Joy!

It really takes so little to make Love happy. She was so excited to be at Panda, more excited to be sitting in a big chair outside and the most excited about getting to use a real fork...with pointy prongs. Seeing the joy in her eyes over things that are so simple was too fun.

Something our oldest daughter said the other day has me thinking a lot. She said, in reference to Love...."It must stink to be her." Caught off guard and a little short I asked, "Oh, and why is that?" She then said something so simple and so true but yet the thought had never even entered my Mommy brain. She said, "Every time she gets somewhere someone can come and just pick her up and move her. Anytime she has something she wants someone can just come and take it from her. She is just too little to do anything about it." Then the whole "terrible twos/threes" (although I have yet to really experience them with any of our kids) became crystal clear. I know, I know...probably I have read it somewhere when my two oldest were past this age. Why it never dawned on me I will never know.

It brings me to this....sometimes when I think I have it all under control and am on my way to wherever I am headed...well, I've been picked up and moved too or forced to sit still when I didn't want to. For instance, when we were living in our last home, after one year of being out there on 40+ acres with a husband who provided well but was gone ALOT working to give us this great life, I wanted to move back to our hometown. I mean real bad. And it was by an act of God...lightning, that we stayed. And had we not, had we moved on my time frame, well, our first adoption would have probably not occurred. I'd probably moved back and started back to work or at least part time and not had those days alone to bring the yearning for another baby. And all that fell in place behind it, including Love. I can honestly say my life has the joy it does being the wife I am to Big Daddy and the mom I am to my kids...I have been richly blessed....we have been so blessed. Or, if I have my eye on something...material or not...I have had it plucked from my hand too. And although it doesn't necessarily make me happy at the time it is always for my own good. I have heard so many non believers use these types of circumstances to back up their non belief...like..."If being a christian means having to move to Africa to be a missionary or giving up my money...no thanks" Big Daddy and I were just talking about this yesterday, the people in our lives who have the most joy, who have the closest relationship with Christ are those very people...the ones who lean on Him for everything...food, shelter, clothing, love, life...everything. I think it is because although they have very little to offer by the world's standards or to lose by those same standards they know they have so much more to gain and are more aware of it without the things or places to distract them. When those of us who do make the bills and live in houses with heat and A/C and have food on the table...well, we've got it under control, or we can sometimes think we do...and we really rob ourselves of the purest joy....the joy of the Lord. Well, I am kind of getting off subject here. Back to the terrible twos/threes...I wonder if we might be a little like that with the way God sometimes picks us up or makes us sit still or takes something or someone away....I don't know about you but I have been known to throw a fit or two...you know, "Why me God? Why NOT me God?" pity party or "Do you even hear me? Don't you know how much more I could do for you over there? or there? But, just not here." So I'd like to refocus myself, instead of throwing a tantrum or pouting, I'd like to find the joy in the Lord always. Which I try to do...but I won't lie...I am as imperfect as they come. And always...well, that is a strong word. But,

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

He blessed us with such a glorious day, started with a crisp chill, warmed with beautiful sunshine and pleasant breeze and the colors are starting to change here now, and they are absolutely breathtaking! Shame on me for not truly appreciating it more often. Thank you Lord for this truly beautiful day, thanks for protecting me from myself. Thank you Lord that your ways are not my own.

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

Whew! What a Day!

