Christmas 2009

Christmas 2009 is in the books. What a wonderful season it's been. We had a great Christmas. Although, for the first time ever, Tulsa had a blizzard warning on Christmas Eve. We had lots of snow and lots of blowing snow. Lots of sleet, rain and ice. Christmas Eve was pretty miserable outside, but inside we were snug as a bug. We had lots of fun making cookie for Santa and getting ready for Santa's visit. Our church services, like most of Tulsa churches, were canceled. This was really strange for us. We LOVE our Christmas Eve candlelight service. The boys went to bed around 8:30pm. Ian was a little concerned that Santa might take our plate that the cookies were on, but I reassured him that Santa would leave the plate and just eat the cookies.

Ian woke up at 5am, but I convinced him that he needed to stay in bed a little while longer. So, at 6:15am he had all he could handle. He was ready to get up and nothing was stopping him. We woke Drew up (which is not a fun thing to do) and headed to the living room to see if Santa had stopped by. Then the madness ensued. Drew had a great time this year and Ian always enjoys Christmas. Ian had asked Santa for a guitar and he was thrilled to see that Santa had listened. He also got a big boy bike....and he was SO excited. Of course, with 8 inches of snow outside, he had to ride it in the kitchen (for now). After all of the presents were opened...they played and played with their new stuff. Ian serenaded us several times with his guitar. Drew even got in on the action.

After lunch and a nap, we headed outside to play in the snow. Ian is fearless and just jumped right in. Drew is not so brave. He played for a few minutes and then said "I keared" (I'm scared). So I took him back inside. Ian played outside with Charlie for a while longer.

We are so blessed. We had a great Christmas. After all of the festivities and presents and mayhem....we still remember the real reason for Christmas. "For unto us a child is born"....that child would be our Saviour and King. I pray that your holiday season was filled with lots of fun, family, friends and love. Enjoy the pictures of the Conner Christmas!

Merry Cricket

It's hard to believe that it's almost Christmas. Where has the year gone? We've been busy throughout the season, but not so much that we haven't had time to enjoy it. Thankfully, we've all been well.

Ian continues to just be a rowdy, inquisitive 4 year old. He still asks tons of questions and talks ALL the time. He's having lots of fun at school, especially with his friends Sazel (just like Hazel, but with a S) and Ian H. We hear about them everyday. Yesterday he kept saying a new word..."ridicnified"....a combination of ridiculous and dignified. When I asked Ian what the word means he said "it's something important Mommy". Who knows. He's looking forward to Christmas this year. He hasn't asked for much, only little toy bicycle that he saw in a Target flyer about 2 months ago. The new favorite movie in our house is The Polar Express. Both boys love it, but Ian especially does. He has had 2 Christmas programs...one at Church and one at School. He didn't sing during the "Quids Choir" (aka Kids Choir) performance at church. He sat down and played with his motorcycle. Note to self...no toys in church. For his school performance, he did very well. He sang and did most of the hand motions. We visited Rhema to see the Christmas lights on Friday night and took the opportunity to visit Santa while we were there. Ian of course had to ask him where his sleigh was.

Drew is growing up way too fast. With the second child, I find myself wanting him to stay a baby just a little while longer. He's talking more and more (when he gets a chance). His favorite questions are "what color" and "why". He'll ask "what color" and then tell us himself. He has been so much fun this Christmas season. He LOVES the "Cricket Tree" (Christmas tree) and the "Cricket" lights. When he sees the lights he'll yell "I see nother one". The first time he did this, the boys and I were in the car coming home from parents night out at church. Every time we passed Christmas lights, that's what I heard. It was so much fun. When we went to Rhema this past Friday evening, his little mouth was open and he looked around and of course said "I see nother one". He wasn't so sure about Santa, but he didn't cry this year. He had fun at Ian's Christmas program at school. Of course while the principal was praying to open the program, I guess Drew thought the prayer was a little too long....about mid way through....with quiet all around us...Drew said "Amen". Christmas morning is going to be so much fun for him this year.

