What A Weekend!

My precious lovie planned a date night on Friday!! It was amazing and so filled my love bucket. He arranged a sitter for the kiddos, and made reservations for dinner all by himself. Eeee!!!!!

We just sat and talked over dinner for nearly 2 1/2 hours. It was such a sweet gift for our marriage.

We got up early Saturday morning and Owen and I headed out for our first 5k together. It was a fundraiser for his school and we had a blast! He has improved so much in his endurance over this semester...it was so cool to see that in action. He found some friends (mostly girls, such a ladies man) from school to tag along with.

Then later Saturday we spent the afternoon with our precious friends. They barbecued hot dogs and burgers, made corn on the cob and even had ice cream sundaes for the kiddos! They set up a slip n slide, a pool and hid water balloons for the kids. Boy we are going to miss them.

Today after church we met more friends for a picnic and the spray grounds. We came home and cleaned up before family pictures in midtown Atlanta!

Not sure we could have packed in more fun...and we are all wiped out. So hard to be saying good-bye to so many friends, but we are overcome with joy that we are finally moving home, settling down and starting the rest of our lives.

Beach Pics

Well, Hilton Head Island was as magical as everyone said it was...

 We had to beg Owen to take this one of us, but I am so glad we did.  Love this man so much!  This year is our 10 year wedding anniversary...so thankful for the love we have.

 Singing Happy Gotcha Day to Sadie at 8:15 am...HA!  They loved it!

 Emery took a lil nap on the beach and the bigs couldn't stop kissing on her.  So sweet!

 We met up with our precious friends from Canada.  They are at Emory doing a fellowship this year as well. 

 I love a family picture!!!  Goodness gracious!  Look how big our Emery is!  I cannot believe it.  This picture seriously shocked me when I saw how big she looks. 

 

 This was taken on Mother's Day...I looked up and saw Cooper and Sadie playing in the waves together.  Such a sweet gift for this mama.  We don't always get along so well, so when I see this I just relish in it. 

 Emery LOVED the water and couldn't get enough of it.  Several times she would point and say "MORE" while her whole body was shaking from being cold.

 Blake and I noticed while on this trip that Owen walks with a lil swagger.  It's sooo cute.  I love that he is confident. 

 Not sure this needs any explaination...I just love that this is what she did...taking it all in baby girl.

 What a great shot of Sadie checking out the sea shells.  Notice she has her baby...she's such a good lil mama.

 He was in heaven!  We normally don't let the kids drink pop, but we got a cooler for the beach and their daddy bought them Diet Twist Up and you'd have thought they won the lottery.  And yes, they were having fun seeing who could burp the loudest. 

 Sweet kisses!  This Emme is full of hugs and kisses and we just can't get enough of them. 

 Sadie got a skim board for her Gotcha Day from Noonie and Papa.

 He so didn't want to stop and take this...thank you Cooper!

I am not sure what we would have done without this precious family full of great friends.  Everything you've heard about Canadians is true...they are the nicest people you'll ever meet.  We are gonna miss them! 

June is Crazy!

Not sure why, but our June is filling up fast! Nothing bad, just lots of play stuff.

I want to post more pics from camp...you simply can't cut from 500 down to 6, so there will be more to come!

Sutton and Cooper being silly in the pool!

Grandy and Noonie with the kids at the aquarium! Grandy was a camp counselor this year!

Best buds just relaxing by the pool.

Playing at Incredible Pizza

Movie Night. My mom's cousin who lives within miles of my parents (that sounds country, but it's true) has a movie theatre room (not-so-country). They invited the kids over to watch a movie! Too fun! This would have been fun to watch. I think this might be a dance game???

I LOVE this picture! Look how little Ragon looks on the end!

Yesterday was Blake and I's 8th Anniversary! Sadly enough, he was on call, but we did get to have dinner together after the kids went to sleep. What a treat! Then he went back to the hospital from 8-3:30 am. People...he then got up at 6 to head back in. Nuts I tell you. Those that think professionals go into medicine for money are seriously mistaken...this takes dedication and ambition.

