What? What? What? What? What? What?

What? What? What are the boys up to?  

Conversations with Samuel...

Samuel: What? What? What? What? What? What?
Mom/Dad: Only ask 1 time.
Samuel: One time.
* This conversation ensues daily.

Hearing a loud car pass by...
Samuel: Dat?
Mommy: It was a loud car.
Samuel: No, motorcycle.
Mommy: No, it was a just a loud car.
Samuel: No, motorcyle!

As he walked past the room I was in, he hit his head on the wall (somehow)...
Mommy: Did you hurt your head?
Samuel: All fault.
Mommy: Whose fault?
Samuel: Mommy (pointing at Mommy)
Mommy: I didn't do it. It's not my fault.
Samuel: Yes, is.

Samuel is a healthy, happy, super hero crazed little boy.  He's talking all the time.  He wants to be included in any and every conversation   Consider yourself warned.  If he doesn't quite hear every single thing you say, he will not hesitate to ask "what you say".  He washes his hands with the precision of a world acclaimed cardiac surgeon.  Wearing a super hero shirt daily is a must...a must (trust me).  He continues to perfect his stall tactics attempting to start a conversation as he's being rocked at bedtime.  Much like the past months, Star Wars is always a safe go-to when there's a lull.  

The Big Brother is up to big things

He's reading.  He's writing.  He's keeping us in tears...laughing so hard.  If there's any question about how Joey's feeling, just look around.  There will be a sign that will apprise you of just that.  When your day is overwhelming and you question your productivity, just look around.  There will be a card from your Seacrit Amyer encouraging your day.  

The mystery perseveres (duh, duh, duh). Who could the seacrit amyer be?

Spring Break

A few memories from our Spring Break week: 
We visited some wonderful friends at a little bed and breakfast in Ennis.

Feeding apples to the miniture horses and donkeys

(and then the little boys were quickly munching the apples too).

Plenty of rain prompted a dance of splishing and splashing

The donkeys were so gentle and sweet.  I want one!

Dinosaur World and Dinosaur Valley State Park

Molly's responsibility was to guard our shoes and back 

pack while the boys splashed through the creek.  

Gracie's responsibilities?  You're lookin' at it.  

She swam and then rolled in the gravel.  Mission Accomplished!

The 2 master campers were sad to leave the camp grounds.

Even though we stuck close to home, we enjoyed the simple pleasures of God's nature.  The boys were eager to explore, wiped out from tromping, and passionate about sharing their adventure stories with friends.  

                                     

When Snow Days are Bumps

When Snow Days are Bumps

In our process to bring Sister home, we have to complete a step through our US Immigration that involves having our fingerprints taken...again.   And this is one of those appointments you don't miss nor attempt to reschedule.  But, the weather...well, the weather can change it all.  Because of the ice we received last Monday and Tuesday, the office was closed the the appointment cancelled.  So we just showed up on Wednesday along with the seemingly 5000 others who had missed appointments hoping to be worked in somehow.  Turned away!  Crushed!  So, feeling rejected but also an urgency for our girl, we showed up again this morning and not before we called in the troops.  With several amazing prayer warriors (including little Joey) asking that God would show us favor, we walked in.  Also, I had a plethora of tears on deck (mine, not Russ') and an emotional plea prepared just in case.  We were told YES!  The compassionate lady at check-in remembered us from last week and gave us a number.  No questions asked.  No tears necessary.  God showed up and showed out!  And as Russ petitioned for assistance to get us in last week, an immigration officer offered that our paperwork would be approved immediately once we were able to get fingerprinted.  So, here's the sigh of relief...

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh

When snow days bring about unexpected bumps in the road, it just leaves room for God to show out!  Thankfully, we're on to the next step.  As I had prepared for my fingerprint speech should we be turned away again:

"If we don't fight to bring Sister home, no one else will."

The situation was the same when Samuel was only words in a file and a grainy image.  Being paper pregnant is so very different than expecting Joey.  To carry a child inside allows a family to know that their child is warm and hearing kind words spoken.  There's an assurance of adequate nutrition and love.  For a paper pregnancy, it's all out of our hands.  Out of our control.  There's a different level of trust in God's provision for that little one.  And there's a passion - a determined, passionate, longing - that sometimes covers over the excitement and anticipation.  It's funny and amazing to me that God grows a relentless love for a little one we've only seen in pictures and dreams!