Family

  I have so many things I want to blog about but I simply have not had the time.  I begin to realize at the beginning of July that I had not done anything worth talking about with my kids.  I have since made it my mission to be out and about with them at least 3 if not more times a week.  We have been in the water tons, picnics in the park, bowling, movies in the back yard, and much more.  Pictures to come I promise.

With all this adoption stress I have been reminded whether you are fighting for your kids or not tomorrow is not promised and we need to take advantage of every moment we have with those we love because that is all we have right now.  

So no matter if the dishes are done, laundry piling up, books to read, phone calls to return, or emails to respond to stop and hug, love, embrace those around you.  He has given each of us today don't waste it.  

So what have you been doing this summer with your kids?   

4th of July

This 4th of July was the best.  I had all my kids and the best friends ever to share it with.  The Batchelder's brought Kristie home with them and stayed at the house for the 4th.  The Morris' found the best place ever to watch both Monument and the Air Force Academy fireworks.  We all had an amazing time letting the kids play at the park, walking around the lake, just sitting around talking, and telling our kids about the great country we live in.  It could not have been better.
Kids, Friends and the love of my life...Life is Good!!!

A game of tag is a must!!!

There was a small water fall and a lake by the park.

Good friends that I have come to love like family!

Loving on my baby.  Yes my hair needed a ton of help.

Curtis played on the play ground with the kids for a long time.   He had a ton of fun swinging.  

One cute boy!

Funny Little Girl

C is a funny girl.  We have gone to a water park 2 days in a row and she cracks me up when she talks to people.  On Wednesday she walk right up to a couple who were hugging and touched the guy and asked him to stop choking the lady.  In C's defense the girl was much shorter than the guy so his arms were around her neck.  As I walked up to them I could hear the guy telling her that he was not choking her.  I explained to C that he liked the lady and he was hugging her :)



Today while at a spray park C was very interested in a boy approximately 12 years old who was autistic.  The boy was making tons of very loud noises and at first C thought he was a dinosaur.  She followed him all over the water park asking him if he was a dinosaur.  The boys mom explained to C that he was making those noises because he was happy.  C then followed him around the park saying over and over he's happy! When the boy was leaving his mother brought him over to say goodbye to C.  She waved bye and then looked up at him and said "I love you".  He then pet her on her head as gently as he knew how and waved bye.  I enjoyed the interaction between my baby and this young boy.  She was gentle, sweet, and loving just the way I want her to be with anyone different than her.  

 

Camp Teams

Kristie has been home for almost a week now and is leaving Saturday morning at 4am.
She got on Camp Teams this year for Ozark Christian and is having a blast.  She called me 2 weeks into her summer to talk to me about something that happened at camp.
Being her mom I could not be prouder of the women of God she is becoming.  When she called to tell me her story it made me smile and thank God for all He is doing in her life.

The Story:  While at one of the christian camps Kristie was approached by an adult leader after lunch.  She had noticed that he had been talking to one of the high schoolers since the worship set that her and one of her teams lead in the morning and wondered if the boy was ok.  As the leader begin to speak, Kristie begin feeling incredible guilty and wonder if a choice she made when she woke up had lead someone down a wrong path.
You see Kristie is very modest in her dress and always thinks about what she wears.  It had been incredibly hot and Kristie had decided, even though it was against her first  judgement, to wear shorts that day.
The adult approached her and begin asking her questions.  One of the questions was "has she ever been in a situation where she had lead someone without even using words."
Kristie remembered this leader talking to this High Schooler and immediately thought of the shorts.  Her mind went straight to what she was wearing.  She was upset that she thought she had lead a boy's thinking down the wrong path because of what she wore to worship that day, shorts.

Well, to make a long story short.  The adult let Kristie know that this boy was being baptized because as he told the leader.....when he watched Kristie worship he saw something in her that he wanted.  Kristie loves Jesus more than anything else and that boy could see it, and he wanted what she had, Jesus.
How Awesome Is That!!!!
Love that Story
Kristie was so excited to tell me that this boy was being baptized.  She was not bragging or puffing herself up but was telling me because she was so excited that this boy had excepted Christ.

I'm so proud of my baby girl.  Kristie Lynn you rock.
Below is a pic of the boy getting baptized.  He wore a Ozark shirt to do it in :)

Park Day with Friends

Took the kids to the America the Beautiful park today.  We had a lot of fun with some friends from church.  Darius was in the water almost the entire time.  Kristie is home for a week and I'm enjoying every minute of it.   

Lakeisha enjoyed having a water fight with all the kids but mostly she loves being with her brother and sisters:)                       

Darius and Matt have become great friends.

Cuties Picture Ever

Love this little girl

Love this little girl too :)

Beautiful

Great Friends