Beach Photo's

So back in Aug we went to the beach with my parents, and some family friends (our OBGYN (who delivered soley) and her family, they have been my parents best friends since before I was born!) Anyways, while we were down there I got soley's pictures taken, and they were AMAZING! I just got the C.D. in the mail today, VERY LONG STORY! But I finally got them, so I wanted to post them! Enjoy, she is so pretty! And this lady shot all of these in 30 min, Soley did so well!

This is just a few of them, they are all so great it's hard to choose, luckily I got the entire C.D! 

The pier really was that teal color, it was so cool, and great for photos! It was several shades of teal, the neatest thing! 

Amazing right? If you ever head to Myrtle Beach, you have to check this girl out! 

Cousin Love...

More to come on a wonderful trip!!! But just a quick pic until I'm able to post. How sweet are these two cousins? 

Swim...

Soleys has been taking private swim lessons again, she took about 5-6 this past summer and did amazing.  So we took a break for the summer and continued to swim with her at our pool and my parents pool.  So we decided to join the YMCA for the winter so that she can continue to work on her swimming.  We also decided to do a few more private lessons to build on her swimming skills.  It's important to me that she can swim well, and properly.  I will video more next week but I caught this today, you can hear Mya squeal at the end :)  She did very well today even know she was very tired and getting over being sick from the weekend. Enjoy!

Fall is in the air...

The pictures say it all... But Mya was taking a nap a few weeks ago and Soley and I decided to rake up all the leaves, and of course, jump in them!

Silly Soley

Soley and Mya spend almost every moment they can together, I caught Soley doing this right before we were to head out to her swim lesson, I thought it was so cute! As always I wish you could see Mya's face but you can hear her laugh, she loves Soley.

I will post soon on Soley's swimming, she is doing amazing.  She needs little help these days and is pretty much swimming on her own.  She loves to jump in touch the bottom of the pool and then swim up and over to the side, climb out and do it again.  She also loves diving for quarters!

Live like this...

Soley is at school and Mya and I have been enjoying our time together cleaning the house and getting chores done.  I'm trying my best to keep this little blog going when I can, to all you momma's out there with 4 or 5 kiddos, you are amazing!!
Things around our household are always changing these days! I think being foster parents has changed our life in so many ways that we are realizing, and all for the better.  I think it's so easy for all of us to get caught up in the mundane things of this world that don't matter at all.  I know that the last few years our family has been on that path and now it finally feels like we are truly doing GOD'S work. Fostering  might not/ is probably not what you are being called to do, but as I sit here with my few min of quiet time I encourage you to find whatever it is that will truly allow you to feel like you are serving God with all your heart. When you see me, I want you to see a servant of God, I know that our family has been far from that in the past, but I know that we are on the right path to show people the Glory of the king! It's so easy for us to get caught up in so much stuff that does not matter but at the end of the day when our soul is home where it belongs one day all that other stuff will not matter. I hope that everything we say and do will point to you Lord and that you will allow us you continue on this path that you have provided us and allow us to bring people to Christ along the way! 

On that note, Jon and I have decided to put in for another placement in the coming months as Mya will most likely be going home to her bio family in Feb.  We hope that you will continue to keep our family in your thoughts and prayers as we grow our family!

Soley today getting ready for school, she is so stinking cute!

Soley this weekend, she went to the GO CARDS game with daddy, what a big girl, she loves her CARDS.  She had so much fun!

P.S. I ran into our old photographer and got Mya's pictures taken, I will try and think of a creative way to post them when I get them back!

Have a great day!

That's my paci!

So... not to my surprise Soley has been enjoying acting like a baby lately :)  The other day she was pretending to be Mya with a extra paci that we had, and Mya thought to herself, wait that's mine. For over 30 min she would take it out of Soley's mouth and soley would scream and put it back in and it would happen all over again.  I decided to video it, I could only shoot from behind but Mya's face was priceless! Soley took a paci for like 3 months and then I found that I was always giving it to her, so we just took it away, thinking that will not be the case for Mya.

Foster Sissy Hood...

Life is so sweet with two...

I'm worn...

I'm sitting in the parking lot this morning waiting for baby M to go to her visit, I was thinking that it would get easier as the weeks pass by but unforchantly it's only getting harder. On the way to dropping her off I usually find my self crying thinking of where she is going and who is taking her. This entire process has been more then I could have ever imagined in good ways and bad. I knew I could love any kid that you gave me but I did not know I would take one look at them and my heart would melt. I also did not know what kind of cruel world that we lived in and what a journey this would be. I love baby M with all my heart and want her parents to succeed and more then anything come to know The Lord but my heart breaks for what she will be going back to. I know that God has a plan for us and baby M and that I will trust in him always but this morning my heart is worn. 

I’m Tired I’m worn

My heart is heavy

From the work it takes

To keep on breathing

I’ve made mistakes

I’ve let my hope fail

My soul feels crushed

By the weight of this world

And I know that you can give me rest

So I cry out with all that I have left

Let me see redemption win

Let me know the struggle ends

That you can mend a heart

That’s frail and torn

I wanna know a song can rise

From the ashes of a broken life

And all that’s dead inside can be reborn

Cause I’m worn

I know I need to lift my eyes up

But I'm too weak

Life just won’t let up

And I know that you can give me rest

So I cry out with all that I have left

Let me see redemption win

Let me know the struggle ends

That you can mend a heart

That’s frail and torn

I wanna know a song can rise

From the ashes of a broken life

And all that’s dead inside can be reborn

Cause I’m worn

My prayers are wearing thin

Yeah, I’m worn

Even before the day begins

Yeah, I’m worn

I’ve lost my will to fight

I’m worn

So, heaven come and flood my eyes

Let me see redemption win

Let me know the struggle ends

That you can mend a heart

That’s frail and torn

I wanna know a song can rise

From the ashes of a broken life

And all that’s dead inside can be reborn

Cause all that’s dead inside will be reborn

Though I’m worn

Yeah I’m worn

I heard this song today on the way dripping baby M off. What a wonderfull way to express what so many of us feel some days. The weight of this world sometimes feels like it's to much to bare. But lucky for us we know that one day there will be no more tears and our heavenly God will be there beside us. I will leave with this scripture, it's what gets me through these tough days...

Jeremiah 29:11

New International Version (NIV)

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Our sweet  angel this morning sleeping waiting to be picked up.