Christmas 2008

Family Photo...Christmas 2008 Ready for a nap right after lunch...
Headin' to the pool...

Swimming with Daddy, Uncle Lee and Cousins

Playin' pool with Daddy

Brileigh, Granny & Mason

Mason in his Guatemala Soccer Jersey

Papa reading to Mason

Mason's favorite gift...not kidding!

Nana reading to Mason

Mason's new Sit & Spin! Fun, Fun!

Grandkids on Daddy's side of the family...minus the twins!

Ugly Christmas sweater contest...homemade by Mommy!

Uncle Lee won the contest...

Daddy says I am adorable...Mommy agrees.

Thank you, Lord, for the memories we have from Christmas 2008.

Happy Holidays 2008

Hello! I received an email today from the Eagle's Nest with an updated photo of a little boy there that our family has been sponsoring for several months now. The photo broke my heart...he was sitting on Santa's lap with a single little tear on his right cheek. It instantly took me back to December 2007...what a difference a year makes.

December 2007-
*I was shopping like no other bringing home BAGS of baby items.
*Mason was 5 months old.
*I was a mess wondering if our case be allowed to continue after December 31, 2007??
*I was a mess, knowing Mason would not be home for Christmas.
*I was a mess, stalking adoption forums & blogs searching for any news that might be out there.
*I was a mess, checking my email every 15 seconds looking for an email from our agency with new photos and a health report.

Mason December 2007 Notice a common theme here? "MESS" was exactly what I was! Now, let's fast forward a year...

December 2008-
*Mason is upstairs, in his crib, in his room, in our home fast asleep as I write this.
*There are 3 stockings hung this year.
*Mason is 17 months old.
*Mason is running, climbing, bouncing...everywhere!
*Mason folds his little hands in prayer...which melts my heart everytime.
*Mason has started talking a little more in the past week or so...Mama, Dadda, Bye, Ball.
*I have been trying desperately to get a "good" picture to use for our Holiday cards...but this child will not sit still for more than 2 seconds (unless it's to eat, of course). I am beginning to think I may just have to snap a shot of him sleeping in some cutie Christmas PJ's instead! ;)

We have been blessed in 2008. From our family to yours...We wish you a safe and blessed holiday!

Mason Decemeber 2008

Eating with a fork like such a big boy!

Brusha, Brusha, Brusha!

Mason's first hockey game.
Shaving with Daddy...
This child LOVES to sweep!
Mason's first art project...

Nativity Set from Guatemala. Cool story. This is from a dear friend. Her husband went to Guatemala a few years ago on a mission trip. He bought this from a little boy on the streets of Guatemala. This family has passed it on to our family. What a treasure this will be for Mason as he gets older! I am so thankful to have received it, as we didn't really purchase anything in Guatemala to bring home from our pick up trip.

Mason's Nativity Set...from the same dear friends

So far (knock on wood) no Christmas Tree related accidents...

Mason texting...he is so serious!

The not so serious, but sassy Mason...

Mason, trying to help load the dishwasher.

Mason does this whenever I ask "How much does Mommy love you?"...how precious!

Thanksgiving 2008

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

2 Corinthians 9:6-7

November News!

Well, I did it...you are getting Halloween pictures before Christmas! ;) Can you believe we are already midway through November!? Mason is now 16 months old and has been home for 8 months. It doesn't seem possible...it's gone by so fast, yet at the same time it's hard to remember life without Mason.

I am in the process of reading a great book, that I would highly recommend. Note, I am NOT a reader...never really have been...rarely finish books. However, this is one I will certainly be able to finish. It's called "Fields of the Fatherless". Ever since we started our adoption process, I have felt that I wanted to do MORE. I completed an Adoption Bible Study at our church earlier this fall and I still feel that need to do MORE...I am hoping, along with some others at our church, to start an Adoption/Orphan Ministry. So, a few of us have been reading this book.

If there are any viewers out there that have experience with starting such a Ministry, I would love to hear from you! Also, if any of you are familiar with any domestic adoption programs that specialize in or have a high percentage of Latino/Hispanic adoptions, please let me know!

I hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving!

A Glimpse of October!

Tomorrow is Halloween and we are super excited about getting Mason dressed up. His costume is actually Daddy's idea, that he came up with last year while we were waiting to bring Mason home. I will take plenty of pictures tomorrow and will try to get the Halloween pictures posted before Christmas! :)

We completed our "Re-Adoption" earlier in this month. The court hearing itself was quick and painless....just more paperwork and $$ to get us there. I believe we are down to one last step...hopefully. At some point we will need to apply for a COC (Certificate of Citizenship) through the USCIS office. What does this involve? You guessed it....more paperwork and $$! Once the application has been received and reviewed we will be issued one last appointment at our local USCIS office.

Going back to September for a quick moment....
Mason had an out-patient surgical procedure, which we are glad is behind us ( I am sure he is too)! Everything went fine and we were home later that same morning. Prior to this hospitalization, Mason made his first trip to the ER! Mason and Gracie (one of our cats) had a disagreement. Let's just say, Gracie may have won the battle but she lost the war! Gracie now has a new home. She is staying with some friends of ours until Mason is a little older. This time Gracie got Mason right between the eyes! An ER trip, steri-strips, second skin and round of Augmentin later...Mason has healed just fine. (*Note: the OP surgery had nothing to do with the cat incident).

Mason is a happy, busy and entertaining little boy. He has most recently learned to spin in circles, shake his head "no" and stand on top of the coffee table! There isn't a day that goes by that we don't give thanks to God for the gift we have received in knowing this child as our son. At his 15 month checkup he weighed 22#.

Now what you really came for...PICTURES!!

Gracie's Aftermath: Round 2

Reading a story before surgery...

Mason post anesthesia...
Eat your heart out Tom Cruise!

Just another day in the life of Mason...

Daddy, Mason and Cousin Brileigh...

Mason and Brileigh

Mason's first pumpkin...

This was all Daddy's idea...