Our Second Home

Well, here we are again, at our second home....Scottish Rite. Emmy is sick AGAIN!! Actually, she isn't sick, she is just running temps of 105 degrees. She has no symptoms, not a one. We have no idea what is going on, but our team of doctors is determined to figure it out. Praise the Lord for that!! We have been here everyday since Tuesday, and admitted on Thursday. She has consistently run fever since Monday afternoon, as the week has progressed her food and liquid intake has slowed and her energy levels have dropped. She is worn out!! Not that I can blame her! Can you? She has been poked in literally every vein in her hands, arms, feet and legs. She has been x-rayed, CT scanned, MRI'd, etc....She is flat tired of this. Me too!! We are ready for answers, unfortunately the current bout of tests they are running are tests that take a while to come back, so we wait. UGH, I hate to wait.

We are meeting with the geneticist, infectious disease and neuro teams today....hopefully, they can at least provide some insight into what they think is the problem. Being that her MRI is so abnormal, there is a small chance that there is damage to the hypothalamus causing her body to be unable to regulate her temps, we will see!

Pray for us as we wait! Pray for Emmy. They will be placing a port in her chest in the very near future, possibly even on Monday if her labs can stabilize. Pray that they do, pray that they can place the port with no complications. Thank you for the prayers!! We appreciate them so much!!! Here are a couple of pics of Miss Emmy!!

Snoozing with Collier

Painting a sun catcher

Meeting Rep. John Lewis

Playing with my new toy!

The "E" Family

Last week, we had the privilege of spending time with one of our precious clients. Their family was in Georgia to adopt a baby, but unfortunately, that is not how things turned out! So, while I wish that we had met under better circumstances, I am still thankful for the chance we had to meet them!! They are an incredible family, and we enjoyed every second of their company, as did our kiddos!!! Here is a pic of all of us together at Pappasito's!!

A MUST READ...

I know many people who read this blog are not adoptive parents. This post is too the many people that ask adoptive families very inappropriate questions, especially in front of our children. I think his post sums up what most of us (adoptive parents) think about those questions.

I thought I would share this blog post written by Dan Pearce. He writes the blog, "Single Dad Laughing". Definitely stop by his blog, www.danoah.com. You won't be disappointed. PS: THey are not all about adoption.

Okay, here comes another "Single Dad Ranting" post. You may laugh, but hopefully only because you see the idiocy and carelessness of some people, bless their hearts. Please, though, this is something that I'm very serious about and I hope you'll listen in.

What do you notice about this photo?

Hopefully you just see a father and son. Maybe you see a beautiful bond. Maybe you see love. Maybe you see two awesome human beings. Hopefully you don't see a damn price tag hanging from Noah's ear or a child who will never know true happiness.

You see, today when I was at the store with Noah, somebody had the nerve to ask me, right in front of Noah, "how much did he cost?" And this was the second time somebody has asked that absolutely ridiculous and insensitive question to me; I know his mom has heard it too.

You may have noticed that Noah is of a slightly different race than his old man. He's a quarter Panamanian, quarter Jamaican, and half Caucasian. Noah is my son. Noah was adopted. Trust me, I couldn't pass on genetics to a kid this beautiful.

And since he was placed with us, his parents, I have learned just how insensitive the world can be to kids who have been placed through adoption. People don't realize how fragile the minds of young children are. People don't realize that wording things certain ways can hurt a child, and badly. And with that, I present to you the following list, all taken from personal experiences in the past three years:

Single Dad Laughing's Guide to Adoption Etiquette.

