Christmas 2008

We have been busy around here. Seems as though there is always something happening. We had a snow day, DYE Chili supper w/Santa, a trip to Gatlinburg, & of course Christmas.
Our trip to Gatlinburg was REALLY COLD, but we had lots of fun. It was a lot of 1st for the boys, and Lourdes--Laser tag & Ice skating. Coy & Lourdes got to drive their own Go-cart for the first time, too. It was so cold Coy's hands nearly froze off, and Tim lost his wedding ring. Thankfully, Coy still has all his fingers, and I found Tim's ring in the car. :o)
Having Lourdes here made Christmas even that much more special.
I have a ton of pictures to share, so the easiest way to do that is post a slide.

I had previously posted the slide here in the post, but it made my sidebar move to the bottom of the page. The slide show pictures are still on here, but I moved them to the bottom of the page, if you still want to see it. :o)

Happy Birthday Jesus!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

¡Feliz Navidad!

G.G. is God's Gift

Just returned home from a wonderful weekend in Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge. It was really cold, but tons of fun. I will post pics soon. (I know you can hardly wait :o)

I did want to stop a second and share a little adoption moment from the weekend. We were having a not so quiet, "quiet time" as a family. We started talking about the adoption & our little sister/daughter. I told the boys that it was kind of a mouthful to talk about "our little sister/daughter." We should think of a nick name. We have decided not to get our hearts set on a forever name, as she may be old enough to already love her given birth name. . . Anyway. . . Daddy came up w/G.G. because she is God's Gift to our family. How sweet, and how perfectly fitting.

So, from now on we will be praying for G.G. Will you help us and pray, too?

P.S. We got a notice from the Department of Homeland Security that they got our I800, and will be contacting us w/a time to be fingerprinted. YIPEE!!!!!!!!!!!! One step closer to "waiting." :o)

"Wow---Why Such a Long Time?"

I don't know how many times in the last few months that I have heard the statement. . .

Why does it take so long to adopt?

Yes, I guess up to 3 years seems like a really long time, but I am thankful for the total peace that God has been so gracious to give me for the wait. I know he is preparing us as a family, and our darling little girl to meet us in HIS PERFECT TIMING. So here I wait, taking one step at a time. Trying my best to remain in God's peaceful presence.

My God is good ALL the time.

Our I800A has been delivered to the USCIS. Processing can take up to 3 months. Please pray everything goes through w/o any corrections needed. Our 3 year wait begins once we receive this back.

P.S. My new "theme song" is Jordan Sparks One Step at a Time. I listen to it a lot. I've listen so much. . . I've got Coy singing it :o) The words are so for waiting adoptive families, and many other things in life, too. Just listen. . .

Under the Misteltoe :o)

More Christmas Decorations. . .

My mother gave me this set last year, it is beautiful.

I am a sentimental ornament kind of girl. Each year, I get the Hallmark family ornaments that match our family. The "Dad," "Mom," & "Son" ornaments. I've done this since Coy was born. As soon as Hallmark put this years ornaments out I went straight to get them. It was fun getting a "Daughter" ornament for Lourdes. I told her she could take it back w/her to Spain for her tree next year.

This is going to be a special Christmas :o)

Lourdes, and her "Daughter" ornament.

Seth, Coy & Lourdes w/their "sons" & "daughter" ornament. The boys decorated themselves w/them :o)

This was our hand painted family ornament from 2007.

Our hand painted family ornament 2008 :o)

Even the Dog is getting into the Christmas spirit :o) Doesn't he look happy?
BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN FOR THE 1ST POST W/CHRISTMAS PICTURES :O)

It's Begining to Look A Lot Like Christmas . . .

We have 5 stockings this year. Can't wait until it is permanently 5 :o)
Lourdes putting the lights on the tree.

Coy, Seth, and Lourdes decorating the tree.

Dad can reach the top with no problem, so he gets the honor of the star :o)

Here is the finished product.

It turned out beautiful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Awesome MySpace Comments & Myspace Layouts

FINALLY!!! One Step Closer!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Gladney has approved our home study!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Few Favorite Moments From Mexico

I can't believe it has already been a month since we went to Mexico. Why has it taken me so long to share? ¡Yo no Se! (I don't know-for my Non-Spanish speaking friends :o) God has been so good to bless me with 6 trips, to serve him. I don't want it to ever get "old hat." Thinking back to the very 1st trip & the 1st day of going to minister to the shut in people, I remember writing in my journal. "God please don't let the sting of this day ever go away." I couldn't believe some of the conditions I saw. I realized HOW VERY MUCH we take for granted, and WASTE each & every day. I thank God for changing and growing me through these experiences. My prayer is to continue to grow & serve for His glory.

Here are a few special pictures/moments from October.

