Happy 20th TAYLOR!

How is it that the little baby that made us parents can possibly be 

2 decades old????  

Time truly passes so quickly!

Taylor's 20th birthday was during his time home for Christmas break and we were able to enjoy the time together.

Of course the day started with his choice for breakfast.  He chose chocolate chip waffles.

Hmm, can he blow out all those candles?  20 is a lot! :)

 Success!

My parents chose a perfect gift for a college student!

Laundry detergent and $50 in quarters!

And this is how the non-birthday boys entertain themselves with the birthday boys boxes!

Hope this is a great year Taylor!  Strive to honor God in all you do!

Celebrating our SAVIOR!!!

Yes, I know it is long past Christmas!

My kids are starting to ask how much longer until next Christmas!

And, I am just now getting around to posting about Christmas 2014.  Well, life just gets busy!  And we needed a bit of a breather after a busy December!

Here is a glimpse of what happened in our family during the month of December.

Actually, we are going to back up to Thanksgiving weekend 
when Taylor was home for a quick break!

Our house was full of laughter and excitement.  Andrew was happy to have his buddy home.  He even let him attempt to cut his hair for him!  :)

He spoiled the dog!  She is not allowed on the furniture, can't you just see her saying please mommy don't make me get down!  Umm, nope, get down!

We attempted to take pictures for our Christmas cards.

We put up our tree that weekend.  And as is tradition our kids each get a new ornament to add to the tree.  They have come to look forward to what I have chosen for them.  

Andrew had a milestone ornament this year of a diploma since he is a high school senior.

Abby loved her minion since she is all about minion's lately.

Then Taylor headed back to school and December carried on at a fast pace with a lot of activities.

We hosted the dessert portion of the progressive dinner for our church youth group.

It's always fun to see them looking so beautiful and handsome!

Carrie Anne, Abby and myself attended the Ladies Christmas Brunch at our church and had a great time.

Next Andrew and Carrie Anne attended a Christmas Ball.

We did manage to continue with our schooling and went on a couple of great field trips during the month of December also.

Then... Taylor had completed exams and his semester and was back at home!

H.O. was given a limo Christmas Light tour and we had a great time!  We decided it was a great family vehicle that was comfortable for the whole family! :)

It had been a busy month and now we had arrived at Christmas Eve!  It is almost like crossing the finish line, I love it when the preparation is complete and now we can just celebrate the Savior and enjoy our family!

Christmas Eve morning we headed to my parents and spent the day with my parents and sister and her family.  It was nice to relax with them.  Later that night we headed to our church for our candlelight Christmas Eve service.  This service has become a highlight of Christmas for me.  I love hearing all of the Christmas carols being sung by candlelight.  How amazing to look around the dark room and the illumination of each candle being held by each person.  We are a "light" in a dark and dying world!  That night our individual lights all together were a very bright light!

We then headed home and prepared for bed as the children excitedly tried to fall asleep! :)

Christmas morning had finally arrived!

The children draw names each year to buy a gift for a brother or a sister.  Taylor got Andrew this year and decided to make the gift very hard to get into, covering it with duct tape!

 This year we did something a bit different.  The children unwrapped the gifts under the tree and everyone seemed very happy with what they had received.  But.. no one had gotten the big item that they had wanted.  As everyone started looking over their gifts I said I had a couple of envelopes and one at a time they opened their envelope which lead them on a "scavenger hunt".  At the end of finding their clues they got to their gift.  The kids had so much fun.  Andrew has declared I need to do this every year!

Andrew finding his guitar in my bed!

On Abby's scavenger hunt she had to give daddy a hug to get her next clue.

We then had a relaxing afternoon as the children played with their toys.

Then we set out our finger foods.  In our family I prepare finger foods and we munch and play all Christmas evening, then we finish our day with a birthday cake for Jesus!

I hope you and your family also had a wonderful Christmas, focused on Christ!  Now that 2015 is well underway may we strive to honor Christ in all that we do in this year!  
Each day is a gift!

Abby Day!

Three years ago we met our sweet, scared, excited, overwhelmed Abby.  In her words, she was so excited to finally have a family of her own she wasn't about to say "No".  But I still can't imagine how scary it must be to walk away with people you have never met, who don't speak your language, look different and I'm sure smell different!  How brave these children are!!  I will never forget the ride from the Civil Affairs Office as I would look at her beside me and she would give me the biggest smile and quickly look out the window.  I knew everyone in the van and I felt completely overwhelmed thinking oh my I have a daughter I can not talk to, who I wanted to hug big but knew I would probably scare her more if I gave her a big ole bear hug. :)

Abby checking out her new father just moments after we met her in China, Dec. 2011

If I summarize the past three years in one word it would be progress!  Abby has made amazing progress in the past three years learning what it means to be part of a family.

Abby loving the hugs of having her own sweet sister, China, Dec. 2011

Abby learning to love the night time routine of prayers, hugs and kisses in China,
Dec. 2011

Abby loving her brother Taylor in China, Dec. 2011

  To give and receive love, oh how big that is.  When I hug her now she does not tense up AND even bigger... she initiates hugs, real hugs.  Where she randomly comes up and squeezes me tight.

She has also made huge progress in her physical abilities!  As we were at the zoo in October, I thought back to our time in China at the zoo and she wasn't able to walk much at all and had to be carried.  But in October she walked the entire zoo and enjoyed learning about the animals.

Abby at the zoo, October 2014

  Also, as we go to pick apples in the fall it is a great reminder each year to see how much stronger she is getting.  This year was the most impressive as she walked the whole orchard with little complaining :)!  There is a large hill that must be climbed to get to our favorite apples and this year she made it by herself!

We know God preserved her life until she could get to the states and give her the lifesaving surgery she needed.  She is a miracle! We have been told by multiple doctors she should not have survived past her second year of life,  BUT GOD has other plans for her.  It is absolutely amazing to see her grow stronger!  She loves Jesus and has a heart for missions, she wants everyone to know of the love of Jesus!  Yes, she still has some physical limitations but I am reminded of,

Phil. 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!"

As I meditate on this verse, I feel God isn't saying all things that we want to do, our "bucket list", but all things that He has planned for us.  We have NO limitations in Christ, we can do all He wants us to do in His strength not ours.  Sweet Abby, God has great plans for you!  So glad God chose you to be a part of our family!

We love you!

Sweet Boy!

My birthday was last week and my sweet boy Andrew came home from work with flowers and candy for me!

Let me just say my day had been, umm, rotten!  I had one little one that was trying me allll daayyyy looonnnnggg!  It was one of those days you just want to end so you can crawl in bed because God's mercies are new each day and I was ready for a fresh start!  And then Andrew came in the door and brightened my day.  He has such a kind, thoughtful heart, I know I'm a bit biased but he is going to make a great husband one day!!  They could of been weeds and I wouldn't of cared, it's the thought!  Then my sweet husband came home with candy and took us out to dinner(after he had a stern talk with a little one).  I love their thoughtful hearts, it brightened my day (and hopefully was a good example to that one of how to lovingly treat your mother!)  :)