1. Never, ever, ever, ask how much a child costs. This includes the phrase, "how much did you pay for him?" First of all, it's none of your business. Second of all, if you're interested in adoption, research it through the appropriate channels. Speak with an adoption agency. Adoptive parents don't purchase children. They simply pay legal fees and agency fees. Just like biological parents pay hospital and doctor bills. Don't turn the child into nothing more than a commodity.
2. Never ask if a celebrity inspired the adoption. Believe it or not, Tom Cruise, Connie Chung, and Angelina Jolie did not convince me one way or the other in the biggest decision of my life. Are you serious?
3. Never ask "where is his real dad?" Forget the fact that it will hurt my feelings. How do you think it will affect my son's feelings to feel like I'm not a real dad to him? Adoptive parents are real parents. The term you're looking for is "birth mother" or "birth father".
4. Don't say things like, "as soon as you adopt you're going to get pregnant" when you find out somebody is adopting. First of all, there are usually many, many years of pain and financial burden strapped to infertility, treatments, and heartache. Do you really think that what you're saying will help them? Secondly, while it is funny when it happens, it's rare.
5. Never say, "why did she give him away?" Do I really need to explain why this one would hurt a child? The proper term is "placed". A birth mother and birth father place their child for adoption. And again, it's personal and none of your business, so don't ask if you aren't my BFF.
6. Don't say, "it's like he's your real son". This is similar to number three, but worthy of mentioning. He is my real son, damn it.
7. Don't say, "do you love him as if he was your own?" Ummm... probably more than you love your little terror, that's for sure. And again... he is my own, damn it.
8. Never say things like, "you're so wonderful to adopt a child". I am a parent. Just like anybody else with kids.
9. Don't start spewing your horrible adoption stories. "This one time, my friend's sister's aunt's dog's previous owner's niece adopted a baby and the real dad came back and they took the baby away after they had him for two years." First of all, it probably isn't true. Second of all, how would you feel if I told you about all the ways you could lose your child. Adoption is permanent. And in the extremely rare circumstances that something like that happens, it's not something you should spread because the hurt that exists for all the parties involved must be immeasurable.
10. Don't say things like, "is it hard for him to be adopted?" Well, it wasn't, until you asked me that right in front of him you freaking idiot.
11. I don't want to hear about your second cousin who was on a waiting list for twelve years and never got a baby. Granted, this one was much more annoying when we were going through the adoption process. Nobody wants to know that some people never get chosen. Show some kindness. Even to ugly people.

That's all I can think of right now, but I know there are more. Just be sensitive. Don't put your nose where it doesn't belong. Respect my father-son relationship for what it is and don't lessen it. Don't talk about my son like he's not even there or too little to understand. Or do, if you're okay with a swift kick to the face.

I understand that I'm not being super politically correct here, but I'm a little bit pissed off about what happened today. And understandably, so is the old woman I sent away in an ambulance. I know she meant no harm.

Dan Pearce, Single Adoptive Dad Laughing

PS, please post this one on Facebook and Twitter. Most people have good intentions but really say some horrible things without ever knowing it. This is one bit of education that needs to be passed on.

Tomorrow, I'll share with you the non-private details of how Noah came into our lives. It's a beautiful story. Click here to read it. "Noah. A beautiful tale of adoption."

Adoption....

I know for Emory and I there were times throughout each of our 4 adoptions, that we truly questioned whether or not we could handle anymore. Adoption is not easy. It is an emotional journey. There is heartache, there is hurt, frustration and so much more.....but, the JOY at the end of the road is so much greater than the heartache. Ask any person that has adopted, even the person that got their baby on the first birth mom presentation, ask them if they endured heartache or frustration. They did. Of course, there are varying degrees, and it all depends on how long you have been on the journey and the circumstances you have walked through, but as adoptive parents, we have all suffered an emotional roller coaster.

The Lord never promised an easy path. Instead, He promised that He would be with us and that it would all be worth it in the end.

We were commanded to take care of the orphans in James 1:27, "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." He commanded us to take care of the widows and the orphans, He didn't say take care of them and I will make it easy, or that we would understand each path that He would take us down, He just said to do it.

I love my job as an adoption consultant. I love it! It brings me such joy to watch the Lord build families through adoption, it brings a smile to my face to see these orphans rescued, to see Christian families being obedient. I love it! However, it doesn't come without a price either....luckily, there are many more happy days, than sad ones....but, the sad ones are hard. My clients are my friends, they are brothers and sisters in Christ, I love each of them dearly and it is difficult to watch them go through the journey that is adoption. I know in the end, they will have a baby, I know that once they hold their baby, it will have all been worth it, but it doesn't make it any easier to watch them hurting NOW.

The Lord tells us in Galatians 6:2, "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." We have to support each other through the adoption journey, we have to pray for one another, really lift each other up to the Lord.

We have to believe Jeremiah 29:11 each step of the way, "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."

