Sleeping like a ...Baby.

She fell asleep on my lap.  I looked down and saw this perfect little face.  I thought..."Grandmas need to see this. " :)  So, here are a few quick photos of a sleeping beauty. (By the way, I am wearing my Minnie Mouse pajama pants.  Aaliyah was with Aaron, when she saw them and convinced him that they were what I needed for Christmas.)   

CHRISTMAS EVE!

Christmas Eve is here!  Aaliyah had a lot of fun opening a gift this afternoon, then we had a delicious meal with family.  It has been a wonderful day.  The BEST thing about today was hearing about a family who received  a travel date to China to be united with their child.  What a AWESOME Christmas gift.  Glory to God in the HIGHEST!! 

Aaliyah the Elf.

A Christmas Ballerina

"Gaberish"

This is a little sample of a little known language called "Gaberish."  (Though it is very popular with the 12month and under crowd.)  

Bright Eyes!

PRAYER....

I am asking for Prayer for the families in our lives waiting for their children to come home. Holidays, though a huge source of Joy and thanksgiving can be BRUTAL for our friends whose children are not yet HOME.  Thank YOU!  

MERRY CHRISTMAS!  

FIRST GIFT....

 I wish I would have taken a camera to the store to shop for this special gift.  We spent about 20 minutes looking for the PERFECT ornament.  :)  Aaliyah is POSITIVE that she found it.  The lucky recipient is her cousin Lauren.  I won't show a photo of the ornament...so Lauren can be surprised.  I think that we touched EVERY decoration in the store.  It was worth it- Aaliyah is very happy with her purchase.

We went one step farther and let her wrap it herself.  (Sorry Stacie- she used half a roll of tape.)  She choose Elmo wrapping paper...as if there were any other acceptable choice?  This IS for Lauren!!!  Only the BEST!!

Sealed with a kiss...All wrapped up and ready to go!  

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Getting ready for Christmas...

"We Wish You A Merry Christmas!" 

"Horses, horses, horses..."

Aaron e-mailed me a week ago from work asking if I could be at camp with the girls that afternoon.  He had volunteered me to join a group that was exercising horses.  WHAT FUN!  I was really happy for the chance to ride- and Aaron went home from work a little early with Aaliyah and Gabrielle. :)  

A Few Of My Favorite Things...

Girls in Christmas Dresses

A Little Libriarian

Sleeping Beauty

"Mini Up-date"

Only 15 days till CHRISTMAS!  This month is racing by!  I feel like Thanksgiving was just last weekend, and there should be a whole month between me....and the 25th.   

Hanging out...

We are so thankful for our girls. 

Geo-Cacheing!

We went out Geo-Cacheing this afternoon...

The five of us were out searching for a little over fifteen minutes, it was getting a little chilly.  It was time to "call it a day" and head back to the car without finding our cache.  :(

THEN!  Joel started kicking a snow covered log....we were discussing which way to the car, "uh guys...I think I just found it!"  HURRAY for JOEL!  Geo-Cacheing hero of the day! 

JOEL!

We had a great time with my cousin Joel!  He drove out from Grace- we loved having him.  He left this afternoon, we miss him already.  Before he left he made a short video for Aaliyah- she LOVES IT!!

The Night Before Thanksgiving...

Hello All-

I am sitting up with Gabrielle, she is just about ready to doze off... I have been doing a little thinking.  "What am I MOST Thankful for this year?"  I have SO much to be thankful for, so much to PRAISE GOD for, so much to remember, so much to learn from...SO MUCH.  I was thinking this and focused in on the word and attribute of my GOD- omniscience.  What a comfort and relief that HE IS OMNISCIENT!

I am thankful that "I didn't know then what I know now"- or I never would have had the courage to get out of bed!   The last 12 months have been amazing- heart breaking-long-FULL-breathtaking-stressful-BEAUTIFUL-dangerous-abundant....

This brings me to my main thought- we have friends and family waiting to bring their children home...from other countries, from foster care, from the hospital.   I am thankful, SO SO THANKFUL....and I am praying for the formation, completion and healing of the families  around me.   

"The Purse..."

This is a photo purse that "Me-Me" made for Aaliyah.  She is thrilled with it and reminds us all that it is HERS!  She carries it around and names all the family and friends pictured in the pages.  WHAT A FUN IDEA!!  Thanks Grandma!

Our Morning...sdrawkcaB.

Today is "Hair Day."  Aaliyah has another cold-poor thing woke up a dozen times last night trying to catch her breath, congested and scared.  But today was HAIR DAY! So here are some photos from the morning...well, LOTS of photos of our morning.  (Please ignore the snot.)  (And the fact that I loaded the photos Backwards...so you see the finished product before the towel head photo.)