{except for the snoring}

from Molly, all is quiet in my house.

Well, except for Air 1 being on in my kitchen and CNN on in the background.

I guess all of that is quiet for me.  But, due to my yucky woes today, a friend

{a sweet and precious friend} is fetching the boys for me and taking them to

church.  I will sit in the dark parking lot at approximately 7:30 to
retrieve. Darkness being a  priority on a day like today.  I will spare everyone. 

I will be happy, happy to see them.  I'm so disappointed that my first re-entry
day into normal life as we know it has been plagued by sickness for me.  Oh,
well, there is tomorrow.  I am feeling better, which is a great thing that
apparently this is going to be the short-lived variety.  I thought I would put
up a few pictures from the day the chicks arrived when the boys "met" them. 
Well ''the'' boys would actually be one boy because the other peeked and then returned to his book. ;)

He wasn't that impressed they had taken over their bathroom. 

Just a few sweet pics...... 

{pardon the quality, purse camera in hand along with

the heat lamp did not make for a good combo}

The little critters have grown so much in a week, I tend to forget

the short time they stay cute and fuzzy.  Will update soon!

{the barn REraising}

The Sky Trak just arrived.

Just in time for spring storm season. ;) 

{around the farm}

In this never-ending saga of the drought and very little hay, our fields that we planted to rye are now being seeded {thanks, Jeff!} with red and white clover in an attempt to get them through until all of the green grass hits.   And, a small field is being planted with red poppies for me. :)

{so ready}

Now that that little {ha!} project is out of the way, I am ready

to exhale.  Way past ready actually.  But, before that, I have a

few days of housekeeping, both literally and figuratively,  to take

care of and then..........to get to the mundane.

I love the mundane.  

I know that I've complained a lot about this period of 

time that was suppose to be a few short weeks, would help

out the law firm that has been so good to me as well as us

in the barn endeavor, and basically keep my toes in the game.

Well, that few short weeks stretched from December until

one day shy of March.   It was very hard on me both physically,

emotionally and mentally, as well as Scott and the boys.   That later

part was the most trying.  I gave up a lot of time with family and

friends to see it through.  However, on the flip side with all of the

unforseen crazy expenses that popped up on us, it ended up

being a tremendous blessing.  And, although some days we

may have scraped by with what little time we had - we did

manage.  And we managed to treat the time together very wisely.

I, of course, am keenly aware that time is the component we can't save

or get back, but, in looking back......I think we managed it well.

I definitely 'downsized' and soley gave what I had to those immediately

around me.  So, to my friends and other family members, I have 

a lot of makeup time to do, and am very much looking forward to it.       

It has also reminded me to not take my work from home "jobs"

for granted.   They may get reflective of the movie Ground Hogs

Day....but, there is a definite beauty in all of that.  Something I

am reminded of to be very thankful for.  I am just so stinkin'

excited.   I made it through. Well, almost.  But, it's a miracle

I didn't get sick before now with all that has been swirling around me. 

I'll keep you posted of all of the trouble I get into now. :)  

I have lists and lists of trouble to get into!

{it ended with a bang}

Today should be the last day of  "the project" all of you are very likely

tired of hearing about.  Well, despite working into

the late hours Monday and Tuesday.....today being the finale...I am home sick. 

Lovely.

No celebratory moments for me to share with the rest of the staff.

At least.......it's over.   

Can I get an AMEN?!? 

{sorry, those loaded in reverse order}

see below. 

{6:40}

was the longest the Post Office could stand the chirping, I supppose. 

Because that is the exact time our phones started ringing & messages were left this morning. Yep, 6:40 am.

They all arrived safely and albeit the near heat stroke Scott gave them

and I almost lost the entire little flock within hours of their arrival, all is now well

in that cardboard box of theirs.  I am absolutely beside myself waiting for the

boys to arrive home.  Not much longer,  1 hour and 39 minutes to be exact.

Pictures to follow of course!

{the arrival}

I'm a sucker for packaging. And, they had impressive

packaging, air holes and all. 

The first day of arrival is critical....feed on newspaper, sugar in water, introducing every little beak to water, removing leg tags, and checking all little bottoms for problems.   

So stinkin' cute. 

On the first day, we lost two within hours, two of the same breed actually. 

