Big Celebrating...

we started off our celebrating with a fire... and weinies and smores...

and even a hayride with some singing on Wednesday nite.

20 family members slept in various rooms at Nonni and Poppi's house to awake there thanksgiving morn. let's just say we were everywhere. and oh what fun!

a few still linger at the t-giving table too stuffed to move...

i finally got my annual t-giving family pic before we all left to rest snuggly in our beds at home after a fun and food filled day.

i am so thankful for my Heavenly Father who daily provides. i am so thankful for the blessings the Lord has bestowed on me... my husband. my children. the miracle and healing of my boys after a rough start in life. my baby daughter somewhere in ethiopia. our health. our home. this great country. our soldiers. freedom.

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now the celebrating continues as today is JOEYS 31ST BIRTHDAY!!!!

he graciously allowed me to get out in the madness and shop early this morning. what a husband.

and now he is doing what he loves...looking for that huge buck in the woods that has him so torn up. soon the fam is headed over for a little celebration for him. let the fun continue.

update- quick pics from joe's party tonite. yes - there were adults there, too! but this crew was really into posing and singing.

this crew was not quite as sure...

happy birthday joe- i love you!

thankful

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD. PSALM 136:1

joey started off our week of thanks by dividing our chalkboard in the kitchen into days and our names. each morning at b-fast we have to right down what we are thankful for. the kids have enjoyed "thinking of thanks". i try not to let them choose the same thing but make them try and do it own their own. i have enjoyed trying to come up with one word or thing i am thankful for. it has been hard to decide.

today i thought they could each decide what they were MOST thankful for. they both quickly answered and we wrote each answer on a sign. they helped barron make his choice as he was having a hard time participating! so here they are...

on a very important thankful note. i finally went to the mailbox today, as it was about to explode from neglect, and found the most important document...

our amended I-171h approval letter. the letter i thought would take 8-10 weeks to return took only 3 1/2 weeks. we are officially approved for ethiopia. sweet baby girl- here we come.

well- here we start a new wait. i have a few last minute things to get to complete our dossier. (honestly, i thought i had lots of time so i dawdled some.) then we have to county and state certify then send to Washington DC via our adoption agency in St Louis. My hope is to get on the waiting list by first of January, even with all the holidays coming up! Then, we really wait and wait and wait:)

in the spirit

i can't believe the holiday season is upon us.

5 days until Thanksgiving.

33 days til Christmas.

i love the excitement of it all :)

i am pleased to say i have made a huge dent in my xmas shopping. and the crazy congestion and rush has just started out there in shopping land.

here's to a wonderful holiday and to the true reason for the season!

that time of year

every year i somewhat dread fall. it gets colder. the kids have to wear coats and shoes and layers every day. schedules kick in. it gets dark at 5pm.

then i look around and see how beautiful fall is. i am amazed every year at the colors of the leaves. i have- oh- several hundred trees around my yard. and each year these beauties never cease to disappoint. they were bright red last year. this year this fiery orange. wow!

i was thinking about how God spent the time to dress these trees- choosing their signature color for the season. then i began to realize how much thought He puts in me. and then... how much time and thought I put in Him. and well, i need to give Him more. this time of year is a good reminder!

this glorious spot also marks the loss of our fishy- Sonya. she swam to Heaven a few days ago after almost 4 years of putting up with us. and no, joey, i couldn't just flush her:)

now a bit more on the leaves. this is what our yard looks like. not so grand. briley asked why no one elses yard was totally covered in leaves. i replied , "maybe they rake them". to which she answered, "why don't we?". and i responded, "i can't imagine having to rake this mess".


is it bad we don't rake our leaves? i don't know. just seems like an unnecessary project.
they always seem to disappear before spring anyway.



now for a special thanks to aunt dana and uncle rich for hosting the 1st xmas movie nite of the season. we cracked up at Elf! here's to many more!

on 2's

after much debate by barron- it's now official- his preferred mode of transportation is up on 2's not down on all 4's. it's taken almost 2 weeks for him to come to this very important decision in life. mommy was beginning to wonder...

creepers

I FOUND THIS GUY....

WHERE THIS LITTLE GUY DOES THIS...

no joke! i snuggled my little man, gently laid him in his bed, turned on his mobile, said "nitenite, mommy loves you", and spidey decided to drop from the baby mobile directly towards the baby's face! i almost gave barron whiplash and scared the pooh out of him as i jerked him from his crib! within minutes- spidey was flushed, bed was checked, and baby was back in bed. what if i'd have left the room already? oh, it gives me the creeps!

a cause worth fighting for...

please click the link below about one of the first issues President elect Obama wants to CHANGE as President of the United States

http://www.fightfoca.com/


I believe with all my heart that God, who is the Creator of life, recognizes life in the womb. And that ultimately life (though so tiny)begins right at conception.

Psalm 139:13-16
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.


Join with me and many others and sign the above petition.

shout out

a great big 2-8 bday shout out to our good buddy ashley w! girl, you never cease to keep us in stitches! we had fun celebrating your big day. hope this year is the greatest yet! can't wait til you get your own blog with all your frugal and freebee tips:)

we lost rocky and teri before we could snap the big group pic. otherwise- here we are after a yummy and hysterical dinner!

here's to many more bday celebrations with friends (and fam)!

a race well run

i am so proud today of our poppi and the race he ran. he is a man who truly seeks the Lord in everything. he was amazing last nite at the election party. though results were not in our favor - it was a race well ran. i know God has big things in store for this man and for our family.

this is the best pic i captured of the kids and poppi. he was doing his thing and the kids goofing off. they were a wee bit bored at the grown up party but did so good. they hoped for cake (which they did end up enjoying) and party games of which there were none:)

my crew enjoying a seat- which was pretty hard to come by last nite

my beautiful Briley

the boys crashed on Padre last nite while briley wallowed in a chair nearby. exhaustion had set in for us all.



a special thanks to all (Mimi and Padre and the Louths) for helping entertain us.



today marks a day of change for this country. my candidate didn't win the election - so now my prayers have changed somewhat- they are now for this new president elect and his leadership. they are still for christians to stand up for what we believe in and they will always be for this country.

election day adventures

Briley and Joey hit the campaign trail bright and early today with the opening of the polls at 7am. The boys and I caught up later after a search for more McCain signs (no luck) and a stop at Starbucks for Joey's can't live without coffee.


Here they are spreading the word... GO LANKFORD and MCCAIN!!!!
Let's just say it was a circus juggling act. But an adventure I wouldn't trade- what memories!
Check out the Bear's shirt (future president) and big pin!

I'm sure we pulled out a few votes for both campaigns. Luckily, where we were posted it seemed to be leaning our way:)

It is hard to believe that today is the big day and that in polls close here in Tennessee in T minus 4 hours. From what I've heard and experienced today most people in these parts early voted.

Please keep my father-in-law Monty Lankford in your prayers. And the Presidential race.

Results to follow....

not what we expected...

we started out our Halloween in full swing. a party at Casen's for our church bunch - hayride and all. a party at briley's school (mommy finally got to go to one without all my peeps).

THEN - a spooky stomach bug came knocking on our door and Brax was down for the count. poor guy says "mom, i don't think i can trick or treat tonite" :(

sweet briley decides since brother is sick we should just all stay home and have family nite. soooo, we order up "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" on ppv and chill.

then, our Nana brings by treats and the movie "Nim's Island" she's been saving to watch with bri. what a good little flick. we do the popcorn and m&m thing and enjoy. (that is all except brax who hung in for a few then hit the sack)

not exactly how we expected to do halloween but...

happy to say today we are better.

this was too hilarious not to post!