FFF~Oh Give thanks~

The Friday Theme is "OH GIVE THANKS!".....

Just a perfect theme Hannah

since this weekend (2morrow) is our 3 Year Forever Family Day(Thats the day Abby became ours!)

SO much to be thankful for this weekend...Where do i start?

I Give Thanks for the 3 other families who shared in the joy of bringing our babies home!

AND YES i still keep in touch w/ each one of them!

I Give Thanks to Abbys Foster Mother for taking care of her for 6months..

How hard it must have been to let her go!
I Give Thanks to Abby's Birth Mother...

I have 3 bio children and thinking of what she did BLOWS my mind!

She entrusted US, total strangers to give her baby a better life!!!

And lastly I Give Thanks for Abigail

as i write this post we have known her(counting from referral date)

40 Months,180 weeks, 1266 days, 30361 Hours, 1821714 Minutes, 109302881 Seconds

I can honestly say its has been the best

40 Months, 180 weeks, 1266 Days, 30361 Hours, 1821714 Minutes , 109302881 Seconds

Of my life!

~God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today.

Have you used one to say "thank you?" ~William A. Ward

Its beginning to look alot like Christmas!!

In 1992 i moved out on my own and to CELEBRATE i started collecting Christmas houses....

Its been 17 yrs and i really need more room!!

The Auto shop ...Looks like someone needs some service!??
Mr Smith is selling his trees!
"Its a wonderful life" is playing at the theatre
Yep the town drunks are caroling
Now to put up all 4 Christmas trees!!

NO this isnt the TRUE reason of Christmas but i sure have fun!

WHAT IN THE WORLD WEDNESDAY?

AT least she isnt wearing Dinosaurs!!

clipping her wings!

My oldest Ashley is now 16 and a Junior ...She is attending her first college Open House this Friday...

She will be making the 4 hour drive to Ohio University with her Father...

Many thoughts go through my head as i type this...

~ Where did 16 years go?

~ When did i become so old? lol

~ Ashley was my most "SPIRITED,STUBBORN,INDEPENDENT" Child. Will she stay this way?

In less then 2 years she will be in College and I'm pretty sure i will be drinking more VINO!

1st Day of first Grade

Muy Linda ?

When we were in Guatemala all the staff at the hotel would come up to us and say

"Muy LINDA!"....to Abby

...I had no clue what that meant had to wait to look that up when i got home!

Means "Pretty" in Spanish...

Must be hell to be told your pretty all the time ;o)

FFF~ Beautiful gift(s)~

Friday theme is BEAUTIFUL gifts...These are mine!

Many people have said to me

'What a pity you had such a big family to raise.

Think of the novels and the short stories and the poems you never had time to write because of that.'

And I looked at my children and I said,

'These are my poems. These are my short stories.'

-Olga Masters

What i love.....and a cute print too...

My Dear friend Aimee @She's Going Bananas asked us adoptive parents what we like about Children...I have 4 children who are all unique in their own way...Since i have teens as well I'd break it down some by tot and teen..oh and preteen too!

~ Abby age 3-I love that tots don't care what they say THE JUST SAY it.I only wish i could be that bold!

-They see the simplest things and are in awe and wonder...A box can create hours of fun!

-They really could careless about making friends they think their mommy and daddy are the cat's meow

-Everything is new in their eyes and i sit and learn so much from that!

Grants Age 11 (pre-teen years) - These years are VERY VERY hard on a young one..

- You aren't scared to try new things at this age, but friends do start to influence you more.

- You still think your parents are the best! I still get hugs and kisses

- You still care about what your parents think ...;o)

- You still have innocent thoughts..ha!

Bradley and Ashley -(The teen years) hmmmm what do i say about these years? OMG HELP ME! lol

- You still need your parents BUT WONT ADMIT IT!

- The world is your oyster

- You still kiss your Mom and dad but only in private!

- Sometimes you ask your parents for advice ha!

-Because I'm a young mother i can relate to sooo much that they go through!

So you see each stage in my children's life i have loved and SOME NOT SOO MUCH!

This print reminds me of Abby and her Dinosaurs!