Thanks to all my faithful family and friends who continue to check my blog for updates on our family happenings despite the fact that my postings seem to come in random waves. Life inside this house is (at best) constantly busy and its been difficult for me to connect with people in real life much less online. Many of my closest friends know that I tend to fall off the planet for days or even weeks at a time... blogworld is no different. :)
But I felt I should update on Christmas... considering this was the first Christmas for two Spencer members. A very special year indeed. This Christmas was a crazy whirlwind of school and church plays, parties, baking, shopping and keeping busy little hands off of breakable shiny ornaments.
Ashley was in her first school Christmas play and it couldn't have been more appropriate that it was the play "Babushka" (having added a little Ukrainian man this year) about a little Russian woman who learns that Christmas isn't about giving gifts, but giving of yourself for Jesus. Ashley was one of 5 beauitul Angels singing "Glory, Glory, Glory to God in the highest and peace, goodwill to men". She didn't miss a single handmotion and belted out every word. It was a far cry from the shy little 3 year old who cried and cried before her big ballet recital. She's growing up so much. I was one proud momma.
She also sang in the church Christmas play with all of the other preK-5th graders. She was a sweet little sheep and the costume was adorable if I do say so myself. :) After two nights of that performance, Ashley informed me "For all the songs I didn't know the words to, I just opened my mouth really big like I was singing along." :) Hey that works.
Emily's Christmas program was at the church where she goes to Mothers Day Out and it was beautiful. All of the little ones came in from the back of the sanctuary and up through the pews to the stage. And of course Emily was waving to the crowd as she passed as if she was some prom queen on a float. It was hilarious! She sang her songs and after it was over, our whole family siezed the moment to catch a picture with baby Jesus up on the stage. Some how that was the first picture we've all gotten together since we were at the hospital with Mabry!
My dad and Margie came in town the weekend before Christmas and we had lots of fun with them... the kids love Grandma and Grandpa Turner. And love their dogs Molly and Lucy too!! They were able to come to see Ashley in her church play which was cool. It was a great visit but as always, over too quickly.
We got up on Christmas Eve morning to "have Christmas" with our kids. Jake and I thoroughly enjoyed watching each of them tear into the presents that we'd been told they wanted for weeks. It only took one gift for Micah to realize, hey, these packages have TOYS in them! And he was INTO it! It was one of those adoption moments when you can't help but tear up thinking about where he would have been today... or what he would have been doing... and the fact that he's never done this before... and the fact that he'll get to do this every year from now on. To see him light up over the giant noisy robot. And the smile on his face as he'd watch his sisters squeel at opening their own gifts. I'll never ever forget it.
Abby this year still didn't grasp the concept of opening up presents. Or maybe she didn't care. The girls had to open some of her gifts up for her and kind of get her excited over what she got. She would have been perfectly happy with the first toy... to play with it never open anything else. She enjoyed watching the chaos around her and rocking her baby dolls. Sweet girl.
We then packed up all the kids, lots more unopened gifts, and lots of food and headed to my moms house. After some cooking and a big yummy mexican feast, Mom, Dad, Grannie, Papaw, Shane, Colby, Jake, the kids and I all "did gifts" with each other. Then we packed up again and headed to a cabin that Jake's parents rented to spend Christmas day with Mom and Dad Spencer, John, Jo, Hannah, Nathan (better known as Nate Dogg by my kids), Jackson and Graham. The cabin was beautiful and it was a fun little get away.
And now we're headed into the new year and I don't even know where this one went. What a crazy year of pregnancy, international adoption, 3 kids starting school for the first time and oh so much more. And I'm not gonna lie... I'm tired. This year has taken a lot out of me. But every now and again when every thing is still and quiet... I take a deep breath, step back and look, and praise my God because I am one very blessed woman.
I made a little montage for Christmas. Some of these pictures are kind of random and I forgot my camera when we went to the cabin... but here's a few shots from this Christmas time.
Love you all. I hope you each had a wonderful celebration of Jesus' birth.
Elf Yourself
I can think of about a hundred and nine things I should be doing right now, but what the heck... sometimes ya gotta stop and have some fun!!!
Send your own ElfYourself eCards
Just have to share
**Update: My friend wasn't able to see Oleg because all of the younger children were in quarantine because of flu season I'm assuming. But the monastery sounds beautiful and the children really well taken care of and happy. :) Emily asked me again randomly the other night if Oleg was happy with his new family. I told her I wasn't sure but that it sounds like a great place and we prayed that God would take care of him and give him joy in his heart. Let it be so, Lord.**
First let me say that my flooring is done which calls for a great big WHOO HOO!! :) And it looks awesome. This great guy from our church put it in and we couldn't be more blessed. Now on to the painting. :)
But I just have to share this: While I was at the church yesterday, I got an email (actually it was comment that I didn't publish for confidentiality reasons) that stopped me completely in my tracks. (For those who don't know our whole adoption story from the beginning... or about the little boy Oleg whom we didn't end up adopting, you probably need to go read my adoption blog for this to make any sense.)
It was from a RR friend who is in Ukraine right now adopting her little angel. She said that she's been invited to go and visit a monastery. A monk there has been bringing in orphans (over 200) from all over Ukraine, some with special needs, some without. Well, she's using the same facilitator that Jake and I did, Yulia, and she told her that this is where our Oleg was transferred!! She's going to be there tomorrow and there is a chance that she might see him. Just the thought makes me cry.
I'm so overwhelmed by this information... I don't even know where to begin. For one thing, we didn't fully understand where he was going or why. Or how he was chosen. Or what it would be like for him. So to hear more about it is... I don't know how to describe it. I guess its kinda like sending your child off to boarding school against your own will and finally getting to hear what its like there. And for another thing, I really didn't think that we would ever again hear about him and never dreamed we would talk to someone who might actually run into him or (dare I get my hopes up?) take a picture!
I know its foolishness to the world... but Oleg will always be my little boy in my heart. (Prepare yourself for Amy's heart in the raw.) I fully know that the way things ended up were God's will. I KNOW that God called us to adopt both of them. And at the same time I know that it was God's will for us to not get him. Some might ask- "So what happened? Did God change His mind? Or make a mistake? How was it His will to adopt Oleg and then to not?" Because ultimately His will was obedience alone. He was calling us to obey. To walk forward. And we did. And now our family looks exactly like He knew it would. But I believe that the keeper of my heart knows that I fell in love with that little boy when He told me to go get him.
For some adoptive families a situation... a child... falls through and its SO incredibly hard. And for many (I'm mostly speaking of RR situations that I've seen or heard of) that child will be adopted by another family. And I can't imagine how hard that must be. But for me... to know that he's in another situation very like the orphanage (granted probably far more caring) but with out a mommy to hold him and love him... hurts me.
God has a plan for Oleg. I don't know what it is. But when I get to heaven, I'm going to see him. And I'm going to tell him that even though he didn't have a mommy to wrap her arms around him, there was a mommy loving him... and praying for him from the time that he was little. He was LOVED. In my heart I'll always be his mommy and he'll always be my son.
Tomorrow is the day that she will be there. I pray that she does see him. And I'm trusting that he's doing wonderfully there.
First let me say that my flooring is done which calls for a great big WHOO HOO!! :) And it looks awesome. This great guy from our church put it in and we couldn't be more blessed. Now on to the painting. :)
But I just have to share this: While I was at the church yesterday, I got an email (actually it was comment that I didn't publish for confidentiality reasons) that stopped me completely in my tracks. (For those who don't know our whole adoption story from the beginning... or about the little boy Oleg whom we didn't end up adopting, you probably need to go read my adoption blog for this to make any sense.)
It was from a RR friend who is in Ukraine right now adopting her little angel. She said that she's been invited to go and visit a monastery. A monk there has been bringing in orphans (over 200) from all over Ukraine, some with special needs, some without. Well, she's using the same facilitator that Jake and I did, Yulia, and she told her that this is where our Oleg was transferred!! She's going to be there tomorrow and there is a chance that she might see him. Just the thought makes me cry.
I'm so overwhelmed by this information... I don't even know where to begin. For one thing, we didn't fully understand where he was going or why. Or how he was chosen. Or what it would be like for him. So to hear more about it is... I don't know how to describe it. I guess its kinda like sending your child off to boarding school against your own will and finally getting to hear what its like there. And for another thing, I really didn't think that we would ever again hear about him and never dreamed we would talk to someone who might actually run into him or (dare I get my hopes up?) take a picture!
I know its foolishness to the world... but Oleg will always be my little boy in my heart. (Prepare yourself for Amy's heart in the raw.) I fully know that the way things ended up were God's will. I KNOW that God called us to adopt both of them. And at the same time I know that it was God's will for us to not get him. Some might ask- "So what happened? Did God change His mind? Or make a mistake? How was it His will to adopt Oleg and then to not?" Because ultimately His will was obedience alone. He was calling us to obey. To walk forward. And we did. And now our family looks exactly like He knew it would. But I believe that the keeper of my heart knows that I fell in love with that little boy when He told me to go get him.