Today bright and early after the big kids were dropped off we headed to the hospital for another xray of Love. The pediatrician called the other night to let us know that we needed another one. After she consulted with the pediatric urologist turns out he wasn't 100% sure if they were "regular" kidney stones or the actual melamine stones. We've already received the results and they are in fact melamine. We have an appointment to meet with the pediatric urologist on Nov. 1oth.
We went to see the pediatrician on Tuesday to recheck Love's ear infection....still there...after 5 antibiotics. She got us in with the ENT and we saw him today. Needless to say, baby girl will be getting tubes on November 17th. They wanted to do it this Monday. But, our sweet girl will be having her 3rd laser treatment next Wednesday and two times to be put to sleep in 3 days just didn't jive with me. So, we will wait. But y'all, I must brag...she is the BEST patient. She never cries (unless given a shot), smiles the whole time and will turn her head from side to side for them to look in her ears. She's got it down.
To top off the first part of our day Big Daddy treated us to Kincaid's Burgers for lunch...Yum! Not a place we can do real often but when we do....well, it's good!
____________________________________________________________________ We decided after such an eventful day we'd head to the park to let off some steam. These girls are little monkeys! They LOVE to swing. I betcha we pushed them on the swings over 30 minutes and it never bored them at all. Hope found a "rocking" horse and named him Leeko. She was a cowboy and they were riding in horse races. She won almost every time. Love's favorite part was climbing the stairs to the tall slide. Such a big smile on a little face :)

____________________________________________________________________
Then we picked up the big kids from school and put a deposit on a rent house....we found one!! And let me tell you, it was NOT easy. I am shocked at what people will put up for rent. I am not exaggerating when I tell you we looked at several yesterday. One had 3 roaches in the bathtub, one had a dead mouse in the kitchen and one had the most ferocious big black dog next door with the shoddiest fence...the dog stuck his big head in the hole in the fence...uh, no thanks. And those places were by no means what I'd call cheap. It blows my mind what rent costs. We found a nice house in a nice neighborhood with as much space as we have here and we will even still have 4 bedrooms...so we'll manage quite nicely :)___________________________________________________________________

Tonight was Fall Blast Off! at Awana's. The kids were supposed to dress up as something biblical...anything out of the Bible. I hadn't put much thought into it, I figured I could whip up something. She wanted to use her costume for Friday night but I just couldn't send her in it. So, after "redesigning" a couple of pillowcases....Wah-La! Yep, she's a boy...which she loves!! She is our very own shepherd boy. She wanted the full beard and moustache so maybe she is a shepherd man or shepherd teenager. Heehee! She looked so stinkin' precious to me :) They went from table to table and received treats. She had an absolute blast!

Daddy's Deer Hunter...

Big Daddy took Hope and Hunter to the land this weekend for a tad of youth only hunting and a lot of 4 wheeling and marshmallow roasting :) Hope has been chomping at the bit to get to go with Big Daddy. Finally, it was her turn. Big Daddy did a good job of making a hunter girl out of her. I hear she sat over 2 hours pretty darn quiet while Hunter was on the look out for a deer. Hunter tells a little bit different story but hey...if they all had fun, that's what really matters anyway, right?

Hope and Love with Big Daddy before he loaded the 4 wheeler...they were so excited just to be on it with the motor running

So happy to be outdoors with Big Daddy....tonight right before she got in the bathtub I heard this..."Daddy, I wish I could stand up and pee like a boy"...ambitious, huh?
Roasting marshmallows with Hunter


My Two Favorite Men


Being very, very quiet...and looking pretty cute doing it!

Hunter takes his driving very serious...Hope on the other hand is ready for the action



Another thing Hope said today was:
"Daddy you be the Beijing Cowboys and I'll be the Dallas Cowboys", while holding a football and smiling. We seriously do not know where she gets this stuff...can you even imagine cowboys in Beijing :)

3rd Annual Chili Cook Off and Pumpkin Carving...

Well yesterday marked the 3rd annual pumpkin carving and chili cook off at my Uncle and Aunt's house. They are true entertainers, very hospitable, very easy going, very accommodating. They can pull off a theme like no body's business. Halloween cups, goblet, glasses, napkins, plates, tablecloths. Ghoulade, cupcakes and candy decorations for the kids to decorate, orange and black jelly bellies, and even a puzzle. She also had a table set up with stencils, stickers, paper and markers for Halloween things to do for the kiddos. Then the area for the actual pumpkin carving, she has tons of stencils, every imaginable carving tool, and even candles to put in the pumpkins. She is our very own Martha Stewart...but better :)

We all bring pumpkins and do our carving mostly with the children...this year almost all of them finished...it usually ends up just the adults finishing what their kid started. The pumpkins all turned out really neat. Faith decided to go all peace on us. Hope decided on a witch and Hunter did a cool "Happy Halloween" etching.

