This time last year

Experience is what you get, when you don't get what you want.

This quote is on my friends blog. Time is getting close to Braden's 1st birthday. As I try to ignore it I cant. I think I will forever think about him this time of year. When his birth mom changed her mind we were devastated for many reasons. We worried so much for his welfare. Now he is in foster care and believe it or not it brings peace to my heart. I know if his Mom does not get her act together he is young enough to be adopted by a loving family. Not our family (due to many reasons) I have faith he will be loved and taken care of. He still is the child we lost but we did learn a lot. I learned so much about myself. My love grew deeper and stronger for my husband. I have learned at a deeper level to trust in the Lord. I have learned who my true friends are. The ones who cried with me and let me lose it for a while and did not judge. I learned to talk more about my feelings and most of all I learned...Experience is what you get, when you don't get what you want. I have heard several times the saying "I am thankful for MY trials cause I wouldn't want anyone else's". The Lord knows each of us and know's what we can handle. In the beginning I felt like I could not handle it. Now I know I can handle it and just as the answer He gave me in one of my many prayers "it will be okay" it is okay. I am thankful.

Darth Vader?

Yesterday as I finished getting ready for church Luke said "Wow Mommy, you look like Darth Vader"! You be the judge!

Bithday Pictures...

More Birthday Pictures

Luke is 5!!!

Where has time gone? How is my little Luke already 5? Luke had a really fun birthday. For months he has been asking to go to Chuck E Cheese. We made party reservations for the day of his birthday. It was a lot of fun. To see him smile from ear to ear made Jamie and I so happy! In the morning I made him a waffle and put a candle on it. I told him to close his eyes and make a wish. He said "okay, I wish for lots of toys". When it came to blowing out his candle at Chuck E Cheese I told him to close his eyes and make a wish... this time he said "okay, I wish for Jesus". We have no idea what that means. When it came time to open presents we told him to help us gather up his friends. He then tried to get every kid in the place to watch him open gifts. He does not know a stranger and is happy to include everyone. I wonder if he really thought everyone at Chuck E Cheese that day was there for HIS Birthday. He is a crazy little guy. Luke has really grown up this past year. He talks better and listens better. He always makes us laugh and he seems to know how to charm his way out of trouble all the time. When he does something wrong and he knows it he immediately will compliment me or Jamie depending on who caught him doing something wrong. He loves Star Wars and Sponge Bob. He loves to play the Wii with his Daddy and he has also enjoyed going to the water park to swim. He is a joy in our home and we are so lucky to have him!

Boating

Our family was invited to spend a day at the lake with friends who have a boat! The kids had a blast. Luke skinny dipped (because he is a crazy kid)! Aubree had fun on the tube,Ryan and I just enjoyed watching. Jamie even got to play a little. We did not take many pictures. Jamie and I need to start taking pictures together more... I notice all the pictures we have are just of the kids, me and the kids, Jamie and the kids or just Jamie alone.

Finding the good from the bad...

Yesterday after church the kids were playing very well so Jamie and I relaxed on our bed and turned on the television. Our door was open so we could hear what was going on. Luke needed my help in the bathroom so I got up to help him. I heard the kitchen sink running so I headed that way. On the way I saw a cup of cake icing open half gone and smeared into my carpet! I got to the kitchen just as the sink was about to overflow with water (there was a dish at the bottom of the sink). The door to the garage was open so I headed to the garage to find Ryan covered in chocolate with a permanent marker in his hand. I held back my reaction (wanting to cry and scream). I got him undressed and he ran to the toilet and sat on it and said "Mommy I pee, pee!" I have been trying to potty train him and cannot even get him to sit on the toilet. I know he knew he had to make it up to me. The story my Mom tells a lot came to mind. One day she walked outside to see my sister and I covered in mud! She was so upset she took a picture. So I grabbed my camera to do the same. As I started taking pictures of all the mess I started to see the good. The reason the sink was overflowing is because Ryan was getting the washcloth wet to clean up his chocolate mess. When it comes to the permanent marker her only drew on the white board. In the past he was done horrific art work on my walls. There was not a mark on my walls just on the white board! So I was able to see the good! He is learning! I have also learned to LOCK MY PANTRY!