Sunday Snapshot -

The girls love to color and to draw. They have made me many, many, many masterpieces and I treasure them all. The other day, they proudly brought me their latest works of art.

Em's was a picture of me!



Apparently I have really long legs and a really big smile! I'll take it!

Lizzie's picture was a picture of me but...



It was a picture of me when Lizzie was in my tummy. Sigh. Sweet baby girl.

We have had the talk before, many times before. Lizzie and I have talked about it and cried about it and with each talk, I pray for just a bit more healing for her...



and me. You see, Lizzie just doesn't understand why she didn't grow in my tummy like her siblings did. Sometimes, the subject comes up because the kids ask to hear about their births.

We have Christian who was laid back, listened so well to the doctor's instructions, was born, looked at me and smiled! I know, I know, it was probably gas - but he smiled!



We have Charlie who told the doctor to take a hike cause I am coming out NOW and then scared the "ho hum" out of us.



We have Caleb who, well, just has a BIG head, a really BIG head, ouch!



We have Emmeline who was so nice to her Momma and even though she decided to show up on the day that Daddy had picked (not that we were betting or anything - heh), she didn't show up in the middle of the night and she was sooooo easy on me and she was a girl! After 3 boys... Nuf said! hehe!



Then we have our little Lizzie and whenever our sweet baby girl's siblings ask to hear about their births, Lizzie wants to hear about hers. It happens every time and every time my heart breaks just a bit more for my littlest one.



I tell her that I don't know what her birth was like but that I would guess that she was an itty bitty little baby and that I know she was cute, so so cute. I gently remind her that she did not grow in my tummy but that she grew in her birth momma's tummy. I tell her that even though she didn't grow in my tummy that she did grow in my heart and that I love her so very much and will love her forever. I then tell her of the day we first held her and she loves to hear that story. She even remembers the song that was playing on the video I made about that day, when her ayi finally placed her in my arms for the first time and while this helps, it doesn't stop the longing and the questions.

Lizzie usually thinks for a moment and then asks the unanswerable question, 'Why?"

To which I answer, "I don't know sweetheart but I do know that I love you and I do know that while I am sad that your birth family could not raise you, I am so very thankful that you are here, with us."

I always ask her if she understands and sometimes she says yes and sometimes she says no and we will continue our talk until she doesn't want to talk anymore.

While I cannot truly understand her loss, I do have a sense of her pain and her desire to have been in my tummy, to have that story, that connection.

I long for her to have grown in my tummy and to have known her as an itty bitty baby but I will never let her forget her birth family and I will always make certain she knows how incredibly grateful I am that they loved her enough to give her life - but that is a conversation for later.

For now, I will kiss her boo boos and praise her accomplishments, her many, many accomplishments, fuss at her when she needs it and tuck her in at night. I will comfort her in the dark and teach her about the Light!



I will always, always answer her questions and let her know that her grief will not affect the love we have for her - ever - that she has a safe haven to explore that grief and that we will be right by her side, because she is our daughter and we love her! I will never ever apologize for adopting her and her loss happened long before we found her, but I will always be there for her to listen and to comfort and to love!

To join in on Stefanie's wonderful Sunday Snapshot, go here,

Soccer Lite!

We only had 2 games today! Wow! Really??





Last weekend we had 7! Yep, 7!!



Next weekend, 7! Yep, 7!!



I was ready, though! Armed with my new camera and all!!





Ya'll are getting off easy this weekend. Can you imagine how many soccer pictures I would have posted if I had been "armed" with my new camera, last weekend??



Just wait til next weekend! BWHAHAHA!!!



Charlie and the girls were the 2 games of the weekend. The other 2 got off easy.



The girls played at 8:30. Yep, you heard me right, 8:30 and hubby does the scheduling ya'll!! I have GOT to have a little chat with that man:) I do not have any pics of their game because it was so foggy (8:30 remember) and I was not awake yet! Hehe! I did get some cute shots of them at Charlie's game, though.



Em found something to entertain herself...



dirt!



I got the first hints of, "OK, Mom, I am so over that camera!"



Already??? Come on guys!



Just wait til I get that zoom lens that is going on my Christmas list!! Hehe!



We even had time to walk the pups when we got home!



It was a nice afternoon and we all got to spend it together!