For some adoptive families a situation... a child... falls through and its SO incredibly hard. And for many (I'm mostly speaking of RR situations that I've seen or heard of) that child will be adopted by another family. And I can't imagine how hard that must be. But for me... to know that he's in another situation very like the orphanage (granted probably far more caring) but with out a mommy to hold him and love him... hurts me.
God has a plan for Oleg. I don't know what it is. But when I get to heaven, I'm going to see him. And I'm going to tell him that even though he didn't have a mommy to wrap her arms around him, there was a mommy loving him... and praying for him from the time that he was little. He was LOVED. In my heart I'll always be his mommy and he'll always be my son.
Tomorrow is the day that she will be there. I pray that she does see him. And I'm trusting that he's doing wonderfully there.
Homeless
Lol, these post titles sound so pathetic! But its kinda true... for today anyway.
I'm typing this from a nursery room at our church. The "flooring guys" are at our house right now putting in new carpet and laminate in about 90% of our house. Which means we can't be there all day. It also means we got up at the crack of dawn to empty all three bedrooms and all three closets into the pod. I gathered, boxed, and handed my husband all of our belongings and furniture so that he could make trips from the house to the pod in the 19 degree-frost-hardened-grass-sun-not-even-up-yet weather. And this is all two days after a bunch of our friends came to our rescue when the living room, hall, and closets needed to be emptied so THAT floor could be done (which wasn't and its still like that... nevermind).
Anyway we packed up the kids, took Ashley to school, and now we're just hangin' out. Praise the Lord Jake was off work today anyway. (And yes, I made a well deserved stop through Starbucks.)
Just a few more days of this... my house will be put back together... we'll have Christmas... and HOPEFULLY our house will sell soon. Oh yeah and somewhere in there we have to find a new home. Hm.
I think after naptime we'll have a "Tour de McDonalds Playlands".
I'm typing this from a nursery room at our church. The "flooring guys" are at our house right now putting in new carpet and laminate in about 90% of our house. Which means we can't be there all day. It also means we got up at the crack of dawn to empty all three bedrooms and all three closets into the pod. I gathered, boxed, and handed my husband all of our belongings and furniture so that he could make trips from the house to the pod in the 19 degree-frost-hardened-grass-sun-not-even-up-yet weather. And this is all two days after a bunch of our friends came to our rescue when the living room, hall, and closets needed to be emptied so THAT floor could be done (which wasn't and its still like that... nevermind).
Anyway we packed up the kids, took Ashley to school, and now we're just hangin' out. Praise the Lord Jake was off work today anyway. (And yes, I made a well deserved stop through Starbucks.)
Just a few more days of this... my house will be put back together... we'll have Christmas... and HOPEFULLY our house will sell soon. Oh yeah and somewhere in there we have to find a new home. Hm.
I think after naptime we'll have a "Tour de McDonalds Playlands".
**I'm under construction**
Actually my house is. But it feels like I am. I know its been a while since I've updated my blog but we've had a few things going on.
Most of you know by now that we've decided to put our house on the market. We've done what we could to make this house work but when it comes down to it, its really just too small. We need more space to play, more space for storage, more space to function. While I can appreciate the fact that a smaller house means less to clean--I'm willing to clean more if it means I can walk across the floor without breaking my neck falling over kids toys... or kids...
So last week we started to look at what needs to be done to "stage" the house to sell it. And first things on the list? Replacing the flooring, painting the walls, putting in landscaping, putting in a driveway... ok I'm already tired and thats not even the whole list.
We DECIDED to sell the house and find something bigger... we could have ADDED-ON to the house but figured it would be difficult to live in a construction zone with 5 small children. Yet here we are... my living room and hallway floor are ripped up, our furnature is sitting on sub-flooring, one of the living room walls is painted in a lovely shade of "Kilz" to cover the accent shade I had painted last summer, my kitchen table is shoved into a corner to make room for excess furnature, paint cans are everywhere, my brother-in-law's massive saw... thingy... is on the front porch, I have no idea where my kids' backpacks are buried, and I can't get to my desk, my computer, or any of my bills (hope none of them are due...). SOOO aren't we glad we decided to move instead of add on?? :) Oh well.
That all wouldn't be SUCH a big deal except add to it that Micah's *cough cough* "intestinal" issues are getting worse, Mabry's internal nursing clock seems to be stuck at 2:45am, I still have a ton of Christmas shopping... and wrapping... to do, and to top it all off... my coffee maker AND dishwasher are broken. I kid you not. BUT, ya know. I can keep using my hubbys laptop to check my email. I'll make a doctors appointment for Micah. I'll suck it up and feed Mabry at 2:45 (sleep is over-rated anyway). I'll take my kids Christmas shopping WITH me (at the risk of looking like a freak show). I'll keep the house well stocked of paper plates and cups. And I'll go visit starbucks. A LOT. :) As for my house... I keep telling myself this will be over soon and that it'll be worth it.
I can do this. After all, I AM super mom. Or maybe just an under-caffinated, sleep-deprived mother of five running on... strength from the Lord alone.
"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" Phil. 1:6
Most of you know by now that we've decided to put our house on the market. We've done what we could to make this house work but when it comes down to it, its really just too small. We need more space to play, more space for storage, more space to function. While I can appreciate the fact that a smaller house means less to clean--I'm willing to clean more if it means I can walk across the floor without breaking my neck falling over kids toys... or kids...
So last week we started to look at what needs to be done to "stage" the house to sell it. And first things on the list? Replacing the flooring, painting the walls, putting in landscaping, putting in a driveway... ok I'm already tired and thats not even the whole list.
We DECIDED to sell the house and find something bigger... we could have ADDED-ON to the house but figured it would be difficult to live in a construction zone with 5 small children. Yet here we are... my living room and hallway floor are ripped up, our furnature is sitting on sub-flooring, one of the living room walls is painted in a lovely shade of "Kilz" to cover the accent shade I had painted last summer, my kitchen table is shoved into a corner to make room for excess furnature, paint cans are everywhere, my brother-in-law's massive saw... thingy... is on the front porch, I have no idea where my kids' backpacks are buried, and I can't get to my desk, my computer, or any of my bills (hope none of them are due...). SOOO aren't we glad we decided to move instead of add on?? :) Oh well.
That all wouldn't be SUCH a big deal except add to it that Micah's *cough cough* "intestinal" issues are getting worse, Mabry's internal nursing clock seems to be stuck at 2:45am, I still have a ton of Christmas shopping... and wrapping... to do, and to top it all off... my coffee maker AND dishwasher are broken. I kid you not. BUT, ya know. I can keep using my hubbys laptop to check my email. I'll make a doctors appointment for Micah. I'll suck it up and feed Mabry at 2:45 (sleep is over-rated anyway). I'll take my kids Christmas shopping WITH me (at the risk of looking like a freak show). I'll keep the house well stocked of paper plates and cups. And I'll go visit starbucks. A LOT. :) As for my house... I keep telling myself this will be over soon and that it'll be worth it.
I can do this. After all, I AM super mom. Or maybe just an under-caffinated, sleep-deprived mother of five running on... strength from the Lord alone.
"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" Phil. 1:6
Set your Tivo...
I mentioned on my blog a while back about a friend who was going to be featured on a "special" on TLC... then it got postponed for whatever reason.
Anyway, its back on schedule for TOMORROW NIGHT on Discovery Health. Here's the info below or you can click here to see the post on Renee's blog.
WHAT: Truth Be Told - I have a child with Special Needs
When: December 2, 2009 9PM/8PM central
Where: Discovery Health Channel
Anyway, its back on schedule for TOMORROW NIGHT on Discovery Health. Here's the info below or you can click here to see the post on Renee's blog.
WHAT: Truth Be Told - I have a child with Special Needs
When: December 2, 2009 9PM/8PM central
Where: Discovery Health Channel
Go set your Tivo... DON'T miss it!!!
Darya Project Update
Well I didn't feel it was right to let it go and not update my blog as well... even though I'm sure most of you have been as hooked on following the Hollis blog as much as I have...
Not ONLY did the Hollis family raise the $20,000 BY thanksgiving, but they've gone way over! And are still continuing to receive donations to God's glory.
(Thanks to those who donated through my chip-in button... sorry it didn't show up on the widget, I'm not sure why it wasn't working right. But your funds did come in and were given to the Hollis' on Wednesday night. Thank you. :))
So now if you go to the "new commitments" link on the RR site, you'll find a sweet little brown eyed girl who's forever family couldn't love her more... and can't WAIT to go get her... AND are fully funded to do so. A Thanksgiving MIRACLE.
Not ONLY did the Hollis family raise the $20,000 BY thanksgiving, but they've gone way over! And are still continuing to receive donations to God's glory.
(Thanks to those who donated through my chip-in button... sorry it didn't show up on the widget, I'm not sure why it wasn't working right. But your funds did come in and were given to the Hollis' on Wednesday night. Thank you. :))
So now if you go to the "new commitments" link on the RR site, you'll find a sweet little brown eyed girl who's forever family couldn't love her more... and can't WAIT to go get her... AND are fully funded to do so. A Thanksgiving MIRACLE.
The things that fill my heart currently
-How can I reach out to other parents of kids with special needs in our church?
-Do I help my husband eliminate his stress or do I contribute to it?
