The Birthday Rundown.....(& some extra "mommy" reflections)!

I can’t believe how the time has flown!

This:

Became this:

Which grew into this:

And now is TWO!!!!
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Friday night was Ruth’s last bottle......

& we had a bottle funeral yesterday
(reminded me of the goldfish funeral from the first Cosby show! Hee!! Hee!!).
Ruthie put her last one in the trash right before bed,
& went to sleep with almost no protest (& only a “bup”-“cup” in her little fingers!)

(To my surprise, I didn’t shed even the tiniest tear over my pink baby bottles going in the trash. This is perhaps a commentary on how “done” we feel. Three kids is enough for me……although we thought two was enough at one time also……who knows????)

Another milestone: today was her first day in Sunday School.

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Anyway, when milestones are reached with my kids, I always get a bit nostalgic.

But, with a couple I didn’t birth……& didn’t even know about-until Ruth was 3 weeks old, & Natty at 1 &1/2 weeks, thoughts of their birthmama of course come to mind.

Did she look into Ruth’s eyes & wonder if she could go through with her decision?
I’m sure she did.

Did she kiss her little nose & say, “Oh, mi hija. Te quiero mucho, mi amor!!!”

“Oh, my daughter! I love you so much , my love!”

Of course she did (or at least something similar).

Do thoughts of Ruthie fill her mind on June 27th?
I think we know the answer to that one, don’t we?

Can I ever express the love Dave & Ana & I feel for her making her sacrificial decision?
No. There will never be words.

But, “Gracias!” Your decisions (both times) have completed our family,
& thank-you for giving them life & for choosing a better life for them out of love.
YOU are part of God’s gift to our family.

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And, then, of course,
where would we be without Mama Anna & family?

They have lovingly cared for two of our children as we waited for God to move the mountains of governments & have handed our children over to us at the end!

We love you all, & miss you & hope to visit you again one day!

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A fitting end to the day, don’t you think?

Happy birthday, Ruthie!


And, finally, if you haven't had enough of your picture fix......click on the picture below!


Ruthie's Special Day

Summer Lovin!

What a grand adventure!

Love those cousins & aunties

(or "tias" as we say in Espanol!)

Just as an aside-Ruthie can already say all my sister's families names-

& they have only been here a month or so!

Super smart???? We think so! (wink!)

Ruth turns one (oops-I mean TWO!!!!) today,

so here is my "Summer Lovin" favorite of her right now!

(for more "Summer Lovin," visit "Kiss the Frog 4 Me!")

Feliz Cumpleanos, mi hijaita!!!!

"Happy Birthday, my little girl!"

My current favorite picture of Ruthie, who turns two tomorrow!

Thursdays Before the Throne

“Surely He will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with His feathers,
and under His wings you will find refuge;
His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”

Psalm 91:3 & 4


No surprise, that the morning after my “Bird Incident,”

this is the passage I was supposed to read.

(God works that way, you know?)

I know this is probably elementary to most of you,

but my mind immediately drifted back to the night before,

when we were trying our hardest to rescue to bird & let it go free again.

How many times do I fight God’s workings in my life,

just like the bird was fighting our plans for it Tuesday night?

(I can remember many a time over the last 4 years of my life!

Adoption & miscarriage related!!!!)

“Oh, Father, please bring this to mind the next time life throws me a curve ball!”

Tune in tomorrow for Ruth’s b-day!!!

The Promised Story.....

OK, last night Dave had a meeting at church.

After he left, I put all the kids to bed,

fully anticipating my quiet night at home.

Well, it was not to be.

(try not to laugh too loud at me, blogger friends!!!)


Sitting at my computer, browsing my forums, foxnews.com, & an occasional blog,
I decided I should open the front door to let the night breeze in.

(We have no screen door,
but keep in mind this is Colorado,
& we rarely have bugs.
Nice perk, I know!)

So……kids all “a-bed.”

Me, relaxed in front of the computer screen.

