That's How We Roll

This mama loves family photo sessions!  And it doesn't seem like a "family" photo without the 7 big kids, but getting all 18 of us together and dressed up has proven nearly impossible since the last family wedding, over a year ago!  The result: no family photos since Kaison has been home!

This has to change!  So we set out to get a family photo, sans big kids.  We were all dressed and at the Cousins'.  I even took my good camera.

There were 75 pictures taken, but this is a sample of our reality.  Fun times :) 

We love family gatherings, and the cousins always have a blast.  So whether memories were memorialized in pictures is irrelevant; they were made!

Happy 2017, y'all!

I Want to Blog...

Every day I think of a new blog post.  And I want to blog.  
About our trip.  
About Kaison's transition.  
About all that God has done.  
And I will blog.  Eventually.  For now we have much life at hand.

Brothers sharing a passion for books

Medical appointments

A little hiccup in recent casting 

Surgeries coming up
Oh, and babysitting grand-pups

Getting to know one another

Spending time with the older married siblings - what a blessing!
Planting and preparing for sweet corn season.
Just generally trying to find our normal.
And hiring someone to update the blog.
I will blog.  For real.  Very soon.

TO GOD BE ALL GLORY!

It's About Time

Chaos before the glorious wedding :)

I figure it's about time for life to settle into some sort of normal around here.  But I'll be darned if 'normal' doesn't keep changing the boundaries.  Yep, we're on shaky ground if we're waiting for 'normal' in our neck of the woods.

We just celebrated the marriage of Kolton and Alllie (I'll share that later when we have more pics and I have permission).  They are a beautiful couple, and it was a beautiful ceremony.  I'm reminded how quickly time flies as next month Kuyler and Caitlin celebrate their first anniversary!

In a few weeks we have the privilege of sharing our testimony with a Ch*nese ministry.  We're really excited...and a lot nervous.  Our prayer is that we would speak the truth of the gospel and that God would be glorified.

Then in July it's corn harvest, and that's just a season of nose-to-the-grindstone and don't look up till it's over!  The cool temperatures have slowed the crop growth, but the Lord has spared us of any damaging storms.  

Our summers aren't exactly 'lazy days,' but we're used to a bit of chaos.  The main thing is that we keep perspective and make time for extended family and friends.

Even though our life is on the crazy side, there is One who is unshakable and unchanging!
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Heb 13:8


He is the only One who can keep us grounded.  And no matter what circumstances or chaos I'm faced with, I can trust Him.

Oswald Chambers says it like this: 

"We are not made for the bright-shining moments of life, but we have to walk in the light of them in our everyday ways....If I am a friend of Jesus, I must deliberately and carefully lay down my life for Him.  It is a difficult thing to do, and thank God that it is.  Salvation is easy for us, because it cost God so much.  But the exhibiting of salvation in my life is difficult.  God saves a person, fills him with the Holy Spirit, and then says, in effect, 'Now you work it out in your life, and be faithful to Me, even though the nature of everything around you is to cause you to be unfaithful.'"

Friends, are you trusting Jesus in the chaos of your everyday life?

To Him be all glory!

Sometimes I Just Forget

As of 2 days ago, we've officially been home 1 month!  How quickly time passes.  I suppose it seems so because we are in the final month of school (banquets, trips, testing), softball and track, graduation planning, wedding planning.  For whatever reason, sometimes I just forget to post.

Little man is doing fantastic!  As in, I can't believe how smoothly the transition is.  He is b.u.s.y.  From the minute he wakes till he crashes, he's moving.  And it's my job to keep him moving in the right direction, because he really likes to explore.

Hershey's, thank you for saving the day!  You are the end of all quarrels...as long as there is enough of you to go around.

This happens regularly.  We have to go outside to play before we're 'ready' for the day.

His new 'cheese on demand'.  He sees the camera, he cheeses.

Devising a plan of escape!

