2 Cups of Coffee Kinda Days

I was never a coffee drinker until pregnant with Nate.  I only had a 1/2 cup with lots of milk.  I don't know why, but I craved it.  I was also careful while nursing.  The last few months I've been up to a full cup per day.  Lots of cream, of course.  Well, the last few days I've been creeping up to 2 cups.  Busy week last week.  Busy week this week and now both the little boys are sick.  They are up all hours of the night and Jim and I are E.X.H.A.U.S.T.E.D!!  We have been tag-teaming... he's got Dan and I've got Nate.  I don't know what I'll do tonight.  Jim's working.  It just may be a 3 cups of coffee day tomorrow!!

Water Park

We are fortunate enough to live 10 minutes away from a water park.  It's not one of those massive, over-crowded water parks, thank goodness!  Just a local place that has the necessary water structure and lazy river.  We went later in the afternoon when the entry fee is only $5 per person.  Good thing it was so inexpensive because we didn't stay very long.  I spent the whole time either walking with Nate EVERYWHERE or standing closely next to him while he climbed all over the plastic chaise lounges.  He would not be deterred from those lounges and he wanted nothing to do with the water.

These were taken with my cell phone.  Not very good, but wanted to capture the day! : )

View from the bridge- In the lazy river

Another lazy river shot

He loved those lounges, I tell ya!

Odd angle, but cute pic!

Off to the beach this afternoon...

Busy Time

Last week it was Vacation Bible School for the older 3 kids and I worked part of the time as well.  Then the girls had Arts and Crafts Camp in the afternoon.  We were on the go from 8:30am - 4:30pm all week.  As a homeschooling family it is foreign for us to be out the door that early and away from home most of the day! : )  This week, I have my sweet niece visiting and the girls have Irish Dancing Camp in the morning.  We'll do some fun things in the afternoons like go to the water park, the beach and the zoo.

Will is at camp with the church this week.  He left this morning and I miss him already!  I know he will have a wonderful time.  His closest friend is his bunkmate and they have some fun activities planned.  I sent him with stationary and stamps to write home. I wonder if we'll actually get a letter... : )

July is scheduled to be a busy time too with a homeschool conference to attend and our Both Hands Project.  I guess it's good to keep busy so I don't dwell on the waiting for Isabel!  It's hard!!

Prayers Needed - UPDATE

Latest Update: Christine and Sol have shared their gratefulness for everyone's support and prayers.  You can check out their blog for the latest information.


Update: Christine and Sol have been released from prison and reunited with their bio children.  The other 4 children are still at the orphanage.  Prayers are still needed for this family.  Additional information can be found here and here. 

I woke up this morning to the news about this family and how they have been wrongly accused of child trafficking while in Ghana.  This wonderful couple have been put in jail and their 6 children (2 bio and 4 newly adopted) have been put in an orphanage.  Their bio children are US minors (age 4 and 7).  They do not know the language and are most assuredly scared to death.  Their 4 newly adopted children are of course scared and confused as well.

This family needs our prayers.  The US Embassy in Ghana cannot do anything until Monday... but we can do something... we can lift this family up in prayer.  We pray for protection and peace.  We pray for  a quick resolution to this wrong so that the family can be reunited.  And we pray that God will do a mighty work through this trial... to His glory.

You can read more about their situation here and here.    

Waiting...

I really thought we'd have our new LID by now.  I don't think I mentioned it before, but when we accepted Isabel's file we were given the option to use a dossier copy for her and leave our original dossier in Ch*na for a possible future adoption. ; ) Since we were LID on our original dossier just a week prior to locking her file, I only had to redo one document.  It will save A LOT of time should we decide to adopt again and will save some money on the second adoption too.  Cost more now, though!  Anyway, we were DTC on June 8th with our dossier copy for Isabel... 2 weeks ago exactly.  Our last dossier took 13 days, but that's with the Ch*na team holding onto it for a few extra days before hand delivering to the CCC*A.  (We had to do that because we had to wait for Nate to turn 1.  Ch*na rule.) These steps have no rhyme or reason to their timing.  Who knows why this is taking longer; and there's still the dreaded LOA wait after this!!

I know God has a plan in all this.  We have seen his handiwork already with Isabel.  The timing and the people that God brought into this process has confirmed that she is not only our daughter, but she will come home at the perfect time.  I may not like it since I want her home NOW, of course.  But God sees beyond my wants.  He has the sovereignty of seeing the bigger picture, having all the puzzle pieces, and being far wiser that I could ever dream of being.  So, I think I'll stick with His plan... thank-you-very-much!

(Still praying that LID and LOA come soon!) : )

Stung

A HUGE branch of a very old oak tree fell in the field across from our house.  Inside was a very large beehive.  Will, our Dr. Doolittle and apparently a bee lover, decided that he wanted to take a closer look at the hive.  There were hundreds, maybe thousands, of bees swarming... and then it happened... he got stung right between the eyes!  We did the baking soda and water paste and slapped it on immediately.

Doesn't he look happy! : )

That was yesterday.  This is how he looked when he woke up today!  Yikes!

He actually looks worse this afternoon, but I'm not going to make him pose for another picture. : ) We're monitoring it.  We've given him Benadryl for the swelling, but it didn't help.  Luckily, he said it doesn't hurt, but it sure is painful to look at!!

I'm hoping he's better tomorrow.  He has a full day of swimming for a Boy Scout merit badge and he's the Asst. Crew Leader for Vacation Bible School this week.

Haircuts

My girls decided that they wanted short hair, so I brought out the scissors and we did a little hair cutting!  I think it turned out quite good.  The girls like their new do and it's nice to have the shorter hair during the hot summer months.

Kate's baby blues are amazing in this picture!

She has the cutest freckles!

Love those girls!