One broke her neck and the other one was trampled I think.  We lost

a third yesterday and two more are iffy.   I didn't have this amount

of trouble {minus the mama skunk} last year.  It is very sad.  Evan of

course is in tears every time we have to have another funeral.

If you think eggs are fragile, baby chicks are more so. 

As of now, they are residing in the boys bathroom but may get

moved to the garage today if I can ensure the cat won't sneak in.



{lovely}

I am completely ignoring the water that keeps leaking out the front of my dishwasher.  I am just stepping over the wet towel I've laid down.

It always happens like this....I tell Scott we are always in some sort of unseen race to see just how much money we can spend.  Several weeks ago, it was the refrigerator.  Then the dryer.  Well, I had to order a new washer this past week, it will arrive Thursday.  And, now, I'm in denial about the dishwasher. Complete and utter denial.

Let's also ignore the drought last year that has caused me to nearly vomit when I paid our feed bill.   I understand why the nation has the lowest cattle herd on our soil in many, many years.  I also understand why I am not buying steak and the fact the true price reality has not hit yet.  If you like beef, stock your freezers now.  

I'm usually not the glass half full kind-of gal.  Typically new appliances mean excitement.  But, not here.   Not again.  It's getting a  tad old.   Or, should I say new?? 

I like old.   I really like old.

{the peeps}

have shipped. :) 

The boys are beyond excited.   I'm sure the local post office will be thrilled when they arrive either tomorrow or Wednesday. 

We are ready to have the little fuzzies, a bright spot in the coop after what happened last month.  

 

{walking the walk}

Today was such a big day for us in many ways.   Since our Candlelight Service {my favorite service of the year} we have talked with Evan consistently regarding his decision to ask Jesus into his heart.  He totally gets it and the fire has not waned a bit.  He sets the bar high for even me.

So, today,  he walked that long walk down the aisle with his sweet little hand in mine and Daddy by his side to make his decision public.  An older gentleman knelt with us and asked Evan several questions and then said the sweetest prayer for us.   Before we walked, Evan told me he was so nervous and then before Bro. Ronnie called us up to the front he whispered it again.  I reassured him that we were right there with him.

As he stood in front of me, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders with my hands resting on his little chest.  His little heart was beating out of his chest.  It made me smile as crazy as that sounds.  It made me smile because he made those steps despite his fear.  A lesson for all of us, especially mom and dad.

He was a bit overwhelmed and so happy with all of the hugs, words of encouragement, high fives and fist bumps he received.  He has been giddy about it all day.  Which means, I've been giddy about it all day.   

{happy birthday}

Dear Sweet Noah:

Some of the very best words I have ever heard in my entire life....."It's a boy".  I still have that piece of paper I scribbled it on as she said those words on the other end of the phone.  Maybe not the most traditional means to learn of whether you were a boy or a girl...but, a phone call that would lead us to you...and such a sweet, sweet life with you.  The best phone call of my life.

I could write a novel about you and everything you mean to us.  There just aren't enough words.  You have given me joy like I've never known.  The ten days before I got to hold you in my arms were truly the longest of my life.  But, more than worth the wait.  We've talked a lot lately about our adoption journey.  I think all four of us {little brother included} feel completely blessed to have been chosen to take this route to our life together.

You.  Wow, you encompass so much.  You are funny in such a funny sort-of way.  {yes, I will still be getting you a joke book;).  Your intelligence shocks me; I pray that you use that gift wisely.  Your loving nature and affection stops me in my tracks {literally as you chase me down for those hugs regularly and I LOVE it!}.  You love God and you are growing that relationship in such a way that makes your daddy and I so proud.   You are the best big brother ever.  I love the closeness the two of you have and pray it never goes away.   I love that you love to read as much as I do.  My favorite time is when we are in our reading room "formally known as the train room" as we are both snuggled up lost in wherever the book is taking us; but lost together.  I love reading a book with you and probably will until you leave my wing.   I love those sky blue eyes even though they give me the hardest time when I try to take your picture.  It's worth it.   I love your Ceasar hair.   I love that you like a certain girl and are totally playing it cool.  I love that you love and surround yourself with such great friends.  They have all become such an important part of our life and without them, I would have missed out on amazing friendships as well.  God works things out in such a wonderful way like that.  I love that you have a list of cousins who you have no clue they aren't acutally cousins by true definition.   Or maybe you do know, but know that it doesn't matter, that family is defined in more ways than one.  I love what your sweet teachers say to me about you.   I love that you are having a heart for missions and are planning a trip for the two of us to accomplish that.   I love the way you tell me I'm beautiful even when I know I'm hideous and in the same yoga pants for two days in a row.  I love how you come behind me when I'm working at the computer for long stretches and rub my shoulders. 

