On cloud 11...

I don't know where the time went but my first baby is now ELEVEN!  Jaybird waited anxiously all week to celebrate with his buddies and he had a great time.  They had pizza, chips and frosted brownies and quite honestly, hardly ate much at all.  They were much too interested in playing to pause too long for that.  :)  We farmed out the girls to their friends so it was ALL boys, ALL the time.  I believe Legos were strewn around every room of the house and we tip-toed through the mine field.  Here is one of the new sets he assembled to play with the gang. 

Below is MOST of the buddies who made it, showing off their Lego imaginations.  Unfortunately the two Ben's (or Ben squared as we call them) had to leave early and I missed getting them in my shot.  I'm mean enough to make lights out at midnight, though they weren't tired at all, but it didn't help them to sleep in.  I long for the day they want to sleep til noon instead of 5:30 am.  All in all it was fun for the boys and now it's out of the way for me. :) 

More importantly, my little man is growing up.   I remember crying at the pediatrician's office when he was turned 2 that he was growing up too fast.  How silly, HA!  I treasure those memories of the past 11 years even while I dread him leaving home someday and calling me not nearly enough. :)  The cycle of life is not all easy but I'm proud of who he is and how he is growing.  Now he really is on the launching pad of life.  I see him maturing in some special ways (though not regarding silly "boy" humor) and he is sensitive to wanting to please God and his parents.  He already talks about being a good husband and father someday.  I know I'll always be there praying for him and cheering him on.

Happy Birthday Big Guy!

A new look at life

Notice anything different?

Yep, Goose has a new accessory on her face.  She's been wanting to get her eyes checked for a couple months now and I finally got her to the eye doctor.  Sure enough, she gets to join the ranks of the "glasses-wearing-Murphys".  Her eyes really aren't that bad (at least compared to her Mom) but she noticed a big difference as soon as we picked them up today.  Now Boo is the only one that isn't bespeckled and hopefully, good genetics just might keep her from going this route as well.

As for Goose, she tried on every pair of frames in the place and was trying to decide what to get - sensible, comfortable, etc.  We just about had it decided when I picked up this pair and said, "what about these?"  She grabbed them and put them on and immediately stated, "These are just my personality!"  No debating or agonizing, just confidence through and through.  I do love that about my daughter.  She knows what she likes and is very comfortable with who she is.  Beautiful!

Now she is desperate to cut her hair (she's been planning that anyway) to complete a new look and get a fresh start.  Stay tuned.....

** OK, the next day we just HAD to go in for a haircut and this is the happy girl results...

To top it off, she gets to donate her old hair to Locks of Love to be made into a wig for a needy child.  She is very happy about that!

Have you seen this young man?

Does this photo look familiar?  I actually took it last February but it just showed up in the current issue of Focus on the Family magazine.  We've been getting a few phone calls asking about it and Spiderman has been getting a bunch of (unwanted) attention among his friends in town.  He's embarrassed. :)

I figured I'd mention it here in case anyone else has wondered, "Is that Spiderman?"  I actually submitted a couple of photos back in the summer as part of a contest.  My kids were hoping for some free Adventures in Odyssey CD's but it did not win anything.  Then to our surprise, we were offered a small compensation if we would let them use it in future publications, at their discretion.   I was still thinking we'd be paid in product and went ahead with the arrangement.  Imagine my surprise when we received a healthy (in my perspective) financial gift right before Christmas.  We celebrated the unexpected gift with a family trip to the theater to see "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" (not common with a family of 6) and a yummy meal at our favorite restaurant.  It was our special little blessing from God and we were tickled.

Now the kids think Spiderman is famous!

Perspective for the New Year

As moms, there are a lot of things we desire for our children and for ourselves.  Sometimes, we get tired of feeling like the "bad guy" in pursuit of the principles we are trying to teach them but this post from another blogger sums it up so beautifully for me.  I hope you'll visit just to read this post titled "I don't want my children to be happy".    I remember receiving comments rather similar to those mentioned by this mom during our adoption process.  God's ways are certainly not the ways of the world but they are so much better.

May we all desire more contentment and holiness in our lives.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.  Psalm 1:3

Christmas Day

Thanks to my big sister, we always open new PJ's on Christmas Eve every year.   The kids were excited to show them off, knowing that the rest of the stash wasn't far away.  After last year's lesson on wake up times (someone got up at 3:00 am), we told the kids they couldn't come down and make noise until 7:00 am.  This made for much happier parents. 

Also, before opening our presents we talked about the people around the world having a very different Christmas.  The kids had raised money among themselves to buy some chickens, honeybees and milk for the needy through "Samaritan's Purse".   They prayed for those people to have a good Christmas and to learn about Jesus love.  It was a nice way to start off our morning as we opened more gifts than we need, like most Americans.

In short, we are filled to the brim with fun new things and giddy kids.  I'm giddy that I have a week off of school and that we're mostly healthy (though I did wake up Christmas Eve with some sort of pink eye).  To top it off, my sweetie is taking me out on an anniversary date on the 30th to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary.  It's amazing how time flies but I wouldn't want it any other way.  Life has been so good to us praise God.  I don't know what the future holds but I'm ready to face a new year and see what God has in store for us. 

Grandma made some matching PJ's for Boo and her doll, Cara.

Even more Legos to add to the collection (among others).

Happy New Year everyone!!!!!!

Christmas Eve Fun

Just in time, we got our white Christmas as the snow poured down on Christmas Eve.   This has been our first "good" snow this year so the kids were anxious to get out and play hard.  The younger Eastin and Schneider kids all came over for some serious sledding fun and it was great. 

That evening, our three families got together for a big meal, baby Jesus birthday cake (traditions) and lots of laughing.  It was a wonderful way to kick off the Christmas weekend.

Where have I been?

 Well the questions have come - "Why haven't you been posting on your blog?  What's going on in your life?"  I can't even begin to detail the past two months but I will say that God is good, all the time.  Even when life is difficult.  In honor of the Christmas season, I thought I'd write a little song to bring you up to speed.  You'll have to put it to the tune of the 12 days of Christmas.....

In the two months before Christmas my family gave to me

12 hens in the hen house -needing attention

11 pounds of mud and snow tracked in the house

10 over-the-counter medications

9 loads of laundry – each week

8 wet mittens on the floor

7 weeks of home schooling

6 trips to see the Doctor

5 vomit stains on the carpet

4 kids in a Christmas Pageant

3 sets of visiting company

2 major holidays to prepare for

And 1 child sick with pneumonia

(I'll try to do better after Christmas :)