Girl's Day out

A few weekends ago Aliya and I traveled up north to a friend of mine to attend her son's first birthday party. Aliya stole a lot of the attention...she didn't mean to, but being so cute has it's perks! We stopped by grandma and grandpa B.'s for lunch and visited my Grant and Gruncle. (Great Aunt and Uncle) They adopted my cousin Kim from Korea years ago and it was neat to hear their story of her homecoming. I teared up as they talked about their experience. Aliya got her fair share of attention before we headed out. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me during our visit, but the below pictures were emailed to me from Stacy, as soon as I get pictures from grandma and grandpa I will post them!


Mommy and Aliya



Showing off her walking skills


Where's my plate? (she LOVED the food!)


Just a cute one!

New tricks

It's official, our little one can pull herself up to stand! The other day I put her down for a nap and she got really quiet really fast, I waited a few minutes and then decided to peek in. There she was, standing up with a HUGE grin on her face! Of course I couldn't find the camera. So last night I decided it was time to drop her mattress down a few levels and turn her crib against the wall (the side that drops down doesn't stay up, it was a free crib!). Not two minutes after I put her in it last night I hear this grunting sound, my first thought "she's filling her diaper" WRONG I turn around that she was trying with all her might to pull herself up. I found the camera and began to record it and the second before she stands my memory card was full and stopped recording! I can't believe it, she looks so little in her crib standing there!

Look what I can do mommy!



Last night while Joel and I were folding laundry Scrappy came down and rolled around on the carpet to scratch his back. He rolled into my dirty whites pile on the floor and this is what he looked like when he was finished.

"Maybe...I don't remember"

Ever have one of those movies you know all the words to? I have several movies I can quote the entire script...it really is sad, I can't remember how to multiply or someone's phone number, but I can quote almost this entire movie. I am missing my Martha tonight... This one's for you girl!




As I sit here at look over our landing at my messy house, I wish I could clone myself. There are not enough hours in the day to get everything done. And I'm sure once school starts next week it's going to be even worse. So I guess there's just one thing to do, ignore it tonight and deal with it tomorrow!!!

What do you think?

Last week at church someone told me that Aliya looks like Brad and Angelina's daughter. I don't even know her name (that shows you how much I pay attention to celebrity life)... So, what do you think? Do we have a look-a-like?

Pretty Girl

A while back this box arrived in the mail and in it was this beautiful pink dress. This dress is all the way from an Indian reservation in Arizona. Grandma Norma (Martha's grandma) sent Joel a "I'm the BIG brother" tee shirt and bracelet (that he is using as a bookmark) and this dress. I have to admit, the dress stayed in the box until this morning. Holding it up to Aliya I was afraid I had waiting too long and it was too small, but it fit perfectly! Thank you so much Grandma Norma! Aliya got several compliments on it at church this morning. (please don't mind the baby fro in the below pics, she had piggies for church, she pulled those out. Then she had a pony tail in to take Joel back to him mom's, she pulled that out...so this is what we were left with!)



I can do it myself mommy!


This is one happy baby!




After lunch we changed into our relaxing clothes and Aliya was playing with Joel's Tampa Bay bandanna, I thought I'd try it on her. She actually kept it on for about an hour. (It helped tame her hair a bit too!)

Thank you!

Yesterday while at work I got an email from a very special person telling me that Children's Services contacted her family regarding a newborn they would like to place with them.Why is this person so important to me? Let me tell you!

When Jon and I decided that adoption would be they way we would grow our family we had no idea where to start. We had no clue who to talk to or where to go. I called a county board worker that I had only met a few times before but knew she had adopted and thought she might be a good place to start. I went out on a limb and left her this very far fetched message hoping she wouldn't think I'm crazy and would call me back. She called me back within 30 minutes and we talked for almost an hour! She gave me a brief overview of the process (time line, cost, expectations...). She gave me information about different agencies. I never would have guessed there would be such a connection with a woman I knew so little about, just that she was an adoptive mommy and I wanted to be one!

Over the months of our homestudy and waiting she would email me just to check in. She would comfort me and reassure me my time would come. When we finally got Aliya she was one of the first to congratulate us and she filled a HUGE bag full of baby goodies for Aliya and sent it to us. I am so thankful for her, she was our first stepping stone to our little girl. And now as she and her family prepare to bring home their little girl my heart leaps for joy for them! The road through adoption is not an easy one to travel, but with support and this unspoken understanding the journey is a bit more exciting!

KK thank you for being there for me over this past year! Your friendship has meant the world! Congratulations on your new daughter, she is BEAUTIFUL!

Please pray

I just want to ask for continued prayer for my sister, Sarah and her daughter Rachel. We just found out a few minutes ago that Dave just went to be with the Lord. Dave is no longer in pain and has met his best friend. I can only imagine how well he feels right now, he is now whole again. Please also pray for his parents and sister. Dave has been a walking testimony and now God has called him home! What an honor to have known this amazing man! We love you Dave!