Friday, December 16, 2011

Christmas is a week away?? huh?

I can't believe Christmas is a little more than a week away. WOW..we have been busy as bees at
our home. I was just getting used to the idea that it was "almost December" and now, here we are..a week away. When I realized what day it was, I ran to the kitchen and there was a symphony of banging pots and pans..never have I waited this late to start my Christmas baking. In fact, we barely get the Thanksgiving dishes put away before I start pulling them back out..I found myself in the kitchen until the wee hours of the morning baking treats for Gabbie's teachers, yes, the LAST day of school until break. well, I never...

The kids are excited!! :) Ava Grace is having a blast with our Elf on the Shelf ( Sam) As soon as her little eyes pop open in the morning she makes a mad dash to his previous spot, and then the hunt begins. Oh my how I love the squeal of laughter that comes after she discovers his new hiding spot. :) At the risk of sounding Cliche' she is growing like a weed..I can hardly believe that she has been home with us almost 3 years now, in some ways it seems like it was yesterday, other times, I try to think of life before her, and I can't. Sometimes I can't help but think about all of the times I asked God why he put 97 children in our home in the past 9 years and why, knowing the desire of my heart..did he send those 97 children to different forever families, and now I know, she was my daughter before she was ever born. God gave her to me in HIS time, sometimes I just get a little impatient. The other babies, are where God intended them to be, and how blessed are we that we still get to share in many of their lives. They are still and always will be our children. The only thing that comes to mind when I think about how many times ( and there were many) I questioned God, is to just say " I'm Sorry, I should have trusted you" which is usually followed by flowing tears and a million ( or two) "thank you's"
She is smart, funny, incredibly sweet, beautiful..add a dash of mischevious and you have our darling Ava Grace. :)
Gabbie, my sweet Gabbie. :) She loves music, it isn't unusual to walk into our home at any given moment that you won't hear her singing to the top of her lungs in her room..she gives a concert like no other! ( especially, when she thinks no one is watching ;) She loves peace signs, cotton candy, lipgloss, high heeled boots, purple fingernail polish and Justin Bieber. Gone are the days of the hairbows so big that you need a forklift to put them on her head..gone are the days of butterfly murals, smocked dresses and black patten mary janes. I have found myself smack in the middle of raising a preteen girl..how did we get here so fast?? She can get to a ringing phone faster than a mom on Black Friday. She is funny, witty, quirky, beautiful, add a pinch of Drama and you have our Gabba!


Logan, I can hardly believe as of July of this year, he is officially a man. He has always been one of the funniest people on the planet..You can not be in a room with him for long before you are doubled over with side splitting laughter. Not to mention he's got the moves like Jagger. Logan is my right hand man, I need something..and he comes running. I love that he has never been embarrased to hug me in front of his friends, I love that he invites them over and has them call me mom, I love how he is always on guard to protect his little sisters, He is a joy and I am honored to be his mom. I am so proud of the man he is becoming, sometimes I find myself sitting and looking at pictures of him as he was growing up, and while part of me misses that little boy, the other part of me is excited to see the direction his life takes. ( oh, and all the little girls around here think he's Justin Bieber) haha.



SO there they are..My gifts. They along with their dad, are the most amazing gifts I could have ever hoped to receive. I am blessed beyond measure. So while December has crept up on me and I have missed every festivity so far..I am content. Merry Christmas !!