Something to Share!

I have an amazing story to share with you!!!! Actually, I'm going to let my new friend share it with you. Go here to check it out! Be sure to leave a note and welcome her to the bloggy world!!

I am humbled that God would use this blog to bring another precious child home. I know, years ago, God used Diana's travel blog to Ruby to push us to take the plunge. I didn't personally "meet" Diana until a couple of years later, but she played a key role in Wesleigh coming into our family. It is amazing how the stories of these precious girls coming home strikes a cord with those who's hearts are open. I love it! And I love the bond it creates between us moms and our daughters...a red thread, indeed.

On another "sharing" note...My niece, Auden, came to play for a little while this morning. Let's just say that Miss W isn't too keen on the whole "sharing" idea. Wesleigh was so excited for Auden to come over, but when she realized Auden was going to play with her things, things changed a bit. Bottom line, they adore each other and are so sweet, but Wesleigh has alot of work to do before she's going to be ready to share with a sister!! I might be calling the preschool she will attend next year and see if they would happen to have an opening on their mother's day out program for the rest of this year!




This picture is so sweet and looks like they are "sharing" Bryce. What you don't see is the fit Wesleigh had when Auden climbed up in Bryce's lap!! There was NO way she was sharing her Bryce!! (These are not the shoes she would normally wear with this outfit! Auden came in squeeky shoes and Wesleigh just had to have a pair on herself ;)


The boys are home today because of the threat of icy roads this morning. It is one gloomy, yucky, cold day and I'm glad to still be in my pjs and have them all home!!

Hope you're all staying warm and dry!!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year!!


Soooo....it seems I have a little Chinese girl, who knew Chinese.....who is learning English.....who likes to use Spanish from Dora!!! LOL...

Wesleigh has started using the word "Abre" (open) all the time, and she uses it correctly!! Absolutely cracks me up!!



I'm posting this picture again, because I just LOVE it!! (and I haven't taken any cute pics lately!!) I took this pic and Diana fixed it up in PS for me. I will be getting PS very soon! It totally took my "good pics" into the portrait range. Thanks Di!! (If you've been living in a cave and haven't heard Diana's news...you should go check it out!! So exciting!)

I have some exciting things coming up...Saturday, we are attending a FCC Chinese New Year celebration! I am so excited to go. We went two years ago before we had Wesleigh and had so much fun. Last year, we had only been home for about a week and Wesleigh was still screaming in the carseat. There was no way we could drive a couple of hours to it. I am so looking forward to seeing these amazing families. Wesleigh is wearing one of her silks from China and I had a super cute bow made to match!! I can't wait!

I'm also getting Wesleigh's summer clothes from last year out to sell. I'll be posting them before long.

My blog will have a new look soon! You know when you get to the point that you think you'll just throw the computer if you have to see the same old "blog" one more time?...yep...I'm there!! Hopefully, it will be up soon!

Two of my boys are home from school today. I know all of you in the north will laugh, but they're home because there's a risk of "wintery mix" today. :) People go nuts here when there's even the chance of snow/sleet! Kind of funny. I'm happy to have them home, though. Braden is in a different school system so he had to go :(

Hope you all have a great day. I'm excited because I can go to the grocery store alone because the boys are here! LOL... they're going to be excited that there might be some food in the house again!

Persistence

Braden has had a lesson in attitude and perserverence. I'm so proud to say that he passed with flying colors! Braden is a clone of his daddy. His loves are hunting and baseball. This year, the two of them spent hours and hours in the woods with one goal...for Braden to shoot a buck. He has gotten one before, but of course, we start over each season! On many of these trips, there were other friends who went with them. Either Cade, Bryce, or friends from school. Time after time...trip after trip, he watched the other boys shoot as he sat in the woods seeing nothing. Each time, Braden was genuinely happy for the other boys and kept such a sweet attitude... all the way through the last day of hunting. He never got his buck this year, but he's ok with that. He has focused on the opportunities he has had this season. He shot his first duck, goose, and squirrel!! (He even ate the squirrel. That is much more impressive if you knew how picky he is!!) NO...I did not eat the squirrel! You have to draw the line somewhere. Mine is evidently somewhere before squirrel!!!