I love how you love all of us.

I get overcome with so many different emotions when I realize that out of the thousands of couples waiting....God chose us to have the awesome honor of YOU.  It overwhelms me.  I am grateful beyond belief.  I just pray that I always live up to why he chose me to be your mother.  I love you with every fiber I am and am thankful every day to be your mom.

Happy 11th Birthday Noah Benjamin!     

{coming soon}

I have MUCH to blog about today, so I'll be back soon!

But, for now, I have some cake to go eat....

it's been a perfect day.

{i like}

a lot.

{photo:  real simple}

I'm thinking that something similar to the above would

finish out my entry closet {aka: the gift closet}

I even love the color but do not have much of that color

in my home.  I may have to run that one by my

interior decorator {aka:  HG}. :)  Even if I just painted it

I think it would do wonders. 

Everything deserves a happy color

don't ya think?  Even the closet.

{i wasn't kidding}

 my glammed up picnic tablecloth for our camping trip. ;) 

now, I am off to console a child who is in tears because

he is way past the point of being exhausted from this crazy week. 

a projected 7 more days.  

{bye George}

Yes.  That is a Christmas tree in the background.

In my defense, it is undecorated.

BUT, because the lights went out this year and it was a prelit...

Scott strung and ATTACHED new strings of lights to the

tree so it will no longer come apart.  We've been waiting to take

the entire thing to storage.  But, every time it's planned, something

goes awry.  I think I just need to go ahead and decorate it for next year.

Now, to the point of this post. 

I dropped the boys off at school and headed to the office.

I left the office at 9:30 for a dental appointment.

I returned to the office at 12:30 to work until 2:30.

I then drove back to Greenwood to pick up boys and drive them

back into town for their dental appointments.  Finished at 5.

Both were starving and in the middle of trying to get food for them

Noah informs me he needs a costume of George Washington 

by in.the.morning.  Grrrrrr.....

Off to Walmart to try and come up with something.

He finished up his Power Point in costume.  

And, yes those are clean, unfolded clothes piled on the chair.

BECAUSE....let's not just have to buy a new refrigerator,

a new dryer, but let's just throw in a new washing machine in as well.

I.will.never.get.caught.up.

Now, off to work on photography stuff as well as a file that

sits in the front seat of my car.  Long night ahead.

{party time}

I am slacking on everything of late.  I did manage to sneak away

from the law firm for some party time.  My short presence was all he needed

then I tredged back up to the office.

Sweet Stuff!

{they had me at hello}

Happy Valentine's Day to my two sweethearts!  

To the Moon & Back!

XOXO

{snow excursion #1}

for the day.

The boys just got out of a hot tub of water after coming back

in for some snow play. 

E:  "Mom, can we stay in our pj's all day??"

Me:  "yes, Evan."

E:  "Yay!  This is great!  It feels just like December!

You know, the snow, the hot chocolate {we haven't had

any quite yet} and pj's all day long. We finally got

to have December!" 

Love, love, love the little things. :)  

Because in two days it will be summer as we

will hit thunderstorms and 60 degree weather.  

{in this moment}

*I can hear the boys talking and giggling from my room.

*The puppies are sleeping in their kennels.
*My computer is humming and reving as it uploads a gallery.
*My house is torn apart.
*The above will likely remain as the tearing apart process occurred, I started feeling worse and worse.  I am now on the couch motionless except for my fingers.
*CNN is on for background noise.
*Scott is with his dad.
*I can smell Cinnamon Cider burning.
*The heat is cranked up to 76 and I'm still freezing.  A cold winter snap finally.
*Molly is now telling me she needs to go out.

{isn't she lovely}

I have looked high and low for a beach bag that would

outlast me for more than a month of summer.   For whatever

crazy reason, I am rough on them to the point of demise.