-Has it really been one year since we committed to adopt?
-Is my step-dad ever going to be able to live the way he used to?
-Have I done a good job of showing Micah what a mommy is?
-How do I explain to my kids what it means to hear God's voice?
-What can I do to bless people back the way they've blessed me?
-Do my friends know how much they mean to me?
-This Thanksgiving am I thankful for all that I have or do I take things for granted?
-Do I help my husband eliminate his stress or do I contribute to it?
-Has it really been one year since we committed to adopt?
-Is my step-dad ever going to be able to live the way he used to?
-Have I done a good job of showing Micah what a mommy is?
-How do I explain to my kids what it means to hear God's voice?
-What can I do to bless people back the way they've blessed me?
-Do my friends know how much they mean to me?
-This Thanksgiving am I thankful for all that I have or do I take things for granted?
Supporting Crazy Love
My heart is completely overwhelmed today.
A couple of posts back, I told you about my friend Melanie and recommended her book. And on my sidebar you'll find a picture of a sweet little girl with glasses and a big smile: her daughter, Hope.
Now I have something to share but I struggle with how to start this... how far to go back with this story... If you're willing to bear with me, I'll start at the beginning. This is a long story but an incredible one that cries out of God's creativity, humor, compassion and love for His kids. Warning- don't proceed unless you have some time, something to drink... and maybe some tissues.
Not long after Abby was born, I asked her service coordinator if they could give me the name and phone numbers of some other families in our area that had little ones with Down syndrome. I really wanted to get to know some other families walking this same road that was so new to me. They gave me two names. One of them is a story for another day. The other: Hope Hollis. These two names and phone numbers stayed on my fridge for months. I don't know if it was the newness of having three kids or the denial of Abby's diagnosis that warred within me, but I never did call either of these families. After about a year of looking at them on my fridge, I threw the paper away.
Fast forward to mid-adoption process for Micah (and Oleg at the time). A friend from church, Jackie, came up to me and said that there was a family I had to meet. Their daughter started at the school where Jackie works and somehow they made the connection that Jackie knew me and were thrilled because they'd been praying for Pavel and Oleg on RR! Random! They'd been praying for the boys and when they found out the family adopting them lived close they tried to get contact information but couldn't. SO, they were so excited to find that Jackie knew us! But then came the kicker for ME, "Their little girl's name is Hope Hollis." Crazy.
So Melanie and I finally met at church. And she's one of those people I feel like I've known forever. We haven't been able to talk often, but when we do, its like getting together with an old friend.
Which brings us to a couple of weeks ago. Mel and her amazing kids do regular devotions in their home. And recently they've been talking about "Crazy Love" the book by Francis Chan. And talking about doing things that are crazy out of their love for Christ. So their 11 year old daughter, Lydia, decided to raise some money for kids on RR. I believe the goal was $2000 before Christmas. And they chose a couple of little girls for the money to go to specifically, Nadine and Darya.
And that's where REAL crazy love began... God has put something in Lydias heart and she now has a deal with Melanie that if she raises the $20,000 herself that they will ADOPT Darya! AND she wants to raise it all BY Thanksgiving!
So why am I sharing all of this with you? Why does this affect me to the point of tears every time I think about it? Because I've met Darya. I rocked her little bouncy seat, talked to her, and got her to smile. And ever since that day, that little face has been stuck in my head and my heart has longed for that precious girl to have a forever family.
Lydia has said that if 200 people would be willing to give $100, she would have all of the money she needs to bring home a new baby sister. To the world it's foolishness that an 11 year old could raise $20,000... but isn't it just like God to do something like that?
I'm adding a ChipIn button on the side of my blog for the Hollis family. Will you let God use you to be a part of this Thanksgiving miracle? Will you support crazy love?
To follow the Hollis family (and really get a bigger picture of the story than I was able to portray here) you can go to their blog here.
The things that fill my brain currently
-What needs to be cleared out of our house so it looks presentable enough to sell?
-What are some creative things to put in my kids' lunches?
-What am I going to get my husband for Christmas?
-What area of town do I want to live in if we move?
-Do the Duggars use their home-made laundry detergent in those high-efficiency machines?
-Is this the best way to rearrange our living room furniture?
-How many ounces does Mabry get in one feeding when she nurses?
-How many times do I have to tell Micah "no"?
-Will we ever see our church small group again or has life become eternally chaotic?
-Does Abby wake up at night because she's scared of something?
-When did Emily start talking like she's a teenager?
-If Micah is Ukrainian, why is he so tan?
-Does Ashley talk this much when she's at school?
-Was that my phone ringing?
-What time did I feed Mabry last?
-When was the last time I showered?
-What day is this?
Yep. That pretty much sums it up.
-What are some creative things to put in my kids' lunches?
-What am I going to get my husband for Christmas?
-What area of town do I want to live in if we move?
-Do the Duggars use their home-made laundry detergent in those high-efficiency machines?
-Is this the best way to rearrange our living room furniture?
-How many ounces does Mabry get in one feeding when she nurses?
-How many times do I have to tell Micah "no"?
-Will we ever see our church small group again or has life become eternally chaotic?
-Does Abby wake up at night because she's scared of something?
-When did Emily start talking like she's a teenager?
-If Micah is Ukrainian, why is he so tan?
-Does Ashley talk this much when she's at school?
-Was that my phone ringing?
-What time did I feed Mabry last?
-When was the last time I showered?
-What day is this?
Yep. That pretty much sums it up.
Check out this book
I'm so excited to share with you that my friend Melanie has written a book! "The Journey For Hope... the testimony that birthed a story" She's a dear friend of mine... I would say from church, but really it was only the Lord that connected us. She has an incredible testimony and has now put it into writting.About this book:
"90% of the proceeds from the sale of this book will go to benefit Amazima Ministries and Reece's Rainbow Waiting Children. You can obtain more information on these incredible ministries by visiting: www.amazima.org and www.reecesrainbow.com.
This book has been written by an imperfect author who has an incredible love for an imperfect little girl named Hope. She entered my life on September 5, 2005 and changed everything forever. "The Journey For Hope" is our story.
May the Lord be magnified through it all.... "
Go check it out HERE.
(And hey, my birthday is on Sunday... if anybody needs any gift idea's... !!! :))
Happy Birthday Abby!!!
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My sweet Abby Grace turned three years old yesterday. Three years ago... wow. Every birthday of Abby's brings back sort of bitter-sweet memories for me. On one hand that was one of the worst nights of my life... being given what was devastating news to me at the time, having my other baby in the ER with 105 fever and not a thing in the world I could do about it, and feeling SO lost and helpless in so many ways. On the other hand, that was the night that my angel entered the world and changed my life forever. I can hardly even type this through the tears of love for my baby. She IS my sunshine. Abby is sunshine to everyone around her. Even in her spunky 2 (now 3) year old attitude... she can throw a tantrum and then in seconds pull you close, suck her thumb and with the other hand stroke your face. I'm so in love with that little girl and I could not be more thankful that God chose me to be her mommy.
As I type this she is down the street at her first day of school. For those that are unfamiliar with the system, TN has paid for all of Abby's therapies, evaluations, orthotics (foot braces), walkers, etc. But when children turn three, they are transferred over to the public school system to receive therapies and services there as a part of pre-school. Abby is in a class of 6 other 3 year olds with varying special needs.
At her last day of therapy (at the nursing home where she's been going for 2 1/2 years now... they have a pediatric therapy room there), they threw her a huge birthday/going away party. It was the sweetest thing and I was on the brink of tears through the whole thing. All of her therapists were there along with most of the staff. They decorated a big room and we all had cake and snacks and watched Abby open gifts that everyone had bought her. They even wheeled in a few of the patients who've come to fall in love with Abby over the last couple years. :) I couldn't believe it looking around the room at all of these lives that this special little girl had touched. We left with half a cake, two trash bags full of toys, and almost three years of memories. I'll never ever forget it.
And this morning I dropped my big girl off at pre-school... she went right in yelling a big "Hiiiiii" to everyone as she entered the room. :) I really think she'll do great but the over-protective mommy in me is going to have the harder time I think. :) But she's a go-getter. I'm sure she'll have a blast. My mind keeps going back to that Dr. Seuss book "Oh the places you'll go"...
I love you sweet Abigail Grace. I love you... so... much. Happy Birthday.
Fall fun
I love fall in Tennessee. Its so beautiful. The weather is perfect and the trees are just gorgeous. I could go on and on but I'll try to refrain from getting all cheesy and sentimental on you and suffice to say, I just LOVE fall.
We spent one evening carving pumpkins and cookin' up some good food...
And once again, the kids had a blast at our church "Trunk, treat and tailgate". Micah went as Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean and was a TOTAL hit. :) Abby made an adorable Tinkerbell... and if you've ever seen the Tinkerbell movie... Ashley and Emily were Silver Mist and Rosetta (the water and flower fairies, c'mon!) The cute little Fireman and Puppy are my adorable nephews. And miss Mabry stayed there at her grandma's house as a sweet, cuddly baby. :)
PS. I got the Pumpkin Muffin recipe here from Three Simple Girls. They were SO easy and really good, go check it out!!