Each trip, he would come home ready to love on his mama and spend some time with his favorite princess ;)

I'm so proud of you, Braden! You are growing into an awesome young man! I can't wait to see what God has in store for you!! I know it's something great!!

The Only Snow We'll See!

Yep...Wesleigh's snowman is the only snow we'll be seeing around these parts! It was actually 70 degrees yesterday when Wesleigh was wearing this!! Don't get me wrong...a snowfall would be nice, but I'll take the warm temps anytime. Don't be too jealous, though...it's going to rain all day today and the wind chill tomorrow a.m. is supposed to be 15!!! Holy Moly!! Looks like we're going to be hibernating again.

I'm so glad it's February. I thought January would NEVER end! I have hopes that by the end of this month we'll have our USCIS approval and we'll know who our daughter is! Of course, neither of these things are guaranteed, but I have high hopes. Our fingerprint appointments came, and in true USCIS fashion...they gave us appointments on different days!! Richard's is a Friday afternoon at 3:00 and mine is the next Tues. morning at 8:00 AM!! Seriously? I will be going with Richard to his appt. and hoping they will take me a couple of days early. I'm not holding my breath, though. If history means anything...I expect to be leaving my house at 6:00 AM a few days later!!

Have a super Tuesday!!

The Dreaded Weekend...

Most of the time, I look forward to the weekend. I'm quite sure most of us do. The boys are home, the alarm clock doesn't go off (even if Wesleigh still does!), there's no homework, etc. However, once you enter the adoption realm, weekends become your enemy. You are now painfully aware that nobody is in the government office working on your paperwork, your agency is closed, and there is no hope of receiving any good news.

In addition to this, if weekends are painful, holidays are almost unbearable! Not only are offices closed extra days, but, you know, even when they are "working", they are probably ordering Christmas presents off the web or having office parties...counting down the minutes before they can stop thinking about my paperwork!! And forget about CNY!! Weeks of non-production! Ughhh!!!!

So...while most of the world is dreading Monday morning...I (and, I'm sure most of my adoptive friends) am counting down the hours until the offices are open again!

Enjoy your weekend!! I'm trying to!!! :-)

30 x 32

Yep...that's my 14 yr. old's pants size. Actually, it's the size he is wearing in this pictures and, as you can see, they're too short!! Seriously?!? Richard wears a 34 length, but he's 6 ft. tall!!
I love this shot because it's so sweet, but can't quite get past the pants! He really needs a 29 x 34...I'll have to get working on that.

Our Special Day

First of all, I would like to thank all of you for the sweet comments on yesterday's post. Each time a new one would come through, it put a big smile on my face. It is pretty amazing how the support of friends, family and strangers through this blogosphere is so uplifting and meaningful. I have enjoyed every minute of sharing our journey with all of you, and you are unbelievably sweet to indulge me!! Now...we get to do it all over again!!! Lord, help us!!

I shot this video of Wesleigh before we left. When I put this dress on her, she immediately started spinning around and saying "bootiful". I think she must have gotten that from one of the boys because that not really a word I use alot. She must have done it a thousand times. Super cute!! I had to coach her here, but of course, that's just because I had the video on!!





We celebrated the big day yesterday by going out for Chinese food. It was a quick dinner because Bryce had to be at the high school for a basketball game (band). That's about par for this group...there's always something. Oh well, we enjoyed being together. My parents joined us, so we got pictures with them also. You just have to excuse these pics. My camera was in the wrong mode and obviously, I couldn't figure it out while we were there ;) Oh well...that's life.




We had a special delivery at home. A wonderful friend of mine sent these to us for our special day. As Wesleigh said a million times...the are "bootiful"!!



Miss W's birthday is in a couple of weeks, so it's time to start planning for that. Don't expect anything over the top ;-) I figure, I can still get away with just a family party for one more year. After she's in school next year, I'm sure we will be pulling out all the stops!