We have to trust that if the Lord commanded us to do something, that He will be with us every step of the way, we have to believe Joshua 1:9, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

No, the adoption journey is not an easy one. It is not easy to watch your friends and family go through the heartache, frustration and disappointments that they will most likely encounter. However, I know for each one of my clients that has experienced heartache along the way, knows that the Lord is directing their steps, knows they were commanded to take this journey, and knows that they cannot turn back, although sometimes that is all we want to do.

We know that Proverbs 24:12 says, "Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act."

I say all this to say, I know the road to your child is not an easy one, but you can rest assured that I am on my knees daily for each of my clients, my friends, lifting you up to the One that commanded you to rescue the orphans, and to the One that directs your steps! Praise the Lord that we don't have to walk the adoption road alone, Praise the Lord that He is there every step of the way!

He is good!!!

Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine...to Him be the glory." Eph. 3:20

My little lion....

Pictures, Pictures and more pictures....

When you are in the hospital for 8 days with 2 of your kiddos, you have nothing, but TIME. I took a lot of pictures! Here they are!!

Collier loving his floor mat....or at the hospital....on the bed mat!!

Emmy...sound asleep!

This hat makes her look jamaican!

Sleeping Beauty!

Sweet siblings!

Respiratory therapy is no fun....but love my baby brother sleeping next to me!

Wearing Uncle Parker's OR cap!

Soooo cute!

Always stylin'

Emmy Update:

I feel like I am posting a lot of these lately, but there is a lot going on with Miss Priss lately!! I spoke with her hematologist today, and they told me that all of her viral panels, including her parvo titers were negative. That is great news!! Although, it doesn't explain why she keeps running these fevers, and it also lends itself more to the fact that there is truly a secondary disease involved and maybe it is causing her brain to make her internal thermometer malfunction! Which is very scary to me! But, maybe it doesn't mean that at all, I mean it's not like they can test for every viral disease out there, right!! Sorry for the inner dialogue here!! I am convincing myself of a lot of things these days! Waiting on such important information is very difficult! Pray for me...pray that I can be patient and not drive myself crazy as I wait!!

Here is a cute pic of me with Collier and Emmy earlier this afternoon!! This weather has been perfect for the past few days and we have enjoyed playing outside!

People can be so malicious....

Who would poison something that stands for so much more than a football tradition?

AUBURN, Alabama – Auburn University today confirmed that an herbicide commonly used to kill trees was deliberately applied in lethal amounts to the soil around the Toomer’s Corner live oaks on campus, and there is little chance to save the trees.

The trees are the traditional gathering place following a major sports victory. Auburn Tigers fans festoon the trees with toilet paper as a jubilant sign of Auburn pride. Most recently, of course,it was the scene of celebration for Auburn's victory over the Oregon Ducks in the BCS National Championship game on Jan. 10.

The city of Auburn Police Division is investigating the situation, and the application of this herbicide, known as Spike 80DF, or tebuthiuron, is also governed by state agricultural laws and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The university does not use Spike herbicide, officials said. Officials did say there is no reason to suspect any human danger from the herbicide, which manufacturer Dow Chemical says should be applied with proper clothing protection; a typical use of the herbicide is to kill trees along fence lines.

The university learned that a caller to The Paul Finebaum Show, a nationally syndicated radio show based in Birmingham, on Jan. 27, claimed he had applied the herbicide. As a precaution, soil samples were taken the next day and sent to the Alabama State Pesticide Residue Laboratory on campus for analysis. Due to a small fire that occurred in the Alabama lab in December, the tests were sent to the lab at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss., to expedite results.

“We are assessing the extent of the damage and proceeding as if we have a chance to save the trees,” said Gary Keever, an Auburn University professor of horticulture and a member of Auburn’s Tree Preservation Committee. “We are also focused on protecting the other trees and shrubs in Samford Park. At this level the impact could be much greater than just the oaks on the corner, as Spike moves through the soil to a wide area.”Officials said in a news release that the lowest amount of the poison detected was 0.78 parts per million, described by horticulture experts as a “very lethal dose.” The highest amount detected was 51 parts per million, or 65 times the lowest dose. Experts believe a normal application by itself would have been enough to kill the trees, which are estimated to be more than 130 years old.