This summer @VBS, the kids decorated soccer balls to be given away during mission trips. I don't know the exact # of soccer balls made, but there were probably @ least 300. Dr. Russell had gone to the church, and gotten a suitcase full to take with us. It was a random pick for him but not for God. In that one "random" bag full. We found soccer balls decorated by 4 different team members children/grandchildren. Here is the one Coy's VBS group made:
This past summer, Dr. T came to visit his Tennessee friends. It was a very special time. While we were in Mexico, in October, Dr. T played his home video from his trip to Tennessee. It was really emotional to watch home video of my boys on the church wall in Mexico. My boys fell in love w/Dr. T, especially Coy. When Coy went back to school this year, the teacher asked the kids to write about a there summer. Coy wrote the sweetest story about his new friend Dr. T. It makes me cry every time I read it. (I'll have to post it another time.) Here is Dr. T. & I w/Coy's soccer ball: We are usually so busy during clinic times that the dentist, and nurses are pretty much doing their own things. This trip there were some times that there was no one waiting for the nurses, and I was able to venture to the "dark" side. This is what the nurses affectionately call the dentist area :o). I walked up to find Dr. T about to pull a nervous little boys tooth. I had the opportunity to hold his hand, and help distract him from the shot w/a soccer ball. It was really cool to get to work w/Dr. T: God is so good in his timing. It worked out that Wayne's daughter Erika (who lives in CA) was able to meet us in Texas, and spend the week on the mission field. I love watching God work on every one's hearts: Darby & I barely new each other before the 1st mission trip. She, Kristi, & I have been roomies on every trip to Nuevo Laredo. I am beyond thankful for their friendship. This year, Kristi was just a month away from delivering her sweet baby boy Braydon. Darby & I were blessed with the next best roomie ever---Erika :o). I love how God puts just the right people in your path to walk along side you in life. Here we are-Darby, Me, and Erika:

Happy Birthday Halie :o)

Graphics & Myspace layouts

Happy Double Digets Emily :o)

MySpace Graphics & Free Myspace Layouts

It's Election Day. . .

GO VOTE !!!!

I've Been Tagged

I was tagged by my sweet friend Mandi. I am supposed to tell you 7 interesting things about myself, and then tag 7 other people. She tagged me forever ago, but I have been out of touch w/the blog thing lately. Anyway, Here goes . . .

1. I married my high school sweetheart.
2. We are in the process of adoption from Columbia.
3. I love being a teenagers mom right now.
4. I wish I could REALLY speak Spanish.
5. I didn't like chocolate when I was a teenager, but now I love it.
6. I would eat out for every meal, if I could afford it :o)
7. Doing "Tags" stresses me out a little. :oP

Ok, so to stress 7 other people. . .
1. Lourdes
2. Amy H.
3. Andie M.
4. Ashley G.
5. Ruth
6. Lisa
7. Jana

Happy Blogging to all & to all a goodnight :o)

Disney World Was Sooooooo Much Fun :o)

The Whole Family @ Animal Kingdom's Tree of Life

I wanted to post a few pictures from Disney.

I leave for Mexico in the morning, and have a ton of stuff to do.

I will post more next week.

And We're Off :o)

Headed to the airport for Disney. YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We return on Thursday, and then I leave Saturday am to Mexico for a 6 day mission trip :o)

Hasta Luego :o)

Have You Ever Seen a Pumpkin Before?

I asked Lourdes if she wanted to come w/us to the pumpkin patch today. We go every year, most of the time more than once. We got there, and Lourdes explained that she had never actually seen a real pumpkin before. WOW. It was a lot of fun. Here are some pictures:

The Family :o)

Seth, Lourdes, Coy & Tim-on her 1st hay ride:

Coy needs to see the dentist :o)

Seth feeding goats:

Lourdes feeding goats:

She has seen a pumpkin now :o)

Coy, Seth & Lourdes:


Up on top of "hay mountain"

Already carving some:

Getting "into" the whole experience :o) Pumpkin Guts:

Class of 1988. . . 20 Years

So. . .I hadn't realized this was Tim's 20th year since graduation, until my friend Gwen text the other day to ask if we were going to the homecoming/reunion game. The classes of 1978, 1988, & 1998 all planned to "meet" at the football game tonight. We got to hang out & catch up w/Gwen before the game (I LOVE hanging w/Gwen). We saw some people we haven't seen in a while, at the game. A fun time was had by all :o) Well, actually the boys were ready to leave when we go there, but OH Well :o) They stuck it out & came away w/a few purple/gold mini-footballs. The Smyrna Bulldogs beat Gallatin 17 to 6. GOOOOOOO DAWGS!!!!!!!

A Few New Pics to Share. . .

Here are some pictures from our latest adventures, camping at Defeated Creek :o)

Taken by our future photographer, Coy:

I sure do love my cuddling boys :o)
Coy & Grandma
The boys worked on this sand for hours.
Beautiful :o)