New Dresses

Thank you MNS for the dresses!  They're sweet!  The package came just as L was waking up from a nap.  We opened it and tried them on right away!  

They convinced me that I had to try on my party dress too.  The one that Curl Grandma helped purchase.  We all took them off, put on our "everyday" clothes and are waiting to show them off to Daddy tonight.  :) 

Haircut Day

L just turned 3 a couple months ago, and for some reason grew very particular about her hair.  She would not let me put anything in it anymore.  So, I decided to ask if she would like it cut, even though I thought it was so pretty!  It took me a month talking about it with her and trying several new tactics to see if she would let me put things in her hair...and then it was haircut day.  Kevin needed one badly too (sorry no pics), and so he went first then the girls. 

"Cut it all." and "All of it,"  were the words from L while cutting.  I did, I am.  See!

There she is with her ponytail.  Long enough to donate, although it's still sitting in my room waiting for me to get to the post office.  

Here's Kj.  I had to talk her out of a short cut like L's.  I reminded her that she wouldn't be able to use all her new pretty rubberbands from her birthday if we cut it all off.  Also, that ponytails are so nice in the summer and for kindergarten!  Whew, it worked!

Here's the pretty girl showing off her trim.   She's in a silly - exaggerating posing stage.  :)

The end product (minus the donateable portion).  Below, the girls trying to get their pose together for the sister picture.  Kj tries to tell L what to do with her arms, and L knows what she wants, and it's not that...whatever that is!

Even the bed head is beautiful!

A Beautiful Girl

I met a girl the other day.  She was 18 years old.  She had the most beautiful smile, her eyes sparkled, and she was filled with joy.  She had spent 7 years in and out of foster care, and was adopted by a woman who loved her.  Her past was filled with yuck.  In the midst of that yuck, she attended a camp, and at that camp for abused and neglected children, they taught her that she is a daughter of the King of Kings.  They loved on her.  Known only at the time by God, she met her adoptive mother there.  That woman loved the girl at first sight.  The woman was her foster mom for a while and then moved a couple times, then was contacted that the girl was needing to be adopted.  This mother worked fast taking a 3rd foster care class (because of moving to different states), and was able to adopt her.  Her and her family pour the unconditional love of God and His truth in to this little girl who has, as I mentioned earlier, developed into a lovely, caring, compassionate young woman.  They celebrate her past, because it has made her the woman she is today.  Wow!!  What a testimony of the healing that only God can give. 

Birthdays!

We started a tradition this month.  My girls got to choose a cake flavor (L: Blueberry, Kj: Peppermint), and we made a cake together the morning of their birthday.  We used the The Cake Mix Doctor Cookbook.  Then we ate it gradually throughout the next week.  BUT since their birthdays are so close together we also had a birthday party for them and a couple others.  So, I made multiple cake mixes one day and made layers corresponding to their age.  B: 1, L: 3, Kj: 5, Bumpa: 62...ok, so I fudged a little on his, he got 1 layer with a big 62 on the top!  :)  Yumm...I'd skip the plain cake mixes next time though, as they are a bit drier than my doctored recipes which add yogurt or cream or pudding!! 

DIY Spray-in-Conditioner

For my L...and she wouldn't let me use it.

12 oz. spray bottle
1-2 T. conditioner
squirt of aloe vera
water to fill

~Shake and spray.  Works well on Kj!

Letting Go

This is what I was trained to do.  Love so much and be able to let them go.  God is good and his timing is perfect.

For the last two and a half weeks we have been waiting to let go.  We have been planning and packing, but didn't know the day or the hour.  Then it came suddenly.  "I'll be there in half an hour."  Wow, a whirlwind of activity pursued.  We had been prepared 2 weeks ago.  All the toys in a pile, all the clothes washed and extras packed.  And today...I searched everywhere to find those things again. 

Does this scenario sound familiar?  Well, two weeks ago when our letting go started, my Bible study was on being prepared.  Being ready for we don't know the day or the hour when Jesus will returned.  Yes, it is just a small reflection on what is in the Bible, but it made it seem real in my life. 

As, I passed through those weeks, my emotions flip-flopped and I felt callous for saying that I was ready.  I found out the truth -- I was not callous!  No matter how ready I said that I was, it was still tear-jerking letting him go.  The hardest part for me...he had no idea what he was getting into.  I buckled him into the social workers carseat and gave him some kisses...closed the door and waved.  The trust in his eyes.  Dear Lord, build that trust in him again in his new family.  Prepare the way!!  Bring him peace.  Goodbye dear one!  You have left my home but never my heart. 

Thank you to everyone for all of your support, prayers, babysitting, loving on him, caring for him, showing Jesus to him...

Cute Conversations

After Great-Grandma's birthday weekend:

Daddy:  What was your favorite part of this weekend?
Kj:  The birthday.
L (later):  Those doggies.
Daddy:  At first you weren't so sure about those dogs.
Kj:  At first I wasn't sure about that Tanner, but then...  (smirk)...  I got funnier with him.

The morning of L's birthday:

Daddy:  What do you want to do for your birthday?
L:  Anything.  (meaning:  nothing)
Daddy:  Do you want to go somewhere?
L:  I want everyone to stay home.  (meaning:  Kevin should stay home from work)
Daddy:  What about someplace fun like the zoo?
L:  Yeah!
Daddy:  Who would meet you at the zoo?
L:  Curl Grandma.
Daddy:  What about Nana?
L:  No!
Daddy:  Why?
L:  She no where the zoo is!
Daddy:  I think she does!

The day after getting family pictures done...at which L was shy and didn't want her picture taken:

L:  I want her to take pictures of me.