Dusk slowly settling in & wind blowing a cool breeze through the house now & then.

After about 5 minutes of this unwinding (yeah-only 5 minutes),
out of the corner of my eye, something flashed by!
My first thought???

“Wow, that was a HUGE moth!” (which we do sometimes have this time of year here).

But, “No,” I thought. “That was way too huge to be a moth. Surely it wasn’t a BAT!!!!!”

(Oh, the HORROR when that thought crossed my mind!!!)

I decided this needed further investigation……
as I heard rustling noises then proceeding from my kitchen.

(Yikes!)

I cautiously rounded the corner to find…….

A bird, caught in my garden window behind the flower pot!!!

The poor thing!
It made me sick to my stomach to see him banging his head
on the window over
& over trying to get out!

I pulled the blind….

& pulled out my phone to call my rescuer of damsels in distress!

(who had only been at church about 5 minutes when his cell phone rang,
interrupting his meeting!)

“Dave,” my voice quivered over the line …… “you have to come home.
There is a bird stuck in the garden window!”

Laughter.

(yeah, my rescuer laughs at me!)

Then, “Let me put you on speaker phone!”

What?????

So, all the guys in the meeting get the chance to hear the story first-hand.

(no, I’m not embarrassed at all -love you, Dear!!!)

Dave left the meeting to comments of, “See you later ‘Bird Brain!’ ”

(Haa!! Ha!!! Those guys at the meeting really love us a bunch, can ya tell????)

Formulating a plan on his way home,
my knight in shining amour walked in about 20 minutes later.

(meanwhile, I had been hearing the occasional flutter/flapping of wings,
& squawk every few minutes!)

Within a few short moments, we had the plants removed from the window,
& the large window next to the kitchen window emptied of it’s glass & screen.

And the bird flew out the open window.

(it looked something like this, but the colors weren't quite as bright)

Whew! We didn’t even have to coax it or anything!

Dave replaced the window panes & the screen,
washed up & headed back for the remainder of his meeting.

I cleaned up the garden window & sink area
& put everything back in it’s place……

And,

FINALLY…..

Sat down in front of my computer for my long awaited quiet end to my day!

(made even sweeter by the upheaval that preceded it!)

Goodness, life never quits, does it????

(Well, at least we’re never bored, huh?)

(don’t forget to scroll down for cute “Wordless Wednesday” pics!)

Wordless Wednesday

(tune in later today for a funny story!)

Hiking……

WHEW!!! What a workout! Especially when carrying a baby on your back!

(OK….so I really had the more easy baby-carrying job yesterday.

My sister Shannon carried Ruthie in her arms most of the hike.

We need another backpack).

But, oh…..the exhilaration of JUST GETTING OUT THERE!!!

I discovered about 6 years ago, that if I wanted my kids to like the outdoors,

I had to enjoy it with them.

(really not a problem. I was taught to enjoy the outdoors the same way.

Mom & Dad just took us out.)

We live in Colorado, & experiencing the mountains is just part of that package!

My sister Rebekah & I have been wanting to get these cousins on a trail together,

& yesterday, we finally had our first opportunity.

Meeting at 9am, soon became 9:30am & then 10am.

(get it? 6 kids-3 each-& two of whom are under the age of 2…..

yeah, we are slow moving in the morning)

Finally, we hit the trail a bit after 10.

Acting like soldiers.....at least two of them!

(Ana, Andrew & Nathan)

COME VISIT!!! WE'LL TAKE YOU HIKING, TOO!!!!

Sunshine Streaming in my Dining Room.....

The accomplished feeling of already having been to the gym.

Coffee cup in hand.

Birds greeting the day outside my window.

& this song reverberates through my mind….

“When morning guilds the skies,
My heart awakening cries
‘May Jesus Christ be praised!’
Alike at work or prayer
To Jesus I repair:
May Jesus Christ be praised!”

