November Fun

We had a quick visit from some of our Florida family.

We raked leaves, made bird nest, pretended to be a bird family and all sorts of fun things. Here are some pictures.

 

:) Leaf pile

Fun

Funny Faces

Look at that throw!!!

Sweet face

 

 

I also went on a field trip with Skyler's class, back to the 1800's. It was fun but crazy cold!! Here are a few of those pictures.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just a note from some life observations:

 

So many times we cry out to God for things we want, things we need, prayers to be answered. God always provides a way. Sometimes I do not see the answer for many years, then I look back and think WOW. I totally get it now God. 

 

 

Jehova Jireh ~ Genesis 22:14a

 

So Abraham called the name of that place, "The LORD will provide"

 

 

 

 

 

October Fun

Oh where to begin.

At the beginning of the month Skyler and I went to a safety fair. We saw all kinds of police vehicles, we met two police horse's, there were different fire trucks, and all the cool stuff. 

Scott had quite a few trips this month. Skyler, Vern and I went on one of them to Birmingham, A.L. While Scott was giving his presentation and mingling. Skyler and I went to the Science Museum and Botanical Gardens. We had a great time!

The next weekend we all went to visit family in Florida. This was a short but great weekend, I really enjoyed. We stopped halfway in between and Skyler got to see real cotton. We went to the beach two days in a row and looked for shells. Skyler saw "Sea Dollars", he "Water lifted his body", found a sea snail in it's shell, saw a Ghost Crab and Blue Crabs in the ocean that "Dad caught with his BARE Hands!!!". Very event full weekend.

Good news for Skyler at school. He is right on target and/or above target with his school work. He has come such a long way, since he didn't know much when we got him. So far this year he has done a great job working with is classmates, ie...no fights, biting, hitting ect..

For Halloween our neighbors had a cookout before walking around. This was nice to get to know some of our neighbors and kids. I'm still working on which kid belongs to which family and the house they live in. Skyler went as a Fireman, everyone loved his costume and he loved all the attention. Pop Pop would be very proud, he even had a fireman t-shirt on under his jacket. Skyler still wants to be a Fireman and a Dentist when he grows up.

Here are some pictures for the month

Skyler loved the ladder truck

Fireman Smith

He is pulling his weight

at the Science Museum

At the Botanical Gardens

Skyler Loved this leaf

Love this little face

Cotton???

 

Ghost Crab

 

On our way home from the beach

 

 

– Psalm 116:1-2

 "I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live."



 

 



Friendly Visits

We had a great visit with some of our friends these last few months.

In August we had Chips and Ginny, then Grandma and GG-ma. This last weekend we had Kemper, Julie, Cameron and Caroline. Whew.
We have had a great time with all of our visitors and we all hated to see them go. Every time Skyler would say "Lets go with them!" If only it was that easy.

This last weekend Skyler got a good taste of what it would be like with younger siblings. He was really good with the kids. But, he was so jealous when I was paying attention to one of them and not him. He still wants a brother or sister, he is leaning more towards a brother though. We went to a Braves baseball game with them and we had a good time.
Skyler's favorite part of the weekend was Cameron going with him to Karate class. Cameron did really, really good. He caught on to what was going on and he was stomping away with the rest of the class. When the kids would huddle up around the teacher, Skyler made sure Cameron knew where to go. So sweet.
He also loved baby Caroline, he had a few questions for Julie about what she was eating, her pacifier, why she ate /slept so much, ect...

Skyler is still doling well in school. I am surprised at how quick he is catching onto everything. He'll say "Oh Yeah" like he already knew whatever we are trying to teach. He still doesn't quite get that Scott and I are also his teachers, not just at school.

This week and next week are a lot of  our doctor visits. Boo! And, I think a flu shot is in there somewhere for both of us. Double Boo.

–    Psalm 4:8 ~ "In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me swell in safety."

Here are some pictures of this last weekend.

 

Getting ready

 

Cameron learning self defense stomping

on Ms. Weekly's foot ~ Ouch!

 

Love this picture

 

Huddle Time, you can see Kemper and

Scott in the mirror.

 

K & C

 

Silly Boy

 

 

July 2008 ~ This was the last game we went

to with Kemper and Julie

Now we have a full car

All the kiddo's on the couch, adorable!!

So cute!

 

 

 



Settling In

Wow this summer has flown by.

Let's see we bought a house and moved in the first of July YAY! We are so excited to finally be back in our own place!! Skyler started 1st grade in August, poor kid this will be his 3rd school already. And, this is his 3rd major move to a new house within a year. Now that school has started and everything is almost un-packed he is starting to settle down..emotionally. Little did we know we moved into a community with a bunch of kids. Just on our culd-a-sac there are about 10 kids in elementary school. It is a little bit of an over load for Skyler.

Skyler has always talked about the karate kid and tried to do some of the moves so, we enrolled him in a class in August. It is great, and we all love it!!! The teachers are really good with the kids. Many of the life lessons they teach reinforces what we have already talked to Skyler about. For Skyler and us (parents) it is awesome!!! Skyler has already worked his way up to an orange belt, his next goal is yellow.

God is amazing!! Scott and I have seen him work many, many times in our life and we are still soaking it in. Don't lose hope when all is failing around you, hang on to Him. This is my life scripture: Rejoice in Hope, be Patient in Tribulation, be Constant in Prayer.
Romans 12:12

Here are some pictures of the summer and Karate... Hi Yaw!

Hum... what are the boys up to?

 

 

First Day of First Grade

 

 

He was so excited to get his orange belt!!

 

Last year I could not get him to play outside.

Now he says "I'm King of the Jungle!!!"