Charlie and I are doing well. We both have jobs and in this economy, that's something to be thankful for. I'm off work all week this week and I'm so looking forward to it. I'm hoping to do a little baking and get all of the presents wrapped before Thursday. Charlie has to work Christmas Eve (overnight shift). I'm praying I can keep Ian in bed until Charlie get home at 8am.

We are so blessed to have our two boys....they bring so much joy to our lives. Watching them begin to understand the real Christmas story is so touching. Merry Christmas everyone.

November 15th....Hmmm....

Is it too early to put the Christmas tree up? Again...I'm so very excited about the holiday season. Ian is getting excited too. He asked me yesterday if we were going to be able to put the Christmas tree in the living room since there's so much stuff in the floor? Hmmmmm....good question. So my response was....well, if you don't put your toys away we might not get to put the tree up. As of this moment...toys are still all over the floor. :(

This morning, we were blessed to have Tony Campolo speak at our church. What an amazing speaker...preacher. He was inspiring and challenging. If you ever get the chance to see him in person, do it...you will be touched, blessed, and motivated. I've been thinking about this for a while, but now I'm serious....I'm going to go on my first mission trip in 2010. I'm not sure where yet. Wherever God wants me to go. We have several opportunities coming up. I need to be in prayer about this and I need for you, my friends, to join me. I need to GO. I need to follow what God is telling my heart and GO!

The second part of this post doesn't seem to match the first part....but that's my world. Things don't always match up.

Pajamas....No Pajamas

When we put Drew to bed at night, he's snug as a bug. It's typical fall weather here...a little chilly at night and in the mornings. Drew's a bit cold natured (who knew), so when I know it's going to be chilly, I make sure he has footy pajamas on. He loves his pajamas. At least I think he does.

To our surprise, he's taking his pj's off at night. Sometime in the middle of the night, off they come. They're still in the crib with him...just not ON him. This morning his little feet were so cold. I said "Drew, where are your pajamas?"...and with that sweet, dimply smile he said "jamas nigh nigh mommy". I supposed that means they're in his crib.

This evening he was running around the house in just his pull up. I looked around and he's running towards me naked as can be. He hands me his pull up and says "Pee, pee pull up mommy". This boy is ready to potty training.

Gotta love my naked little boy. Wonder if the pajamas will be on or off tomorrow morning? Hmmmmmm.

What's Happening?

It's been too long since I've updated the blog. Bad mommy, bad mommy.

We're all doing great. Typical fall allergy stuff going around our house, but for the most part pretty healthy.

Let's start with Drew. He's growing and changing so much. He has the sweetest little personality. Whenever I give him something...no matter what it is...he sweetly says "tank you mommy". I got umbrellas for the boys a couple of weeks ago. You would have thought I gave Drew the moon. No less that 15 times in an hour he said "tank you mommy". He also has quite the little temper. He can get SO angry when we don't understand what he wants or, heaven forbid don't give him what he wants. He's still our little drama boy. Sometimes when he's in the midst of one of his little fits, he'll open one little eye to see if we're watching him. Such a little stinker. He loves going to "school". He goes 3 days a week and when it's time for him to go on Wednesdays he gets so excited to see "Hawly" (Holly). He's a good sleeper for the most part. He does much better when Charlie's home. Daddy's a no non-sense kinda guy. Mommy's a little softer and he knows it. If he says "nigh, nigh"...then he'll go right to sleep. If not, then I have a problem usually. Not many nights though. He loves his crib and his"bankie". The past few nights when I've said "Drew, it's time for bed, " he'll say "I drink milk". He sits down and drinks his milk. He's talking more and more. We can understand most of it. Such a sweet little boy.

