odd day

Have you ever had one of those odd days where you just feel like you should be somewhere else doing something else but you don't know where it is or what it is your suppose to be doing..? Well today is one of those days for me. I really don't feel like I should be at work today but I really don't know where I was suppose to be if it wasn't at work. odd yes I know but I just keep having this odd feeling something is different about today.

Some of you may be wondering how the graduation dinner went. Well we got up early and scrambled around the house all morning trying to ensure I packed everything we needed to cook and server food with. We got down at the river around 12:15 and started the grill around 1:15. My sister-in law and I cooked until 4:45. Guests were suppose to come at 5. But at 4:45 the rain started and there didn't appear to be an end in site. Guests started coming to our surprise and sat in their cars waiting for the rain to clear. A few minutes after 5 we decided to recoop and figure out a backup plan. Yeah you'd thought we'd already had one of those wouldn't ya! Deb suggested that the barn up the road was mostly empty and we could move up there. So with the help of several people that jumped out of their dry cars to help us move stuff we relocated everything to the barn. When it was all said and done we had plenty of room in the barn and had about 50 people show up. So all in all it was a long day but well worth it AND by the way the food was good!

Pray for Joseph and Ashton. They are both looking for jobs right now. Pray God will lead them to the perfect job that will meet their needs as they start school.

Well guess I'll get back to work and try to figure out why this day seems so odd.

Happy Gotcha Day Addie

Tomorrow will mark the 3 year anniversary of the day Addie was placed in my arms. Wow has it been 3 years already?

It all seemed so surreal at the time. I really don't think I let myself believe that she was our daughter until we were in the U.S. with her. She was so cute and such a sweet baby. The first day we had her we decided to go out for a walk and see Nanchang. So off we went. TinaH and I walking and Addie in the stroller. We stopped to talk to another family along our way and as we turned to walk on I thought I'd check on Addie. There she sat hands clutched to the stroller setting straight up fast asleep. Bless her heart I had to pry her hands off the stroller. That scared little girl quickly became a shining spot in our lives. She has a deep down belly laugh that just makes you smile. We are so blessed that God saw us all the way across the world from Addie and picked us to be her parents! Yes God picked us to be her parents and we are truly blessed. As we've adopted many people will say how blessed our children are. I always think about how blessed we have been to be chosen to be their parents.

This morning as I was combing Alex's hair he said mommy you know what? I said what Alex and he said I haven' t had kisses yet today. Too sweet! Of course he got hugs and kisses. Every morning as I head out the door he says hurry mommy, hurry and come home from work, hurry.

This evening their preschool will be holding a graduation for the kids going to Kindergarten next year. Alex and Addie get to join in on the activities. They've been learning a song that names each state in the U.S. I've been very impressed and can't wait to see what other songs/surprises are in store.

Here are some before and after pictures.

Before May 23rd 2006

What a smile now!

Before on September 30, 2007

And again what a smile!

We're blessed beyond measure.

Tina

Yard work and Graduation

Here's the flower pots Johnny made for me for mothers day. The flowers are a work in progress. Hopefully they'll come out of it soon.

Here's a flower bed I put together yesterday. Yes the ground around it really is that bad! But I thought the flower bed turned out well.

Jonathon and Grandma Lola

Our graduate!

2 good looking graduates!

Graduation

Joseph and Ashton will be graduating tomorrow night. God has blessed us with 4 wonderful children and the opportunity to have Ashton as part of our family also. I'm sure tomorrow night will be filled with many emotions but one of the biggest emotions will be those of a very proud momma. Please pray for Joe and Ashton as they begin the next chapter of their lives. Pray for Johnny and I that we will always follow Gods guidance in everything we do that He may be glorified.

Tina

Graduation Party

As many of you know Joseph and Ashton will be graduating on May 19th. My nephew Kyle will be graduating on May 23rd. We're combining the graduation celebrations for the three graduates and celebrating on May 23rd at 5 PM. We will meet down at the river on Johnny's brothers land. Meat will be provided. We ask that you bring a covered dish and lawn chairs. If you need directions please respond to this post and I'll send you directions.

Thanks,
Tina

Is 8 enough?

My friend Connie has adopted from China several times and currently has 6 children. She just finished up her paperwork to adopt again. God has blessed them with the opportunity to adopt 2 more children from China. Kooper and Kinley will be joining their forever family soon! If you would like to check out Connies blog please visit http://www.k6comehome.blogspot.com/

Connie is selling candles to offset some of the adoption costs. These are some of the best candles I've ever used. If you need a candle or two or three please remember Kooper and Kinley and help bring them home.

Tina

He Came!

For those of you that were wondering... He came! For those of you that helped me pray. I think you from the bottom of my heart. Jonathon and Shawna came yesterday morning. Shawna talked like they might come back next weekend also! Please continue to pray for them that they will get into church. They both use to attend church regularly so I hope this is the start of getting them both back in church.

I had a wonderful Mothers Day weekend. Saturday I went and ate lunch with my mom, my brother and my grandmother. We had a very relaxing lunch and then went shopping for a little while. When I got home Johnny, Joe, Alex and Addie had fixed a cascading flower pot for me and planted flowers in it. I tried to take a picture of it this morning but the batteries on my camera were dead. I'll try to get a picture updated later. I think it's one of the best most thoughtful presents I've ever received. Now if I can just keep the flowers alive! Saturday night we went to Johnny's moms and spent the evening with her. Yesterday morning I called my mom and she came over for breakfast. After breakfast Ashton gave me a framed picture of her. She'd asked me what I wanted for mothers day and I told her a picture of her so she gave me a great picture she had taken a month or so ago for graduation. After breakfast we went to church and I received flowers for being the mom there with the most children. We then went and ate lunch with Johnnys dad and his Aunt Fern. I feel so blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful women in my life.


I look back at the weekend and how blessed I am. Again I thank everyone that prayed that Jonathon would be in service with me and I ask you to continue to pray that he'll continue to come.



A few weeks ago my brother Ricky came home after a military stent on a ship for 6 months. Rick joined the Marines almost two years ago now and we are very proud of him. He was only able to be at home for 4 days before he had to head back out but we were tickled to spend time with him. Please add him to your prayer list. Our military can always use your prayers and support.

Handsome young man! And girls he's single!