Happy Birthday Tucker Chase

Today is my baby boy's 9th birthday. Nine. One full hand and four fingers on the next. 9.
He was born in a snow storm.
I will never forget the ride to the hospital.
Kip decided to take a new route because of the snow......
Interesting.
I also had the flu.
I will never forget that either.
Tucker had RSV and pneumonia twice before his first birthday. We have had some scary moments with his health but God has been so sweet to us in those moments.
We have had some special bonding times late in the night when everyone else was sleeping and he needed a breathing treatment. I will never forget the stillness of that machine running and holding him in my lap.
When the big boys went to school, he was my constant buddy.
And the day he went to kindergarten, my heart hurt more than I thought it would.
The second day of first grade we walked him into his classroom and kissed him goodbye because we were boarding a flight to China at 12:00.. I asked the Lord to let that kiss and hug be enough for the 2 week journey. For both him and me.




I remember seeing him at the airport and thinking he had grown a ton during that 2 week separation. We left him as the baby of our family and came home to him being the big brother.
He's a great big brother to Tatumn. He plays the best with her. he lets her boss him around and will play anything pretend. He is also a fantastic little brother, too. The big boys let him tag along in the woods and challenge his skills on the Wii. He takes their teasing and knows how to dish out his own.

He is a charmer and a pleaser. Every teacher has loved him greatly. His teacher this year started out our parent-teacher conference like this
Teacher "I love your son."
Me " Me, too."
Teacher "That is all I have to say. Really. Nothing else to report."
Me- thinking.....silently to God "Thank you."

Happy Birthday Tucker.

Chinese New Year

Gung Hay Fat Choy

Happy Chinese New Year


This is the only family picture that we have taken for a long time.
Did we get one for thanksgiving? No.
Christmas? umm...no



Tatumn and Myer wore matching pink tutu Chinese dresses! Love it!

35 things about me.....

In honor of my 35th birthday I thought I would list out 35 things about me that you may or may not know.

Yes, I am really 35.

I know...it's half way to 70.

I am choosing to see the glass as half-full rather than it's been all fun and games and now I on the down hill decent from here.

1.I Love Jesus. I really do.

2. I adore my husband.

3. Married my high-school sweetheart.

4. #2 and #3 are one and the same. In case you had any doubts.

5. Enjoy being a mom to 4 amazing kids.

6. My boys love me as much as I love them. (they really do!)

7. My daughter is simply a "delight".

8. We adopted our daughter in August 2006 from Hunan, China.

9. Adoption changed us. More than I ever thought or imagined. It has become our heartbeat. (I mis-spelled heartbeat with heartbest but I think both are true. I like that. Heartbest.

10. I am a random-not organized-kinda creative-girl.

11. I love a clean kitchen.

12. I am a true book worm. Give me anything to read and I will. From the prescription papers on medication, Mitford, the First Born series, to the Word, I'm there.

13. I don't like to sweat. I wish I was a pretty sweat-er, I'm just not. Picture blotchy.

14. I do love to shop. And I am good at it. It's a gift. My dad once called me a black-belt shopper. One of my most favorite compliments, ever.

15. I am embarrassed to admit this but I have been known to curse like a sailor. My BIG TIME conviction came this year to give that up. And you know what, I have. Only to the Glory of God it is not even a temptation.

16. I struggle with personal insecurities every day.

17. I love to cook.

18. My most favorite color is Pink.

19. My favorite shoe is the flip-flop. From fancy & bedazzled to simple and plain. I heart the flip-flop.

20. I am a closet worship band singer. I can not carry a tune in a bucket but oh how I love to worship with everything I have. Arms in the air. A little bit of a dance going on. Eyes closed. (of course) Joyful noise.

21. I truly feel like we are supposed to adopt again.

22. I love fun and colorful serving dishes. Any and all kinds.

23. I love sweet tea. Although, I am currently on an unending fast of the drink. I miss you sweet tea. You are just not good for me.

24. I am a Fox News junkie.

25. I suffer from insomnia. It maybe directly related to #24.

26. I am a happy girl when I am surrounded by palm trees and sand. Just ask my husband.

27. I am not a numbers girl but I am in charge of our budget. Believe it or not, it works.

28. Sometimes I look around my life and am completely amazed that I am the wife and mom to this group. That God chose me.... amazes me.... humbles me..... and causes me to be a better me than the me I am.

29. I feel like God is calling my family to serve in Missions. I am not sure when, where, or how...but I feel it. Deep.

30. I am a horrible typer. Now, I wish I finished that keyboarding course in High School. True story, I told my guidance counselor that I would NEVER need that skill.

31. I can fall asleep in any movie. It must be something about finally sitting still in the dark for any amount of time. Obviously # 25 doesn't apply here. Ask my kids about the time we went to see Curious George. Embarrassing.

32. I am a finale kind of girl. Whether it be the final rose, world series, the election, anything I love seeing who wins! I got hooked on the NBA Finals when Tanner was a new born baby.

33. I truly have a liking for accessories. (I am tired of using the word love...but trust me the feeling is that strong) Necklaces and bracelets are my faves!