We spent one evening carving pumpkins and cookin' up some good food...
And once again, the kids had a blast at our church "Trunk, treat and tailgate". Micah went as Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean and was a TOTAL hit. :) Abby made an adorable Tinkerbell... and if you've ever seen the Tinkerbell movie... Ashley and Emily were Silver Mist and Rosetta (the water and flower fairies, c'mon!) The cute little Fireman and Puppy are my adorable nephews. And miss Mabry stayed there at her grandma's house as a sweet, cuddly baby. :)
PS. I got the Pumpkin Muffin recipe here from Three Simple Girls. They were SO easy and really good, go check it out!!
HOW? (Part 2)
Ok so why didn't I think of a onsie?! Great idea guys! See I knew you all would come through for me! ;) Actually I think I'll combine the idea's and do a plastic diaper cover (to hold in the "excess" which there is a lot of) and onsie or snap-together PJs over it. And if Houdini back there can break out of that, I'll definitely try the backwards-pjs-zipped-up-with-the-feet-cut-out idea. I totally forgot that a friend of mine did that with one of her daughters she adopted from China.
And of course all of this is really just to keep him "sealed up" until we can come in and change him. Which wouldn't be long because SERIOUSLY: when Micah drops a load we can smell it DOWN THE HALL with both doors closed! Its that bad. But he's just so quick to strip it off because, of course, he doesn't want it on him. And if it gets on his hands, which it inevitably does, he wipes it all over the room (bed, carpet, walls, etc.) to get it off. GROSS.
I'm gonna take him back to the pediatrician soon to talk about the sheer volume and smell.... something cannot be right. I've been trying to give him stuff to stop him up a little more but to NO avail. Some friends have suggested a pro-biotic which is probably a really good idea. A multivitamin with iron helps too when I remember to give it to him.
Also, I want to add that we do plan on potty training really soon. We just wanted to give him some good adjustment time after he came home and then knowing the baby was coming and I'd be nursing all the time... we decided to wait until later in the fall- to give it full attention. Kind of set him up for success instead of half-way potty training.
All that said- you know you're a mom when you sit and write a whole long blog post (two actually) about POOP. And only a real mom would sit down and read the whole thing! I love you guys!!! Thanks again for the tips!!!
And of course all of this is really just to keep him "sealed up" until we can come in and change him. Which wouldn't be long because SERIOUSLY: when Micah drops a load we can smell it DOWN THE HALL with both doors closed! Its that bad. But he's just so quick to strip it off because, of course, he doesn't want it on him. And if it gets on his hands, which it inevitably does, he wipes it all over the room (bed, carpet, walls, etc.) to get it off. GROSS.
I'm gonna take him back to the pediatrician soon to talk about the sheer volume and smell.... something cannot be right. I've been trying to give him stuff to stop him up a little more but to NO avail. Some friends have suggested a pro-biotic which is probably a really good idea. A multivitamin with iron helps too when I remember to give it to him.
Also, I want to add that we do plan on potty training really soon. We just wanted to give him some good adjustment time after he came home and then knowing the baby was coming and I'd be nursing all the time... we decided to wait until later in the fall- to give it full attention. Kind of set him up for success instead of half-way potty training.
All that said- you know you're a mom when you sit and write a whole long blog post (two actually) about POOP. And only a real mom would sit down and read the whole thing! I love you guys!!! Thanks again for the tips!!!
HOW?
Q: How do you teach a newly adopted four year old nonverbal Ukrainian boy with Down Syndrome NOT TO TAKE A POOPY PULL UP OFF when he wakes up at the crack of dawn?
It. Is. Just. Nasty. Its happened so many times, that room will just never smell right again.
It. Is. Just. Nasty. Its happened so many times, that room will just never smell right again.
You know me...
... I get carried away. Once I start on something, I can't stop.
Tonight after the kids were all down, Jake went out to have coffee with a good friend and I thought I would take the time to sit and blog a little. I threw on a chic flick for some background noise (Pride and Prejudice if you must know )... and after a couple of hours, more cookies than I'll admit to, and a glass of sweet tea... voila! A new blog look!! Its fun to have something fresh.
For those who knew me in High School, I used to be slightly obsessed with sunflowers. I had forgotten about that until just last week... when someone asked Jake what my favorite flower was (so they could send us flowers for the baby) he said he told them sunflowers. :) How sweet that he remembered. (And the arrangement is GORGEOUS, THANK YOU Grace Chapel staff!!) I've been very much enjoying them on my kitchen table. So I love this new blog look because it feels fresh, it feels "fall", and the sunflowers take me back... it makes me very happy. :)
Tonight after the kids were all down, Jake went out to have coffee with a good friend and I thought I would take the time to sit and blog a little. I threw on a chic flick for some background noise (Pride and Prejudice if you must know )... and after a couple of hours, more cookies than I'll admit to, and a glass of sweet tea... voila! A new blog look!! Its fun to have something fresh.
For those who knew me in High School, I used to be slightly obsessed with sunflowers. I had forgotten about that until just last week... when someone asked Jake what my favorite flower was (so they could send us flowers for the baby) he said he told them sunflowers. :) How sweet that he remembered. (And the arrangement is GORGEOUS, THANK YOU Grace Chapel staff!!) I've been very much enjoying them on my kitchen table. So I love this new blog look because it feels fresh, it feels "fall", and the sunflowers take me back... it makes me very happy. :)
Beautiful
Ok so I promise promise promise to post more updated pictures of our tiny little peanut REALLY soon!...
But I came across this and just HAD to share it really quick. It caught my eye because the picture of Jake, Micah and I is the thumbnail! But this is a youtube of a bunch of Reeces Rainbow families who have recently come home with their kiddos. Break out the tissues!! I know that part of the reason it is so VERY emotional for me to watch this is because I know many of these families personally... we walked this road together. Nonstop emails, staying up late at night chatting about paperwork (among other things, lol!), talking, crying, and praying over the phone together... following blogs and getting on our knees crying out for God's direction and safety for one another while in-country. And now we still keep in contact when we can... adjusting to life with our new little ones. :)
ANYway... there is just something about seeing pictures of pitiful orphans and then to see the way their little faces are just lit up with their new families. BEAUTIFUL.
But I came across this and just HAD to share it really quick. It caught my eye because the picture of Jake, Micah and I is the thumbnail! But this is a youtube of a bunch of Reeces Rainbow families who have recently come home with their kiddos. Break out the tissues!! I know that part of the reason it is so VERY emotional for me to watch this is because I know many of these families personally... we walked this road together. Nonstop emails, staying up late at night chatting about paperwork (among other things, lol!), talking, crying, and praying over the phone together... following blogs and getting on our knees crying out for God's direction and safety for one another while in-country. And now we still keep in contact when we can... adjusting to life with our new little ones. :)
ANYway... there is just something about seeing pictures of pitiful orphans and then to see the way their little faces are just lit up with their new families. BEAUTIFUL.
Pictures!!!
I was finally able to pull together some pictures of our time at the hospital... the birth of my sweet Mabry! Enjoy!
Raising awareness!
October is Down Syndrome Awareness month! As the mommy of two special little ones with Down Syndrome, I cannot pass up the opportunity to raise awareness about their "extra little something".
I so badly wanted to take the "31 for 21" challenge and blog for all 31 days in October about Trisomy 21 (or Down Syndrome). But I knew that this month especially- that wasn't gonna happen. :) But I want to point you to a couple of RR friends who did. They have come up with some really cool, very informative and basic information about Ds as well as little bits about real life with their special kiddo's. I encourage you to check them out here:
Brigitte: Van Nice Family Journey
Meredith: The Cornish Adoption Journey
In honor of this month, I'd also like to highlight a blogger-buddy of mine named Sarah. She's an amazing young woman from Ohio who happens to have Down Syndrome. We came across each other during our adoption process, as she followed along on our Bringing Home Boys site almost the whole way. I'm honored. :) And her blog is a daily reminder to me of how very normal of a life my little ones can lead as young adults.
Sarah: Class of 2008
I just have to share this little video put together by the National Down Syndrome Congress. (You'll also find it on Brigitte's blog.) I love this.
And I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to raise more awareness (if thats possible!!) for Reeces Rainbow. If you haven't visited the site in a while, go check it out, they've got a whole new look! And lots of new faces are being added all the time of sweet little angels with Ds who have been orphaned all over the world. Even if you aren't led to bring one of these sweet ones home to love as your own, please consider helping them come home by making a donation... or even better... sign up to be a Prayer Warrior! You'll get a photo in the mail with a prayer reminder bookmark. The very first little one we signed up to pray for just came home to her forever family!
Reece's Rainbow
Ok, I guess thats it. My hope and prayer is that this blog (and my little ones) serve as a continual "awareness raiser" for individuals with an extra 21st chromosome.... Down Syndrome.