It's crazy to think that for the length of our marriage, he has been working towards this goal. And when he is finished with all of his training we will celebrate 10 years. I still remember back to when we got engaged and I was in nursing school. All of my professors seriously warned us about getting married before medical school. Knowing me and my stubborn Murphy side, I just told them we were different. But I did listen. Blake and I have worked hard to keep each other first. We've said NO to lots of things going on around us in order to stay in love. And my honey has given up so much to put our family first. I believe he does this out of deep love and respect for us. I never thought it would have been possible to love him more than the day we got married, but I certainly do. So, happy anniversary honey. There is no one else I'd rather hold hands with than you! I am so proud to be called a Shockley!

Blake's gift to me...helping me paint and put hardware on our cabinets in the kitchen. Oh my this was time consuming, but SO worth it! Doesn't it look great! Thanks babe!

In other news, Cooper and Owen went to the dentist today and are cavity free yet again! Thank you Jesus, 'cuz Lord knows we don't brush our teeth 3 times a day and floss daily! Am I the only mom that struggles with that rule? (Below showing you their pearly whites!)

We did have an exciting thing happen while at the dentist, besides our squirmy 21 month old sister bouncing off the walls! "Does the crayon go in my ear or my mouth mom?"

Cooper came out after his cleaning saying that he had a peanut up his nose. I giggled knowing he must be kidding. He hadn't complained of such a peanut before going back with the hygienist. He kept tugging at this nose, so I took him and sister to the bathroom. He blew and blew and sure enough....a popcorn kernel popped out! What in the world? Where did it come from? Which one convinced the other this was a good idea? Who did the forcing it up there? Surely the hygienist must have seen something odd on the x-ray of this adorable 3 year old?!?! Oh mercy! Life sure is fun at this age!!!! The dentist was new to us, maybe we just shouldn't go back! So embarrassing!

This must have been pre-popcorn-kernel because I was in the room here.

Pits and Aspen

It's been a busy day...

I will start with my pits.

I got a call this afternoon from Representative Nelson's office asking if there were anyway I could meet with him @ 4 to discuss Cooper's Law!

I jumped at the opportunity and praised God for His timing! I had just come home from dropping the kids off at Blake's parents house for the night! I had the afternoon to myself and had no time to get anxious about this!!! (Well, okay I got anxious wondering why God was having me talk about laws? I am so not qualified.)

Thank you for all of you that prayed for me. Bad news first: I completely pitted out my shirt because I was so nervous! I tried to capture a picture of it because it was quite hilarious, but it just didn't do it justice. Good news: I didn't throw up and...

HE SUPPORTS COOPER'S LAW!!!!

Praise God for getting this into the right hands. We sat and discussed what some concerns might be and how we should handle that. We discussed why this needed to be changed and what other states already had laws very similar to this. It was such a wonderful meeting and he was so open to my concerns, and he felt this deep need to protect birth mothers. How great is that??? He gets it, from all angles.

He talked about how in trying to protect the adoption process, with this law how it currently stands, we've actually made it harder for birth mothers to place.

He wants to meet our precious Mandy and hear her heart on this law... How incredible is that? That's right Mandy girl, I'll be calling you to chat tomorrow!!!

Keep praying for this to move forward. As much as he supports it, he understands there will be opposition. He does not see this "moving to session" or moving this session??? See I shouldn't be talking about this. Essentially, this won't happen quickly because he felt like it was a big deal, but he said this law NEEDS TO CHANGE. It cannot stand how it currently does. Praise God!!!

On to Aspen...

So, you know how my heart has really been broken about this whole Aspen thing. To some of you this decision might seem so easy, but it has not been for me.

I have really been struggling with so much of this.

To be honest, I was struggling with what I would have to give up to be there for 3 months. Gag. I hate being honest about those shooie feelings. But that's where I have been.

I have been heartbroken about not being with Blake for 3 months and have tried to figure out ways we could cut that down (3 weeks here, 4 weeks there, 4 weeks here). But I had never conceded to the idea of us being there for 3 months.

Again, I know some of you are horribly disappointed in me, but my heart was just struggling and I felt I had good reason to struggle. Yes, I am 3 years old too.