Additional tests are being completed to determine the movement and extent of the area affected, Keever said.

The removal process involves digging trenches and applying activated charcoal to absorb the herbicide from the soil and block its progress. A representative from Dow Chemical, which manufactures the herbicide, is advising the university on removal procedures, and expert horticulturalists are also being consulted.

“We will take every step we can to save the Toomer’s oaks, which have been the home of countless celebrations and a symbol of the Auburn spirit for generations of Auburn students, fans, alumni and the community,” said University President Jay Gogue.

Gogue asked members of the Auburn Family to “continue to be ‘All In’ in upholding its reputation for class” and not allow anger to be expressed inappropriately or undeservedly.

“It is understandable to feel outrage in reaction to a malicious act of vandalism,” Gogue said. “However, we should live up to the example we set in becoming national champions and the beliefs expressed in our Auburn Creed. Individuals act alone, not on behalf of anyone or any place, and all universities are vulnerable to and condemn such reprehensible acts.”

Sick? Who's sick? Not me!!

Just wanted to write a quick post. Emmy has had a good day, today! Her neurological symptoms seem to be fading, Praise the Lord. She was much less wobbly today, and I haven't seen any arm tremors! God is good!! Here is a quick pic of Miss Emmy, she has no idea that she is suppose to be "sick"! HAHA! Love this sweet girl!!

My sweet, sweet girl!

Good News!!!

We are home!! Praise the Lord. Emmy's labs showed improvement this morning, so they decided to send us home before she caught something in the hospital! A lot of stomach virus' going around! Thankful for the improvements and thankful to be home.

We will going back and forth between Scottish Rite and Emory the next few weeks for tests, so please continue to pray for Emmy. Pray for her strength through this all, pray for her little spirit!! I know this is all wearing her out, and it breaks my heart!

I will let you all know more, as soon as we start getting some answers from all of the tests we are running!! Thanks for the continues support, emails, dinners, texts, etc! Appreciate everything so much!!

Perspective...

Yesterday, was Emmy's MRI!! I knew what they were looking for and I knew if it came back abnormal that could be bad, really bad. I was so worried. Her symptoms of ataxia suggested there was a lot of good reasons to perform the MRI, and that it also may come back with abnormal findings. I was worried. So, in order to kill time, approximately 30-45 minutes I decided to go buy her a new stuffed animal from the gift shop. I never actually made it there to make a purchase. While passing through the lobby, I ran into a friend from church, one of the pastors. He was coming to visit Emmy and one other child. He and I chatted for a second, and then I walked him to the other patients room, it happened to be 10 doors down from Emmy's room. We are on Aflac, this floor is strictly for children with cancer and/or blood disorders. This is a scary floor, a lot of these children have cancer and are very, very sick. Since we have been here, 2 children have been moved to PICU, with the nurses fearing that they would not return. So, as I walked my friend to this room, I thought about the fact that this child probably has cancer. I had not intended to go in with him, but as we approached his room, he suggested that I come in and meet the family and pray with them. So, in I went!

"D" is a 16 year old boy with lymphoma. He was diagnosed in July, and has only been home for a total of 6 weeks since his diagnosis. "D" has been through a lot in the past 7 months. He has had 2 very short periods where they thought he was cancer free. He has had all the radiation that he can have. They have done all that they can do. There is nothing else that a traditional medical program can offer. They are now looking for radical alternative treatment programs, they are trying to buy their son time. This is what I walked into while waiting on my child's MRI!

We prayed with this family and then we left. I walked my friend back into the lobby, and then I headed back to wait on Emmy. I thanked the Lord for perspective in that moment. I thanked Him for Emmy, and that although she is sick a lot, she is not literally fighting for her life. I thanked Him for this new perspective.

2 hours later, I was told that Emmy's MRI was abnormal, I was told that a neurologist would be coming to evaluate Emmy and to tell me what the findings were. I was immediately panicked. Anytime, your specialist has to call another specialist, it should be a warning that the situation is less than desirable.

About an hour or so after that (it felt like a lifetime), the neurologist came in and examined Emmy. She asked questions for about 15 minutes and examined her all before ever telling me what the heck was going on. I was going crazy!