I so badly wanted to take the "31 for 21" challenge and blog for all 31 days in October about Trisomy 21 (or Down Syndrome). But I knew that this month especially- that wasn't gonna happen. :) But I want to point you to a couple of RR friends who did. They have come up with some really cool, very informative and basic information about Ds as well as little bits about real life with their special kiddo's. I encourage you to check them out here:
Brigitte: Van Nice Family Journey
Meredith: The Cornish Adoption Journey
In honor of this month, I'd also like to highlight a blogger-buddy of mine named Sarah. She's an amazing young woman from Ohio who happens to have Down Syndrome. We came across each other during our adoption process, as she followed along on our Bringing Home Boys site almost the whole way. I'm honored. :) And her blog is a daily reminder to me of how very normal of a life my little ones can lead as young adults.
Sarah: Class of 2008
I just have to share this little video put together by the National Down Syndrome Congress. (You'll also find it on Brigitte's blog.) I love this.
And I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to raise more awareness (if thats possible!!) for Reeces Rainbow. If you haven't visited the site in a while, go check it out, they've got a whole new look! And lots of new faces are being added all the time of sweet little angels with Ds who have been orphaned all over the world. Even if you aren't led to bring one of these sweet ones home to love as your own, please consider helping them come home by making a donation... or even better... sign up to be a Prayer Warrior! You'll get a photo in the mail with a prayer reminder bookmark. The very first little one we signed up to pray for just came home to her forever family!
Reece's Rainbow
Ok, I guess thats it. My hope and prayer is that this blog (and my little ones) serve as a continual "awareness raiser" for individuals with an extra 21st chromosome.... Down Syndrome.
She's here!
I'm so sorry its taken me so long to finally get on here and post but yes, Mabry's here!
Mabry Ruth Spencer was born at 5 o'clock Wednesday night and was 7 lbs 12 oz., 20 1/2 inches! I went in to be induced at 6 that morning, so the labor kind of felt like it was taking all day, but once it was time, she came quick! This was hands down the best/easiest delivery. I LOVED my doctor and all of the nurses. It was a great experience all the way around. She's a healthy beautiful little girl and we all had to do a double take because she looks SO much like her sister Emily did when she was born! This post is seriously one of the first times I've even sat at my computer so I don't have any pictures uploaded yet, but I'll try to get some posted as soon as I can!
We're all doing great. Ashley and Emily are the perfect little helpers just like I knew they would be. Abby was REALLY not so sure about Mabry at first, but even just within a few days is already warming up to her and giving big slobbery kisses on her head. Micah is pretty much just in love... he watches her and gently pats her blanket. He's even found something they have in common- he rubs her tiny head and then rubs his own head and you can just see that he's recognizing they both have little to no hair. :) So cute.
We came home from the hospital friday and are just taking it really slow still. Jake had to go back to work today but my family and friends have been great helping take care of me and the kids. :) So thankful that my mom and Grannie live in the same town. Mabry has already decided that the best time to have Mommy's one-on-one attention is at night *wink wink*. :) So I'm trying to "rest" (if you can even call it that...) as much as possible during the day. I really promise to get back on soon with some pictures, but for now, thanks to everyone for your prayers for a great delivery and healthy baby! God is good!
Mabry Ruth Spencer was born at 5 o'clock Wednesday night and was 7 lbs 12 oz., 20 1/2 inches! I went in to be induced at 6 that morning, so the labor kind of felt like it was taking all day, but once it was time, she came quick! This was hands down the best/easiest delivery. I LOVED my doctor and all of the nurses. It was a great experience all the way around. She's a healthy beautiful little girl and we all had to do a double take because she looks SO much like her sister Emily did when she was born! This post is seriously one of the first times I've even sat at my computer so I don't have any pictures uploaded yet, but I'll try to get some posted as soon as I can!
We're all doing great. Ashley and Emily are the perfect little helpers just like I knew they would be. Abby was REALLY not so sure about Mabry at first, but even just within a few days is already warming up to her and giving big slobbery kisses on her head. Micah is pretty much just in love... he watches her and gently pats her blanket. He's even found something they have in common- he rubs her tiny head and then rubs his own head and you can just see that he's recognizing they both have little to no hair. :) So cute.
We came home from the hospital friday and are just taking it really slow still. Jake had to go back to work today but my family and friends have been great helping take care of me and the kids. :) So thankful that my mom and Grannie live in the same town. Mabry has already decided that the best time to have Mommy's one-on-one attention is at night *wink wink*. :) So I'm trying to "rest" (if you can even call it that...) as much as possible during the day. I really promise to get back on soon with some pictures, but for now, thanks to everyone for your prayers for a great delivery and healthy baby! God is good!
In 17 hours
I'm being admitted into the hospital to have this baby! What a crazy feeling. I'm confident that my body will pick up the labor once they get it started... I'll spare you the details but suffice to say my body is beginning to have some very "pre" labor symptoms the last couple of days (including LOTS of contractions). Even if I weren't induced, I'm pretty confident she would have come pretty quickly anyway. But the knowing when and where sure has been nice for making arrangements for the other kids and Jake for work, etc. The girls have counted down every day since we found out that "Babry Mabry" (as Emily calls her) was coming on Wednesday.
Each of us are so beyond ready to meet the seventh member of the Jake Spencer family. :) My next update should be from the hospital with a baby in my arms!
Each of us are so beyond ready to meet the seventh member of the Jake Spencer family. :) My next update should be from the hospital with a baby in my arms!
Adoption fundraiser for Grace Chapel families
Calling all Grace Chapelites! Plan on having lunch AT church after second service THIS Sunday the 11th! There will be a lunch served in the Fellowship Hall (I'm assuming similar to the style that we've done Youth lunches) to benefit adopting Grace Chapel families! I hate that I'll miss it (being home with a newborn), but all of you get out there and support these families for me! I could be wrong so don't quote me but I'm pretty sure its $5 for adults and $3 for kids. Plus any extra *love* you wanna donate! Lets help these families get their kids home!
For more info you can email Suzie Treanor at helovesyou{at}att{dot}net. (And to see the princess she's bringing home from China, click here.)
For more info you can email Suzie Treanor at helovesyou{at}att{dot}net. (And to see the princess she's bringing home from China, click here.)
Spencer Baby Watch 2009 (Update #3)
I'm sitting here looking at a little piece of paper... its a little note from the doctor that says I'm scheduled to be induced 1 week from today at 6am. :) I'm a happy camper.
Had my 38 week checkup today and I'm STILL 1 cm and 60%. No changes. And let me tell you that I've gone through two boxes of red raspberry leaf tea and have walked two miles every morning for the last 4 days! Yet no contractions. Well, nothing worth counting. My body gave up, I think, lol! Its saying, I'm tired of contracting, you do it.
So I'm a little disappointed that I didn't go into labor on my own... and granted, I still have one week... I still could (though I HIGHLY doubt it). But it is nice to be able to plan for the kids and to know the end is in sight. And the thought of meeting my little baby girl makes me tear up instantaneously. I'm gonna tell Ashley and Emily together tonight and I know they'll love the thought of being able to count down days. They live for stuff like that.
What a surreal feeling. One week from right now I'll either be in labor or already holding my girl. I'm not sure I'll believe it until I'm in that bed!
7 days and counting!!!
Had my 38 week checkup today and I'm STILL 1 cm and 60%. No changes. And let me tell you that I've gone through two boxes of red raspberry leaf tea and have walked two miles every morning for the last 4 days! Yet no contractions. Well, nothing worth counting. My body gave up, I think, lol! Its saying, I'm tired of contracting, you do it.
So I'm a little disappointed that I didn't go into labor on my own... and granted, I still have one week... I still could (though I HIGHLY doubt it). But it is nice to be able to plan for the kids and to know the end is in sight. And the thought of meeting my little baby girl makes me tear up instantaneously. I'm gonna tell Ashley and Emily together tonight and I know they'll love the thought of being able to count down days. They live for stuff like that.
What a surreal feeling. One week from right now I'll either be in labor or already holding my girl. I'm not sure I'll believe it until I'm in that bed!
7 days and counting!!!
As promised... video of the squirrel
And for those of you who haven't heard this story yet... check out what we found. :)
I was in the house one afternoon and Jake knocks on the window for me to come outside and this is what I find....
The squirrel ended up sleeping in a crate in our kitchen that night because I'm too much of a sap to let the little thing fend for its self and worry that it wouldn't make it through the night. Then we took it to church the next morning where our good friend Nicole (animal whisperer extrodinaire) took it home to take care of it. After doing some research, she found out that it was about 5 weeks old which means he was still nursing and probably lost his mother. So she took good care of it and gave him everything he needed, thinking he might just become a forever pet. But after about a week, he kind of got a "cold" more or less and passed away. :( The girls were VERY sad. But at least we all tried to give this little guy a chance.
And I feel that I should address the way my children are clothed... this is pretty typical on a Saturday at our house- Ashley wearing too many layers (usually layers of dresses), Emily wearing too few layers (she says she gets hot), Micah not wearing pants (easier to change pull-ups) and Abby in her jammies all day (because, hey, why not?) :)
Anyway, we all got a good kick out seeing this little baby squirrel. We'll never know why he came up to Jake this way or what might have happened to his mother. But I'm sure my kids will never forget him.
I was in the house one afternoon and Jake knocks on the window for me to come outside and this is what I find....