 

 

 

 





School is out

I thought that Skyler was a little upset that school is out this week, but yesterday he said "I am so excited about Friday", I asked him why.... he said "Because I get to play with you all day" Awe.
I am glad that he has made it through this year. I have to say I am not such a fan of this school. This school is supposed to be a top ranked school in GA but I knew less of what was going on than his school in TX.  Hopefully his new school next year will be better. Yes poor fella, he will have another new school next year.

We have found a house and we'll be moving again this summer, but we'll have about a month to get everything over there. I am looking forward to getting settled in our home. I am going to have to paint a few rooms, but overall this house is by far the cleanest we have seen. I have to say I am surprised, shocked, disgusted and disappointed in how people don't take care of their home. I am not talking about a few spots on the floor or dirty windows. I am talking about inches of dust on fans, grease stained cabinets and having to pull up all of the carpet because of stains, spots and who knows what. I don't get why people don't take care of their home, much less think someone wants to buy their mess. Just goes to show, "You cannot judge a book by it's cover", in this case it is homes.


This has made me think of how we (humans) are. There are many times we want people to know us from the outside. Shiny, put-together, hair perfect, nails polished, makeup just right, the right house or car, you know perfect. When inside we are just a wreck waiting to happen. I know I have been there. Then you get stuck in pretending to be this fake person, and you begin to hate it because you can not live up to what you have made. My relationship with God. I loved God, but, I didn't really know who he is. The more I have dived into His word, the more I let Him into my life, the more I talk with Him and am still waiting on Him. The easier my life has been. Now I am not saying this will happen over night, can it yes, but that doesn't always happen. God has been working on me for years and, I am still not perfect. 
The good thing is we will be perfected one day in heaven. We don't have to be perfect right now. He wants us to try, step out in faith and trust him.

Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

May 4, 2012

One year from when we got Skyler

we visited Troy, AL

We were surprised to see a double rainbow.

 

One Year, Yup time flies

We cannot believe it, A whole Year!!!  ;o)

       

It has been a whole year since we first met our little guy. He has brightened up our life he won't understand himself, until he becomes a Dad.

 Skyler 2011 (Before Smith)

Skyler 2012 (After Smith)

        We cannot believe how fast this year has gone by. Last year we could not get down fast enough to meet him, we were nervous about meeting his foster mom, cps worker and most of all him. He has a super sweet sometimes wicked smile with eyes that just sparkle when he is happy. He sometimes reverts back to his old ways, and I have to say don't we all? He has come such a long way and in so many ways surpassed anything we could imagine. He has been a little mirror for me especially, and I am grateful (well now I am grateful at first it was like a rude wake up call, HA). All three of us have already grown so much as a family and had our ups and downs.

       He has loved kindergarten (grade Zero as he has said before) and is so excited for the summer to go to "Grandpas Pool". I am excited that we are closer so he'll be able to know his great-grandparents and grandparents and all of our church families all ove the south-east.

       There are so many children in the states that are in foster care right now, the last number I heard was 550,000. About 127,000 are waiting to be adopted, this is crazy to think that we have this many children with NO family. This is just in the states, not including all the other children in the world. I'm not saying everyone can/should adopt, however everyone can help one way or another. There are mentoring programs, fostering programs, sponsering families, full out adoption and if nothing else you can Pray. 

       Can you imagine turning 18 and never having a mom, dad, sibling, aunt, uncle, grandma to ask life questions? I am not saying they can't figure it out, or they are all helpless, but they should not be or feel alone. We cannot just be blind and not take some kind of action.

Hosea 14:3b
In you the orphan finds mercy.

Texas to Georgia......

Some of you may or may not know, we have moved to the Atlanta, Georgia area. This was a quick move and I have found myself trying to play catch up. We went home for about a week before we drove up to Atlanta. We love this area, and are glad to be closer to friends and family in FL, NC, and VA. Texas just never felt like home, but we made some really great friends and they are missed already.

Scott has a new job and Love's the company, his job and co-workers. And, Skyler says he loves his new school and is also doing great. He still misses his friends and old class in Texas.

Upon moving here we had a couple of bumps in the road, or should I say very big Pot Holes in the road. We had a horrible Realtor and before I get started on a tyrant I am going to just ask for prayer. ;o)

 

Since we have moved here we have gone hiking, went to the Atlanta Aquarium, visited a lot of great churches in the area, Skyler turned 6 and I also had a birthday, just a few things we have done. Don't worry pictures are going to follow.

 

Last weekend we drove up to Raleigh, NC to visit some great friends the Merida Clan and the Perkins family. We had a great time and cannot wait to go again!!! But when we returned we all got sick this whole last week. Scott has Bronchitis, Skyler has Bronchitis and Strep and I have Strep. I have never had Strep before and I cannot say I am a fan. Totally knocked me out this whole week. So we are finally starting to get up and walking around but we are all coughing and hacking away....wanna come visit?? HA.

 

Since we have gotten Skyler, I have really thought about God's love. Pure Love...no strings attached, just what can I do for you kind of love. God's love is indescribable, in the since that we do not see it, or show it as much as we should. I am not accusing anyone except myself. I just wanted to put it out there to challenge myself and maybe someone else.

 

Have you shown your own family God's love?

 

2 John 1:3
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love.

Beach in P.C., F.L.

This picture is actually from my friend Laura Venning, but it is so beautiful.

Hiking by the Chattahoochee River,

I was surprised the water was a greenish color.

The boys

Vern celebrating his brother's birthday... HA.

Sky loved the butterfly balloon.

HUM....

Confetti Cake with Chocolate icing

HA HA trick candles

Aquarium Pictures

Can you see the Whale Shark???

My birthday ... awwww

Sky wasn't feeling to good here, but he tried.  :0)