To Tell of His GRACE

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Brodie's Go-Cart

Brod grew up with a go-cart and has alway wanted to get our kids one...he found these for sale at our local water park (my sister's husband bought a bunch of them and is making a track at their house ;) Brodie and the kids have been in the process of fixing ours up, my brother-in-law is going to paint it ...we just got it up and running so the kids got to try driving it for the first time yesterday...

Here is Sis driving...

And Keeg...

And Kols...

And the moms :)

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Nesting has begun ;)

We are officially beginning to get ready for Kaylee Grace (Brodie says I am in full "nesting" mode - which means he is too since he is so kind to help out!) This last weekend we cleaned out every square inch of each of the kids' rooms...which means we only have one more to go - Kaylees...

For now it is more of a storage room for all of the wonderful things that have been handed down to us! We will go through all of the clothes and then get her room ready ;)

We added her picture to the wall...

And...after talking with a friend (who is adopting sweet Lucy - another 2 year old from Kaylee's orphanage) she gave me the idea to set a laundry basket out and start adding items that we can set aside now for packing. So, I made a Target run yesterday and have already filled one basket! Yikes! I'm way too much of a planner - just going out of town for the weekend I pack 1/2 our house "just in case" ;)

She also sent me some packing lists that other adoptive parents who traveled to China used...Sis and I went through them last night and used them to start getting our own list ready :)

Pray for my friend, Sharon, who is currently in China adopting 2 children!!! Follow her journey and pray for their family as they follow God's amazing call ;)

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Happy 2013!!!

We started off our 2013 at the Cabin...always great family time! We played Way too much Farkle, watched a couple movies, made homemade soup together and went to bed early! The next day we went up the hill a bit to go sledding :)

There was a bit of snow at the cabin but not enough for sledding

There was just enough to play a bit in it :)

Keegan couldn't get enough- he kept sledding until Daddy started a snowball fight with him!

Then we headed into the lodge for some yummy food - always my favorite part ;)

Football Game

We went to Palo Alto to visit Ben and Alese over the weekend ;) Alese came with us to the 49er / Cardinals Game...Dr. Ben had to work :) We were split...Brodie, Sis and Keeg cheered for the 9ers and Kols, Alese and I cheered for the Cardinals (well, for Larry - Kols's favorite player ;)...

A fun trip for our family!

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Our Christmas...and our SECOND best gift ;)

We REJOICE in the birth of our Savior!!!

We started off our Christmas Celebrations with Brodie's family up north...we had a wonderful and relaxing time there. We love going out to Nana Carol's house and watching Hallmark Christmas movies ;)

Grandma and the kids...

We went to my parents house for Christmas Eve with all of my cousins and their families

Nana and Papa with the grandkids

Christmas morning we went back to my parents with just our immediate family...

Papa and Nana with Claire

The boys :)

Papa is working hard to help Nana get breakfast ready

Aunt Abbie with Sis and Keeg on our way their

Anna loves her new journal from Santa

Me with two of my nieces

Papa is praying over the food

Our family Christmas 2012

Grandpa with his great grand-kids...we are so blessed to have him - such a sweet man!

Keegan is having fun opening presents

Another shot of Anna with her journal...her favorite gift!

Wahoo! New shoes from Papa and Nana

Legos...that the boys have already put together!

Rachel with her new ipod

Thomas is ready to open another gift...he's trying to guess what it is ;)

Nana with her grand-kids

Claire doesn't leave Nana's side...and Anna is always right with Claire...so sweet ;)

Grandpa and Keegan

Claire and Nana

The girls

Claire

More of Nana and Claire

The parents :)

The girls :)

We are forever grateful for Jesus coming earth...being born to die for us - that we may live with Him eternally! This will always be our BEST Christmas gift!

Our family received a SECOND best Christmas gift...on Friday as we were heading up to see Brodie's family, we received a call from Logan at Lifeline letting us know that we got our....

"L"

"O"

"A"

our official LOA... Letter of Acceptance! This is the main approval that we have been waiting for!!! This means that we only have a few more steps and should travel in about 10 weeks :) We also received an updated picture of her with some of the other children at her orphanage...

She is on the far left ;) We have been so blessed to connect with two other families who are adopting 2 year olds from Kaylee Grace's same orphanage!! It has been so wonderful to be able to chat along the way and pray for one another :)

What a special gift it was to get our LOA and an updated picture of her...we're getting closer and we truly can't wait to start loving on her!!!