34. When I text, I don't use text talk. Like U for you, 2 for to, two, or too. I just can't. I also have been known to use the correct sentence ending.

35. Because I am now 35 , I have to go for my Base Line mammogram this year. That may be a little too much information for you but its the Truth.

happy Birthday to me!

The battery in my van is dead.....

Got in the car today to go celebrate my mom's birthday.

Happy Birthday, Mom. (I will try and post a b-day message later tonight.)

Tried to open the automatic door.

Nothing.

Opened my door.

Nothing.

No lights.

No ding.

Nothing.

We were already running late.

Imagine that.

And I said "The van is dead."

Tatumn responded "it is dead? who shoot it mommy?"

Oh, to be the sister to 3 big brothers.

Smelling like a sugar cookie......

I thought you all (all 7.5 of you!) may enjoy this little funny.

I had my female doctor apt the Friday before Thanksgiving. You know the apt that you just endure. The one that mocks you from the calendar page. The apt that is met with dread. Yeah, that one.

Okay, I was having a good hair day and I wore a cute outfit. One special thing that did thrill me was that I had just purchased my holiday scent. I am a Bath and Body Works girl. I heart that place. It makes me happy. I am also very seasonal with my scents as well. Like Ecclesiastes says "there is a time and season for all things under Heaven." I am sure King Solomon was referencing the seasonal bath and body scents, too. You know he was the wisest of men.

I digress.

Okay, back to my apt. I stepped on the dreaded scale. And was mildly disappointed. Let's just say this. The holidays were approaching and I had already used my reserve pounds. You know how you play around with those 5 pounds. Sometimes its 5 more and sometimes it is 5 less. Yeah well, I had used those and a couple more reserves that were stored away for the next year or two..... or five. As I sat and waited and beat myself up over the stinking number on the scale. I would tell myself my self-worth was not in the number and that my image was in how Christ saw me. Then I would wonder how does He see me?

On and On.

Then I decided I would talk with the Dr and get her advice and opinion.

She walked in (finally) and said "Oh my! You smell so good. You smell just like a sugar cookie!"

Ugh, yeah. Maybe not the best time to bring up my struggle with my weight.

But I did.

I told her that I am just having trouble losing. I work out and eat right. (chuckle!)

So, she told me that really I still fall in the guidelines (for a 7 foot tall man) and that possibly my metabolism had slowed down. She told me the best thing to do would be to talk with a nutritionist. She assured me that she would be able to put together a combination of food choices that would help speed up my metabolism. I know she was pleased with herself for giving me such sound advice.

All the while I am sitting there smelling like a sugar cookie.

I still have not gone to visit a nutritionist. I just haven't had the time.

I haven't worked out either.

I (may) have mono.

But I am concerned. I have made resolutions.

I am going to be proactive.

I am not going to beat myself up over a number (no matter how it is) on a scale.

I am going to remember my identity and self worth is found in Christ alone.

And I switched my Bath and Body flavors.

I did. And I feel like I am on the right path.

I am now using Winter Candy Apple.

Good choice. Fruit. Not sugar cookie.

I wonder about the candy part.

New Year!

Sheesh. That's all I can think of to start off my first post of 2009. SO much drama has swirled around and through this house that I am (almost) speechless.

First of all you know it has been too long of an absence on your blog when you hear this...
"listen, your kids are cute and all but I am so tired of clicking on your blog and seeing "Give Thanks" again and again.

Okay, I know. I am a blogging loser. It's okay; you do not need to make a comment to make me feel better. But leaving a comment would let me know people are still coming here. ;)

Let me explain. I have been sick. The kind of sick that ravages your sinuses, makes your throat feel like there is a fire inside, and fills you with congestion but then after a couple of days of taking the legal limit of Nyquil you fill better sick. Only to our run down your immune system once again.

And then you know rinse and repeat.

Since November.

I know.

I did go to the Dr. on Monday. Wanna know something about that trip.? Sure you do. I haven't been to the Dr. since I had my physical for our dossier for our China adoption paperwork.

2005.

Something funnier....(more funny?) I had a $10.00 credit in my account because I overpaid for that physical in 2005! So, that was a nice little blessing at the check out.

My diagnosis....is still quite unsure but we are leaning toward mono. We would know for sure if I went back on Tuesday for my labs. But seriously, two visits in one week when my record is clearly once every 3 years would have pushed it. Plus the excessively large glands protruding from neck and my extreme fatigue may have been a tell-tell sign. Additionally, my Dr. said there was nothing he could for it because mono is a virus ..."That will be a $30 copay. Thank you." I hate that with my whole being. Yeah duh it's a virus.

So, needless to say December happened and I did my best to get everything in. Although the whole time I never felt like myself and needed to nap like a baby. Honestly, the boys asked Sunday if something was wrong as I lay comatose on the couch ALL day. When I told them I had really felt like this since um..... before Thanksgiving they were appalled!

I guess I am a good faker.

Or my children are self consumed and too selfish to notice that I nearly crashed and burned to deliver a fantastic Christmas.

Because it is the New Year and I have made some resolutions, I will go with the door #1, Bob.

Truthfully, I don't know why I am so sarcastic today. I must be feeling better.