The chili...well we have held the title every year and this year...well, it went wrong y'all....I mean real wrong. I went to bed with the chili tasting good and after Big Daddy and Hunter fixed it...well, it was just wrong. They threw dashes of this and shakes of that. Those guys put sugar, cinnamon, deer rub, the Serendipity from Chicken E...anything that would stand still, they added it. It is kinda funny but I was a smidgen embarrassed that it was just so bad. I did like it better than the generic wolf brand chili though. So we weren't dead last :) The Worley's won the best overall it was yummy :) And my aunt and uncle won the most unique. It was unique too...they tried to find turtle to put in her version of chili and thank goodness they could not find any...ewww...poor little Franklin.

Every year it is something the whole family looks forward to. The kids have a blast and we get to catch up with family. We were able to visit with my cousin and her husband (y'all have been praying for him :)) A little update on them, he is looking good and feeling better. He is just so kind. He fielded our questions and I am sure he is sick of explaining his life to everyone. He is back on chemo. I think I told a lot of you he wasn't able to tolerate it anymore...that has passed and it is back on. From what I understand he maybe going on "maintenance" chemo after Christmas. PTL! I really wanted to just take a ton of pictures of him and their family but feel like they are already kind of in a fish bowl. Their kids seem to be really doing well. I guess they just don't know life any different. So, even though he is doing well...we'd still really appreciate your prayers for their family. I think my cousin put it best when she was talking about Jesus..."my kids have got to have something bigger than us to believe in to get them through this"....and it is true. So many people put their faith in things that pass and that feel good only for a moment. Good for her for wanting that security found only in Him for her family. I am so thankful that through this trial her faith is being strengthened. I also hear the Lord has placed a wonderful and godly friend in her life...I am thankful for that too :)

Captain...

Hope was selected as "captain" for her soccer game Saturday. It was so funny, she stood out there by the circle but wasn't really getting it. I heard her coach tell her she was going to be captain. I totally knew what she was thinking...."Cool, where's the ship?" She stood out there just looking around. Her coach had to go and tell her where to stand and what to do. Four is a very literal age. If you say something without an explanation behind the word or the action, don't expect them to get it at all. I was laughing because in my heart I knew my little girl would be so excited to be "captain"...you could see she wasn't all that thrilled once they told her it meant meeting with the ref for the coin toss. She played a great game though.

Another Prayer Request...

I am coming to you all again this time on behalf of a woman from our church before we moved. Her husband served as youth pastor right before Big Daddy. She is one of the sweetest and most gentle people I have known. We received this from the church updates:

This past week, Amy was diagnosed with bi-lateral (both) breast cancer. It is both aggressive and advanced. On Monday, they will decide the course of action to fight it, which they already know will include chemotherapy and a double mastectomy. Amy is only 28 years old and has three children. Please remember to pray for Amy, Brent, and the children, who lives will be changing dramatically.

If you'd like to visit her site to view updates or sign her guestbooks and leave them with encouraging words and your prayers please do so at: www.caringbridge.org/visit/amywilliams

I know God will be glorified through their battle to fight this cancer. She has blessed me so much in just reading her opening letter. It is heartbreaking to know her family is walking through this but also very comforting to know we have a great and loving God. And In Him is where they find their comfort and strength.

Hope-isms

Hope...that child comes up with some good ones. I feel really bad not keeping up with them all. When we try to remember what she said to make us laugh so hard neither of us can remember. I feel like we are losing track of all the funny things we kept up with the older two. So, as I remember them or as they are said I am recording them on the blog. They are mostly for us but you might just get a kick out of them.

