Happy Birthday Jesus

'Mary had a baby boy, baby boy, baby boy, Mary had a baby boy and Jesus was his name!'

Carter loved practicing for his school program starting before Thanksgiving. (He was an angel but I didn't seem to catch a photo of him:(  He had such fun doing it! Our little man is so animated and fun loving.  In addition to really getting into the fact that Jesus had a birthday coming up and we would have a party, he started to catch on that Santa would come to his house and leave surprises.  He started singing Santa Clause is Coming to Town frequently.  He has been fun to watch as he realizes so many things.  The fact that we got so much time with family and friends was so much excitement to him!  What a blessing this little man is in our family and this world!

When we went to see Santa at our clubhouse, Carter just walked right in and started having a conversation with him.  Too precious!  He told Santa that he wanted a surprise - he never had any specific want which I was thrilled about.  He hasn't yet gotten caught up in the commercialism of that takes away from the true meaning of Christmas!

This man has a huge heart for children!  (I know, I know! But this Santa is special!)

Parker has been such an amazing big brother as usual this season.  He has kept the 'little people' entertained if need be when I'm trying to get something done.  He loves to have fun and be funny.   He has been sharing information about the birth of Jesus and reading stories to the them!  Parker did have a specific list for Santa and was just mater of fact that 'this was the first year that he didn't get everything from Santa that he asked for.'  He was very happy about the fact that he got some substitutes though.  The big thing I noticed about Parker this season besides his constant joy was that on Christmas Eve when it was time to open the one gift they get to open, he pulled gifts from under the tree for me and his grandparents.  He is such a giver and has such a big heart!!  

 Best gift of the season - duct tape covered tissue box filled with tissue on top and a little duct tape tab sticking out.  Pulling the tape reviled a roll of dollar bills ending with a $2 and finally a $5.  :)  Creativity from Nanannette.

GraceLin so got into the excitement of the Christmas season although she didn't really get it.  She is trying to hard to talk and keep up with the boys.  Her speech is getting better but her comprehension and knowledge of what she wants is pretty awesome.  She tries to keep up with her brother's every move.  She has also been singing lots lately - she copies Carter's songs and she just sings along with anything whether it's familiar or not.  She has enjoyed the ornaments on the tree and learned quickly to touch with one finger.  She also started spending more time focusing on coloring, reading books and any iDevice she could get her hands on.  Its such a joy watching her personality come to life!

 Grace didn't like Santa and of course, big brother was to the rescue as usual!

Amazingly blessed to be given the privilege of raising these three amazing wondrous works!

So thankful this season to be focused on the one true Light and not just lights and gifts and all that this world has made of it.  Thankful for the hope of that Light in the crazy world that we live in filed with uncertainties and pain.  Thankful to be home with three precious babes to help them keep their innocence a little longer and learn to rely on The Light of Jesus instead of themselves or anything man can do for them.  Prayerful that they all seek Him their whole lives long!  

Blessed Christmas memories! 

Thankful

This Thanksgiving we are so very thankful for many, many things.  Our Savior above is at the top of the list.  God placed John and I together to walk through this world.  The blessing of being entrusted with three beautiful unique children.  Being home with Grace one year.  Nanannette and Grandpa Marvin who add so much to our lives.  The rest of our amazing families who we wish we could see more often.  Having Michael and Quinn with us for celebrating this year.

We had a terrific day filled with way too much food and lots of fun.

Sous-chef Carter helping Uncle Mike with green beans

while Parker snuggled with Grandpa

and Quinn watched football looking very patriotic in the red chair

Grandma sampling the food before Thanksgiving meal is a tradition

Who me?  I'm not part of that!

Take a picture of me!!  

The buffet

Quinn must be telling us something interesting.

Grandma sharing piles of teddy bears with the kiddos

The bears were all stuffed into this tree so Parker helped Grace stuff herself in   :)

Halloween Fun for Kids

Just had a post a few adorable photos:

Tigger or Shere Kahn - you choose

Belle

Minecraft Steve

Running from the castle monsters I suppose

Growing Kiddos

Life is just so fun, crazy, chaotic and at times rough with these three kiddos.  They are all growing and changing in to such amazing little people!  We have had such a great fall learning how to do school and work together.  The freedom and slower pace that homeschooling has given our family is amazing.  We all have more time together and more of that time is focused on intentional growth plus more of that time is focused a fun together!  We are so incredibly blessed!

Parker is maturing so much, doing terrific with his school work, having fun with Lacrosse and loving his brother and sister.  He is just so happy with life and his sense of humor is really showing lately.  

Carter brings endless energy to this family - it's never dull.  He just seems to be growing up so much recently.  He can tell a complete story in pretty clear sentences.  It's so amazing.  He impresses me sometimes with his cleverness.  As much as Carter loves his brother and sister, he can turn on them in a flash if what they want/do doesn't coincide with his plan.  We are in the heart of the three year old 'learning what it's all about' period.  Oh, and this little man LOVES tractors!