What's up with Ian? Oh my...he's growing up way too fast. Still as talkative as ever. He very clearly tells me that he's 4 1/2 now and that he'll soon be 5. He loves school. He's the only boy in his class. There is another K4 class that has 3 boys and the classes combine for the "special" classes (computer, Spanish, Music, Art and PE)...and of course recess. He still misses "Tezzie" his little friend from Day Schools. His writing is improving. He gets frustrated when he can't write something "perfectly". He wants to just stop. So, we're working on that. He's a smart little boy. He's still one of the most thoughtful little boys I've ever met. Last Sunday, I was home with a bug. Charlie and the boys went to church. When they got home, I was in bed and Ian came in and found me immediately. He hugged me and asked how I was feeling. Then he said "mommy, I told daddy we need to pray for you." Talk about a big lump in my throat. Later that day, it was nap time. Ian and I were lying in the bed and he said "mommy, can I pray for you?"...so of course I said "yes". He went on to say "Dear God, thank for all of our stuff and God please make my mommy feel better, Jesus name...Amen". From his mouth directly to the ears of God. I couldn't hold back the tears. So, so sweet. Now...that sweetness can turn foul in an instant. He has a very strong personality. He's a typical pre-schooler. He knows everything and wants everything instantly. He gets frustrated and his "sweet" little mouth gets him in trouble from time to time. I think that's probably the hardest thing for us to deal with for us....his mouth. He's very interested in the "Ian Story" and we talk about it almost daily. He doesn't really want to talk about how he got to the orphanage yet, but he loves hearing about how we came to get him. He can pretty much tell the story himself. He's still fascinated with anything with anything that has wheels...cars, trains, planes, bikes, etc. He makes us laugh daily and we truly are blessed with this little boy.

God has blessed us with these two sweet, wild, expressive little boys and we are so thankful. Even during the trying times, we cannot imagine our lives without these little miracles.

Update Coming...BUT....Counting Down The Hours

I promise...a long over due update is coming. Hopefully this weekend.

BUT....we're counting down the hours until the Gilmartin's are FINALLY a family of four. October 15th is Gotcha Day for Maggie. It's been FOUR years in the making. I'm stalking their blog as much as I possibly can waiting for those first pictures of their sweet family.

My Kids Are Saying....

Drew...
Hammummer (aka Hamburger)


Ian....
"Mommy, mommy...I have a VERY important question for you. What holds our toes on to our feet?"

Right now...they're screaming in the bathtub. One screams and the other one laughs. They are having fun. Just said to his Daddy..."no...no...we need to take that out...we're in the wash down"...someone has been watching too much Thomas.

Sweet talkative little boys.

A Composer Perhaps?

Ian has always loved singing. It could be because Charlie and I sing all the time or have music on all the time...but none the less....the boy loves music and singing. Lately, as do most toddlers, he's been making up his own songs.

Here are just a few of the new "hits"....
Spiderman Goes to Church (lyrics: Spiderman, Spiderman goes to church and prays and sings and then goes out to eat pancakes).
Transformers Go to Church With Spiderman (not sure of the lyrics on this one...he sang this one to a little girl who was crying in the Toddler room at Church on Sunday morning)
Spiderman Goes to the Tire Shop
Transformers Get Their Oil Changed
Micky Mouse Goes to the Tire Shop Like Spiderman and Gets His Tires Changed

I was on the phone tonight with my Aunt and I told her about Ian's new songs. I got one of the titles mixed up and he quickly corrected me by saying "Mommy, that's not right...it's Micky Mouse Goes to the Tire Shop LIKE Spiderman and Gets His Tires Changed". It was all I could do not to bust out laughing. My Aunt Mae could hear him and she laughed and laughed.

Watch for the CD out in stores in time for Christmas. :)

ism's

Lately, there have not been many Ianism's....mostly because he's getting older and his little vocabulary has exploded. He still talks non stop...I mean NON STOP. He asks a thousand questions and is not afraid to tell us what he thinks. His little sassy attitude gets him in trouble quite often though. We have to work on that daily. Charlie and I are going to go through a study at our church beginning next Sunday night called "Have A New Kid By Friday." We'll see how it goes.