The squirrel ended up sleeping in a crate in our kitchen that night because I'm too much of a sap to let the little thing fend for its self and worry that it wouldn't make it through the night. Then we took it to church the next morning where our good friend Nicole (animal whisperer extrodinaire) took it home to take care of it. After doing some research, she found out that it was about 5 weeks old which means he was still nursing and probably lost his mother. So she took good care of it and gave him everything he needed, thinking he might just become a forever pet. But after about a week, he kind of got a "cold" more or less and passed away. :( The girls were VERY sad. But at least we all tried to give this little guy a chance.
And I feel that I should address the way my children are clothed... this is pretty typical on a Saturday at our house- Ashley wearing too many layers (usually layers of dresses), Emily wearing too few layers (she says she gets hot), Micah not wearing pants (easier to change pull-ups) and Abby in her jammies all day (because, hey, why not?) :)
Anyway, we all got a good kick out seeing this little baby squirrel. We'll never know why he came up to Jake this way or what might have happened to his mother. But I'm sure my kids will never forget him.
Ashley in Chapel
Ashley is doing so well going to Kindergarten this year. She really loves her school, her teacher and her classmates. I'm so thankful that it was a smooth transition for her. And I LOVE that her daddy is in the same building all day. :)
Every Wednesday is chapel and the different classes have been taking turns leading it. Well this week was the K's turn to lead so I packed up all the kids and we went to watch Ashley's class.
Every Wednesday is chapel and the different classes have been taking turns leading it. Well this week was the K's turn to lead so I packed up all the kids and we went to watch Ashley's class.
(Singing "Jesus loves the little children" holding red, yellow, black and white sheets of paper)
I knew that she was going to be a part of the skit, but I was so surprised to see that she was the one LEADING the whole school in prayer that morning! You can tell she was just a little bit nervous, but I thought she did GREAT! SO proud of my girl. Then for the skit, she was supposed to do her part with her friend Becca, but Becca ended up being on vacation this week, so Ashley did it alone. Its kind of hard to hear but her line is "I can be honest when I'm talking to God." (She asked her teacher and Jake all week if Emily could do the part with her instead. :) I thought that was so sweet... they had to explain to her that it was just going to be Kindergarteners.)
Way to go GCA Kindergarten class!!!
Spencer Baby Watch 2009 (Update #2)
You could say we had kind of a close call yesterday.
Let me first give some background... with all of my pregnancies, I have been a "contract-er" by nature. My body starts contracting sometime around 33 weeks and kinda doesn't stop until either my water breaks, the baby comes, or I'm induced. But nonetheless, my body has always really "liked" to contract. But not this time. This time I have had hardly any contractions at all. Which is totally weird to me, but oh well, every pregnancy is different, right? And the Drs keep telling me, "Well since you haven't had any, once they start they probably won't stop." (I think I may have already said some of this in a previous post, but I can't remember. Sorry if I have. :))
Which brings me to yesterday at about 5:30am. I woke up having some contractions. Hm. Then a few more. Then I though, I should start writing these down and see how far apart they are. So to make a long story short, I was having them every 5-8 minutes all morning. And of course started thinking "Yep, this is it. She's coming today." And I already had an appointment set for 3:20, so I figured if I could just hang in there until then, I could go to the Drs office and go in that way instead of making a big ER visit.
But around 1pm they started slowing down to a stop. :( By the time I got to my appointment, it was all pretty much over and the doctor checked me... still only 1 cm. *BIG FROWN*
So oh well, it wasn't time yet. I have had just a few contractions today but nothing to get excited about. So we'll see when Mabry decides its time to make her big appearance. Stay tuned!
(PS. We never did get a chance to take the prego picture shoot either... all this dang rain has made it so overcast and we need a sunny day to take pics. Oh well.)
Let me first give some background... with all of my pregnancies, I have been a "contract-er" by nature. My body starts contracting sometime around 33 weeks and kinda doesn't stop until either my water breaks, the baby comes, or I'm induced. But nonetheless, my body has always really "liked" to contract. But not this time. This time I have had hardly any contractions at all. Which is totally weird to me, but oh well, every pregnancy is different, right? And the Drs keep telling me, "Well since you haven't had any, once they start they probably won't stop." (I think I may have already said some of this in a previous post, but I can't remember. Sorry if I have. :))
Which brings me to yesterday at about 5:30am. I woke up having some contractions. Hm. Then a few more. Then I though, I should start writing these down and see how far apart they are. So to make a long story short, I was having them every 5-8 minutes all morning. And of course started thinking "Yep, this is it. She's coming today." And I already had an appointment set for 3:20, so I figured if I could just hang in there until then, I could go to the Drs office and go in that way instead of making a big ER visit.
But around 1pm they started slowing down to a stop. :( By the time I got to my appointment, it was all pretty much over and the doctor checked me... still only 1 cm. *BIG FROWN*
So oh well, it wasn't time yet. I have had just a few contractions today but nothing to get excited about. So we'll see when Mabry decides its time to make her big appearance. Stay tuned!
(PS. We never did get a chance to take the prego picture shoot either... all this dang rain has made it so overcast and we need a sunny day to take pics. Oh well.)
Football player with Down Syndrome
My husband just forwarded me this article and I thought it was too cool not to share. Love the awareness that its raising for Down syndrome... I hope our kids are able to participate in sports and community activities like this and that some cool coach and sweet teammates let the kids make a great play when the opportunity presents its self! So cool.
Special play: boy with Down syndrome runs for TD in HS game
Special play: boy with Down syndrome runs for TD in HS game
Puddle jumping
Yesterday on our way home from getting Ashley from school, Emily from school and Abby from therapy, we decided it would be no fun to go sit at home and wait til Daddy got off work, so we decided to go walk a lap around the walking trail on our street. I love this trail, its safe and beautiful and makes me so happy that I live in Tennessee. :)
But apparently when it rains for days at a time the way it has been, its gets massive puddles.
It started with, "Yes, Emily, since you have flipflops on, you can tiptoe through the puddle... but be sure to lift up your pants so they don't get wet"
Then, "Ok Ashley, you can take your socks and shoes off and tiptoe through it too."
Then, "Alright Micah, you can get out of the stroller and run through like the girls."
Finally, "Since everyone is soaking wet, Abby might as well get out of the stroller too."
Before I knew it, all of my kids were practically swimming in this huge puddle, I was sitting back laughing and taking pictures with my phone. But as the sun started to go down, I realized it was time to call someone to bring us some towels! So Papaw to the rescue! And of course he had to join in the fun before we could dry them off and head home.
We never did make it even a fifth of the way around the trail (its 1 mile) but it was an unexpected little experience that all the kids very thoroughly enjoyed. Sometimes you just gotta stop, let kids be kids, and enjoy a good puddle. :)
But apparently when it rains for days at a time the way it has been, its gets massive puddles.
It started with, "Yes, Emily, since you have flipflops on, you can tiptoe through the puddle... but be sure to lift up your pants so they don't get wet"
Then, "Ok Ashley, you can take your socks and shoes off and tiptoe through it too."
Then, "Alright Micah, you can get out of the stroller and run through like the girls."
Finally, "Since everyone is soaking wet, Abby might as well get out of the stroller too."
Before I knew it, all of my kids were practically swimming in this huge puddle, I was sitting back laughing and taking pictures with my phone. But as the sun started to go down, I realized it was time to call someone to bring us some towels! So Papaw to the rescue! And of course he had to join in the fun before we could dry them off and head home.
We never did make it even a fifth of the way around the trail (its 1 mile) but it was an unexpected little experience that all the kids very thoroughly enjoyed. Sometimes you just gotta stop, let kids be kids, and enjoy a good puddle. :)
Spencer Baby Watch 2009
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I feel like its been a little while since I've given a baby update. And there really isn't too much to report. Besides the heavy duty pressure, the baby kicking my ribs, the heartburn, the nausea (yes, its back), the dizziness (probably still from the anemia), the irritability and the psycho dreams... everything is pretty good. :)
I'm 36 1/2 weeks... almost to that point of being considered full term and as of my doctors appointment last week I'm 1 cm and 60%. Not too shabby. :)
The really funny thing this week has been that I have these bouts of energy and then near narcolepsy the very next minute. Like I just have all of this energy and rush around the house cleaning up and organizing all morning long and then I'll lay the kids down and BOOM: its a good thing they're asleep because I'm as dead as a doornail. Then as soon as I wake up (and I don't usually sleep for long) its like my heart starts racing again and I'm completely compelled to start running around cleaning again! Its nuts! lol But at least I'm getting things done and can still say that I'm "resting". :)
Despite the utter lack of room in this house for another child, its actually coming together pretty good. I've rearranged both of the kids' rooms, making more room in Micah and Abby's for toys and play space, and room in Ashley and Emily's room for the crib as well as toy space. In our bedroom the pack n play/bassinet is all set up, the changing table has been cleaned, stocked, and is ready to go. (Thats where most of Mabry's stuff "lives" for now.) My only real task left is to go through the bins of baby clothes in the attic and pull out whatever will fit her for this season... and then wash it so its fresh. :) I've already even packed my bag for the hospital and packed everything but outfits in hers.