Oh, Kohlby, you are a hoot!

I Woke Up...

 Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!  Psalm 106:1

This morning I woke up to ...

*Dishes scattered (not stacked) along every square inch of counter space, because that's the way they were when we left the house yesterday morning for an all-day doctor's appointment, got home just in time for kids' after school snack and left again for church, only to return for all-around bath time and last-minute homework

*Three bathrooms screaming for cleaning

*One load of clean towels on the kitchen table (thank goodness, because the bathroom cabinets are empty)

*At least ten loads of dirty laundry

*Enough crunchies on the floor to make me grit my teeth

*A Bible study to complete

*An unfinished sewing project on the kitchen table (opposite end of the laundry)

*Stacks of paperwork in order of priority on my desk

*A transcript needing final proofreading

*Two phone calls to be returned

*One dental appointment to be made

*One prescription to be picked up

*One birthday to prepare for

Are you right there with me?  I feel better knowing I'm not alone :/

We are conquerors!  Because we woke up...and we got up!

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:24

I used to go to bed with the dishes done and put away, and ditto for the laundry.

I guess that was before I had a preschooler at home, six kids to get on the bus, one to pray off to high school, one to pray off to college, one to pray for in job training, one to pray for in marriage, and one to pray home from China.

So, I got up and praised the Lord.  I ignored all the things I really longed to have done yesterday and went instead to my Bible study.  Because while tidying up the outside does bring some calm to the chaotic inside, cleansing the inside brings the strength to change the outside in due time.

It is in vain that you rise up early
    and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
    for he gives to his beloved sleep.  Psalm 127:2


Lord, help me to put the first things first, without grumbling and complaining.  Help me to keep You first, and give me strength to do what comes next.  May You alone be glorified.

Pardon my blog faux pas

I have been desperately trying to resize a header picture...but then life happens and I have to walk away with a lopsided header.  It bugs me a lot.  But life is life.  And I have so much to be thankful for!!!

Thank you for your patience!  Hopefully soon, I'll have it figured out :) 

But while I'm thinking of it, if for some reason you haven't received a Treasure tee that you ordered, will you please let me know?  

Leave a comment or email me, please.  

And if you'd like to get one, I have plenty!!

Women's Fitted S, M, L, XL, XXL
Unisex Traditional Fit S, M, L, XL, XXL

To Him be the glory!

This Week Is...

Oh, but aren't they all?
I'm probably overthinking it.  Or maybe I underthunk it when I planned it all.
Anyway...

*Senior pictures should be matched with the announcements this weekend, addressed and mailed by Monday.

*There's some sort of school dinner Monday night - the first of many end-of-year banquety type things.

*Tuesday I'm just going to work and will let the Daddy handle the two doctor's appointments.

*Wednesday we report to Children's at 6:30 a.m. so Kinley Grace and Kennah-Bug can have their back-to-back surgeries.  We hope to be released by late afternoon but may have to spend the night.

*Wednesday evening Daddy will leave the hospital to attend the state FFA convention where Kolton Tee will be recognized for receiving the State FFA Degree!

*Thursday morning we report to another surgical center for Khloie to have her eye surgery, which should be easy peasy.

*Thursday also ends our first fundraiser for this bad boy ~

(Thank you to those who have already given and shared!!!) 

*Friday is recovery day, until someone tells me differently.

*Saturday is Oklahoma Hearts for Adoption's first annual craft fair!

*Sunday we honor 8th grade and senior graduates at church.

*I think we've completed every bit of paper work to this point in the adoption process, and we will be starting our home study soon.

Maybe, just maybe, we will receive PA for our little man this week and can share his picture with you!!!!

Whether we are at work or at rest, may God be glorified!

But I don't have time for...

What are all the things you don't have time for?

Exercise?  Good food choices?

Oh.my.word, me either!

