Ethan had such a fun time at his Curious George party! Thank you to all the close friends and family that came to celebrate with us!

This year has gone by so fast for us and to think about our little boy already being 1 is crazy : )

It seems like just a yesterday we got an email saying we were chosen and that the birth mother wanted to meet us. We were so nervous Michelle wouldn't like us. We drove almost 3 hours to meet her and our agent for lunch. After that it has been such a whirlwind! Ethan's birth, bringing him home, watching/helping him learn so many things, feeling the joy in our hearts when we see his beautiful blue eyes, hearing his cute laugh. Oh, our baby is growing up!

We cannot wait to see what God has in store for Ethan. He has already saved him from a rough life he would have had here on this earth. Our prayer is that he will come to know God one day and recognize Him as his savior.

Life

As I am thinking this week about my father-in-law who is dying of prostate cancer, another family member whose mother-in-law is very sick and on a ventilator and a special women who left this earth almost 3 years ago and today would be her birthday (Cheryl), I can't help but think about life and death and what it means to me.

Life is nothing without God. Yes, our lungs are breathing and our heart is beating but what is sustaining our souls? Nothing that is beating or breathing or flowing through our veins can keep us living forever. It all eventually gives way to death. BUT, if our souls are LIVING then we don't have to worry about breathing or if our hearts are beating. Don't get me wrong, I praise God for my health and I am glad for all the moments I have left on this earth, but God wants us to live on forever, with him. I want to live forever with him!

I don't want to think that my life matters so much on this earth for reasons that are pointless. I want it to matter in the way that I am living a full life that is for God who is my sustainer -my creator, the one I live for, the one who is my protector, the one who gives me strength, the God who loves me so much that I trust when my day comes he will give me peace and my family comfort and healing.

Please pray that God will give peace to my father-in-law who is in the hospital and strength for the family while we face these hard times. For my friends who are thinking about their beloved wife and mother. That they will continue to trust him. Also, for a distant relative whose mother-in-law is also sick.

John 5:24
“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life

Mr. Adventure

It's amazing how one minute they aren't very mobile and the next you can't even keep up with them!

Ethan is Mr. Adventure! From one room to the next he is pulling stuff out, climbing on his gate, crawling through the chairs and playing tug of war with Conrad. It is all quite a site! A big mess for me to clean up too!

For Ethan's birthday I am planning a Curious George party. We will have it at a park near our house with close friends and family. I am planning to have some fun crafts for the older children and there is a big play ground so all the kids will be able to have fun. I am trying to find someone to make a Curious George cupcake cake. If I can't, then I will just get a cake and I will put George cake decor on it. I can't believe Ethan is about to turn the BIG 1!

Things Ethan can do:

Stand by himself for a little while

Give a High Five

Point to you where the light is (lamp or overhead light)

walk with a walker you push

dance

wave...sometimes

exploring his high pitch squeals

Ethan 9 Months

If a 9 month old was able to run around liked he owned the place, that would be my son! Ethan is everywhere and screams out some kind of noise to show he is here and lovin' life!

What's happening with Ethan. He is 9 months old now. Weight is 20 lbs. Can't keep up with his crawling around and climbing on things! Eats like a growing boy. Has 2 teeth now!!! Hates going to bed at 7pm. Ethan says momma more than dadda now...hehehe! He is such a happy boy most of the time and there are so many other things I could go on about him.

This past weekend we were visited by Chris parents for 5 days. We had a nice time and are very happy they were able to make the trip even though they had a lot of airport problems : ) They came to celebrate Zachary's (Ethan's cousin) 1st birthday. Sadly his birthday party had to be cancelled due to Anne coming down with a contageous virus. Most of the family still celebrated his birthday so it ended up being a nice time anyway.

Let's Just Call This My First of Many

Training my children, wiping hineys, feeding faces, washing faces, kissing boo boos, wiping hineys again, Ah... glorious nap time...oh wait... why are they up?, training my children again, feeding faces again, wiping hineys again, breaking up fights, training my children again... Amazing really, but I really do love being a mother!...But nothing compares to being a wife... don't get me started on the joys of that! :)

This is what one of my friends on FB wrote yesterday. Although I am not doing all of that as of right now (soon to come I am sure), I feel like I can relate to it! We are mommy, nurses, maid, hiney wipers, coach, ref, pschologist,and more! Even though that sounds a little negative I can't wait to be that with Ethan! Every day is so different from the next and it is so far better than anything else! 

I am looking at a picture right now in front of me that I took of Ethan sitting in one of our chairs. His smile is just so sweet and he is so adorable looking. I am actually thinking right now "He is MINE! He is ACTUALLY MINE!" I really do hope that all moms think that way about their children.