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.

ahhh twinkle twinkle little start... they held a star above their heads you can't really see..... again 6th one in from the left.

our little performer.... Robert is the 6th from the left... he was singing ring ring the bells.... he had such a great time.

our little sheep performing... don't think it's his thing... he is the one standing in themiddle stock still hands/arms completely at his side.... poor thing looked so scared.

Babchie and her granddaughter Sarah

more pictures

Babchie (grandmother in Polish for those who don't know that) and her only grandchildren at this time....Christmas 2008

ahhh presents from Santa... Sarah got a furbie kitting that meows and kneads like a regular cat... she LOVES cats, Caleb got his radio and he was asking for one of those for over a year, Robert got some Jay Jay toys... I think everyone was happy with what Santa gave them

Christmas morning... look at those smiling faces

Caleb you hang this one!

here Robert you hang this one!

more tree decorating

all the little sheep!!!!

Caleb with his teacher Mrs. Stacey... she has just been so great with him this year... both his teachers have helped him made great strides this year in school... YEA MRS.STACEY AND MRS. PATTY...

mommy and her sheep..... I love that little guy to pieces...

I just want to be a sheep baa baa baaa

Daddy and Caleb the sheep!

Daddy and our little sheep.... Caleb's class were dressed as sheep for their performance... he couldn't wait but once he got there he freaked out.. poor thing.. cried and cried.

Robert with both his teachers..Mrs. Janie and Mrs. Keri... after the program... Robert just LOVES school

Robert with one of his teachers.. Mrs. Keri... he just loves her!!!

Robert waiting in his classroom at school for the Christmas concert to start... doesn't he look handsome! They sang 2 songs on stage no fear in this kid

hey Caleb look here!!!!!!

now on to Christmas... the boys helping mommy decorate our tree

ahhhh Aunt Mary with a now cleaned up girl!!!

a rare picture DADDY!!!! the whole crew..mommy is taking the picture... Sarah's 1st birthday

taking a big bite... hmmm she does seem to take a big bite out of life for sure.

first taste... hmm I think she might like this...

AHHHHHH this is fun... I like this

ok poor Sarah had a very low key 1st birthday party I was released from the hospital on her birthday... here is the birthday girl with her cousin Kailee yup angle food cake with whipped cream...

Robert wouldn't go on the jumpy things he was afraid and here he is at almost the end of the party finally on an entrance to one.. still wouldn't go in but YOU GO MY SON CONQUER YOUR FEARS!!!!! ( in pic is Meghan and Aunt Cynthia behind Robert)

Caleb and Travis at Pump It Up August 2008

another one of my dear friends daughters: Allison and Quinn

Caleb's birthday August 2008... the King sitting on his throne... and not the porcelain type either..LOL

Robert at Pump It Up for Caleb's 4th birthday party.... sometimes he is just tooo cute

Caleb, Robert and one of my cherished friends daughter, Sadie... Sadie was born one month after Robert and both Robert and Sadie were surprise pregnancies and cherished gifts from God to both of us!!

look at that face.... how can you resist her anything???

WOW a rare thing all 3 kids with smiley faces.... ya know even looking at the boys then and now and man have they grown up ...

YEA Sarah sit up girl.... you are just growing up so fast... ( I look at you know and wonder where my baby girl went..... ;(

Sarah just learning to stand up not long after we moved into the new house so that would make this photo July 2008...

the boys playing in the hallways of the court house waiting for out paperwork from Jana Olsen Baker once we were done it is off to the hotel to change clothes and then to the San Antonio zoo the next day!

The boys with Jana Olsen Baker our lawyer who made things happen and happen fast. She is a GREAT lawyer who knows and can help families with adopted children especially those adopted internationally.

Robert and Caleb at the San Antonio Zoo after the court date.... here they are with the hippos...

readoption day 2008

Mommy and Daddy promising that we will always love and keep Caleb and that all the information on the paperwork is true and binding.... LOL like we would get rid of him.....YEA RIGHT

Readoption day in San Antonio. Aunt Rhonda, Sarah, Mommy, Caleb, Judge Martha Tanner, Robert and Daddy....Caleb looked a little scared

Pictures are on the way if I can get blogger to work for me. I haven't even been able to post a written post.... hmmmm... say a prayer everyone.