But, I certainly don't have time for ~

Please don't hear me say that exercise and good eating habits will eliminate the possibility of ill health.  Not.saying.that.  Also, don't think I sit around worrying about whether I might wake up tomorrow with some mysterious illness.  Nope.  Don't have time for that.

Here's what I DO have time for regarding my health:

* Meal planning

* Reasonable exercise

* Packed family lunches v. drive-thru

* Grabbing fresh fruit v. unwrapping the goody-goodness called oatmeal creme pie

* Setting an example for my children

Let me break it down.

*Meal planning ~

This takes about an hour or two each week when I use my family's favorite recipes.  It takes a bit longer when I'm in a rut and hop on one of my favorite websites with free menus like Make Dinners Easy and search for new ideas.  I choose a main dish, then add the sides.  I don't assign meals to a certain day of the week because we roll spontaneous flexible.  I make a list of 10 to 12 meals, including sides, special meals or snacks needed for the week's events, and then prepare my shopping list.

*Reasonable exercise

Now this is a doozy.  I.am.tired.  I have a billion reasons why I don't have time for this, including ten of the most adorable peeps still in the nest.  BUT the truth is, I don't have time NOT to exercise!  In this life God has given me one body.  I had no idea He would give us the invitation to s.t.a.r.t adding to our family through adoption when we were well.into.our.forties.  This body is tired.  But I praise God every day that I CAN get out of bed and move.  I am also reminded that this body is a temple.  I am so far from perfect, but I really do want to treat my body as the temple it is.

I have to make a choice every.single.day to get my rear out of bed and do this.  A while back, around 4:30 a.m.-ish, as we were starting Insanity, hubby said, "We're old.  Shouldn't we be doing something different...like walking?" Whateva!  Truth is, hubby and I have to do a lot of things intentionally these days.  For instance, many weeks our Treasures have several doctor's appointments, and we are both self-employed, so what might be 'ideal' for one family is not possible for ours.  Occasionally we both get to attend the visits, but most often, only one of us takes the 'patient' and the 'tag-alongs' while the other works.  No paid vacation, medical leave or mileage reimbursement here :)  We just do what we need to do.

And that really got me to thinking.  What would either of us do without the other?  Don't-even-wanna-think-it!  But seriously, what if one of us became ill?  I never lose sight of the fact that God knows the number of our days.  He is the One who led us down an amazing and unexpected path, slightly out of the norm, and He is in control.  I don't worry about what tomorrow will bring.  I do want to steward what He has given me.  

So, what do we do?  Hubby and I work out together.  We cut ourselves some slack when we just don't get it done!  We encourage each other.  We laugh at each other.  We push each other.  Right now we are fighting our way through Insanity.  Let me tell you, Shaun T is kicking our tail!  This is an extreme workout and is not for beginners, so it's not for everyone.  The average workout is 35-42 minutes, *and add a few for passing out - just.kidding!!!!*  Out of 24 hours.  That includes warm-up, stretching and cool down!  

Insanity's not for you?  Think of how far you could walk in 42 minutes.  Even if you didn't go anywhere, on the treadmill.  And we get to do this at home - bonus!  Also, we get to do it while the kids are sleeping...because they have been our harshest critics:  Ya' know, our shoes aren't right, we aren't doing the same thing as the video, our shorts are baggy, yadayadayada.  But for a couple of 'old folks' we are having fun.

Here's another thing:

*Packed family lunches v. drive-thru

Although ours are more this size: :)

As our family grew, I started packing snacks for sports events because we couldn't afford to buy them.  Then I started packing meals.  Two reasons:  costs less, and I get to choose what we eat.  The hardest part of this is taking the time to plan.  But it is so doable.  I pack meals for our doctor's appointments as well, especially the ones that are hours away.  Many of y'all are so much more creative than I am, so you could make this like a treat.  I am still working on that.

