Three Years Ago Today

We met our daughters for the first time.  What an incredible 3 years this has been!

We entered the CCI Transition House to discover

a little girl in purple peeking at who was coming in the gate 

(& hiding her goldfish crackers in her shirt)

It didn't take Chloe (Juju) long to say hi, but Essie (Jury) was not so sure about these strangers (note her way off in the background in the picture below).  This was our first insight into the girls' personalities.  Chloe is fearless and is the first to try something new.  Essie won't try something until she is sure she can accomplish it to her satisfaction. 

I love this photo because the nanny is trying to reassure Essie its ok and 

Chloe ecstatic to show off her sister. 

Finally a family of four

My best memories from the day were when the nanny was trying to get the girls to come over to us, she kept saying, "Mommy & Ababa" and Essie kept walking away saying "no, no, no" and shaking her head.  Not in a mad way, but you could tell she was thinking, "if you expect me to run up to these stranger and head off to America with them, you're nuts!"  We expected this reaction so we weren't upset.  Just knew it would take a bit to earn Essie's heart.  The nanny got Chloe to come up to us and when I got her to sit on my lap, she peed all over me (thus the outfit change in the last picture).  Welcome to motherhood  I thought.

I had to include this video because it is just so dang cute!!!  

This is the girls first time on a swing.

One year later (2010):

They are such hams!  They always make us laugh!

Discovering their love for Princesses

Two Years late (2011):

We bleed blue!

The girls discovered friends and school.

2012: 6 going on 16

We love you girls more than life itself (even when you make us frustrated by moving through life at your own pace).  It has been so fun watching you blossom over the last three years!

Snow Day

We woke up to a winter surprise today.  Lexington weather said they got 5 inches of snow, but I don't think we had that much, probably 3 at most.  The kids had 2 half days last week so it was really the last thing I needed as far as work, but what you gonna do?!?! (well, today that meant I had to reschedule 2 home visits and ask the 3rd family to come to my house.)  

AJ & Jamin (our neighborboy and unofficial 4th child) decided to make 2 huge soccer balls out of snow.  But in the end, they go too heavy to move them.

Hope you had a fun day too!

p.s. Its 4pm and almost all the snow has melted.  Its supposed to be 65 & sunny on Wed.  Gotta love KY weather!

Homesteading, Here We Come!

We added a new channel to Caesar TV last night...we got baby chicks! Caesar cannot pull himself away from watching them (as you can see from some of the pics below). I've been making preparations to add some chickens to our little homestead and I finally found a feed store that had a few of the breeds that I wanted. I was planning to get 3, but the store policy was to sell no less than 6, so what could I do??? We got 3 red pullets (could be Rhode Island Reds or Red Sex Link) and 3 Plymouth Bard Rocks. All are supposed to be females but if we happen to have one (or 2) who isn't, we'll ship him off to Grandpa Neild's farm. Our city code forbids roosters and so does my husband. =) Matt has been very supportive of my new homesteading endeavors. I guess after 10 years together, he's realized he really can't take the farm out of this farm girl. He even brought me a stack of books from the library on homesteading and raising chickens. The girls were gone to a friends house when I came home with the chicks so the video below is them looking for the surprise in Dad's office.

I heard AJ telling Caesar, "you cannot eat these chickens, Buddy, or I'll have to spank you!"

Looking down into the box I brought them home in-

the yellow ones are the Reds and the brown ones are the Barred Rocks

You know I'll keep you posted as this new endeavor unfolds.

Lego Mania

I meant to post this earlier, but alas, it didn't happen.  I've been swamped with work lately and with the weather getting warmer, the great outdoors has been calling my name more.  If you happen to be at the Jessamine County Public Library in the last month and noticed the Lego display, you were looking at the work of my dear husband.  That's right,  I have a Lego master living in my house.  He's had these creations since he was a child and stores them in protective tubs out of the reach of our children.  The library took the display down yesterday, but I still had to brag on my man.

John Piper on Racial Harmony

I often tell my clients that I don't look at my kids and say, "Oh, there's my black daughter" or "There's my black son."  They are just my kids, created in the image of the Father.  Just like me and you!


Bloodlines Documentary with John Piper from Crossway on Vimeo.

Weekend in Indiana

As promised, here are pics from weekend at Grandpa and Meemaw's.

Grandpa will think of any excuse to use his favorite toy & AJ and Em were happy to offer counterweight for the load. 

I told my Mom that Dad would have never allowed us kids to do this, but the rules get relaxed when grandkids are involved. 

Aunt Kelly's new (used) trampoline

Wish I could show you Em's face, but not possible yet (foster care rules)

The Three Amigos

Shelby doing her favorite thing...making noise (in Grandpa's crocs)

Happy Birthday, Meemaw!

Today is my Mom's birthday (for her sake, I won't disclose how old she is.)  The kids and I traveled to Indiana over the long weekend to spend time with my parents and the rest of the family.  More pictures to come, but just wanted to say Happy Birthday, Meemaw!  We all love you.  Thanks for a great (& relaxing) weekend!