~~Special friend from Church~~

JM seems to have the entire congregation of our church wrapped around his little finger. He walks up to just about anyone sitting down and puts his arms up and the next thing you know he is sitting in their lap! This isn't to say that he has not bonded well. He knows who his family is and has bonded well to us...but he also knows he is safe at our church and anyone there is his friend!

This special man has really taken an interest in JM and I guess JM can feel his love.

~HELP FOR A BUSY MOM~

Last week a good friend from church asked if I would like her daughter to come over and help with the kids for a while! Rachel has a two week break from school and they thought I might be able to use a bit of help!

    Sounded like a plan to me. The kids love her. They had a great time playing dress up...and she was a great help!

    We might be able to get a day this week as well! Just what a busy mom needs...an extra set of hands!

KIDS HELPED ME TO SEE THE FUN IN THE SNOW

I must admit after I posted the photos of the snow yesterday...I was a bit tired of it all, but then SJ and EM decided to build a snowman or 2! They really helped me to enjoy the day! And I must admit that we really have not had that much snow this year! Just a lot of COLD! So enjoy the photos...we sure had fun making them!

~SEEING FUN IN ALL THINGS~(even more snow)

A shot from the front porch

AS WE SAY UP NORTH...

IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE WEATHER...STICK AROUND AND IT WILL CHANGE!!
Here is our backyard this morning. It wont last long...but it sure is a change since this weekend!

This is the same shot...where the grass was showing the other day!

The birds will need to wait!

The kids playset

JM with MR

This was during a baptism at church yesterday. The kids process with the priest around the font. MR carried JM around. It was really a special moment for us! Sorry the photo is blurred. A friend took it with a phone camera.

~~JM and the GLOBE~~

 

~~FIRST SIGNS OF SPRING~~

Dianthus greening up!
Finally some grass under that snow!
We will have iris this spring
Columbine making a strong comeback











It has been a long winter...not really that much snow, but too much cold weather! We have had many days below zero and not enough breaks to get out and enjoy any mild weather. I can not wait till it really is spring and JM and his sibblings can really get outside! I know it is early to think of SPRING! but these sure are some nice signs that it will come! Any snow we get from now on usually doens't last too long!

~JM after 3 months~

I was thinking this AM that it has only been about 3 months since JM had his lip repair! I think I was thinking about it as friends of his will be having their lips repaired soon! 2 beautiful little girls were adopted from the same orphanage the same day as JM. That was NOVEMBER 5, 2007! They have the same condition as JM...and will be having lips repaired soon! Grace tomorrow!! and Addison on the 24th! Just wanted to send our best wishes to their families! We can not wait to see the girls...NEW SMILES!!

Here are a few shots of JM along the way!

~SOMEONE WAS WATCHING OUT FOR US~

I knew this morning was going to be a bit of a challenge...but I only knew part of it. I made appointments to take the kids to the dentist this am. MR was off school, so when I made the appointments I thought great, get them all done at once. I had checked around for someone to watch JM, but it turned out I needed to take him with us. When I finally made the decision last night to go for it, the kids all promised, "We will be good and watch out for each other!" I had asked the office and they said "Oh no problem, we have 'color pages' to keep them busy and it should be fine. So we get there this am. MR hadn't slept well and all seemed a bit out of sorts. EM hit his already sore mouth as he was getting into the car and he cried the 3 miles to get there. I considered turning back at this point, but thought well we will try and if we only get one done at least one will be done! As we got in line to check in I realized the waiting room was under "constuction". They did have chairs but it was a bit of a mess. Thankfully they were on time and called for MR only minutes after we checked in. The hygenist asked MR if she was OK to go back by herself and she(to my surprise) said yes. So off she went. By this time JM was exploring every inch he could get to and just thinking maybe I can "run". So if you get the picture he was taking my every inch of attention. SJ sat down with her pad and started asking how to spell words. This is her new "thing". I remember MR doing this but it is fun to see the learning starting again. EM was still not happy, but did decide to check out one of the books he brought along. MR came out, "perfect checkup" was the report. EM are you ready to go asked the hygenist and once again "YES" was the answer. He did great as well. The Dentist came out at one point to ask about the pharyngeal flap surgery he had in January and when he would see the cleft palate team again. The plan is I will take him back in July for X-rays so we have current ones to take along to the cleft palate panel in July. Next it was SJ's turn. Now she had only been to the Dentist once before and she was a bit anxious. She asked if I could come back. The hygenist said sure so SJ and JM and I went back. She did great as well. All the kids had "no cavities" and were told to keep up the good work!
As we were making it down the stairs I suddenly realized I didn't have my keys. You know that sinking feeling of "did I lock them in the car, or lose them!" We stopped and I searched for them...no luck. So we headed to the car. I'm trying to figure out if SF is on break and could rescue us or what am I going to do with 4 kids...one who is really ready for a nap and no car! I get to the car to see the keys hanging in the ignition...and to my amazement the sliding door is open! OK was I lucky...we could have had NO CAR! or the door could have been locked, but at this point I am just thankful we are all home safe and I will make sure even when things are nuts that I check my pockets one more time for the keys! Guess an extra set of keys would be a good idea too! 4 kids does add a bit of stress to ones life, but boy am I BLESSED!

~JM's FIRST EXPERIENCE IN THE SNOW~

 

JM is finally healed up enough that he had his first real outing in the snow yesterday. He wasn't too sure about the experience. The other 3 all wanted to "help" him...but MR orchestrated! She had EM holding him on the small sled and then she pulled him around. He fell off one time and his mitten came off...he didn't think that snow felt good at all. He only lasted about 10 minutes...but seemed to have survived OK. I will have to take him out again and see if we can introduce him to some of the "joys" of living where it has been white since November. In fact when I think about it, JM has not seen his new home without a covering of white! Boy am I ready to have some green grass to play on! I think he will enjoy the spring and summer a great deal! Hopefully by next year he will be ready to enjoy the "snow"