Well I had my (I'm sure to be only the first talk) about death with Caleb.

Yesterday was the memorial service for one of my dear friends who passed away 2wks ago. On top of that happening I had a MD appointment first thing in the morning with a new eye doctor who told me that the problems were not caused by the diabetes and there was no evidence of potential damage from the diabetes yet but just plain "you are over 40" speach in other words I AM GETTING OLD!!!! So now bifocals for me folks.... We had some real severe weather come through yesterday as well. Caleb is still extremely afraid of lightening and thunder especially those explosive ones that shake the house to it's foundation. He was clung to me like white on rice as they say.......

Now back to the topic at hand. During that storm my mother in law was on her way back to your house to watch the kids for me the 2nd time that day....THANK YOU MARY JANE YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER!!!!!! Anyway I was explaining to the boys that Gran was on her way back to play with them because mommy had to go to church and say good bye to a friend. Caleb started with all kinds of questions and comments about my friend going on vacation or to visit friends etc. Now you can't really lie about it so I told him this:

mommy- No Caleb mommy's friend died and went to live forever with God. She is so much happier there but that means mommy won't see her anymore and I need to go say good bye.
Caleb-She lives with God forever? but why? (his favorite question these days)
mommy- Yes forever. She was very sick and God said it was time to come live with Him. She is now going to never get sick again and can watch over us from heaven.
Caleb---mommy go to heaven to??? (with a stricken look on his face)
mommy- NO mommy is coming home I promise. I just have to go say good bye to her. I promise I am not going to heaven anytime soon....I will be home.
Caleb-ooooooooo ok mommy come home..... I LOVE YOU MOMMY (he yelled it)

that brought tears to my eyes made me feel good. But I think I handled the first thoughts and concept of dying and going to heaven with him well and that right now mommy is not going she will be here with him..

I ask that y'all please keep him in your prayers as he wrestles with this concept and that I can answer and help him understand even better if he comes asking again....

Blessings!

Well it's official! I know I shouldn't be getting on the scale here at home (MD orders) but I just couldn't help it.

I have officially (according to our scale anyway) gained back 10 of the 30lbs I lost in the first 3months since my lap band surgery. I know I shouldn't blame it all on the fact that I haven't been able to have a fill since December because my port got dislodged and flipped over. We are currently STILL waiting for our new insurance to approve the surgery to adjsut the port. I know I have not been following a strict low fat low/no sugar diet. I guess instead of beating myself up over it starting tomorrow it should go back to strict strict strict diet and get back into the gym!!!!!!!!

I CAN DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I CAN DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well everyone is back to health. Sarah is hand/foot/mouth disease free!!! The boys are both doing good too....

We spent the last 5 days at gran and granddaddy's house/ranch and took some pictures. I will post those as soon as I finish the camera and develope them. I will also try to post some when my sil downloads the pics that Richard took on my mil's camera and sends them to me. My goal the next month is to get 6-8 of the cameras I have hanging around developed and pics posted....

ON THIS I PROMISE!!!!

Blessings

Well it has sure been a busy time in our house lately. At any given moment someone in the house is sick with something. Its sure has been a bad winter for everyone not just our house. I am currently making a big pot of chicken soup for a friend who has her 3kids down with the creapy crud but her husband came down with it last nite. It is so bad in their house they had to take 2 of their boys to the ER because of dehydration. I think we all need to do some decontaminating of our houses.

