JOY.FILLS.MY.SOUL

Fun times

Whew- it seems like the weeks keep flying by faster and faster! Our sweet daddy has been traveling alot so I've had lots of mommy & kid time. We haven't done anything extra exciting but I LOVE playing with Turner and Lydia. I've really made an effort to give them my undivided attention. I have the bad habit of cleaning, folding clothes, vacumning, checking facebook, ect . I was reminded this weekend when watching Courageous that I will never get this time back with them~ and I don't want to have any regrets wishing I would have played more or been more silly with my angels!

Turner loves hugging his sissy, however he gets the "choke hold" and a hug mixed up every once in a while! Breakfast FUN! It took everything in me not to keep wiping her up during breakfast (another thing I'm working on, messes are fine) ...but she was having so much fun! And a little oatmeal never hurt anyone :)

These boots are made for walking!

I'm certain this picture will show up in his high school graduation slide show!

I'm 3 and PROUD!

I HAVE A DREAM....

This past Monday we celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr birthday. We kicked off the morning by playing with Aunt CC and reading our MLK book. For the past 3 years we have gone to the MLK parade downtown OKC with several of our adoptive friends and paid tribute to a man who has blessed our nation in so many ways. Through out the parade, many of the floats were playing the famous, "I have a dream" speech, and to be quiet honest I have never listened to the entire speech until today. And WOW-I am ashamed of myself-what a fearless leader who was created in the image of Christ who had such a powerful vision and dream. I encourage you to listen to the entire 17 min speech if you have not - I promise you will weep just as I am doing now. I pulled out a few of my favorite parts of the speech to share: I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

A few of our favorite things!

One of my favorite movies of all times is Sound of Music...it was on the other night and it was so much fun to watch part of it with Turner-of course, he loved all the songs :)

So in honor of the movie- here are a few of the kids' favorite things!

Underwear!!!

Now that Turner is potty trained he LOVES picking out his underwear. Earlier this week he and I made a quick trip to Wal-mart and he insisted we buy daddy these Batman under wear- John's going to be in for a big surprise when he gets back from his trip tonight!
anything with Super heroes on them!

and Star Wars....yes books, back packs, action figures, underwear, and of course the movies.

John's in heaven since Turner likes to watch Star Wars. This is one of my favorite things: Turner's sweet smile & those big brown eyes!

Turner is a shoe & clothes -a-holic thanks to his Aunt CC, E, Lolly & Pops.

I think he may have a future in modeling :) his sweet cousin Reese is definitely one of Turner's favorite things! And even better, snuggling on a pallet while watching movies!

Uncle Blanton~

Lydia has a big crush on her Uncle Blanton...and I think she has him wrapped around her finger~

Sunshine and corn dogs at the zoo!

riding outside on his Cars scooter

~Big bows~ and surprisingly enough, she doesn't take them out!

Another one of mommy's favorite things: My little princess whose smile melts my heart!

Running around and around the kitchen island....even more fun if bubba is chasing after her!

~Cereal~

Boy does this guy love him some cereal- morning, day & night-it's breakfast for Champions

Lexus & mercy are definitely at the top of the list of our favorite things!

pushing her baby doll around in the stroller is Lydia's new favorite past time...she circles the room non-stop, giggling and squealing every time she passes us!

Some of mommies favorite things:

Being a mom to 2 incredible blessings, family time, reading, volunteering with our adoption agency, play time with friends, date nights with John, chips & salsa, going to the zoo, lovin on our birth families, my treadmill, crafts, eating buttered popcorn at the movies, diet vanilla Dr. Pepper from Sonic, and singing praise & worship songs with my love bugs!

Christmas 2011

These bright smiles pretty much sum up our Christmas/New Year break- in Turner's words
"It was AWESOME!"

Here are some "highlight" pictures of our week long celebration

Jordan came to spend the night and celebrate his 8th birthday with us! Something about boys in matching flannel pjs just melt this mommas heart! And even more special- I over heard Turner saying to Jordan, "I love you so much Jordan" Music to my ears!

We all were able to relax and avoid all the hustle and bustle the holidays can bring! Even sissy enjoyed a lounging

Lydia sure does love her Pops! And by the smile on Pops face, I think the feeling is mutual

As any 1 year old would have it, she preferred the boxes, wrapping paper, and lime green tissue paper over gifts!

Santa, who Turner quickly said, "That's not Santa that's Pops!" stopped by for a short visit
while in Texas. We've really tried to make an effort to minimize Santa and focus on the fact that we celebrate Jesus' birthday on Christmas Day, but these Santa pics were just too cute not to post!

Getting some Lolly lovin'

In staying true to the reason of the season- we "tried" not to go over board with gifts this year for the kids! Turner was very excited to get a train table- he has spent hours in his room playing with it!

And what's Christmas break without some comfy and cute house slippers from Mema!

So so so in love with these two angels!

Kelley and Heath had us all over on Christmas morning and made an amazing breakfast casserole and yummy brisket dinner! The food, fellowship, and family were just about as good as it can get! Of course, the kids had a ball playing with their big cousins. Emma, Tess, & Reese never left Lydia's side and Turner got to shoot a BB gun with his cousin Mason!

Sweet cousins!

Turner's new "brown elf" stocking and his snazzy pjs' to go with those comfy house shoes make a morning super sweet!

I'm not much of one to make New Year resolutions so I'm keeping my simple this year:

Live, laugh, & love more often and glorify God in all that I do!