Here are some of Drew's latest "Drewism's":

awe ober - all over
boon - balloon
a wer - color
soos oft - shoes off
cocks oft - socks off
mook - milk
mote - remote
nack - snack
nigh nigh dite dite - night, night diaper

This list gets bigger as the days go on. His little vocab is expanding. He doesn't talk quite as much as Ian, but he doesn't get a chance. :)

The latest Ianism......

fly shooter - fly swatter

Love my talkative little men.

Counting and Other Drew Stuff

Drew has been "counting" for a while now. Usually he points to things and says "2...5...6". Well tonight, Mr. Smarty was sitting on my lap and pointed to the tires on a little car and said "1...2...3"....and then he repeated it "1....2....3". So cute.

This child is going to be my child that ends up in the emergency room with broken bones or gashes or something else. He has no fear. He jumps, climbs, rolls, flips...you name it...he tries it. His gross motor skills amaze me. He thinks he can do everything that Ian does...and more. If he can't reach something, he goes in the kitchen, gets his little chair from his little table and carries it with him so he can climb up and get whatever it is he wants (usually things he is not supposed to have). My hiding places are getting higher and higher. Poor little guy...I swear I still think he thinks his name is "Drew....No." Hopefully we'll get through this climbing / dare devil stage without any major injuries.

My Big Little Boy

Today was Drew's 2 year check up with the doctor. He's doing GREAT. He is in the 30th percentile for weight (26 pounds 1 1/2 ounces) and in the 35th percentile for height (33 3/4 inches). He's a big boy. Developmentally he's ahead of the scale. He's a keeper :)

Good...no...Great News

Our friends, the Gilmartins, got some GREAT news today. Check out their family blog here or click on their name in the side bar column. Stephanie, Paul and their sweet daughter Molly were the catalysts for us starting our adoption journey. They have waited FOUR YEARS for this day. We are beyond excited for them.

Best Friends

This evening we were watching the movie "Cars" for the one millionth time I think. Ian loves that movie and now Drew does too. Ian goes in spurts where he'll recite some of the dialogue. Lately it's been Mater lines. The other evening I said "Ian, what did I say about such and such?"...he quickly replied "ta not to". I almost laughed out loud, but I refrained.

Tonight as we were watching the part where Mater tells Lightin McQueen..."I knew I'd made a good choice"...Lightin says "in what?"...Mater responds "my best friend". I asked Ian if he knew who may best friend is and he said no. So I told him it was his Daddy. Without missing a beat he says "Mommy...do you know who my best friend is? It's Drew...and Jesus....yep Jesus...cause I love all the little children". Oh my...tears, tears, tears. So sweet. Moments like these just make me want to stand up and praise God for the absolutely amazing gift he gave us in Ian.

A little later this evening I was getting the boys pajama's while they were in the bathtub. Ian says "hey mommy....Matthew 19:14...."and Jesus said 'Let the little children come to me'....that' my Bible verse Mommy". Tears again. It's been a very weepy evening for me...I'm crying now as I type this. :)

My prayer is that Jesus is always his best friend!

Just Because....

I like this picture ;)

The Boys

Drew decided I wasn't meeting his demand to brush his teeth fast enough. So he climbed into the sink all by himself and proceeded to try to brush his teeth.

Gotta love that smile and that sweet dimple. This was taken at Brad's a couple of weeks ago. Both boys LOVE the water. Drew wasn't so sure about the big pool at first...now we can't keep up with him.

Drew's first day of the 2 year old program at Southpark Christian School. He was ever so confident as he was leaving the house, but Charlie said he cried when he dropped him off. That was day one...since then...he runs to his classroom. He loves it.

Ian's first day of the K4 program at Southpark Christian School. He looks way to grown up in this picture for his mommy. He loves his class...day one. I think he'll really enjoy it. His teacher is great and has lots of fun and exciting things planned for them this year. Can't wait to see how he grows and matures throughout the year. Wait...what am I talking about? That will just mean he's growing up. Yikes!