Right now Sarah has hand/foot/mouth disease. From what I have research I have done is it is a virus that just shows up with no rhyme or reason. Poor baby ahd blisters on her hands and feet and rashes on all extremeities. The worse one is her thumb she sucks....now how to get a 15month old to stop sucking her thumb in hopes to heal it all up????? Robert ran a fever of 103 for 2 1/2 days and complained of a sore throat. We saw the MD and he said that it could be the beginnings of hfm disease for him to as he could find nothing really wrong. One of the first signs is an unexplained high fever... So today I went out and bought 3 cans of lysol and clorox wipes I am bound to get rid of this as soon as possible so no one else gets it.... If you want more info on hfm disease here is a link http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/enterovirus/hfhf.htm. We really are clean people for the most part. Of course there is clutter with a 4yr, 2yr and a 15mo toys and such.

Sarah is mobile walking or rather running most times and chatters to beat the band. It seems like she has alot to say thats for sure. Caleb is just growing in leaps and bounds. As a matter of fact he put on a pair of jeans that just a few days ago fit just right but are now tooo short and tight in waist....LOL Robert is .....well Robert is 2......but a joy none the less.

The livestock and rodeo are in Houston it's that time of the year. We are going to take the kids tot he livestock show. They just love the animals. Spring break will be spent a couple days up with my inlaws visiting. Sarah's godparents will be down as well from Amarillo this will be our chance to see them and for them to go nuts on their goddaughter. I am excited. The rest of spring break will be spent on getting more of the old house done so we can put it on the market. It is so time to do that. We are just blessed that we haven't really had to rush to much as we own the house outright so we don't have 2 mortages. But it is time to finish it once and for all. Once it is sold we will purchase new furniture for the new house, swing set/jungle gym for the kids backyard, might do some renovations with the new house we talked about but we will see.

The last weekend of spring break I am hoping to go on a women's retreat with our church. I haven't been on retreat in 5-6years and sooooo need time with my Lord alone and time with me to recharge.

Well that is about the update for us.... I know I know I know where are the pictures??????? I do have 9 cameras I still need developed and then will do a photo posting jam session so be prepared.... they will probably be jumbled and out of sequence but they will be here.....

Blessings on you all

I teach a Bible study on Wednesday nights called Motherwise: Wisdom for Mothers. Chapters 4 and 5 are about our relationships with our husbands. We had guest speakers come in and share with us how they keep the romance alive in their marriage as well as how they keep their marriage going and keeping God at the center of it.

When we were finished they shared with us 22 things you can do to show your husband you love them....and these can also be done by hubby for their wives. I thought I would share them with ya'll

1. Call to see if you can pick up anything on the way home from work.

2. Send a dozen roses: 11 red roses and 1 white rose. The note says "In every bunch there's one who stands out--and you are that one.

3. Float a love note in a bottle in the bathtub.

4. Call him at work and say: "Hello handsome! Are you free tonight?"

5. Get tulips and attach this note: "I've got two-lips waiting for you!"

6. Hire a masseuse to give your partner a professional massage at home.

7. On cold mornings warm up her/his car.

8. Bring flowers home for no reason (well, the reason is love)>

9. Send a beautiful romantic greeting card.

10. Go to a second honeymoon.

11. Give sunflowers- plus Stevie Wonder's song "You are the sunshine ofmy life."

12. Bring home one flower a day for one solid month.

13. Collect romantic and inspirational quotes. Write them in a journal and give it to your partner as a gift.

14. Trace "I love you " on a stick of butter or margarine.

15. Have a pillow fight.

16. Always have tapes of romantic music in your car.

17. When window shopping, secretly note what your partner likes then return later to pick up that something special.

18. Put a piece of jewelry in her jewelry box and wait for her to notice it.

19. Cover the room with helium balloons

20. Write notes on Post-It notes and stick them around the house.

21. Toss a coin in a fountain and make a wish together.

22. For parents only: spend a whole afternoon taking photgraphs of your family.

I am sure there are lots and lots of other ways to share and show our loves for your partners. If you have some others that are what you use please don't hesitate to leave me a comment on what they are and I will add them to the list.

May God bless your day in an extraordinary way today!

Guess who had a birthday in our house today!

DADDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's right today was Richard's birthday. Happy Birthday to the man of my dreams and the best daddy I have ever known.

