Tough Choices

A dream come true...only if mom lets you get something...which ours does not!

Sam is having a ball in DC. I hear he has seen the White House, the National Cathedral (which he informed me that our church and Grandma's church would fit inside), all the war monuments, Arlington, and more. Of course his favorite by far is the hotel swimming pool!

Tractor Addict

Eli's Spring

Here are some of Eli's favorites this spring:

• Eli LOVES tractors, gators, lawn mowers, or anything with wheels above all else. If we are somewhere and a vehicle can be seen, he wants to be sitting on it the whole time. When a tractor or big truck goes by the house, he runs to the window and wants me to come look too.
• He is a water baby with radar for the chicken water and dog water. We've had him to our farm beach twice to play in the sand, and both times he managed to get all wet...and have a great time doing it. He's my only child that seems to love water in his face, and the more the better.
• He likes the dog, but calls her "No Daisy".
• He does not like to be barefoot outside, but I'm working on it. I just don't give him a choice sometimes...that's life in our family. He walks on the grass now, but not rocks.
• He is all about cuddling!

That last one is a miracle! Eli has been home 13 months now, and VERY few times has he ever laid his head on our shoulder. Josh and I have both noticed a change in him in the last few weeks. Its as if he has finally accepted us. He seems more settled, joyful, and definitely more touchy-feely. I never would have guessed it would take a baby over a year to truly bond with us, but it has. Eli doesn't take change well, and that has been evident in the little daily things, but on a bigger scale we see that it has taken him this long to truly give his heart to us. We are falling in love with him all over again too.

International adoption has taken some tough hits recently in the media, but we want to say that it WORKS! The truth is there are kids who need families, and families who need these kids, regardless of racial or government lines. God has called his people to take care of these kids, and we are so glad he gave Eli to us.

Imagine Eli in Ethiopia, in an orphanage or on the street, which is exactly where he would be...

• never having ridden in a vehicle, which he enjoys so much
• no clean water to bathe or even drink, much less play
• feet calloused and cracked from never owning a pair of shoes
• no one to cuddle

Imagine our family without Eli...I can't! Thankfully that was never God's plan for him or us. But there are so many other children longing for a family.

Adoption is hard, especially when the child holds back from you after all the waiting, but parenting is hard. We do it because we love our children, regardless of how they came to our family. Please remember that adoption is good, our family is proof!

(Sorry for lack of pictures, I am experiencing technical difficulties:)

Bone Collector

This spring Sam has taken to collecting bones he finds. Most come from an area on the farm that used to be a compost pile years ago (sorry to gross anyone out). He's also found some in the woods, and Uncle David has given him some too. Sam tries to figure out what animal they are from and piece them together.

Recently Sam went with his Nana to the cemetery to place new flowers on her father's grave. As she was explaining what they were doing a light went off in Sam's head, dim as it was.

Is he buried right here. Yes.
You mean his bones are under here? Yes.
With eager anticipation...
Can we did them up and take them home to my bone collection?

Thank goodness he was with Nana, who isn't appalled by such little boy thoughts. Now we can teach proper cemetery etiquette before stepping near one again.

Sam has been gone a few days now, and it sure is quiet around here. Cora and Eli are getting spoiled with lots of attention. Daisy is looting the bone collection.

Pigs in a blanket

We recently had a lazy morning, when all the kids ended up in our bed. This picture reminds me of the song:

There were 5 in the bed

and the little one said,

"Roll over, roll over."

So they all rolled over

and one fell out!

I guess Josh is the one that fell out, then took a picture.

We are really enjoying this spring, so much so that there's no time to blog. In an effort to please Nana and Papaw, I will try to do better.

Sam is going on a vacation with Nana and Papaw to Virginia/DC. He will be gone for 12 days!!! We never took a "spring break" so I guess this is it. They promise me it will be educational, although I don't really care. He gets to have fun with his grandparents, and I think at age 5 that is more important.

I am really looking forward to the break from school myself. There are many jobs I need to do around the house that I put off because phonics and math are more important. Is that a good excuse for a messy house?