*Grabbing fresh fruit v. other goodies

Okay, I like a creme pie as much as the next guy, but I want to make sure there are always healthy options in the house.  Although I do keep some empty calorie foods around for occasional quick kids' snacks, I also have easy-to-eat nutritious foods available such as chunked cantaloupe and watermelon, grapes, bananas, apples, applesauce, cheese sticks, almonds and yogurt.

*Setting an example for my children

This is so important to me.  Our children can only eat what we provide.  They can only learn from what we do.  I'm not talking about pressuring my kids to be 'skinny minnies' or constantly acting like the food police.  They are smart enough to see what is important to us.  It's up to us to set the tone.

I have 11 children who will one day be husbands, wives, and parents to my grandchildren.  My priorities today will influence their choices today and in the future.

I would like to encourage you as well!  A baby step forward is a step in the right direction.   

A hero to me is the person who gets off the couch and takes the first step!!!

How can I encourage YOU?

How can I pray for YOU?

Leave a comment or email me!

To HIM be glory!

Why Can't I...

...get anything done?

It doesn't matter how early I rise, it seems I don't finish all the things I should.  And then I am reminded of the work in progress...

Two Littles...

Five Middles...

And three Teens...

...one of which is a senior this year, but these are the things of which we do not speak!

I fall short every single day, but with the Lord's constant help, surely I will finish well *only because of HIM*.

We Interrupt this Regularly Scheduled Chaos...

...to bring you corn harvest!

Yes, gone are the days of laundry service...

all-you-can-eat fancy buffet meals...

and poolside relaxation!

We are pickin' corn, baby!
This is the Lord's crop, and we are His stewards.
To Him be glory!!!!

A Day in the Life

So, my friend Donna asked me to share a typical day in the life.

That is your cue to hit the X and find something very productive to do...

but if you choose to read through this picturesque post of my pampered life, feel free.

First, to dispel any myths that I might be...

...trust me when I say even if I had a cape, it would be crumpled underneath mounds of laundry.  I am always looking for ways to simplify and organize!

Although I strive for structure and simplicity, because it works well here for everyone, especially ME, our days vary a lot depending on therapy, doctor's appointments and my work schedule.  But a typical day goes something like this ~

My alarm goes off at 4, to which I either respond by hitting snooze or hitting the floor.  Since we've been home from China I've started a new fitness plan (which I LOVE!), so I dress for exercise before starting the day's first load of laundry.  I take a break midway through my routine to put the load in the dryer and start another.

Once that's done I wake up Mr. Greenthumb (because no girl likes anyone watching her work out!), have my quiet time and try to hit the shower before waking up the school kids at 6:55.

Mr. Greenthumb leaves at 6:45 to drive the school bus, so the kids and I have a routine down mostly.  I help Kayden, Kambry, Kinley and Kaeleb get ready for school, striving not to wake up the 3 littles.  By 7:30 six kids have left for school, Kooper is getting ready for home school, and hopefully I still have three sleeping beauties.

Once the girls are up, around 8-ish, I fix breakfast and get them ready for the day.

While I'm tidying up, I let them watch Dinosaur Train or some other thing while Khloie snacks on the remote.

A very important part of Kasidi's day is therapy and stretching, usually 3 to 4 times per day.

Meanwhile, I'm helping Kooper with homeschool, doing laundry, planning supper and trying to keep all systems running smoothly.

Sometimes I spice it up a bit by making laundry soap and body lotion.

The girls love to color, make Play-Doh masterpieces, have tea parties and dress up.

We are waiting for super nice weather so we can spend lots of time outside.  

Three days per week I take Kennah to school for speech therapy, and 1 day per week we spend 8 hours at medical visits.  Sometimes we're super lucky and have dental, ortho or other doctor appointments.  But this is a typical day at home.

I usually am surprised that noon has snuck up on me, and I need to fix lunch for the girls.  Once they've eaten, I put them down for a nap around 1. Kasidi insists I rest with them, and I'm quite obliged to get a 10 to 20 minute power nap!

