HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY OLDEST PRINCE

5 years ago today in the town of Jiaozuo in the province of Henan China a little boy was born that God had destined to be our son. This little boy was all of 5 lbs and 5 ounces and was sick and left at the gates of the local orphanage. Through the loving care of the ayi's and the director and a foreign organization he was taken care of, fed, and loved until the time God chose to bring us together.

On that first day of meeting this little boy, who lived in a room of 15 cribs with 14other babies and 1 caretaker every 12hr hours, screamed and screamed as he was placed in my arms for the first time. It took him about 40mins to be ok with me holding him and a little longer for Richard to be ok....and now fast forward 3 years and he screams when we leave and screams even more out of love when we come home.....

His given name in China was Fu Xiao Wu and we named him Caleb Xiaowu....he has grown considerably and is healthy as can be. He has become a normal American little boy loving soccer, ball, swings, cars, zoos, grand daddy's sheep (think future farmer in there), ice cream, hamburgers, french fries... there is almost nothing he doesn't love to do, eat or be. He has just blossomed in language skills and relationships. He is smart, loving, compassionate, caring, full of life...Looking back at first pictures we have of him and today I can still see a slight piece of that baby. Sometimes when you look into his eyes you can see an old soul but yet a sparkle of the kid!!!

How would our lives be without this little man???? Empty completely empty and void of the the life he brings to our home.

First thank you Father for knowing Caleb would be ours...at least for a while here on earth....we know he is Yours truly and we are blessed you trust us enough to care for him and show him who you are........

Second thank you to his birth mother who not knowing what truly God has in store gave him up for a better life with another family who loves him just as much as she does....

Caleb-----I love you with all my heart. You bring such joy to me even in those times that are trying. May God bless you with a long life and may you grow every closer to God. My life would truly be empty without you.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU MY OLDEST SON MANY KISSES AND HUGS TO YOU TODAY ON THIS YOUR SPECIAL DAY THE DAY GOD BROUGHT YOU INTO THE WORLD!!!!!!!!

what have we been up to??

I know again to long between posts... but may life with 3 (4yr, 3yr and 21mo) sure is busy.... who has time to do anything else???? :)

Anyway wanted to just post a quick note that we spent the past week at gran and grand daddy's house.... they got to go to the ranch and feed the sheep, visit with great grand daddy, swim with gran, aunt Rhonda, mommy... then we went to a water park.....it has a section that was called "the river" just a current thing that pushes you along. Caleb and Sarah LOVED that... Sarah continously said 'ur ur ur ur' meaning river river river....when we got home from that daddy was there again. Richard had to work the week so was only there for the 2 weekends.

Then on Saturday we went to Fossil Rim. That is a drive through zoo where you can feed the animals and such. They had a great time. I do have some pictures I will post some of those.

Our next adventure is a trip to visit Babchie (my mom) Aug 28th thru Sept 12. Driving 1800 miles one way with 3 kids in a van..... can you say DVD PLAYER!!!!! We will be getting one installed in the van before we go.

Well have to go put a little girl down for her nap.....will post pictures soon.

Blessings

Summer, Summer Summer time... and man is it HOT we have had in the past 3 wks all but maybe 3-5 days in the 100's with heat indexes in the one hundred teens and up.

So what do you do with 3 kids in that kind of weather???? Well there was swimming lessons for the boys for 2 wks in June and they start again next week. Then home to watch LOTS and LOTS of movies. If I have to watch one more Elmo's wild wild west I think I will kill myself... but that is what Sarah is into at the moment. I can usually get the boys to watch different ones. Then of course there are naps in the afternoons... siestas so to speak... ( don't think I spelled that right it looks wrong oh well guess I can always blame it on mommy mush brain).

We are heading to my in-laws house for a week with the kids. Richard will be there for the weekends but it will be just the kids and I. There are some good things to do up there so hoping the weather cooperates.

This Saturday is the family reunion being held at our church. We have I think it is about 50 people coming. I think that is a good number. I have so much to do before then. We will be going to Sam's to get the stuff we need tomorrow afternoon and then to the church to set up tables and chairs. Please pray for cooler weather (even though the weatherperson [politically correctness] says NO WAY HOSE AY). We have been invited to another church's July 4th celebration from 6-9 that night but we will have to see how the kids do with no nap.. I have a feeling we will not be going.

I have 2 camera's to develope again so will have more pictures to post. I am not good at keeping this site updated but I do have 3 young ones that keep me busy!!!! I am thinking a trip to the zoo and children's museum next week. Then there is a splash park about an hour from here Richard was talking about taking the kids to..

Well that is just a little bit of our summer... I am really hoping to be able to get some mommy/daddy time to reconnect at some point but not counting on it....

Keep checking back I will try to find time to do postings etc....

Caleb soccer picture 2009

check out that smile... they said that was the only smile he would give them... LOL only MY son!!!

I just started really growing my teeth but they are sharp!!!!!

see my teeth I still need to go to the dentist....:>)

see my teeth I just got back from the dentist with Cassie the cow, my classroom pet.. she came to visit me that weekend.