I have such amazing friends and family. Yesterday one friend came over and cleaned bathrooms, vacuumed and did dishes for me. Tomorrow another friend is coming over to help me organize (we'll probably work on the clothing task). My sister-in-law is organizing meals for after Mabry's born (and a few before!). Two of them are going to help get Emily to and from school, and another family at church has offered to pick Abby up and bring her home from therapy on Wednesdays! I'm so blessed. And so grateful. I'm definitely NOT the person who's too proud to accept some help! I gladly welcome it! And hope that I'm able to bless others back by scrubbing a toilet and folding clothes before someone's baby comes. Because I know how much it means.
The picture above is one that my friend Audra took a few weeks ago. (This was the same day as all the others of my family on the sidebar.) I never really got any good prego pictures with my other pregnancies, so its really fun to have these. And also a new friend of mine at church (our little girls are in Kindergarten together) is a photographer and has offered to take more pictures (she took the picture that is on my profile last week), so I'm supposed to go to her house Saturday for that. Its so fun to have pictures taken... makes you actually feel pretty even though almost every part of you is swollen and hurting. :) Just kidding.
As my doctor says, I'll update more "if anything magical happens"! :)
As my doctor says, I'll update more "if anything magical happens"! :)
Dinner and a show... for the whole family!
AND its supporting the adoption of a little girl with Down Syndrome! Whoo hoo!! It doesn't get any better than that right? :) Jake and I are planning to go and take the two bigger girls. Anybody wanna join us???
Click here for details!
Click here for details!
My life as a...
vacationing tourist in Chattanooga, Tennessee. :)
A couple of weeks ago our family (as in just the SIX of us, which is still crazy to think about) had our last little pow-wow before Mabry is born. We drove down to Chattanooga for a long weekend and had SO much fun. We went to the Aquarium (of course), the Adventure Science Museum, saw an IMAX movie, and did a hike down through Ruby Falls. The kids loved every bit of it. And if it weren't for the fact that Jake and I didn't sleep a wink all weekend because all six of us played musical beds all night, we would have really enjoyed it too! :)
The highlights were Ashley posing for 4 bzillion pictures so she could show her class at school, Emily trying to "hug" all of the fish flying by her face at the IMAX and Micah and Abby running as fast as their fat little unstable legs would take them, LAUGHING, through the caves at Ruby Falls! Oh if I had just captured those two on video!
So here are some pics from our trip. I couldn't condense it down to just a few, so here's the whole sha-bam. Its long but enjoy! (Be sure to hit the little speaker in the top left hand corner of the slide!)
A couple of weeks ago our family (as in just the SIX of us, which is still crazy to think about) had our last little pow-wow before Mabry is born. We drove down to Chattanooga for a long weekend and had SO much fun. We went to the Aquarium (of course), the Adventure Science Museum, saw an IMAX movie, and did a hike down through Ruby Falls. The kids loved every bit of it. And if it weren't for the fact that Jake and I didn't sleep a wink all weekend because all six of us played musical beds all night, we would have really enjoyed it too! :)
The highlights were Ashley posing for 4 bzillion pictures so she could show her class at school, Emily trying to "hug" all of the fish flying by her face at the IMAX and Micah and Abby running as fast as their fat little unstable legs would take them, LAUGHING, through the caves at Ruby Falls! Oh if I had just captured those two on video!
So here are some pics from our trip. I couldn't condense it down to just a few, so here's the whole sha-bam. Its long but enjoy! (Be sure to hit the little speaker in the top left hand corner of the slide!)
Adoption post and Giveaway!
My fellow RR friend Christine is doing a giveaway for an Adoption decal on her blog and this post is my entry to win! :)
And as stated in her rules, I'm going to reference one of my favorite posts from her blog. And hands down (so far :)), its this one:
You can fall in love
For some background, the Reeds are an amazing family with 12 kids... some biological and some adopted. (Their youngest two were "other" angels from RR... also from Ukraine.) She is a wealth of wisdom about adoption, disruption, attachment, parenting, cooking and whatever else comes into her head that day! Christine isn't afraid to say it like it is and that is absolutely what I love about her blog. Her life isn't always perfect but she's a real woman walking out real faith. I'm proud to have "met" her online and walked a part of our adoption journey's together!
In this post, she addresses attachment issues after adoption... and I have found myself going back to it again and again since Micah came home. We haven't had any major issues adjusting by any means, but in all honesty- it hasn't been the easiest thing we've ever done either. I think so many people believe that when you adopt that it will just be heavenly... that parent and child will bond instantly because why not?... child needs a parent and parent has love to give. But sometimes it takes a little time. This is the reality of adoption. But it can and will happen if you hang in there. Thanks for the advice, hands-on tips, and encouragement Christine! Keep those posts comin!
And as stated in her rules, I'm going to reference one of my favorite posts from her blog. And hands down (so far :)), its this one:
You can fall in love
For some background, the Reeds are an amazing family with 12 kids... some biological and some adopted. (Their youngest two were "other" angels from RR... also from Ukraine.) She is a wealth of wisdom about adoption, disruption, attachment, parenting, cooking and whatever else comes into her head that day! Christine isn't afraid to say it like it is and that is absolutely what I love about her blog. Her life isn't always perfect but she's a real woman walking out real faith. I'm proud to have "met" her online and walked a part of our adoption journey's together!
In this post, she addresses attachment issues after adoption... and I have found myself going back to it again and again since Micah came home. We haven't had any major issues adjusting by any means, but in all honesty- it hasn't been the easiest thing we've ever done either. I think so many people believe that when you adopt that it will just be heavenly... that parent and child will bond instantly because why not?... child needs a parent and parent has love to give. But sometimes it takes a little time. This is the reality of adoption. But it can and will happen if you hang in there. Thanks for the advice, hands-on tips, and encouragement Christine! Keep those posts comin!
More from Emily
Emily: "I asked my teacher at school today if I could have a drink. And she said, 'How do you ask?' and I said... 'Chick-fil-a?'"
Me: "Why did you say Chick-fil-a?!"
Emily: "Haha, I don't know. And then Lily said "Um, Emily, its 'May-I-please'. And I said, 'OH YEAH!"
If you're reading this and are thinking "I don't get it"... I don't get it either!!!! This is just Emily!!! I'm not sure I'll EVER understand the way her brain works!!!
Me: "Why did you say Chick-fil-a?!"
Emily: "Haha, I don't know. And then Lily said "Um, Emily, its 'May-I-please'. And I said, 'OH YEAH!"
If you're reading this and are thinking "I don't get it"... I don't get it either!!!! This is just Emily!!! I'm not sure I'll EVER understand the way her brain works!!!
Random thought
If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that periodically I just need to vent. This is one of those times. :)
Why is it so annoying to me when total strangers say to me: "You sure have your hands full!" UGH. IT. DRIVES. ME. CRAZY. And as un-Christlike as all of these thoughts are (which is why I try to never let them come out of my mouth), these are some of my instinctive reactions:
"Really, you think so? I think its a BREEZE juggling 4 kids between the ages of 2 and 6, two of which having special needs, and being 8 months pregnant. Its EASY! And FUN!!!"
or: "Wow, I'm sure glad I have YOU to tell me that my hands are full! What a shock... thank you so much for making me aware! No one else would have ever told me!"
and when I'm feeling really hormonal this one comes to mind: "Congratulations, you're the NINTH person to tell me that today! Ashley, tell her what she's won!"
I mean, what do people think they are accomplishing by telling me this? Do they seriously think this is news to me? Do they think its complimentary? Does it not cross their minds that I hear that at LEAST once every time I leave the house? Do they think its encouraging? Or are they just trying to strike up conversation? Because I can think of about a hundred diffent ways to strike up a conversation that would be way less likely to drive me nuts or be less offensive.
And sometimes it doesn't stop there. Sometimes it's "OH MY, you're pregnant TOO?!" or "Are those two TWINS?!" or "Do you have any HELP at home?!" All of which I just LOVE to hear. (Note my sarcasm.) And I mean, am I really that much of a freak? Just because I don't have 1.8 kids???
And yes, I'm completely aware that I'm taking it way too personally. And I know that most people don't mean any harm at all by saying it. I just wish people would think before they speak. "Hey maybe this chick hears this all the time and doesn't need ME, a COMPLETE stranger, to tell her that she's busy."
Ok, thats my venting for the day. :)
Why is it so annoying to me when total strangers say to me: "You sure have your hands full!" UGH. IT. DRIVES. ME. CRAZY. And as un-Christlike as all of these thoughts are (which is why I try to never let them come out of my mouth), these are some of my instinctive reactions:
"Really, you think so? I think its a BREEZE juggling 4 kids between the ages of 2 and 6, two of which having special needs, and being 8 months pregnant. Its EASY! And FUN!!!"
or: "Wow, I'm sure glad I have YOU to tell me that my hands are full! What a shock... thank you so much for making me aware! No one else would have ever told me!"
and when I'm feeling really hormonal this one comes to mind: "Congratulations, you're the NINTH person to tell me that today! Ashley, tell her what she's won!"
I mean, what do people think they are accomplishing by telling me this? Do they seriously think this is news to me? Do they think its complimentary? Does it not cross their minds that I hear that at LEAST once every time I leave the house? Do they think its encouraging? Or are they just trying to strike up conversation? Because I can think of about a hundred diffent ways to strike up a conversation that would be way less likely to drive me nuts or be less offensive.