But yesterday someone called me. Her name is Alli. She is a friend from church, a mentor from my MOMs Bible study. We have known each other for a couple years, but only had a few conversations outside of "hi" and "how are you?". She is precious. Recently she asked me about this year and I told her quickly of my struggle with Aspen.

She called yesterday and I missed her call, but called her back this afternoon.

The conversation that followed was clearly orchestrated by God. I struggled to talk fighting back tears. I quickly thanked her with a huge frog in my throat and hung up the phone and bawled.

I've been fighting God for months with this, and I seemingly had no clue. Because my concerns seemed 0h-so valid. Ugh.

Bottom line...I've not been setting out to serve my husband in this.

I've not been setting out to serve my children here.

This has been about me.

Gulp, sniff, bawl like a baby.

My goodness. God put my name on the heart of sweet Alli yesterday and she couldn't shake it. So she found my number and called me. She thought she was calling to see if we needed help finding housing (you know, 'cause that's what I have been blaming this on).

But I told her that last night we got an email from Colorado saying they secured a 2 bedroom apartment for us and it was close to everything.

She replied, "Well I thought you would have told me you were set then, you were going!" But I didn't. I was still struggling.

The conversation that followed is what made me so emotional. Blake needed me there. My kids needed Blake with them. Three months is long to these kids. Three months is a long time for a marriage!!! Why was I not doing this?

I know, to all of you, it's a "duh" decision. But for me, it's heart wrenching to admit that I wasn't choosing to serve my husband, but choosing what seemed easier for me. I wasn't choosing what would be best for my children and serving them...I was being fearful and not looking to God.

So, tonight I know one thing...we are ALL going to Aspen together. Our precious daddy who chooses to serve us with a job that is trying, needs our faces to come home to everyday. I have no idea how any of this is going to work out, but I choose to trust my God with each and every detail.

Thanks for the prayers and constant encouragement. Thanks for hanging in there with a low picture post!!!!

Happy Anniversary sweets

**You'll have to excuse my picture choices. Our computer is giving us fits and I can't scan the pictures in that I really wanted to use. So, these will have to do!**

Today is Blake and I's 7th wedding anniversary!

What a wonderful day to remember. I cannot believe it's already been 7 years!

We were able to go to dinner with Little Miss on Saturday night and celebrate.

Blake and I are very fortunate to have wonderful examples in our parents of what marriage can look like when you are committed not only to each other, but to God.

I never thought I could love Blake more than the day we got married. But it's amazing to see how just getting married and starting life together brings you that much closer!

Don't get me wrong, there have been ugly moments. I really don't believe any good and strong relationship (marriage or not) can really be CLOSE without some conflict. But those moments have strengthened us and taught us so much and made us into what we are today.

I thank God for my marriage and how incredibly blessed we are to be best friends, even 14 years after we first started dating.

Thank you babe for making my dreams come true and for supporting me in everything I do.

And because I simply can't have a post that doesn't some how touch on adoption I have to share how adoption has changed my marriage in so many ways.

To watch my husband love our birth mothers and truly care for them, is indescribable and incredible. To see that he opened his heart to adoption when we were only 19 and fell in love with my ideas...priceless. This man is incredible.

I have often thought about the impact of a healthy marriage on adoptees. When children start to understand their adoption story and the promise we made to them to become their forever parents, it is only natural to see it as the same commitment we made before God when we married. We made a promise to each other in our hearts first, then we went to God and made a promise to Him to stay married. Then we made it legal and documented it. I changed my name and got my new identification with my new name.

The same is true in adoption.

When you adopt a child and your marriage falls apart, it is only natural for a child to wonder if their parents are going to change their minds about them too. I know I would question that if I were a child.

Not that healthy marriages are not important to every one of us and the foundation for our children, but when that fails in adoption it's that much more traumatic. I often think of when we promised their birth parents that we would become their parents, we also promised them that we'd stay happily married (of course that's not really written in, but they chose us as a couple). It's just another reason for us to focus on our marriage everyday and keep that relationship a priority above the rest!

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.