Nuggets and Stuff

Not chicken nuggets....just nuggets.

Ian is always coming up with stuff that I don't want to forget, so I put it on the blog.

Tonight at the dinner table he said "it's starting to get dark. Hey Mommy....where Jesus is, does he have a light switch to turn off to make it dark?"

Last night we were in the living room watching Yo Gabba Gabba...a favorite for both boys. One of the scenes talked about happy thoughts and things that make you happy. I asked Ian what made him happy? He said "ummmm, Christmas makes me happy. Sitting on Daddy's lap makes me happy, hugging my baby brother makes me happy and loving on my Daddy makes me happy." So sweet...but where' mommy?

Drew started a Mother's Day Out program at Southpark Christian School this week. I'm so excited. He will go 3 days a week. That'll give Charlie a chance to sleep since he works until 4am . The first day, Drew cried when Charlie left him...but today...he RAN to his classroom. He's doing really well. When I asked him this morning if he was ready to go to school he shook his little head and said "aaaayyyyaaaahhhh" (that yes in Drew speak). The he hopped off my lap and said "mon...go cool" (come on....go school). So cute.

Ian starts in the K4 class at Southpark next Wednesday. Can't believe it. He's really looking forward to it. He has his new Bumblebee backpack and he's ready to go. He doesn't watch Transformers yet...but he loves the toys.

Tonight when I got home from work, Drew was screaming. I mean SCREAMING. He was so mad. He wanted a "nana" (banana). Longish story shortish....he first banana was eaten by the dog...that made him mad, then Charlie told him he needed to wait until after dinner and that made it worse. He threw a screaming FIT....unlike anything I've seen him do before, for about 20 minutes. T-E-M-P-E-R. Finally it was time for dinner and that settled him down. After that...it was a great evening, but boy was he mad.

All of my boys are sleeping and I love these moments. I just feel so happy and secure knowing that Charlie, Ian and Drew are sleeping in their beds. I'm a lucky momma.

Drew - One Year Later

We had a full day yesterday. Played in the park yesterday morning followed by a picnic lunch at the Jones Airport watching airplanes take off and land. The boys had so much fun (and so did we). Here are just a few of the pics from our day. Look at those eye lashes. I have two beautiful boys that have the most gorgeous eyes.

For the 4,999th time today....what's that? His favorite question right now.

Happy Gotcha Day Drew

One year ago today we became Drew's parents FOREVER. What a glorious day. That day was long and full of lots of raw emotions. The only home he had ever known and the only people he had ever known were suddenly replaced by these crazy people who just wanted to kiss and hold him. I will always wonder what went through his little mind.

The day started with us going to the orphanage to pick up Drew and Layne Nhi (the Perkins' little girl). When we arrived, Layne Nhi came right out with her nanny to meet her mommy and daddy. Charlie and I climbed the staircase to get Drew. Once we were upstairs, we found Drew and his nanny, Thao, in the room beside the little kids bedroom. It was like a storage room for the extra cribs, supplies and such. She was holding him and talking to him and crying....sobbing. Her little heart was breaking. We stepped out onto the balcony for a few minutes to give her a little bit of time alone with him to say good bye. One of the older nannies came in and talked to her. She turned around, kissed Drew one more time and gave him to me. I tried my best to say thank you in Vietnamese. She ran from the room crying. We walked into the bedroom so I could take a picture of his crib. She came in, put him in the crib so I could take the picture. She loved on him a little more and then left the room. It was such a sweet moment. You could tell that she truly loved this child.

This is Thao with Drew shortly after we arrived at the orphanage. As you can see her little eyes are red and puffy.

After we said our good byes upstairs, we headed downstairs to meet with the Director of the orphanage. We had a brief meeting with him, the assistant director and the social worker. Then it was time to head to the actual Giving and Receiving Ceremony. As we packed up the van to leave, Thao ran downstairs with a bottle for Drew.