Ahhhh, me time!  Yeah, right!  This is when I scramble to get as much done as possible before they wake up.  Or I blog.  I usually have an hour, and then someone wakes up or the bus brings the school krew home.

Just gonna say we had to have a family meetin' last week to remind the 4 elementary school kids they simply cannot drop their backpacks, coats and shoes, leaving a trail from the door to the living room.  Khaos and klutter make me krazy!  We have a hook thingamajig in the laundry room where they hang everything as they come in the door.

After they clean sweep the pantry, we start homework and reading.  I figured out we can only open 1 backpack at a time or I will get everything mixed up and once again, khaos rules.  Never.a.good.thing.

I try to serve supper by 6:30, and fortunately since we've been home I'm still pulling pre-made frozen dishes out!!!  But before we can eat, we put all this away:

The homemade tents don't come down till later :)

Since Kolton and Kenzie are heavy in sports, our evenings vary.  During football season, everyone goes to the game, no matter where it is.  During fall fast pitch softball, we try to make most of the games because the weather is good.  During basketball, one of us goes, sans kids.  During spring slow pitch softball, one or all of us make the games when it's warm enough.  Spring baseball, same deal.  We don't make the track or power lifting meets.  If it were just me, or me and 1 kiddo, I'd be at all of my kids' sporting events, but we've come to terms with the way it is, and our athletes are okay with it.

Okay, so where were we?  It's 7-ish.  Two people clean up after the meal, and I start bathing kids.  Daddy reads with Kambry while I get the next day's clothes out for 3 kids.  By 8 or 8:30 everyone is ready for bed.  Daddy tucks Kayden, Kambry, Kinley and Kennah in, and I tuck Kaeleb in.  Then Kasidi, Khloie and I spend some quality rocking chair time.  By 9:30 or so they are tucked into bed, and Mama and Daddy are ready to crash.

And if any of these things didn't get done this day, I surely will finish them tomorrow...

Two Weeks Home and Shining

Be forewarned, this post is loaded with pictures.  I decided to post more than just Khloie pix.  After all, she is part of a large Krowd :)

Why not start with the silliest...

Khloie's transition has been one of the most pleasant of all our Treasures.  That's really the best way to describe it ~ pleasant.  She's slept all night long from the day we first held her; she's only upset when she's hungry, tired or her personal space is invaded.  She smiles at everyone who speaks to her, and she is crazy about her mama :)  What more to say???

We baked chocolate chip cookies for the weekend, and she swiped the chips.

 Girlfriend is serious about her food.

She's gone from zero to ninety in 4 weeks!  She was on formula, and now she eats table food without hesitation to return what doesn't suit her.

She loves playing with her sisters.

Did I mention how pleasant she is?

Kuyler's friend William (Billbo) visited for Easter weekend!  Hey, Billbo!

On our way to church, Easter Sunday

Hugs

The home Krowd.  Don't let the sweet faces fool you ~ these 3 make sure I get n.o.t.h.i.n.g done!

We've spent time at the ball field...

...watching Kenzie do her thing!

Kinley Grace, Miss Personality.

Kuyler and Billbo took the boys to the field for target practice.  Safety first, of course.  Kaeleb was in heaven!

 Cool shot of Kuyler

 Kolton Tee, I have no pictures of you...again!

Dad doing the feeding thing

 Mom doing the feeding thing...again.

Surprise, a recipe!

I tried this Crispy Cheddar Chicken Tenders recipe, and it's a keeper.  Get it here!

Khloie is forming such a healthy attachment.  She's appropriately distant but not freaked out by people.  She still prefers Mama over Daddy, but that will level out soon.  I can tell from her diapers she probably has a milk allergy, so she's getting soy milk now.  

We've had our first of 6,000 or so post-placement visits, and her progress is incredible.  She's spent countless hours in all-day doctor's appointments with little to no complaining.  I'm telling ya', the girl is a rockstar!