Hope was read a book at school about Jack and the Beanstalk for letter "B" day. She came home in her big, burly, giant voice and stomped all over the house saying..."Fee.Fi.Old.Stump" too funny!

We walked through a home being built yesterday and we entered what was going to be a media room. It was really neat, you step down a few steps to enter it. She walks down the steps and gazes up and turns in a circle admiring the ceiling and says..."This is soooo sweet!" She definitely has teenage siblings in the house.

Hope was talking to Big Daddy:

Big Daddy: Who eats hay?
Hope: lambs and sheets

The other day she was running around the house really fast. She takes a very deep and very dramatic breath and says..."I really must slow down, my heart is beeping way too fast."

Today while she was not sharing her toy car all too well with her little sister. We told her, it is OK. We will get Love a car when we go to the store...who knew they would both take to toy cars so well? She says..."Oh, well, here Love. You can have mine" Mommy "That was nice" Hope shaking her head and leaning against the wall "Seriously, you need to buy me a new one...a faster one"

Proof...

Gas is down to $1.96 per gallon here. Can you believe they had to have two workers stand outside with two of those big orange pylons and direct the traffic to each pump? The shoulder of the road was full of cars and was backed up to the stop light. It is probably even lower now. Cuhrazee!!

More On the Formula Issues...

For those of you following the tainted formula issues from China here is the latest news from the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology released on October 22nd. They misspelled Love's province, she is from Hubei and they have listed as Ubei, which there just isn't. I think the thing I find most concerning is that they have released not to test asymptomatic children. And on the yahoo group for milk issues in China most of the kids turning up with kidney stones are asymptomatic. I just pray this doesn't prevent parents from getting the necessary testing to determine if their child does or does not have the stones.


On our personal journey, our pediatrician has been consulting with other pediatric specialists. We are still waiting for a referral to a doctor who is "in the know" about melamine stones.

A Toast...

Please join us in rasing your big gulp icee cup. We have a contract on our house! We will be signing our part tomorrow. Big Daddy, the little girls and I went out for a celebratory drink - Slushies! Big Daddy wasn't holding back, he even mixed mine half cherry/half coke, he is just too good to me ;0) He bought our frozen beverages and off we went to the neighborhood where we are building our home. We are one step closer to our new digs. So, in three short weeks we will have to be outta here...that is 21 very brief days folks. I still can't believe it. Of course we know there are inspections and such that could throw a wrench in it all - we will just cross that bridge when we come to it. For now...we are excited about our adventure. Anyone in need of a dear family of six with 4 super cute and quiet children and 2 well behaved adults to split room and board? Well, if we find those 6 we'll send 'em your way. Ha! Now, the search is on for temporary housing...in a mere 21 sunrises. And so, the packing begins....Hey...I'll drink to that ;0)

Prayer Request...

These two beautiful people here are my nephew and niece in law. We just love them so much! They have been in the process of trying to conceive for well over a year now...today is a big day for them. Would you join us in praying for them? They are both in a really good place and leaning on the Lord and His will for them. I know, I mean KNOW they will be amazing parents. God give them patience as they wait on your timing, give them strength to endure the journey and give them comfort Lord to know you love them both so much. Father God I pray you bless them with the desire of their heart...a precious little one to love, to hold and to guide in Your ways.

Woo Hoo!

We filled up the 'burban today...only 60 something dollars!! I gave the woman a one hundred dollar bill and got back change...now that is some kind of wonderful! We haven't had that privilege in months. Gas is running $2.22 per gallon around here. It is great...well, it's not, but compared to the prices lately it is. Isn't that funny how quickly we become conditioned to higher prices? We begin to think paying over 2 bucks a gallon is a deal. Sad...I won't even talk about the increasing prices at the local market - I wonder if the lower prices at the pump will begin to reflect at the grocery store...somehow I doubt it. I still can't believe it though...gas under one hundred dollars for a fill up! Can I get a woo hoo?! I know, it takes little to excite me ;)