And sometimes it doesn't stop there. Sometimes it's "OH MY, you're pregnant TOO?!" or "Are those two TWINS?!" or "Do you have any HELP at home?!" All of which I just LOVE to hear. (Note my sarcasm.) And I mean, am I really that much of a freak? Just because I don't have 1.8 kids???
And yes, I'm completely aware that I'm taking it way too personally. And I know that most people don't mean any harm at all by saying it. I just wish people would think before they speak. "Hey maybe this chick hears this all the time and doesn't need ME, a COMPLETE stranger, to tell her that she's busy."
Ok, thats my venting for the day. :)
Oh Emily :)
I'm pretty sure that Emily asked her teacher at MDO this week why there isn't a Caroline flag.
Our very good friends Wes and D'Arcy have 4 kids: Christian (who's Ashley's age), Caroline (who's close to Emily's age) and baby twins. You can check out her blog here.
This week after MDO, Emily randomly asked me if there was a Caroline flag. At first I was a bit confused and then she told me that they say the pledge to the Christian flag at school... I would have loved to see the confused look on her teachers face... ! Ashley is really just now coming to the understanding that though she has a friend named Christian, we can all be Christians if we have Jesus in our hearts. Looks like its time to explain that concept to Emily as well. :)
And no, Emily, I'm sorry to say there isn't a Benjamin or Peyton flag either.
Our very good friends Wes and D'Arcy have 4 kids: Christian (who's Ashley's age), Caroline (who's close to Emily's age) and baby twins. You can check out her blog here.
This week after MDO, Emily randomly asked me if there was a Caroline flag. At first I was a bit confused and then she told me that they say the pledge to the Christian flag at school... I would have loved to see the confused look on her teachers face... ! Ashley is really just now coming to the understanding that though she has a friend named Christian, we can all be Christians if we have Jesus in our hearts. Looks like its time to explain that concept to Emily as well. :)
And no, Emily, I'm sorry to say there isn't a Benjamin or Peyton flag either.
Set your TiVo *or* mark your calendar! :)
My dear RR friend Renee (who is actually a Nashville "area" resident as well) and her family are going to be featured on a show on TLC! I would tell you what its about but you can read for yourself by clicking on her post here. I'm so excited to watch and I hope you don't miss it either!
The Show:
Truth Be Told: I have a child with Special Needs
Network: TLC
Date: September 16, 2009
Time: 9/8pm central
The Show:
Truth Be Told: I have a child with Special Needs
Network: TLC
Date: September 16, 2009
Time: 9/8pm central
Our Adoption Video!!!
I FINALLY was able to put the finishing touches on our adoption video. And it feels so good to have it done. :) I have to admit that since its been done, I've watched it a bzillion times and I STILL tear up when I watch it. I guess I always will. This is the *re*birth story of my baby. My boy. Its forever engraved in my mind and my heart. This video is just a small clip of everything our family went through to bring this boy home. Thanks to those who walked this road with us in so many different ways. I hope you enjoy.
Ok just really quick
This is my favoritest EVER Micah smile. Its his most genuine happy-from-the-inside-out smile and its SO hard to capture on camera. But I finally did. And this is it. :D
Happy Birthday Sweet Pea
Six years ago tonight my world changed forever. I became a mommy. After 22 hours of labor, our little sweet girl Ashley came into the world and surprised us all (we didn't know for sure, but really thought she was going to be a boy!). She had the most beautiful eyes and sweet round cheeks. 7 lbs. 5 oz. and 21 inches long. Born at 10:03pm.
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She is one amazing kid. Tonight on the way home from church she was asking if they nailed Jesus' feet to the cross too or if it was just His hands. I told her it was both and then explained that when we get to heaven we'll get to see those holes. Which she thought was awesome. And reminded ME that it was because He loves us all so much. Then she told me out of the blue that Micah's first mommy and daddy probably didn't want him because he wasn't what they thought that he would be. But that Jesus sure loves him the way he is. :) Never would have dreamed six years ago tonight that I'd be having these sorts of conversations with that little blue eyed baby in the delivery room.
She is one amazing kid. Tonight on the way home from church she was asking if they nailed Jesus' feet to the cross too or if it was just His hands. I told her it was both and then explained that when we get to heaven we'll get to see those holes. Which she thought was awesome. And reminded ME that it was because He loves us all so much. Then she told me out of the blue that Micah's first mommy and daddy probably didn't want him because he wasn't what they thought that he would be. But that Jesus sure loves him the way he is. :) Never would have dreamed six years ago tonight that I'd be having these sorts of conversations with that little blue eyed baby in the delivery room.Happy birthday to my big girl. You amaze me. I love you Sweet Pea.
Saying goodbye...
...to my feet.
They're disappearing out of sight and I don't think I will see them again for about 2 months!
They're disappearing out of sight and I don't think I will see them again for about 2 months!
Ashley's first lost tooth!
I tried to catch the whole experience of Daddy pulling it out (it practically fell out in his hand), but my camera battery died. :( But I had another battery and was able to catch the "aftermath" of this first milestone in her life. :) She was SO proud!
(And yes thats my big ol' prego belly in the mirror! Yikes!)
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(And yes thats my big ol' prego belly in the mirror! Yikes!)
Crazy doesn't describe it
I had an, um, *interesting* day Tuesday. I would say crazy but that doesn't adequitely describe the turn of events throughout the day. :)
If I told you the full story, this would be the longest post in the history of blogging, so here's the short version:
I took all my kids to buy school supplies, got really dizzy and passed out in the middle of Wal-mart, then went across the street to get Sonic for lunch. Called my mom and she conviced me to drive to the ER to be checked out. On the way to the ER, Abby started choking on a grilled cheese sandwich and couldn't breathe. A total stranger basically saved her life on the side of the road, then we continued on to the ER where Jake met us to take the kids home while my mom took me over to my Drs office (which we thought would be better). Once there, it was decided that I had low blood pressure and was probably a little dehydrated. They also drew blood and we found out that I'm anemic. :) Fun. (WOW that was the REALLY short version!!!)
So the moral of the story is.... there isn't one. Life is NUTS!!!
If I told you the full story, this would be the longest post in the history of blogging, so here's the short version:
I took all my kids to buy school supplies, got really dizzy and passed out in the middle of Wal-mart, then went across the street to get Sonic for lunch. Called my mom and she conviced me to drive to the ER to be checked out. On the way to the ER, Abby started choking on a grilled cheese sandwich and couldn't breathe. A total stranger basically saved her life on the side of the road, then we continued on to the ER where Jake met us to take the kids home while my mom took me over to my Drs office (which we thought would be better). Once there, it was decided that I had low blood pressure and was probably a little dehydrated. They also drew blood and we found out that I'm anemic. :) Fun. (WOW that was the REALLY short version!!!)
So the moral of the story is.... there isn't one. Life is NUTS!!!
"A Special Child"
I read this a long time ago (around the time I read "Holland" for the first time) but it always makes me smile when I see it on my friend Amy's blog. Jake and I really feel so blessed to have been chosen by the Lord to raise Abby AND Micah. With every passing day with my kids I realize the depth and truth in this little poem... I love it and thought I'd share...
A Special Child
by Sharon Harris
You weren't like other children,
And God was well aware,
You'd need a caring family,
With love enough to share.
And so He sent you to us,
And much to our surprise,
You haven't been a challenge,
But a blessing in disguise.
Your winning smiles and laughter,
The pleasures you impart,
Far outweigh your special needs,
And melt the coldest heart.
We're proud that we've been chosen,
To help you learn and grow,
The job that you have brought us,
Is more than you can know.
A precious gift from Heaven,
A treasure from above,
A child who's taught us many things,
But most of all-
"Real Love”
A Special Child
by Sharon Harris
You weren't like other children,
And God was well aware,
You'd need a caring family,
With love enough to share.
And so He sent you to us,
And much to our surprise,
You haven't been a challenge,
But a blessing in disguise.
Your winning smiles and laughter,
The pleasures you impart,
Far outweigh your special needs,
And melt the coldest heart.
We're proud that we've been chosen,
To help you learn and grow,
The job that you have brought us,
Is more than you can know.
A precious gift from Heaven,
A treasure from above,
A child who's taught us many things,
But most of all-
"Real Love”
Poor Emily
This might look like a safe, unsuspecting back yard.
But yesterday I sent the two big girls outside to play and after 10 minutes Emily came running in the house ripping her clothes off, tearing at her skin screaming that she was itching.
In that 10 minutes, this poor kid got 28 mosquito bites!!! Ashley doesn't even have 1. She said that they were swarming around Emily and she told her to run into the house! Poor baby.
The only way to help her was to bathe her to get that "outside itch" off (you remember that itchy feeling from playing outside on hot summer days as a kid?) and then put a dab of Campho-phenique on each one and then a bandaid so she wouldn't scratch. We took all the bandaids off last night before bed so they could "breathe" and have only added them back on today as needed (the ones she just can't stop scratching).
Guess I need to bathe my kids in bug spray before they go outside from now on!
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