Hammer

Our elf is officially on the shelf.

He made his first appearance the other night.  Naming him came down to two choices:  Hammer and Shoot.  I voted for Hammer, as Shoot the Elf just didn't sound right.  He took a spill the second night he was with us, and face-planted on the tile floor in the foyer.  Apparently elves are a resilient bunch because we found him perched atop this basket in the morning.

Close call, Hammer.  Thanks for the drama.

Every now and then...

Usually after we visit Chris's tiny, tiny hometown I get a hankerin' to move there.  Or somewhere close to there.  It's a good place.

Maybe one day we'll do it?...



And this guy...this guy would love it.

This is my youngest boy.  I say 'youngest' but he's really only two months younger than his brother. Figure that one out.

He is soft-hearted and kind.  He's a friend to everyone.  His bedtime prayers go like this:  "Dear God, we hope we have a good time.  Thank you for our food.  Amen."

His mealtime prayers go like this:  "Dear God, we hope we have a good time.  Thank you for the food what Mommy made.  Amen."  Yes, the "food what Mommy made."  I have no idea...

His anytime prayers go like this:  "Dear God, we hope we have a good time.  You love us God.  Thank you for our food.  Please help that person be okay."

Apparently my child really hopes to have a good time.  And he really likes food.  I hope this is not a reflection of our ability to model appropriate, God-honoring prayers.

Love you, sweet Hank.

When friends get together...

We sometimes eat this:

Mmmm.  Papa Murphy's.

And we sometimes drink this:

Mmmm.  I was blessed, indeed.

And the menfolk sit and do this:

"Dude.  Check out this app.  I can add a mustache to the pictures I take."



The womenfolk like to talk.  Oh, and we also like to surf the web for disabled adoptable Ukranian children.  It's a sad world.  But what better use for an iPad?

I hope the day comes when you do bring home that precious disabled Ukranian child, my sweet friend.


In the meantime, we'll continue to eat pizza and compare iPhone apps and dream of adoption.  Cause six children, all age six and under isn't enough...

Thanksgiving 2011

Small towns make for great holidays, in my opinion. Nothing to do but figure out how to have fun with your loved ones. Lucky for me, Chris has a wonderful family.

So to Merkel, TX we went.

Here are the loves of my life outside the Heritage Hall where we have Thanksgiving.

From left to right: Hank, Grant, Paige, and Maya.

Stinkers. All of them.

Just kidding.

Not really. They really are stinkers.

Okay, these two aren't stinkers.  Meet my husband and my nephew.  My husband will never be a stinker but my nephew might.

My husband can do anything.  He can work all day, then come home to help me make dinner and bathe dirty little people and feed the dirty little people and wash the dirty little people's laundry...all with a smile on his face.  Oh how I love this man.  

He can also juggle Clementine oranges quite well.

And my nephew...this little boy has stolen my heart the way my own stinkers did.  I love him so much already.


And here's my oldest girl.

A few things come to mind when I look at this picture.

1)  She is made in God's image.  (God must be beautiful.)
2)  She whispers in my ear that Grandpa is her boyfriend.  (Let's keep it that way.)
3)  She can NOT put her shoes on the right feet.  (EVER.)

Maya, your mommy has done you a hair injustice to publish this photo with your hair lookin' all crazy and what not.  Good grief.