InstaFriday

 I wasn't very good at this for some reason this week, I usually have a load of them and have to narrow down what to post as to not bore you all to death. But here are the only 3 pics I took this week on my phone.




She just looks so big and she was even singing along to a song on this car trip.




We have had a lot of this over the week and last weekend, we still ventured out



And because of the rain this is what our living room looks like by the end of the day, please notice toddler trying to stand on her head :)

Vocab Fun!

My friend and I were talking yesterday on the phone and laughing at stories of our silly toddlers (Kenz and Lydia are only 10ish weeks apart) Love that about them but so sad they live in DC so we only see them a couple times a year.

It got me to thinking I have not shared a lot of milestones since Lydia hit her year mark and that is just too sad so here it goes. Her vocab skilllz.

Lydia is a TALKER, I have no idea where she gets it from ::looks at floor, shuffles feet, blushes:: I got in trouble for talking in elementary school, my husband says I could hold a conversation with a wall or even a tree stump.

Lately one of my favorites is that she talks with her hands, she will start chatting away about her day (in baby talk obviously, no coherent words or sentences) but she knows what she is saying and she drives hit home with a hand gesture or two. Cracks my stuff up.

She also loves the word Buh-bye. Look outside, see a car, buh bye. See keys in mom's purse, buh bye. Throwing away a dirty diaper, buh bye. Mom flushes the toilet, buh bye. Water going out of the tub, buh bye. See people walking on the street, buh bye. (unless they have a dog then it's doggie, doggie, goggie, goggie with a g when she gets excited)

She also loves the word Hi. I mean a loud enthuisastic HI will get me everytime. Everytime we walk into my Aunt's house for the day, she yells HI. She also says HI mommy every evenening when she hears me walk into the house. She will also say hello to everyone at church, while it's quiet, while father is bringing it home, and all is still and peaceful. HI, HI, HI, HI.

Mamaw, Papaw, baby, cookie, milk (milky), shoes, truck, nose, ears, hair, (we know a lot of the body parts from our neck up), two, tree (three). AND NO.

The girl does not know how to say yes or if she does she is simply not saying it because she has too much fun telling us no. I try and sneak a yes in there all the time to see if she will say it and she comes back with an enthusiastic NO. Are you ok Lydia, NO. Is that a dog Lydia, NO. Are we in the truck Lydia, NO. Did you have fun today Lydia, NO. Yes, NO, Yes, No, Yes Yes Yes, NO NO NO NO NO.

That is all for now, we have a talker on our hands and I love it so much, it makes me laugh to hear her simply talk her toddler talk. Girl is good for a smile from ear to ear after a rough day.

Random Ramblings

 Today my mind is not organizing my thoughts properly so I'm just going to ramble here about some of those thoughts that are bouncin around in there:

1. I love pinterest, I love handmade, I am loving unique one of a kind pieces of furniture. I am really trying to add these types of pieces throughout our home (on a budget of course) to add a little touch of fun and fabulous to our home that is evolving everyday I feel. Sometimes you just need a change and it's amazing what spicing things up with a different color or even just moving things around and perging can do for the soul! 




Got my eyes on this beauty for our bedroom
found here

 2. PRAISE the Lord for great news on the blog front this morning of adopting families passing court and receiving referals, both of which just happened for 2 families in the last day. I cannot explain how this makes me feel as I pray for these families everyday and my heart jumps for them as they prepare for the next step in their journeys. Head on over and congratulate the families HERE (it's Kristi's sister who just passed court and her nephew has been waiting oh so long to come home) and HERE (Eli is going to make a great BIG brother and Rebecca and her hubby have been waiting so long for this news).

3. I LOVE my husband. Sunday he dusted and let me sit on my butt on the couch and watch Grey's Anatomy. Yes ladies, he is mine all mine. Also, speaking of Grey's I know it's had it's up and downs but it's like an old friend to me so I can't stop watching. I cried like a baby, if you watched it you know what I mean, as a mom it hit me so hard. ::tears:: ::ugly tears::

4. ADOPTION GARAGE SALE this weekend :) We have been collecting things over the last week or so from family and friends who have had things pulled aside for us to sell this weekend, our garage is starting to close in on my vehicle but we are excited to see what happens this time around. Last sale in the spring, we met another adopting family who had found their little one on a wait list in Korea. We are also selling Cookies for Congo! --- find out more HERE!




5. Just because I like the #5 and didn't want to stop at 4. Anyone have any really talented blog designer friends or connections that are reasonable in price and flexible to work with. I am hoping to spice up my space on the web and need a change to reflect another change that is coming this fall....cryptic... :)

HAPPY TUESDAY, HAPPY FALL, HAPPY DAY

InstaFriday

sharing a capri sun at the tailgate

my new Lillypie lovelies

Sleepy girl after no nap and tailgating all day

blurry blob of my girl pushing her baby in a stroller

 I hope you all enjoy your Friday... I know I will!

Deposit!

I love when we look at our bank account and through new jobs and a fun old job (Mary Kay sales) we have enough to make a deposit in our adoption fund! It makes me feel that much closer to the child that God has planned for our lives.

I am proud of what we have been able to put away in the last 9 months or so, we have a long way to go and it's going to take time and there will be times where our deposit is much smaller because life happens, emergency's happen, and that will take what we have (bc frankly it's not a lot) but every deposit is one step closer!

Baby E....we pray for you and talk about you daily. You are in our hearts and someday in the near future you will be in our arms. We love you!

A Child Like Faith

Today I am encouraged by my daughter! Sometimes I am driving along, I look in the rearview mirror and see her making faces, watching the birds, or even dancing to the song on the radio and I am reminded of the faith of a child.

The innocence, the love they give completely without holding back, and the trust and faith they have in those who care for them. They have not been broken down by the world around them, their hearts are completely unscarred from betrayal, gossip, or hurtful words. They know nothing of death or illness, or even the cares of finances and the first world problems mom and dad experience on a daily basis.

I am encouraged by the faith of this small child. She gives me hope in our future, hope that she will love the Lord and others with all that is in her. She challenges me to be a good mother and the kind of parent who doesn't wear the anxieties and the problems of this world on my sleeve for her to see and worry but that I can whisper love and encouragement in her ears and to her heart, words that will bury deep down and only nurture her faith as she grows.

Lydia today you encourage me with your child like faith.

Voices 4 the Voiceless

Voices 4 the Voiceless is a new non profit, dedicating themselves to orphan care and simply loving and being a voice to the orphans all over the world.

I heard about this organization through Lauren, who most of you know and love through her adoption journey to her little one Mareto and then again for her design of my cute blog and her love for orphan care and adoption. She is the fundraising coordinator for this orginazation and I knew I wanted to play some part in this organization no matter how small.

Fun thing is now you can also be a part of this organizations mission and their very first project in the Congo.

I will be participating in Cookies 4 Congo on October 1st during our adoption fundraiser garage sale as well as hopefully doing something during the actual time frame of the event which is Oct. 9-16.  

I hope you will consider helping out this great organization as they tackle their first large project as Voices 4 the Voiceless. You can check them out here and learn more about how you can help, how you can purchase a T-shirt or just simply pray for this young organization with such a great heart for the fatherless.