Guys Only!

Today was early release day for Hoot. He was super excited that Lambert would be picking him up from school and spending the afternoon with him. So, this morning Lambert told him that when he picked him up they would head over to Hoot's favorite pizza place. This place happens to be right across the street from my office. So I said, well that would be great. I could meet them there and then they could go on their way... Hoot informed me that today was just a guys day... No girls... mom, sorry, your a girl... I thought surely he would forget by lunch time so I called while Lambert was in the pick up line... He put Hoot on the phone to talk to me. I ran the plan by him one more time thinking he might change his mind and have mercy on his poor hungry mother. Once again he informed me that it was guys only and I wasn't a guy... then he said, I don't want to make you cry and you don't need to find a new family, we can spend time together when you get home from work... and with that, he handed the phone back to Lambert... I ate lunch, solo... When I got home I found out that they spent the afternoon at Toys R Us and this is what they decided on... Lambert went to see Toby Mac tonight so it was a mommy and Hoot night. I'm not nearly as cool as Lambert, but we did have a good time together.

Libbie's Sprinkle Part I

These are photos from sprinkle #2 because I dont' have the photos from sprinkle #1 yet. I am so blessed with beautiful friendships. I wasn't planning on haivng a shower for Libbie, just because she won't be a baby and we really don't have a lot of NEEDS... But it turns out we had 2 sprinkles! Her closet is bursting with dresses given to her by a sweet sweet friend who has two little girls. Lambert is going to re-organize the closet for her and build in extra hanging space and drawers (he doesn't know about the drawers yet)(now he does because he reads my blog daily...:) (love you honey). We really didn't need anything, but it was super fun registering at pottery barn kids for fun gear!

As you can see from the photos, my friends can throw a party. The food was almost too beautiful to eat. (almost)
Please sign the registry and come enjoy the party!



Just one of several spreads!


Like I said ALMOST too pretty to eat... It tasted as good as it looked I promise!


The party favors. the fortune read, "welcome home Libbie"


Details details beautiful details!


Just beautiful!


Red velvet cake balls.... YUMMY


This is my sweet sister. she came in from Dallas with my niece, Bella



Beautiful Friends (Co-Host)


My very best friend (hostest with the mostest) and my mom.


did I mention the food??


And the gifts.... I'm demonstrating for everyone how one might push a sit and stand stroller. I'm very animated and we all looked very red... I think we were all glowing!


The pottery barn school house chairs OH MY!!


The BIG Brother... What a sweetie pie!



We count our blessings everyday. It was a very special evening celebrated with very special loved ones. I can't express how thankful I am for the intimate friendships we have developed over the years. We celebrated with old and new friends that have encouraged us and cheered us on through every step of this adoption journey. We can't wait to bring our sweet Libbie home to meet the friends and family that already love her to peices!

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for a time of adversity

Details from Sprinkle 1 to follow soon!

Hanging by a Thread

I don't remember losing my teeth this early...I was talking to my sister about this and we clearly remember the 2nd grade school pics with big toothless grins... I think it's the hormones in all the food now... (we just made that up, but there could be something to it) Please excuse the goldfish spittle that's all around his mouth and the crusties on his nose, I had to get the shot.



His poor tooth hung on for several days maybe weeks after the first tooth fell. He could wiggle it back and forth. totally creeped me out. He was so proud when he came home from school today.. they made a big deal about it too. He's a very proud boy!

It's GONE!! He will be asking Santa for two front teeth!



PS... we got some GREAT news regarding Libbie yesterday. The update said her casts have been removed and she will begin therapy to start walking. We're expecting a video soon... It seems she is using a walker now to help her gain strength in her legs. I have had a lot of fear and doubts these past weeks. All the what if's have crept in.. I think because it's getting closer and there are a lot of unknowns... God is so faithful and good.. I'll try to share this without tearing up... okay... in our casa mine and Hoots favorite thing to do is cuddle... we cuddle EVERY day weather we need it or not.. we live for it Saturday mornings. Hoot has said all along that when Sissy get's here the first thing he will teach her is how to cuddle... At the end of the report we received yesterday it listed her hobbies, and favorite things... "she loves toy cars, dolls and she loves to cuddle" God sent us a cuddler!!! He knew, he knew all along she was a Lambert... All my fears and reservations flew out the window and I have been on high since reading the report. He's got it all in HIS hands... He knows and He knew all along!

Psalm 139:13
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Psalm 33:11
But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.


Beautiful truths from the greatest love letter ever written. I am truly on high!!

Photo Book For Libbie

We made a photo board book for Libbie... We added recent photos of us and sent it to China with a family who is there now. They were so sweet to pack it along and lug it with them along whit all their other baggage. We are so grateful. We were hoping to have an update today, but no news came. Everyone told us that the last leg of the wait is the hardest ! They were right. I am getting VERY impatient and want to know something NOW.. God is certainly teaching me patience through this journey. We hope she gets the book and knows that her forever family is waiting impatiently and that her world is about to be forever changed along with ours! We love you sissy and we pray over you tonight.