Richard is always there with a smile and a patient heart for Caleb, Robert and Sarah. He is always willing to lay on the floor so they can play 'climb mount daddy'. He is always there to read a story or have someone sit on his lap. He is always there to provide comfort and love when someone is hurt. He is also there to gently give punishment and guidance when bad choices are made. He is always there to make 'pancakes' when a little boy sits in his face while daddy is sleeping on a Saturday saying "I want pancakes!!!!" He is always there to ask one of the kids to help him make a bookcase or get the mail or set the table or work on the lawn. I only occasionally see him lose his cool but even then he is there to sit quietly and talk about the differences between bad choices and good choices and to love up on them even when bad choices are being made.

Richard you are the best daddy and our children couldn't have a better daddy if they mail ordered him from God themselves.

I am also very blessed to have you as my husband. You always think of me and the type of day I have had. You are always there to take over when you come home from work to give me a break. You do all the baths and putting to bed. You always are willing to rub my aching back with bengay even when you really don't want to. You lead our home like no one I know. Your love of Christ shines through everything you do and I lean on that daily. Our life didn't start off like the normal couples life does but God knew what He was doing in keeping us for no other then each other. I can't express to you enough or do enough for you to show you just how much my life would be void and empty without you.

So on this day they day your mother brought you into this world.. the day God declared for your arrival I thank you for who you are, what you do and I thank you God for everything about you. Besides the special birthday supper of prime rib, mashed cauliflower, asparagas, salad and instead of birthday cake a birthday chocolate cream pie I pray for you a day filled with blessings beyond your dreams, love beyond your hearts ability to contain it and laughter to split your side.

I love you more today then I did yesterday but most definately more then tomorrow!!!

Renewing Wedding Vows

Our church has been doing a life lesson on Red Hot Monogamy. Pastor Dan has been talking for over a month now on God's view of what marriage is and should be about. How we are supposed to live that life of marriage according to the Bible.

Well we are almost done with this life lesson and the church planned a Renewing of Wedding Vows Sunday. It was beautiful!!!! They talked about in the Jewish faith (which our's is based on cuz my King was Jewish) and the meaning of the hupa (sp) canopy. Why it is designed the way it is and what it all stands for. They also taught about the Celtic tradition of wrapping your (husband/wives) hands with a white piece of cloth and how that shows the binds that bind us together as husband and wife. They had 4 stations around the church and renewed the vows of 2 couples at a time at each station. You were surrounded by your family (kids too) and they had the kids place their hands on ours showing our committment to them as well. It was just beautiful. Of course I cried some, romatic fool that I am. We also had a couple picture taken. Once they email them to us I will try to post it here as well. They even had a station for those dating or engaged to have their own committment ceremony and for those who were single to commit themselves to God again or maybe even for the first time. They really thought of everyone and engaging everyone in the whole service. They did a GREAT job as far as I am concerned.

Finally Right???

I know, I know I haven't updated this site in a long time... please forgive me. Life in this house has been absolutely nuts since my surgery.

First I have lost 30lbs since September and already my old clothes are too big for me. Thank God I never got rid of most of my old clothes as I grew out of them so I do have some transition clothes to wear. Everyone in the house has been sick on and off for a couple months. I can't wait for this weather to even out and either be hot or cold but not hot one day cold the next, hot one day cold the next...... At the moment everyone is well. I have about 7 cameras that need to be developed with various pictures that go back to July if you can believe that. I need a new digital camera for sure...As soon as I start getting them developed I will post some pics...not sure of the order so it will be a mystery posting.....LOL

Christmas was great. We had Christmas at our house this year. First Christmas in the new house. We still have the normal 19-2o people here but with the bigger house everyone was able to spread out....My mom even made a last minute decision to come down. It was nice having her here, not sure she liked the stairs though because of her bad knees. But she did have her own room she could run and hide in and close the door.... next time she will have a lock to :)

Well today I have to get the kids Valentines ready for school tomorrow...Will definately post another post on the happenings of today and I promise pictures when I can get them developed.