Happy Birthday, Monnie!

My mother, who we affectionately call Monnie(pronounced like money), was a Halloween baby! She is the best mother and grandmother EVER! I am so proud to not only call her my mother but also my best friend. My boys think there is no better place to be than with Monnie doing just about anything which warms my heart and makes me smile!

Happy Birthday, Monnie! We love you! We are sorry that we can't be with you today as you celebrate your special day but we will see you soon. Have a great day!


My sister, my mother and me


Monnie and her babies

Happy Halloween!

Please Pray....

Please pray for our friends, Chet and Dusty, who you can find here and who also own and maintain Adoption Voyages. Chet's father had a heart attack and passed away yesterday morning. This was very unexpected and the family is in a state of shock even though they have peace in knowing that Mr. Chester is with Jesus. Chet and Dusty live in Florida but his parents live here in the same town as us, so, they were having to travel a pretty good distance yesterday in order to be with the family.
Please lift this family up as they walk through this valley and pray for us as a community that we are able to minister to them and meet their needs during this time. Thank you.

We've Been Boo'd!

Since it is fall and the Halloween season, my ladybug group decided to swap names and do Boo Bags. Ours came today and we were "boo'd" by Alisha and her family and what a great job they did! Thank you Harter Family!!!
They did an amazing job getting the perfect things for each person in my family including Ruthie. Milledge got Apple Spice pancake mix, a Starbucks card and candy. I got a wonderful smelling fall candle, a magnet that has a saying on it about the mother of boys and candy(mostly Reese's cups...my favorite!). The boys both got a bag full of goodies which they had so much fun digging through. They got Mad Libs, Silly Putty, pencils, glow sticks, Halloween straws and LOTS of candy. And now for my favorite....Ruthie received the cutest outfit. It says, "Who Needs a Costume When You're Already a Princess". How cute is that?! I can't wait for her first October at home so that she can wear it because we already refer to her as our little princess and with all these boys here, I know she'll be treated like one!

Thank you again, Alisha and family. We appreciate your thoughtfulness and kindness so much!

Happy Fall, Ya'll!

We have had a busy fall so far! We have been to the local fair, to Monnie's for the weekend and to Cagle's Dairy. At Cagle's, we went on a hayride tour of the dairy, watched pig races, fed goats and baby calves, drank chocolate milk that was made there, shot corn at a target, got lost in a corn maze and jumped in a jumpy thing! It was so much fun but my camera died AGAIN before I got pictures of most of the fun. Oh well, there's always next year.
While at Monnie's house we got to see Caroline cheering and Anna Claire playing soccer. They both did so good but we hate that we missed Will playing baseball. We'll come again, Will...I promise! Monnie and Jon Milledge had fun making their now famous pan-sized pancakes. I love the fact that my boys enjoy being in the kitchen or anywhere with my mother, what sweet memories they are making with her and for that I am so thankful.
We went with friends to our local fair where we experienced lots of loud music, rides, candied apples, funnel cakes and fun!
I love this time of year and always look so forward to the weather getting cooler, the beautiful colors that fall brings, football games and spending time with my family. We hope that all of you are having a fun filled fall with your families too!

Anderson's Bowling Birthday Party

I am way behind on posting some of our adventures lately so I am going to try and catch up a little tonight. A couple of weeks ago, Anderson had his 8th birthday party. He chose to take a few friends to the Glow in the Dark Bowling, to Chick-fil-A and home to spend the night. WHEW! I have been having camera issues so I only have pictures from the bowling alley but believe me there was lots of laughing, playing, screaming, eating and snoring going on after these pictures were taken! I believe all the boys had a great time, however, Milledge and I were exhausted after they all went home!

Perfectly Polished?

Here in our little town once you enter the 5th grade you are invited to join an etiquette class that is offered every other Sunday afternoon. Perfectly Polished is a school out of Athens that comes here to teach pre-teens about "social graces" and other life skills. Jon Milledge really didn't want to go because you have to dress up for each class and he thought it was more for girls. He is loving it now and there are 15 boys and only 6 girls in the class, which is going to make their dance lessons interesting!
A little funny story about Perfectly Polished...After the first class, I asked Jon Milledge what they had learned that day and he told me "The Electric Slide". I then said, "What else?" like the good mother that I am..hee hee. He proceeded to tell me that they learned all about napkin etiquette. He told me that the only time you can tuck your napkin in the collar of your shirt is if you are on a plane. Then he said, "Mama, did you know that during a meal before you take a drink you are supposed to dab your mouth three times with your napkin?"(and he demonstrated as best an 11 year old can demonstrate dabbing). I told him that I didn't know that but that I assumed that was so you don't get crumbs in your drink. He got this awful look on his face and said, "Well, I don't care what it is for, you will NEVER catch me dabbing my mouth 3 times before taking a drink or anything!" Milledge later said that is because there isn't a cute prom date involved yet! Thank goodness!
The class will end in the spring with them showing off what they have learned at a Spring Formal at The University of Georgia. From what I have heard from other parents, the young ladies show off their dance moves with their daddies and the young men dance with their mothers . OH MY!! Maybe I should be taking the class as well! My palms are already sweating!

Happy 11 Month LIDiversary to Us!

I found this picture while searching for an "11" photo. It is called something real creative like "Number 11 Puzzle" which I thought was appropriate since I feel like I am in the process of doing a jigsaw puzzle.....blindfolded! This adoption journey is like we are very sporadically getting one piece of a 10,000 piece puzzle at a time. I know that the finished puzzle,when my blindfold is removed, will be the smiling face of a beautiful little girl from China and I can't wait for that but I just wish that after 11 months we had more pieces in place. Right now...we don't seem to even have the outside edge complete!
We are very glad to have 11 months of our wait for Ruthie behind us and really agree that it has gone by very quickly. Here's to a speed up in China and faster puzzle assembly skills! ;)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANDERSON!

Eight years ago today at 8:32am my sweet baby boy was born. He was and always has been a very content, happy child. Anderson is just like his daddy in that he is tenderhearted, laid back, calm, smart and shy. He loves to collect sea shells, feathers, and baseball cards. He always wants those "things" in order with no one bothering them. Anderson loves to play baseball and catcher is his favorite position. He is very much a daddy's boy and is pretty happy doing anything as long as he is with his daddy.
I can't believe my baby is turning 8 today! It seems like just yesterday that I was in the hospital introducing him to my family and friends. He is such a blessing and brings us lots of joy everyday!
Happy Birthday, Anderson! We love you!

Another Award for Me???!

I have received the "You Make Me Smile" award from three wonderful ladies, Brandi, Terri, and Lisa. Thank you all so much, you have made my day! I also want to say that all three of you inspire, encourage and "make me smile" too!

Here is what the person that created this award says about it: the thing that I love most about blogging is that I learn so much about a person just by reading their blog. I have met MANY wonderful people with wonderful stories to tell,and I am grateful every day for each person that I have the pleasure of crossing paths in life with.I wanted to create something special for the top ten people who have inspired me through their blogging; the stories they tell, and the lives that they lead with grace and dignity. I visit their blogs for inspiration and encouragement. Please grab your badge and wear it proudly, and pass it on because you inspire and encourage me. Thank you.

Now, it says I am to nominate 10 people but I would just like to say that anyone whose blog is listed on the right side of mine is nominated. I look at all of your blogs every couple of days and you have all made me smile on many occasions. Thanks!