Our sweet little one - Grace Lin seems so comfortable with her family after over a year together.  She is a very confident and determined little girl.  Her determination has helped her to excel physically with walking,  jumping, etc. after six months of PT.  Now she is really learning to speak after having help from our sweet speech therapist Ann.  She is starting to talk in three word sentences and wants to read constantly.  She repeats so many words that we say and even when I sing her a song, she repeats the last word of each line. Lately, she loves, loves to walk around with a bag filled with who knows what over her arm and either push her baby stroller or shopping cart.  She loves, loves her 'Mama' too.  :)  

We spent the day at Burt's Pumpkin Patch with our sweet friends Juli and Ella Claire.

Happy 2nd Birthday Grace

Happy Birthday to our Big 2 Year Old!  We love you so much!  

2 Year photo shoot a little early :)

Here is Grace's journal post for her birthday.  As I read it, I forgot to write about shoes - this girl LOVES shoes - I discovered the other night that she can try on shoes for an hour and until I had to take her somewhere.  Such a girlie girl!  

Happy Birthday to our precious girl!  I can’t believe that you are two and have almost been home with us for a year!  It was gone by so fast!  After waiting for years, thinking about you, what you would look like, what your personality would be…  You have been with us for 11 months – I know I said that but WOW!  We can’t imagine life without you anymore!  You have blessed our lives beyond measure and we would ask for you to join our family a thousand times over!  We LOVE being your forever family and we thank God all the time for your birthmother and birthfather for bringing you into this world.  We thank Him for the officials in China who gave us the OK so long ago to adopt and who matched you to our specific family!  We know that God knew you so long before you were born and that He planned you to be a part of this family.  He knit you together in the womb with a special plan and purpose in mind and we are so thankful that includes us! 

GraceLin, you are such a strong and sweet little girl.  You have really transformed from a baby into a little girl with definite understanding of what you want and don’t want.  You are so happy when you get what you want.  J  On the other hand, when you REALLY wanted something and didn’t get it, you will scream at the top of your lungs for probably 2 minutes.  You are amazing us with how smart you are, how quickly you catch on to things and want to join in everything.  You love baby dolls, changing diapers, pushing them in the stroller and cuddling them.  You also are very diligent in working on things like puzzles, train tracks and legos, and coloring.  It makes you so happy when you really master something.  You also love to sing and dance and now ask for specific songs that you like. 

For your birthday, we had big plans for a party on Saturday since your big day was a Thursday.  That morning of your birthday, your big brother Parker ended up in the hospital for appendicitis.  We are still planning the celebration soon!  You got a new baby doll from Mimi and Popi, which you love, so Mommy & Daddy added a stroller for you to take your baby around.  We also got you some toy hair products because you love to comb your dolls hair with your fingers.

You and your cousin, Ella Pearce, share a birthday and she just turned 6.  You seem to be asking for Ella almost every day.  You say 'Ewa' and when I ask if you are saying Ella, you just nod your head.

For your birthday we had several celebrations.  We went to visit Grandpa and Nanannette.  We celebrated with Ribs and Ice cream.  :)  You loved both!!  

We had pizza with Ella Claire - her birthday is two days after yours:

Then we went to the zoo with the Pearce's to celebrate you and Ella:

Time for School but it looks a lot different!

So, here we are in Mid-August and most of the kids we know are all sitting in class rooms around town.  Our kids on the other hand, are all home with me!  :)  We are having an easy first week of school because our heavy duty curricula kicks off next week.  Each Monday, we will be in a classroom setting with a tutor who will set up the week for us with memory work and new concepts.  It just seemed like a quick overview this week was the best idea and next week, we will really jump in.  So, our first days of school have consisted of visits so the Atlanta History Center and GA Aquarium, daily math, memory bible verse, getting familiar with our language/grammar and writing curricula and doing a Parker chosen science book.  He made a catapult one day.  He has also done lots of research on jelly fish since he got a pretty bad sting at the beach so he will get to write a report on that tomorrow.

Next week, Carter & Grace will start Parkway Baptist Preschool two days a week so that Parker and I can focus on the hard stuff.  All four of us will spend our Monday's at Perimeter Church in Classical Conversations learning what's new for the week.  Carter will also be in a class on Monday's and start to learn a little of the memory work.  It should be a great head start for his school career and I think he is going to love it!  Grace will just tag along with us and have a great time!  :)

 Science - making coal

 GA Aquarium

 First day of Lyman Christian Academy - Atlanta History Center

We are so shocked and very privileged to be called to homeschool these precious little ones!  I expect lots of challenges, many fulfilling, rewarding days ahead.  We are still seeking much information about what this will look like but trusting in the Lord that He has called us to this purpose and He will guide our way!  

Three Years Ago

We got the call, in a sense - it was actually an email, on July 20 and on July 22, we had a precious 4 lb. 14 oz. little boy in our arms.  This picture was our first image of the little man who joined our family.  It still seems so surreal at times.  His adoption process from start (decision after lots of prompting) to the day we had him in our arms was only about 15 weeks.  God had/has big plans for this young man and we are so blessed to be a part of it!  We can't image life without him now!