Finally, she asked me the same question 2-3 times, and I repeated the same answer that I had the last 2-3 times, and said I may be getting ahead of myself, but what is on the MRI that you would feel it necessary to ask me that question over and over again!

She then realized that she was the first person to come in, and that nobody had explained the results to me. She just figured that Emmy's hem/onc team had discussed it with me already. SO, she immediately jumps into the discussion of Emmy's MRI. She used big medical words and honestly, I didn't understand a lot of what she was telling me, I heard the words, but couldn't really understand what they meant for a diagnosis. I didn't like the words that I recognized at all! They were kind of scary words.

She then brought in a computer and showed me a normal brain scan, and then showed me Emmy's brain scan. She pointed out all of the abnormalities, and proceeded to tell me that she may have a secondary disease, but they aren't sure what.....which means more testing.

So, she named a few diseases and they are scary. I am praying that they are wrong, I am praying that the findings don't mean anything, although I have been told by several doctors that they most likely mean something! Possibly a very scary something.

24 hours has passed since I met with the neurologist...I have googled some of these diseases, I have read about their complications and treatments, and I have scared myself to death. So, I am choosing to do no more googling until we have a diagnosis. However, as I read through some of these websites, I was reminded of "D". I was reminded that my child acts and seems fine. She is developmentally on target, she is smart and she looks fine...My child is not laying in bed with days or weeks left. We have been here 1 week, not 7 months. Other than the fact that I know that all of our days are numbered, I am not looking for alternate methods to prolong my childs life by a few weeks. Emmy is a happy little girl. It is all about perspective. I believe the Lord was preparing me for the news of an abnormal MRI, I believe He wanted me to have perspective when I googled these scary names. I believe HE wanted me to remember that HE is in control.

NOTHING SURPRISES HIM. HE KNEW ALL OF THIS BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF TIME. PRAISE THE LORD THAT HE IS THE SAME YESTERDAY. TODAY AND TOMORROW.

Trusting in Him. Pray for Emmy. Pray for Emory and I. Pray for wisdom for the doctors and nurses. Pray that these tests will come back quickly and provide answers. Pray that they would determine the cause of the abnormal findings quickly! Pray that I will keep perspective throughout this journey.....

....We don't know a lot yet, so we will let everyone know the findings when we have more information! The last thing I need is other people googling the findings and telling me what they think it could mean, I have already done that myself! HA!! Right now we just want your prayers! Thanks!..........

Faithful Mommy....

My mom wrote the cutest blogs about Collier's visit to the hospital! You must go visit and read them! While you are there make sure to leave her a comment, bloggers love nothing more than to know who is reading their blog, and what you thought of it!! If you have a moment, you should read some of her older posts, she's a pretty good little writer!!

Faithful Mommy

Hope you enjoy!!

24 hours ago...

A lot can change in 24 hours. The last post I wrote was about hopefully getting to head home after a 5 day admission with Collier!! Well, he was discharged! Praise the Lord for that! So, glad that he is finally off all those machines! Bless his heart, the EEG probes broke down his skin, so now he has open wounds all over his little head. Please pray that they will heal fast! He started a new medication today, it is called phenobarbital. It is a sedative/anti-epileptic. I really didn't want him to have to be on this medication, but for now, they believe that it is necessary! UGH!! Please pray for him and for us as we all adjust. This medicine will make him sedate, so really sleepy, but also can make him very irritable!! Pray that it will not make him irritable! As far as extra sleepy, he never sleeps, so that might be a good thing for a week or two! :) Please continue to lift him up in prayer as we deal with these seizures!!

Collier sleeping soundly

Well....back to that "a lot can change in 24 hours" statement....Emmy came for a quick visit with daddy and the other kiddos last night! Upon her arrival, I felt like she was a little warm, but not burning up or anything...she played, ran around the hospital room and the whole 1st floor, visiting her fan club of nurses and techs!! Right as they were hopping up to leave, I picked her up to hug her and she was on fire. A thermometer in the toosh later, her temp was 103. UGH!! We called AFLAC, they advised a quick trip to the ER downstairs, after pokes, IV's, fluids, antibiotics, scans, and labs they let us go back to our room and did not admit Emmy! That joy was short-lived!