School Fall Fest

Just hold on.... I've found a new option to upload my pics... not sure i understand how it works fully, but I love the photos.. I can finally see them!! Hoot had his fall fest at school yesterday and it was first class. The kids had a great time and we did too. He is SUCH a Truman. I see it in these photos... The Truman Curse. It's the posture. It's a curse... we all have it... the Hunchback of the Truman family.... Lambert calls him the Hunchback of Baytown. He's so funny and if you look closely you'll see he lost another tooth!! The other curse he inherited from the Truman family is the awful Truman Temper... He can go from happy to fighting mad in less than 1 second... the good thing about this curse is that's it completely reversible... he can go from spitting mad to perfectly over it in the same amount of time... however he does leave quite a shock wave for those who just witnessed this type of Truman transformation... It's really a phenomenon... unfortunately it's genetic... I was hoping he wouldn't get it, but he clearly has it... Poor Lambert.. He just shakes his head.












This is a little friend that Hoot really likes at school. They play great together... She bosses him around and he just obeys...




One of the older kids from the other campus came and talked about how were a lot like a pumpkin... We have a lot of messy yucky goop on the inside. God sent Jesus to come along and scoop out all of the goop. He washes us off and cleans us up, then he gives us the gift of the holy spirit that lives inside of us. when the holy spirit lives in us, He will shine through us in the way that we live our lives.... The kids listened so intently as she told the story. I am so thankful that Hoot is hearing the powerful message of the gospel on a daily basis, both at home (which is where it counts most) and at school and church. John 3:4 I have no greater joy than to hear my children are walking in the truth

I am sooo READY

I can not wait for this day on The Red Sofa in Guangzhou!!! This is Marla and Lisa, you must read their blogs! They are both truly amazing women! I feel like they packed me in their carry on and took me with them to China. They captured so much of the beauty in China, it brought me to tears!

This is our Libbie, if you didn't know...

We are hoping for a video or at least some more photos soon!!! I am more than anxious to get to China and meet our girl, especially after reading Lisa's blog the last few days. We began this journey over 4 years ago and it seems like the past few months have dragged out longer than all the 4 years together. We know many people that have just returned from China or are in China now meeting their children. We are ready in many ways and feel very ill prepared in other ways. I have so much left to do in her room and we still have a lot of paper work to file in the up coming weeks. We know that time is going to fly with the Holidays fast approaching. We've been told to be prepared to travel between December- February... However February begins the Chinese New Year so most government offices are closed during this time. Our travel could be extended to March. My prayer is that our paper work will be expedited and we will be able to travel (by the grace of God) in January! I can not wait to lay eyes on our beautiful daughter and bring her home. I find myself day dreaming about her and wondering what she's doing, if she's in therapy etc... I 've recently been reading Lisa's account of her VERY Long Road to China http://thelongroadtochina.blogspot.com/ and all that she has experienced the last few weeks. It's been amazing to read her journey and see her finally meet little Regan. I promise you will see similar Red Couch photos of our Libbie. I have no shame in copying. These are the BEST Red Sofa shots I've ever seen! Her photos were amazing partly in fact that she took Marla http://lifewith4js.blogspot.com/ with her!! Marla works out of Forth Worth and I can PROMISE you that we will be making a trip to visit her with the kiddos when we return from China! She is amazing. They are both inspirations

Happy reading!!

Worn Out!!

School Days!!! We are up A LOT earlier these days! Since school started we have been in the habit of waking up around 6:15-6:30AM. this is a time zone away from the time we woke up last year. Hoot didn't have to be to school until 9:15AM last year and Rosa got him ready every morning. This year school begins at 8:00AM SHARP and it's a full day of learning. Hoot stays in extended care for an hour or two before I pick him up.. Homework is done and he is usually on the play ground running wide open when I pick him up... we have a light snack when we get home, dinner, piano, bath and he's in bed by 8:30PM... His day is FULL... If' he's not in bed by 8:30PM he is a BEAR the next morning. Truly he is like a different person when he doesn't get his 10 hours of sleep. This afternoon the poor kid just couldn't hang... I was preparing dinner and realized it was really quiet in the casa.... I started to walk back to his room and I discovered this scene on the sofa... He got a quilt and pillow from the cabinet and the snoozing commenced. It's 6:30 Daddy is home, dinner is ready and he is OUT!! I'm not sure if I should wake him or just let him be. He's been working on 1st grade math for crying out loud!! This kid's world is rocked right now! I think if Lambert carried him to his bed he would sleep until morning... Any other kiddos wiped out from long school days?