Edward Caswall

Running to my hymnal to see who wrote the hymn,

my eyes drifted across the page & saw the hymn "Still, Still with Thee.”

Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Do you know who she is?

I had my suspicions, & using the ever questionable source of “reliable” information:

Wikipedia, I found that, yes indeed, she was also the author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.”

Who knew? She also wrote hymns….wow!

Learn something new every day, don’t we?

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May we use our days to praise Jesus!

Ana's pony ride earlier this week.

Friend Anjali, is looking on!

Not to be outdone by her big sister,

Ruth had to ride, too!

"Ok....I'm too little to ride a pony,

but I'm not too little to eat Cheerios!"

Both babies wearing "smocked" outfits my mom made them.

Ana has out grown all of the dresses my mom made for her..........so hers is from Target!!!

Have a great day, everyone!

Have I Mentioned How Much I LOVE My Man?!?!?

Here are three of the reasons why:

(run over to Kiss the Frog 4 Me to see more!)

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& HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sweet sister Shannon!

Travel Time.......(tune in next week for a "Thursdays Before the Throne")

OK…..here’s the run-down…..

Last Friday…..took off with three kiddos at 6:30am. Drove 14 hours.

Stopped in Omaha for supper with friends.

Spent the night in Des Moines with other friends.

(Thank-you Tara & Jenica!!!!)

Saturday-had a leisurely morning…..Jenica made breakfast & we

(she & her hubby & three kids & my three kids) ate breakfast on the porch.

(Ah…heaven on earth……interrupted only about 4-5 times by minor disasters! Ha!!)

Saturday afternoon, fed, cleaned up, dressed up three children (& myself)

& headed about 30 minutes south for my cousin’s wedding.

Fortunately……met my parents at the wedding.

(Thanks goodness for built in babysitters!!!!)

Saturday night, after the wedding, my dad volunteered to drive my van home to their house while my mom, aunt & grandma rode in their car home.

THANK-YOU DAD!!! (for adult conversation & for DRIVING!!!!)

Sunday…..spent the morning at the church I grew up in….

visiting with friends & worshiping together!

(oh & showing off my three cuties!!!)

Was supposed to go home Monday,

but realized late Sunday afternoon,

there was NO EARTHLY WAY I could make it home in one piece!

(Generally, safe driving requires REST.

Ruth slept ONE hour on our 14 hour day,

& woke up at 5:30 Central Time Saturday morning.

I had been REELING since)

Decided I needed a day to rest, so I left TUESDAY morning instead.

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New topic:

I realized I am not too fond of attending weddings without my hubby.

All the LOVE & emotion floating around & no one to lavish it on!!!!

(also, it sure doesn’t hurt to have someone else to take out screaming children! Ha!!! Ha!!)

How about you married friends of mine?

Have you been to many weddings w/ out your spouse?

Here are pics!!!!

Ruth & Chloe
Layla, Caden & Ana

Ana, my Aunt Dot, Ruth with Grandma Ruth.
My mom & her grandson

My three cousins at their brother's wedding....

all VERY accomplished musicians!

Can we say "exhausted?" Mommy, at least!
My cousin Ben, & his bride Amanda.

At the church playground....

And, last but certainly not least.....

another one of the kids I used to babysit......with her two "babies!"

Love you, Kir!

PS......never been SO GLAD to get home!!!!!

Wordless Wednesday.......

I tried to make it "Wordless."

I really did.

But, I missed my blogging friends too much.

Clover necklaces.....(Ana's introduction to this fine art-

we don't have clover in CO)

"Just me & my papa & my jar of sweet potatos!"

(OK.....that's not a bad attempt at being "wordless," is it??? Ha! Ha!!!)

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One more thing-Happy Birthday, Bear-Bear!! Wish we lived closer!!!

(Everyone-this is the sweetie I took care of as a baby.

She was the flower girl in our wedding.

All grown up & turning 18 today!!!!)

Was nice to see you last weekend, Sarah!

Sarah & her mama & my baby!!!