Click, Click, Click, Click, Click!!!

Yeah, that's pretty much all my kids have heard since yesterday and it wasn't their crazy Momma making camera noises, no! It was their crazy Momma playing with her new toy camera!!

I was really glad I had chicken cooking in the crock pot, other wise my kids would have gone to bed hungry!

Yep, I have been pretty obnoxious with that camera but I have to say that the kids have been great sports - for now! Tomorrow is another day! Hehe!

I have read no instructions

just started clicking

cause that's just how I roll, ya'll!

I will get Hubby to read it and translate for me!



Hehe!!!



Gotta love that Hubby of mine!

Oh no he didn't!!!

Oh yes he did!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you have been following my blog for a while, you may have heard me mention just a million few times how much I dislike my little digital point and shoot that has a crack on the view screen and is leaving little bits of itself everywhere we go, quite like breadcrumbs (I do get lost a lot) and how much I would love a "real"  camera.  Well, I guess hubby finally got tired of my camera envy and decided he better do something about it before there was nothing left of my trusty point and shoot and I get locked away for walking around with my hands in front of my face making a perfect a rectangle while going, "click, click, smile, click, click, click!" 

One glitch though, we have NO money!  So what did my dear sweet hubby do?  He scrimped and saved and participated in online surveys (he really loves me) until he had enough to surprise me with this camera, this wonderful camera!  I really did not know what he was going to do to top the love note in the dust but he did it!!!  I was so totally not expecting this and was a little (just a little) irritated with him for spending the money and for showing me up in the gift department this year (harumph) but he just has the biggest heart and wanted to do something for me that he had not been able to do in a long time! 

I am a little (just a little) bit older than hubby and did not meet and marry him until I was 32/33.  ALL my other friends were already married and starting their families.  I am SO glad I waited for him, for my Gift from God!

So, excuse me for a little while, while I play with figure out my new CAMERA!!!!! 

Thank you sweetheart!!!

Sunday Snapshot - Me

Well, today is my birthday!  Yep, 47 years ago today I was born!  Wow, did I just say that??  Yikes!

Anyway, as an early birthday present, my wonderful Mom took the 3 little ones last night and we were down to only 2 kids - the older 2 - the easy 2 - you know the 2 that you can tell to go away and entertain yourselves while Mom and Dad actually get to sit down and have a conversation - uninterrupted and all!!!

Of course it would have worked a heck of a lot better if Dad didn't constantly procrastinate and have to go out after 7 (yes 7!) soccer games to buy Mom a birthday present!!!  Ha!

Oh well, it was all good.  I got some quiet time (after watching the Hulk on TV for a while because the older 2 don't ever get to watch what they want to watch because everything they want to watch is not appropriate for the younger 3) and a present and I didn't once have to wipe any one's bottom!  How's that for a birthday gift?

We headed to Mom's today to pick up the little ones and to have a yummy dinner and CAKE!!!  Cheesecake to be exact, cause I just don't like Birthday Cake, weird I know!

and yes, they were STILL swimming...

their lips were blue but they were swimming!  Oh well, at least they won't need a bath tonight:)

I have to say that even though I am just 3 short years away from that big (gulp) 50, I really don't feel very 50ish.  Must be all that bottom wiping!!  Hehe!

To join in on Stefanie's Sunday Snapshot go here,

Oh my....

This boy,

Yeah this one,

My first born has his first official girlfriend!!!  Oh my!!!  I mean, he is almost 13 and all and he does have his first "real" job but girlfriend????  Oh my!!!!

Well, all I have to say is that is one lucky girl! 

This boy is great with his siblings (well at least his sisters - hehe)

He is kind and caring and compassionate and his first "real" job...

He is on the Jr. Cotillion STAFF!!!!

He helps to demonstrate good manners, proper etiquette and dances!  Oh yes he does! 

Must be his Grandmothers' influence, cause I stick my feet on the dashboard of the car and use paper napkins and other "oh so not proper" stuff like that!  Hehe!

He is an incredible athlete,

good at whatever he tries and...

has really great hair!!  Hehe!!

Yep one lucky girl, she is!  Sniff Sniff!! 

God certainly did know what he was doing when He made Christian our first born.  We may have some puberty potholes ahead but that boy is gracefully easing us into teenagerhood!  Thank you sweet boy!!