My Crew

I have 6 children, but two almost always seem to be absent from my photos. I need to do a photo shoot with just my two older kiddos to prove they actually DO exist. 

But these guys...

they keep me on my toes and I love it! People wonder what it's like having this many children in the home (6 children is NOT a lot, btw), and I would call it controlled chaos. At any moment, it could turn into massively loud, out of control, things breaking, but I am the lasso on their crazy!

Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work. - C.S. Lewis

I'm Still Here!

I have had so many people ask me when I'm going to start blogging again. I didn't realize so much time had passed since my last post!! So, what have we been up to?

Well, we've been a little mix of adorable and...well, what do you call that? Eating a lollipop and rubbing your belly, fantastic. 

And we've been bonding. Brianna is seriously the best big sister.

And we've been busy building forts. This is like watching my childhood all over again. 

And we've been on mini-vacations.

To places where they stuff giant dead things and we oooh and ahhh over it. 

And we've just had fun being family! 

There is nothing better than that!

Oh, wait...there is one more thing we've been doing. But I'm not telling you that...yet!

Gotcha Anniversaries!!!

February is our adoption month!!

 Everyone of my littles were adopted in this month so it has been kind of a whirlwind of celebrations here! Johnny was Feb 6, and Lily Anna, Feb 8, both home 3 years. Roman is Feb 10, and London is Feb 16, both home one year!

London, Johnny, Lily Anna, and Roman.

At a local restaurant...I was getting the kiddos all their food when I heard London exclaim, "Let's pray!" I turned around and saw this...they grabbed each other's hands and London (in the pink pig tails) began to pray over their meal. This truly melted my heart. One year home!!

Gotcha Anniversaries are times of deep thought for me. I replay every part of the adoption journey in my head, the Gotcha Day, the moment I first saw them, the time we had in their birth country, the first months home, and finally, how far we've come. Adoption is not easy, it is not a cake walk, but it is so, soooo worth it!! 

Random Pics

We are on Christmas break and it has been nice! Roman and London loved their first Christmas and I couldn't wait to be done with it!!! I have had them ask me 20 times a day for the past month how many days it is until Christmas. 

I have caught up a little bit on my editing. I haven't taken many pictures lately because it's been kind of dark and boring out. Sometimes I take a photography class just to inspire me and push me back into a creative state of mind. 

My little Lily Anna

I love the sepia tone of this and seriously need to frame this!!

My littles all ready for church. 

London, home about 10 months and already knows how to strike a pose for me. :)

London celebrating her 6th birthday and her first with us. She is a tiny sprout...6 years old and wearing 3T clothes!!

Roman drinking tea at church. Home 10 months and wants to be a preacher when he grows up!

I think I need to do some photo shoots with my two older kiddos as they seem to be missing in every picture!!

8 Months!!

Time has flown.

But we are enjoying our fall! 

It's so neat to see Roman and London experience all their firsts. It's kind of funny explaining Halloween to them. "Yes, Roman, you get dressed up for one day and then we give you candy." And Christmas is even better..."Yes, Roman, we're going to stick a tree in our house and put lights on it. And then we're going to buy you toys, but you don't get to see them...we're going to put paper all over the toys so you can stare at them for one month and be completely tortured." He really thinks we're nuts. Every time I explain it, he says, "okaaaaay" and looks at me in bewilderment. 

I have continued my photography classes and even had a mini class session with a professional photographer to help me take sharper pictures. I will post on that later, because it was hilarious...sort of.

Speaking of hilarious...

I love the look of shock on Lily Anna's face when she discovered berries in her hand.

Fall is the best time of the year!!

Beautiful Lily Anna. 

Look who loves to read!

Lily Anna and London. Beyond sweet!!!

Another one of Lily Anna. 
I think I'm going to have to frame this one!!

I adore this picture of Roman!! It was his first time drinking tea with me. The sun was pouring in through the window and I love how the whole room is shadowed except right on his eyes. This was a precious moment with him because now he loves to sit and drink tea with his Mommy! 

Happy Fall everyone!!