Voting

So the hubs and I will be voting tomorrow...how 'bout those Mavericks? Seriously, I am not going to get on a soapbox and let you know who to vote for or why...well....I guess I could, it is our blog, right? So...we are voting for McCain/Palin...and yes, I know they are both far from perfect. But I choose them, well, we choose them. For us, we will be backing the ticket that supports what we believe in...neither of them believe in everything we believe, that is a given. So we choose what is most important to us, to the moral fiber of our country. So we are against the overturning of the Defense of Marriage Act...we believe and stand firmly behind marriage and that it should be between one man and one woman. Obama has been quoted as saying this is one of the first things he will overturn. Not OK. Also, we are both against abortion. Especially partial birth abortion...which Obama voted against the ban of partial birth abortions. Does that mean we have a right to judge or look down on those who choose these things for their life? No, not at all...we both have these circumstances in our family either past or present...all of us sin and fall short of the glory of God...we love them wholeheartedly. But we have to support the candidate that will stand up for what we are passionate about. It will not only affect us and our country but the country of our children, their children, and their children, etc. I know that financially, this choice isn't going to be great for our pocketbook, and that's OK. But for us to give God any less would just be unacceptable.

Quick Pics

Love has perfected the "mad" sign language. (I love her little puckered mouth) She is very good at it...unfortunately, it is her favorite so now sad is mad and happy is mad...but it is done with a smile :)

Just because she's so stinkin' cute!

And this little sweetheart too :)

We had a great day yesterday...the weather was superb! We are enjoying this cooler weather and the time outdoors with fewer bugs. Our little mosquito attracting kiddos are enjoying it too...they would live outside if we'd let 'em.

He Ranks...

So, Hope has a love for worship music...she just LOVES it! Which of course, we love that she loves it. She hears it in the car, at home, at church and now she sings her songs from school and her Sunday school class...which I love too :) I had her sing to the camera but it lost something and today while she was swinging she chose to start singing and I just took advantage of it without her thinking I was videoing...pretty sneaky, huh? She thought she was getting her picture made. Well, her sweet voice singing to the Lord just brings a smile to my face every time....I have a feeling He is smiling too :) Of course, her lyrics are always a little different....see if you catch the words that she has changed.... :0)

She sings: And all God's children singing Glory, Glory, HalleluLA He ranks, He ranks

It is supposed to be: It's all God's children singing Glory, Glory, Hallelujah He reigns....He reigns

I love being able to hear what she hears. It all makes perfect sense. And the HalleluLa is just so cute. But, I must agree...He totally ranks!

My What Beautiful Eyes You Have...

Love went to her 6 month visit with her pediatric ophthalmologist yesterday...she has had a week of doctor visits...but she truly just goes with the flow...not bothered one bit. She pretty much stays happy. He was mainly rechecking for glaucoma. He told me "Her eyes are beautiful!" Well, thank you for your kind words...but we didn't need an eye specialist to tell us that ;) But seriously, he sees no signs of glaucoma...he feels like she has an almost 0% chance of ever developing it...which is wonderful!! It was a possibility because of the small amount of her port wine stain (birthmark) that is located on her eye. So...glaucoma is out!!! She only has to go back in a year to reassess what he feels like may be near sightedness. But so far...no problems :)

1 out of 2...

If you start into this and have no idea what I am talking about, go to this post. We received our girls ultrasound results today. Hope is completely clear. This is a huge relief as we understood her orphanage to be one of "the Ones" to have quite a few cases. Love's ultrasound shows "multiple BB size stones" in her left kidney. There was technical terminology from the pediatrician but this was her layman's version.

So, where do we go from here? Well, early next week she will get back to us with a pediatric urologist and then pediatric nephrologist. We are her first case and she wants to call around as see if anyone in the area is even dealing with these melamine stones yet. If not we may have to go to an even bigger city and get her treated...which at this point...no one even can agree on what to do or if you do anything at all.