My one in November lasted 2 days.   So, when I was

birthday shopping for a friend a few weeks ago...the

birds started singing when I spied this one.  She is HUGE,

sturdy and lined for drinks, spills, etc. 

Now, to break her in!!  But, not break her in the process.

{Happy Valentine's Day!}

Major changes for the weekend I had planned.

Rascal Flatts.

The DoubleTree in LR.

Our plans tend to change so much, we adapt well to going

with the flow.  I'm not sure plans should even be in our vocabulary.

So yesterday,  after working all day, I made a mad dash home to

change and take care of the dogs, make certain the boys were

taken care of.  Then we made a mad dash back to Fort Smith 

and met up with {or crashed, perhaps}  friends to go

see The Vow. 

I kind-of, sort-of knew the story line.   I knew was there was an 

accident and she lost her memory. That was pretty much it.  I
didn't know that  the accident was an erie depiction of Scott's accident in
SOOO many ways. I didn't know the story line would be about TBI's.  It
allowed a very small glimpse into that world. Our world. 

Well, new world of eight years

this past week.   It was quite the shock on how similar everything was to our
real  life in so many ways.  Not all aspects were the same, some better, some
worse believe it or not. I was surprised Scott was able to sit through it, I
panicked a bit at the accident seen.  He shut his eyes alot.  It reminded me
so much of our early, horrific days after the accident.  It was a bit
surreal seeing the role reversal play out on the screen. I think we both walked
away with a fresh perspective.  We talked about things in the movie that

most people likely would not pick up on. 

Besides being with friends, my very favorite part of the night was...

{gasp} holding hands.  There were "new couples" around us and

I remember those early days when our hands would just touch and 

the electric current would pass through.  Well, as I sat there

holding a very familiar hand.... I didn't miss those jolts but instead settled

in and appreciated {very much appreciated} the contentment in it. 

I wouldn't trade that any day for a jolt. 

Addendum:  I have to be perfectly honest here.  Holding hands
versus the choclate molten lava cake at Chili's later....hmmmm....
I'll go with the hand holding. ;)

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!!

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 1 Cor 13:4-8

{lonely girl}

Savannah had to stay home alone last week when Molly

went for grooming.  It was a very lonely day for her. :(

She's got it sooo rough.

I feel so terrible for her, ha!

{bestill my heart}

{expensive dog}

the puppy has expensive taste. :(

{phase I}

First, don't judge. ;) 

The state of this closet was an utter mess. 

That may be the understatement of the year. 

Before:

The beginning of Phase 1: 

This is the catch all closet and there is simply no room in there.

So, I have cleared everything out, will paint and add some sort of

organizational system inside to make it not so impossible.

or, useless. ;) 

{summer plans}

"glam"ping. ;) 

so, so excited.  it's about all that is getting me through 

this work escapade. 

{a quick one}

the above is from BH&G. 

I am either thinking up or doing quick little projects since I've been

away from home much more than I ever planned.  This is suppose to be

my down time of the year to revamp for the upcoming shooting year.  BUT...

that little plan got nixed.

ANYWAY....I have the above appliance {or something similiar} to

FINALLY, once.and.for.all. get and more importantly KEEP that

horribly-out-of-control gift closet in my foyer tackled.  Once it's

put together {this project will likely take a full day} I may just have

to put a lock on it. ;)  No Entry {especially by my mom, lol! long story!}

Now, I just want a day off! ;)

{i'm still here}

although actually sitting HERE at my computer has not been a priority of
late.  At least not to blog.  Things like squeezing what little time I have left in
my day before the boys go to bed once I get home from the firm into "family
time" has been the priority.  And, I feel like I've failed at it miserably.

And, I'm on here only for a moment because I have a hot cooked

meal on the stove for a change.  We'll be sitting around the table tonight. 

I actually made a decision to stay home today to get some things done 

that have been direly neglected like laundry, cleaning, getting bills paid,

photography work etc, etc, etc

Will be back soon!

BUT, in the meantime...know that I am dreaming of the beach

when I am organizing 1,478, 811 pages of medical records.

Well, and cupcakes at the beach {THAT was actually a dream a 

few weeks back for real.  TH was involved, although she didn't know it and

what happened??? The alarm clock before I made it to the cupcakes!!}