with my Lil Sis in BB/BS, but we finally got to see her last week! It was so much fun! She had never met Sadie and Cooper was only a little guy (like 3 months) when we saw her last. This was such a wonderful time for me and the kids!

We met Little Blake (how funny that her name is Blake too!) when she was getting ready to turn 11...she is 17 now! Holy cow how time flies!

I just wish she was happy.

I've found great comfort and joy to be a part of the Waiting Mamas Group through Chosen! We meet every Monday night for coffee and just to check in and see how everyone is coping with the wait! Oh man...this has been wonderful for me! There are about 6 of us, so it's nice and intimate.

I finally planned another Kaleidoscope Kids play date for this weekend! This is our playgroup for families of trans racial adoption! We try and get together monthly, but someone has let this thing go too!!! Eeeeek! If you want to come just email and I will send you the details. mollykshockley@hotmail.com

May is also Foster Care Awareness Month. Chosen has had its fair share of loss within several of our families, so we've been kinda laying low and not taking on more than we can all handle. BUT, we have decided that we can at least pray for these pumpkins currently in our system! Chosen has enjoyed working with about 12 other churches in our city to make a bigger affect for the fatherless. This week we are all wearing bracelets with the first name and age of a child as a reminder to pray. Cooper is even wearing one...so sweet!

One thing that has been a huge relief for me....I am now officially a FULL TIME stay-at-home mom!!! I found out last week that because of the health care reform our hospital is trying to cut back and save money, and our department was cut almost completely. So, while this is very sad for people in our area with diabetes, as well as the other women I worked with...it was a relief for me! When I excitedly told Blake the news he said, "Now you can get that floor job you've always wanted!"

Punk.

Some of you don't know that I am the ONLY registered nurse who can't handle blood. Yep. You read that right. If it's squirting, it's guaranteed that I will be sheet white and on the ground in seconds. I went straight from nursing school into diabetes education (talking job, minimal blood). So Blake was just being a punk with his comment.

We are continuing to pray about another baby. While we still feel like there might be another child for us, we also know that things are getting ready to change drastically for our family. We have been waiting now for 2 months, and we will be pulling our profile in the next month if we haven't been picked. It takes about 8 months to finalize, and we are moving to Aspen in February (you do the math). We are trying to prepare our hearts and heads that we might not have #4, but also be ready for whatever God has planned for us and receive that with great joy and thanksgiving. We have already been blessed abundantly, I think you'd agree.

We've had some crappy weather lately in Oklahoma. This is us hiding out in the laundry room waiting for a tornado to pass. I grew up doing this, so it doesn't stress me out. We like to have snacks and watch a movie. I thought the helmets was a clever idea to protect the head. Of course they made me put one on too. I only release that photo for money. So you'll just have to imagine it.

So there you have it. That what's been keeping this momma busy!