Why? Because humans aren't supposed to digest melamine...remember, it is for fertilizer and plastics...not human consumption. So there is not research on how to treat these melamine stones. But, here we are, on the other side of this circumstance and we are thankful. We are so fortunate to have been allowed to get the ultrasound...and now to seek further treatment. We are catching this early, I guess, so we will be thankful for that too. We could be completely oblivious to this and then all the sudden have troubles...now it is on our radar.

There are varying opinions about how to treat them...some specialists say watch and monitor, others are trying to 'blast' them but are saying now that is not a good idea because you are not dealing with the typical calcification type kidney stone but a deposit of the actual poison that camps out in the kidney. Others having them "picked" out. I am confident that we will be placed in exactly the right doctor's hands. I happen to know the Great Physician himself ;) He could dissolve these little BBs by our next visit if He wanted to...and if He doesn't well...we will just keep praying for our little Love. I am thankful that she isn't in pain...other than a recurring ear infection...on another antibiotic as of yesterday...

What could happen with these stones? Well, out there in cyberworld...there are many presumptions....perhaps nothing, but more commonly infection, pain, kidney failure, death, possible cancer...who even knows...well, I know the One who does and so far...He hasn't told me. I can tell you that we aren't all running around screaming the sky is falling...I trust that the Lord is still holding our Love right in the palm of his hand. There is just no better place to be and there is no one who loves her more :)

Our pediatrician actually said 1 out of 2 is what we have. And well, it is. As more information is shared among specialist the better things will get. I don't particularly care for our child being in the "guinea pig" baseline group of babies. It is like we are venturing into territories unknown...because like I said before...you just aren't supposed to feed babies formula with chemicals made for fertilizer or plastics.

Are we missing out on a blessing because Love's ultrasound shows the stones...absolutely not! We are beyond blessed!! We have been given the diagnosis and the doctor to step up and get us where we need to be. So that Love may get the treatment that she needs...Am I upset that Love has to even deal with these stones...yes! But I am going to cling to this: "For I know the plans I have for Love," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper Love and not to harm Love, plans to give Love hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11 Just beautiful! Does it get anybody else all goosebumpy when you put your baby's name into Scripture??? Don't even get me started on knowing the number of hairs on her head.... :0) Oh, I Love Him....Love. Him.

Good Til the Last Drop...

Love, like the rest of the family enjoys an occasional bowl of ice cream. She has a ritual. When she still sees ice cream in her bowl but her spoon is no longer effective, well, this is her method of choice. And yes, she might have seen a more sophisticated take on it...but that is by no means an admission of guilt :) Besides...a gal has to get her calcium, right?

Now, hasn't it been said that imitation is the best form of flattery?

That's MY girl :0)

This Is What Happens When...

You hit your sister in the head with a plastic horn...

Well, this is what we call "Putting Your Nose on the Wall". Brilliant, huh? It took us days to figure out what we'd call it. Kidding. But, seriously, we needed to come up with an approach to things that were definitely in the "No" category. It is our take on timeout. I have thought about the timeout chair, the thinking mat, go sit on your bed, sit on the couch. But, what happens when your out and about and don't have these things...what is something that is constant??? Well, we are usually within a couple of seconds of a wall somewhere. I don't actually put their noses on the wall...it is just so they know which way to face. I generally redirect them when things go awry...but when you haul off and knock your sister in the head because of a toy she had that you wanted...well...there are consequences. And Hope didn't cry...it wasn't that hard..it certainly wasn't a pat but not a concussion worthy hit by any means. So far, it has worked for us...I know there are those that will tell me this is cruel, how awful and isolated they must feel standing there all alone...looking at the wall (2 minutes for Love, 4 for Hope)...there are those that will tell me I should be spanking them, start 'em young, it doesn't matter that she has no clue what you are trying to teach her and answers "jeh" to everything...she'll catch on. We will never please everyone, not that I'd want to....just gotta do what works for us. And for now...this works.
If I have learned anything about raising kids thus far is that Big Daddy and I have to stay on the same page...no matter what. Discussions can be had later but never, I repeat never let them see you falter. If they do...well, that is a entirely different post. I am not proud to say it but we've been there and it is so not pretty. Just for the record, should the current technique become ineffective...we've got a backup plan ;)

Anyone Remember....

