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.

Boo-Dell, Baby M sick :(

This is the second year that we have been to Boo-Dell, I think this year it was quite a bit COLDER!!! But it was still a blast.  It's pretty short but Soley still always has fun.  So for Halloween Soley is dressing up as Angelina Ballerina, but she said because this was NOT halloween she wanted to be Cinderella, I said that was more then fine!

"Trick or treat, THANK YOU!" this is what Soley said to every booth.  I love to hear her sweet little voice, and her manners are amazing these days! We are working hard in other areas (MELTDOWNS) but her manners are amazing! 

A little tired?

She wanted to take a picture with these guys, still not sure who they are? Help anyone?

They had these giant teeth that you can brush, she really liked this. 

Last but not least, Soley and Daddy, she is SO in love with jon, and I know why! He is such a amazing dad to her! They look SO much alike! 

Poor baby M is sick and not feeling well.  She is on breathing treatments for the next few days.  She is so stuffed up that she can't breath very well and is having a hard time sleeping.  Please keep her in your prayers.  She also starts her weekly visitations with her family, please pray for her that she is safe and happy during this time of transition, also pray for peace in my heart for this situation. It's so easy to fall in love with these children but so hard to let them go, even if it's just for 4 hours once a week! We know that it's essential for these visits to take place so that when she does go back she will be so much more confortable, but it will take some getting used to.  We know God has a plan, we (I) just need to learn to be more trusting, something that I am learning to do so much more through all of this! 

Pumpkin Patch 2013

So once again we made it to the pumpkin patch this year! This is one of my favorite things to do around fall and we have been coming to the same place for the last 3 years!  On this special day I had just bought my new lens for my DSLR (thanks to my in-laws a great b-day present!) So I am still learning on how to shoot with it, this was my very first attempt, I am going to love this lens! Of course I need a ton of practice, but anyways... We had a amazing day the weather was just perfect, and we enjoyed every little moment with our family of four. 

Soley posing for a shot in front of the pumpkins.

Out in the pumpkin patch.

Trying to find the perfect one, Soley wanted to find one that she could carry all by herself! 

Jon and baby M looking for her pumpkin, she was wearing Soley's outfit from her first halloween, and it had a pumpkin hat.

I FOUND IT! (finally, we were looking forever!)

Now Mya's turn.

Carrying her pumpkin to the tractor ride back.

Me and baby M on the tractor ride back.

Soley getting her face painted, she wanted the cupcake!

Running through the tunnel!

What a amazing day! We had such a good time, and I'm so glad to have Jon, Soley & Mya in my life! I have a video of Soley feeding the animals I will post it later!  Again, I always say this but I have some amazing photos of Mya but I CAN'T SHOW ANY OF THEM! I know it will get easier! NIGHT!

Foster Sissy Love

Soley spending time with her foster sissy. They love each other so much. Wish I could show baby M's face! They are both my little love bugs! 

First piggy's!

Quick Post...

Things have been super crazy around here, as we accepted another placement for a 1 yr. old little boy, he is only temporary for  a few days but it's been CRAZY.  I just wanted to post a few pics for today and then will really try and catch up this week sometime.

Soley loves to wear her headbands from when she was little, it's so funny.

Me and baby M! Yes Jon has still not finished our kitchen!

Soley and I had a date night! 

Adjusting...

Life is in full swing now :) We are all still adjusting to having two kids, but it is full of more JOY then we could have ever imagined! It's not so much as the two kids as all the extra stuff that comes along with baby M! She has tons of appointments, court dates, meetings etc. So finding time for those and everything else has been hard, but THANK THE LORD Soley is loving preschool and that gives me a few hours to take care of all this stuff! Soley is loving school and doing so well! She had picnic with pop the other day, all the dads bring in food for lunch and of course Soley picked Qdoba, it was really cute! 

We have finished baby M's room, lol and while I'm typing this you can see her name is MYA, HAHA too funny! But anyways we know it will only be here room for a few weeks or months but we wanted it to be just perfect and I think it is! 

Soley is still taking ballet and is preparing for her fall recital! She is loving it and doing so well! 

More to come later, when I get some free time! Have a great weekend! 

Being in the moment...

Well it finally happened, we got our first placement, baby M!  Its been a world-wind of a experience but we are loving every minute of it.  She is just a temporary placement and will probably be reunited with her family over the next few weeks to months, but that won't stop us from loving every second we have with her.  We will trust in the Lord, for he is GOOD!

P.S. Soley is in LOVE!

Week and a half in pictures...

I don't know why but ever since Soley started school it seems like we have been busier then ever!  I feel like we did so much before she was in school and now that we do school two days a week and ballet it seems like we are always on the run! Oh- well! Here are some pictures to catch up on what we have been doing! 

We had are wonderful friends over last week who we met in our foster classes, this was for their new foster baby, Ava! She was 2 days old when they got her, I can't even imagine! She is so perfect! And they are just the best foster parents to her!  I would love to post a picture of her, but due to the rules no pictures aloud on the internet of foster children, you can take pictures from behind or blur faces but can't actually show their face.  I'm sure you can see why! Just take it from me she is cute!

Soley working on her ballet at the bar, she is getting so good! She will be having another recital coming up in october, she is dancing to Tip Toe through the tulips.  

Papa was in town (Jon's dad) and we ate at Marks, a tradition! They will be in town this week again! We are so excited!!!

My Great Grandmother, Soley's GREAT GREAT came in town for a visit, and she came to Soley's ballet class, and we all enjoyed lunch after words! She is 97, and is a amazing person, we all LOVE her so much! 

Soley LOVES bugs, or frogs or anything GROSS! Here she is picking up a frog like it's her best friend! 

YUP, then she put it on her hand! I just keep my mouth shut because I don't want to make her afraid but its so nasty! Any bug she sees she loves, it's so weird because I am terrified of bugs.  But then again I'm afraid of everything.  Trying to break the cycle! 

Swinging at the park with Daddy 

To celebrate Granny being in town Soley and I made this wonderful cake from scratch, it was so good! Tasted like a Sugar cookie! 

Our BFF Tinley celebrated her bday on the 11th and we stopped by to give her presents. Soley is in LOVE with Tinley, she pretends to be her all the time.  You can see why, she is so stinking cute!

We ate at BW3's and Soley picked up this hat, she thought it was so cool! 

Now how cute is this? I bought this dress for Soley and her favorite baby doll, they match! They were so stinking cute! 

We had my dad over for dinner and we made a homemade chocolate cake, obviously Soley loved it! 

OOPS! Soley accidently knocked our watermelon off the counter.

Cheering the Go Cards with daddy.  

Cheering on her daddy at hockey.

Waiting for daddy to come out at hockey!