Thursday morning, Emmy woke up with 102 temp, not a huge deal, considering her 103 temp just 12 hours before, but this time she was acting different. Within 45 minutes of waking up, we noticed that Emmy did not want to be put down to walk, we finally got her to put her feet to the ground and realized she was very dizzy, she could not even take a step without falling to the ground, when I picked her up she was on FIRE!!! Her temp was over 105. Fabulous! I called AFLAC, they were very concerned about the loss of balance, and her unwillingness to even try to walk around....they ordered an immediate CT scan! I ran downstairs with her, and my dad sat with Collier in his room. The CT scan was normal, but they admitted her. Fever has stayed above 102 all day, mostly above 104...she still is unable to walk due to the dizziness, and is even showing mild head tremors and is unbalanced when trying to sit up! MRI is in the morning!! Sickle Cell patients are prone to strokes, so they are looking for evidence of a mild stroke or some other complication in the brain, such as a clot. Please pray that her scans are normal, and that we find the source of her instability! She is also having some breathing difficulties as I type this. Respiratory Therapy was just in giving her a breathing treatment, and was just called back for a 2nd within an hour. Her lungs are very course, and she has a bit of a cough!! Please keep her in your prayers! Her platelets are low, as is her retic count (reticulocytes=red blood cell production), hemoglobin was okay this morning, but I will be anxious to see what it is after 24 hours of fever!! Thanks for the prayers! I promise to keep you updated!!!

Sweet Emmy

Update on Collier

We are still here. Really hoping that tomorrow will be the day, but we shall see. Waiting on the neurologist to come by now, and let us know what the first 24 hours of the EEG showed. I will keep you all posted. Please pray that Collier will have a seizure while on this EEG, this is the only way they will know the BEST medicine to treat him. Otherwise, it is just a guess based on what type of seizure they THINK he is having, not what they know he is having! Pray that he would have a seizure overnight tonight!! Thanks!

Here are a couple of cute pics of him hanging out in the hospital!

Scottish Rite....AGAIN

YEP!! That's right! We are here again...no, not with Emmy! Praise the Lord for that. This time we are here with sweet Collier. He is having seizures. Can you believe it? Both biological boys have seizures, never would have guessed that. It's crazy!!

Anyway, we noticed the first seizure about 2 weeks ago. He had right side jerking...meaning that his right arm and right leg, stiffened and then made a rhythmic jerking motion, as well as his right eye rolling back into his head. I jotted down the seizure, but tried to to make a huge deal in case it never happened again! Well, only 2 short weeks later and here we are. Saturday night I went out with the girls to Melting Pot, while we were there, Collier started having what seemed like a twitch in his right leg, that twitch soon became a jerk. He was having them for 10-25 seconds at a time, every 2-3 minutes. He would have several back to back and then have a reprieve for a couple of hours. This lasted all the way until Sunday morning. We were officially admitted Sunday afternoon after having a lumbar puncture and a cat scan. PRaise the Lord both were normal. Today he had an abnormal EEG, and tomorrow he will have an MRI as well as video EEG, to video tape him while they watch his brain activity!!

Either way, looks like Collier will be starting an anti-epileptic. NO FUN!! WE have seen the way these drugs alter personalities, and the emotional roller coaster that it puts Aidan on...however, we also know what the reality is if we don't medicate. That is scarier. So, I guess tomorrow we will begin discussing the very few medication options that we have. BUMMER!! Pray that we make the best decisions for Collier. Pray that the MRI and video EEG go well. He will be sedated for the MRI and it's always hard to see your child under any type of sedation!

Thanks for all the prayers!!

Daddy comes for a visit

All Smiles

~Couldn't find my thumb, but found my 2 fingers~

Mommy this is no fun

Don't you want to see what Jesus looks like?

So, Aidan and Michael have recently started asking us basic questions about witnessing to their friends at school! Of course, we 100% encouraged them to do so...they took it upon themselves to begin taking their bibles to school with them. I love it! Everyday, they will make sure to put it back in their book bags, just so they will have it in case they need to show someone who doesn't know what a bible looks like.