This picture tears at my heart. You can't see it very well in the picture, but Thao is on the other side of the window and Drew has his little hand pressed against the window. Such a tender moment.

It didn't take long to go to the Justice Center. We arrived, walked upstairs and sat down. Drew fell asleep and slept through the entire ceremony. The officials came in, reviewed the paperwork and we signed some more papers. They they asked Charlie and Andy to make a statement.

The ceremony wasn't boring....just tiresome to a 1 year old. I loved holding my sleeping baby.

Phoung (Dillon Staff) with the orphanage director and the Justice official.

After the ceremony we headed downstairs. During our ceremony, a group of about 12 students came in. They were studying to be social workers. They were there to observe the ceremony.

Our travel buddies, Jill, Andy and Layne Nhi Perkins along with the social work students immediately following our Giving and Receiving Ceremony.

After the photos, it was time to get back in the van and go back to the hotel to check out. We still had a long drive back to Ho Chi Minh ahead of us. But, honestly...that didn't really matter. We finally had Drew. The long was to get him was over.

After we checked out of the hotel, we drove the 7 hours back to Ho Chi Minh. That's a long drive. Layne Nhi did great and so did Drew. He slept quite a bit, played some and was really a trouper. He was so tired by the time we hit a traffic jam just outside of Ho Chi Minh. He cried and cried and cried. Threw up...cried some more.....threw up some more....cried. Finally, he fell back to sleep. When we arrived back at the Rex, we got into our room and I tried desperately not to wake him. I even changed his diaper and clothes while he was lying on his tummy. That was a first for me.

The day finally came. We waited 10 LONG months from the time of our referral to travel. Not as long as Julie and Scarlett waited though. But still a ridiculously long time. We couldn't believe that it had finally happened and that we were almost completely finished. Just a little more paperwork and we would be done. We LOVED Vietnam. Let me say that again. WE LOVED VIETNAM. It's a beautiful country with beautiful people. I'm trying to put a slide show together of our time in Vietnam...hopefully I can get that done soon.

On July 31, 2008....God completed our family when a little boy from a small town in Vietnam became ours forever.

This Day...One Year Ago....

Our first "up close, in person look at Drew."...one year ago today. My heart melted and still melts when he looks at me with those sweet eyes and pouty lips. One year ago, my heart skipped a beat and today my heart is full. God is so good!!!!!!
Here is our Drew in his 2 year old pictures. Almost exactly a year from the day we met him in his orphanage in Vietnam. His little life has changed so much in a year....and so has ours. God has blessed us more than we could ever deserve.

The next couple of days will be filled with emotion for me. Thinking of the day we met Drew to the day he was placed in our arms forever to the day we arrived home....such a joyous time in our lives. So much to say, but it's 2am and our sweet Drew is now finally asleep. He's had a rough night. Not sure why, but he's sleeping soundly for now. It's time for Mommy to go back to bed. More posts, pictures, thoughts and memories to follow.

Sweet and Sour

I think naps for Ian are about to become a thing of the past. Especially on the weekend. I don't know if it's because I'm home and he just doesn't want to nap or if he's getting ready to give up his naps. Today...for the second Saturday in a row...he "wasn't tired"..."wasn't sleepy"...etc. He was a mess all afternoon...quite cranky this evening.

Amidst all of the crankiness comes some sweetness.

Ian and I were snuggling on the couch and he said "hey mommy, can I have a girlfriend"? Hmmmmm...where did that come from? I said "well, someday you can Ian.".....He went on to say "mommy, I want you to be my girlfriend, ok?" So sweet. This boy has stolen my heart a million times in the 3 short years we've been a family.

A Job For Ian

I love talking to Ian. I mean seriously, I love talking to Ian. His little imagination is just flourishing and some of the stories he comes up with are pretty large and funny.

