Drae is a **star**!!!

Tonight was Drae's Debut on stage! He played "Chad" in High School Musical and did a great job! It was a fun little rendition of the Hit movie from Disney. The kids were in grades 3rd, 4th and 5th. It was very entertaining. We are super proud of Drae and the interests he has found! For so long he just seemed to be "looking" for something to enjoy and be committed to and now he has found 2 highly important passions: Horses and Theatre - acting, singing and dancing. He seems to be a natural at both! We knew he would find his place! We just kept putting him in anything he asked to join and now he has set his mind to these two things and we are so proud of him in both areas! His grades are up as well and he is doing an awesome job! His whole attitude has changed over the almost 5 years he has been with us! He is not even like the same child! I give the glory to God because even anything we have done is because HE has given to us. We believe 100% that you cannot give what you do not have. Most of us if we were completely honest did not receive Total Unconditional Love and Acceptance as children because truly our parents had not received that so how could they give it. Even in the best homes there is some lack in these areas. So the only way to give it is to receive it FIRST and we believe the only place to truly receive TOTAL UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE is through Jesus Christ! Our Heavenly Father gives it and makes it possible for us to ATTEMPT to give to our children. We still are human parents and we make huge mistakes often, but with Him we have the ability to lose our pride and say to our children that we do make mistakes and we are sorry and we talk to our children with respect and love and understanding! I believe that makes such a difference in a child's life, knowing there is someone who will love them and be here for them NO MATTER WHAT!! We often hear, "oh it is such a wonderful thing - what you do for these kids - you are such a blessing to them!" I know people only mean well with that and we know the kids are happy and blessed, too, but our response always is, "no they are such a blessing to us!!!" I was called to be a mommy and when I could not give birth to children of our own, I knew God would work it out for us to have children and now we have 7 and are hoping to adopt two other little girls who are already a part or our family right now! What a Blessing!!!! God is awesome!
Back to Drae: we could not be more proud!!!! Here is a picture of our son on stage and then after the production! He is good looking, sweet, talented and just plain wonderful!!!!!! YOU GO, DRAE!! WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!!! KEEP IT UP!!!!

Close relationships - a real blessing

It is after 3 in the morning and I cannot stop coughing long enough to get to sleep so I decided to blog. The thing that has been on my mind is my relationship with my children, especially the older ones. Yesterday, well technically since this is Wed. morning, a couple of days ago on Monday, Sydnee Renee' had her first doctor appointment. So Marlee went with me and we took Kourtnee and the baby to the doctor. Afterwards the 4 of us went to lunch and to Wal - Mart. We laughed so much. Now this is not unusual at all. It seems we laugh all the time. But it did get me thinking about how blessed I am. You know, we are not a perfect family in any sense of the word!!! Not perfect is not even close!!! But what we are is CLOSE!!! We have our disagreements and get upset, angry, hurt, etc. but it is over quickly and we are back to laughing and hugging! I thought about some of my friends and some of the parents I talk to and hear from and hear how they "wish they had a good relationship with their teens", "wish their teen would talk to them", "wish their teen would do more than stay locked up in their room". Well, I have to say that we are blessed that we do not have to say those things or wish for those things to be true. I have so much fun with my girls! I have always said when people say that their teens stay in their own rooms and do not talk to them, that my teens - all my kids spend more time in our room than their own. At night when Larry and I "retire" to the bedroom, we have several knocks on the door and end up with most of the kids in here at once! Kourtnee, Marlee and Alex used to all crowd in here telling us things about the day or just making jokes or whatever! We really do spend more time laughing together than anything else! That is truly a blessing! I love my family and I am so glad that we are close! I would not want it any other way! I have often said that times I want to just say, "ok enough is enough stop talking, I can't take anymore" :), but then I think what if they every did stop talking to me? I could not take that at all! I want to always be here and be open for my kids to talk to and to listen to them! I pray that the relationships of all the kids continue to be as close as these older 3 have remained! I pray that all my kids always know that their mom and dad love them unconditionally and want to share everything with us! What a blessing to be close! I look forward to many more Girls' days out and many more special times with the boys! Kourtnee, Marlee - thank you for Monday and all the days! Thank you for loving your mother like you do and know that your mother loves you with all my heart! You are the most beautiful, fun, loving young women any mom could ask for!!!! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!! I love all my kids!!! and grand kids! :)

Our grand daughter is here!!!!

Sydnee Renee' arrived Thursday morning at 4:18 weighing in at 6 pounds and 15 ounces and 19 inches long! Mommy and baby did great and are now home! Since all of my children have been adopted, I have never been able to experience the miracle of birth first hand. Kourtnee gave me a tremendous gift! Not only has she given us the most beautiful baby girl - our grand daughter, but she gave us both (Larry was in the room as well) the wonderful experience of seeing her born!!!! It was too incredible for words! I was in tears with a smile from ear to ear! I can not put into words what I was feeling at that moment when the nurse said, "stop pushing becuase that is her head right there." I was in awe!!! Then when the doctor arrived and first out came the head and then the shoulders and then there is a whole little body!!!! I was looking to see if he had been right and then I heard her cries and saw yes she is a girl!!!!! it was so awesome! I really have no other word but completely awesome! I was awe struck! God is so awesome! Kristofer, my 4 year old asked when we visited Kourtnee and Sydnee at the hospital, "she was in her tunmmy???" It was so cute and then TJ our almost 11 year old said, "Is she like the puppies and won't open her eyes for a week or 2??" Very cute!!! They all love their little niece!!!! Craig and Kourtnee are so happy and they have been so blessed! Sydnee is beautiful!!! I could go on and on about this beautiful blessing and I could go on and on about how awesome it was to see her enter the world, but I think you would stop reading after a short bit lol! As you can tell I am still in awe! she is such a beautiful miracle! Birth is a miracle. While I truly believe adoption is God's miracle of using another vessel to get a child to his or her family, I was so thrilled to witness the miracle He first used to bring a child to a mommy and daddy! My heart is full of joy! Thank you Kourtnee Renee'! You are and always will be our sweet girl and now you ahve a sweet little baby girl of your own!!! I love you more than words can say and the same goes to our little Nee Nee' Angel!!!!

Twofer Tuesday

Today was a nice day! The weather and all! I had Aiden all day so that is one of the wonderful things of today! He is such a blessing to our family! He is getting so big and is so full of laughter and joy! He is always smiling! Being a MEME is so awesome! Another great thing happened today, but I feel that I cannot really post it until it ACTUALLLY HAPPENS - it was a phone call about something happening on Sunday. SO I think I will wait until Sunday to post it. SO for my second wonderful thing today I am going to say chatting a few minutes with my neighbor today! She is so sweet and just an all around wonderful person! We are so blessed to have her and her husband as neighbors! This is a busy time of year, I know, but remember to be thankful for all the "little blessings" in your life! DO not take anything for granted! Thank God daily for your health, your family, your friends, your home, the fact that you can pray to Him. All these things are daily blessings that we all too often take for granted!
Good night!
Love to you all,
Melissa