Aidan carries a small red Gideon bible that my dad gave him several years ago. Michael carries the children's Seaside Bible. Michael loves this bible. It once belonged to Aidan, but when Michael moved in, and didn't have one, Aidan volunteered his. Michael has always loved that it is a picture bible, and the scene on the front shows Jesus with children, different colored children. Red, Yellow, Black and White..They are precious in His sight children! He loves that the picture shows diversity, much like our family! Anyway, he loves His bible...that is the point!

Each day, the boys will come home with a new story of who they got to share Jesus with. We cherish these stories...to see your children eager to share Jesus with others is the best sight in the world! We love it! Often, we hear more stories from Aidan, as he is definitely more outspoken than Michael...so, when the phone rang this morning, I was glad to hear how outspoken he has been as well!!

Michael is Hispanic....His first language was Spanish...so, he is in ESOL (English as a second language) classes at school! He loves his teacher. Her name is Mrs. Amy! I am pretty sure he has a crush on her. :) She is quite pretty, he definitely has good taste. She is also a Christian! YAY! So, today at school, he asked her if she wanted to see what Jesus looks like? Curious how he was going to show her, she said YES!! Michael whips out his bible, and said see...there's Jesus. He continued to say, "this bible is great, because it has pictures and if you forget what Jesus looks like while you are reading it, you can look at the front and there He is!" "Don't you like to see Jesus, Mrs. Amy?" Of course, Mrs. Amy agreed that his bible was fantastic!! You have to remember Michael still has a little bit of a hispanic accent mixed with a small speech impediment, making for one of the sweetest voices you have ever heard!! I lit up as his teacher told me this story today! I am so thankful for a teacher that will share these sweet stories with me, and I am so thankful and proud of Michael for being bold enough to witness to his teacher (he didn't know she already loved Jesus).

Love that sweet boy!

Thank you, Lord for this precious boy! Thank you for his sweet, loving spirit. I am so thankful that he loves YOU at such a young age, and that he is anxious to share your name with others! I pray that he would keep this precious spirit, and always have a desire to further your kingdom, Lord. Thank you for entrusting this precious child to Emory and I!

February 1st, 2011

Can you believe that it is already Feb. 1, 2011! I can't! This year is flying by! I once would have told you that I felt like the years would drag by, but since having kids, my life has been a whirlwind. Seriously, I have been a mom for 6 years and 3 months tomorrow! Where has the time gone? I feel like it was just yesterday that Emory and I were getting married, and now here we are almost 8 years later with 6 kiddos! God is good! We are so blessed.

There is a lot going on at the Lott household. Our activities are in full swing!

Mina is continuing her gymnastics, which has us at the gym 3-4 days a week! She made straight A's this past semester and we are so proud of her. She is such a hard worker!

Aidan and Michael started baseball this week, and we will be out at the fields a minimum of 3 days per week, some weeks 4 times! YIKES!! At least they are on the same team, with the same schedule!! Both are doing exceptionally well in kindergarten! They love it!

Carson is going to start gymnastics this month, he is feeling a little left out, so we figured an hour a week at gymnastics might be nice. He'll be old enough to play soccer in the fall, which HE will LOVE!!! So, will I! He can run off some of his energy! :)

Emmy is a little young yet, but she sure is active. This girl is running. I do mean running! She is into everything, and we are loving her little personality! She is so sweet!

Collier is 10 weeks old tomorrow, and so stinkin' handsome. He is smiling all the time, and I love it! He was 10 lbs at his 2 month check-up, quite the fatboy!! :) He loves to eat!! We just started him on prevacid for his reflux, which should make him even happier than he already is!! He is a great sleeper, and is becoming a better napper with everyday that passes. Praise the Lord!!!

Well, that is about it on the kiddo updates!! Emory and I are doing great. Our business is INCREDIBLE! GOD has blessed us tremendously, and we are so thrilled to be a part of His plan for so many families. I feel truly blessed to watch firsthand as God builds families through adoption!

They were so little...

Oh, my! They have changed so much in 1 short year...look at these baby faces!!

Love this picture...

Love these 2 boys!!

Thanks for voting....

Thanks so much for voting for my kiddos!! WE WON!! WHOOHOO!!

PS: Emily....we are so getting Emmy a tutu!!! Love ya girlie!!!