His latest is about his "job". On Wednesday evening, we had a lengthy conversation about his "job". He told me he works at the tire shop. I asked him what the name of the business was and he looked at me with that "duh" kind of look and said "mommy...I told you...Tire Shop." He went on to tell me about fixing tires for monster trucks and how he has a drain in the floor and how the car is up but the tires are down. I asked him if he made a lot of money at his job and he said "yes." So, I proceeded to ask him how much money he made? He said "six dollars". I then ask him how long he worked each day. "Three minutes". Ok..so six dollars for 3 minutes...not too bad I guess. He just gets so serious and talks like such a big boy when he's telling me his stories. He told his daddy the same story on Thursday evening.

Who knows what the next story will be. Stay tuned!

One Year Ago

We received the coveted email from the US Consulate in Vietnam saying we had pre-approval to complete Drew's adoption. It was the most joyous email ever. We had been waiting TEN LONG months to travel. The agony fades once you have your child in your arms...but you never forget. Just like we'll never forget the 11:15pm phone call from Jynger saying CHECK YOUR EMAIL. She said she had never called a family that late before, but she knew we'd want to know. We wouldn't have cared if it had been 3am. Did we sleep that night? Heck no...too excited to sleep. In a little over two weeks we'll celebrate our first Gotcha Day with Drew. What a year it's been.

Andy, Jill and Layne Nhi....we're so glad you were on this journey with us in Vietnam. Hard to believe it's been a year. We love you guys!!!

Drew's 2nd Birthday Weekend

Happy Birthday Drew!!!

It's been a great weekend. We have celebrated all weekend long. This is Drew's first year home with us on his birthday and boy was it fun.

We started our weekend on Friday evening with a trip to Incredible Pizza. Ian has always loved to go there, but this was Drew's first time. He ate a good dinner, drank his lemonade and then we were off to play games. His little eyes got so big when we first walked in. He didn't know quite what to think of all of the lights and noises but he quickly adjusted. We finished the evening with some dessert and then headed home.

Saturday evening we went to the splash park in Broken Arrow. Both kids love this place. It was a hot evening and they had so much fun. The first time we visited the park, Drew was a little hesitant...but this time...he jumped right in. We were there about an hour and a half. Both boys were tired when we left.

Today we had Drew's party. I was so excited that we would be able to have an "outside" party since Drew's birthday is in July. WHAT WAS I THINKING? It was 102 degrees here today. Fortunately, we had a shelter in the park...so that helped. Lots of our friends came out to help Drew celebrate. Even though it felt like 152 degrees to me....we had a great time. Drew loved playing in the park, his cupcake cake and his new presents. Charlie and I laughed because we don't know which is worse...8 inches of snow on Ian's birthday or 102 degrees on Drew's. Oh well...eventful none the less.

While we have had a fabulous weekend, my heart has been a little sad. I think about a young women on the other side of the world who chose life for this baby and placed him where he could be found. We may never know her name or anything about her, but I do know that she loved this child. She will never know the gift that she gave us. Drew was meant to be our child....that was God's plan. I am so very thankful to his birth mother...so very thankful. I pray that she feels some sort of comfort...even though she might not know why she's feeling it. I pray that somehow she knows that he is loved and cared for.

Happy Birthday Baby Drew....we love you very, very much!

Ian and Mia

I was looking through some old photos tonight and came across these. Most everyone knows that Mia and Ian are from the same orphanage in India and were actually crib mates for a little while. Ian was born in March 05 and Mia in May 05. They spent 8 months of their lives together in a small orphanage in Kolkata India and now are a mere 90 miles apart in Oklahoma. We have always said that it's a God thing. These children could have been placed anywhere in the world and both of them are in Oklahoma...just a short drive on the turnpike. We have a special place in our hearts for Mia and her family. While that 90 miles isn't far...it's hard to get together with a total of 4 little ones. We must do a better job.

Tuckers....we love you guys! These photos were taken in August 2006...just a few months after Ian and Mia arrived home. This was their first India Heritage Camp.