The parents of a beautiful baby boy named Eliot? If you were remotely close to me at all I probably made you sit down and watch this video:



Well, here is their blog of all things Eliot...and they have a new blog...go here to find out more. I will let you in on a little secret....God is blessing them with another baby today! I am beside myself overjoyed for these parents. God give them greatness! I have found myself so encouraged by their story and their open hearts during their time of joy and grief. They have blessed my heart so much...I just wanted to share with those of you who may have not ever seen it...it is faith in action, in your deepest, darkest places...He is still there. Thanks to Matt and Ginny for sharing such a tender season of life with us, continuing to praise Him through it all.

Hmmmm....

This map represents the last 500 people to check in our blog...kinda strange isn't it?

Ninnie

I promised a side view...she wasn't real happy about it but at least it gives those of you who don't see her often a good view. From the back you wouldn't even know...pretty good for baby #3. Just about 12 weeks left!

Little Miss Soccer :0)

Hope has enjoyed playing soccer so much. She asks all the time..."What do I do today?" I think she loves having "things to do" that are her own and not mine. I love that she is having such a good time. She is really, really good...and I am not just saying that. She is. It isn't that we push her or coach her or bribe her (although I have seen money exchange hands between a few grandparents and Hope). She is naturally athletic. It is amazing. I know it sounds like I am bragging. And, well, I guess I am but, it truly has nothing to do with me...it is her. She scored 4 goals today...she was so proud of herself...she even kept count. Goals are the big deal with her right now. Although the girl worked some major defense too.

She gets such a thrill out of having her family come to watch her. She will ask..."Who all is going to be there?" After I name them she will ask, "What about....?" She loves that she wears an actual "juhrsey" (she says it real Northern like) It is precious! Her team is the Ladybugs...and I wasn't even there when they named it...perfect! I love that when a child falls down she will stay back and to see if they are OK.

She takes things very literal right now. Her coach had her doing kickoffs and told her you can only kick it once...as in not twice for a kick off by the same child...the child chased the ball for a while and would not touch it....she said her coach told her "only kick it once". And her coach had told her don't get the ball if one of your team has it...which to Hope meant if they were near it...so now that we have all that figured out, she is back on track. But, I appreciate her effort to follow her coaches directions. Oh, and one of my most favorite things...at practice or a game she will ask her coach so many questions....she loves to say "Coach...." and whatever else...I think she is just so thrilled to have a coach. Too funny. Anyhow, the photos are what you really want...here ya go :)

All about the action
Big Daddy and Hunter
GOAL!!
Taking a dancing break...she does these side leg balancing things randomly throughout the game..she tries to do cartwheels too. These occur while waiting on the other team to wrangle their girls back on the field or line up for a throw in or kick off...she just doesn't like down time apparently :)
Sweet Girl!

GOAL!!Sweet Love

I have no idea what she is doing here...all I could think of was the part in the movie of The Little Rascals. You know where the little boy says, while cracking his knuckles....."You thinking what I'm thinking worm?"

MiMi and Hunter

Give This Girl A Boost!

Love has officially graduated into Hope's booster seat. She is so excited to be sitting right next to Hope in her very own chair. She has wanted to do this for sometime but Hope was still using the booster which left Love in the high chair. Hope announced tonight that she was done with the booster...so there we go...Hope's out, Love's in. I can not even begin to tell you the pure elation that filled Love tonight...she just kept smiling and gave her first loud Amen tonight after the prayer...I am guessing she is feeling like she is finally being heard :)